Plant Compound With Cancer-Fighting Potential Decoded by Researchers

Researchers have identified the molecular process plants use to create mitraphylline, a natural compound with potential cancer-fighting properties. This discovery by scientists at the University of British Columbia Okanagan sheds light on how plants produce this rare substance. Mitraphylline is a spirooxindole alkaloid, known for its twisted ring structure and biological effects, including anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activity.

For years, the exact molecular steps plants used to produce these compounds remained unknown. In 2023, Dr. Thu-Thuy Dang's team at UBC Okanagan's Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science identified the first plant enzyme capable of creating the distinctive spiro shape. Building on this, doctoral student Tuan-Anh Nguyen led new research that uncovered two critical enzymes involved in mitraphylline production. One enzyme organizes the molecule into its three-dimensional structure. The second enzyme transforms it into mitraphylline.

This finding is significant because many promising natural compounds, like mitraphylline, are found in trace amounts in plants. Mitraphylline is present in tropical trees such as *Mitragyna* (kratom) and *Uncaria* (cat's claw), both members of the coffee family. Its scarcity makes laboratory recreation difficult and expensive.

Identifying the enzymes responsible for shaping and assembling mitraphylline offers a clearer path to sustainable production. This approach could lead to more accessible methods for obtaining the compound and related molecules. The research involved collaboration between Dr. Dang's laboratory and Dr. Satya Nadakuduti's research group at the University of Florida.

Funding for the project came from several sources. These include Canada's Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council's Alliance International Collaboration program, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and the Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar Program. Additional support was provided by the United States Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The next steps for the researchers involve adapting these molecular tools to create a wider range of therapeutic compounds.