beta-Lapachone, a novel DNA topoisomerase I inhibitor with a mode of action different from camptothecin.

beta-Lapachone is a plant product that has been found to have many pharmacological effects. To date, very little is known about its biochemical target. In this study, we found that beta-lapachone inhibits the catalytic activity of topoisomerase I from calf thymus and human cells. But, unlike camptothecin, beta-lapachone does not stabilize the cleavable complex, indicating a different mechanism of action. beta-Lapachone inhibits topoisomerase I-mediated DNA cleavage induced by camptothecin. Incubation of topoisomerase I with beta-lapachone before adding DNA substrate dramatically increases this inhibition. Incubation of topoisomerase I with DNA prior to beta-lapachone makes the enzyme refractory, and treatment of DNA with beta-lapachone before topoisomerase has no effect. These results suggest a direct interaction of beta-lapachone with topoisomerase I rather than DNA substrate. beta-Lapachone does not inhibit binding of enzyme to DNA substrate. In cells, beta-lapachone itself does not induce a SDS-K(+)-precipitable complex, but it inhibits complex formation with camptothecin. We propose that the direct interaction of beta-lapachone with topoisomerase I does not affect the assembly of the enzyme-DNA complex but does inhibit the formation of cleavable complex.