1
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Obrador E, Moreno-Murciano P, Oriol-Caballo M, López-Blanch R, Pineda B, Gutiérrez-Arroyo JL, Loras A, Gonzalez-Bonet LG, Martinez-Cadenas C, Estrela JM, Marqués-Torrejón MÁ. Glioblastoma Therapy: Past, Present and Future. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2529. [PMID: 38473776 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GB) stands out as the most prevalent and lethal form of brain cancer. Although great efforts have been made by clinicians and researchers, no significant improvement in survival has been achieved since the Stupp protocol became the standard of care (SOC) in 2005. Despite multimodality treatments, recurrence is almost universal with survival rates under 2 years after diagnosis. Here, we discuss the recent progress in our understanding of GB pathophysiology, in particular, the importance of glioma stem cells (GSCs), the tumor microenvironment conditions, and epigenetic mechanisms involved in GB growth, aggressiveness and recurrence. The discussion on therapeutic strategies first covers the SOC treatment and targeted therapies that have been shown to interfere with different signaling pathways (pRB/CDK4/RB1/P16ink4, TP53/MDM2/P14arf, PI3k/Akt-PTEN, RAS/RAF/MEK, PARP) involved in GB tumorigenesis, pathophysiology, and treatment resistance acquisition. Below, we analyze several immunotherapeutic approaches (i.e., checkpoint inhibitors, vaccines, CAR-modified NK or T cells, oncolytic virotherapy) that have been used in an attempt to enhance the immune response against GB, and thereby avoid recidivism or increase survival of GB patients. Finally, we present treatment attempts made using nanotherapies (nanometric structures having active anti-GB agents such as antibodies, chemotherapeutic/anti-angiogenic drugs or sensitizers, radionuclides, and molecules that target GB cellular receptors or open the blood-brain barrier) and non-ionizing energies (laser interstitial thermal therapy, high/low intensity focused ultrasounds, photodynamic/sonodynamic therapies and electroporation). The aim of this review is to discuss the advances and limitations of the current therapies and to present novel approaches that are under development or following clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Obrador
- Scientia BioTech S.L., 46002 Valencia, Spain
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | | | - María Oriol-Caballo
- Scientia BioTech S.L., 46002 Valencia, Spain
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Rafael López-Blanch
- Scientia BioTech S.L., 46002 Valencia, Spain
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Begoña Pineda
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Alba Loras
- Department of Medicine, Jaume I University of Castellon, 12071 Castellon, Spain
| | - Luis G Gonzalez-Bonet
- Department of Neurosurgery, Castellon General University Hospital, 12004 Castellon, Spain
| | | | - José M Estrela
- Scientia BioTech S.L., 46002 Valencia, Spain
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
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2
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Huang X, You L, Nepovimova E, Psotka M, Malinak D, Valko M, Sivak L, Korabecny J, Heger Z, Adam V, Wu Q, Kuca K. Inhibitors of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase-related protein kinase family (PIKK). J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2023; 38:2237209. [PMID: 37489050 PMCID: PMC10392309 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2023.2237209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase-related protein kinases (PIKK) are two structurally related families of kinases that play vital roles in cell growth and DNA damage repair. Dysfunction of PIKK members and aberrant stimulation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway are linked to a plethora of diseases including cancer. In recent decades, numerous inhibitors related to the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling have made great strides in cancer treatment, like copanlisib and sirolimus. Notably, most of the PIKK inhibitors (such as VX-970 and M3814) related to DNA damage response have also shown good efficacy in clinical trials. However, these drugs still require a suitable combination therapy to overcome drug resistance or improve antitumor activity. Based on the aforementioned facts, we summarised the efficacy of PIKK, PI3K, and AKT inhibitors in the therapy of human malignancies and the resistance mechanisms of targeted therapy, in order to provide deeper insights into cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueqin Huang
- College of Life Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Li You
- College of Physical Education and Health, Chongqing College of International Business and Economics, Chongqing, China
| | - Eugenie Nepovimova
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Psotka
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - David Malinak
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Marian Valko
- Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ladislav Sivak
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Korabecny
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Zbynek Heger
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtech Adam
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Qinghua Wu
- College of Life Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Kamil Kuca
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
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Dewdney B, Jenkins MR, Best SA, Freytag S, Prasad K, Holst J, Endersby R, Johns TG. From signalling pathways to targeted therapies: unravelling glioblastoma's secrets and harnessing two decades of progress. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:400. [PMID: 37857607 PMCID: PMC10587102 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01637-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma, a rare, and highly lethal form of brain cancer, poses significant challenges in terms of therapeutic resistance, and poor survival rates for both adult and paediatric patients alike. Despite advancements in brain cancer research driven by a technological revolution, translating our understanding of glioblastoma pathogenesis into improved clinical outcomes remains a critical unmet need. This review emphasises the intricate role of receptor tyrosine kinase signalling pathways, epigenetic mechanisms, and metabolic functions in glioblastoma tumourigenesis and therapeutic resistance. We also discuss the extensive efforts over the past two decades that have explored targeted therapies against these pathways. Emerging therapeutic approaches, such as antibody-toxin conjugates or CAR T cell therapies, offer potential by specifically targeting proteins on the glioblastoma cell surface. Combination strategies incorporating protein-targeted therapy and immune-based therapies demonstrate great promise for future clinical research. Moreover, gaining insights into the role of cell-of-origin in glioblastoma treatment response holds the potential to advance precision medicine approaches. Addressing these challenges is crucial to improving outcomes for glioblastoma patients and moving towards more effective precision therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany Dewdney
- Cancer Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia.
