Telmisartan induces melanoma cell apoptosis and synergizes with vemurafenib <i>in vitro</i> by altering cell bioenergetics

<b>Objective</b> Despite recent advancements in targeted therapy and immunotherapies, prognosis for metastatic melanoma patients remains extremely poor. Development of resistance to previously effective treatments presents a serious challenge and new approaches for melanoma treatment are...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jelena Grahovac, Tatjana Srdi?-Raji?, Juan Francisco Santiba?ez, Marijana Pavlovi?, Milena ?avi?, Sini?a Radulovi?
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: China Anti-Cancer Association 2019-06-01
Series:Cancer Biology & Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.cancerbiomed.org/index.php/cocr/article/view/1420
_version_ 1818018263291920384
author Jelena Grahovac
Tatjana Srdi?-Raji?
Juan Francisco Santiba?ez
Marijana Pavlovi?
Milena ?avi?
Sini?a Radulovi?
author_facet Jelena Grahovac
Tatjana Srdi?-Raji?
Juan Francisco Santiba?ez
Marijana Pavlovi?
Milena ?avi?
Sini?a Radulovi?
author_sort Jelena Grahovac
collection DOAJ
description <b>Objective</b> Despite recent advancements in targeted therapy and immunotherapies, prognosis for metastatic melanoma patients remains extremely poor. Development of resistance to previously effective treatments presents a serious challenge and new approaches for melanoma treatment are urgently needed. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of telmisartan, an AGTR1 inhibitor and a partial agonist of PPARγ, on melanoma cells as a potential agent for repurposing in melanoma treatment.<b>Methods</b> Expression of AGTR1 and PPARγ mRNA in melanoma patient tumor samples was examined in publicly available datasets and confirmed in melanoma cell lines by qRT-PCR. A panel of melanoma cell lines was tested in viability, apoptosis and metabolic assays in presence of telmisartan by flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry. A cytotoxic effect of combinations of telmisartan and targeted therapy vemurafenib was examined using the Chou-Talalay combination index method.<b>Results</b> Both AGTR1 and PPARγ mRNA were expressed in melanoma patient tumor samples and decreased compared to the expression in the healthy skin. <i>In vitro</i>, we found that telmisartan decreased melanoma cell viability by inducing cell apoptosis. Increased glucose uptake, but not utilization, in the presence of telmisartan caused the fission of mitochondria and release of reactive oxygen species. Telmisartan altered the cell bioenergetics, thereby synergizing with vemurafenib <i>in vitro</i>, and even sensitized vemurafenib-resistant cells to the treatment.<b>Conclusions</b> Given that the effective doses of telmisartan examined in our study can be administered to patients and that telmisartan is a widely used and safe antihypertensive drug, our findings provide the scientific rationale for testing its efficacy in treatment of melanoma progression.
first_indexed 2024-04-14T07:37:34Z
format Article
id doaj.art-601a8376a04548c2989c8ed195cf64ff
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2095-3941
2095-3941
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-14T07:37:34Z
publishDate 2019-06-01
publisher China Anti-Cancer Association
record_format Article
series Cancer Biology & Medicine
spelling doaj.art-601a8376a04548c2989c8ed195cf64ff2022-12-22T02:05:38ZengChina Anti-Cancer AssociationCancer Biology & Medicine2095-39412095-39412019-06-0116224726310.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2018.03752018000375Telmisartan induces melanoma cell apoptosis and synergizes with vemurafenib <i>in vitro</i> by altering cell bioenergeticsJelena Grahovac0Tatjana Srdi?-Raji?1Juan Francisco Santiba?ez2Marijana Pavlovi?3Milena ?avi?4Sini?a Radulovi?5Laboratory for Experimental Pharmacology, Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, Belgrade 11000, SerbiaLaboratory for Experimental Pharmacology, Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, Belgrade 11000, SerbiaDepartment of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade 11000, SerbiaLaboratory for Experimental Pharmacology, Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, Belgrade 11000, SerbiaLaboratory for Experimental Pharmacology, Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, Belgrade 11000, SerbiaLaboratory for Experimental Pharmacology, Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, Belgrade 11000, Serbia<b>Objective</b> Despite recent advancements in targeted therapy and immunotherapies, prognosis for metastatic melanoma patients remains extremely poor. Development of resistance to previously effective treatments presents a serious challenge and new approaches for melanoma treatment are urgently needed. