Mechanism of antitumor activity and biotechnological production of rinderol - a new naphthoquinone derivative

Two purposes will be fulfilled in this project. The first aim is development of bioengineering techniques that will allow to produce substantial amounts of newly identified plant metabolite belonging to the group of naphthoquinone derivatives named rinderol (2-methoxy-5O, 6-(isohex-1-ene-1,2-diyl)-5,8-dihydroxynaphthalene-1,4-dione). This compound was for the first time described by member of our research team in cultivated in vitro roots of Cynoglossum columnae (Boraginaceae), followed by its isolation and identification in roots of Rindera graeca (Boraginaceae). R. graeca in vitro root cultures are going to be used for production of this compound. The second aim of current project is the elucidation of the molecular mechanism underlaying anticancer properties of rinderol and comparison of its cytotoxicity with doxorubicin as a reference, clinically established anticancer drug. This compound was selected for the investigation among metabolites found in phytochemical profile of R. graeca roots, on the basis of distinguishing, high cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines. According to results of our preliminary research, rinderol occurred to be an extraordinarily fast-acting compound in induction of apoptotic cell death, which was confirmed in series of experiments.