1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 and a superagonistic analog in combination with paclitaxel or suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid have potent antiproliferative effects on anaplastic thyroid cancer

Anaplastic thyroid cancer represents one of the most aggressive cancers. The active form of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3), has been shown to have antiproliferative and/or redifferentiating properties in several malignancies, including thyroid cancer. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of 1,25(OH)2D3 and the superagonistic analog CD578 in anaplastic thyroid cancer, alone or in combination with paclitaxel, a taxane, and suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), a potent histone deacetylase inhibitor with promising effects in undifferentiated thyroid cancer.Four human thyroid cancer cell lines (FTC-133, C643, 8505C and HTh74) were treated with 1,25(OH)2D3 or CD578, alone or in combination with paclitaxel or SAHA. Effects on cell growth and differentiation were evaluated.Clear effects on growth arrest were observed in a clonogenic assay, and absolute cell counts demonstrated a 24–36% reduction in all cell lines after 72 h treatment with 1,25(OH)2D3 (10−6 M) and a 60% inhibition after 120 h in the most sensitive cell line HTh74. A similar growth inhibition was shown after treatment with a 1000-fold lower concentration of analog CD578. This growth arrest was explained by antiproliferative effects, further supported by an increased % of cells in the G0–G1 phase of the cell cycle and by a decreased transcription factor E2F1 mRNA expression. Combination treatments of 1,25(OH)2D3 or CD578 with paclitaxel or SAHA resulted in an additive and in some conditions a synergistic effect on the inhibition of proliferation. Redifferentiation analysis revealed only a modest increase in sodium iodide symporter and thyroglobulin mRNA expression after treatment with 1,25(OH)2D3, without additive effect after combination treatment. No effects were observed on TSH-receptor or thyroid peroxidase mRNA expression.Our in vitro findings demonstrate that the superagonistic vitamin D analog CD578 holds promise as adjuvant antiproliferative therapy of anaplastic thyroid cancer, especially in combination with other drugs such as paclitaxel or SAHA.

Research highlights▶ 1,25(OH)2D3 exhibits antiproliferative and prodifferentiating effects in several cancer types. ▶ We investigate the co-treatment of 1,25(OH)2D3 or analog CD578 with paclitaxel or suberoylhydroxamic acid on anaplastic thyroid cancer. ▶ Potent antiproliferative effects of 1,25(OH)2D3 or CD578 especially in combined regimen with other chemotoxic agents were demonstrated.