The gold complex auranofin sensitizes platinum resistant epithelial ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin

Although numerous drugs have been tested to treat ovarian cancer (OC), survival rates remain low as there has been no major improvement from platinum (Pt)–based therapy and there is a high rate of Pt resistance in these tumors. Following several rounds of chemotherapy, OC cells develop Pt-resistance...

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Main Authors: Farah H. Abdalbari, Benjamin N. Forgie, Edith Zorychta, Alicia A. Goyeneche, Abu Shadat M. Noman, Carlos M. Telleria
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405580825000834
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author Farah H. Abdalbari
Benjamin N. Forgie
Edith Zorychta
Alicia A. Goyeneche
Abu Shadat M. Noman
Carlos M. Telleria
author_facet Farah H. Abdalbari
Benjamin N. Forgie
Edith Zorychta
Alicia A. Goyeneche
Abu Shadat M. Noman
Carlos M. Telleria
author_sort Farah H. Abdalbari
collection DOAJ
description Although numerous drugs have been tested to treat ovarian cancer (OC), survival rates remain low as there has been no major improvement from platinum (Pt)–based therapy and there is a high rate of Pt resistance in these tumors. Following several rounds of chemotherapy, OC cells develop Pt-resistance by increasing DNA repair and antioxidant defense mechanisms. This study aimed to design a treatment to combat recurrent stages of OC by repurposing the anti-rheumatic gold complex auranofin (AF). We demonstrate that AF enhances the efficacy of cisplatin (CDDP) in Pt-resistant epithelial OC (EOC) cells. The drug combination enhanced mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis, PARP cleavage, DNA damage, and ROS overproduction. These results suggest the potential to combine AF with CDDP as a strategy to improve CDDP sensitivity in recurrent EOCs.
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language English
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publisher Elsevier
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series Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports
spelling doaj-art-48fef844bcbd4cb5adaf6af27732aae42025-08-20T03:22:35ZengElsevierBiochemistry and Biophysics Reports2405-58082025-06-014210199610.1016/j.bbrep.2025.101996The gold complex auranofin sensitizes platinum resistant epithelial ovarian cancer cells to cisplatinFarah H. Abdalbari0Benjamin N. Forgie1Edith Zorychta2Alicia A. Goyeneche3Abu Shadat M. Noman4Carlos M. Telleria5Experimental Pathology Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, CanadaExperimental Pathology Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, CanadaExperimental Pathology Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, CanadaExperimental Pathology Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada; Cancer Research Program, Research Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, CanadaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chittagong University, Chittagong, Bangladesh; Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, CanadaExperimental Pathology Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada; Cancer Research Program, Research Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada; Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H4A 3T2, Canada; Corresponding author. Experimental Pathology Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada.Although numerous drugs have been tested to treat ovarian cancer (OC), survival rates remain low as there has been no major improvement from platinum (Pt)–based therapy and there is a high rate of Pt resistance in these tumors. Following several rounds of chemotherapy, OC cells develop Pt-resistance by increasing DNA repair and antioxidant defense mechanisms. This study aimed to design a treatment to combat recurrent stages of OC by repurposing the anti-rheumatic gold complex auranofin (AF). We demonstrate that AF enhances the efficacy of cisplatin (CDDP) in Pt-resistant epithelial OC (EOC) cells. The drug combination enhanced mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis, PARP cleavage, DNA damage, and ROS overproduction. These results suggest the potential to combine AF with CDDP as a strategy to improve CDDP sensitivity in recurrent EOCs.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405580825000834Ovarian cancerAuranofinCisplatinReactive oxygen speciesIntrinsic apoptosisDNA damage
spellingShingle Farah H. Abdalbari
Benjamin N. Forgie
Edith Zorychta
Alicia A. Goyeneche
Abu Shadat M. Noman
Carlos M. Telleria
The gold complex auranofin sensitizes platinum resistant epithelial ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin
Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports
Ovarian cancer
Auranofin
Cisplatin
Reactive oxygen species
Intrinsic apoptosis
DNA damage
title The gold complex auranofin sensitizes platinum resistant epithelial ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin
title_full The gold complex auranofin sensitizes platinum resistant epithelial ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin
title_fullStr The gold complex auranofin sensitizes platinum resistant epithelial ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin
title_full_unstemmed The gold complex auranofin sensitizes platinum resistant epithelial ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin
title_short The gold complex auranofin sensitizes platinum resistant epithelial ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin
title_sort gold complex auranofin sensitizes platinum resistant epithelial ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin
topic Ovarian cancer
Auranofin
Cisplatin
Reactive oxygen species
Intrinsic apoptosis
DNA damage
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405580825000834
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