Can a Veterinary Drug be Repurposed for Human Cancers?: Cytotoxic Effect of Tarantula cubensis Venom on Human Cancer Cells

Abstract

Tarantula cubensis is known as Cuban tarantula having a venom that contains a diverse mixture of potent compounds with various biological activities. These peptides have been shown to have antitumor activities, therefore features of spider-venom peptides prompted scientists to test them as a potential anticancer drug. The purpose of the study was to investigate the potential cytotoxic effect of Tarantula cubensis venom (Logoplex®) on human cancer cells including prostate (PC-3), lung (H69), breast (MDA-MB-231), and ovarian (OVCAR-3). Moreover, non-tumorigenic MCF-10A cells were used to evaluate the possible cancer cell-specific effect of the extract. The increasing concentrations of Logoplex® were applied for 24, 48 and 72 h. MTT assay was used to assess cell viability. Concentration-response curves and the IC50 values were determined via Graphpad Prism software. Logoplex® caused a time-and concentration-dependent cytotoxic effect in MDA-MB-231, PC-3, OVCAR-3 and MCF-10A cells and the highest cytotoxicity was achieved at 72h. However, in H69 cells, there was a concentration-dependent cytotoxic effect and the highest cytotoxicity was achieved at 24h. IC50 values of Logoplex® in MDA-MB-231, OVCAR-3, PC-3, H69 and MCF-10A cells were determined as 159.3±2.1, 48.9±1.8, 40.2±1.2, 498.3±1.2 and 217.8±2.0 µg/mL, respectively. Logoplex® showed a lower cytotoxic effect against normal cells than the cancer cells suggesting a cancer cell-specific effect. According to the preliminary results of this study, although Logoplex® is a veterinary drug, its cytotoxic effect on human cancer cells suggests that it should be re-evaluated as a potential cytotoxic agent. Analyses to identify functional compounds of Tarantula cubensis venom, and future studies addressing its mechanism of action on cancer cells are recommended.

Cytotoxic Effects of Theranekron D6 on HepG2 Heaptocellular Carcinoma Cells

“…In another study, prostate (PC3), breast (MDA-MB-231), lung (H69), and ovarian (OVCAR-3) cancer cell lines and a non-cancerous epithelial (MCF-10A) cell line were treated with another Tarantula cubensis product called "Tarantula-Logoplex" (Richter Pharma) with a dose range of 10-500 µg/mL for 24, 48, and 72 hours, and the IC50 values were investigated. In this study, IC50 values for the cell lines in the order specified, depending on the 72-hour application time of Tarantula-Logoplex (TL), were calculated as 40.2 ± 1.2, 159.3 ± 2.1, 498.3 ± 1.2, 48.9 ± 1.8, and 217.8 ± 2.0 µg/mL [30]. From this study, the IC50 value determined for the healthy epithelial cell line (MCF-10A) is higher than those determined for prostate (PC3), breast (MDA-MB-231), and uterine (OVCAR-3) cancer cell lines, showing that the cytotoxic effect of TL is higher for these three cancerous cell lines than for the healthy epithelial cell line.…”