Ana Zovko

Karolinska Institutet | KI · Department of Oncology-Pathology

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have dramatically improved the survival in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), but residual disease typically persists even after prolonged treatment. Several lines of evidence suggest that TKIs administered to CML patients upregulate interferon γ (IFNγ) production, which may counteract the anti-tumorigenic effects of...

A series of twenty-three linear and branched chain mono acetylene lipids were isolated from the Caribbean Sea sponge Cribrochalina vasculum. Seventeen of the compounds, 1–17, are new, while six, 18–23, were previously characterized from the same sponge. Some of the new acetylene-3-hydroxy alkanes 1, 6, 7, 8, 10 were tested for selective cytotoxicit...

Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment has dramatically improved the survival of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients, but measurable residual disease typically persists. To more effectively eradicate leukemia cells, simultaneous targeting of BCR-ABL1 and additional CML-related survival proteins has been proposed. Notably, several highly spec...

The clinical outcome for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has improved significantly with the introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However, their curative potential appears limited, probably as a consequence of TKI-resistant leukemic stem cells (LSCs) that persist as a result of aberrant pathways independent of the well-es...

Although tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have dramatically improved clinical outcome in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), cure rarely occurs. This may be due to BCR-ABL-independent, aberrant signaling pathways, one of which leads to leukotriene (LT) formation. Well-recognized as inflammatory mediators, LT can also affect oncogenic mechanisms of sev...

In this work two acetylene alcohols, compound 1 and compound 2, which were isolated and identified from the sponge Cribrochalina vasculum, and which showed anti-tumor effects were further studied with respect to targets and action mechanisms. Gene expression analyses suggested insulin like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R) signaling to be instrumenta...

Background: Recent data suggest that tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-insensitive leukemic stem cells often prevail in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients subjected to long-term TKI treatment. To achieve cure additional aberrant pathways in these patients, such as leukotriene (LT) signaling, may need to be targeted. We have previously shown that...

Marine derived compounds have been explored and considered as possible antitumor agents. In this study we analyzed extracts of the sponge Cribrochalina vasculum for their ability to inhibit tumor cell proliferation. Screening identified two acetylenic compounds of similar structure that showed strong tumor specific toxicity in non small cell lung c...

Introduction and Aim of Study: Marine derived compounds have been explored and considered as possible antitumor agents. Some natural products from marine organisms are currently in clinical trials, such as: Eribulin, an analogue of halichondrin B, isolated from the marine sponge Halichondria okadai, which is approved by FDA for the treatment of met...

The prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is poor, since it has often metastasized to distant organs by the time of diagnosis. Therefore, biomarkers predicting metastasis are crucial. miRNAs play important roles in the regulation of different tumor cell processes, including metastasis. We recently showed that miRNA-214 is linked to a radi...

Naturally occurring 3-alkylpyridinium polymers (poly-APS) from the marine sponge Reniera sarai, consisting of monomers containing polar pyridinium and nonpolar alkyl chain moieties, have been demonstrated to exert a wide range of biological activities, including a selective cytotoxicity against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. APS8, an ana...

Unlabelled: Two new large poly-1,3-dodecylpyridinium salts, APS12 and APS12-2 of 12.5- and 14.7-kDa size, respectively, were synthesised and tested for their pore-forming and transfection capabilities in HEK 293 and undifferentiated mouse ES cells using patch-clamp recording, Ca(2+) imaging and flow cytometry. Polymerisation reactions were enhance...

The interest on the Mediterranean sponge Haliclona sarai was raised some years ago by the fact that this sponge appears free from parasites and fouling organisms present in its environment. The study of such a feature was at the beginning due to the interest in finding new and efficient anti-fouling substances for applicative purposes. The characte...

Poly-APS, a mixture of two of 3-octylpyridinium polymers, including 29 and 99 monomeric units, extracted from the Mediterranean sponge, Haliclona (Reniera) sarai, was demonstrated to exert strong specific and non-toxic acetylcholinesterase inhibition in vitro. Since the first '80s, we found that some tumour types, and in particular lung tumours pre...

Since the first '80s, we found that some tumor types, and in particular lung tumors present increase, or generally change in acetylcholinesterase activity. Acetylcholinesterase is an enzyme associated to the cholinergic signal system, whose classic role is to remove acetylcholine from the receptors. Nevertheless, it is also involved in cell-to-cell...