Dendroaspis natriuretic peptide for treatment of cancer

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of inhibiting the growth of a cancer cell using Dendroaspis natriuretic peptide (DNP), isolated from the Green Mamba snake venom with similar structure to ANP, with or without four cardiac natriuretic peptides i.e., atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), vessel dilator, long acting natriuretic peptide (LANP), and kaliuretic peptide. Dose-response curves revealed a significant (p<0.0001) decrease in human glioblastoma cells with each ten-fold increase in concentration from 1 μM to 100 μM of four of the cardiac peptide hormones. There was an 75%, 68%, 67%, and 65% elimination within 24 hours of glioblastoma cells secondary to vessel dilator, kaliuretic peptide, ANP, and LANP, respectively (p<0.0001) while DNP had no significant effect at 1 μM (2% decrease), and 10 μM (7%), but 100 μM caused a (17%) decrease (p<0.05). Three days after treatment with these peptide hormones, the cancer cells began to proliferate again. These same hormones decreased DNA synthesis from 65% to 87% (p<0.00001).

1 . A method of inhibiting the growth of cancer cells comprising the step of contacting at least one target cell with an effective amount of  dendroaspis  natriuretic peptide. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the target cell is a glioblastoma cell. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the  dendroaspis  natriuretic peptide is administered in vivo. 
     
     
         4 . A method of inhibiting the growth of cancer cells comprising the step of co-administering, to at least one target cell, an effective amount of a combination of peptide hormones derived from  dendroaspis  natriuretic peptide and a cardiac hormone derived from the atrial natriuretic peptide prohormone. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the cardiac hormone derived from the atrial natriuretic peptide prohormone is selected from the group consisting of atrial natriuretic peptide, long acting natriuretic peptide, vessel dilator, and kiliuretic peptide. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the effective amount of the combination of peptide hormones is administered in vivo. 
     
     
         7 . A method of inhibiting the growth of cancer cells comprising the step of contacting at least one target cell with an effective amount of a mixture comprising  dendroaspis  natriuretic peptide and a peptide derived from the atrial natriuretic peptide prohormone, wherein the peptide hormone derived from the atrial natriuretic peptide prohormone is selected from the group consisting of atrial natriuretic peptide, long acting natriuretic peptide, vessel dilator, and kiliuretic peptide.