Study of mechanism of action of anticancer drug ellipticine and its metabolism

This bachelor thesis is aimed to study the mechanisms of action of anticancer drugs, their side effects, their resistance and pharmacokinetics. Anticancer alkaloid ellipticine was chosen as a model for this work. Bachelor thesis describes the metabolism of this substance in organisms and its potential to induce of drug metabolizing enzymes. An antineoplastic alkaloid ellipticine is a prodrug, whose mode of action is based mainly on DNA intercalation, inhibition of topoisomerasa II, and formation of covalent DNA adducts mediated by cytochromes P450 and/or peroxidases in target tissues. A variety cytochromes P450 oxidize ellipticine forming up to five metabolites (7-hydroxyellipticine, 9- hydroxyellipticine, 12-hydroxyellipticine, 13-hydroxyellipticine and ellipticine N2 - oxide). 7- hydroxy- and 9-hydroxyellipticine metabolites are considered to be mainly the detoxication products of ellipticine, while 12-hydroxyellipticine, 13-hydroxyellipticine and ellipticine N2 - oxide are considered to be mainly the activation products of ellipticine. The major ellipticine- derived DNA adducts are generated from these activation metabolites. These adducts were found in cancer cells in culture, such as human breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7 cells, neuroblastoma IMR-32, UKF-NB-3, and UKF-NB-4 cells and glioblastoma..