The marine natural product microsclerodermin A is a novel inhibitor of the nuclear factor kappa B and induces apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells.

ABSTRACT: Pancreatic cancer, the 4th leading cause of cancer death in the US, is highly resistant to all current chemotherapies, and its growth is facilitated by chronic inflammation. An important mediator of inflammation is the nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB), a transcription factor that regulates over 500 genes including the regulation of anti-apoptotic proteins, cell cycle progression and cytokine production. NFκB is constitutively activated in pancreatic cancer cells contributing to their resistance to apoptosis and high metastatic potential. Although many small molecules that inhibit NFκB have been identified, none are currently used in the clinic, perhaps due to their lack of specificity. To identify novel inhibitors of NFκB, the HBOI library of enriched fractions from marine organisms was scree

SUBMITTER: Guzman EA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4934660 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature