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Hong X, Ma J, Zheng S, Zhao G, Fu C. Advances in the research and application of neurokinin-1 receptor antagonists. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B 2024; 25:91-105. [PMID: 38303494 PMCID: PMC10835208 DOI: 10.1631/jzus.b2300455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Recently, the substance P (SP)/neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) system has been found to be involved in various human pathophysiological disorders including the symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Besides, studies in the oncological field have demonstrated an intricate correlation between the upregulation of NK-1R and the activation of SP/NK-1R system with the progression of multiple carcinoma types and poor clinical prognosis. These findings indicate that the modulation of SP/NK-1R system with NK-1R antagonists can be a potential broad-spectrum antitumor strategy. This review updates the latest potential and applications of NK-1R antagonists in the treatment of human diseases and cancers, as well as the underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, the strategies to improve the bioavailability and efficacy of NK-1R antagonist drugs are summarized, such as solid dispersion systems, nanonization, and nanoencapsulation. As a radiopharmaceutical therapeutic, the NK-1R antagonist aprepitant was originally developed as radioligand receptor to target NK-1R-overexpressing tumors. However, combining NK-1R antagonists with other drugs can produce a synergistic effect, thereby enhancing the therapeutic effect, alleviating the symptoms, and improving patients quality of life in several diseases and cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyu Hong
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Junjie Ma
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Shanshan Zheng
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Guangyu Zhao
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Caiyun Fu
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
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Coveñas R, Rodríguez FD, Robinson P, Muñoz M. The Repurposing of Non-Peptide Neurokinin-1 Receptor Antagonists as Antitumor Drugs: An Urgent Challenge for Aprepitant. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15936. [PMID: 37958914 PMCID: PMC10650658 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The substance P (SP)/neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) system is involved in cancer progression. NK-1R, activated by SP, promotes tumor cell proliferation and migration, angiogenesis, the Warburg effect, and the prevention of apoptosis. Tumor cells overexpress NK-1R, which influences their viability. A typical specific anticancer strategy using NK-1R antagonists, irrespective of the tumor type, is possible because these antagonists block all the effects mentioned above mediated by SP on cancer cells. This review will update the information regarding using NK-1R antagonists, particularly Aprepitant, as an anticancer drug. Aprepitant shows a broad-spectrum anticancer effect against many tumor types. Aprepitant alone or in combination therapy with radiotherapy or chemotherapy could reduce the sequelae and increase the cure rate and quality of life of patients with cancer. Current data open the door to new cancer research aimed at antitumor therapeutic strategies using Aprepitant. To achieve this goal, reprofiling the antiemetic Aprepitant as an anticancer drug is urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Coveñas
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy of the Peptidergic Systems, Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla y León (INCYL), University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain;
- Group GIR-BMD (Bases Moleculares del Desarrollo), University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain;
| | - Francisco D. Rodríguez
- Group GIR-BMD (Bases Moleculares del Desarrollo), University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain;
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Chemical Sciences, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Prema Robinson
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control, and Employee Health, MD Anderson Cancer Center, The University of Texas, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Miguel Muñoz
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Research Laboratory on Neuropeptides (IBIS), Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, 41013 Seville, Spain;
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Rodríguez FD, Coveñas R. Peptidergic Systems as Antitumor Targets: A Right Direction to Fight Cancer? Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4975. [PMID: 37894342 PMCID: PMC10605723 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15204975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Undoubtedly, much progress has been made in treating cancer over the past few years, but unfortunately, 28 [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco D. Rodríguez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Chemical Sciences, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain;
- Group GIR-BMD (Bases Moleculares del Desarrollo), University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Rafael Coveñas
- Group GIR-BMD (Bases Moleculares del Desarrollo), University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy of the Peptidergic Systems, Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla y León (INCYL), University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
