Antiproliferative Effect on Cancer Cells of Novel Pink Red-like Pigment Anthracyclines and Derivatives Produced by Streptomyces coelicoflavus Strains

Pink red-like pigment anthracyclines of crud extracts produced by Streptomyces coelicoflavus MFB11, MFB20, MFB21, MFB23 and MFB24 strains and variants from two spontaneous mutants (MFB11-V and MFB11-Y) as well as prepared fractions (FA and FB) from MFB21 and MFB24 strain pigments were screened for antiproliferative effect by MTT. Cancer cell targets used in this screening were P3 Mice myeloid cell line and/or U2OS human osteosarcoma cell line. The results showed an important antiproliferative effect of some strain pigment anthracyclines on the two organism cell types. U2OS human osteosarcoma cell line was more sensitive to the pigments and showed different antiproliferative effect profiles compared to results obtained on P3 Mice myeloid cell line. FACs analysis of these antiproliferative effects on U2OS human osteosarcoma cell line exhibited cell cycle phase arrests at G1, G1/S or S. This suspects similar mechanism of cell division arrest in U2OS cell induced by these studied compounds to that induced by the apoptotic prodigiosin who differs to that induced by undecylprodigiosin, daunorubicin or other known anthracycline analogues. Thus, these red-like pigments without antibiotic effect (unlike other anthracyclines) could constitute novel anthracycline compounds presenting a strong potential for their contribution in anticancer chemotherapy