Thelephoric acid is a terphenylquinone

pigment A pigment is a powder used to add or alter color or change visual appearance. Pigments are completely or nearly solubility, insoluble and reactivity (chemistry), chemically unreactive in water or another medium; in contrast, dyes are colored sub ...

that is found in several

fungi A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...

, such as '' Omphalotus subilludens'' and ''

Polyozellus multiplex ''Polyozellus multiplex'' is a species complex of fungi first described in 1899. ''P. multiplex'' is commonly known as the blue chanterelle, the purple chanterelle, or, in Alaska, the black chanterelle. However, this mushroom is not closel ...

''. Thelephoric acid has been shown to

inhibit Inhibitor or inhibition may refer to: Biology * Enzyme inhibitor, a substance that binds to an enzyme and decreases the enzyme's activity * Reuptake inhibitor, a substance that increases neurotransmission by blocking the reuptake of a neurotransmi ...

prolyl endopeptidase Prolyl endopeptidase (PE) also known as prolyl oligopeptidase or post-proline cleaving enzyme is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''PREP'' gene. Function Prolyl endopeptidase is a large cytosolic enzyme that belongs to a distinct cl ...

, an

enzyme An enzyme () is a protein that acts as a biological catalyst by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrate (chemistry), substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different mol ...

that has a role in processing proteins (specifically,

amyloid precursor protein Amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP) is an integral membrane protein expressed in many biological tissue, tissues and concentrated in the synapses of neurons. It functions as a cell surface receptor and has been implicated as a regulator of s ...

) in

Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems wit ...

. Chemicals that inhibit prolyl endopeptidase have attracted research interest due to their potential therapeutic effects. It is derived from

atromentin Atromentin is a natural chemical compound found in Agaricomycetes fungi in the orders Agaricales and Thelephorales. It can also be prepared by laboratory synthesis. Chemically, it is a polyphenol and a benzoquinone. Occurrences Atromentin has ...

, and its precursor can be from cyclovariegatin. Fragmentation patterns have suggested that polymers of thelephoric acid exists.

References

{{Reflist, refs= {{Cite journal , vauthors=Hwang JS, Song KS, Kim WG, Lee TH, Koshino H, Yoo ID , title=Polyozellin, a new inhibitor of prolyl endopeptidase from ''Polyozellus multiplex'' , journal=The Journal of Antibiotics , volume=50 , issue=9 , pages=773–77 , year=1997 , pmid=9360624 , doi=10.7164/antibiotics.50.773, doi-access=free {{Cite journal , vauthors=Ju-Yeon K, ((Rhee I-K)), ((Lee K-B)), ((Hwang J-S)), ((Yoo I-D)), ((Song K-S)) , year=1999 , title=Thelephoric acid and kynapcin-9 in mushroom ''Polyozellus multiflex'' inhibit prolyl endopeptidase ''in vitro'' , journal=Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology , volume=9 , issue=6 , pages=798–803 {{Cite journal , vauthors=Nagasawa I, Kaneko A, Suzuki T, Nishio K, Kinoshita K, Shiro M, Koyama K , title=Potential anti-angiogenesis effects of ''p''-terphenyl compounds from ''Polyozellus multiplex'' , journal=Journal of Natural Products , year=2014 , volume=77 , issue=4 , pages=963–8 , doi=10.1021/np401046z , pmid=24601669 {{Cite journal , vauthors=Sullivan G, Garrett RD, Lenehan RF , year=1971 , title=Occurrence of atromentin and thelephoric acid in cultures of ''Clitocybe subilludens'' , journal=Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences , volume=60 , issue=11 , pages=1727–29 , doi=10.1002/jps.2600601134 , pmid=4332377 Tetrols Quinones Hydrolase inhibitors Catechols Dibenzofurans Heterocyclic compounds with 5 rings Aromatic ketones Fungal pigments