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of telmisartan, an AGTR1 inhibitor and a partial agonist of PPARγ, on melanoma cells as a potential agent for repurposing in melanoma treatment.<b>Methods</b> Expression of AGTR1 and PPARγ mRNA in melanoma patient tumor samples was examined in publicly available datasets and confirmed in melanoma cell lines by qRT-PCR. A panel of melanoma cell lines was tested in viability, apoptosis and metabolic assays in presence of telmisartan by flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry. A cytotoxic effect of combinations of telmisartan and targeted therapy vemurafenib was examined using the Chou-Talalay combination index method.<b>Results</b> Both AGTR1 and PPARγ mRNA were expressed in melanoma patient tumor samples and decreased compared to the expression in the healthy skin. <i>In vitro</i>, we found that telmisartan decreased melanoma cell viability by inducing cell apoptosis. Increased glucose uptake, but not utilization, in the presence of telmisartan caused the fission of mitochondria and release of reactive oxygen species. Telmisartan altered the cell bioenergetics, thereby synergizing with vemurafenib <i>in vitro</i>, and even sensitized vemurafenib-resistant cells to the treatment.<b>Conclusions</b> Given that the effective doses of telmisartan examined in our study can be administered to patients and that telmisartan is a widely used and safe antihypertensive drug, our findings provide the scientific rationale for testing its efficacy in treatment of melanoma progression.http://www.cancerbiomed.org/index.php/cocr/article/view/1420Melanomatelmisartanapoptosismitochondriareactive oxygen speciestargeted therapy
spellingShingle Jelena Grahovac
Tatjana Srdi?-Raji?
Juan Francisco Santiba?ez
Marijana Pavlovi?
Milena ?avi?
Sini?a Radulovi?
Telmisartan induces melanoma cell apoptosis and synergizes with vemurafenib <i>in vitro</i> by altering cell bioenergetics
Cancer Biology & Medicine
Melanoma
telmisartan
apoptosis
mitochondria
reactive oxygen species
targeted therapy
title Telmisartan induces melanoma cell apoptosis and synergizes with vemurafenib <i>in vitro</i> by altering cell bioenergetics
title_full Telmisartan induces melanoma cell apoptosis and synergizes with vemurafenib <i>in vitro</i> by altering cell bioenergetics
title_fullStr Telmisartan induces melanoma cell apoptosis and synergizes with vemurafenib <i>in vitro</i> by altering cell bioenergetics
title_full_unstemmed Telmisartan induces melanoma cell apoptosis and synergizes with vemurafenib <i>in vitro</i> by altering cell bioenergetics
title_short Telmisartan induces melanoma cell apoptosis and synergizes with vemurafenib <i>in vitro</i> by altering cell bioenergetics
title_sort telmisartan induces melanoma cell apoptosis and synergizes with vemurafenib i in vitro i by altering cell bioenergetics
topic Melanoma
telmisartan
apoptosis
mitochondria
reactive oxygen species
targeted therapy
url http://www.cancerbiomed.org/index.php/cocr/article/view/1420
work_keys_str_mv AT jelenagrahovac telmisartaninducesmelanomacellapoptosisandsynergizeswithvemurafenibiinvitroibyalteringcellbioenergetics
AT tatjanasrdiraji telmisartaninducesmelanomacellapoptosisandsynergizeswithvemurafenibiinvitroibyalteringcellbioenergetics
AT juanfranciscosantibaez telmisartaninducesmelanomacellapoptosisandsynergizeswithvemurafenibiinvitroibyalteringcellbioenergetics
AT marijanapavlovi telmisartaninducesmelanomacellapoptosisandsynergizeswithvemurafenibiinvitroibyalteringcellbioenergetics
AT milenaavi telmisartaninducesmelanomacellapoptosisandsynergizeswithvemurafenibiinvitroibyalteringcellbioenergetics
AT siniaradulovi telmisartaninducesmelanomacellapoptosisandsynergizeswithvemurafenibiinvitroibyalteringcellbioenergetics