CoQ reduces glioblastoma growth and infiltration through proteome remodeling and inhibition of angiogenesis and inflammation.

Purpose: Most monotherapies available against glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) target individual hallmarks of this aggressive brain tumor with minimal success. In this article, we propose a therapeutic strategy using coenzyme Q (CoQ) as a pleiotropic factor that crosses the blood-brain barrier and accumulates in cell membranes acting as an antioxidant, and in mitochondrial membranes as a regulator of cell bioenergetics and gene expression.

Methods: Xenografts of U251 cells in nu/nu mice were used to assay tumor growth, hypoxia, angiogenesis, and inflammation. An orthotopic model was used to explore microglial infiltration, tumor growth, and invasion into the brain parenchyma. Cell proliferation, migration, invasion, proteome remodeling, and secretome were assayed in vitro. Conditioned media were used to assay angiogenesis, monocyte chemoattraction, and differentiation into macrophages in vitro.

Results: CoQ treatment decreased tumor volume in xenografts and orthotopic models, although its effect on tumor cell proliferation was not direct. Tumors from mice treated with CoQ were less hypoxic and vascularized, having less infiltration from inflammatory cells. Treatment-induced downregulation of HIF-1α and NF-kB led to a complete remodeling of the tumor cells proteome and secretome, impacting angiogenesis, monocyte infiltration, and their differentiation into macrophages. Besides, tumor cell migration and invasion were drastically restricted by mechanisms involving modulation of the actin cytoskeleton and downregulation of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs).

Conclusions: CoQ has a pleiotropic effect on GBM growth, targeting several hallmarks simultaneously. Thus, its integration into current treatments of this fatal disease should be considered.