Pro-Apoptotic and Anti-Migration Properties of a Thiazoline-Containing Platinum(II) Complex in MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells: The Role of Melatonin as a Synergistic Agent

Published on Wednesday, 02 August 2023

Abstract

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive cancer insensitive to hormonal and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted therapies and has a poor prognosis. Therefore, there is a need for the development of convenient anticancer strategies for the management of TNBC.

In this paper, we evaluate the antitumoral potential of a platinum(II) complex coordinated with the ligand 2-(3,5-diphenylpyrazol-1-yl)-2-thiazoline (DPhPzTn), hereafter PtDPhPzTn, against the TNBC cell line MDA-MB-231, and compared its effect with both cisplatin and its less lipophilic counterpart PtPzTn, the latter containing the ligand 2-(pyrazol-1-yl)-2-thiazoline (PzTn).

Then, the putative potentiating actions of melatonin, a naturally occurring antioxidant with renowned antitumor properties, on the tumor-killing ability of PtDPhPzTn were also checked in TNBC cells.

Our results show that PtDPhPzTn presented enhanced cytotoxicity compared to both the classical drug cisplatin and PtPzTn. In addition, PtDPhPzTn was able to induce apoptosis, being more selective for MDA-MB-231 cells when compared to non-tumor breast epithelial MCF10A cells. Likewise, PtDPhPzTn produced moderate S phase arrest and greatly impaired the migration ability of MDA-MB-231 cells.

Most importantly, the co-stimulation of TNBC cells with PtDPhPzTn and melatonin substantially enhanced apoptosis and markedly improved the anti-migratory action compared to PtDPhPzTn alone.

Altogether, our findings provide evidence that PtDPhPzTn and melatonin could be potentially applied to breast cancer treatment as powerful synergistic agents.

About this publciation.

- The Di Bella Method (A Fixed Part - Melatonin tablets. From 30-40mg/day up to 200mg/day orally in patients with advanced stage of cancer disease and/or patients without respond to traditional treatments);

- Melatonin use in cancer patients have started in 1974, when melatonin prepared according to Prof. Di Bella’s formulation [...]. For 11 days was administered to the patient, admitted to the general medical ward at the Maggiore-Pizzardi Hospital in Bologna, very slowly (over approx. 8 hours) and intravenously administered 1000 mg of melatonin for 11 days. During the course of each day, the patient was intravenously administered 4 saline drips of 500 ml, each containing ten 25 mg bottles of freeze-dried melatonin, lasting 2 hours, totaling 1000 mg per day. No other drug of any kind was administered in order to ascertain the effect of the MLT without interference [...]. From Melatonin with adenosine solubilized in water and stabilized with glycine for oncological treatment - technical preparation, effectivity and clinical findings;

- About Melatonin - In vitro, review and in vivo publications;

- Publication: Melatonin anticancer effects: Review (from Di Bella's Foundation);

- Publication: Key aspects of melatonin physiology: 30 years of research (from Di Bella's Foundation);

- The Di Bella Method (A Fixed Part - Cyclophosphamide 50mg tablets and/or Hydroxyurea 500mg tablets, one or two per day);

- The Di Bella Method (A Fixed Part - Calcium, 2 grams per day, orally);

- The Di Bella Method (A Fixed Part - Somatostatin, Octreotide, Sandostatin LAR, analogues and/or derivatives);

- Somatostatin in oncology, the overlooked evidences - In vitro, review and in vivo publications;

- Publication, 2018 Jul: Over-Expression of GH/GHR in Breast Cancer and Oncosuppressor Role of Somatostatin as a Physiological Inhibitor (from Di Bella's Foundation);

- Publication, 2018 Sep: The over-expression of GH/GHR in tumour tissues with respect to healthy ones confirms its oncogenic role and the consequent oncosuppressor role of its physiological inhibitor, somatostatin: a review of the literature (from Di Bella's Foundation);

- Publication, 2019 Aug: The Entrapment of Somatostatin in a Lipid Formulation: Retarded Release and Free Radical Reactivity (from Di Bella's Foundation);

- Publication, 2019 Sep: Effects of Somatostatin and Vitamin C on the Fatty Acid Profile of Breast Cancer Cell Membranes (from Di Bella's Foundation);

- Publication, 2019 Sep: Effects of somatostatin, curcumin, and quercetin on the fatty acid profile of breast cancer cell membranes (from Di Bella's Foundation);