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Prem S, Dev B, Peng C, Mehta M, Alibutud R, Connacher RJ, St Thomas M, Zhou X, Matteson P, Xing J, Millonig JH, DiCicco-Bloom E. Dysregulation of mTOR signaling mediates common neurite and migration defects in both idiopathic and 16p11.2 deletion autism neural precursor cells. eLife 2024; 13:e82809. [PMID: 38525876 PMCID: PMC11003747 DOI: 10.7554/elife.82809] [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: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is defined by common behavioral characteristics, raising the possibility of shared pathogenic mechanisms. Yet, vast clinical and etiological heterogeneity suggests personalized phenotypes. Surprisingly, our iPSC studies find that six individuals from two distinct ASD subtypes, idiopathic and 16p11.2 deletion, have common reductions in neural precursor cell (NPC) neurite outgrowth and migration even though whole genome sequencing demonstrates no genetic overlap between the datasets. To identify signaling differences that may contribute to these developmental defects, an unbiased phospho-(p)-proteome screen was performed. Surprisingly despite the genetic heterogeneity, hundreds of shared p-peptides were identified between autism subtypes including the mTOR pathway. mTOR signaling alterations were confirmed in all NPCs across both ASD subtypes, and mTOR modulation rescued ASD phenotypes and reproduced autism NPC-associated phenotypes in control NPCs. Thus, our studies demonstrate that genetically distinct ASD subtypes have common defects in neurite outgrowth and migration which are driven by the shared pathogenic mechanism of mTOR signaling dysregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smrithi Prem
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolPiscatawayUnited States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Rutgers UniversityPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Bharati Dev
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Cynthia Peng
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Monal Mehta
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Rutgers UniversityPiscatawayUnited States
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers UniversityPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Rohan Alibutud
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers UniversityPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Robert J Connacher
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolPiscatawayUnited States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Rutgers UniversityPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Madeline St Thomas
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolPiscatawayUnited States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Rutgers UniversityPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Xiaofeng Zhou
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Paul Matteson
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolPiscatawayUnited States
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers UniversityPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Jinchuan Xing
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers UniversityPiscatawayUnited States
| | - James H Millonig
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolPiscatawayUnited States
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers UniversityPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Emanuel DiCicco-Bloom
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolPiscatawayUnited States
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolNew BrunswickUnited States
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Guvenir Celik E, Eroglu O. Combined treatment with ruxolitinib and MK-2206 inhibits the JAK2/STAT5 and PI3K/AKT pathways via apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line. Mol Biol Rep 2023; 50:319-329. [PMID: 36331743 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-08034-4] [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: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Due to deficiencies in the expression of hormone receptors, such as PR, ER and HER2, it is challenging to treat triple-negative breast cancer, which does not respond to single targeted therapy. Ruxolitinib is a Janus kinase (JAK)1/JAK2 inhibitor. MK-2206 is an allosteric AKT inhibitor. Due to the limited activities of ruxolitinib and MK-2206 for monotherapy, the need for cotreatment with other drugs has emerged. This study is the first to examine the effects of ruxolitinib and MK-2206 cotreatment on apoptosis and JAK2/STAT5 and PI3K/AKT signaling in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Additionally, this work aimed to decrease the side effects of ruxolitinib and increase its anticancer effects with MK-2206 cotreatment. METHODS AND RESULTS Cell viability was reduced in a dose- and time-dependent manner after exposure to ruxolitinib, MK-2206 or both for 48 h, as shown by MTT assay. Ruxolitinib had a synergistic antiproliferative effect, as demonstrated by colony formation and wound healing assays. The effects of ruxolitinib, MK-2206 and their combination on apoptosis, as well as PI3K/AKT and JAK/STAT signaling, were examined by western blot analyses. Cotreatment with ruxolitinib and MK-2206 reduced proliferation with the dual inhibition of JAK2/STAT5 and PI3K/AKT signaling by decreasing PI3K, AKT, JAK2, STAT5, Caspase-9, Caspase-7, PARP, c-Myc, and Bcl-2 and increasing P53 and PTEN protein expression. CONCLUSIONS Our results revealed the roles of P53 and PTEN in the regulation of apoptosis and the PI3K/AKT and JAK2/STAT5 signaling pathways. The dual inhibition of JAK2/STAT5 and PI3K/AKT may reduce metastasis by decreasing tumor cell survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esin Guvenir Celik
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Bilecik Seyh Edebali University, Bilecik, Turkey. .,Biotechnology Research and Application Center, Bilecik Seyh Edebali University, Bilecik, Turkey. .,Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Institute of Graduate Education, Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University, Bilecik, Turkey.
