The fungal metabolite DN exerts its effects against A3 leukemia cells by decreasing their viability, altering plasma membrane permeability, promoting autophagic morphological changes, arresting the cell cycle at the G1/S phase via p21, p27, TGF-β, and the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathways. The gene discussed is AKT1; the disease is leukemia.