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Mars JC, Culjkovic-Kraljacic B, Borden KL. eIF4E orchestrates mRNA processing, RNA export and translation to modify specific protein production. Nucleus 2024; 15:2360196. [PMID: 38880976 PMCID: PMC11185188 DOI: 10.1080/19491034.2024.2360196] [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: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF4E acts as a multifunctional factor that simultaneously influences mRNA processing, export, and translation in many organisms. Its multifactorial effects are derived from its capacity to bind to the methyl-7-guanosine cap on the 5'end of mRNAs and thus can act as a cap chaperone for transcripts in the nucleus and cytoplasm. In this review, we describe the multifactorial roles of eIF4E in major mRNA-processing events including capping, splicing, cleavage and polyadenylation, nuclear export and translation. We discuss the evidence that eIF4E acts at two levels to generate widescale changes to processing, export and ultimately the protein produced. First, eIF4E alters the production of components of the mRNA processing machinery, supporting a widescale reprogramming of multiple mRNA processing events. In this way, eIF4E can modulate mRNA processing without physically interacting with target transcripts. Second, eIF4E also physically interacts with both capped mRNAs and components of the RNA processing or translation machineries. Further, specific mRNAs are sensitive to eIF4E only in particular mRNA processing events. This selectivity is governed by the presence of cis-acting elements within mRNAs known as USER codes that recruit relevant co-factors engaging the appropriate machinery. In all, we describe the molecular bases for eIF4E's multifactorial function and relevant regulatory pathways, discuss the basis for selectivity, present a compendium of ~80 eIF4E-interacting factors which play roles in these activities and provide an overview of the relevance of its functions to its oncogenic potential. Finally, we summarize early-stage clinical studies targeting eIF4E in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Clément Mars
- Institute of Research in Immunology and Cancer, Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Biljana Culjkovic-Kraljacic
- Institute of Research in Immunology and Cancer, Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Katherine L.B. Borden
- Institute of Research in Immunology and Cancer, Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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Paudel KR, Singh M, De Rubis G, Kumbhar P, Mehndiratta S, Kokkinis S, El-Sherkawi T, Gupta G, Singh SK, Malik MZ, Mohammed Y, Oliver BG, Disouza J, Patravale V, Hansbro PM, Dua K. Computational and biological approaches in repurposing ribavirin for lung cancer treatment: Unveiling antitumorigenic strategies. Life Sci 2024; 352:122859. [PMID: 38925223 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122859] [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: 01/07/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Lung cancer is among leading causes of death worldwide. The five-year survival rate of this disease is extremely low (17.8 %), mainly due to difficult early diagnosis and to the limited efficacy of currently available chemotherapeutics. This underlines the necessity to develop innovative therapies for lung cancer. In this context, drug repurposing represents a viable approach, as it reduces the turnaround time of drug development removing costs associated to safety testing of new molecular entities. Ribavirin, an antiviral molecule used to treat hepatitis C virus infections, is particularly promising as repurposed drug for cancer treatment, having shown therapeutic activity against glioblastoma, acute myeloid leukemia, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In the present study, we thoroughly investigated the in vitro anticancer activity of ribavirin against A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells. From a functional standpoint, ribavirin significantly inhibits cancer hallmarks such as cell proliferation, migration, and colony formation. Mechanistically, ribavirin downregulates the expression of numerous proteins and genes regulating cell migration, proliferation, apoptosis, and cancer angiogenesis. The anticancer potential of ribavirin was further investigated in silico through gene ontology pathway enrichment and protein-protein interaction networks, identifying five putative molecular interactors of ribavirin (Erb-B2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinase 4 (Erb-B4); KRAS; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 (ICAM-1); amphiregulin (AREG); and neuregulin-1 (NRG1)). These interactions were characterized via molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulations. The results of this study highlight the potential of ribavirin as a repurposed chemotherapy against lung cancer, warranting further studies to ascertain the in vivo anticancer activity of this molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keshav Raj Paudel
- Centre of Inflammation, Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Life Sciences, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Manisha Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (JIIT), Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India; Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Gabriele De Rubis
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Popat Kumbhar
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Tatyasaheb Kore College of Pharmacy, Warananagar, Tal: Panhala, Dist: Kolhapur, Maharashtra 416113, India
| | - Samir Mehndiratta
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Sofia Kokkinis
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Tammam El-Sherkawi
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Gaurav Gupta
- Centre for Research Impact & Outcome, Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, 140401, Punjab, India; Centre of Medical and Bio-allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sachin Kumar Singh
- Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar-Delhi GT Road, Phagwara 144411, Punjab, India
| | - Md Zubbair Malik
- Department of Genetics and Bioinformatics, Dasman Diabetes Institute, Dasman, Kuwait city 15462, Kuwait
| | - Yousuf Mohammed
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Brian G Oliver
- Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - John Disouza
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Tatyasaheb Kore College of Pharmacy, Warananagar, Tal: Panhala, Dist: Kolhapur, Maharashtra 416113, India
| | - Vandana Patravale
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Nathalal Parekh Marg, Matunga, Mumbai 400019, Maharashtra, India
| | - Philip Michael Hansbro
- Centre of Inflammation, Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Life Sciences, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
| | - Kamal Dua
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.
