Nitrendipine, an antihypertensive alpha calcium channel blocker, is cytotoxic to neuroblastoma cells

Abstract

Alpha calcium channel blockers (CCB) are widely prescribed for the treatment of hypertension, including Nitrendipine (NTD). The anti-hypertension effect of NTD is related to binding and blocking the activity of the voltage-gated L-type calcium channels. These channels consist of four subunits (α1, α2/δ, γ and β subunits), localized in the plasma membrane. Cellular proliferation was determined by the XTT method and apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry. The expression of the α1c subunit (Cacna1c) of the voltage-gated L-type calcium channels was reduced by siRNA and assessed by quantitative RT-PCR. NTD blocked the proliferation of murine neuroblastoma (N2a cells) and induced apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner. A decrease in Cacna1c expression did not have a significant effect on NTD toxicity of N2a cells. NTD induced apoptosis on neuroblastoma cells, appears to be independent of the expression of the L-type calcium channel.