Tamoxifen and the farnesyl transferase inhibitor FTI-277 synergize to inhibit growth in estrogen receptor-positive breast tumor cell lines.
Farnesyl transferase inhibitors (FTIs) serve to specifically inhibit farnesyl isoprenoid lipid modification of proteins. Although originally developed as anti-Ras oncoprotein drugs, it now appears that these compounds function independently of Ras. FTIs have been shown to inhibit transformation by a variety of mechanisms, including apoptosis involving cytochrome c release from mitochondria. Tamoxifen exhibits both anti-estrogenic and estrogenic properties and is widely used as an estrogen antagonist for the treatment of estrogen receptor (ER) positive human breast tumors. Tamoxifen can induce ER-dependent apoptosis in human breast tumor cells by a mechanism involving the Bcl2/mitochondrial arm of the apoptotic machinery. Since tamoxifen and FTIs may stimulate distinct components of the mitochondrial-based apoptotic machinery, we reasoned that their effects might be synergistic. Here we show that anti-estrogens and an FTI (FTI-277) synergize to inhibit cell growth and enhance cell death in ER positive, human breast tumor cell lines. However, the drugs exhibited only additive effects on an ER negative cell line. Analysis of treated ER positive T-47D cells demonstrated that a synergistic increase in apoptosis was induced, as measured by increased caspase 3 activity. Thus, tamoxifen and FTIs may synergize to promote apoptotic cell death in ER positive human breast tumor cells.
Ellis
Chad A
CA
NCI, Department of Cell and Cancer Biology, Rockville, MD 20850-3300, USA.
Vos
Michele D
MD
Wickline
Meredith
M
Riley
Christine
C
Vallecorsa
Teresa
T
Telford
William G
WG
Zujewskil
JoAnne
J
Clark
Geoffrey J
GJ
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008715:Methionine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; C096856:FTI 277; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D013629:Tamoxifen; D008715:Methionine