Crystal Structures and Human Leukemia Cell Apoptosis Inducible Activities of Parthenolide Analogues Isolated from Piptocoma rufescens

J Nat Prod. 2018 Mar 23;81(3):554-561. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.7b01079. Epub 2018 Jan 19.

Abstract

The molecular structures of three parthenolide analogues, (-)-goyazensolide (1), (-)-15-deoxygoyazensolide (2), and (-)-ereglomerulide (3), isolated from the leaves of Piptocoma rufescens in a previous study were determined by X-ray analysis, and the absolute configuration of (-)-goyazensolide (1) was confirmed crystallographically using Cu Kα radiation at low temperature. Compounds 1-3, (+)-rufesolide A (4), and commercial parthenolide were found to be growth inhibitory toward MOLM-13 and EOL-1 human acute myeloid leukemia cells using PKC412 (midostaurin) as the positive control, with 1-3 being more active than parthenolide. Also, compounds 1-4 exhibited synergistic effects when tested with PKC412, but parthenolide did not show this type of activity. At a concentration lower than 2.0 μM, both 1 and 2 induced approximately 50% of the cells to become apoptotic at a late stage of the cell cycle, but no similar apoptotic effects were observed for 3, 4, or parthenolide. Leukemia cell apoptosis was induced by these compounds through the activation of caspase-3 and the inhibition of NF-κB, as indicated by immunoblotting analysis, and compounds 1 and 2 seem to be promising leads for development as potential antileukemic agents.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Asteraceae / chemistry*
  • Caspase 3 / metabolism
  • Cell Cycle / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / drug therapy
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / metabolism
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Sesquiterpenes / chemistry*
  • Sesquiterpenes / pharmacology*

Substances

  • NF-kappa B
  • Sesquiterpenes
  • parthenolide
  • Caspase 3