Anticancer saponin OSW-1 is a novel class of selective Golgi stress inducer

Abstract

OSW-1 is a plant-derived natural product proposed to selectively kill cancer cells by binding to members of the oxysterol binding protein family, thereby disrupting lipid/sterol homeostasis. However, how these protein-ligand interactions mediate cell death signaling has remained elusive. Here, we discovered that OSW-1 selectively activates the Golgi stress response leading to apoptosis, providing a mechanistic basis for the anticancer activity of OSW-1.

Keywords: Anticancer natural product; Golgi stress response; OSBP; OSW-1; Saponin.