Comments to the editor concerning the paper entitled "Preclinical renal cancer chemopreventive efficacy of geraniol by modulation of multiple molecular pathways" Shiekh Tanveer Ahmad et al

Shiekh Tanveer Ahmad et al. (2011) reported in their recent manuscript very interesting results that we would like to compare with our recent findings on the similar topic. The authors reported that “treatment of GOH in rats, having chronic exposure of Fe-NTA (feric nitrilotriacetate) resulted in marked decline” of the “markers of inflammation, proliferation and apoptosis. The present data together with reports available in literature, suggest GOH to be a promising candidate for chemoprevention of renal carcinogenesis” (Ahmad et al., 2011). In our previous studies we have analyzed the anti-inflammatory properties of the geraniol (GOH) although in others models of disease. Our research team is studying since 2008 (Marcuzzi et al., 2008) the mevalonate kinase deficiency (MKD), due to mutations in the MVK gene coding for the enzyme mevalonate kinase (MK), that causes a shortage of isoprenoids, such as the geraniol, intermediate compounds of pathway, and the cholesterol, its final product. MKD is a rare autosomal recessive inborn disorder of cholesterol biosynthesis, characterized by recurrent inflammatory episodes variably associated with lymphadenopathy, abdominal involvement, arhtralgia, rash, and, in most severe cases, by psychomotor delay (Haas and Hoffmann, 2007). Since MKD is still an orphan drug disease, our interest is the discovery of potential candidates for an ethiologic therapy. In our experience isoprenoids compounds such as GOH are able to limit the inflammatory response in MKD. In our hypothesis the introduction of exogenous isoprenoids could counteract the shortage of isoprenoid intermediates characteristic of MKD. The results of Shiekh Tanveer Ahmad et al. (2011) open an interesting scenario. As mentioned by the authors (Cardozo et al., 2011; Carnesecchi et al., 2004; Kim et al., 2011; Ong et al., 2006; Wiseman et al., 2007; Yu et al., 1995) the GOH is studied for its adjuvants anticancer properties on various types of cancers. In our experience we have tested with success, some anticancer drugs with GOH in our model of MKD (Marcuzzi et al., 2011), such as Tipifarnib®, and we speculate about a potential synergized between these drugs. In summary, we agree with the study by Ahmad et al. (2011) and underline the pivotal role of geraniol to rescue the phenotype inflammation.