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Isorna I, González-Moles MÁ, Muñoz M, Esteban F. Substance P and Neurokinin-1 Receptor System in Thyroid Cancer: Potential Targets for New Molecular Therapies. J Clin Med 2023; 12:6409. [PMID: 37835053 PMCID: PMC10573850 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12196409] [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: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, numerous approaches have been developed to comprehend the molecular alterations underlying thyroid cancer (TC) oncogenesis and explore novel therapeutic strategies for TC. It is now well established that the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) is overexpressed in cancer cells and that NK-1R is essential for the viability of cancer cells. The binding of substance P (SP) to NK-1R in neoplastic cells plays a pivotal role in cancer progression by promoting neoplastic cell growth, protecting tumor cells from apoptosis, triggering invasion and metastasis through the enhanced migration of cancer cells, and stimulating endothelial cell proliferation for tumor angiogenesis. Remarkably, all types of human TC (papillary, follicular, medullary, anaplastic), as well as metastatic lesions, exhibit the overexpression of SP and NK-1R compared to the normal thyroid gland. TC cells synthesize and release SP, which exerts its multiple functions through autocrine, paracrine, intracrine, and neuroendocrine processes, including the regulation of tumor burden. Consequently, the secretion of SP from TC results in increased SP levels in plasma, which are significantly higher in TC patients compared to controls. Additionally, NK-1R antagonists have demonstrated a dose-dependent antitumor action. They impair cancer cell proliferation on one side and induce apoptosis of tumor cells on the other side. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that NK-1R antagonists inhibit neoplastic cell migration, thereby impairing both invasiveness and metastatic abilities, as well as angiogenesis. Given the consistent overexpression of NK-1R in all types of TC, targeting this receptor represents a promising therapeutic approach for TC. Therefore, NK-1R antagonists, such as the drug aprepitant, may represent novel drugs for TC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inmaculada Isorna
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocio, 41013 Seville, Spain; (I.I.); (F.E.)
| | | | - Miguel Muñoz
- Research Laboratory on Neuropeptides, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Francisco Esteban
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocio, 41013 Seville, Spain; (I.I.); (F.E.)
- School of Medicine, University of Seville, 41009 Seville, Spain
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Ebrahimi S, Mirzavi F, Hashemy SI, Khaleghi Ghadiri M, Stummer W, Gorji A. The in vitro anti-cancer synergy of neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist, aprepitant, and 5-aminolevulinic acid in glioblastoma. Biofactors 2023; 49:900-911. [PMID: 37092793 DOI: 10.1002/biof.1953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant type of cerebral neoplasm in adults with a poor prognosis. Currently, combination therapy with different anti-cancer agents is at the forefront of GBM research. Hence, this study aims to evaluate the potential anti-cancer synergy of a clinically approved neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist, aprepitant, and 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), a prodrug that elicits fluorescent porphyrins in gliomas on U-87 human GBM cells. We found that aprepitant and 5-ALA effectively inhibited GBM cell viability. The combinatorial treatment of these drugs exerted potent synergistic growth inhibitory effects on GBM cells. Moreover, aprepitant and 5-ALA induced apoptosis and altered the levels of apoptotic genes (up-regulation of Bax and P53 along with downregulation of Bcl-2). Furthermore, aprepitant and 5-ALA increased the accumulation of protoporphyrin IX, a highly pro-apoptotic and fluorescent photosensitizer. Aprepitant and 5-ALA significantly inhibited GBM cell migration and reduced matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) activities. Importantly, all these effects were more prominent following aprepitant-5-ALA combination treatment than either drug alone. Collectively, the combination of aprepitant and 5-ALA leads to considerable synergistic anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, and anti-migratory effects on GBM cells and provides a firm basis for further evaluation of this combination as a novel therapeutic approach for GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Safieh Ebrahimi
- Epilepsy Research Center, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, Germany
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Farshad Mirzavi
- Cardiovascular Diseases Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Seyed Isaac Hashemy
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | | | - Walter Stummer
- Department of Neurosurgery, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, Germany
| | - Ali Gorji
- Epilepsy Research Center, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, Germany
- Department of Neurosurgery, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, Germany
- Shefa Neuroscience Research Center, Khatam Alanbia Hospital, Tehran, Iran
- Neuroscience Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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Neurotransmitters: Potential Targets in Glioblastoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14163970. [PMID: 36010960 PMCID: PMC9406056 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14163970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Aiming to discover potential treatments for GBM, this review connects emerging research on the roles of neurotransmitters in the normal neural and the GBM microenvironments and sheds light on the prospects of their application in the neuropharmacology of GBM. Conventional therapy is blamed for its poor effect, especially in inhibiting tumor recurrence and invasion. Facing this dilemma, we focus on neurotransmitters that modulate GBM initiation, progression and invasion, hoping to provide novel therapy targeting GBM. By analyzing research concerning GBM therapy systematically and scientifically, we discover increasing insights into the regulatory effects of neurotransmitters, some of which have already shown great potential in research in vivo or in vitro. After that, we further summarize the potential drugs in correlation with previously published research. In summary, it is worth expecting that targeting neurotransmitters could be a promising novel pharmacological approach for GBM treatment. Abstract For decades, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a type of the most lethal brain tumor, has remained a formidable challenge in terms of its treatment. Recently, many novel discoveries have underlined the regulatory roles of neurotransmitters in the microenvironment both physiologically and pathologically. By targeting the receptors synaptically or non-synaptically, neurotransmitters activate multiple signaling pathways. Significantly, many ligands acting on neurotransmitter receptors have shown great potential for inhibiting GBM growth and development, requiring further research. Here, we provide an overview of the most novel advances concerning the role of neurotransmitters in the normal neural and the GBM microenvironments, and discuss potential targeted drugs used for GBM treatment.
