Antitumour effect of polyoxomolybdates: induction of apoptotic cell death and autophagy in in vitro and in vivo models

Br J Cancer. 2008 Jan 29;98(2):399-409. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6604133. Epub 2007 Dec 18.

Abstract

Polyoxomolybdates (PMs) as discrete molybdenum-oxide cluster anions have been investigated in the course of study of their medical applications. Here, we show the significant antitumour potency of the polyoxomolybdate [Me(3)NH](6)[H(2)Mo(V)(12)O(28)(OH)(12)(Mo(VI)O(3))(4)].2H(2)O (PM-17), which is a photo-reduced compound of [NH(3)Pr(i)](6)[Mo(7)O(24)].3H(2)O. The effect of PM-17 on the growth of cancer cell lines and xenografts was assessed by a cell viability test and analysis of tumour expansion rate. Morphological analysis was carried out by Hoechst staining, flow-cytometric analysis of Annexin V staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated 'nick-end' labelling staining, and electron-microscopic analysis. Activation of autophagy was detected by western blotting and fluorescence-microscopic analysis of the localisation of GFP-LC3 in transfected tumour cells. PM-17 inhibited the growth of human pancreatic cancer (AsPC-1) xenografts in a nude mice model, and induced morphological alterations in tumour cells. Correspondingly, PM-17 repressed the proliferation of AsPC-1 cells and human gastric cancer cells (MKN45) depending on the dose in vitro. We observed apoptotic patterns as the formation of apoptotic small bodies and translocation of phosphatidylserine by Hoechst staining and flow-cytometric analysis following Annexin V staining, and in parallel, autophagic conformation by the formulation of autophagosomes and localisation of GFP-LC3 by electron- and fluorescence-microscopic analysis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Autophagy / drug effects*
  • Cell Death / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Molybdenum / chemistry
  • Molybdenum / therapeutic use*
  • Oxides / chemistry
  • Oxides / therapeutic use*
  • Polymers / chemistry
  • Polymers / therapeutic use
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Oxides
  • PM-17 polyoxomolybdate
  • Polymers
  • molybdate
  • Molybdenum