Amiodarone's major metabolite, desethylamiodarone inhibits proliferation of B16-F10 melanoma cells and limits lung metastasis formation in an in vivo experimental model

PLoS One. 2020 Sep 25;15(9):e0239088. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239088. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Previously, we demonstrated the in vitro anti-tumor effects of desethylamiodarone (DEA) in bladder and cervix cancer cell lines. In the present study, we intended to establish its potentiality in B16-F10 metastatic melanoma cells in vitro and in vivo. We assessed cell proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle by using sulforhodamine B assay, Muse™ Annexin V & Dead Cell and Muse® Cell Cycle assays, respectively. We determined colony formation after crystal violet staining. For studying mechanistic aspects, immunoblotting analysis was performed. We used a C57BL/6 experimental lung metastasis model for demonstrating in vivo anti-metastatic potential of DEA. DEA inhibited in vitro proliferation and colony formation, and in vivo lung metastasizing properties of B16-F10 cells. It arrested the cells in G0/G1 phase of their cycle likely via p21 in a p53-dependent fashion, and induced caspase mediated apoptosis likely via inversely regulating Bcl-2 and Bax levels, and reducing Akt and ERK1/2 activation. In this study, we provided in vitro and in vivo experimental evidences for DEA's potentiality in the therapy of metastatic melanomas. Since DEA is the major metabolite of amiodarone, a worldwide used antiarrhythmic drug, safety concerns could be resolved more easily for it than for a novel pharmacological agent.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amiodarone / analogs & derivatives*
  • Amiodarone / therapeutic use
  • Animals
  • Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Lung Neoplasms / prevention & control*
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Male
  • Melanoma, Experimental / drug therapy*
  • Melanoma, Experimental / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Skin Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • Anti-Arrhythmia Agents
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • desethylamiodarone
  • Amiodarone

Grants and funding

This research was funded by Hungarian grants GINOP-2.3.3-15-2016-00025, GINOP-2.3.2-15-2016-00049, EFOP-3.6.1-16-2016-00004, and Higher Education Institutional Excellence Program. Grants were received by authors BS and FGJ. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.