College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing University of Technology, Nanjing, 211816, China.
National Engineering Technique Research Center for Biotechnology, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211800, China.
Anticancer Agents Med Chem. 2023;23(11):1234-1241. doi: 10.2174/1871520623666230207122157.
Monacolin K (MK), also known as lovastatin (LOV), is a secondary metabolite synthesized by Monascus in the later stage of fermentation and is the main component of functional red yeast rice (RYR). The structure of MK is similar to 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA), and it can competitively bind to 3-hydroxy-3- methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), thus reducing the level of blood lipids. MK can affect the expression of MAPK, PI3K/AKT, and NF-κB pathway, prepare conjugates with other compounds, and enhance the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs so as to induce apoptosis of acute myeloid leukemia, prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, gastric cancer, and liver cancer. Combined with the synthetic route of MK, this paper summarizes the latest lipid-lowering and anticancer mechanism of MK, and provides a reference for the application of MK in medicine.
洛伐他汀（MK）又名美伐他汀，是红曲霉菌在发酵后期合成的一种次级代谢产物，是功能性红曲米（RYR）的主要成分。MK 的结构与 3-羟基-3-甲基戊二酰辅酶 A（HMG-CoA）相似，能够与 3-羟基-3-甲基戊二酰辅酶 A 还原酶（HMGCR）竞争性结合，从而降低血脂水平。MK 可以影响 MAPK、PI3K/AKT 和 NF-κB 通路的表达，与其他化合物结合形成共轭物，并提高癌细胞对化疗药物的敏感性，从而诱导急性髓系白血病、前列腺癌、乳腺癌、肺癌、胃癌和肝癌细胞凋亡。本文结合 MK 的合成路线，对 MK 的最新降脂和抗癌机制进行综述，为 MK 在医学领域的应用提供参考。
