Selective cytotoxicity of marine-derived fungal metabolite (3S,6S)-3,6-dibenzylpiperazine-2,5-dione against cancer cells adapted to nutrient starvation

J Antibiot (Tokyo). 2020 Dec;73(12):873-875. doi: 10.1038/s41429-020-0340-3. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

Abstract

The cancer cells that are adapted to the hypoxic and nutrient-starved conditions of the tumor microenvironment have become a key target for anticancer therapies. In the course of search for selective cytotoxic substances against cancer cells adapted to nutrient starvation, (3S,6S)-3,6-dibenzylpiperazine-2,5-dione (1) was isolated from culture extract of marine-derived Paecilomyces formous 17D47-2. Compound 1 showed cytotoxic activity on the human pancreatic carcinoma PANC-1 cells adapted to glucose-starved conditions with IC50 value of 28 µM, whereas no effect was observed against PANC-1 cells under general culture conditions up to 1000 µM. Further studies on the mechanism of the selective cytotoxicity of 1 against the glucose-starved PANC-1 cells suggest that it may function via uncoupling of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / isolation & purification*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Aquatic Organisms / chemistry
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cytotoxins / chemistry
  • Cytotoxins / isolation & purification*
  • Cytotoxins / pharmacology
  • Electron Transport / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Molecular Structure
  • Oxygen Consumption / drug effects
  • Paecilomyces / chemistry*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Piperazines / chemistry
  • Piperazines / isolation & purification
  • Piperazines / pharmacology
  • Tumor Microenvironment / drug effects

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Cytotoxins
  • Piperazines