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One new dimeric bromopyrrole alkaloid, agelanemoechine, with an unprecedented imidazo [1,5- a ] azepin nucleus together with one known dimeric bromopyrrole alkaloid sceptrin were isolated from the marine sponge Agelas nemoechinata . The structure elucidation and absolute configuration assignments were determined by extensive spectroscopic analyses and the comparison of experimental and calculated ECD. Agelanemoechine showed strong pro-angiogenic activity in zebrafish.

A pair of novel bisheterocyclic quinoline-imidazole alkaloids, (+)- and (-)-spiroreticulatine (1), were isolated from the South China Sea sponge Fascaplysinopsis reticulata. The structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and quantum chemical calculation methods. Spiroreticulatine is the first example of a sponge-derived natural spiro quinoline-imidazole alkaloid that may derive from tryptophan and 1,3-dimethylurea. Compound 1 showed inhibitory activity on IL-2 production but inactive against normal tumor cell lines.

Five new manzamine alkaloids, acanthomanzamines A-E, were isolated from the marine sponge Acanthostrongylophora ingens. Acanthomanzamines A and B are the first examples, containing a tetrahydroisoquinoline instead of a β-carboline in manzamine-related alkaloids. Acanthomanzamine C contains a hexahydrocyclopenta[b]pyrrol-4(2H)-one ring that may be converted from an eight-membered ring in manzamine A. Acanthomanzamines D and E have an additional oxazolidine and 2-methyloxazolidine rings, respectively, which fuse to the manzamine skeleton.

Cinanthrenol A (1), a new steroid composed of a phenanthrene and a spiro[2,4]heptane system, was isolated from the marine sponge Cinachyrella sp. It is the first phenathrene-containing steroid with estrogen activity.

Ansellone A (1) has been isolated from the dorid nudibranch Cadlina luteomarginata and the sponge Phorbas sp. It has the new "ansellane" sesterterpenoid carbon skeleton, and it activates the cAMP signaling pathway.

The new sesterterpenoids alotaketals A (1) and B (2) have been isolated from extracts of the marine sponge Hamigera sp. collected in Papua New Guinea. Their chemical structures were elucidated by analysis of spectroscopic data. Alotaketals A and B have the unprecedented alotane carbon skeleton, and they activate the cAMP cell signaling pathway with EC(50)'s of 18 and 240 nM, respectively.