Structures and mechanisms of antitumor agents: xestoquinones uncouple cellular respiration and disrupt HIF signaling in human breast tumor cells

J Nat Prod. 2012 Sep 28;75(9):1553-9. doi: 10.1021/np3002892. Epub 2012 Aug 31.

Abstract

The organic extract of a marine sponge, Petrosia alfiani, selectively inhibited iron chelator-induced hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) activation in a human breast tumor T47D cell-based reporter assay. Bioassay-guided fractionation yielded seven xestoquinones (1-7) including three new compounds: 14-hydroxymethylxestoquinone (1), 15-hydroxymethylxestoquinone (2), and 14,15-dihydroxestoquinone (3). Compounds 1-7 were evaluated for their effects on HIF-1 signaling, mitochondrial respiration, and tumor cell proliferation/viability. The known metabolites adociaquinones A (5) and B (6), which possess a 3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-thiazine-1,1-dioxide moiety, potently and selectively inhibited iron chelator-induced HIF-1 activation in T47D cells, each with an IC(50) value of 0.2 μM. Mechanistic studies revealed that adociaquinones promote oxygen consumption without affecting mitochondrial membrane potential. Compound 1 both enhances respiration and decreases mitochondrial membrane potential, suggesting that it acts as a protonophore that uncouples mitochondrial respiration.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / isolation & purification*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Iron Chelating Agents / pharmacology
  • Marine Biology
  • Mitochondria / drug effects
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Molecular Structure
  • Porifera / chemistry*
  • Quinones / chemistry
  • Quinones / isolation & purification*
  • Quinones / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1
  • Iron Chelating Agents
  • Quinones
  • xestoquinone