3′-hydroxy-3,4,5,4′-tetramethoxystilbene, the metabolite of resveratrol analogue DMU-212, inhibits ovarian cancer cell growth in vitro and in a mice xenograft model

In screening studies, the cytotoxic activity of four metabolites of resveratrol analogue 3,4,5,4′-tetramethoxystilbene (DMU-212) against A-2780 and SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells was investigated. The most active metabolite, 3′-hydroxy-3,4,5,4′-tetramethoxystilbene (DMU-214), was chosen for further studies. The cytotoxicity of DMU-214 was shown to be higher than that of the parent compound, DMU-212, in both cell lines tested. Since DMU-212 was supposed to undergo metabolic activation through its conversion to DMU-214, an attempt was made to elucidate the mechanism of its anti-proliferative activity. We found that in SKOV-3 cells lacking p53, DMU-214 induced receptor-mediated apoptosis. In A-2780 cell line with expression of wild-type p53, DMU-214 modulated the expression pattern of p53-target genes driving intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis pathways, as well as DNA repair and damage prevention. Regardless of the up-regulation of p48, p53R2, sestrins and Gaad45 genes involved in cancer cell DNA repair, we demonstrated the stronger anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of DMU-214 in A-2780 cells when compared to those in SKOV-3. Hence we verified DMU-214 activity in the xenograft model using SCID mice injected with A-2780 cells. The strong anti-proliferative activity of DMU-214 in the in vivo model allowed to suggest the tested compound as a potential therapeutic in ovarian cancer treatment.