"In vitro evaluation of the possible anticancer action of antipsychotic drugs aloperidol, sulpiride and clozapine of lung cancer cell lines"

Abstract

Several epidemiological studies reported markedly lower cancer incidence in male schizophrenic patients compared to general population, although these patients are usually heavy smokers and adopt dietary habits that are largely related to carcinogenicity. The present study investigates the potential anticancer properties of antipsychotic drugs that share a common characteristic- they act as D₂-dopaminergic antagonists.

The main focus is the in vitro investigation of the mechanisms involved in their potential anticancer activity. For this purpose, A549 and H1299 non-small cell lung cancer cell lines (NSCLC) were used and the impact of haloperidol, sulpiride and clozapine on cellular proliferation of these cancer cells was evaluated using the SRB test. The NSCLC cells were incubated with the drugs at different concentrations and the drug effect was assessed at different time points. Interestingly, the SRB test and flow cytometry indicated that clozapine markedly reduced the A549 and H1299 cell population by inducing apoptosis, whereas haloperidol and sulpiride, in the concentrations tested that correspond to those used as antipsychotics, had no similar effects.

In conclusion, the present findings suggest that antipsychotic drugs could display anticancer activity reducing the lung cancer cell population by inducing apoptotic mechanisms, among others. Based on these data, the potential anticancer impact of other antipsychotic drugs and the mechanisms involved should be also assessed, using various cancer cell lines and in vivo animal models.

KIRGOY Paraskevi