Thiostrepton induces apoptotic cell death at the level of BCL-2/CED-9 in C. elegans

Abstract Thiostrepton, a thiopeptide antibiotic, has been attracting increasing attention for its anti-proliferative and anti-cancer properties in various tested cell culture models. Extensive in vitro analysis has been conducted to understand its anti-cancer effect across multiple cancer types and...

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Main Authors: Alanoud Al-Kaabi, Tayyiba Akbar Ali, Mahmoud Izadi, Kirti S. Prabhu, Shahab Uddin, Ehsan Pourkarimi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-09446-5
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author Alanoud Al-Kaabi
Tayyiba Akbar Ali
Mahmoud Izadi
Kirti S. Prabhu
Shahab Uddin
Ehsan Pourkarimi
author_facet Alanoud Al-Kaabi
Tayyiba Akbar Ali
Mahmoud Izadi
Kirti S. Prabhu
Shahab Uddin
Ehsan Pourkarimi
author_sort Alanoud Al-Kaabi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Thiostrepton, a thiopeptide antibiotic, has been attracting increasing attention for its anti-proliferative and anti-cancer properties in various tested cell culture models. Extensive in vitro analysis has been conducted to understand its anti-cancer effect across multiple cancer types and cell lines, with numerous reports indicating that thiostrepton can inhibit cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth and induce apoptosis in vitro. On the other hand, the in vivo anti-tumor effect of thiostrepton remains elusive. In this study, we aimed to genetically and physiologically characterize the effects of thiostrepton on apoptosis induction in vivo using C. elegans. Our data demonstrate that thiostrepton induces apoptosis in C. elegans, and this apoptotic induction is independent of the genomic instability and is not related to p53 activity. Rather, the apoptotic cell death mediated by thiostrepton treatment occurs at the level of the BCL-2/CED-9 protein at the core apoptotic machinery. Furthermore, we have unlinked the high ROS (reactive oxygen species) induction reported in earlier in vitro studies from apoptosis induction upon thiostrepton treatment in C. elegans. Overall, our genetic data indicate that apoptosis induction mediated by thiostrepton occurs at the level of the core apoptotic machinery.
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spelling doaj-art-5a4da7c53ee043d3971ba0f4a786ed102025-08-20T04:01:51ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-09446-5Thiostrepton induces apoptotic cell death at the level of BCL-2/CED-9 in C. elegansAlanoud Al-Kaabi0Tayyiba Akbar Ali1Mahmoud Izadi2Kirti S. Prabhu3Shahab Uddin4Ehsan Pourkarimi5Division of Genomics and Translational Medicine, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa UniversityDivision of Genomics and Translational Medicine, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa UniversityDivision of Genomics and Translational Medicine, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa UniversityTranslational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical CorporationTranslational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical CorporationDivision of Genomics and Translational Medicine, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa UniversityAbstract Thiostrepton, a thiopeptide antibiotic, has been attracting increasing attention for its anti-proliferative and anti-cancer properties in various tested cell culture models. Extensive in vitro analysis has been conducted to understand its anti-cancer effect across multiple cancer types and cell lines, with numerous reports indicating that thiostrepton can inhibit cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth and induce apoptosis in vitro. On the other hand, the in vivo anti-tumor effect of thiostrepton remains elusive. In this study, we aimed to genetically and physiologically characterize the effects of thiostrepton on apoptosis induction in vivo using C. elegans. Our data demonstrate that thiostrepton induces apoptosis in C. elegans, and this apoptotic induction is independent of the genomic instability and is not related to p53 activity. Rather, the apoptotic cell death mediated by thiostrepton treatment occurs at the level of the BCL-2/CED-9 protein at the core apoptotic machinery. Furthermore, we have unlinked the high ROS (reactive oxygen species) induction reported in earlier in vitro studies from apoptosis induction upon thiostrepton treatment in C. elegans. Overall, our genetic data indicate that apoptosis induction mediated by thiostrepton occurs at the level of the core apoptotic machinery.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-09446-5CancerThiostreptonApoptosisBCL-2/CED-9C. elegansROS
spellingShingle Alanoud Al-Kaabi
Tayyiba Akbar Ali
Mahmoud Izadi
Kirti S. Prabhu
Shahab Uddin
Ehsan Pourkarimi
Thiostrepton induces apoptotic cell death at the level of BCL-2/CED-9 in C. elegans
Scientific Reports
Cancer
Thiostrepton
Apoptosis
BCL-2/CED-9
C. elegans
ROS
title Thiostrepton induces apoptotic cell death at the level of BCL-2/CED-9 in C. elegans
title_full Thiostrepton induces apoptotic cell death at the level of BCL-2/CED-9 in C. elegans
title_fullStr Thiostrepton induces apoptotic cell death at the level of BCL-2/CED-9 in C. elegans
title_full_unstemmed Thiostrepton induces apoptotic cell death at the level of BCL-2/CED-9 in C. elegans
title_short Thiostrepton induces apoptotic cell death at the level of BCL-2/CED-9 in C. elegans
title_sort thiostrepton induces apoptotic cell death at the level of bcl 2 ced 9 in c elegans
topic Cancer
Thiostrepton
Apoptosis
BCL-2/CED-9
C. elegans
ROS
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-09446-5
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