Synergistic combination of the iron chelator deferasirox with cisplatin and doxorubicin chemotherapies against nonsmall cell lung carcinoma

Abstract Lung cancer is the second most common and leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide with 85% of these cases being non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Unfortunately, despite improvements in NSCLC outcomes, many of these tumors develop resistance against principal chemotherapies (e.g., cisplatin (CisPt) and doxorubicin (Doxo)), inducing abysmally low survival prognosis. Deferasirox (Def), an FDA-approved iron chelation therapy, is a drug under study for cancer therapy due to iron plays a key role in cell growth and energy production. Herein, we determined the effect of Def alone and in combination with CisPt and Doxo on NSCLC A549 cells. Viability assays results showed that Def has synergistic cytotoxic effects in combination with CisPt and Doxo at low uM concentrations after 24 h of incubation using the Chou Talalay method. In addition, qPCR gene expression studies showed that Def induced a significant downregulation of EGFR, VEGF, MMP9, MMP2, CHD4 genes related to resistance and metastatic process. In addition, we determined the overexpression of NDRG1 gene mediated by Def confirming the chelation of iron and disruption of iron metabolism. Overall, this work will set the basis for adjuvant therapies against chemoresistance and metastasis processes using an iron chelator. Citation Format: Natalia I. Ortiz Alvelo, Grace Torres, Sthephanie Estrada, Daraishka Pérez, Yancy Ferrer, Yamixa Delgado. Synergistic combination of the iron chelator deferasirox with cisplatin and doxorubicin chemotherapies against nonsmall cell lung carcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 3898.