Derrubone, an Inhibitor of the Hsp90 Protein Folding Machinery

High-throughput screening of a library of diverse molecules has identified derrubone ( 1), an isoflavone natural product from Derris robusta, as a potent Hsp90 inhibitor. Subsequent testing in several cellular-based assays established 1 as a low micromolar inhibitor in vitro. In addition, derrubone induced the degradation of numerous Hsp90 client proteins, a hallmark effect resulting from Hsp90 inhibition. The identification of 1 as an Hsp90 inhibitor provides a new natural product scaffold upon which the development of novel Hsp90 inhibitors can be pursued.