2'-Benzoyl-oxycinnamaldehyde is a strong cancer treatment candidate.

2004 APR 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- 2'-Benzoyl-oxycinnamaldehyde is a strong cancer treatment candidate.

"2'-Hydroxycinnamaldehyde (HCA) has been shown to have inhibitory effects on farnesyl protein transferase in vitro, angiogenesis, and tumor cell growth. However, the mechanism for these inhibitions remains unknown. As a derivative of HCA, BCA (2'-benzoyl-oxycinnamaldehyde) was synthesized by replacing the hydroxyl group with benzoyl-oxyl group," investigators in South Korea report.

"When p53-mutated cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell and SW620 colon cancer cell) were treated with 10 micro M HCA or BCA, it induced growth arrest and apoptosis of tumor cells. Markers of apoptosis such as degradations of chromosomal DNA and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and activation of caspase-3 were detected after HCA or BCA treatment," stated D.C. Han and colleagues, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience & Biotechnology.

"BCA-induced apoptosis was blocked by pretreatment of cells with antioxidants, glutathione, or N-acetyl-cysteine. In addition, BCA-induced activation of caspase-3 and degradation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase were abolished by pretreatment of cells with the antioxidants. These results suggest that reactive oxygen species are major regulators of BCA-induced apoptosis."

"HCA or BCA-induced accumulation of reactive oxygen species was detected by using DCF-DA, an intracellular probe of oxidative stress. Furthermore, when BCA (100 mg/kg) was administrated intraperitoneally or orally into a nude mouse, it inhibited >88 or 41% of tumor growth, respectively, without any detectable weight change. These results suggest that BCA is a good drug candidate for cancer therapy," researchers concluded.

Han and colleagues published their study in Journal of Biological Chemistry (2'-benzoyloxycinnamaldehyde induces apoptosis in human carcinoma via reactive oxygen species. J Biol Chem, 2004;279(8):6911-6920).

For additional information, contact B.M. Kwon, Korea Research Institute Bioscience & Biotechnology, 52 Uendong Yoosunggu, Taejon 305600, South Korea.

The publisher of the Journal of Biological Chemistry can be contacted at: American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Inc., 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814-3996, USA.

The information in this article comes under the major subject areas of Cancer Therapy and Oncology.

This article was prepared by Cancer Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2004, Cancer Weekly via NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net.