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Sánchez ML, Coveñas R. The Galaninergic System: A Target for Cancer Treatment. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14153755. [PMID: 35954419 PMCID: PMC9367524 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14153755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Peptidergic systems play an important role in cancer progression. The galaninergic system (the peptide galanin and its receptors: galanin 1, 2 and 3) is involved in tumorigenesis, the invasion and migration of tumor cells and angiogenesis and it has been correlated with tumor stage/subtypes, metastasis and recurrence rate in many types of cancer. Galanin exerts a dual action in tumor cells: a proliferative or an antiproliferative effect depending on the galanin receptor involved in these mechanisms. Galanin receptors could be used in certain tumors as therapeutic targets and diagnostic markers for treatment, prognosis and surgical outcome. This review shows the importance of the galaninergic system in the development of tumors and suggests future promising clinical antitumor applications using galanin agonists or antagonists. Abstract The aim of this review is to show the involvement of the galaninergic system in neuroendocrine (phaeochromocytomas, insulinomas, neuroblastic tumors, pituitary tumors, small-cell lung cancer) and non-neuroendocrine (gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, glioma) tumors. The galaninergic system is involved in tumorigenesis, invasion/migration of tumor cells and angiogenesis, and this system has been correlated with tumor size/stage/subtypes, metastasis and recurrence rate. In the galaninergic system, epigenetic mechanisms have been related with carcinogenesis and recurrence rate. Galanin (GAL) exerts both proliferative and antiproliferative actions in tumor cells. GAL receptors (GALRs) mediate different signal transduction pathways and actions, depending on the particular G protein involved and the tumor cell type. In general, the activation of GAL1R promoted an antiproliferative effect, whereas the activation of GAL2R induced antiproliferative or proliferative actions. GALRs could be used in certain tumors as therapeutic targets and diagnostic markers for treatment, prognosis and surgical outcome. The current data show the importance of the galaninergic system in the development of certain tumors and suggest future potential clinical antitumor applications using GAL agonists or antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Lisardo Sánchez
- Laboratorio de Neuroanatomía de los Sistema Peptidérgicos (Lab. 14), Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León (INCYL), Universidad de Salamanca, c/Pintor Fernando Gallego 1, 37007 Salamanca, Spain;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-923294400 (ext. 1856); Fax: +34-923294549
| | - Rafael Coveñas
- Laboratorio de Neuroanatomía de los Sistema Peptidérgicos (Lab. 14), Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León (INCYL), Universidad de Salamanca, c/Pintor Fernando Gallego 1, 37007 Salamanca, Spain;
- Grupo GIR USAL: BMD (Bases Moleculares del Desarrollo), University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
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Coveñas R, Muñoz M. Involvement of the Substance P/Neurokinin-1 Receptor System in Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14143539. [PMID: 35884599 PMCID: PMC9317685 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14143539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Coveñas
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy of the Peptidergic Systems, Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla and León (INCYL), University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Group GIR-USAL: BMD (Bases Moleculares del Desarrollo), University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Correspondence: (R.C.); (M.M.)
| | - Miguel Muñoz
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Avda. Manuel Siurot s/n, 41013 Seville, Spain
- Research Laboratory on Neuropeptides, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBIS), 41013 Seville, Spain
- Correspondence: (R.C.); (M.M.)
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