Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Enhancement of Apoptotic and Autophagic Induction by a Novel Synthetic C-1 Analogue of 7-deoxypancratistatin in Human Breast Adenocarcinoma and Neuroblastoma Cells with Tamoxifen
19:44

Enhancement of Apoptotic and Autophagic Induction by a Novel Synthetic C-1 Analogue of 7-deoxypancratistatin in Human Breast Adenocarcinoma and Neuroblastoma Cells with Tamoxifen

Published on: May 30, 2012

Apoptolidin: induction of apoptosis by a natural product

Peter T Daniel1, Ulrich Koert, Julia Schuppan

  • 1Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, University Medical Center Charité, Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany.

Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|January 13, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Apoptolidin, a natural product, selectively triggers apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells. This review details its synthesis and compares it with other natural apoptosis-regulating compounds.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is crucial for maintaining homeostasis and is frequently dysregulated in cancer.
  • Both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways can initiate apoptosis, involving caspases and the mitochondrion, respectively.
  • Natural products offer a promising avenue for developing novel therapeutic agents that modulate apoptotic pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and compare known synthetic routes for the natural product apoptolidin.
  • To highlight apoptolidin's selective induction of apoptosis in cancer cell lines.
  • To introduce other natural products with apoptosis-regulating properties.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of synthetic pathways for apoptolidin.
  • Comparative analysis of reported synthetic strategies.
  • Overview of other natural products impacting apoptosis.

Main Results:

  • Apoptolidin demonstrates selective apoptosis induction in various cancer cell lines.
  • Several synthetic routes to apoptolidin have been established and are presented.
  • The review provides a comparative assessment of these synthetic approaches.

Conclusions:

  • Apoptolidin is a significant natural product with therapeutic potential in cancer due to its ability to induce apoptosis.
  • Understanding and optimizing apoptolidin synthesis is key for its further development.
  • Further research into natural products regulating apoptosis may yield new cancer treatments.

More Related Videos

Detection and Isolation of Apoptotic Bodies to High Purity12:17

Detection and Isolation of Apoptotic Bodies to High Purity

Published on: August 12, 2018

Related Concept Videos

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:31

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

Internal cellular stress, such as cellular injury or hypoxia, triggers intrinsic apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are the primary regulators of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. For example, during DNA damage, checkpoint proteins, such as Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM protein) and Checkpoints Factor-2 (Chk2) proteins, are activated. These proteins phosphorylate p53 which further activates pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa, and inhibits...
The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:17

The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

The extrinsic apoptotic pathway is initiated when extracellular death-inducing signals, such as specific cytokines, activate the death receptors expressed on the cell surface. The immune cells involved in this pathway are natural killer cells (NK cells) and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes. NK cells are critical in innate immune response, while cytotoxic T-lymphocytes are associated with adaptive immune response. These cells recognize specific receptors expressed on the altered cells and activate...
Apoptosis01:30

Apoptosis

Apoptosis is a combination of two Greek words, 'apo' and 'ptosis,' meaning separation and falling off, respectively. Hippocrates used this word to describe gangrene, which was caused due to bandaging of fractured bones. Apoptosis was distinguished from necrosis in 1970 when John Kerr reported observations of morphological changes occurring during apoptosis. During one experiment, he observed that the disruption of blood supply to the liver tissue resulted in a size reduction of the tissue.
Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy01:22

Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy

Cells respond to damage and stress through highly coordinated processes that decide whether they survive or undergo controlled self-destruction. Two major pathways involved in this regulation are apoptosis, a type of programmed cell death, and autophagy, a survival mechanism that helps cells adapt to adverse conditions.ApoptosisApoptosis removes aged or injured cells to maintain tissue balance. During this process, the cell shrinks, chromatin condenses and fragments, and membrane-bound...
Autophagic Cell Death01:18

Autophagic Cell Death

Christian de Duve discovered “autophagy,” a process in which cellular components are engulfed by membrane-bound organelles called autophagosomes. The autophagosomes then fuse with lysosomes to digest the enclosed contents. Autophagy is generally activated in cells to prevent cell death. However, cell death is triggered when the damage is beyond repair.
Autophagy and Apoptosis
Autophagy can activate apoptosis. In normal conditions, the autophagy activating protein Beclin-1 and pro-apoptotic...
Phagocytosis of Apoptotic Cells01:17

Phagocytosis of Apoptotic Cells

Cells undergoing apoptosis form apoptotic bodies that must be removed immediately to prevent inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and necrosis. Phagocytosis is carried out by professional phagocytes such as macrophages or  immature dendritic cells. Non-professional phagocytes such as  epithelial cells and fibroblasts also take part in this process; however, they are not as effective as professional phagocytes. 
Normal cells contain receptors that prevent them from being recognized by phagocytes.