Selective inhibition of human carbonic anhydrase IX in <i>Xenopus</i> oocytes and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells KazokaitėJustina AmesSamantha M. BeckerHolger W. DeitmerJoachim MatulisDaumantas 2016 <p>Human carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) is overexpressed in the most aggressive and invasive tumors. Therefore, CA IX has become the promising antitumor drug target. Three inhibitors have been shown to selectively and with picomolar affinity inhibit human recombinant CA IX. Their inhibitory potencies were determined for the CA IX, CA II, CA IV and CA XII in <i>Xenopus</i> oocytes and MDA-MB-231 cancer cells. The inhibition <i>IC<sub>50</sub></i> value of microelectrode-monitored intracellular and extracellular acidification reached 15 nM for CA IX, but with no effect on CA II expressed in <i>Xenopus</i> oocytes. Results were confirmed by mass spectrometric gas analysis of lysed oocytes, when an inhibitory effect on CA IX catalytic activity was found after the injection of 1 nM VD11-4-2. Moreover, VD11-4-2 inhibited CA activity in MDA-MB-231 cancer cells at nanomolar concentrations. This combination of high selectivity and potency renders VD11-4-2, an auspicious therapeutic drug for target-specific tumor therapy.</p>