| | - Onur Eroglu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Bilecik Seyh Edebali University, Bilecik, Turkey.,Biotechnology Research and Application Center, Bilecik Seyh Edebali University, Bilecik, Turkey
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3
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Patient-specific and gene-corrected induced pluripotent stem cell-derived endothelial cells elucidate single-cell phenotype of pulmonary veno-occlusive disease. Stem Cell Reports 2022; 17:2674-2689. [PMID: 36400028 PMCID: PMC9768576 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2022.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD) is a rare form of pulmonary hypertension characterized by the preferential remodeling of the pulmonary venules. Hereditary PVOD is caused by biallelic variants of the EIF2AK4 gene. Three PVOD patients who carried the compound heterozygous variants of EIF2AK4 and two healthy controls were recruited and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were generated from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The EIF2AK4 c.2965C>T variant (PVOD#1), c.3460A>T variant (PVOD#2), and c.4832_4833insAAAG variant (PVOD#3) were corrected by CRISPR-Cas9 in PVOD-iPSCs to generate isogenic controls and gene-corrected-iPSCs (GC-iPSCs). PVOD-iPSC-endothelial cells (ECs) exhibited a decrease in GCN2 protein and mRNA expression when compared with control and GC-ECs. PVOD-ECs exhibited an abnormal EC phenotype featured by excessive proliferation and angiogenesis. The abnormal phenotype of PVOD-ECs was normalized by protein kinase B inhibitors AZD5363 and MK2206. These findings help elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism of PVOD in humans and to identify promising therapeutic drugs for treating the disease.
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Wang H, Chen X, Calvisi DF. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC): the most promising therapeutic targets in the preclinical arena based on tumor biology characteristics. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2021; 25:645-658. [PMID: 34477018 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2021.1976142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION : Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant liver tumor characterized by high molecular heterogeneity, which has hampered the development of effective targeted therapies severely. Recent experimental data have unraveled novel promising targets for HCC treatment. AREAS COVERED : Eligible articles were retrieved from PubMed and Web of Science databases up to July 2021. This review summarizes the established targeted therapies for advanced HCC, focusing on the strategies to overcome drug resistance and the search for combinational treatments. In addition, conventional biomarkers holding the promises for HCC treatments and novel therapeutic targets from the research field are discussed. EXPERT OPINION : HCC is a molecularly complex disease, with several and distinct pathways playing critical roles in different tumor subtypes. Experimental models recapitulating the features of each tumor subset would be highly beneficial to design novel and more effective therapies against this disease. Furthermore, a deeper understanding of combinatorial drug synergism and the role of the tumor microenvironment in HCC will lead to improved therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haichuan Wang
- Liver Transplantation Division, Department of Liver Surgery and Laboratory of Liver Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Liver Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Liver Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Diego F Calvisi
- Institute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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Asakura N, Nakamura N, Muroi A, Nojima Y, Yamashita T, Kaneko S, Ikeda K, Koshikawa N, Suzuki T. Expression of Cancer Stem Cell Markers EpCAM and CD90 Is Correlated with Anti- and Pro-Oncogenic EphA2 Signaling in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168652. [PMID: 34445353 PMCID: PMC8395527 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Additionally, the efficacy of targeted molecular therapies with multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitors is limited. In this study, we focused on the cellular signaling pathways common to diverse HCC cells and used quantitative reverse phase protein array (RPPA) and statistical analyses to elucidate the molecular mechanisms determining its malignancy. We examined the heterogeneity of 17 liver cancer cell lines by performing cluster analysis of their expression of CD90 and EpCAM cancer stem cell markers. Gaussian mixture model clustering identified three dominant clusters: CD90-positive and EpCAM-negative (CD90+), EpCAM-positive and CD90-negative (EpCAM+) and EpCAM-negative and CD90-negative (Neutral). A multivariate analysis by partial least squares revealed that the former two cell populations showed distinct patterns of protein expression and phosphorylation in the EGFR and EphA2 signaling pathways. The CD90+ cells exhibited higher abundance of AKT, EphA2 and its phosphorylated form at Ser897, whereas the EpCAM+ cells exhibited higher abundance of ERK, RSK and its phosphorylated form. This demonstrates that pro-oncogenic, ligand-independent EphA2 signaling plays a dominant role in CD90+ cells with higher motility and metastatic activity than EpCAM+ cells. We also showed that an AKT inhibitor reduced the proliferation and survival of CD90+ cells but did not affect those of EpCAM+ cells. Taken together, our results suggest that AKT activation may be a key pro-oncogenic regulator in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nobuhiko Asakura
- Center for Mathematical Modeling and Data Science, Osaka University, Osaka 580-8531, Japan; (N.A.); (N.N.); (Y.N.)
