ABSTRACT
Sixty natural products belonging to the following structural classes: artemisinins, coumarins, flavonoids, tannins, tetrahydroberberine alkaloids, tetracyclic triterpenes, tetranortriterpenoids and polysulphides were screened against the human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line revealing differences in their effects on cell morphology and in anti-proliferation/cytotoxic activity. Based on the data obtained, dibenzyl trisulphide is the most effective anti-proliferative/cytotoxic compound. In addition, we hereby propose the human SH-SY5Y cell line as a sensitive and uncomplicated in vitro test system for detecting compounds with potential anti-proliferation/cytotoxic activity
Subject(s)
Humans , Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Benzyl Compounds/pharmacology , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Neuroblastoma/pathology , Sulfides/pharmacology , Cell Division/drug effects , Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Survival/drug effectsABSTRACT
The anti-cancer therapeutic promise of cantharidin is limited because of its high mammalian toxicity. In order to find new anti-cancer lead compounds with reduced toxicity of the cantharidin prototype, the following seven derivatives were screened against the human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma and MCF-7 breast cancer cells in vitro: 2,3-dimethyl-7-oxabicylo-[2.2.1]heptane-2,3-dicarboxylic anhydride (cantharidin) [1], 1-cyclohexen-1,2-dicarboxylic anhydride [2], cis-4-cyclohexen-1,2-dicarboxylic anhydride [3], cis-1, 2-cyclohexanedicarboxylic anhydride [4], exo-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2-3 dicarboxylic anhydride [5], exo-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,3-dicarboxylic anhydride (norcantharidin) [6], and (S)-(-)-O-acetylmalic anhydride [7]. Cantharidin, was found to be the most effective anti-proliferative compound on both cell lines. However, on the human neuroblastoma cells cantharidin was of equal toxicity to compound [6]. Mode of action studies revealed that cantharidin inhibited growth factor-mediated activation of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPkinase) and attenuated the de-phosphorylation of the extracellular regulated kinases 1 and 2 (erk1 and erk2)