Mifepristone prevents repopulation of ovarian cancer cells escaping cisplatin-paclitaxel therapy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Advanced ovarian cancer is treated with cytoreductive surgery and combination platinum- and taxane-based chemotherapy. Although most patients have acute clinical response to this strategy, the disease ultimately recurs. In this work...

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Main Authors: Gamarra-Luques Carlos D, Goyeneche Alicia A, Hapon Maria B, Telleria Carlos M
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2012-06-01
Series:BMC Cancer
Online Access:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2407/12/200
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author Gamarra-Luques Carlos D
Goyeneche Alicia A
Hapon Maria B
Telleria Carlos M
author_facet Gamarra-Luques Carlos D
Goyeneche Alicia A
Hapon Maria B
Telleria Carlos M
author_sort Gamarra-Luques Carlos D
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Advanced ovarian cancer is treated with cytoreductive surgery and combination platinum- and taxane-based chemotherapy. Although most patients have acute clinical response to this strategy, the disease ultimately recurs. In this work we questioned whether the synthetic steroid mifepristone, which as monotherapy inhibits the growth of ovarian cancer cells, is capable of preventing repopulation of ovarian cancer cells if given after a round of lethal cisplatin-paclitaxel combination treatment.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We established an <it>in vitro</it> approach wherein ovarian cancer cells with various sensitivities to cisplatin or paclitaxel were exposed to a round of lethal doses of cisplatin for 1 h plus paclitaxel for 3 h. Thereafter, cells were maintained in media with or without mifepristone, and short- and long-term cytotoxicity was assessed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Four days after treatment the lethality of cisplatin-paclitaxel was evidenced by reduced number of cells, increased hypodiploid DNA content, morphological features of apoptosis, DNA fragmentation, and cleavage of caspase-3, and of its downstream substrate PARP. Short-term presence of mifepristone either enhanced or did not modify such acute lethality. Seven days after receiving cisplatin-paclitaxel, cultures showed signs of relapse with escaping colonies that repopulated the plate in a time-dependent manner. Conversely, cultures exposed to cisplatin-paclitaxel followed by mifepristone not only did not display signs of repopulation following initial chemotherapy, but they also had their clonogenic capacity drastically reduced when compared to cells repopulating after cisplatin-paclitaxel.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Cytostatic concentrations of mifepristone after exposure to lethal doses of cisplatin and paclitaxel in combination blocks repopulation of remnant cells surviving and escaping the cytotoxic drugs.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-fc400731f6d74db68213201b7ffd91fe2022-12-21T21:18:31ZengBMCBMC Cancer1471-24072012-06-0112120010.1186/1471-2407-12-200Mifepristone prevents repopulation of ovarian cancer cells escaping cisplatin-paclitaxel therapyGamarra-Luques Carlos DGoyeneche Alicia AHapon Maria BTelleria Carlos M<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Advanced ovarian cancer is treated with cytoreductive surgery and combination platinum- and taxane-based chemotherapy. Although most patients have acute clinical response to this strategy, the disease ultimately recurs. In this work we questioned whether the synthetic steroid mifepristone, which as monotherapy inhibits the growth of ovarian cancer cells, is capable of preventing repopulation of ovarian cancer cells if given after a round of lethal cisplatin-paclitaxel combination treatment.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We established an <it>in vitro</it> approach wherein ovarian cancer cells with various sensitivities to cisplatin or paclitaxel were exposed to a round of lethal doses of cisplatin for 1 h plus paclitaxel for 3 h. Thereafter, cells were maintained in media with or without mifepristone, and short- and long-term cytotoxicity was assessed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Four days after treatment the lethality of cisplatin-paclitaxel was evidenced by reduced number of cells, increased hypodiploid DNA content, morphological features of apoptosis, DNA fragmentation, and cleavage of caspase-3, and of its downstream substrate PARP. Short-term presence of mifepristone either enhanced or did not modify such acute lethality. Seven days after receiving cisplatin-paclitaxel, cultures showed signs of relapse with escaping colonies that repopulated the plate in a time-dependent manner. Conversely, cultures exposed to cisplatin-paclitaxel followed by mifepristone not only did not display signs of repopulation following initial chemotherapy, but they also had their clonogenic capacity drastically reduced when compared to cells repopulating after cisplatin-paclitaxel.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Cytostatic concentrations of mifepristone after exposure to lethal doses of cisplatin and paclitaxel in combination blocks repopulation of remnant cells surviving and escaping the cytotoxic drugs.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2407/12/200
spellingShingle Gamarra-Luques Carlos D
Goyeneche Alicia A
Hapon Maria B
Telleria Carlos M
Mifepristone prevents repopulation of ovarian cancer cells escaping cisplatin-paclitaxel therapy
BMC Cancer
title Mifepristone prevents repopulation of ovarian cancer cells escaping cisplatin-paclitaxel therapy
title_full Mifepristone prevents repopulation of ovarian cancer cells escaping cisplatin-paclitaxel therapy
title_fullStr Mifepristone prevents repopulation of ovarian cancer cells escaping cisplatin-paclitaxel therapy
title_full_unstemmed Mifepristone prevents repopulation of ovarian cancer cells escaping cisplatin-paclitaxel therapy
title_short Mifepristone prevents repopulation of ovarian cancer cells escaping cisplatin-paclitaxel therapy
title_sort mifepristone prevents repopulation of ovarian cancer cells escaping cisplatin paclitaxel therapy
url http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2407/12/200
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AT haponmariab mifepristonepreventsrepopulationofovariancancercellsescapingcisplatinpaclitaxeltherapy
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