Enhancing glioblastoma cell sensitivity to chemotherapeutics: A strategy involving survivin gene silencing mediated by gemini surfactant-based complexes.
Glioblastoma (GBM), the highest grade astrocytoma, is one of the most aggressive and challenging cancers to treat. The standard treatment is usually limited due to the intrinsic resistance of GBM to chemotherapy and drug non-specific effects. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies need to be developed to target tumor cells, sparing healthy tissues. In this context, the inhibitor-of-apoptosis protein (IAP) survivin emerges as an ideal target for a gene silencing approach, since it is sharply differentially expressed in cancer tissues. In this work, two different families of cationic gemini surfactants (bis-quat conventional and serine-derived) were tested regarding their efficiency to deliver small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) in a human GBM cell line (U87), in order to select an effective siRNA anti-survivin carrier. Importantly, survivin downregulation combined with administration of the chemotherapeutic agents temozolomide or etoposide resulted in a synergistic cytotoxic effect, thus revealing to be a promising strategy to reduce the chemotherapeutic doses for GBM treatment.
Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Portugal; CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal.
Rita Q
RQ
Cruz
CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal; Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, Portugal.
Catarina M
CM
Morais
CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal.
Ana M
AM
Cardoso
Centro de Investigação em Química, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Porto, Rua do campo Alegre s/n, P 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
Sandra G
SG
Silva
UCIBIO/REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
Maria L
ML
Vale
Centro de Investigação em Química, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Porto, Rua do campo Alegre s/n, P 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
Eduardo F
EF
Marques
CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal; Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, Portugal.
Maria C
MC
Pedroso de Lima
CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal; Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: asjurado@bioq.uc.pt.
Amália S
AS
Jurado
D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015536:Down-Regulation; D020868:Gene Silencing; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D000077022:Survivin
C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D000077022:Survivin
1,2-Dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (PubChem CID: 6437392); Chemotherapy; Cholesterol (PubChem CID: 5997); Etoposide; Etoposide (PubChem CID: 36462); Gemini surfactants; Gene therapy; Glioblastoma; RNA interference; Survivin; Temozolomide; Temozolomide (PubChem CID: 5394)