LY303511 displays antiproliferation potential against oral cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

LY303511 was developed as a negative control of LY294002 without pan-phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibition. We hypothesize LY303511 generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) to induce apoptosis for killing oral cancer cells. In MTS assay, LY303511 dose-responsively decreases survival in three kinds of oral cancer cells but little damage to normal oral cells (HGF-1). Two oral cancer cells (CAL 27 and SCC-9) with highly sensitivity to LY303511 were used. In 7-aminoactinomycin D (7AAD) assay, LY303511 slightly increases subG1 population in oral cancer cells. In annexin V/7AAD and/or pancaspase assays, LY303511 induces apoptosis in oral cancer cells but HGF-1 cells remains in basal level. In oxidative stress, LY303511 induces ROS and mitochondrial superoxide in oral cancer cells. In 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine assay, LY303511 induces oxidative DNA damage in oral cancer cells. In zebrafish model, LY303511 inhibits CAL 27-xenografted tumor growth. Therefore, LY303511 displays antiproliferation potential against oral cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.