Cathepsin L silencing increases As₂O₃ toxicity in malignantly transformed pilocytic astrocytoma MPA58 cells by activating caspases 3/7

Low-grade, pilocytic astrocytomas are treated by resection, but additional therapy is necessary for those tumors with anaplastic features. Arsenic trioxide (As₂O₃) is emerging as an effective chemotherapeutic agent for treatment of malignant glioblastoma multiforme, where Cathepsin L silencing enables lower, less harmful As₂O₃ concentrations to achieve the desired cytotoxic effect. Here, we evaluated the effects of As₂O₃ combined with stable Cathepsin L shRNA silencing on cell viability/metabolic activity, and apoptosis in primary cultures of recurrent malignantly transformed pilocytic astrocytoma (MPA). These cells expressed high Cathepsin L levels, and when grown as monolayers and spheroids, they were more resistant to As₂O₃ than the U87MG glioblastoma cell line. Caspases 3/7 activity in MPA58 spheroids was not significantly affected by As₂O₃, possibly due to higher chemoresistance of primary biopsy tissue of less malignant astrocytoma versus the malignant U87MG cell line. However, As₂O₃ treatment was cytotoxic to MPA spheroids after silencing of Cathepsin L expression. While Cathepsin L silencing only slightly decreased the live/dead cell ratio in As₂O₃-treated MPA-si spheroids under our experimental conditions, there was an increase in As₂O₃-mediated apoptosis in MPA-si spheroids, as indicated by elevated caspases 3/7 activity. Therefore, Cathepsin L silencing by gene manipulation can be applied when a more aggressive approach is needed in treatment of pilocytic astrocytomas with anaplastic features.