| | - Naotoshi Nakamura
- Center for Mathematical Modeling and Data Science, Osaka University, Osaka 580-8531, Japan; (N.A.); (N.N.); (Y.N.)
| | - Atsushi Muroi
- Kanagawa Cancer Center Research Institute, Yokohama 241-8515, Japan;
| | - Yosui Nojima
- Center for Mathematical Modeling and Data Science, Osaka University, Osaka 580-8531, Japan; (N.A.); (N.N.); (Y.N.)
| | - Taro Yamashita
- Department of General Medicine, Kanazawa University Hospital, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan;
| | - Shuichi Kaneko
- Department of Gastroenterology, Kanazawa University Hospital, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan;
| | - Kazuki Ikeda
- Department of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan;
| | - Naohiko Koshikawa
- Kanagawa Cancer Center Research Institute, Yokohama 241-8515, Japan;
- Department of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan;
- Correspondence: (N.K.); (T.S.)
| | - Takashi Suzuki
- Center for Mathematical Modeling and Data Science, Osaka University, Osaka 580-8531, Japan; (N.A.); (N.N.); (Y.N.)
- Correspondence: (N.K.); (T.S.)
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Targeting Akt in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Its Tumor Microenvironment. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041794. [PMID: 33670268 PMCID: PMC7917860 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and its incidence is rising. HCC develops almost exclusively on the background of chronic liver inflammation, which can be caused by chronic alcohol consumption, viral hepatitis, or an unhealthy diet. The key role of chronic inflammation in the process of hepatocarcinogenesis, including in the deregulation of innate and adaptive immune responses, has been demonstrated. The inhibition of Akt (also known as Protein Kinase B) directly affects cancer cells, but this therapeutic strategy also exhibits indirect anti-tumor activity mediated by the modulation of the tumor microenvironment, as demonstrated by using Akt inhibitors AZD5363, MK-2206, or ARQ 092. Moreover, the isoforms of Akt converge and diverge in their designated roles, but the currently available Akt inhibitors fail to display an isoform specificity. Thus, selective Akt inhibition needs to be better explored in the context of HCC and its possible combination with immunotherapy. This review presents a compact overview of the current knowledge concerning the role of Akt in HCC and the effect of Akt inhibition on the HCC and liver tumor microenvironment.
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Wei D, Li C, Ye J, Xiang F, Xu Y, Liu J. Codelivery of survivin inhibitor and chemotherapeutics by tumor-derived microparticles to reverse multidrug resistance in osteosarcoma. Cell Biol Int 2020; 45:382-393. [PMID: 33135822 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.11494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Reportedly, the elevated expression of survivin has been observed in several tumor types, strictly involved in tumor development. In the present study, we detected elevated survivin expression in tumor tissues derived from patients with chemoresistant osteosarcoma when compared with those from chemosensitive patients. Importantly, knockdown of survivin in osteosarcoma cells significantly suppressed cell proliferation and chemoresistance both in vitro and in vivo. Simultaneously, chemotherapy mediates the upregulation of survivin in osteosarcoma cells through a survivin-based selective killing effect, resulting in the development of multidrug resistance. The utilization of tumor-derived microparticles to coencapsulate the survivin inhibitor YM155 and chemotherapeutic agents could effectively reverse multidrug resistance, leading to improved anticancer effects, as well as reduced systemic toxicity. In summary, the expression of survivin contributes to resistance toward osteosarcoma drugs, whereas employing survivin inhibiting combination therapy, based on a microparticle codelivery system, could efficiently reverse resistance and avoid potential systemic toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiqing Wei
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Cui Li
- Department of Nosocomial Infection Control, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Junwu Ye
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Feifan Xiang
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Yangbo Xu
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Juncai Liu
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
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8
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Sun D, Wang J, Zhang H, Liu S, Wei P, Wang H, Xu Z, Fu Q, Zhang K. MK2206 Enhances Cisplatin-Induced Cytotoxicity and Apoptosis in Testicular Cancer Through Akt Signaling Pathway Inhibition. Transl Oncol 2020; 13:100769. [PMID: 32422572 PMCID: PMC7231864 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2020.100769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To improve conventional chemotherapeutic efficacy, it is significant to identify novel molecular markers for chemosensitivity as well as possible molecules accelerating cell-killing mechanisms. In this study, we attempted to elucidate how MK2206, an allosteric Akt inhibitor, enhances the cisplatin (CDDP)-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in testicular cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS We checked three testicular cancer cell lines for the expression of phospho(p)-Akt and its downstream molecules targets by Western blot. The potential antitumor effects were analyzed by MTT assay in vitro and by subcutaneous xenograft models in vivo. The cell invasion was analyzed by transwell invasion assay, and the activities of Akt signaling pathway and expression of apoptosis-related proteins were measured by Western blot. RESULTS Our results indicated that there was overactivation of p-Akt and its downstream molecules in testicular cancer cell lines compared with normal testis epithelium cells. MK2206 (600 nM) inhibited cell invasion in TCAM-2 and P19 cell lines and significantly increased the susceptibility of testicular cancer to CDDP. Combined with CDDP, MK2206 potentiated CDDP-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis, with repressed expression of p-Akt and its downstream targets. The subcutaneous xenograft models also showed that a combined CDDP/MK2206 therapy completely suppressed tumor growth without any side effects. CONCLUSION These results suggested that the concomitant use of MK2206 could enhance the CDDP-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in testicular cancer with the suppressed expression of Akt pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dingqi Sun
- Department of Urology, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China; Department of Urology, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinhua Wang
- Department of Radiotherapy, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Urology, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China; Department of Urology, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuai Liu
- Department of Urology, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China; Department of Urology, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Wei
- Department of Urology, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Haoran Wang
- Department of Urology, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhen Xu
- Department of Urology, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiang Fu
- Department of Urology, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China; Department of Urology, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China.
