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Orlandi P, Banchi M, Vaglini F, Carli M, Aringhieri S, Bandini A, Pardini C, Viaggi C, Lai M, Alì G, Ottani A, Vandini E, Guidi P, Bernardeschi M, La Rocca V, Francia G, Fontanini G, Pistello M, Frenzilli G, Giuliani D, Scarselli M, Bocci G. Melanocortin receptor 4 as a new target in melanoma therapy: Anticancer activity of the inhibitor ML00253764 alone and in association with B-raf inhibitor vemurafenib. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 219:115952. [PMID: 38036189 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
The aim of our study is to investigate in vitro and in vivo MC4R as a novel target in melanoma using the selective antagonist ML00253764 (ML) alone and in combination with vemurafenib, a B-rafV600E inhibitor. The human melanoma B-raf mutated A-2058 and WM 266-4 cell lines were used. An MC4R null A-2058 cell line was generated using a CRISPR/Cas9 system. MC4R protein expression was analysed by western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence. Proliferation and apoptotic assays were performed with ML00253764, whereas the synergism with vemurafenib was evaluated by the combination index (CI) and Loewe methods. ERK1/2 phosphorylation and BCL-XL expression were quantified by western blot. In vivo experiments were performed in Athymic Nude-Foxn1nu male mice, injecting subcutaneously melanoma cells, and treating animals with ML, vemurafenib and their concomitant combination. Comet and cytome assays were performed. Our results show that human melanoma cell lines A-2058 and WM 266-4, and melanoma human tissue, express functional MC4R receptors on their surface. MC4R receptors on melanoma cells can be inhibited by the selective antagonist ML, causing antiproliferative and proapoptotic activity through the inhibition of phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and a reduction of BCL-XL. The concomitant combination of vemurafenib and ML caused a synergistic effect on melanoma cells in vitro and inhibited in vivo tumor growth in a preclinical model, without causing mouse weight loss or genotoxicity. Our original research contributes to the landscape of pharmacological treatments for melanoma, providing MC4R antagonists as drugs that can be added to established therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Orlandi
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Marta Banchi
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Vaglini
- Dipartimento di Ricerca Traslazionale e delle Nuove Tecnologie in Medicina e Chirurgia, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Marco Carli
- Dipartimento di Ricerca Traslazionale e delle Nuove Tecnologie in Medicina e Chirurgia, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Stefano Aringhieri
- Dipartimento di Ricerca Traslazionale e delle Nuove Tecnologie in Medicina e Chirurgia, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Arianna Bandini
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Carla Pardini
- Dipartimento di Ricerca Traslazionale e delle Nuove Tecnologie in Medicina e Chirurgia, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Cristina Viaggi
- Dipartimento di Ricerca Traslazionale e delle Nuove Tecnologie in Medicina e Chirurgia, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Michele Lai
- Dipartimento di Ricerca Traslazionale e delle Nuove Tecnologie in Medicina e Chirurgia, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Greta Alì
- Dipartimento di Patologia Chirurgica, Medica, Molecolare e dell'Area Critica, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandra Ottani
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Metaboliche e Neuroscienze, Sezione di Farmacologia e Medicina Molecolare, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Eleonora Vandini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Metaboliche e Neuroscienze, Sezione di Farmacologia e Medicina Molecolare, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Patrizia Guidi
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Veronica La Rocca
- Dipartimento di Ricerca Traslazionale e delle Nuove Tecnologie in Medicina e Chirurgia, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy; Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giulio Francia
- Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Gabriella Fontanini
- Dipartimento di Patologia Chirurgica, Medica, Molecolare e dell'Area Critica, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Mauro Pistello
- Dipartimento di Ricerca Traslazionale e delle Nuove Tecnologie in Medicina e Chirurgia, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giada Frenzilli
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Daniela Giuliani
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Metaboliche e Neuroscienze, Sezione di Farmacologia e Medicina Molecolare, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Marco Scarselli
- Dipartimento di Ricerca Traslazionale e delle Nuove Tecnologie in Medicina e Chirurgia, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Guido Bocci
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
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Guzmán A, Marín AP, García C, Fernández de Henestrosa AR, Ruiz MT, Tortajada A, Marcos R. Induction of hypothermic conditions associated with increased micronuclei formation in sigma-1 receptor knockout mice after administration of the antipsychotic compound E-5842. ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS 2008; 49:727-33. [PMID: 18800345 DOI: 10.1002/em.20428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The antipsychotic sigma-1 (sigma(1)) receptor ligand E-5842 has been shown to increase micronucleated polychromatic erythrocyte (MNPCE) frequency in mouse bone marrow secondary to compound-induced hypothermia. Interaction with sigma(1) receptor has been considered a plausible contributing factor for E-5842-induced hypothermia, raising concern for a possible class effect of sigma receptor ligands in the mouse micronucleus (MN) test. We assessed the potential of E-5842 (200 mg/kg, oral) to produce hypothermic conditions associated with increased micronuclei formation in sigma(1) receptor knockout (sigma(1)R-KO) and wild type (WT) mice. After administration, animal's rectal temperature was recorded and peripheral blood and bone marrow samples were obtained (48 hr) and assessed for induction of micronucleated reticulocytes (MNRET) and MNPCE, respectively. E-5842 administration produced marked hypothermia both in sigma(1)R-KO and WT mice. Maximum decreases from preadministration temperature were 12.2 and 13.5 degrees C in sigma(1)R-KO and WT mice, respectively. Temperature returned to normal approximately 32 hr after administration. Bone marrow examination revealed a statistical significant increase (P < 0.05) in MNPCE frequency both in sigma(1)R-KO and WT animals. Examination of peripheral blood samples showed a slight, although nonstatistical significant, increase in MNRET frequency in sigma(1)R-KO mice. No similar effect was observed among WT animals. The results obtained after E-5842 administration to sigma(1)R-KO mice indicate that induction of hypothermic conditions associated with increased MNPCE formation is not mediated by compound interaction with sigma(1) receptor, ruling out concern for a possible class effect of similar high affinity sigma(1) receptor ligands in the mouse MN test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Guzmán
- Toxicology Department, ESTEVE, Mare de Déu de Montserrat 221, 08041, Barcelona, Spain.
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Guzmán A, García C, Marín AP, Proudlock RJ, Henestrosa ARFD, Ruiz MT, Tortajada A, Lloyd M, Marcos R. Evaluation of the genotoxic potential of three phenyltetrahydropyridinyl butylazole-derived sigma-receptor ligand drug candidates. MUTATION RESEARCH-GENETIC TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS 2008; 653:91-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2008.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2007] [Revised: 03/07/2008] [Accepted: 03/28/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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