- Centre For Child Health Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.
| | - Misty R Jenkins
- Immunology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010, Australia
| | - Sarah A Best
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010, Australia
- Personalised Oncology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, 3052, Australia
| | - Saskia Freytag
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010, Australia
- Personalised Oncology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, 3052, Australia
| | - Krishneel Prasad
- Immunology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010, Australia
| | - Jeff Holst
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, 2052, Australia
| | - Raelene Endersby
- Cancer Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
- Centre For Child Health Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Terrance G Johns
- Cancer Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
- Centre For Child Health Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
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4
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Bahia RK, Hao X, Hassam R, Cseh O, Bozek DA, Luchman HA, Weiss S. Epigenetic and molecular coordination between HDAC2 and SMAD3-SKI regulates essential brain tumour stem cell characteristics. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5051. [PMID: 37598220 PMCID: PMC10439933 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40776-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Histone deacetylases are important epigenetic regulators that have been reported to play essential roles in cancer stem cell functions and are promising therapeutic targets in many cancers including glioblastoma. However, the functionally relevant roles of specific histone deacetylases, in the maintenance of key self-renewal and growth characteristics of brain tumour stem cell (BTSC) sub-populations of glioblastoma, remain to be fully resolved. Here, using pharmacological inhibition and genetic loss and gain of function approaches, we identify HDAC2 as the most relevant histone deacetylase for re-organization of chromatin accessibility resulting in maintenance of BTSC growth and self-renewal properties. Furthermore, its specific interaction with the transforming growth factor-β pathway related proteins, SMAD3 and SKI, is crucial for the maintenance of tumorigenic potential in BTSCs in vitro and in orthotopic xenograft models. Inhibition of HDAC2 activity and disruption of the coordinated mechanisms regulated by the HDAC2-SMAD3-SKI axis are thus promising therapeutic approaches for targeting BTSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravinder K Bahia
- Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Xiaoguang Hao
- Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Rozina Hassam
- Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Orsolya Cseh
- Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Danielle A Bozek
- Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - H Artee Luchman
- Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
| | - Samuel Weiss
- Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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5
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Nafe R, Hattingen E. The Spectrum of Molecular Pathways in Gliomas-An Up-to-Date Review. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2281. [PMID: 37626776 PMCID: PMC10452344 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11082281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
During the last 20 years, molecular alterations have gained increasing significance in the diagnosis and biological assessment of tumors. Gliomas represent the largest group of tumors of the central nervous system, and the main aim of this review is to present the current knowledge on molecular pathways and their alterations in gliomas. A wide range of new insights has been gained, including evidence for the involvement of the WNT pathway or the hippo pathway in the pathobiology of gliomas, indicating a broad involvement of different pathways formerly not considered to play a central role in gliomas. Even new aspects of angiogenic, apoptotic, and metabolic pathways are presented, as well as the rapidly growing field of epigenetic processes, including non-coding RNAs. The two major conclusions drawn from the present review are the distinct interconnectivity of the whole spectrum of molecular pathways and the prominent role of non-coding RNAs, especially circular RNAs, in the regulation of specific targets. All these new insights are discussed, even considering the topic of the resistance to therapy of gliomas, along with aspects that are still incompletely understood, like the role of hydroxymethylation, or even ferroptosis, in the pathobiology of gliomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reinhold Nafe
- Department of Neuroradiology, Clinics of Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Schleusenweg 2-16, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany;
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Berckmans Y, Hoffert Y, Vankerckhoven A, Dreesen E, Coosemans A. Drug Repurposing for Targeting Myeloid-Derived Suppressor-Cell-Generated Immunosuppression in Ovarian Cancer: A Literature Review of Potential Candidates. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:1792. [PMID: 37513979 PMCID: PMC10385967 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15071792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The lethality of patients with ovarian cancer (OC) remains high. Current treatment strategies often do not lead to the desired outcome due to the development of therapy resistance, resulting in high relapse rates. Additionally, clinical trials testing immunotherapy against OC have failed to reach significant results to date. The OC tumor microenvironment and specifically myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are known to generate immunosuppression and inhibit the anti-tumor immune response following immunotherapy treatment. Our review aims to characterize potential candidate treatments to target MDSC in OC through drug-repurposing. A literature search identified repurposable compounds with evidence of their suppressing the effect of MDSC. A total of seventeen compounds were withheld, of which four were considered the most promising. Lurbinectedin, metformin, celecoxib, and 5-azacytidine have reported preclinical effects on MDSC and clinical evidence in OC. They have all been approved for a different indication, characterizing them as the most promising candidates for repurposing to treat patients with OC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yani Berckmans
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Department of Oncology, Leuven Cancer Institute, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Yannick Hoffert
- Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy Unit, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ann Vankerckhoven
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Department of Oncology, Leuven Cancer Institute, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Erwin Dreesen
- Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy Unit, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - An Coosemans
