Molecule

S1223 

Research Area: Cancer
Biological Activity:
In the in vitro study, epirubicin was applied to EAC cells in doses of 1 μg/mL, 2μg/mL, 4 μg/mL and 6 μg/mL. In the in vivo study, EPI 0.02 mg/g and EPI 0.04 mg/g were injected to mice intraperitoneally. These doses, applied both in vivo and in vitro studies, inhibited the proliferation of EAC cells as well as DNA synthesis and mitosis. It was found that this effect depended on increasing amount of drug applied and time. [2]The cytotoxicity of LAK alone and LAK together with low dose epirubicin-HCI (IC50 1/10) which is measured using the MTT cytotoxicity test on viability of Hep G2 cells and sensitization of target cells to effector cells was investigated. The cytotoxicity of LAK (IC50 value of 5LAK/Hep G2 in 24 hours) and LAK+epirubicin-HCI (IC50 value of 2.5LAK+epirubicin-HCI/Hep G2 cell in 24 hours) appeared to involve a free radical species production type of mechanism since free radicals scavenger enzymes activity, Mn-SOD, Cu,Zn-SOD, Se-dependent GPx and catalase, were increased (p<0.01). Preincubation of Hep G2 cell with SOD before adding LAK and LAK+epirubicin-HCI prevented increasing enzymes activity and cytotoxicity. Also, after LAK and LAK+epirubicin-HCI treatment, increasing expression of NADPH-dependent Cytochrome P450 reductase supported cytotoxicity results depending on free radical production. Increasing activity of Mn-SOD,Cu,Zn-SOD, Se-dependent GPx and catalase are higher in Hep G2 cell treated with combining epirubicin-HCI with LAK than LAK alone (p<0.01). The combining treatment made the Hep G2 cell more sensitive to free radical production and cytotoxicity than LAK treatment alone. SOD, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and NADPH-dependent Cytochrome P450 reductase must be considered as part of the intracellular antioxidant defense mechanism of Hep G2 cells against to single electron reducing quinone-containing anticancer antibiotics and free radical production as result of excess amount of NO synthesis. [3]

E9406 

Biochem/physiol Actions
Cell-permeable anthracycline antitumor antibiotic. Antineoplastic. A stereoisomer of doxorubicin that exhibits reduced cardiotoxicity. Its antitumor actions are mediated by targeting topoisomerase II.
Epirubicin is antimitotic and cytotoxic. It inhibits nucleic acid and protein synthesis. Epirubicin may do so by forming complexes with DNA and intercalation between base pairs, by inhibiting topoisomerase II activity by stabilizing the DNA-topoisomerase II complex, and by preventing the religation portion of the ligation-religation reaction that topoisomerase II catalyzes. It inhibits DNA helicase activity.
Application
Epirubicin is a cell-permeable anthracycline antitumor antibiotic. It is a stereoisomer(4′-epi-isomer) of doxorubicin that exhibits reduced cardiotoxicity. It is used to inhibit topoisomerase II and DNA helicase activity. Epirubicin is used to study metastatic breast cancer1and cardiac toxicity2.