The antidepressant sertraline downregulates Akt and has activity against melanoma cells.
Melanoma is a common malignancy which is poorly responsive to chemotherapy and radiation. One of the major reasons melanoma responds poorly to these modalities is constitutive expression of Akt, which protects against apoptosis. The antidepressant sertraline was found to be a potent cytotoxic agent against A375 human melanoma. To determine the mechanism by which sertraline kills melanoma cells, Western blot analysis of signaling molecules, including phosphorylated Akt, caspase 9 and phospho-p70 S6 kinase was performed. Finally, the effects of sertraline on A375 xenografts in mice were assessed. Sertaline potently inhibited the phosphorylation of Akt, and caused cell death through induction of endoplasmic reticulum in vitro. Sertraline monotherapy demonstrated activity against A375 xenografts in vivo. Akt is a major cause of resistance of melanoma to current therapy. Antidepressants are commonly used to prevent interferon-induced depression. Use of antidepressants that decrease Akt may improve the efficacy of interferon and other therapies against melanoma. Further studies are needed to elucidate whether sertraline acts as an Akt inhibitor in melanoma.
Reddy
Kalpana K
KK
Department of Dermatology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Lefkove
Benjamin
B
Chen
Lan Bo
LB
Govindarajan
Baskaran
B
Carracedo
Arkaitz
A
Velasco
Guillermo
G
Carrillo
Carol O
CO
Bhandarkar
Sulochana S
SS
Owens
Michael J
MJ
Mechta-Grigoriou
Fatima
F
Arbiser
Jack L
JL
D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D051058:Oncogene Protein v-akt / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D020280:Sertraline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D051058:Oncogene Protein v-akt; D020280:Sertraline