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Department of Oncology, Leuven Cancer Institute, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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Muzyka L, Goff NK, Choudhary N, Koltz MT. Systematic Review of Molecular Targeted Therapies for Adult-Type Diffuse Glioma: An Analysis of Clinical and Laboratory Studies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10456. [PMID: 37445633 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Gliomas are the most common brain tumor in adults, and molecularly targeted therapies to treat gliomas are becoming a frequent topic of investigation. The current state of molecular targeted therapy research for adult-type diffuse gliomas has yet to be characterized, particularly following the 2021 WHO guideline changes for classifying gliomas using molecular subtypes. This systematic review sought to characterize the current state of molecular target therapy research for adult-type diffuse glioma to better inform scientific progress and guide next steps in this field of study. A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Studies meeting inclusion criteria were queried for study design, subject (patients, human cell lines, mice, etc.), type of tumor studied, molecular target, respective molecular pathway, and details pertaining to the molecular targeted therapy-namely the modality, dose, and duration of treatment. A total of 350 studies met the inclusion criteria. A total of 52 of these were clinical studies, 190 were laboratory studies investigating existing molecular therapies, and 108 were laboratory studies investigating new molecular targets. Further, a total of 119 ongoing clinical trials are also underway, per a detailed query on clinicaltrials.gov. GBM was the predominant tumor studied in both ongoing and published clinical studies as well as in laboratory analyses. A few studies mentioned IDH-mutant astrocytomas or oligodendrogliomas. The most common molecular targets in published clinical studies and clinical trials were protein kinase pathways, followed by microenvironmental targets, immunotherapy, and cell cycle/apoptosis pathways. The most common molecular targets in laboratory studies were also protein kinase pathways; however, cell cycle/apoptosis pathways were the next most frequent target, followed by microenvironmental targets, then immunotherapy pathways, with the wnt/β-catenin pathway arising in the cohort of novel targets. In this systematic review, we examined the current evidence on molecular targeted therapy for adult-type diffuse glioma and discussed its implications for clinical practice and future research. Ultimately, published research falls broadly into three categories-clinical studies, laboratory testing of existing therapies, and laboratory identification of novel targets-and heavily centers on GBM rather than IDH-mutant astrocytoma or oligodendroglioma. Ongoing clinical trials are numerous in this area of research as well and follow a similar pattern in tumor type and targeted pathways as published clinical studies. The most common molecular targets in all study types were protein kinase pathways. Microenvironmental targets were more numerous in clinical studies, whereas cell cycle/apoptosis were more numerous in laboratory studies. Immunotherapy pathways are on the rise in all study types, and the wnt/β-catenin pathway is increasingly identified as a novel target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan Muzyka
- Department of Neurosurgery, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, 1501 Red River Street, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Nicolas K Goff
- Department of Neurosurgery, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, 1501 Red River Street, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Nikita Choudhary
- Department of Neurosurgery, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, 1501 Red River Street, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Michael T Koltz
- Department of Neurosurgery, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, 1501 Red River Street, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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8
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Pineda E, Domenech M, Hernández A, Comas S, Balaña C. Recurrent Glioblastoma: Ongoing Clinical Challenges and Future Prospects. Onco Targets Ther 2023; 16:71-86. [PMID: 36721854 PMCID: PMC9884437 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s366371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Virtually all glioblastomas treated in the first-line setting will recur in a short period of time, and the search for alternative effective treatments has so far been unsuccessful. Various obstacles remain unresolved, and no effective salvage therapy for recurrent glioblastoma can be envisaged in the short term. One of the main impediments to progress is the low incidence of the disease itself in comparison with other pathologies, which will be made even lower by the recent WHO classification of gliomas, which includes molecular alterations. This new classification helps refine patient prognosis but does not clarify the most appropriate treatment. Other impediments are related to clinical trials: glioblastoma patients are often excluded from trials due to their advanced age and limiting neurological symptoms; there is also the question of how best to measure treatment efficacy, which conditions the design of trials and can affect the acceptance of results by oncologists and medicine agencies. Other obstacles are related to the drugs themselves: most treatments cannot cross the blood-brain-barrier or the brain-to-tumor barrier to reach therapeutic drug levels in the tumor without producing toxicity; the drugs under study may have adverse metabolic interactions with those required for symptom control; identifying the target of the drug can be a complex issue. Additionally, the optimal method of treatment - local vs systemic therapy, the choice of chemotherapy, irradiation, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, or a combination thereof - is not yet clear in glioblastoma in comparison with other cancers. Finally, in addition to curing or stabilizing the disease, glioblastoma therapy should aim at maintaining the neurological status of the patients to enable them to return to their previous lifestyle. Here we review currently available treatments, obstacles in the search for new treatments, and novel lines of research that show promise for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estela Pineda
- Medical Oncology, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Domenech
- Medical Oncology, Institut Catala d’Oncologia (ICO) Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ainhoa Hernández
- Medical Oncology, Institut Catala d’Oncologia (ICO) Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Silvia Comas
- Radiation Oncology, Institut Catala d’Oncologia (ICO) Badalona, Badalona, Spain
| | - Carmen Balaña
- Medical Oncology, Institut Catala d’Oncologia (ICO) Badalona, Barcelona, Spain,Correspondence: Carmen Balaña, Institut Catala d’Oncologia (ICO) Badalona, Carretera Canyet s/n, Badalona, 08916, Spain, Tel +34 497 89 25, Fax +34 497 89 50, Email
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9
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Zhang Z, Fan Q, Luo X, Lou K, Weiss WA, Shokat KM. Brain-restricted mTOR inhibition with binary pharmacology. Nature 2022; 609:822-828. [PMID: 36104566 PMCID: PMC9492542 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05213-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
