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Inhibition of growth of leukemic cells by inhibitors of calmodulin: Phenothiazines and melittin

  • Original Articles
  • Leukemic Cells, Calmodulin, Mellitin
  • Published:
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Summary

Calmodulin, a ubiquitous calcium-binding protein, has recently been shown to play an important role in cellular proliferation. The calmodulin inhibitors melittin, trifluoperazine, and chlorpromazine inhibited the growth and clonogenicity of human and murine leukemic cells, and their potency reflected their activity as inhibitors of calmodulin. Melittin, which is a far more potent inhibitor of calmodulin activity, was also a more potent inhibitor of cell growth and clonogenicity. The less active phenothiazine metabolite, chlorpromazine sulfoxide, had much less potent cytotoxic activity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Oncology, Yale University School of Medicine, 06510, New Haven, CT, USA

    William N. Hait

  2. Cancer Research Institute, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Linda Grais, Constance Benz & Ed. C. Cadman

Authors
  1. William N. Hait
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  2. Linda Grais
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  3. Constance Benz
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  4. Ed. C. Cadman
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Hait, W.N., Grais, L., Benz, C. et al. Inhibition of growth of leukemic cells by inhibitors of calmodulin: Phenothiazines and melittin. Cancer Chemother. Pharmacol. 14, 202–205 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00258116

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00258116

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