Biochem/physiol Actions

SW063058 is an autophagy inducer that selectively disrupts Beclin 1/Bcl-2 binding, versus Bax/Bcl-2 binding. SW063058 acts by disrupting the binding of Bcl-2, a negative regulator of autophagy, to the BH3 domain of Beclin 1, which is involved in autophagy initiation. It does not inhibit Bcl-2 binding to the BH3 domain of the pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members BAX and BIM. In vitro experiments showed that SW063058 was not cytotoxic and induced autophagy without inducing apoptosis or other forms of cell death.