Medizinische Universität Graz - Research portal
Selected Publication:
Mossegger, F.
The impact of newly identified resveratrol analogs on cancer cells.
[ Diplomarbeit/Master Thesis (UNI) ] Universität Graz; 2025. pp.46.
FullText
- Authors Med Uni Graz:
- Advisor:
- Madreiter-Sokolowski Corina
- Altmetrics:
- Abstract:
- Cancer is a significant global health challenge, with current therapies often limited by cancer cells developing resistance. Resveratrol, a naturally occurring polyphenol, has demonstrated anti-cancer potential by inducing apoptosis through inhibition of ATP synthase and subsequent enhancement of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake. However, its clinical application is hindered by poor bioavailability and rapid metabolism. To address these limitations, novel analogs of resveratrol were developed and investigated for their ability to selectively target cancer cells. In this study, we evaluated the potential anti-cancer properties of these resveratrol analogs by assessing their effects on mitochondrial ATP levels, the activity of the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase SERCA, and the Ca2+ homeostasis in HeLa cells. The compounds were further tested for a potential specific impact on proliferation of cancer cells by comparing their effect on breast cancer cells MCF7 and the non-cancerous hTERT-HME1 cell line. Using live-cell imaging, we demonstrated that three novel compounds effectively inhibited mitochondrial ATP production, leading to energy stress, disruption of Ca2+ homeostasis, and subsequent cell death in cancer cells. Thereby, we also deciphered specific differences between the individual compounds regarding the degree of impact on cancerous and non-cancerous cells. These findings highlight the potential of targeting ATP synthase and Ca2+ regulation as a promising therapeutic strategy in cancer treatment and might provide a foundation for future research aimed at improving the clinical applicability of resveratrol analogs in cancer therapy.