Authors’ contributions PP, study conception and design, data acquisition, manuscript drafting. MB, manuscript drafting, methodological advise. MC, critical revision for important intellectual contents. MDM, critical revisions for important intellectual contents. AS, critical revisions for important intellectual contents. MD, critical revisions for important intellectual contents. AF, critical revisions for important intellectual contents. AL, critical revisions for important intellectual contents. FP, critical revisions for important intellectual contents. PM, critical revisions for important intellectual contents. GC, critical revisions

for important intellectual contents; AA, critical revisions for important intellectual contents. CN, critical revisions for important intellectual contents. AD, critical revisions for important intellectual contents. GDT, data analysis, AZD1208 mw results’ interpretation. MLB, critical revisions for important intellectual contents. AM, critical revisions for important intellectual contents. IRM, Tanespimycin data acquisition, methodological advise. AG, study conception and design, methodological advice. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.”
“Background

The Na+/K+ ATPase catalyzes the electrogenic exchange of three intracellular Na+ ions for two extracellular K+ ions using for this transport energy that is released from the hydrolysis of ATP. In this way Na+/K+ ATPase plays an important role in the regulation of intracellular Na+ and K+ concentrations and in the maintenance of electrical membrane potential, cell volume, and Na+-coupled transport of amino acids, glucose, nucleotides, and other compounds with low molecular mass [1–3]. Ouabain (OUA) is a cardiac glycoside that has been used for long time for the treatment of cardiac insufficiency. OUA by binding to the α-subunit of Na+/K+ ATPase inhibits 17-DMAG (Alvespimycin) HCl it. The inhibition of the Na+/K+ ATPase, reducing the sodium gradient, leads to increased cytosolic [Ca++ probably by impairing the activity of the Na+/Ca++-exchanger (NCX)

[4–9]. NCX is one of the main pathways for intracellular Ca++ clearance [9] and the inhibition of the Na+/K+ ATPase by cardiac glycosides, causing the inversion of the Na+/K+ gradient, leads to impairment of the NCX activity, contributing to accumulation of Ca++[4–9]. Results from epidemiological studies showed significantly lower mortality rates in cancer patients receiving cardiac glycosides, which turned on interest in the antineoplastic properties of these drugs [10]. In various cancer cell lines, including prostate cancer cells or breast tumor cells, cardiac glycosides induce apoptosis [11–16]. These glycosides are considered to be cytotoxic for tumors because malignant cells express high levels of Na+/K+ ATPase α-isoforms, which are inhibited by them [17].