Heme mediates cytotoxicity from artemisinin and serves as a general anti-proliferation target.
Heme (Fe2+ protoporphyrin IX) is an essential molecule that has been implicated the potent antimalarial action of artemisinin and its derivatives, although the source and nature of the heme remain controversial. Artemisinins also exhibit selective cytotoxicity against cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrate that intracellular heme is the physiologically relevant mediator of the cytotoxic effects of artemisinins. Increasing intracellular heme synthesis through the addition of aminolevulinic acid, protoporphyrin IX, or transferrin-bound iron increased the cytotoxicity of dihydroartemisinin, while decreasing heme synthesis through the addition of succinyl acetone decreased its cytotoxic activity. A simple and robust high throughput assay was developed to screen chemical compounds that were capable of interacting with heme. A natural products library was screened which identified the compound coralyne, in addition to artemisinin, as a heme interacting compound with heme synthesis dependent cytotoxic activity. These results indicate that cellular heme may serve a general target for the development of both anti-parasitic and anti-cancer therapeutics.
Weis Center for Research, Geisinger Clinic, Danville, Pennsylvania, USA.
Shiming
S
Zhang
Glenn S
GS
Gerhard
D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D006418:Heme / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry; D008956:Models, Chemical; D011524:Protoporphyrins / Q000737:chemistry; D013053:Spectrophotometry / Q000379:methods; D014168:Transferrin / Q000737:chemistry
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D037621:Artemisinins; D011524:Protoporphyrins; D014168:Transferrin; D006418:Heme; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid; C031327:artemisinin; C028025:protoporphyrin IX; D007501:Iron