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1-Phenyl-2-decanoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol (PDMP) facilitates curcumin-induced melanoma cell apoptosis by enhancing ceramide accumulation, JNK activation, and inhibiting PI3K/AKT activation

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Abstract

The majority of metastatic melanomas are resistant to different chemotherapeutic agents, consequently, the search for novel anti-melanoma agents and adjuvant is urgent. Here, we found that 1-phenyl-2-decanoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol (PDMP), an inhibitor of glycosphingolipid biosynthesis, enhanced curcumin-induced cell growth inhibition and apoptosis in two melanoma cell lines (WM-115 and B16). PDMP facilitated curcumin-induced ceramide accumulation; the latter contributed to melanoma cell apoptosis. PDMP also dramatically enhanced curcumin-induced c-Jun N-terminal kinase activation, which was important to melanoma cell apoptosis. Meanwhile, curcumin plus PDMP treatment largely inhibited the activation of pro-survival PI3K/AKT signal pathway. In conclusion, PDMP-sensitized curcumin-induced melanoma cell growth inhibition and apoptosis in vitro due to changes of multiple signal events. Combining PDMP with curcumin may represent a new therapeutic intervention against melanoma.

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Acknowledgment

This study was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province.

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The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

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Correspondence to Teng Yu.

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The first two authors contributed equally to this study.

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Yu, T., Li, J., Qiu, Y. et al. 1-Phenyl-2-decanoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol (PDMP) facilitates curcumin-induced melanoma cell apoptosis by enhancing ceramide accumulation, JNK activation, and inhibiting PI3K/AKT activation. Mol Cell Biochem 361, 47–54 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-011-1086-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-011-1086-9

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