| | - Keqin Zhang
- Department of Urology, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China; Department of Urology, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China.
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A Novel Aurora-A Inhibitor (MLN8237) Synergistically Enhances the Antitumor Activity of Sorafenib in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. MOLECULAR THERAPY-NUCLEIC ACIDS 2018; 13:176-188. [PMID: 30292139 PMCID: PMC6172479 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2018.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Revised: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Currently, sorafenib-based therapy is the standard treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and there is a strong rationale for investigating its use in combination with other agents to achieve better therapeutic effects. Aurora-A, a member of a family of mitotic serine/threonine kinases, is frequently overexpressed in human cancers and therefore represents a target for therapy. Here, we investigated a novel Aurora-A inhibitor, MLN8237, together with sorafenib in HCC cells in vitro and in vivo, and elucidated the possible molecular mechanism. Here, it was found that MLN8237 was strongly synergistic with sorafenib in inhibition of HCC progression by altering cell growth, cell-cycle regulation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis. Mechanism dissection suggests that the combination of MLN8237 and sorafenib led to significant inhibition of the activation of phospho-Akt (p-Akt) and phospho-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p-p38 MAPK) and their downstream genes including CDK4, cyclinD1, and VEGFA. The activators of p-Akt and p-p38 MAPK signaling partially reversed the synergistic inhibitory effects of sorafenib and MLN8237 on HCC progression. Subsequent in vivo studies further confirmed the synergistic effects of sorafenib and MLN8237. Collectively, the newly developed sorafenib-MLN8237 combination may be a novel therapy to better inhibit HCC progression.
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Phyu SM, Smith TAD. Combination treatment of cancer cells with pan-Akt and pan-mTOR inhibitors: effects on cell cycle distribution, p-Akt expression level and radiolabelled-choline incorporation. Invest New Drugs 2018; 37:424-430. [PMID: 30056610 PMCID: PMC6538571 DOI: 10.1007/s10637-018-0642-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Signal transduction pathways, which regulate cell growth and survival, are up-regulated in many cancers and there is considerable interest in their pharmaceutical modulation for cancer treatment. However inhibitors of single pathway components induce feedback mechanisms that overcome the growth moderating effect of the inhibitor. Combination treatments have been proposed to provide a more complete pathway inhibition. Here the effect of dual treatment of cancer cells with a pan-Akt and a pan-mTOR inhibitor was explored. Breast (SKBr3 and MDA-MB-468) and colorectal (HCT8) cancer cells were treated with the pan-Akt inhibitor MK2206 and pan-mTOR inhibitor AZD8055. Cytotoxic effect of the two drugs were determined using the MTT assay and the Combination Index and isobolomic analysis used to determine the nature of the interaction of the two drugs. Flow cytometry and western blot were employed to demonstrate drug effects on cell cycle distribution and phosph-Aktser473 expression. Radiolabelled ([methyl-3H]) Choline uptake was measured in control and drug-treated cells to determine the modulatory effects of the drugs on choline incorporation. The two drugs acted synergistically to inhibit the growth rate of each cancer cell line. Flow cytometry demonstrated G0/G1 blockade with MK2206 and AZD8055 which was greater when cells were treated with both drugs. The incorporation of [methyl-3H] choline was found be decreased to a greater extent in cells treated with both drugs compared with cells treated with either drug alone. Conclusions Pan-mTOR and pan-Akt inhibition may be highly effective in cancer treatment and measuring changes in choline uptake could be useful in detecting efficacious drug combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su Myat Phyu
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Tim A D Smith
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK. .,Biomedical Physics Building, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK.
