查看文章

While representing only 3% of thyroid malignancies, medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) accounts for 14% of thyroid cancer deaths. MTC has a high rate of recurrence and lacks effective treatments. The histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors valproic acid (VPA) and suberoyl bis-hydroxamic acid (SBHA) activate the Notch1 signaling pathway, while lithium chloride inhibits the glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (GSK-3ß) pathway. These compounds have been shown to limit growth and suppress hormonal secretion; thus, targeting different signaling pathways may be an effective treatment.

MTC cells were treated with varying combinations of up to 20 mM lithium chloride with either 3 mM VPA or 20 μM SBHA for 48 hours. Western analysis was used to measure the effects on Notch1, GSK-3ß, and neuroendocrine (NE) markers. Growth was assessed by a methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium (MTT …