Dimethylmyricacene: An In Vitro and In Silico Study of a Semisynthetic Non-Camptothecin Derivative Compound, Targeting Human DNA Topoisomerase 1B

Human topoisomerase 1B regulates the topological state of supercoiled DNA enabling all fundamental cell processes. This enzyme, which is the unique molecular target of the natural anticancer compound camptothecin, acts by nicking one DNA strand and forming a transient protein–DNA covalent complex. The interaction of human topoisomerase 1B and dimethylmyricacene, a compound prepared semisynthetically from myricanol extracted from Myrica cerifera root bark, was investigated using enzymatic activity assays and molecular docking procedures. Dimethylmyricacene was shown to inhibit both the cleavage and the religation steps of the enzymatic reaction, and cell viability of A-253, FaDu, MCF-7, HeLa and HCT-116 tumor cell lines.