Modulation of DNA Methylation by a Sesquiterpene Lactone Parthenolide

Modulation of DNA methylation by a sesquiterpene lactone parthenolide.

Hypermethylation of 5'-cytosine-guanosine islands of tumor suppressor genes resulting in their silencing has been proposed to be a hallmark of various tumors. Modulation of DNA methylation with DNA methylation inhibitors has been shown to result in cancer cell differentiation or apoptosis and represents a novel strategy for chemotherapy. Currently, effective DNA methylation inhibitors are mainl...

Modulation of Cell Surface Protein Free Thiols: A Potential Novel Mechanism of Action of the Sesquiterpene Lactone Parthenolide

BACKGROUND There has been much interest in targeting intracellular redox pathways as a therapeutic approach for cancer. Given recent data to suggest that the redox status of extracellular protein thiol groups (i.e. exofacial thiols) effects cell behavior, we hypothesized that redox active anti-cancer agents would modulate exofacial protein thiols. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS To test this h...

Covalent modification of human serum albumin by the natural sesquiterpene lactone parthenolide.

The reactivity of parthenolide (PRT), a natural sesquiterpene lactone from Tanacetum parthenium (Asteraceae), with human serum albumin (HSA) was studied by UHPLC/+ESI-QqTOF MS analysis after tryptic digestion of albumin samples after incubation with this compound. It was found that the single free cysteine residue, C34, of HSA (0.6 mM) reacted readily with PRT when incubated at approximately 13...

Anti-proliferative effect and apoptotic induction of sesquiterpene lactone parthenolide in a human breast cancer cell line

Parthenolide is a secondary metabolite, which naturally occurs in the feverfew plant and is responsible for its healing power. The potential of parthenolide in inhibition of cancer cell growth, alone or in combination with other anti-cancer therapeutics, have been studied in several laboratories. In this study, the effect of extracted parthenolide on the expression of seven pro-apoptotic genes,...

The Antiinflammatory Sesquiterpene Lactone Parthenolide Inhibits NF-kB by Targeting the IkB Kinase Complex