Identification of a Vitamin-D Receptor Antagonist, MeTC7, which Inhibits the Growth of Xenograft and Transgenic Tumors In Vivo

Targeting Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin-2 (TRPM2) Enhances Therapeutic Efficacy of Third Generation EGFR Inhibitors against EGFR Mutant Lung Cancer

There is an urgent need to fully understand the biology of third generation EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs), particularly osimertinib, and to develop mechanism-driven strategies to manage their acquired resistance. Transient receptor potential melastatin-2 (TRPM2) functions as an important regulator of Ca2+ influx, but its role in mediating therapeutic efficacies of EGFR-TKIs and acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs has been rarely studied. This study has demonstrated a previously undiscovered role of suppression of TRPM2 and subsequent inhibition of Ca2+ influx and induction of ROS and DNA damage in mediating apoptosis induction and the therapeutic efficacy of osimertinib against EGFR mutant NSCLC. The rebound elevation represents a key mechanism accounting for the emergence of acquired resistance to osimertinib and other third generation EGFR-TKIs. Accordingly, targeting TRPM2 is a potentially promising strategy for overcoming and preventing acquired resistance to osimertinib, warranting further study in this direction including the development of cancer therapy-optimized TRPM2 inhibitors.

Exercise-induced vitamin D receptor and androgen receptor mediate inhibition of IL-6 and STAT3 in muscle

Background

Skeletal muscle produces interleukin-6 (IL-6) during exercise as a myokine. Although IL-6 is required for skeletal muscle regeneration, its action increases the expression of myostatin and other proteins involved in muscle atrophy, resulting in skeletal muscle atrophy. In this study, we clarified the effects exercise-induced vitamin D receptor (VDR) and androgen receptor (AR) expression on IL-6 and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in vivo and in vitro.

Method

C2C12 myotubes were subjected to electric pulse stimulation (EPS) in vitro. To evaluate VDR and AR function, a VDR/AR agonist and antagonist were administered before EPS to C2C12 myotubes. C57BL6 mice underwent 4 weeks of exercise. The expression levels of proteolytic-associated genes, including CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein delta (C/EBPδ) and myostatin, were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and phosphorylated and total STAT3 levels were measured by Western blot analysis.

Result

The expression of VDR and AR mRNA was induced following EPS in C2C12 myotubes. IL-6 mRNA expression was also increased with a peak at 6 h after EPS and p-STAT3/STAT3 ratio reciprocally decreased. Although VDR/AR agonist administration decreased IL-6 mRNA expression and p-STAT3/STAT3 ratio, these two endpoints increased after treatment with VDR/AR antagonist, respectively. Exercise in mice also increased the expression of VDR/AR and IL-6 mRNA and decreased p-STAT3/STAT3 ratio.

Conclusion

Exercise-induced VDR and AR expression results in the suppression of IL-6 mRNA and STAT3 phosphorylation in skeletal muscle.

Vitamin D Receptor Antagonist MeTC7 Inhibits PD-L1

Small-molecule inhibitors of PD-L1 are postulated to control immune evasion in tumors similar to antibodies that target the PD-L1/PD-1 immune checkpoint axis. However, the identity of targetable PD-L1 inducers is required to develop small-molecule PD-L1 inhibitors. In this study, using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay and siRNA, we demonstrate that vitamin D/VDR regulates PD-L1 expression in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) cells. We have examined whether a VDR antagonist, MeTC7, can inhibit PD-L1. To ensure that MeTC7 inhibits VDR/PD-L1 without off-target effects, we examined competitive inhibition of VDR by MeTC7, utilizing ligand-dependent dimerization of VDR-RXR, RXR-RXR, and VDR-coactivators in a mammalian 2-hybrid (M2H) assay. MeTC7 inhibits VDR selectively, suppresses PD-L1 expression sparing PD-L2, and inhibits the cell viability, clonogenicity, and xenograft growth of AML cells. MeTC7 blocks AML/mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) adhesion and increases the efferocytotic efficiency of THP-1 AML cells. Additionally, utilizing a syngeneic colorectal cancer model in which VDR/PD-L1 co-upregulation occurs in vivo under radiation therapy (RT), MeTC7 inhibits PD-L1 and enhances intra-tumoral CD8+T cells expressing lymphoid activation antigen-CD69. Taken together, MeTC7 is a promising small-molecule inhibitor of PD-L1 with clinical potential.

Facile access to the 2,2-difluoro-2,3-dihydrofuran skeleton without extra additives: DMF-promoted difluorocarbene formation of ClCF2CO2Na

A practical and facile difluorocarbene-triggered cycloaddition reaction of enaminones was developed, which delivered 2,2-difluoro-2,3-dihydrofurans without any extra additives.