A vitamin E analogue suppresses malignant mesothelioma in a preclinical model: a future drug against a fatal neoplastic disease?
Malignant mesothelioma is a fatal type of neoplasia of the pleura and the peritoneum with currently no known cure. Therefore, discovery of an efficient antimesothelioma drug with low deleterious side effects is desirable. Here, we studied in vivo the effect of alpha-tocopheryl succinate, a semisynthetic vitamin E analogue with proapoptotic and anticancer activity and selectivity for malignant cells, on experimental peritoneal mesothelioma using immunocompromised mice. Compared to untreated animals, the agent increased their survival >3-fold. Our finding warrants further testing of vitamin E analogues as potential antimesothelioma drugs.
Department of Molecular Pathology and Innovative Therapies, University Polytechnic of Marche, Ancona, Italy.
Marco
M
Tomasetti
Nina
N
Gellert
Antonio
A
Procopio
Jiri
J
Neuzil
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000187:drug effects*; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; D013997:Time Factors; D024505:Tocopherols; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000187:drug effects*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; C505653:TNFSF10 protein, human; C505654:Tnfsf10 protein, mouse; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D014810:Vitamin E; D024505:Tocopherols