Overcoming drug-resistant cancer by a newly developed copper chelate through host-protective cytokine-mediated apoptosis.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

Previously, we have synthesized and characterized a novel Cu(II) complex, copper N-(2-hydroxy acetophenone) glycinate (CuNG). Herein, we have determined the efficacy of CuNG in overcoming multidrug-resistant cancer using drug-resistant murine and human cancer cell lines.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN:

Action of CuNG following single i.m. administration (5 mg/kg body weight) was tested in vivo on doxorubicin-resistant Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC/Dox)-bearing mice and doxorubicin-resistant sarcoma 180-bearing mice. Tumor size, ascitic load, and survival rates were monitored at regular intervals. Apoptosis of cancer cells was determined by cell cycle analysis, confocal microscopy, Annexin V binding, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay ex vivo. IFN-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were assayed in the culture supernatants of in vivo and in vitro CuNG-treated splenic mononuclear cells from EAC/Dox-bearing mice and their apoptogenic effect was determined. Source of IFN-gamma and changes in number of T regulatory marker-bearing cells in the tumor site following CuNG treatment were investigated by flow cytometry. Supernatants of in vitro CuNG-treated cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from different drug-insensitive cancer patients were tested for presence of the apoptogenic cytokine IFN-gamma and its involvement in induction of apoptosis of doxorubicin-resistant CEM/ADR5000 cells.

RESULTS:

CuNG treatment could resolve drug-resistant cancers through induction of apoptogenic cytokines, such as IFN-gamma and/or tumor necrosis factor-alpha, from splenic mononuclear cells or patient peripheral blood mononuclear cells and reduce the number of T regulatory marker-bearing cells while increase infiltration of IFN-gamma-producing T cells in the ascetic tumor site.

CONCLUSION:

Our results show the potential usefulness of CuNG in immunotherapy of drug-resistant cancers irrespective of multidrug resistance phenotype.

• Authors: Ananda Mookerjee, Jayati Mookerjee Basu, Pranabananda Dutta, Surajit Majumder, Sankar Bhattacharyya, Jaydip Biswas, Smarajit Pal, Pratima Mukherjee, Sanghamitra Raha, Rathindra N Baral, Tania Das, Thomas Efferth, Gourisankar Sa, Shyamal Roy, Soumitra K Choudhuri
• Journal: Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research (Clin Cancer Res) Vol. 12 Issue 14 Pt 1 Pg. 4339-49 (Jul 15 2006) ISSN: 1078-0432 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16857809 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Chelating Agents
• Cytokines
• Copper
• Doxorubicin

Topics

• Animals
• Antineoplastic Agents (pharmacology)
• Apoptosis
• Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor (drug therapy)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Proliferation
• Chelating Agents (pharmacology)
• Copper (chemistry)
• Cytokines (metabolism)
• Doxorubicin (pharmacology)
• Drug Resistance, Multiple
• Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
• Humans
• Leukocytes, Mononuclear (metabolism)
• Lymph Nodes (pathology)
• Mice
• Neoplasm Transplantation
• Neoplasms (drug therapy)
• Spleen (metabolism)