Nitroxoline (8-hydroxy-5-nitroquinoline) is more a potent anti-cancer agent than clioquinol (5-chloro-7-iodo-8-quinoline).

Abstract

Clioquinol has been shown to have anticancer activity both in vitro and in vivo. The present study compared the cytotoxicity of clioquinol with six analogues using human cancer cell lines. Of the analogues tested, 8-hydroxy-5-nitroquinoline (NQ) was the most toxic, with an IC(50) that was five to ten fold lower than that of other congeners. Its activity was enhanced by copper, but not zinc, and the use of a zinc-sensitive fluorophore showed that unlike clioquinol, NQ is not a zinc ionophore. NQ increased intracellular reactive oxygen species generation, an effect that was significantly enhanced by the addition of copper at levels approximately the same as those found in human plasma. NQ has been used in humans for the treatment of urinary infections. NQ is an 8-hydroxyquinoline derivative that is more potent than the halogenated 8-hydroxyquinolines, and it may be less neurotoxic because it lacks zinc ionophore activity. NQ is another clinically used anti-microbial agent whose properties suggest that it may be useful in treating cancer.

• Authors: Hongchao Jiang, Jori E Taggart, Xiaoxi Zhang, Doris M Benbrook, Stuart E Lind, Wei-Qun Ding
• Journal: Cancer letters (Cancer Lett) Vol. 312 Issue 1 Pg. 11-7 (Dec 15 2011) ISSN: 1872-7980 [Electronic] Ireland
• PMID: 21899946 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Nitroquinolines
• Reactive Oxygen Species
• Clioquinol
• nitroxoline

Topics

• Antineoplastic Agents (pharmacology)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Survival (drug effects)
• Clioquinol (pharmacology)
• Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
• HL-60 Cells
• Humans
• Neoplasms (drug therapy, metabolism)
• Nitroquinolines (pharmacology)
• Reactive Oxygen Species (metabolism)