On-target-off-tissue drug engagement is an important source of adverse effects that constrains the therapeutic window of drug candidates1,2. In diseases of the central nervous system, drugs with brain-restricted pharmacology are highly desirable. Here we report a strategy to achieve inhibition of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) while sparing mTOR activity elsewhere through the use of the brain-permeable mTOR inhibitor RapaLink-1 and the brain-impermeable FKBP12 ligand RapaBlock. We show that this drug combination mitigates the systemic effects of mTOR inhibitors but retains the efficacy of RapaLink-1 in glioblastoma xenografts. We further present a general method to design cell-permeable, FKBP12-dependent kinase inhibitors from known drug scaffolds. These inhibitors are sensitive to deactivation by RapaBlock, enabling the brain-restricted inhibition of their respective kinase targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyang Zhang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Qiwen Fan
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Xujun Luo
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kevin Lou
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - William A Weiss
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kevan M Shokat
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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Jhanwar-Uniyal M, Dominguez JF, Mohan AL, Tobias ME, Gandhi CD. Disentangling the signaling pathways of mTOR complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2, as a therapeutic target in glioblastoma. Adv Biol Regul 2021; 83:100854. [PMID: 34996736 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbior.2021.100854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Aberrant signaling of mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR' aka mammalian target of rapamycin) is shown to be linked to tumorigenesis of numerous malignancies including glioblastoma (GB). Glioblastoma mTOR is a serine threonine kinase that functions by forming two multiprotein complexes. There complexes are named mTORC1 and mTORC2 and downstream activated substrate execute cellular and metabolic functions. This signaling cascade of PI3K/AKT/mTOR is often upregulated due to frequent loss of the tumor suppressor PTEN, a phosphatase that functions antagonistically to PI3K. mTOR regulates cell growth, motility, and metabolism by forming two multiprotein complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2, which are composed of special binding partners. These complexes are sensitive to distinct stimuli. mTORC1 is sensitive to nutrients and mTORC2 is regulated via PI3K and growth factor signaling. Since rapamycin and it's analogue are less effective in treatment of GB, we used novel ATP-competitive dual inhibitors of mTORC1 and mTORC2, namely, Torin1, Torin2, and XL388. Torin2 caused a concentration dependent pharmacodynamic effects on inhibition of phosphorylation of the mTORC1 substrates S6KSer235/236 and 4E-BP1Thr37/46 as well as the mTORC2 substrate AKTSer473 resulting in suppression of tumor cell proliferation and migration. Torin1 showed similar effects only at higher doses. Another small molecule compound, XL388 suppressed cell proliferation at a higher dose but failed to inhibit cell migration. Torin1 suppressed phosphorylation of PRAS40Thr246, however Torin2 completely abolished it. XL388 treatment inhibited the phosphorylation of PRAS40Thr246 at higher doses only. These findings underscore the use of novel compounds in treatment of cancer. In addition, formulation of third generation mTOR inhibitor "Rapalink-1" may provide new aspects to target mTOR pathways. Numerous inhibitors are currently being used in clinical trials that are aimed to target activated mTOR pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meena Jhanwar-Uniyal
- Department of Neurosurgery, Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA.
| | - Jose F Dominguez
- Department of Neurosurgery, Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA
| | - Avinash L Mohan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA
| | - Michael E Tobias
- Department of Neurosurgery, Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA
| | - Chirag D Gandhi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA
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Liu H, Qiu W, Sun T, Wang L, Du C, Hu Y, Liu W, Feng F, Chen Y, Sun H. Therapeutic strtegies of glioblastoma (GBM): The current advances in the molecular targets and bioactive small molecule compounds. Acta Pharm Sin B 2021; 12:1781-1804. [PMID: 35847506 PMCID: PMC9279645 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common aggressive malignant tumor in brain neuroepithelial tumors and remains incurable. A variety of treatment options are currently being explored to improve patient survival, including small molecule inhibitors, viral therapies, cancer vaccines, and monoclonal antibodies. Among them, the unique advantages of small molecule inhibitors have made them a focus of attention in the drug discovery of glioblastoma. Currently, the most used chemotherapeutic agents are small molecule inhibitors that target key dysregulated signaling pathways in glioblastoma, including receptor tyrosine kinase, PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, DNA damage response, TP53 and cell cycle inhibitors. This review analyzes the therapeutic benefit and clinical development of novel small molecule inhibitors discovered as promising anti-glioblastoma agents by the related targets of these major pathways. Meanwhile, the recent advances in temozolomide resistance and drug combination are also reviewed. In the last part, due to the constant clinical failure of targeted therapies, this paper reviewed the research progress of other therapeutic methods for glioblastoma, to provide patients and readers with a more comprehensive understanding of the treatment landscape of glioblastoma.
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Targeting eIF4F translation complex sensitizes B-ALL cells to tyrosine kinase inhibition. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21689. [PMID: 34737376 PMCID: PMC8569117 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00950-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a kinase whose activation is associated with poor prognosis in pre-B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). These and other findings have prompted diverse strategies for targeting mTOR signaling in B-ALL and other B-cell malignancies. In cellular models of Philadelphia Chromosome-positive (Ph+) B-ALL, mTOR kinase inhibitors (TOR-KIs) that inhibit both mTOR-complex-1 (mTORC1) and mTOR-complex-2 (mTORC2) enhance the cytotoxicity of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as dasatinib. However, TOR-KIs have not shown substantial efficacy at tolerated doses in blood cancer clinical trials. Selective inhibition of mTORC1 or downstream effectors provides alternative strategies that may improve selectivity towards leukemia cells. Of particular interest is the eukaryotic initiation factor 4F (eIF4F) complex that mediates cap-dependent translation. Here we use novel chemical and genetic approaches to show that selective targeting of either mTORC1 kinase activity or components of the eIF4F complex sensitizes murine BCR-ABL-dependent pre-B leukemia cells to dasatinib. SBI-756, a small molecule inhibitor of eIF4F assembly, sensitizes human Ph+ and Ph-like B-ALL cells to dasatinib cytotoxicity without affecting survival of T lymphocytes or natural killer cells. These findings support the further evaluation of eIF4F-targeted molecules in combination therapies with TKIs in B-ALL and other blood cancers.
