2. Academic Validation
  3. Nicotinamide inhibits melanoma in vitro and in vivo

Nicotinamide inhibits melanoma in vitro and in vivo

  • J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2020 Oct 7;39(1):211. doi: 10.1186/s13046-020-01719-3.
Francesca Scatozza 1,  Federica Moschella 2,  Daniela D'Arcangelo 1,  Stefania Rossi 2,  Claudio Tabolacci 2,  Claudia Giampietri 3,  Enrico Proietti 2,  Francesco Facchiano 4,  Antonio Facchiano 5
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 IDI-IRCCS, Istituto Dermopatico dell'Immacolata, Rome, 00167, Italy.
  • 2 Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, 00161, Italy.
  • 3 Unit of Human Anatomy, Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics, Sapienza University, 00161, Rome, Italy.
  • 4 Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, 00161, Italy. [email protected].
  • 5 IDI-IRCCS, Istituto Dermopatico dell'Immacolata, Rome, 00167, Italy. [email protected].
PMID: 33028392 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-020-01719-3
Abstract

Background: Even though new therapies are available against melanoma, novel approaches are needed to overcome resistance and high-toxicity issues. In the present study the anti-melanoma activity of Nicotinamide (NAM), the amide form of Niacin, was assessed in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: Human (A375, SK-MEL-28) and mouse (B16-F10) melanoma cell lines were used for in vitro investigations. Viability, cell-death, cell-cycle distribution, Apoptosis, Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide+ (NAD+), Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) levels were measured after NAM treatment. NAM anti-SIRT2 activity was tested in vitro; SIRT2 expression level was investigated by in silico transcriptomic analyses. Melanoma growth in vivo was measured in thirty-five C57BL/6 mice injected subcutaneously with B16-F10 melanoma cells and treated intraperitoneally with NAM. Interferon (IFN)-γ-secreting murine cells were counted with ELISPOT assay. Cytokine/chemokine plasmatic levels were measured by xMAP technology. Niacin receptors expression in human melanoma samples was also investigated by in silico transcriptomic analyses.

Results: NAM reduced up to 90% melanoma cell number and induced: i) accumulation in G1-phase (40% increase), ii) reduction in S- and G2-phase (about 50% decrease), iii) a 10-fold increase of cell-death and 2.5-fold increase of Apoptosis in sub-G1 phase, iv) a significant increase of NAD+, ATP, and ROS levels, v) a strong inhibition of SIRT2 activity in vitro. NAM significantly delayed tumor growth in vivo (p ≤ 0.0005) and improved survival of melanoma-bearing mice (p ≤ 0.0001). About 3-fold increase (p ≤ 0.05) of Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) producing cells was observed in NAM treated mice. The plasmatic expression levels of 6 cytokines (namely: Interleukin 5 (IL-5), Eotaxin, Interleukin 12 (p40) (IL12(p40)), Interleukin 3 (IL-3), Interleukin 10 (IL-10) and Regulated on Activation Normal T Expressed and Secreted (RANTES) were significantly changed in the blood of NAM treated mice, suggesting a key role of the immune response. The observed inhibitory effect of NAM on SIRT2 enzymatic activity confirmed previous evidence; we show here that SIRT2 expression is significantly increased in melanoma and inversely related to melanoma-patients survival. Finally, we show for the first time that the expression levels of Niacin receptors HCAR2 and HCAR3 is almost abolished in human melanoma samples.

Conclusion: NAM shows a relevant anti-melanoma activity in vitro and in vivo and is a suitable candidate for further clinical investigations.

Keywords

Dietary intake; HCAR2; HCAR3; Melanoma; Melanoma mouse-animal model; Metabolism; Nicotinamide; Sirtuin 2; Vitamin B3.

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