Molecular targets of anticancer agents from filamentous marine cyanobacteria

Abstract

The prokaryotic marine cyanobacteria, especially the filamentous forms, are known to produce a plethora of structurally unique natural products. A majority of these molecules are nitrogen-containing, belonging to the hybrid polyketide-polypeptide structural class. Various activities of clinical significance have been attributed to these molecules, ranging from anticancer, neuromodulating to antiprotozoal properties. Particularly in the area of cancer therapy, a number of potent marine cyanobacterial compounds, including dolastatins 10, 15, and largazole, have been identified as anticancer drug leads and are being further developed synthetically for clinical usage. The high potencies of these compounds are due to their exquisite interactions or interference with cellular pathways, specific macromolecules, or enzymes, such as the JAK-STAT signaling pathway, histone deacetylase, proteasome, protein kinase C, actin and microtubule filaments. This mini review covers more than 90 references and features more than 40 anticancer compounds, consisting of marine cyanobacterial natural products and their synthetic analogues. Biological data of these compounds are discussed based on their molecular targets.