Simple Trans-Platinum Complex Bearing 3-Aminoflavone Ligand Could Be a Useful Drug: Structure-Activity Relationship of Platinum Complex in Comparison with Cisplatin.

Following previous studies devoted to trans-Pt(3-af)2Cl2, in this paper, the molecular structure and intermolecular interactions of the title complex are compared with other cisplatin analogues of which the crystal structures are presented in the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD). Molecular Hirshfeld surface analysis and computational methods were used to examine a possible relationship between the structure and anticancer activity of trans-Pt(3-af)2Cl2. The purpose of the article was also to investigate the effect of hyperthermia on the anticancer activity of cisplatin, cytostatics used in the treatment of patients with ovarian cancer and a new analogue of cisplatin-trans-Pt(3-af)2Cl2. The study was conducted on two cell lines of ovarian cancer sensitive to Caov-3 cytostatics and the OVCAR-3 resistant cisplatin line. The study used the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) cell viability assay, LDH (lactate dehydrogenase), and the quantitative evaluation method for measuring gene expression, i.e., qPCR with TagMan probes. Reduced survivability of OVCAR-3 and Caov-3 cells exposed to cytostatics at elevated temperatures (37 °C, 40 °C, 43 °C) was observed. Hyperthermia may increase the sensitivity of cells to platinum-based antineoplastic drugs and paclitaxel, which may be associated with the reduction of gene expression related to apoptotic processes.

Increased Temperature Facilitates Adeno-Associated Virus Vector Transduction of Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines in a Manner Dependent on Heat Shock Protein Signature.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers in human population. A great achievement in the treatment of CRC was the introduction of targeted biological drugs and solutions of chemotherapy, combined with hyperthermia. Cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC (hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy) extends the patients' survival with CRC. Recently, gene therapy approaches are also postulated. The studies indicate the possibility of enhancing the gene transfer to cells by recombinant adeno-associated vectors (rAAV) at hyperthermia. The rAAV vectors arouse a lot of attention in the field of cancer treatment due to many advantages. In this study, the effect of elevated temperature on the transduction efficiency of rAAV vectors on CRC cells with different origin and gene profile was examined. The effect of heat shock on the penetration of rAAV vectors into CRC cells in relation with the expression of HSP and AAV receptor genes was tested. It was found that the examined cells under hyperthermia (43°C, 1 h) are transduced at a higher level than in normal conditions (37°C). The results also indicate that studied RKO, HT-29, and LS411N cell lines express HSP genes at different levels under both 37°C and 43°C. Moreover, the results showed that the expression of AAV receptors increases in response to elevated temperature. The study suggests that increased rAAV transfer to CRC can be achieved under elevated temperature conditions. The obtained results provide information relevant to the design of new solutions in CRC therapy based on the combination of hyperthermia, chemotherapy, and gene therapy.

Anticancer activity of topical ointments with histone deacetylase inhibitor, trichostatin A.

BACKGROUND: Trichostatin A (TSA), being a strong specific histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, may lead to the inhibition of growth, differentiation and/or apoptosis of cells in a number of tumors. Semisolid drug formulations for topical release of anticancer agents may be an alternative strategy or a supplement of the systemic therapy. OBJECTIVES: To prepare semisolid formulations with TSA to be used directly on the skin and to assess the anticancer effect in vivo on a mouse model with L1 neoplastic tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-four formulations were prepared in the form of semisolid systems containing TSA as the active ingredient. Then, an in vitro study was performed concerning the release of the active substance from the prepared formulations. Four formulations were selected for in vivo studies: oil-in-water cream, hydrogel, w/o emulsion ointment on the absorptive hydrophobic medium, and o/w emulsion gel. The tumor size and mouse body weight were measured during the experiment. The tumors and healthy skin of the mice were assessed regarding the skin barrier function with the Corneometer and Tewameter probes. RESULTS: The semisolid formulation with TSA applied on the skin reduced the growth of neoplastic tumors as compared with the control group. This is especially pronounced in the case of w/o emulsion ointment and o/w emulsion gel. The Corneometer shows that neoplastic tumor growth and formulations on the skin have no effect on the skin condition in comparison with the mouse skin without tumor. The measurement performed with the Tewameter has revealed impaired skin barrier function of neoplastic tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Semisolid formulations with TSA fit well in the mainstream of research into topical medicines applied directly on neoplastic tumors, which may support and supplement current oncological treatment.

Increased temperature-related adeno-associated virus vectors transduction of ovarian cancer cells - essential signatures of AAV receptor and heat shock proteins.

Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs) are becoming more commonly used in clinical trials involving gene therapy. Additionally AAV-based drugs have already been registered. Gene therapy aims to increase transduction efficiency, increase in vivo selectivity and reduce side effects. One approach to achieve this is the use of physical factors, such as temperature or more specifically, hyperthermia, which is already utilized in oncology. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of hyperthermic conditions (40°C and 43°C) on the rAAV transduction efficiency of ovarian cancer cells (Caov-3 and NIH:OVCAR-3) and non-cancerous cells (AAV-293). The present study was designed to identify functional associations between the level of gene transfer and the expression of representative genes for rAAV transmission (AAVR (AAV receptor), heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) 1 and HSPG2) and heat shock proteins (HSPs). The expressions of selected genes were measured via reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and cell adhesion/invasion chamber tests were also performed. The results revealed that ovarian cancer cell lines were more efficiently transduced with rAAV vectors at an elevated temperature. Additionally, the expression patterns of AAVR, HSPG1 and HSPG2 genes were different between the tested lines. The expression of certain receptors in ascites-derived NIH:OVCAR-3 ovarian cancer cells was higher compared with tumor-derived Caov-3 cells at 37, 40 and 43°C, which indicates a higher transduction efficiency in the formerly mentioned cells. Ascites-derived ovarian cancer cells were characterized by high expressions of HSP40, HSP90 and HSP70 families. Lower levels of HSP expression were demonstrated in less-effectively transduced Caov-3 cells. Furthermore, expressions of the examined genes changed with increasing temperature. The results indicated that temperature-dependent transduction is associated with the expression of the rAAV receptor and HSP genes. The results of the current study may aid the design of effective protocols for ovarian cancer gene therapy.