Planta Med 2012; 78 - PD91
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1320449

Selective killing of leukemia cells by Cordiaquinone J targeting the stress response to ROS

JDB Marinho-Filho 1, AJ Araújo 1, C Pessoa 1, JC Diniz 2, FA Viana 2, ODL Pessoa 3, ER Silveira 3, MP da Costa 1, MO Moraes 1, LVC Lotufo 1
  • 1UFC-Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia
  • 2UERN-Departamento de Química
  • 3UFC-Departamento de Química Orgânica e Inorgânica

Cordiaquinone J (CLR) is a biological active meroterpenoid naphthoquinone isolated from the roots of Cordia leucocephala. This compound showed IC50 values ranging from 4.6 to 6.8µM in leukemia cells and 33.6 to 37µM in normal cells. CLR induced both necrosis and apoptosis and decreased C-Myc and GSH levels in HL-60 cells. CLR also promoted DNA damage activating protein kinases of the ATM/ATR pathway in tumor cells but not in normal cells in a mechanism dependent of the generation of ROS (Fig1). Financial Support: CNPq/CAPES/PRONEX.

Fig.1: (A) Molecular structure of cordiaquinone.

Fig.2: (B) Mechanism of action of cordiaquinone.