shikonin and lapachol

Quinones are plant-derived secondary metabolites that present some anti-proliferation and anti-metastasis effects in various cancer types both in vitro and in vivo. This review focuses on the anti-cancer prospects of plant-derived quinones, namely, aloe-emodin, juglone, β-lapachol, plumbagin, shikonin, and thymoquinone. We intend to summarize their anti-cancer effects and investigate the mechanism of actions to promote the research and development of anti-cancer agents from quinones.

Topics: Anthraquinones; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Benzoquinones; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival; Humans; Naphthoquinones; Neoplasms; Plant Extracts

Reliance on aerobic glycolysis is one of the hallmarks of cancer. Although pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) is a key mediator of glycolysis in cancer cells, lack of selective agents that target PKM2 remains a challenge in exploiting metabolic pathways for cancer therapy. We report that unlike its structural analog shikonin, a known inhibitor of PKM2, lapachol failed to induce non-apoptotic cell death ferroxitosis in hypoxia. However, melanoma cells treated with lapachol showed a dose-dependent inhibition of glycolysis and a corresponding increase in oxygen consumption. Accordingly, in silico studies revealed a high affinity-binding pocket for lapachol on PKM2 structure. Lapachol inhibited PKM2 activity of purified enzyme as well as in melanoma cell extracts. Blockade of glycolysis by lapachol in melanoma cells led to decreased ATP levels and inhibition of cell proliferation. Furthermore, perturbation of glycolysis in melanoma cells with lapachol sensitized cells to mitochondrial protonophore and promoted apoptosis. These results present lapachol as an inhibitor of PKM2 to interrogate metabolic plasticity in tumor cells.

Topics: Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Apoptosis; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Enzyme Inhibitors; Glycolysis; Humans; Melanoma; Mitochondria; Models, Molecular; Naphthoquinones; Oxygen Consumption; Pyruvate Kinase