Biocatalytic Synthesis of Terpene Esters and their Biological Activity in Human Glioma Cells

Gliomas are highly malignant brain tumours with high resistance to chemotherapy. Therefore, investigations of new therapeutic molecules with high anti-glioma activity are of great importance.In this work, biocatalytic esterification of terpene alcohols with proven anti-cancer activity was performed to enhance their potency to induce cell death in human glioblastoma multiforme T98G and anaplastic astrocytoma MOGGCCM cell lines in vitro.We used primary terpene alcohols and carboxylic acids with a length of two to nine carbon atoms. The structure of the alcohols had an influence on the esterification efficiency, which decreased in the following order: monocyclic > linear > bicyclic. Terpene alcohols and their esters only induced apoptotic cell death, which is highly desirable from a therapeutic point of view, but did not induce autophagy and necrosis. The esterification of perillyl alcohol with butyric acid caused a 4-fold increase in cell death induction in the T98G line. Citronellol valerate, caprylate, and pelargonate and myrtenol butyrate, caprylate and pelargonate also showed higher activity than their alcohol precursors.We have herein shown that esterification of natural alcohols by biocatalysis can be used for improving the activity of other compounds investigated for their anti-glioma activity.