VitK3,menadione / Trx Cancer Research Results

VitK3, VitK3,menadione: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
Menadione (2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone, also termed vitamin K3)
Menadione-induced ROS generation is concentration-dependent and high concentrations trigger cell death.
Clinical trials conducted on patients with prostate cancer showed that ascorbic acid-menadione produced an immediate drop in tumor cell numbers through a mechanism named autoschizis.
Menadione (Vitamin K3) is a synthetic naphthoquinone compound. It is not used as a nutritional vitamin supplement in humans due to toxicity risk (particularly hemolysis and hepatotoxicity). Historically used in animal feed.
Mechanistically, menadione functions primarily as a redox-active quinone, capable of:
-Undergoing redox cycling
-Generating reactive oxygen species (ROS)
-Inducing oxidative stress
-Interacting with glutathione (GSH) systems
-Modulating mitochondrial function
It has been investigated in oncology research largely due to its pro-oxidant cytotoxic properties, not classical vitamin K–dependent clotting roles.

Rank Pathway / Axis Cancer / Tumor Context Normal Tissue Context TSF Primary Effect Notes / Interpretation
1 Redox cycling (quinone-mediated ROS generation) ROS ↑; oxidative stress ↑; apoptosis ↑ (dose-dependent) Oxidative injury risk ↑ (hemolysis, hepatotoxicity) P, R Primary cytotoxic mechanism Menadione undergoes one-electron redox cycling, generating superoxide and hydrogen peroxide; not selective for tumor cells.
2 Glutathione (GSH) depletion GSH ↓; redox buffering capacity ↓ Red cell vulnerability ↑ P, R Redox destabilization Conjugation and oxidative cycling consume GSH, amplifying oxidative stress.
3 Mitochondrial dysfunction ΔΨm ↓; ATP ↓; apoptosis signaling ↑ Energy stress in normal cells possible R, G Mitochondria-mediated apoptosis ROS and redox imbalance disrupt mitochondrial membrane potential.
4 DNA damage (oxidative) DNA strand breaks ↑ (reported) Genotoxic risk ↑ R, G Genome instability Often secondary to ROS accumulation rather than direct DNA intercalation.
5 Synergy with ascorbate (Vitamin C) Redox cycling ↑; cytotoxicity ↑ (reported in vitro) Systemic oxidative injury risk ↑ P, R Redox amplification Menadione can undergo redox cycling with ascorbate, increasing ROS production; largely preclinical data.
6 Topoisomerase interference (reported) Topo inhibition (context-dependent) ↔ R Secondary mechanism Some studies report interference with topoisomerase activity, but this is not the dominant mechanism.
7 Hemolysis risk (G6PD vulnerability) — Red blood cell destruction risk ↑ R Major toxicity constraint Menadione can cause hemolytic anemia, especially in G6PD deficiency.
8 Hepatotoxicity — Liver injury risk ↑ G Clinical toxicity constraint Historical reason for discontinuation as a human supplement.
9 Vitamin K–dependent clotting pathway Minimal physiologic role in humans Not equivalent to K1/K2 — Classification clarification Menadione is a synthetic precursor; does not function identically to phylloquinone (K1) or menaquinones (K2).

Time-Scale Flag (TSF): P / R / G

  • P: 0–30 min (rapid redox cycling and ROS generation)
  • R: 30 min–3 hr (mitochondrial dysfunction, DNA damage signaling)
  • G: >3 hr (apoptosis, tissue-level toxicity outcomes)
Trx, Thioredoxin: Click to Expand ⟱
Source:
Type: protein
Trx is a small protein that acts as a reducing agent, donating electrons to reduce oxidized proteins and other molecules.
Trx is overexpressed in various types of cancer, including breast, lung, colon, and prostate cancer.

- Cytosolic thioredoxin (TRX-1) and mitochondrial thioredoxin (TRX-2).

- Thioredoxin is a pivotal redox regulator that protects cells from oxidative stress and supports survival and proliferation.

- There is interest in combining thioredoxin inhibitors with conventional chemotherapy or radiotherapy to sensitize tumors to oxidative stress and improve treatment efficacy.
Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
1839- VitK3,    Vitamin K3 derivative inhibits androgen receptor signaling in targeting aggressive prostate cancer cells
- in-vitro, Pca, NA
TumCP↓, Apoptosis↑, TumCCA↑, ROS↑, eff↓, AR↓, Trx↓, Bcl-2↓,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 1 of 1

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 1

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

ROS↑, 1,   Trx↓, 1,  

Cell Death ⓘ

Apoptosis↑, 1,   Bcl-2↓, 1,  

Cell Cycle & Senescence ⓘ

TumCCA↑, 1,  

Migration ⓘ

TumCP↓, 1,  

Hormonal & Nuclear Receptors ⓘ

AR↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance ⓘ

eff↓, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers ⓘ

AR↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 9

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Total Targets: 0

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: Trx, Thioredoxin
Query results interpretion may depend on "conditions" listed in the research papers.
Such Conditions may include : 
  -low or high Dose
  -format for product, such as nano of lipid formations
  -different cell line effects
  -synergies with other products 
  -if effect was for normal or cancerous cells

Filter Conditions: Pro/AntiFlg:%  IllCat:%  CanType:%  Cells:%  prod#:230  Target#:824  State#:%  Dir#:1
  wNotes=0  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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