Sorafenib potentiates ABT-737-induced apoptosis in human oral cancer cells

OBJECTIVE:

The mimetic BH3 ABT-737, a potent inhibitor of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins, has potential as anti-cancer drug in many cancers. Recently, patients treated with ABT-737 have developed drug tolerance during cancer therapy. Therefore, we examined whether ABT-737 is effective in killing MC-3 and HSC-3 human oral cancer cells either alone or in combination with the oncogenic kinase inhibitor, sorafenib.

DESIGN:

The potentiating activities of sorafenib in ABT-737-induced apoptosis were determined using trypan blue exclusion assay, DAPI staining, cell viability assay and Western blot analysis.

RESULTS:

Combined use of ABT-737 and sorafenib synergistically suppressed cell viability and induced apoptosis compared with either compound individually. The combination of ABT-737 and sorafenib altered only Bax and Bak proteins and their activations, resulting in mitochondrial translocation of Bax from the cytosol. Additionally, combination treatment-mediated apoptosis may be correlated with ERK and STAT3 pathways.

CONCLUSIONS:

These results suggest that sorafenib may effectively overcome ABT-737 resistance to apoptotic cell death, which can be a new potential chemotherapeutic strategy against human oral cancer.

Related Products

Cat.No.	Product Name	Information
S1002	ABT-737	ABT-737 is a BH3 mimetic inhibitor of Bcl-xL, Bcl-2 and Bcl-w with EC50 of 78.7 nM, 30.3 nM and 197.8 nM in cell-free assays, respectively; no inhibition observed against Mcl-1, Bcl-B or Bfl-1. ABT-737 induces mitochondrial pathway apoptosis and mitophagy. Phase 2.

Related Targets

Autophagy Bcl-2