Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) researchers are investigating the antitumor compounds synthesized in bioactive molecules derived from a sea sponge. One of the compounds of interest demonstrated significant anti-cancer properties to a cancer line that is resistant to standard chemotherapy. Their research appears in Marine Drugs.
Their marine compound, alkaloid 3,10-dibromofascaplysin, exhibited efficacy on various prostate cancer cells, including those resistant to standard docetaxel-based chemotherapy. The compound had been isolated from the sea sponge Fascaplysinopsis reticulata and synthesized at FEFU. The compound forces tumor cells to die via a programmed cell death mechanism, known as apoptosis.
"The examined compound, while killing cancer cells, even ones resistant to standard chemotherapy, simultaneously activates an enzyme protecting these tumor cells. However, it can't be considered as a "good" or "bad" effect. This is just a mechanism of action, an understanding of which suggests us to apply 3,10-dibromofascaplysin together with inhibitors of these enzymes," says Dr. Sergey Dyshlovoy, of FEFU School of Natural Sciences, senior researcher in the laboratory of the pharmacology of National Scientific Centre of Marine Biology.
The scientist’s future research aim includes examining how 3,10-dibromofascaplysin affects non-cancer cells.
Image credit: NOAA