Title:Proteomics Analysis Revealed Smad3 as a Potential Target of the Synergistic Antitumor
Activity of Disulfiram and Cisplatin in Ovarian Cancer
Volume: 23
Issue: 15
Author(s): Ruiping Du, Feilong Sun, Kai Li, Jian Qi, Wen Zhong, Wei Wang, Qiuyan Sun, Qingmei Deng, Hongzhi Wang, Jinfu Nie, Chen Ding*Bo Hong*
Affiliation:
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Human Phenome Institute, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- School of Basic Medical Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Hefei Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, China
Keywords:
Disulfiram, cisplatin resistance, ovarian cancer, proteomics analysis, SMAD3, lactate dehydrogenase.
Abstract:
Introduction: Among gynecological cancers, ovarian cancer has a high mortality rate. Cisplatin-based
chemotherapy is commonly used for the treatment of ovarian cancer. However, the clinical efficacy of cisplatin in
ovarian cancer is limited due to the development of chemo-resistance during treatment.
Objective: In the study, we aimed to investigate the synergistic anti-cancer activity and targets of the FDA-approved
drug disulfiram combined with cisplatin in ovarian cancer.
Methods: The cell viability was determined by Celltier-Glo luminescent assay. The synergistic anti-cancer activity was
assessed by combination index. Cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. The in vivo anti-tumor
activity and side effects were evaluated using a xenografted mice model. The synergistic anti-cancer targets were identified
by a mass spectrometry-based proteomics analysis.
Results: In this study, we first found that disulfiram synergistically enhanced the anti-tumor activity of cisplatin in
chemo-resistant ovarian cancer cells, which was accompanied by the enhanced induction of cellular apoptosis.
Secondly, the in vivo study demonstrated that the combination treatment of disulfiram and cisplatin dramatically
inhibited tumor growth and had no apparent side effects in ovarian cancer xenografted mice. Finally, proteomics analysis
identified SMAD3 as a potential target of disulfiram-cisplatin combined treatment, and the down-regulation of
SMAD3 could increase cisplatin-induced cell death in ovarian cancer.
Conclusion: Combination treatment of disulfiram and cisplatin synergistically inhibited the growth of ovarian cancer
through down-regulating SMAD3. As a repurposed drug, disulfiram could be quickly transformed into a clinic to overcome
cisplatin resistance for the treatment of ovarian cancer.