Monitoring the action of redox-directed cancer therapeutics using a human peroxiredoxin-2-based probe

Nat Commun. 2018 Aug 7;9(1):3145. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-05557-y.

Abstract

Redox cancer therapeutics target the increased reliance on intracellular antioxidant systems and enhanced susceptibility to oxidant-induced stress of some cancer cells compared to normal cells. Many of these therapeutics are thought to perturb intracellular levels of the oxidant hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a signaling molecule that modulates a number of different processes in human cells. However, fluorescent probes for this species remain limited in their ability to detect the small perturbations induced during successful treatments. We report a fluorescent sensor based upon human peroxiredoxin-2, which acts as the natural indicator of small H2O2 fluctuations in human cells. The new probe reveals peroxide-induced oxidation in human cells below the detection limit of current probes, as well as peroxiredoxin-2 oxidation caused by two different redox cancer therapeutics in living cells. This capability will be useful in elucidating the mechanism of current redox-based therapeutics and in developing new ones.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antioxidants
  • Auranofin / chemistry
  • Cystine / analogs & derivatives
  • Cystine / chemistry
  • Cytoplasm / chemistry
  • Cytosol / chemistry
  • Dioxolanes / chemistry
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / chemistry
  • Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Organoselenium Compounds / chemistry
  • Oxidants / chemistry
  • Oxidation-Reduction*
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Peroxiredoxins / chemistry*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Thioredoxins / chemistry

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Dioxolanes
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Organoselenium Compounds
  • Oxidants
  • selenocystine
  • Auranofin
  • Cystine
  • Thioredoxins
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Peroxiredoxins
  • piperlongumine