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11
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Xu QG, Yu J, Guo XG, Hou GJ, Yuan SX, Yang Y, Yang Y, Liu H, Pan ZY, Yang F, Gu FM, Zhou WP. IL-17A promotes the invasion-metastasis cascade via the AKT pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma. Mol Oncol 2018; 12:936-952. [PMID: 29689643 PMCID: PMC5983223 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Revised: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We previously demonstrated that interleukin‐17A (IL‐17A) is associated with the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its role in the invasion–metastasis cascade of HCC and the efficacy of IL‐17A‐targeting therapeutics in HCC remain largely unknown. In this study, we found that IL‐17A promoted intrahepatic and pulmonary metastasesis of HCC cells in an orthotopic implant model. Moreover, our results showed that IL‐17A induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and promoted HCC cell colonization in vitro and in vivo, and the role of IL‐17A in invasion–metastasis was dependent on activation of the AKT pathway. Remarkably, combined therapy using both secukinumab and sorafenib has better inhibition on tumour growth and metastasis compared to sorafenib monotherapy. Additionally, the combination of intratumoral IL‐17A+ cells and E‐cadherin predicted the outcome of patients with HCC at an early stage after hepatectomy based on tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry. In conclusion, our studies reveal that IL‐17A induces early EMT and promotes late colonization of HCC metastasis by activating AKT signalling. Secukinumab is a promising candidate for clinical development in combination with sorafenib for the management of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing-Guo Xu
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Yu
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xing-Gang Guo
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guo-Jun Hou
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Sheng-Xian Yuan
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuan Yang
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer (SMMU), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary Tumor Biology (EHBH), China
| | - Yun Yang
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Liu
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ze-Ya Pan
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fu Yang
- The Department of Medical Genetics, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fang-Ming Gu
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei-Ping Zhou
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer (SMMU), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary Tumor Biology (EHBH), China
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12
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Xu C, Luo L, Yu Y, Zhang Z, Zhang Y, Li H, Cheng Y, Qin H, Zhang X, Ma H, Li Y. Screening therapeutic targets of ribavirin in hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncol Lett 2018; 15:9625-9632. [PMID: 29805683 PMCID: PMC5958667 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.8552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2016] [Accepted: 10/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of the present study was to screen the key genes of ribavirin in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and provide novel therapeutic targets for HCC treatment. The mRNA expression datasets of GSE23031 and GSE74656, as well as the microRNA (miRNA) expression dataset of GSE22058 were downloaded from the Gene Expressed Omnibus database. In the GSE23031 dataset, there were three HCC cell lines treated with PBS and three HCC cell lines treated with ribavirin. In the GSE74656 dataset, five HCC tissues and five carcinoma adjacent tissues were selected. In the GSE22058 dataset, 96 HCC tissues and 96 carcinoma adjacent tissues were selected. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially expressed miRNAs were identified via the limma package of R. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis was performed with the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery. The target mRNAs of DEMs were obtained with TargetScan. A total of 559 DEGs (designated DEG-Ribavirin) were identified in HCC cells treated with ribavirin compared with PBS and 632 DEGs (designated DEG-Tumor) were identified in HCC tissues compared with carcinoma adjacent tissues. A total of 220 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified in HCC tissues compared with carcinoma adjacent tissues. In addition, 121 GO terms and three KEGG pathways of DEG-Ribavirin were obtained, and 383 GO terms and 25 KEGG pathways of DEG-Tumor were obtained. A total of five key miRNA-mRNA regulated pairs were identified, namely miR-183→CCNB1, miR-96→DEPDC1, miR-96→NTN4, miR-183→NTN4 and miR-145→NTN4. The present study indicated that certain miRNAs (including miR-96, miR-145 and miR-183) and mRNAs (including NAT2, FBXO5, CCNB1, DEPDC1 and NTN4) may be associated with the effects of ribavirin on HCC. Furthermore, they may provide novel therapeutic targets for HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Xu
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin 300121, P.R. China
| | - Liyun Luo
- Department of Cardiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yan-Sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong 519000, P.R. China
| | - Yongjun Yu
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin 300121, P.R. China
| | - Zhao Zhang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin 300121, P.R. China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin 300121, P.R. China
| | - Haimei Li
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin 300121, P.R. China
| | - Yue Cheng
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin 300121, P.R. China
| | - Hai Qin
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin 300121, P.R. China
| | - Xipeng Zhang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin 300121, P.R. China
| | - Hongmei Ma
- Department of Nursing, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin 300121, P.R. China
| | - Yuwei Li
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin 300121, P.R. China
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13
