The growth inhibition of (Bu3Sn)4TPPS and (Bu2Sn)2TPPS treated human melanoma cells is associated to decrease of adhesion receptors expression.

Melanoma is the cancer with the higher incidence in western populations and unfortunately, despite the increase of early diagnosis, the mortality of melanoma-affected patients is still raising. Melanoma is notoriously resistant to all current cancer therapy notwithstanding several studies were performed to identify new and more effectives chemotherapeutic agents. Therefore, in the aim to identify new potential anti-tumour drugs for this aggressive type of cancer, we studied the (Bu3Sn)4TPPS and (Bu2Sn)2TPPS organotin-meso-tetra(4 sulfonatophenyl) porphine derivatives, and we showed that these compounds induce the death for apoptosis of melanoma cells [1]. Moreover, we identified the concentrations of (Bu2Sn)2TPPS and (Bu3Sn)4TPPS sufficient to significantly reduce the melanoma cells growth [2]. In order to study the role of organometallic complexes on the invasion and metastasis of melanoma, we treated the A375 and HT144 melanoma cells with the concentrations of (Bu2Sn)2TPPS and (Bu3Sn)4TPPS previously identified. The alteration of adhesion receptors expression is related to metastatic progression of melanoma through the deregulation of adhesive functions and the subsequent detachment of tumour cells from the primary tumour. Interestingly, in both treated cell lines we showed a cell morphology alteration, a reduced expression of adhesion receptors such as Integrins ?1 and ?3, MCAM and ICAM, a decrease of Epithelial-Mesenchymal-Transition (EMT) proteins expression such as ?-catenin and N-cadherin and the decrease of gelatinolytic activity of secreted metalloproteinases (MMP2 and MMP9). The results obtained, suggested a non secondary role for (Bu2Sn)2TPPS and (Bu3Sn)4TPPS in the regression of the melanoma invasive-metastatic state.