Lung Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Lung Cancer, including details on symptoms, smoking, genetics, treatment, causes.

Discovery of a novel small molecule, 1-ethoxy-3-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-propanol, that induces apoptosis in A549 human lung cancer cells.

Du AY, Zhao BX, Yin DL, Zhang SL, Miao JY

Institute of Developmental Biology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China.

A novel small molecule, 1-ethoxy-3-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-propanol (EOD), was synthesized in our laboratory. Previously, we reported pharmacological properties of EOD, triggering apoptosis in Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Here, we further investigated the effects of EOD on the growth of A549 human lung cancer cells. EOD treatment induced apoptosis in A549 cells via up-regulating the expression of P53 protein, blocking cell cycle partly at G1 phase, and ultimately activating caspase-3. In contrast, caspase-8 might be irrelevant to EOD-triggered apoptosis. This study indicated that EOD might be a potential chemopreventive agent for lung cancer. The work would encourage us to add more novel compounds to our 'library' of small molecules derived through modern synthetic organic chemistry, and would drive us to determine the proteins that the compounds target.

Published 1 June 2005 in Bioorg Med Chem, 13(13): 4176-83.
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