Sesquiterpene aminoquinones, from a marine sponge, induce erythroid differentiation in human chronic myelogenous leukemia, K562 cells.

A new sesquiterpene aminoquinone, 5-epi-smenospongorine, together with nine known sesquiterpene quinone/phenols, was isolated as differentiation-inducing substances to K562 cells into erythroblast from the marine sponge Dactylospongia elegans. The structure-activity relationship study of these compounds clarified that the quinone skeleton is indispensable and the amino group plays an important role for their differentiation-inducing activity to K562 cells into erythroblast.