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Morscher RJ, Brard C, Berlanga P, Marshall LV, André N, Rubino J, Aerts I, De Carli E, Corradini N, Nebchi S, Paoletti X, Mortimer P, Lacroix L, Pierron G, Schleiermacher G, Vassal G, Geoerger B. First-in-child phase I/II study of the dual mTORC1/2 inhibitor vistusertib (AZD2014) as monotherapy and in combination with topotecan-temozolomide in children with advanced malignancies: arms E and F of the AcSé-ESMART trial. Eur J Cancer 2021; 157:268-277. [PMID: 34543871 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2021.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
AIM Arms E and F of the AcSé-ESMART phase I/II platform trial aimed to define the recommended dose and preliminary activity of the dual mTORC1/2 inhibitor vistusertib as monotherapy and with topotecan-temozolomide in a molecularly enriched population of paediatric patients with relapsed/refractory malignancies. In addition, we evaluated genetic phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/ mammalian (or mechanistic) target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway alterations across the Molecular Profiling for Paediatric and Young Adult Cancer Treatment Stratification (MAPPYACTS) trial (NCT02613962). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND RESULTS Four patients were treated in arm E and 10 in arm F with a median age of 14.3 years. Main diagnoses were glioma and sarcoma. Dose escalation was performed as per the continuous reassessment method, expansion in an Ensign design. The vistusertib single agent administered at 75 mg/m2 twice a day (BID) on 2 days/week and vistusertib 30 mg/m2 BID on 3 days/week combined with temozolomide 100 mg/m2/day and topotecan 0.50 mg/m2/day on the first 5 days of each 4-week cycle were safe. Treatment was well tolerated with the main toxicity being haematological. Pharmacokinetics indicates equivalent exposure in children compared with adults. Neither tumour response nor prolonged stabilisation was observed, including in the 12 patients whose tumours exhibited PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway alterations. Advanced profiling across relapsed/refractory paediatric cancers of the MAPPYACTS cohort shows genetic alterations associated with this pathway in 28.0% of patients, with 10.5% carrying mutations in the core pathway genes. CONCLUSIONS Vistusertib was well tolerated in paediatric patients. Study arms were terminated because of the absence of tumour responses and insufficient target engagement of vistusertib observed in adult trials. Targeting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway remains a therapeutic avenue to be explored in paediatric patients. CLINICAL TRIAL IDENTIFIER NCT2813135.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael J Morscher
- Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Oncology, Villejuif, France; INSERM U1015, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Caroline Brard
- Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Biostatistics and Epidemiology Unit, INSERM U1018, CESP, Université Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Sud, UVSQ, Villejuif, France
| | - Pablo Berlanga
- Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Oncology, Villejuif, France
| | - Lynley V Marshall
- Paediatric and Adolescent Oncology Drug Development Unit, The Royal Marsden Hospital & The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nicolas André
- Department of Paediatric Hematology & Oncology, Hôpital de la Timone, AP-HM, Marseille, France; UMR Inserm 1068, CNRS UMR 7258, Aix Marseille Université U105, Marseille Cancer Research Center (CRCM), Marseille, France
| | - Jonathan Rubino
- Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Clinical Research Direction, Villejuif, France
| | - Isabelle Aerts
- SIREDO Oncology Center, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Emilie De Carli
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Department of Paediatric Oncology, Angers, France
| | - Nadège Corradini
- Pediatric Oncology Department, Institute of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Centre Leon Berard, Lyon, France
| | - Souad Nebchi
- Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Biostatistics and Epidemiology Unit, INSERM U1018, CESP, Université Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Sud, UVSQ, Villejuif, France
| | - Xavier Paoletti
- Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Biostatistics and Epidemiology Unit, INSERM U1018, CESP, Université Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Sud, UVSQ, Villejuif, France
| | | | - Ludovic Lacroix
- Department of Medical Biology and Pathology of Translational Research and Biobank, AMMICA, Laboratory INSERM US23/CNRS UMS3655, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Université Paris-Saclay, 94805 Villejuif, France
| | - Gaelle Pierron
- Unité de Génétique Somatique, Service d'oncogénétique, Institut Curie, Centre Hospitalier, Paris, France
| | - Gudrun Schleiermacher
- SIREDO Oncology Center, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Paris, France; Laboratory of Translational Research in Paediatric Oncology - INSERM U830, Paris, France
| | - Gilles Vassal
- Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Clinical Research Direction, Villejuif, France
| | - Birgit Geoerger
- Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Oncology, Villejuif, France; INSERM U1015, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France.
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Quantitation of vistusertib by UHPLC-MS/MS in rat plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study. Bioanalysis 2021; 13:1333-1341. [PMID: 34470474 DOI: 10.4155/bio-2021-0152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: The present study aimed to develop a UHPLC-MS/MS method for determination of vistusertib in biological matrix, and to describe the pharmacokinetic behavior of vistusertib in SD rats. Methodology & results: After protein precipitation with acetone and acetonitrile (1:1), the chromatographic separation was achieved on an Agilent Poroshell 120 EC-C18 column and detected with a SCIEX QTRAP 4500 mass spectrometer under positive ionization mode. The developed UHPLC-MS/MS method showed an excellent linearity within the range of 1.0-3000 ng/ml with good accuracy and precision. Vistusertib showed a rapid absorption and reached the maximum concentration of 3532.2 ± 678.0 ng/ml 20-30 min after oral administration in Sprague-Dawley rats. Conclusion: The established analytical method was fast, sensitive and robust, and successfully applied to describe the pharmacokinetic behavior of vistusertib following an oral administration in rats.
