Bcl-2 and glutathione depletion sensitizes B16 melanoma to combination therapy and eliminates metastatic disease.

Abstract Purpose: Advanced melanoma resists all current therapies, and metastases in the liver are particularly problematic. Prevalent resistance factors include elevated glutathione (GSH) and increased expression of bcl-2 in melanoma cells. GSH has pleiotropic effects promoting cell growth and broad resistance to therapy, whereas Bcl-2 inhibits the activation of apoptosis and contributes to elevation of GSH. This study determined the in vivo efficacy of combination therapies administered while GSH and Bcl-2 were individually and simultaneously decreased in metastatic melanoma lesions. Experimental Design: Highly metastatic murine B16 melanoma (B16M-F10) cells have elevated levels of both G…