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Walden D, Kunnimalaiyaan S, Sokolowski K, Clark TG, Kunnimalaiyaan M. Antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of xanthohumol in cholangiocarcinoma. Oncotarget 2017; 8:88069-88078. [PMID: 29152142 PMCID: PMC5675694 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.21422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma remains the second most prevalent hepatic neoplasm in the United States with a 5-year survival rate of less than 10%. Currently, no systemic therapy has demonstrated efficacy. Therefore, an urgent need for the identification of molecularly targeted compound(s) remains. The Notch signaling pathway has been shown to be dysregulated in cholangiocarcinoma, exhibiting hyperactivity while also possibly mediating chemotherapeutic resistance. We analyzed the effects of xanthohumol, a prenylated chalcone, on cholangiocarcinoma proliferation utilizing human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines CCLP1, SG-231 and CC-SW-1 while gaining insight into the associated mechanism. Xanthohumol potently reduced cellular proliferation, colony formation, and cell confluency in all three cell lines. Xanthohumol induced cell cycle arrest as well as apoptosis through the reduction of cell cycle regulatory proteins as well as an increase in pro-apoptotic markers (cleaved poly ADP ribose polymerase, cleaved caspase-3) and a decrease in anti-apoptotic markers (X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis and survivin). At the molecular level, xanthohumol reduced Notch1 and AKT expression in a step-wise and time-dependent fashion, with Notch1 reductions preceding AKT. Additionally, xanthohumol reduced cholangiocarcinoma growth in both CCLP-1 and SG-231 derived mice xenografts. In summary, we show that xanthohumol significantly reduced cholangiocarcinoma growth through the Notch1/AKT signaling axis. Furthermore, known pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of XN supports continued development of treatment for cholangiocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Walden
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, MCW Cancer Center, Translational and Biomedical Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Selvi Kunnimalaiyaan
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, MCW Cancer Center, Translational and Biomedical Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Kevin Sokolowski
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, MCW Cancer Center, Translational and Biomedical Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - T Gamblin Clark
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, MCW Cancer Center, Translational and Biomedical Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Muthusamy Kunnimalaiyaan
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, MCW Cancer Center, Translational and Biomedical Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
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14
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Jia J, Qiao Y, Pilo MG, Cigliano A, Liu X, Shao Z, Calvisi DF, Chen X. Tankyrase inhibitors suppress hepatocellular carcinoma cell growth via modulating the Hippo cascade. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0184068. [PMID: 28877210 PMCID: PMC5587291 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous data indicate that Tankyrase inhibitors exert anti-growth functions in many cancer cell lines due to their ability to inactivate the YAP protooncogene. In the present manuscript, we investigated the effect of Tankyrase inhibitors on the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines and the molecular mechanisms involved. For this purpose, we performed cell proliferation assay by colony-forming ability in seven human HCC cells subjected to XAV-939 and G007-LK Tankyrase inhibitors. Noticeably, the two Tankyrase inhibitors suppressed the HCC cell growth in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, we found that Tankyrase inhibitors synergized with MEK and AKT inhibitors to suppress HCC cell proliferation. At the molecular level, Tankyrase inhibitors significantly decreased YAP protein levels, reduced the expression of YAP target genes, and inhibited YAP/TEAD luciferase reporter activity. In addition, Tankyrase inhibitors administration was accompanied by upregulation of Angiomotin-like 1 (AMOTL1) and Angiomotin-like 2 (AMOTL2) proteins, two major negative regulators of YAP. Altogether, the present data indicate that XAV-939 and G007-LK Tankyrase inhibitors could suppress proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells and downregulate YAP/TAZ by stabilizing AMOTL1 and AMOTL2 proteins, thus representing new potential anticancer drugs against hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaoyuan Jia
- Department of Oncology and Hematology, The Second Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Liver Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Yu Qiao
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Liver Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Beijing, China
| | - Maria G. Pilo
- Institue of Pathology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Antonio Cigliano
- Institue of Pathology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Xianqiong Liu
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Liver Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- School of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zixuan Shao
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Liver Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Lowell High School, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Diego F. Calvisi
- Institue of Pathology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
- * E-mail: (XC); (DFC)
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Liver Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- School of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- * E-mail: (XC); (DFC)
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15
