ATN-224, the bis-choline salt of tetrathiomolybdate (TM), is a superoxide dismutase inhibitor and specific, high-affinity copper binder that suppresses CuZn superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) activity in blood and endothelial cells, leading to antiangiogenic and antitumour effects[1-3]. ATN-224 inhibited Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2)-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation in a dose-dependent (0, 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10μM) and time-dependent (0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 16, 24, 48h) manner with an IC50 between 1.25 and 2.5μM[4].
In vitro, treatment of WEHI7.2 and its variants, namely, hydrogen-peroxide-resistant 200R cells and Bcl-2-overexpressing Hb12 cells, with 0-10nM ATN-224 for 48h decreased the number of viable cells in a concentration-dependent manner, yielding EC50 values of 3.17±0.27, 5.84±0.34, and 5.25±0.32nM, respectively. Concurrently, ATN-224 markedly elevated caspase-3 activity and propidium iodide (PI) uptake in all three cell lines[5]. Treatment of SUDHL-10 cells with 32.71±2.04nM ATN-224 caused a significant drop in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) within 12h and a pronounced reduction in Mcl-1 protein levels by 48h[6].
In vivo, in Matrigel plug model female BALB/c nude mice, 500µL 94µM ATN-224, delivered subcutaneously within the Matrigel plug significantly inhibited angiogenesis[4]. In nude mice bearing CAL27 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) xenografts, daily oral gavage of 0.7mg ATN-224 combined with intratumoral Phosphate-Buffered Saline (PBS) or RAMBO on days 7 and 16 resulted in a significantly smaller average tumor volume in the RAMBO group by day 21 after ATN-224 treatment initiation[7].
References:
[1] Trapp V, Lee K, Doñate F, et al. Redox-related antimelanoma activity of ATN-224. Melanoma Res. 2009;19(6):350-360.
[2] Lowndes SA, Sheldon HV, Cai S, et al. Copper chelator ATN-224 inhibits endothelial function by multiple mechanisms. Microvasc Res. 2009;77(3):314-326.
[3] Doñate F, Juarez JC, Burnett ME, et al. Identification of biomarkers for the antiangiogenic and antitumour activity of the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) inhibitor tetrathiomolybdate (ATN-224). Br J Cancer. 2008;98(4):776-783.
[4] Juarez JC, Betancourt O Jr, Pirie-Shepherd SR, et al. Copper binding by tetrathiomolybdate attenuates angiogenesis and tumor cell proliferation through the inhibition of superoxide dismutase 1. Clin Cancer Res. 2006;12(16):4974-4982.
[5] Lee K, Briehl MM, Mazar AP, et al. The copper chelator ATN-224 induces peroxynitrite-dependent cell death in hematological malignancies. Free Radic Biol Med. 2013;60:157-167.
[6] Lee K, Hart MR, Briehl MM, et al. The copper chelator ATN-224 induces caspase-independent cell death in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Int J Oncol. 2014;45(1):439-447.
[7] Yoo JY, Yu JG, Kaka A, et al. ATN-224 enhances antitumor efficacy of oncolytic herpes virus against both local and metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Mol Ther Oncolytics. 2015;2:15008.
















