Biochemical Inhibition of DOG1/TMEM16A Achieves Antitumoral Effects in Human Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Cells In Vitro

DOG1 is a calcium-activated chloride channel that has gained attention as a promising drug target due to its involvement in several processes essential for tumor development and progression. DOG1 is overexpressed in >95% of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). The aim was to determine DOG1 inhibition antitumoral effects on GIST.Human GIST (GIST-T1 and GIST882) cell lines were used to study the effect of DOG1 inhibitors on chloride currents, viability, colony formation, and cell cycle.CaCCinh-A01 decreased chloride currents. CaCCinh-A01 and T16inh-A01 reduced GIST cell viability and CaCCinh-A01 affected cell cycle distribution leading to G1 cell-cycle arrest. CaCCinh-A01 also increased the sub-G1 phase population, indicative of apoptosis, in GIST882. CaCCinh-A01 strongly reduced the colony forming ability of the cells, whereas T16inh-A01 did not.DOG1 inhibition has antitumoral effects in GIST cells in vitro, and could potentially serve as a target for GIST therapy.