Discovery of small-molecule enhancers of reactive oxygen species that are nontoxic or cause genotype-selective cell death.

ABSTRACT: Elevation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels has been observed in many cancer cells relative to nontransformed cells, and recent reports have suggested that small-molecule enhancers of ROS may selectively kill cancer cells in various in vitro and in vivo models. We used a high-throughput screening approach to identify several hundred small-molecule enhancers of ROS in a human osteosarcoma cell line. A minority of these compounds diminished the viability of cancer cell lines, indicating that ROS elevation by small molecules is insufficient to induce death of cancer cell lines. Three chemical probes (BRD5459, BRD56491, BRD9092) are highlighted that most strongly elevate markers of oxidative stress without causing cell death and may be of use in a variety of cellular settings. For exampl

SUBMITTER: Adams DJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3658551 | biostudies-literature | 2013 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature