Diterpenes with bicyclo[2.2.2]octane moieties from the fungicolous fungus Xylaria longipes HFG1018.

Xylarilongipins A (1) and B (2), two diterpenes each with an unusual cage-like bicyclo[2.2.2]octane moiety, along with their biosynthetic precursor hymatoxin L (3), were isolated from the culture broth of the fungicolous fungus Xylaria longipes HFG1018 inhabiting in the medicinal fungus Fomitopsis betulinus. The structures and absolute configurations of the three compounds were established by extensive spectroscopic analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Xylarilongipin A (1) displayed moderate inhibitory activity against the cell proliferation of concanavalin A-induced T lymphocytes and lipopolysaccharide-induced B lymphocytes with IC50 values of 13.6 and 22.4 μM, respectively. Additionally, the biosynthetic pathways for compounds 1-3 are discussed. This work not only corroborates the structure of the 9,16-cyclo-(18-nor-)isopimarane skeleton by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis for the first time, but also provides new insights into the biosynthetic origin of the unusual diterpene skeletons.