K41-A enhances the antiproliferative efficacy of cisplatin in neuroblastoma by modulating apoptosis and autophagy.

OBJECTIVES

Neuroblastoma (NB), the most common extracranial tumor in childhood, has a poor prognosis, especially in cases with MYC gene amplification. Cisplatin (CDDP) is widely used in treatment, but its effectiveness is limited due to chemotherapy resistance. Autophagy plays a dual role in cancer progression, either promoting survival or contributing to cell death.

METHODS

This study explores the anticancer effects of K41-A, a polycyclic polyether molecule, alone and in combination with CDDP in SH-SY5Y and KELLY NB cell lines, the HE-IOC1 noncancerous cochlear cell line, and the NB xenograft model.

KEY FINDINGS: For the first time, we demonstrate that K41-A, either alone or combined with CDDP, significantly inhibits cell proliferation selectively in NB cells, sparing noncancerous cells. This study confirmed that K41-A alone and in combination with CDDP induced changes in both apoptotic and autophagic cell death components in NB, resulting in antiproliferative activity in vitro and in vivo. In addition, the combination with CDDP enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of K41-A.

CONCLUSIONS

These results highlight the potential of K41-A as a candidate drug for the treatment of NB.