Chemosensitization of glioblastoma cells to bis-dichloroethyl-nitrosourea with tyrphostin AG17.

Recent data have suggested that mitochondria play a supportive role in maintaining the tumorigenic phenotype. Indeed, antimitochondrial agents have been hypothesized to be potential chemosensitizers to human malignancy. We assessed the utility of this approach by characterizing the antimitochondrial activity of 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzylidene-malononitrile (AG17), in combination with 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) in two human glioblastoma cell lines. AG17 (NSC 242557) is a tyrphostin that has been thought to have some antimitochondrial activity, with limited tyrosine kinase antagonism, and was used at noncytotoxic and nongrowth-inhibitory concentrations (0.25 microM). Glioblastoma cells were incubated in AG17, and changes in mitochondrial activity were determined. Tumor cells became auxotrophically dependent on uridine and pyruvate, indicating the lack of a functioning respiratory chain. Despite this, cells continued to exhibit no growth-inhibitory effects. Exposure to AG17 was associated with significant depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential and decreases in mitochondrial mass in both glioblastoma cell lines, correlating with the finding of auxotrophic dependence. In contrast, normal human astrocytes treated with the same dose of AG17 did not show changes in growth, mitochondrial membrane potential, or mass. Indeed, auxotrophic dependence on uridine and pyruvate could not be established in these cells. Glioblastoma cells became significantly more responsive to BCNU chemotherapy with AG17 pretreatment; a linear relationship was noted that correlated the number as well as percentage of polarized mitochondria with glioblastoma cell survival at the highest dose of BCNU used (144 microg/ml). Normal human astrocytes did not change with regard to the dose response to BCNU with previous incubation with AG17. No difference was found in the type of cellular death (apoptosis) in either of the glioblastoma cell lines, with BCNU treatment alone, or with the combination AG17 and BCNU, despite the decrease in polarized mitochondria and mitochondrial mass. AG17 has antimitochondrial properties when used at low dose in human glioblastoma, which are relatively specific to tumor cells when compared with normal astrocytes. The use of AG17 as a chemosensitizer, with drugs such as BCNU, offers a new and possibly effective approach to be developed in patients with glial tumors.