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Huang Y, Pan J, Chen D, Zheng J, Qiu F, Li F, Wu Y, Wu W, Huang X, Qian J. Identification and functional analysis of differentially expressed genes in poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma using RNA-seq. Oncotarget 2017; 8:35973-35983. [PMID: 28415592 PMCID: PMC5482631 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.16415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 03/12/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Poorly differentiated (PD) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a worse prognosis compared to moderately differentiated (MD) and well differentiated (WD) HCC. We aimed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) to explore the mechanism of PD HCC. Transcriptome sequencing was performed on tumor and adjacent non-tumorous tissues of PD, MD and WD HCC patients (3 for each group). DEGs were thus identified and functionally analyzed. Further RT-PCR was performed to validate DEGs specific for PD HCC in 47 pairs of samples (15 for PD, 18 for MD, 14 for WD). A total of 681 PD DEGs were detected, including 368 up-regulated and 313 down-regulated genes. Less DEGs were found for MD and especially for WD HCC. Through bioinformatics analysis, PD HCC DEGs were enriched in liver tissue and liver cancer cells, and in biological process and pathway including metabolism, cell cycle, translation and blood coagulation. Potential drugs and genetic perturbations were found to reverse the cancer condition. The RT-PCR results showed consistency with RNA-seq in the validation of 4 DEGs specific for PD HCC. This study detected and validated DEGs of PD HCC, which provides useful information on molecular mechanism of PD HCC for development of new biomarkers, therapeutic targets and drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Huang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China.,Provincial Clinical College, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China
| | - Jianbo Pan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Dunyan Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China.,Provincial Clinical College, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China
| | - Jiaying Zheng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China.,Provincial Clinical College, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China
| | - Funan Qiu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China.,Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China
| | - Feng Li
- Provincial Clinical College, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China.,Department of Pathology, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China
| | - Yanan Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China.,Provincial Clinical College, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China
| | - Wenbing Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China.,Provincial Clinical College, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China
| | - Xiaoli Huang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China.,Provincial Clinical College, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China
| | - Jiang Qian
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.,The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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16
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Chen
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Liver Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Diego F Calvisi
- Institute of Pathology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
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17
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Simioni C, Cani A, Martelli AM, Zauli G, Alameen AAM, Ultimo S, Tabellini G, McCubrey JA, Capitani S, Neri LM. The novel dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor NVP-BGT226 displays cytotoxic activity in both normoxic and hypoxic hepatocarcinoma cells. Oncotarget 2016; 6:17147-60. [PMID: 26003166 PMCID: PMC4627298 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.3940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2015] [Accepted: 05/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common lethal human malignancies worldwide and its advanced status is frequently resistant to conventional chemotherapeutic agents and radiation. We evaluated the cytotoxic effect of the orally bioavailable dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, NVP-BGT226, on a panel of HCC cell lines, since hyperactivated PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway could represent a biomolecular target for Small Inhibitor Molecules in this neoplasia. We analyzed the drug activity in both normoxia and hypoxia conditions, the latter playing often a relevant role in the induction of chemoresistance and angiogenesis.In normoxia NVP-BGT226 caused cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle, induced apoptosis and autophagy at low concentrations. Interestingly the drug inactivated p-Akt and p-S6 at < 10 nM concentration.In hypoxia NVP-BGT226 maintained its cytotoxic efficacy at the same concentration as documented by MTT assays and Western blot analysis. Moreover, the drug showed in hypoxia inhibitory properties against angiogenesis by lowering the expression of the transcription factor HIF-1α and of VEGF.Our results indicate that NVP-BGT226 has a potent cytotoxic effect on HCC cell lines also in hypoxia condition, thus emerging as a potential candidate for cancer treatment in HCC targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Simioni
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,LTTA Center, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Alice Cani
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,LTTA Center, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Alberto M Martelli
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giorgio Zauli
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy
| | - Ayman A M Alameen
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,Department of Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Simona Ultimo
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giovanna Tabellini
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - James A McCubrey
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Silvano Capitani
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,LTTA Center, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Luca M Neri
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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18