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Martins WK, Silva MDND, Pandey K, Maejima I, Ramalho E, Olivon VC, Diniz SN, Grasso D. Autophagy-targeted therapy to modulate age-related diseases: Success, pitfalls, and new directions. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PHARMACOLOGY AND DRUG DISCOVERY 2021; 2:100033. [PMID: 34909664 PMCID: PMC8663935 DOI: 10.1016/j.crphar.2021.100033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a critical metabolic process that supports homeostasis at a basal level and is dynamically regulated in response to various physiological and pathological processes. Autophagy has some etiologic implications that support certain pathological processes due to alterations in the lysosomal-degradative pathway. Some of the conditions related to autophagy play key roles in highly relevant human diseases, e.g., cardiovascular diseases (15.5%), malignant and other neoplasms (9.4%), and neurodegenerative conditions (3.7%). Despite advances in the discovery of new strategies to treat these age-related diseases, autophagy has emerged as a therapeutic option after preclinical and clinical studies. Here, we discuss the pitfalls and success in regulating autophagy initiation and its lysosome-dependent pathway to restore its homeostatic role and mediate therapeutic effects for cancer, neurodegenerative, and cardiac diseases. The main challenge for the development of autophagy regulators for clinical application is the lack of specificity of the repurposed drugs, due to the low pharmacological uniqueness of their target, including those that target the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and AMPK pathway. Then, future efforts must be conducted to deal with this scenery, including the disclosure of key components in the autophagy machinery that may intervene in its therapeutic regulation. Among all efforts, those focusing on the development of novel allosteric inhibitors against autophagy inducers, as well as those targeting autolysosomal function, and their integration into therapeutic regimens should remain a priority for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waleska Kerllen Martins
- Laboratory of Cell and Membrane (LCM), Anhanguera University of São Paulo (UNIAN), Rua Raimundo Pereira de Magalhães, 3,305. Pirituba, São Paulo, 05145-200, Brazil
| | - Maryana do Nascimento da Silva
- Laboratory of Cell and Membrane (LCM), Anhanguera University of São Paulo (UNIAN), Rua Raimundo Pereira de Magalhães, 3,305. Pirituba, São Paulo, 05145-200, Brazil
| | - Kiran Pandey
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, Meyer Building, Room 823, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY, 10003, USA
| | - Ikuko Maejima
- Laboratory of Molecular Traffic, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, 3-39-15 Showa Machi, Maebashi, Gunma, 3718512, Japan
| | - Ercília Ramalho
- Laboratory of Cell and Membrane (LCM), Anhanguera University of São Paulo (UNIAN), Rua Raimundo Pereira de Magalhães, 3,305. Pirituba, São Paulo, 05145-200, Brazil
| | - Vania Claudia Olivon
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Physiology, UNIDERP, Av. Ceará, 333. Vila Miguel Couto, Campo Grande, MS, 79003-010, Brazil
| | - Susana Nogueira Diniz
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Functional Genomics, Anhanguera University of São Paulo (UNIAN), Rua Raimundo Pereira de Magalhães, 3,305. Pirituba, São Paulo, 05145-200, Brazil
| | - Daniel Grasso
- Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral (IDEHU), Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Junín 954 p4, Buenos Aires, C1113AAD, Argentina
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Oronsky B, Reid TR, Oronsky A, Sandhu N, Knox SJ. A Review of Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma. Front Oncol 2021; 10:574012. [PMID: 33614476 PMCID: PMC7892469 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.574012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma is an aggressive and inevitably recurrent primary intra-axial brain tumor with a dismal prognosis. The current mainstay of treatment involves maximally safe surgical resection followed by radiotherapy over a 6-week period with concomitant temozolomide chemotherapy followed by temozolomide maintenance. This review provides a summary of the epidemiological, clinical, histologic and genetic characteristics of newly diagnosed disease as well as the current standard of care and potential future therapeutic prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Oronsky
- Department of Clinical Research, EpicentRx, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Tony R. Reid
- Department of Medical Oncology, UC San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Arnold Oronsky
- Department of Clinical Research, InterWest Partners, Menlo Park, CA, United States
| | - Navjot Sandhu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Susan J. Knox
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
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β-Elemene Inhibits the Proliferation and Migration of Human Glioblastoma Cell Lines via Suppressing Ring Finger Protein 135. Balkan J Med Genet 2020; 23:43-49. [PMID: 32953408 PMCID: PMC7474225 DOI: 10.2478/bjmg-2020-0002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
β-Elemene is commonly used as an anti-cancer agent in different types of cancers and its effects on glioblastoma have been studied through different pathways. However, its effect through ring finger protein 135 (RNF135, OMIM 611358) (RNF135), which is upregulated in glioblastomas, has not yet been explored. The current study is focused on the effects of β-elemene on human glioblastoma cell lines U251, U118, A172 and U87 through RNF13 5. A cell counting kit-8 assay and wound healing assay have been utilized to test the proliferation and migration of the cells. Western blot and quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were used to evaluate the level of expression of RNF135. A model of nude mice was used to explore progression of the tumor in vivo. It was observed that increasing treatment time or dose of β-elemene remarkably decreased viability of the cells. The cells that were treated with β-elemene had a much lower speed of moving toward the gap in comparison to untreated cell lines. β-Elemene-treated cells showed a much lower level of expression of RNF135 mRNA than control groups (p <0.05) and the levels of RNF135 protein were lower in the cells treated with β-elemene than in control groups (p <0.05). Moreover, tumor progression in subcutaneous xenograft nude mice was delayed with the injection of β-elemene. Altogether, our findings suggest that β-elemene inhibits proliferation, migration and tumorigenicity of human glioblastoma cells through suppressing RNF135.
