The marine natural product coibamide targets expression of HER family receptors

Coibamide, a cytotoxic N-methyl-stabilized depsipeptide isolated from a marine cyanobacterium within Coiba National Park, Panama, demonstrates exceptional potency and selectivity as a growth inhibitor for specific cancer cell types. This natural product, studied for its mechanism of action, selectively targets the ER secretory pathway and inhibits expression of HER family receptors with differential sensitivity (EGFR=HER3<). Initial testing in the NCI60 cancer cell line panel revealed pM to nM potency and histological selectivity for breast, CNS-derived tumors, ovarian, and colon cancer cells. The study highlights coibamide's potential as a drug lead for cancer treatment, leveraging its evolved ability to bind specific biological targets and reveal new aspects of cell signaling.

Kazemi, S., Serrill, J. D., McPhail, K. L., & Ishmael, J. E. (2018). The marine natural product coibamide targets expression of HER family receptors. The FASEB Journal, 32(S1). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.2018.32.1_supplement.lb670