Tropodithietic acid | Cytotoxic disulfide antibiotic

Tropodithietic acid (750590-18-2) displays potent broad-spectrum anticancer activity.¹ Displays cytotoxic effects on mammalian cell lines (neuronal N2a cells and OLN-93 cells as model systems for nerve cells and glia) acting via disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, activation of ERK1/2 and induction of HSP32/HO-1 (considered as a sensor of oxidative stress).² A broad-spectrum antibiotic agent produced by marine bacteria which does not appear to induce resistance after long-term exposure.³

References/Citations

1) Wilson et al. (2016), Mode of action and resistance studies unveil new roles for tropodithietic acid as an anticancer agent and the γ-glutamyl cycle as a proton sink; Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 113 1630
2) Wichmann et al. (2015), Cytotoxic Effects of Tropodithietic Acid on Mammalian Clonal Cell Lines of Neuronal and Glial Origin; Mar. Drugs, 13 7113
3) Rasmussen et al. (2016), Vibro anguillarum is Genetically and Phenotypically Unaffected by Long-Term Continuous Exposure to the Antibacterial Compound Tropodithietic Acid; Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 82 4802