Combined pitavastatin and dacarbazine treatment activates apoptosis and autophagy resulting in synergistic cytotoxicity in melanoma cells

Melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer and its incidence is increasing faster than any other type of cancer. Whilst dacarbazine (DTIC) is the standard chemotherapy for metastatic melanoma, it has limited success. Statins, including pitavastatin, have been demonstrated to have a range of anti-cancer effects in a number of human cancer cell lines. The present study therefore explored the anti-cancer activity of combined DTIC and pitavastatin in A375 and WM115 human melanoma cells. Cell survival assays demonstrated that combined DTIC and pitavastatin treatment resulted in synergistic cell death. Cell cycle analyses further revealed that this combined treatment resulted in a G1 cell cycle arrest, as well as a sub-G1 population, indicative of apoptosis. Activation of apoptosis was confirmed by Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide double-staining and an increase in the levels of active caspase 3 and cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that apoptosis occurs through the intrinsic pathway, evident from the release of cytochrome c. Finally, combined DTIC and pitavastatin treatment was demonstrated to also activate autophagy as part of a cell death mechanism. The present study provides novel evidence to suggest that the combined treatment of DTIC and pitavastatin may be effective in the treatment of melanoma.Melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer and its incidence is increasing faster than any other type of cancer. Whilst dacarbazine (DTIC) is the standard chemotherapy for metastatic melanoma, it has limited success. Statins, including pitavastatin, have been demonstrated to have a range of anti-cancer effects in a number of human cancer cell lines. The present study therefore explored the anti-cancer activity of combined DTIC and pitavastatin in A375 and WM115 human melanoma cells. Cell survival assays demonstrated that combined DTIC and pitavastatin treatment resulted in synergistic cell death. Cell cycle analyses further revealed that this combined treatment resulted in a G1 cell cycle arrest, as well as a sub-G1 population, indicative of apoptosis. Activation of apoptosis was confirmed by Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide double-staining and an increase in the levels of active caspase 3 and cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that apoptosis occurs through the intrinsic pathway, evident from the release of cytochrome c. Finally, combined DTIC and pitavastatin treatment was demonstrated to also activate autophagy as part of a cell death mechanism. The present study provides novel evidence to suggest that the combined treatment of DTIC and pitavastatin may be effective in the treatment of melanoma

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)1.

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field

A novel binuclear palladacycle complex inhibits melanoma growth <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> through apoptosis and autophagy

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تاثير مركب باليديوم جديد على السرطان

A series of novel mononuclear 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA)-based palladacycles were prepared by cleaving μ-Cl binuclear orthopalladated dimers of substituted benzylidene-2,6-diisopropylphenylamines. All complexes were fully characterized using IR and NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry as well as elemental analysis. In-vitro evaluation of the complexes as anti-cancer agents against the breast-cancer cell lines MCF7 and MDA-MB 231 as well the melanoma cell line ME1402 shows that four of the five complexes tested are active. These palladacycles exhibit their cytotoxicity by inducing DNA damage which subsequently triggers apoptosis. DNA binding studies using electrophoresis and spectroscopic techniques, such as UV-Vis and circular dichroism spectroscopy, confirms that the palladacycle, C2 definitely interacts with DNA. Results from these DNA binding experiments seem to rule out co-valent and intercalative binding, pointing rather to a non-covalent interaction, with electrostatic binding being the most likely possibility. It is envisioned that this would probably involve a hydrolysed or solvated derivative of C2.تم تصنيع واختبار عقار جديد مشتق من novel mononuclear 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA)-based palladacycles ضد مجموعة من الخلايا السرطانية. المركب اثبت فعالية باحداث الموت للخلايا

Combined Caffeine and Cisplatin Treatment Induces Synergistic Cytotoxicity in Hela Cell Line

Cisplatin is a common alkylating anticancer agent that has been used to treat several cancers. However, the efficiency of cisplatin treatment is limited due to the severe side effects and the resistance to the drug, which eventually results in treatment failure. Caffeine is a natural ingredient contained in many food sources. Caffeine has been shown to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in different cancer cell types. The effect of caffeine on cisplatin treatment on cervical cancer cells is not well known. Here we examined the combined effect of caffeine and cisplatin in human Hela cells. The cancer cells were exposed to different concentrations of caffeine and cisplatin and IC50’s were determined by MTT assay. Cell number and viability were measured by cell counting and trypan blue assays. Data obtained show that, caffeine treatment enhances the anti-proliferation effect of cisplatin and lowered the IC50 of cisplatin from 8.93 µM to be 2.75 µM. These results suggest that caffeine-assisted chemotherapy is useful for cervical cancer treatment