RESUMEN
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most frequent malignant brain tumor. It represents the most aggressive astrocytoma with an overall survival of 14 months. Despite improvements in surgery techniques, radio and chemotherapy, most patients present treatment resistance, recurrence and disease progression. Therefore, development of effective alternative therapies is essential to overcome treatment failure. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the antitumoral activity of the synthetic compound LQB118, in vitro. Monolayer and threedimensional (3D) cell culture systems of humanderived GBM cell lines were used to evaluate the effect of LQB118 on cell viability, cell death and migration. LQB118 reduced cell viability as determined by MTT and trypan blue exclusion assays and promoted apoptosis in monolayer cell lines with an intrinsic temozolomide (TMZ)resistance profile. In 3D culture models, LQB118 reduced cell viability as evaluated by APH assay and inhibited cell migration while the TMZ resistance profile was maintained. Moreover, LQB118 reduced p38 and AKT expression and phosphorylation, whereas it reduced only the phosphorylated ERK1/2 form. LQB118 reduced p38 and NRF2 expression, an axis that is associated with TMZ resistance, revealing a mechanism to overcome resistance. LQB118 also demonstrated an additional effect when combined with ionizing radiation and cisplatin. In conclusion, the present data demonstrated that LQB118 maintained its effectiveness in a 3D cell conformation, which shares more similarities with the tumor mass. LQB118 is a promising agent for GBM treatment as monotherapy and associated with radiotherapy or cisplatin. Its effect is associated with inhibition of GBMrelated survival signaling pathways.
Asunto(s)
Neoplasias Encefálicas/metabolismo , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos/efectos de los fármacos , Glioblastoma/metabolismo , Naftoquinonas/farmacología , Proteínas Quinasas/metabolismo , Pterocarpanos/farmacología , Neoplasias Encefálicas/tratamiento farmacológico , Técnicas de Cultivo de Célula , Línea Celular Tumoral , Movimiento Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Supervivencia Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Sinergismo Farmacológico , Glioblastoma/tratamiento farmacológico , Humanos , Proteína Quinasa 1 Activada por Mitógenos/metabolismo , Proteína Quinasa 3 Activada por Mitógenos/metabolismo , Fosforilación/efectos de los fármacos , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas c-akt/metabolismo , Temozolomida , Proteínas Quinasas p38 Activadas por Mitógenos/metabolismoRESUMEN
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is the most severe form of leishmaniasis and is the second major cause of death by parasites, after malaria. The arsenal of drugs against leishmaniasis is small, and each has a disadvantage in terms of toxicity, efficacy, price, or treatment regimen. Our group has focused on studying new drug candidates as alternatives to current treatments. The pterocarpanquinone LQB-118 was designed and synthesized based on molecular hybridization, and it exhibited antiprotozoal and anti-leukemic cell line activities. Our previous work demonstrated that LQB-118 was an effective treatment for experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis. In this study, we observed that treatment with 10 mg/kg of body weight/day LQB-118 orally inhibited the development of hepatosplenomegaly with a 99% reduction in parasite load. An in vivo toxicological analysis showed no change in the clinical, biochemical, or hematological parameters. Histologically, all of the analyzed organs were normal, with the exception of the liver, where focal points of necrosis with leukocytic infiltration were observed at treatment doses 5 times higher than the therapeutic dose; however, these changes were not accompanied by an increase in transaminases. Our findings indicate that LQB-118 is effective at treating different clinical forms of leishmaniasis and presents no relevant signs of toxicity at therapeutic doses; thus, this framework is demonstrated suitable for developing promising drug candidates for the oral treatment of leishmaniasis.