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Feng YQ, Li BA, Feng F, Chen YS, Ren YX, Zhang H, Cao S. Novel mTOR Inhibitor Enhances the Sensitivity of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells to Molecular Targeting Agents. Onco Targets Ther 2020; 13:7165-7176. [PMID: 32801748 PMCID: PMC7394584 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s244474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although molecular-targeted agents are still the first choice for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment, the therapeutic efficacy of these agents is not satisfactory. Recently, the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is considered to be a promising molecular target that can enhance the sensitivity of HCC cells to antitumor therapy. However, the reported mTOR inhibitors have some shortcomings, and novel mTOR inhibitors need to be developed to enhance the antitumor effect of molecularly targeted agents on advanced HCC. Methods In this study, five small-molecular compounds that could serve as potential mTOR-specific inhibitors were identified by virtual screening. The activity of tert-butyl (4-(9-(2-(1,3-dioxolan-2-yl)ethyl)-6-morpholino-9H-purin-2-yl)phenyl)carbamate (compound 4) was measured by enzyme test and Western blot, and its antitumor effect on HCC was examined in nude mice subcutaneous tumor model. Results The results showed that 4 is the most effective one in inhibiting the activation of mTOR kinase (mTOR IC50 = 17.52±3.67 nmol/L) among the five lead compounds. Further research in this study indicated that treatment with 4 enhanced the sensitivity of HCC cells to the molecular-targeted agents, such as sorafenib, regorafenib, lenvatinib, anlotinib, and apatinib. In addition, this research indicated that mTOR was correlated with the poor prognosis in patients with advanced HCC who received sorafenib. Conclusion Our study identified a new type of small-molecular inhibitors of mTOR and confirmed their ability to enhance the antitumor effect of molecular-targeted agents on advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Qi Feng
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo-An Li
- Center for Clinical Laboratory, The Fifth Medical Center, General Hospital of Chinese PLA, Beijing 100039, People's Republic of China
| | - Fan Feng
- Center for Clinical Laboratory, The Fifth Medical Center, General Hospital of Chinese PLA, Beijing 100039, People's Republic of China
| | - Yong-Shou Chen
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi-Xin Ren
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China
| | - Heng Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuang Cao
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China
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Geng Y, Xu C, Wang Y, Zhang L. Quiescin Sulfhydryl Oxidase 1 Regulates the Proliferation, Migration and Invasion of Human Glioblastoma Cells via PI3K/Akt Pathway. Onco Targets Ther 2020; 13:5721-5729. [PMID: 32606784 PMCID: PMC7306469 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s255941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Quiescin sulfhydryl oxidase 1 (QSOX1) involves in the formation of disulfide bonds and participates in the protein folding process. In recent years, accumulating evidences have shown that QSOX1 is a biomarker for tumor development and prognosis. However, the biological function of QSOX1 in glioblastoma (GBM) remains unclear. Materials and Methods QSOX1 expression in glioma and overall survival of glioma patients were analyzed through The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) databases. shRNAs were used to decrease the expression of QSOX1 in U87 and U251 cells. Celltiter-Glo and colony formation assays were used to assess cell proliferation. Transwell and scratch assays were utilized to determine cell migration and invasion, the xenograft mouse models were established to evaluate the effect of QSOX1 knockdown in vivo. Western blot assays were used to detect the changes of E-cadherin/N-cadherin/vimentin and PI3K/Akt pathway. Results We found that QSOX1 was upregulated in glioma, especially in GBM. Upregulation of QSOX1 was correlated with poor prognosis in glioma patients. We discovered for the first time that suppression of QSOX1 expression inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion, as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in GBM cell lines. In addition, phosphorylated PI3K and Akt were downregulated in the QSOX1-knockdown groups. Moreover, QSOX1 knockdown-impaired cell growth was partially rescued by Akt activator. Conclusion Our findings revealed that QSOX1 was a novel biomarker for GBM patients and QSOX1 promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion through regulating PI3K/Akt pathway in GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibo Geng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Liwei Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Disease, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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Feng YQ, Gu SX, Chen YS, Gao XD, Ren YX, Chen JC, Lu YY, Zhang H, Cao S. Virtual Screening and Optimization of Novel mTOR Inhibitors for Radiosensitization of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY 2020; 14:1779-1798. [PMID: 32440103 PMCID: PMC7220363 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s249156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background Radiotherapy has an ameliorative effect on a wide variety of tumors, but hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is insensitive to this treatment. Overactivated mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) plays an important part in the resistance of HCC to radiotherapy; thus, mTOR inhibitors have potential as novel radiosensitizers to enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy for HCC. Methods A lead compound was found based on pharmacophore modeling and molecular docking, and optimized according to the differences between the ATP-binding pockets of mTOR and PI3K. The radiosensitizing effect of the optimized compound (2a) was confirmed by colony formation assays and DNA double-strand break assays in vitro. The discovery and preclinical characteristics of this compound are described. Results The key amino acid residues in mTOR were identified, and a precise virtual screening model was constructed. Compound 2a, with a 4,7-dihydro-[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine scaffold, exhibited promising potency against mTOR (mTOR IC50=7.1 nmol/L (nM)) with 126-fold selectivity over PI3Kα. Moreover, 2a significantly enhanced the sensitivity of HCC to radiotherapy in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion A new class of selective mTOR inhibitors was developed and their radiosensitization effects were confirmed. This study also provides a basis for developing mTOR-specific inhibitors for use as radiosensitizers for HCC radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Qi Feng
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuang-Xi Gu
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China
| | - Yong-Shou Chen
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China
| | - Xu-Dong Gao
- Comprehensive Liver Cancer Department, The Fifth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100039, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi-Xin Ren
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian-Chao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Ministry of Education, Shenyang 110016, People's Republic of China
| | - Yin-Ying Lu
- Comprehensive Liver Cancer Department, The Fifth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100039, People's Republic of China
| | - Heng Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuang Cao
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China.,National Engineering Research Center for the Emergency Drug, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, People's Republic of China
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Glioblastoma: Pathogenesis and Current Status of Chemotherapy and Other Novel Treatments. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12040937. [PMID: 32290213 PMCID: PMC7226351 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12040937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma is one of the most common and detrimental forms of solid brain tumor, with over 10,000 new cases reported every year in the United States. Despite aggressive multimodal treatment approaches, the overall survival period is reported to be less than 15 months after diagnosis. A widely used approach for the treatment of glioblastoma is surgical removal of the tumor, followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. While there are several drugs available that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), significant efforts have been made in recent years to develop new chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of glioblastoma. This review describes the molecular targets and pathogenesis as well as the current progress in chemotherapeutic development and other novel therapies in the clinical setting for the treatment of glioblastoma.
