Hypericin, a potential new BH3 mimetic.

Many types of cancer such as prostate cancer, myeloid leukemia, breast cancer, glioblastoma display strong chemo resistance, which is supported by enhanced expression of multiple anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, Bcl-XL and Mcl-1 proteins. The viable anti-cancer strategies are based on developing anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins inhibitors, BH3 mimetics. Our focus in past years has been on the investigating a new potential BH3 mimetic, Hypericin (Hyp).

Importance of Hypericin-Bcl2 interactions for biological effects at subcellular levels.

Hypericin (Hyp) is a naturally occurring compound used as photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy and diagnosis. Recently, we have shown that Hyp presence alone, without illumination, resulted in substantial biological effects at several sub-cellular levels. Hyp induced changes in cellular ultrastructure, mitochondria function and metabolism, and distribution of Bcl2 proteins in malignant and non-malignant cells.