Conoidin A Abrogates Growth of Anchorage-Dependent and Anchorage-Independent SKOV3 Ovarian Cancer Cells

Ovarian cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death in the United States with only 49% of women surviving 5 years after initial diagnosis. Poor screening methods, chemoresistance, and its high metastatic capacity make this disease difficult to treat. Thus, improved treatment methodologies are necessary to improve survival rates and quality of life for ovarian cancer patients. Conoidin A is a water-soluble covalent inhibitor of peroxiredoxin 1 (PRDX1) and peroxiredoxin 2 (PRDX2). While its effects have been primarily studied on parasites, recent studies also begin to elucidate the impacts of conoidin A in other human health conditions, including anticancer effects. However, the anticancer effects and potential utility of conoidin A as a therapeutic, specifically in ovarian cancer, has yet to be investigated. Here, we report that conoidin A eliminates growth of anchorage-dependent and anchorage-independent SKOV3 cells. Furthermore, analyses of clinical samples show increased expression of PRDX1 and PRDX2 in ovarian cancerous tissue, which are the targets of conoidin A. These data identify conoidin A as a potential therapeutic for early and late-stage ovarian cancer and warrants further investigation. (First Online: December 31, 2022)