calcipotriene and Prostatic-Neoplasms

The role of vitamin D3 in cancer prevention and its potential as an anticancer therapeutic agent have been researched and are well established. However, the clinical use of the natural vitamin D3 metabolite, 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3 or calcitriol] is limited by a possible cause of hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria. A new 24-chloro calcipotriene-based vitamin D3 analog (BGP-15) was synthesized and examined for antiproliferative activity in the androgen-dependent cell lines of prostate cancer (LNCaP) and breast cancer (MCF-7). The new analog led to significant decrease in cell viability in cultured LNCaP and MCF-7 cell lines compared with calcipotriene and 1,25(OH)2D3. We observed elevated vitamin D receptor protein levels in both LNCaP and MCF-7 cells, which were treated with 5 micromol/l of 1,25(OH)2D3, calcipotriene or BGP-15 for 20 h, indicating vitamin D receptor-binding ability. Treatments of LNCaP and MCF-7 cells with 5 micromol/l BGP-15 and calcipotriene for 20 h generated procaspase-3 cleavage and therefore, apoptosis. Interestingly, BGP-15, and to a lesser extent calcipotriene, but not 1,25(OH)2D3, activated caspase-3 in MCF-7 cells, a cell line that normally lacks this specific caspase (and procaspase). It is presumed that management of MCF-7 with BGP-15 modulates procaspase-3 expression and cleavage, and a subsequent activation of caspase-3. Similar treatments of LNCaP cells induced procaspase-9 cleavage and therefore caspase-9 activation, whereas similar treatments of MCF-7 cells failed to induce caspase-9 activation. Cytochrome c release was, however, detected in both cell lines, LNCaP and MCF-7. In-vivo results suggested that BGP-15 (similar to its parent drug) did not cause calcium-related toxic side effects after chronic treatment.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Apoptosis; Breast Neoplasms; Calcitriol; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Cell Survival; Female; Humans; Male; Prostatic Neoplasms; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Analogs of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 with a reversed configuration at C-1 or C-24 and E or Z geometry of the double bond at C-22 in the side chain or at C-5 in the triene system were examined for their antiproliferative activity in vitro against a spectrum of various human cancer cell lines. The analogs coded PRI-2201 (calcipotriol), PRI-2202 and PRI-2205, such as calcitriol and tacalcitol (used as a referential agents), revealed antiproliferative activity against human HL-60, HL-60/MX2, MCF-7, T47D, SCC-25 and mouse WEHI-3 cancer cell lines. The toxicity studies in vivo showed that PRI-2202 and PRI-2205 are less toxic than referential agents. Even at total doses of 2.5-5.0 mg/kg distributed during 5 successive days, no changes in body weight were observed. Calcitriol and tacalcitol showed toxicity in the same protocol at 100 times lower doses. Calcipotriol was lethal to all mice after administration of a total dose of 5.0 mg/kg. The analog PRI-2205 appeared to be more active in mouse Levis lung cancer tumor growth inhibition than calcitriol, calcipotriol or PRI-2202. This analog did not reveal calcemic activity at doses which inhibit tumor growth in vivo nor at higher doses.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Breast Neoplasms; Calcitriol; Calcium; Carcinoma, Lewis Lung; CD11b Antigen; Cell Cycle; Cell Differentiation; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Cholecalciferol; Coloring Agents; Female; Fibroblasts; HL-60 Cells; Humans; Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Inbred DBA; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Prostatic Neoplasms; Rhodamines; Stereoisomerism; Tetrazolium Salts; Thiazoles