alpha-chymotrypsin and gallium-maltolate

Combination chemotherapy forms the backbone of cancer treatment. There is a need for new drug combinations for the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Herein, we show that gallium maltolate, a novel gallium compound, synergizes with bortezomib, a proteasome inhibitor, to induce cell death in MCL Granta cells. Cells exposed to either agent displayed caspase-3 activation, a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and a decrease in chymotrypsin-like activity. These effects were increased with both agents in combination. Our results show for the first time that the proteasome may be a target for gallium maltolate and suggest that the therapeutic potential of combination bortezomib and gallium maltolate warrants further investigation.

Topics: Apoptosis; Boronic Acids; Bortezomib; Caspase 3; Cell Division; Cell Line, Tumor; Chymotrypsin; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; Drug Synergism; Enzyme Activation; Humans; Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial; Neoplasm Proteins; Organometallic Compounds; Protease Inhibitors; Proteasome Inhibitors; Pyrazines; Pyrones