Bleomycin

Bleomycin (BLM) is a glycopeptide antibiotic consist of 2 main isomers, BLM A2 and B2, obtained from Streptomyces verticillus. The main clinical application of Bleomycin is cancer treatment. Bleomycin causes oxidative degradation of RNA affecting G2 and M cell cycle phases. The anti-cancer mechanism of Bleomycin is mediated through iron chelation and generation of oxygen free radicals, leading to DNA cleavage and ultimately to cell death. Bleomycin hydrolase, the enzyme responsible for Bleomycin metabolism, is normally present at low levels in the lungs. Therefore, Bleomycin treatment may result in its accumulation in the lungs and can potentially cause lung injury due to lung cell death. The lung injury occurs through overproduction of reactive oxygen species causing pulmonary toxicity leading to fibrosis. The lung fibrosis by Bleomycin can be utilized for screening of antifibrotic agents.

Bleomycin has several important applications:

• Bleomycin has been used to induce chronic lung disease in animal models as part of a research to find antifibrotic therapy for COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2).
• Bleomycin - induced pulmonary fibrosis in-vivo experiments performed in mice by dose administration of 0.25-2mg/Kg.
• Bleomycin serves as a selective agent for gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Bleomycin cause DNA cleavage through formation of 1:1 complex with BLE protein. The resistance is obtained by encoding the ble gene of BLE protein from Streptoalloteichus hindustanus which prevents DNA cleavage.
• Bleomycin can be used for selection in different types of cell lines.

Bleomycin suggested concentration range for cell selection is 10-100μg/mL. Hence, it is recommended to dilute the ready made solution 1:100-1,000 in media of choice.