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Wang J, Yang DH, Yang Y, Wang JQ, Cai CY, Lei ZN, Teng QX, Wu ZX, Zhao L, Chen ZS. Overexpression of ABCB1 Transporter Confers Resistance to mTOR Inhibitor WYE-354 in Cancer Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21041387. [PMID: 32092870 PMCID: PMC7073023 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21041387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The overexpressing ABCB1 transporter is one of the key factors leading to multidrug resistance (MDR). Thus, many ABCB1 inhibitors have been found to be able to overcome ABCB1-mediated MDR. However, some inhibitors also work as a substrate of ABCB1, which indicates that in order to achieve an effective reversal dosage, a higher concentration is needed to overcome the pumped function of ABCB1, which may concurrently increase the toxicity. WYE-354 is an effective and specific mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) inhibitor, which recently has been reported to reverse ABCB1-mediated MDR. In the current study, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was carried out to determine the cell viability and reversal effect of WYE-354 in parental and drug-resistant cells. Drug accumulation was performed to examine the effect of WYE-354 on the cellular accumulation of chemotherapeutic drugs. The ATPase (adenosine triphosphatase) activity of the ABCB1 transporter in the presence or absence of WYE-354 was conducted in order to determine the impact of WYE-354 on ATP hydrolysis. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence assay were used to investigate the protein molecules related to MDR. In addition, the interaction between the WYE-354 and ABCB1 transporter was investigated via in silico analysis. We demonstrated that WYE-354 is a substrate of ABCB1, that the overexpression of the ABCB1 transporter decreases the efficacy of WYE-354, and that the resistant WYE-354 can be reversed by an ABCB1 inhibitor at a pharmacological achievable concentration. Furthermore, WYE-354 increased the intracellular accumulation of paclitaxel in the ABCB1-mediated MDR cell line, without affecting the corresponding parental cell line, which indicated that WYE-354 could compete with other chemotherapeutic drugs for the ABCB1 transporter substrate binding site. In addition, WYE-354 received a high score in the docking analysis, indicating a strong interaction between WYE-354 and the ABCB1 transporter. The results of the ATPase analysis showed that WYE-354 could stimulate ABCB1 ATPase activity. Treatment with WYE-354 did not affect the protein expression or subcellular localization of the ABCB1. This study provides evidence that WYE-354 is a substrate of the ABCB1 transporter, implicating that WYE-354 should be avoided for use in ABCB1-mediated MDR cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingqiu Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210000, China;
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John’s University, Queens, NY 11439, USA; (D.-H.Y.); (Y.Y.); (J.-Q.W.); (C.-Y.C.); (Z.-N.L.); (Q.-X.T.); (Z.-X.W.)
| | - Dong-Hua Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John’s University, Queens, NY 11439, USA; (D.-H.Y.); (Y.Y.); (J.-Q.W.); (C.-Y.C.); (Z.-N.L.); (Q.-X.T.); (Z.-X.W.)
| | - Yuqi Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John’s University, Queens, NY 11439, USA; (D.-H.Y.); (Y.Y.); (J.-Q.W.); (C.-Y.C.); (Z.-N.L.); (Q.-X.T.); (Z.-X.W.)
| | - Jing-Quan Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John’s University, Queens, NY 11439, USA; (D.-H.Y.); (Y.Y.); (J.-Q.W.); (C.-Y.C.); (Z.-N.L.); (Q.-X.T.); (Z.-X.W.)
| | - Chao-Yun Cai
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John’s University, Queens, NY 11439, USA; (D.-H.Y.); (Y.Y.); (J.-Q.W.); (C.-Y.C.); (Z.-N.L.); (Q.-X.T.); (Z.-X.W.)
| | - Zi-Ning Lei
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John’s University, Queens, NY 11439, USA; (D.-H.Y.); (Y.Y.); (J.-Q.W.); (C.-Y.C.); (Z.-N.L.); (Q.-X.T.); (Z.-X.W.)
| | - Qiu-Xu Teng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John’s University, Queens, NY 11439, USA; (D.-H.Y.); (Y.Y.); (J.-Q.W.); (C.-Y.C.); (Z.-N.L.); (Q.-X.T.); (Z.-X.W.)
| | - Zhuo-Xun Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John’s University, Queens, NY 11439, USA; (D.-H.Y.); (Y.Y.); (J.-Q.W.); (C.-Y.C.); (Z.-N.L.); (Q.-X.T.); (Z.-X.W.)
| | - Linguo Zhao
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210000, China;
- Correspondence: (L.Z.); (Z.-S.C.)
| | - Zhe-Sheng Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John’s University, Queens, NY 11439, USA; (D.-H.Y.); (Y.Y.); (J.-Q.W.); (C.-Y.C.); (Z.-N.L.); (Q.-X.T.); (Z.-X.W.)
- Correspondence: (L.Z.); (Z.-S.C.)
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