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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Poisonous Plant Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #305233
Title: Cyclopamine: From cyclops lambs to cancer treatment

Author
item Lee, Stephen
item Welch, Kevin
item Panter, Kip
item Gardner, Dale
item GARROSSIAN, MASSOUD - Logan Natural Products, Inc
item CHANG, CHENG-WEI - Utah State University

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/10/2014
Publication Date: 7/30/2014
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/4791518
Citation: Lee, S.T., Welch, K.D., Panter, K.E., Gardner, D.R., Garrossian, M., Chang, C.T. 2014. Cyclopamine: From cyclops lambs to cancer treatment. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 62(30):7355-7362.

Interpretive Summary: In the late 1960’s, the steroidal alkaloid, cyclopamine, was isolated from the plant Veratrum californicum and identified as the teratogen responsible for craniofacial birth defects including cyclops in the offspring of sheep grazing on mountain ranges in the western United States. Cyclopamine was found to inhibit the hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway which plays a critical role in embryonic development. More recently, aberrant Hh signaling has been implicated in several types of cancer. Thus, inhibitors of the Hh signaling pathway, including cyclopamine derivatives, have been targeted as potential treatments for certain cancers and other diseases associated with the Hh signaling pathway. A brief history of cyclopamine and cyclopamine derivatives investigated for the treatment of cancer are presented.

Technical Abstract: In the late 1960’s, the steroidal alkaloid, cyclopamine, was isolated from the plant Veratrum californicum and identified as the teratogen responsible for craniofacial birth defects including cyclops in the offspring of sheep grazing on mountain ranges in the western United States. Cyclopamine was found to inhibit the hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway which plays a critical role in embryonic development. More recently, aberrant Hh signaling has been implicated in several types of cancer. Thus, inhibitors of the Hh signaling pathway, including cyclopamine derivatives, have been targeted as potential treatments for certain cancers and other diseases associated with the Hh signaling pathway. A brief history of cyclopamine and cyclopamine derivatives investigated for the treatment of cancer are presented.