Natural Products: Phytochemistry, Botany and Metabolism of Alkaloids, Phenolics and Terpenes

0441336 - ÚEB 2015 RIV DE eng M - Monography Chapter
Oklešťková, Jana - Rárová, Lucie - Strnad, Miroslav
Brassinosteroids and their Biological Activities.
Natural Products: Phytochemistry, Botany and Metabolism of Alkaloids, Phenolics and Terpenes. Vol. Part XIII. Heidelberg: Springer Verlag, 2013 - (Ramawat, K.; Mérillon, J.), s. 3851-3871. ISBN 978-3-642-22143-9
R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA400550801
Grant - others:GA MŠk(CZ) ED0007/01/01
Program: ED
Institutional support: RVO:61389030
Keywords : Anticancer activity * apoptosis * bioassay
Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology

Brassinosteroids are endogenous plant polyhydroxysteroids that are essential for normal plant growth and development. They induce cell elongation and division, increase DNA and RNA polymerase activity, interact synergistically with auxins, stimulate ethylene production, and increase tolerance to temperature, water, and salinity stress. They are observed in many plant species and are present in nearly every part of the plant, although the highest concentrations occur in the reproductive organs. In mammalian cells, brassinosteroids inhibit cell growth and affect cell cycle progression; as such, they have potential for development as anticancer agents. Moreover, brassinosteroids and their synthetic derivatives possess antiangiogenic properties that could be effective in the treatment of any carcinoma. As such, they are an interesting source of lead compounds for developing novel natural product-derived anticancer drugs, and their properties have attracted the attention of many specialists in the fields of chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, plant physiology, and agriculture.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0244368