Kinetin riboside, a cytokinin analog, can induce apoptosis in cancer cells. It inhibits the proliferation of HCT-15 cells with an IC50 of 2.5 μM. IC50: 2.5 μM (HCT-15 cells)[1]

Kinetin riboside displays antiproliferative and apoptogenic activity against various human cancer cell lines. Kinetin riboside is able to inhibit the proliferation in HCT-15 human colon cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner (IC50=2.5 μM)[1]. Kinetin riboside induces apoptosis in HeLa and mouse melanoma B16F-10 cells. Kinetin riboside disrupts the mitochondrial membrane potential and induces the release of cytochrome c and activation of caspase-3. Bad are up-regulated while Bcl-2 is down-regulated under kinetin riboside exposure[2].

Kinetin riboside significantly suppresses tumor growth. The most effective anti-melanoma response is elicited at 40 mg/kg[2].

[1]. Rajabi M, et al. Antiproliferative activity of kinetin riboside on HCT-15 colon cancer cell line. Nucleosides Nucleotides Nucleic Acids. 2012;31(6):474-81. [2]. Choi BH, et al. Kinetin riboside preferentially induces apoptosis by modulating Bcl-2 family proteins and caspase-3 in cancer cells. Cancer Lett. 2008 Mar 8;261(1):37-45.