Dipyridamole prevents triple-negative breast-cancer progression

Clin Exp Metastasis. 2013 Jan;30(1):47-68. doi: 10.1007/s10585-012-9506-0. Epub 2012 Jul 4.

Abstract

Dipyridamole is a widely prescribed drug in ischemic disorders, and it is here investigated for potential clinical use as a new treatment for breast cancer. Xenograft mice bearing triple-negative breast cancer 4T1-Luc or MDA-MB-231T cells were generated. In these in vivo models, dipyridamole effects were investigated for primary tumor growth, metastasis formation, cell cycle, apoptosis, signaling pathways, immune cell infiltration, and serum inflammatory cytokines levels. Dipyridamole significantly reduced primary tumor growth and metastasis formation by intraperitoneal administration. Treatment with 15 mg/kg/day dipyridamole reduced mean primary tumor size by 67.5 % (p = 0.0433), while treatment with 30 mg/kg/day dipyridamole resulted in an almost a total reduction in primary tumors (p = 0.0182). Experimental metastasis assays show dipyridamole reduces metastasis formation by 47.5 % in the MDA-MB-231T xenograft model (p = 0.0122), and by 50.26 % in the 4T1-Luc xenograft model (p = 0.0292). In vivo dipyridamole decreased activated β-catenin by 38.64 % (p < 0.0001), phospho-ERK1/2 by 25.05 % (p = 0.0129), phospho-p65 by 67.82 % (p < 0.0001) and doubled the expression of IkBα (p = 0.0019), thus revealing significant effects on Wnt, ERK1/2-MAPK and NF-kB pathways in both animal models. Moreover dipyridamole significantly decreased the infiltration of tumor-associated macrophages and myeloid-derived suppressor cells in primary tumors (p < 0.005), and the inflammatory cytokines levels in the sera of the treated mice. We suggest that when used at appropriate doses and with the correct mode of administration, dipyridamole is a promising agent for breast-cancer treatment, thus also implying its potential use in other cancers that show those highly activated pathways.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Blotting, Western
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Breast Neoplasms / prevention & control*
  • Cell Adhesion / drug effects
  • Cell Cycle / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Dipyridamole / therapeutic use*
  • Disease Progression
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Lung Neoplasms / prevention & control*
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / genetics
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / metabolism
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / genetics
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / metabolism
  • NF-kappa B / genetics
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Estrogen / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Progesterone / metabolism*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Signal Transduction
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
  • beta Catenin / genetics
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • NF-kappa B
  • Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptors, Estrogen
  • Receptors, Progesterone
  • beta Catenin
  • Dipyridamole
  • Receptor, ErbB-2
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3