Actinonin is an antibiotic and CD13/aminopeptidase N (APN) inhibitor. Actinonin is a naturally occuring antibacterial agent produced by antinomycete with potent deformylase inhibitory effect [1].

In vitro: Actinonin showed an inhibitory effect in cell growth. The in vitro IC50 values of actinonin against NB4, HL6O human cell lines, AKR mouse leukemia cells CD13-negative cell lines RA.JI and DAUDI human lymphoma were about 2-5 μg/ml. Cell cycle analysis indicated that actinonin induced a G1 arrest in NB4 and HL6O cells. Intracellular flow cytometry showed that actinonin could induce cell apoptosis in 20-35% of the cells [2]. Actinonin dose-dependently inhibited the three forms (Zn-, Ni-, and Fe-) of peptide deformylases from both S. aureus and E. coli bacteria. The IC50 values of actinonin were 90, 3, 0.8, and 11 nM for Zn-PDF (E. coli), Ni-PDF (E. coli), Fe-PDF (E. coli), and Ni-PDF (S. aureus), respectively [2]. Actinonin is a tight binding inhibitor of E. coli Ni-PDF with a Ki of 0.3 nM [3].

In vivo: Actinonin showed dose-dependent antitumor effects on AKR leukemia, resulting in a survival advantage. In the syngeneic AKR mouse leukemia model, treatment with 100 p.g actinonin daily for 3 days beginning at day 3 after transplantation showed significant antitumor effects [2].

References:
[1].  Gordon J J, Kelly B K, Miller G A. Actinonin: an antibiotic substance produced by an actinomycete[J]. Nature, 1962, 195: 701-702.
[2].  Xu Y, Lai L T, Gabrilove J L, et al. Antitumor activity of actinonin in vitro and in vivo[J]. Clinical cancer research, 1998, 4(1): 171-176.
[3].  Chen D Z, Patel D V, Hackbarth C J, et al. Actinonin, a naturally occurring antibacterial agent, is a potent deformylase inhibitor[J]. Biochemistry, 2000, 39(6): 1256-1262.