A new erythrocyte-based biochemical approach to predict the antiproliferative effects of heterocyclic scaffolds: The case of indolone.

Background: The indole core is a key structural feature of many natural products and biomolecules with broad spectrum chemotherapeutic properties. Some of us have recently synthesized a library of biologically promising indolone-based compounds. The present study focuses on the effects of one of them, namely DPIT, on human erythrocytes. Methods: We have examined the influence of DPIT on band 3 protein, intracellular ATP concentration and transport, caspase 3 activation, metabolic adaptation and membrane stability. Results: Our study elucidates that DPIT, intercalated into the phospholipid bilayer, decreases the anion transport, the intracellular ATP concentration and the cytosolic pH, inducing a direct activation of caspase 3. Conclusions: Starting from the metabolic similarity between erythrocytes and cancer cells, we investigate how the metabolic derangements and membrane alterations induced by selected heterocycles could be related to the antiproliferative effects. General significance: Our work aims to propose a new model of study to predict the antiproliferative effects of heterocyclic scaffolds, pointing out that only one of the listed conditions would be unfavorable to the life cycle of neoplastic cells.