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Sokolowski KM, Balamurugan M, Kunnimalaiyaan S, Wilson J, Gamblin TC, Kunnimalaiyaan M. Role of Akt inhibition on Notch1 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma: potential role for dual targeted therapy. Am J Surg 2016; 211:755-60. [PMID: 26850133 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2015.11.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2015] [Revised: 10/12/2015] [Accepted: 11/06/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We have shown that an Akt inhibitor, MK2206, reduces hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) proliferation. To further delineate MK2206, we sought to investigate the Notch1 pathway and hypothesize that MK2206 treatment will result in Notch1 inhibition with either subsequent or parallel Akt suppression. METHODS HCC cell lines were treated with various concentrations of MK2206. Cell proliferation was determined via real-time live cell imaging. Knockdown of Notch1 was used to observe interaction between Notch1 and pAkt. Cell lysates were analyzed via Western blotting for Notch and Akt pathway targets. RESULTS After treatment with MK2206 (up to 2 μM), there was a 60% reduction in cell viability at 48 hours with a concomitant reduction in Notch1 expression. Knockdown of Notch1 in HCC cell lines correlated with reduction in Akt phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS MK2206 inhibits both the PI3-K/Akt and Notch1 pathways. Therefore, further characterization of MK2206 comparing the 2 pathways is warranted and the effect of dual targeting in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Sokolowski
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Mariappan Balamurugan
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Selvi Kunnimalaiyaan
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Jacob Wilson
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Thomas Clark Gamblin
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
| | - Muthusamy Kunnimalaiyaan
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
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19
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Abeyrathna P, Su Y. The critical role of Akt in cardiovascular function. Vascul Pharmacol 2015; 74:38-48. [PMID: 26025205 PMCID: PMC4659756 DOI: 10.1016/j.vph.2015.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 275] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2015] [Revised: 05/07/2015] [Accepted: 05/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Akt kinase, a member of AGC kinases, is important in many cellular functions including proliferation, migration, cell growth and metabolism. There are three known Akt isoforms which play critical and diverse roles in the cardiovascular system. Akt activity is regulated by its upstream regulatory pathways at transcriptional and post-translational levels. Beta-catenin/Tcf-4, GLI1 and Stat-3 are some of few known transcriptional regulators of AKT gene. Threonine 308 and serine 473 are the two critical phosphorylation sites of Akt1. Translocation of Akt to the cell membrane facilitates PDK1 phosphorylation of the threonine site. The serine site is phosphorylated by mTORC2. Ack1, Src, PTK6, TBK1, IKBKE and IKKε are some of the non-canonical pathways which affect the Akt activity. Protein-protein interactions of Akt to actin and Hsp90 increase the Akt activity while Akt binding to other proteins such as CTMP and TRB3 reduces the Akt activity. The action of Akt on its downstream targets determines its function in cardiovascular processes such as cell survival, growth, proliferation, angiogenesis, vasorelaxation, and cell metabolism. Akt promotes cell survival via caspase-9, YAP, Bcl-2, and Bcl-x activities. Inhibition of FoxO proteins by Akt also increases cell survival by transcriptional mechanisms. Akt stimulates cell growth and proliferation through mTORC1. Akt also increases VEGF secretion and mediates eNOS phosphorylation, vasorelaxation and angiogenesis. Akt can increase cellular metabolism through its downstream targets GSK3 and GLUT4. The alterations of Akt signaling play an important role in many cardiovascular pathological processes such as atherosclerosis, cardiac hypertrophy, and vascular remodeling. Several Akt inhibitors have been developed and tested as anti-tumor agents. They could be potential novel therapeutics for the cardiovascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prasanna Abeyrathna
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Yunchao Su
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA.
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20
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Roy SK, Carey GB, Daino H. The natural tumorcide Manumycin-A targets protein phosphatase 1α and reduces hydrogen peroxide to induce lymphoma apoptosis. Exp Cell Res 2015; 332:136-45. [PMID: 25556058 PMCID: PMC9976551 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2014.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2014] [Revised: 12/17/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Numerous compounds for treating human disease have been discovered in nature. Manumycin-A (Man-A) is a natural, well-tolerated microbial metabolite and a potent experimental tumoricide. We recently showed that Man-A stimulated reactive oxygen species (ROS) which were upstream of serine/threonine (Ser/Thr) dephosphorylation and caspase-dependent cleavage of MEK and Akt in lymphoma apoptosis. Conversely, activation-specific, Ser/Thr phosphorylation of MEK and Akt proteins was stable in Man-A-resistant tumors suggesting that stimulation of Ser/Thr PPase activity might be required for Man-A tumoricidal activity. Pre-treatment with Calyculin-A, an equipotent inhibitor of PP1 and PP2A, blocked all downstream effects of Man-A whereas, the PP2A-selective inhibitor, Okadaic acid did not, suggesting that PP1 and not PP2A played a role in Man-A action. Phosphorylation of PP1α on Thr320 inhibits its activity. Hence, we posited that if PP1α was important for Man-A action, then Man-A treatment should promote dephosphorylation of PP1α on Thr320. Indeed, T320 was only dephosphorylated in the tumors that underwent apoptosis. Lastly, stable over-expression of a constitutively active PP1α mimetic (PP1αT320A mutant), elevated basal ROS levels and enhanced Man-A-stimulated apoptosis. Taken together, we conclude that PP1α is an important proximal effector of Man-A mediated lymphoma apoptosis and that the mechanisms of Man-A action warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjit K. Roy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201,Center for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201
| | - Gregory B. Carey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201,Program in Oncology, Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201,Center for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201,To Whom Correspondence Should Be Addressed: Gregory B. Carey, Rm. 313, Biopark 1, 800 W. Baltimore St., Center for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases, Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201. ; Fax:410-706-8243
| | - Hanako Daino
- Center for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201
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