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Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology
Published in: Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology 6/2011

01-12-2011 | Original Article

Erufosine, an alkylphosphocholine, with differential toxicity to human cancer cells and bone marrow cells

Authors: Rebecca G. Bagley, Leslie Kurtzberg, Cecile Rouleau, Min Yao, Beverly A. Teicher

Published in: Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology | Issue 6/2011

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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the activity and myeloprotective properties of erufosine, a novel alkylphosphocholine (APC), on human malignant cells and normal bone marrow cells.

Methods

Human or mouse bone marrow cells were exposed to erufosine, miltefosine, perifosine, or edelfosine in CFU-GM assays. Human MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma, Panc-1 pancreatic carcinoma, and RPMI8226 multiple myeloma cells were exposed to erufosine in colony formation assays. Colony formation of Panc-1 tumor cells and mouse bone marrow cells ex vivo were quantified following intravenous administration of erufosine to tumor-bearing mice. Western blotting methods were applied to human U87 glioblastoma cells exposed to erufosine to investigate Akt inhibition.

Results

Erufosine was less toxic to human and mouse bone marrow cells than perifosine, miltefosine, and edelfosine and was equally toxic to human and mouse CFU-GM. The human cancer cells MDA-MB-231 breast, Panc-1 pancreatic, and RPMI8226 MM cells were more sensitive to erufosine in a colony formation assay than were human bone marrow cells generating an approximately tenfold differential in IC90 values. Erufosine injected intravenously significantly reduced Panc-1 tumor cell colony formation ex vivo but not mouse bone marrow CFU-GM. Erufosine inhibited Akt phosphorylation in human U87 glioblastoma cells.

Conclusions

Erufosine offers potential as a novel therapeutic for cancer with a reduced toxicity profile to bone marrow cells compared with other agents in this class. Human cancer cells were more sensitive to erufosine than human or mouse bone marrow cells indicating a favorable therapeutic window for erufosine.
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Metadata
Title
Erufosine, an alkylphosphocholine, with differential toxicity to human cancer cells and bone marrow cells
Authors
Rebecca G. Bagley
Leslie Kurtzberg
Cecile Rouleau
Min Yao
Beverly A. Teicher
Publication date
01-12-2011
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology / Issue 6/2011
Print ISSN: 0344-5704
Electronic ISSN: 1432-0843
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00280-011-1658-0

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