Amitriptyline may have a supportive role in cancer treatment by inhibiting glutathione S-transferase pi (GST-π) and alpha (GST-α)

A tricyclic anti-depressant, amitriptyline, is a highly prescribed drug for cancer patients for mood elevation but there are limited studies about the interaction of amitriptyline with glutathione S-transferases pi (GST-π) and glutathione S-transferases alpha (GST-α). GST isozymes have been implicated in chemotherapeutic drug resistance. We demonstrated that the concentration dependent inhibition of GST-π and GST-α by amitriptyline followed inverse hyperbolic inhibition curves with IC50 values of 5.54 and 8.32 mM, respectively. When the varied substrate was GSH, amitriptyline inhibited both isozymes competitively and similar Ki values were found for GST-π (Ki = 1.61 ± 0.17 mM) and GST-α (Ki = 1.45 ± 0.20 mM). On the other hand, when the varied substrate was CDNB, the inhibition types were non-competitive for GST-π (Ki = 1.98 ± 0.31 mM) and competitive for GST-α (Ki = 1.57 ± 0.16 mM). Amitriptyline, in addition to its antidepressant effect, might also have a minor supportive role on the effectiveness of the anticancer drugs by decreasing their elimination through inhibiting GST-π and GST-α.