Direct Pharmacological Targeting of a Mitochondrial Ion Channel Selectively Kills Tumor Cells In Vivo

Publication date: 10 April 2017
Source:Cancer Cell, Volume 31, Issue 4
Author(s): Luigi Leanza, Matteo Romio, Katrin Anne Becker, Michele Azzolini, Livio Trentin, Antonella Managò, Elisa Venturini, Angela Zaccagnino, Andrea Mattarei, Luca Carraretto, Andrea Urbani, Stephanie Kadow, Lucia Biasutto, Veronica Martini, Filippo Severin, Roberta Peruzzo, Valentina Trimarco, Jan-Hendrik Egberts, Charlotte Hauser, Andrea Visentin, Gianpietro Semenzato, Holger Kalthoff, Mario Zoratti, Erich Gulbins, Cristina Paradisi, Ildiko Szabo
The potassium channel Kv1.3 is highly expressed in the mitochondria of various cancerous cells. Here we show that direct inhibition of Kv1.3 using two mitochondria-targeted inhibitors alters mitochondrial function and leads to reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated death of even chemoresistant cells independently of p53 status. These inhibitors killed 98% of ex vivo primary chronic B-lymphocytic leukemia tumor cells while sparing healthy B cells. In orthotopic mouse models of melanoma and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the compounds reduced tumor size by more than 90% and 60%, respectively, while sparing immune and cardiac functions. Our work provides direct evidence that specific pharmacological targeting of a mitochondrial potassium channel can lead to ROS-mediated selective apoptosis of cancer cells in vivo, without causing significant side effects.

Graphical abstract

Teaser

Leanza et al. show that two inhibitors that selectively target the mitochondrial potassium channel Kv1.3, which is often overexpressed in malignant cells, alter mitochondrial function, leading to ROS-mediated death of malignant cells in vitro and in vivo without overt effect on normal cells.


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