Prodigiosin is a natural red bacterial pigment that has antibiotic, antitumor, and immunosuppressant properties.1 It blocks T cell proliferation at a concentration of 30 ng/ml, by interfering with IL-2 receptor expression.2 Prodigiosin induces apoptosis in cancer cells by diverse mechanisms and rescues deficient p53 signaling.3,4,5 Prodigiosin derivatives can uncouple vacuolar H+-ATPase and inhibit osteoclast function.6 Prodigiosin is cytolytic against the red tide dinoflagellate Cochlodinium at very low concentrations (1 ppb), suggesting an application in controlling algal blooms.1
1.Kim, D., Kim, J.F., Yim, J.H., et al.Red to red - the marine bacterium Hahella chejuensis and its product prodigiosin for mitigation of harmful algal bloomsJ. Microbiol. Biotechnol.18(10)1621-1629(2008) 2.Han, S.B., Park, S.H., Jeon, Y.J., et al.Prodigiosin blocks T cell activation by inhibiting interleukin-2Rα expression and delays progression of autoimmune diabetes and collagen-induced arthritisJ. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.299(2)415-425(2001) 3.Soto-Cerrato, V., Vi?als, F., Lambert, J.R., et al.Prodigiosin induces the proapoptotic gene NAG-1 via glycogen synthase kinase-3β activity in human breast cancer cellsMol. Cancer Ther.6(1)362-369(2016) 4.Hong, B., Prabhu, V.V., Zhang, S., et al.Prodigiosin rescues deficient p53 signaling and antitumor effects via upregulating p73 and disrupting its interaction with mutant p53Cancer Res.74(4)1153-1165(2014) 5.Hosseini, A., Espona-Fiedler, M., Soto-Cerrato, V., et al.Molecular interactions of prodiginines with the BH3 domain of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family membersPLoS One8(2)(2013) 6.Woo, J.T., Yonezawa, T., Cha, B.Y., et al.Pharmacological topics of bone metabolism: Antiresorptive microbial compounds that inhibit osteoclast differentiation, function, and survivalJ. Pharmacol. Sci.106(4)547-554(2008)