The protozoan toxin climacostol inhibits growth and induces apoptosis of human tumor cell lines.

Abstract

Climacostol (5-(Z)-non-2-enyl-benzene-1,3-diol) is a natural toxin isolated from the freshwater ciliated protozoan Climacostomum virens and belongs to the group of resorcinolic lipids, compounds that show antimicrobial, antiparasitic and antitumor activities. We investigated the cytotoxic activity of the chemically synthesized toxin on: (1) human tumor squamous carcinoma A431 cells, (2) human promyelocytic leukaemia HL60 cells, and (3) human non-tumor endothelial EA.hy926 cells. The results showed that climacostol effectively inhibited the growth of tumor cell lines in a dose-dependent manner by inducing programmed cell death, with non-tumor cells proving significantly more resistant to the toxin.

• Authors: Federico Buonanno, Luana Quassinti, Massimo Bramucci, Consuelo Amantini, Roberta Lucciarini, Giorgio Santoni, Hideo Iio, Claudio Ortenzi
• Journal: Chemico-biological interactions (Chem Biol Interact) Vol. 176 Issue 2-3 Pg. 151-64 (Nov 25 2008) ISSN: 1872-7786 [Electronic] Ireland
• PMID: 18723007 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Phosphatidylserines
• Reactive Oxygen Species
• Resorcinols
• climacostol
• Caspase 3
• Caspase 8
• Acetylcysteine

Topics

• Acetylcysteine (pharmacology)
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Caspase 3 (drug effects, metabolism)
• Caspase 8 (drug effects, metabolism)
• Cell Proliferation (drug effects)
• Cell Survival (drug effects)
• DNA Fragmentation (drug effects)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
• Enzyme Activation (drug effects)
• Humans
• Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial (drug effects)
• Neoplasms (pathology)
• Phosphatidylserines (biosynthesis)
• Reactive Oxygen Species (metabolism)
• Resorcinols (pharmacology)
• Time Factors
• Tumor Cells, Cultured