PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - CHUA, MEI-SZE
AU  - BERNSTEIN, LAWRENCE R.
AU  - LI, RUI
AU  - SO, SAMUEL K.S.
TI  - Gallium Maltolate is a Promising Chemotherapeutic Agent for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
DP  - 2006 May 01
TA  - Anticancer Research
PG  - 1739--1743
VI  - 26
IP  - 3A
4099  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/26/3A/1739.short
4100  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/26/3A/1739.full
SO  - Anticancer Res2006 May 01; 26
AB  - Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a particularly lethal cancer with few treatment options. Since gallium is known to accumulate specifically in HCC tumors but not in non-tumor liver, we investigated two gallium compounds, gallium nitrate (GaN) and gallium maltolate (GaM), as potential new agents for treating HCC. Materials and Methods: The anti-proliferative and apoptotic activities of GaN and GaM were assessed in vitro using four HCC cell lines. HCC gene expression data was analyzed to provide a mechanistic rationale for using gallium in the treatment of HCC. Results: Both compounds showed dose-dependent antiproliferative activity in all four HCC cell lines after 6-day drug exposure (IC50 values range from 60-250 μM for gallium nitrate and 25-35 μM for gallium maltolate). Gallium maltolate at 30 μM additionally induced apoptosis after 6 days. HCC gene expression data showed significantly elevated expression of the M2 subunit of ribonucleotide reductase, which is a target for the antiproliferative activity of gallium. Conclusion: These data support clinical testing of gallium maltolate, an orally active compound, in the treatment of HCC.