PhD Scientific Days 2026

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Health Technologies 2.

New protoapigenone derivative as antiproliferative agent

Előadó neve

Dr. Unger, Dénes

Neptune code

E5UJLD

Előadó munkahelye

Institute of Pharmacodinamics and Biopharmacy

Előadó telefonszáma

06702780064

Előadó e-mail címe

denesunger2002@gmail.com

Az előadás címe

New protoapigenone derivative as antiproliferative agent

Szerző(k) neve és munkahelye

Dénes Unger¹

1: Institute of Pharmacodinamics and Biopharmacy

Bemutatás módja

Szóbeli

Szekció

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Health Technologies 2.

Language of the presentation

English

Preferred session

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Health Technologies

Összefoglaló szövege

Introduction: Cancer treatment is one of the most highlighted fields in drug development. Besides synthetic molecules, nature-inspired semisynthetic agents are also used during the design of new anticancer drugs. According to our previous findings, semisynthetic phenolic derivatives, such as our newly synthesized protoapigenone derivative, may have a significant antiproliferative effect. Based on the literature, we also know that compounds with similar chemical structures may affect mitochondrial membranes.
Aims: Our goal was to determine the mechanism of the anticancer effect of our compound on a cervical cancer cell line.
Methods: The antiproliferative effect of the compound was determined, and its IC50 value was calculated via standard MTT assay on the HeLa cell line. To confirm the change of the mitochondrial membrane potential, we performed flow cytometry analysis using JC-10 dye. We separated cells undergoing different types of cell death (early, late apoptotic, and necrotic) based on cell membrane changes using flow cytometry and Annexin V–propidium iodide (PI) staining. Furthermore, we examined the morphological changes of the cells via fluorescence microscopy after HoPI double-staining (using the mixture of blue Hoescht 33258 and red PI dyes).
Results: Our test compound’s IC50 value was 0.47 µM after 72 hours. The test compound significantly elevated the ratio of the JC-10 green fluorophore form while lowering the ratio of the red form, indicating a damaged mitochondrial membrane potential. Changes in the ratio of early- and late-apoptotic cells were observed during Annexin V-PI staining. Morphological study confirmed that characteristic changes in pre-apoptotic and apoptotic cells can be detected following treatment with our compound.
Conclusion: Based on our current findings, we have proved that our new protoapigenone derivative is a potent antiproliferative agent. It is able to cause apoptosis in cervical cancer cells via mitochondrial function changes, which are at the center of this apoptosis induction. As a result of these intracellular changes, cells undergo significant morphological changes as well.

University

University of Szeged

Supervisor

Dr Noémi Bózsity-Faragó, Dr Prof István Zupkó

Publication of my abstract

I do not give consent to the publication of my abstract on the website of the congress.

phd.section.field

in doctoral studies before complex exam (PhD)

Kind

Szabad

Status

elfogadva

Accepted presentation method

szóbeli

Előadás fájl jóváhagyás

nem rendelkezett róla

Előadó

9792

Start

10:00

End

10:10