Differences in vanadocene dichloride and cisplatin effect on MOLT-4 leukemia and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

• Published in: Medicinal chemistry (Shp-sariqah, United Arab Emirates) Vol. 8; no. 4; p. 615
• Main Authors: Havelek, Radim, Siman, Pavel, Cmielova, Jana, Stoklasova, Alena, Vavrova, Jirina, Vinklarek, Jaromir, Knizek, Jiri, Rezacova, Martina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands 01-07-2012
• Subjects: Cell Cycle - drug effects; Cell Line; Cell Survival - drug effects; Cisplatin - pharmacology; Flow Cytometry; Humans; Leukemia - drug therapy; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - drug effects; Vanadium Compounds - pharmacology
• ISSN: 1875-6638
• DOI: 10.2174/157340612801216364

Modern chemotherapy is interested in developing new agents with high efficiency of treatment in low-dose medication strategies, lower side toxicity and stronger specificity to the tumor cells. Vanadocene dichloride (VDC) belongs to the group of the most promising metallocene antitumor agents; however, its mechanism of action and cytotoxicity profile are not fully understood. In this paper we assess cytotoxic effects of VDC in comparison to cisplatin using opposite prototype of cells; human peripheral blood mononuclear (PBMCs) cells and human acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line (MOLT-4). Our findings showed cytotoxic effect of VDC on leukemia cells, but unfortunately on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells as well. VDC induces apoptosis in leukemia cells; the induction is, however, lower than that of cisplatin, and in contrary to cisplatin, VDC does not induce p53 up-regulation. Cytotoxic effect of VDC on leukemia cells is less pronounced than that of cisplatin and more pronounced in PBMCs than in MOLT-4 cells.