The effective use of derivatives of marine natural products can inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells and even cancer stem cells, according to a PolyU research.

 

The interaction between LSD1 inhibitor and LSD1 protein.

With their rich structural diversity and complexity, natural products have inspired chemists and physicians to devise therapeutic applications for millennia. Many drugs used today are natural products or their derivatives, with marine natural products attracting increased attention in recent decades.

Over the years, Dr Ye Tao at PolyU’s Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology has focused his research on the total synthesis of biological active natural products and chemical biology. Riding on the discovery in 2012 of specific bioactive small inhibitors of LSD1, a histone demethylase that is highly expressed in many tumours, Dr Ye and his research team recently used computational-aided drug design to discover novel anti-cancer agents based on the marine natural products largazole, burkholdacs and their analogues.

With high efficacy in inhibiting cancer stem cell growth and having little effect on normal somatic cells, these inhibitors shed new light on the anti-cancer properties of marine natural products.

 

Dr Ye Tao

Dr Ye earlier received the Xiaoyu Hu Memorial Award from the Chinese Peptide Society. As the first scientist in Hong Kong to receive the award, named after the pioneering researcher in the field, Dr Ye is particularly committed to developing novel anti-cancer drugs for the good of mankind.  ♦