Activity of LaSOM 65, a monastrol-derived compound, against glioblastoma multiforme cell lines.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Despite recent progress in glioblastoma treatment, prognosis is still poor. Monastrol is a kinesin spindle protein (KSP) inhibitor and anticancer effects for this molecule have been reported. Here we describe the effect of LaSOM 65, a monastrol derivated compound, against glioma cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cell counting, viability assay, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, cell-cycle analysis, immunofluorescence and organotypic hippocampal slice cultures were performed. RESULTS: LaSOM 65 reduced cell number and cell viability of gliomas cells, but did not cause arrest in the cell cycle at the G2/M phase. Measurement of LDH activity showed that LaSOM 65 induces necrosis after 48 h of treatment. CONCLUSION: LaSOM 65 appears to a be promising new molecule to treat glioblastoma since it promotes a decrease of cell growth and cell viability of glioma cells in vitro and does not induces the neurotoxic characteristics of the anti-mitotic drugs currently used.