Biochem/physiol Actions
Effective reactive oxygen species (ROS) generator in live cells. Activated by esterases to form JCHD for superoxide generation from molecular oxygen.
MGR1 is an effective reactive oxygen species (ROS) generator in live cells (dosing range 2-100 μM). MGR1 is activated by intracellular esterases to form JCHD (5-hydroxy-1,4,4a,9a-tetrahydro-1,4-ethanoanthracene-9,10-dione), which in turn, facilitated by a proximal H-bonding hydroxyl group, undergoes keto-enol tautomerism for enhanced superoxide (O2•-) generation upon reacting with molecular oxygen (O2). MGR1, but not its inactive analog MGR2, upregulates cellular ROS, resulting in cell death when used at high concentrations (>5 μM; RAW264.7, THP1, HeLa, MCF7, A549).