In mice treated with Ru1 there was a significant decrease in the transcription of mtDNA-encoded human genes (Fig. 10A-B), and the effect was tumor specific as Ru1 did not reduce murine mtDNA or nuclear transcript levels (i.e., mt-Atp6, mt-Cox1 and Drp1) in the heart or liver of treated mice (Fig. 10C-D), confirming tumor selectivity. The gene discussed is MT-ATP6; the disease is neoplasm.