Effects of Rhenium(I)-diselenoether and of its Diselenide Ligand on the Production of Cathepsins B and S by MDA-MB231 Breast Malignant Cells

Anticancer Res. 2021 Dec;41(12):5997-6001. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.15418.

Abstract

Background/aim: Rhenium(I)-diselenoether (Re-diSe) is a drug under development for the treatment of metastatic cancers, with selective inhibitory effects on MDA-MB231 cancer cells compared to normal HEK-293 cells, and with greater effects than its diselenide (di-Se) ligand. Rhenium (Re) compounds inhibit cathepsins, which are important proteolytic enzymes in cancer. This study investigated the effects of Re-diSe and di-Se on the production of cathepsins B and S in MDA-MB231 malignant and HEK-293 normal cells and their inhibitory effects following treatment with different doses for 72 h.

Materials and methods: Elisa tests were used to assay the amount of cathepsins B and S in the medium of cultures.

Results: Re-diSe, but not diSe affected the viability of malignant cells and the expression of cathepsins B and S.

Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration that Re-diSe may decrease the production of cathepsins B and S in cancer cells at doses as low as 10 μM.

Keywords: Cathepsins; cysteine proteases; rhenium; selenium.

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Cathepsin B / biosynthesis*
  • Cathepsins / biosynthesis*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Molecular Structure
  • Rhenium* / chemistry

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Rhenium
  • Cathepsins
  • Cathepsin B