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Huang W, Liu W, Yu T, Zhang Z, Zhai L, Huang P, Lu Y. Effect of anti-COVID-19 drugs on patients with cancer. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 268:116214. [PMID: 38367490 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116214] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
The clinical treatment of patients with cancer who are also diagnosed with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been a challenging issue since the outbreak of COVID-19. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the effects of commonly used drugs for treating COVID-19 in patients with cancer. Hence, this review aims to provide a reference for the clinical treatment of patients with cancer to minimize the losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we also focused on the relationship between COVID-19, commonly used drugs for treating COVID-19, and cancer. We specifically investigated the effect of these drugs on tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. The potential mechanisms of action of these drugs were discussed and evaluated. We found that most of these drugs showed inhibitory effects on tumors, and only in a few cases had cancer-promoting effects. Furthermore, inappropriate usage of these drugs may lead to irreversible kidney and heart damage. Finally, we have clarified the use of different drugs, which can provide useful guidance for the clinical treatment of cancer patients diagnosed with COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weicai Huang
- School of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, China
| | - Wenyu Liu
- School of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, China
| | - Tingting Yu
- School of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, China
| | - Zhaoyang Zhang
- School of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, China
| | - Lingyun Zhai
- Gynecology Department, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, China
| | - Panpan Huang
- School of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, China.
| | - Yao Lu
- School of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, China.
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Ekaterina Z, Daria S, Lyubov G, Ekaterina M, Varvara M, Diana G, Andrey M, Ekaterina L. Synthetic 1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamides Induce Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in Leukemia Cells. Curr Pharm Des 2023; 29:3478-3487. [PMID: 38083885 DOI: 10.2174/0113816128275084231202153602] [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: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A number of studies demonstrate the efficacy of ribavirin against various cancer types in in vitro and in vivo models. However, ribavirin induces the development of multiple side effects, suggesting a high demand for ribavirin analogues with improved therapeutic indexes. OBJECTIVE This study was focused on the analysis of ribavirin, its aglycon 1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide, and several of its derivatives activities in blood cancer cells in vitro. METHODS Four 1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide derivatives were designed and synthesized. Antiproliferative effects were evaluated in chronic myeloid leukemia cells К562 and acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells CCRF-SB as well as in the cells of whole blood mononuclear fraction of healthy volunteers by cell counting using the trypan blue exclusion method. Cell cycle distribution and apoptosis under the influence of the compounds were analyzed by flow cytometry with PI staining, and then apoptosis data were confirmed by Western blot analysis for PARP1 and caspase-3 cleavage. RESULTS We demonstrated the significant antiproliferative effect of 5-(tetrahydropyran-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazole-3- carboxamide and 1-(tetrahydropyran-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazol-3-carboxamide in leukemia cell lines in vitro in comparison to non-transformed monocytes, providing the rationale for further studies of 1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide derivatives as anti-leukemia drugs. CONCLUSION These results implied that the 1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide derivatives exhibited their antiproliferative activities by induction of cell cycle arrest. Consequently, 5-(tetrahydropyran-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide and 1-(tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazol-3-carboxamide may present antimetabolites with potential anticancer efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhidkova Ekaterina
- Department of Chemical Carcinogenesis, N.N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center, Ministry of Health of Russia, 24 Kashirskoe Shosse, Moscow 115478, Russia
| | - Stepanycheva Daria
- Lomonosov Institute of Fine Chemical Technologies, MIREA - Russian Technological University, 78 Vernadsky Avenue, Moscow 119571, Russia
| | - Grebenkina Lyubov
- Lomonosov Institute of Fine Chemical Technologies, MIREA - Russian Technological University, 78 Vernadsky Avenue, Moscow 119571, Russia
| | - Mikhina Ekaterina
- Lomonosov Institute of Fine Chemical Technologies, MIREA - Russian Technological University, 78 Vernadsky Avenue, Moscow 119571, Russia
| | - Maksimova Varvara
- Department of Chemical Carcinogenesis, N.N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center, Ministry of Health of Russia, 24 Kashirskoe Shosse, Moscow 115478, Russia
| | - Grigoreva Diana
- Department of Chemical Carcinogenesis, N.N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center, Ministry of Health of Russia, 24 Kashirskoe Shosse, Moscow 115478, Russia
| | - Matveev Andrey
- Lomonosov Institute of Fine Chemical Technologies, MIREA - Russian Technological University, 78 Vernadsky Avenue, Moscow 119571, Russia
| | - Lesovaya Ekaterina
- Department of Chemical Carcinogenesis, N.N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center, Ministry of Health of Russia, 24 Kashirskoe Shosse, Moscow 115478, Russia
- Faculty of Oncology, I.P. Pavlov Ryazan State Medical University, Ministry of Health of Russia, 9 Vysokovol'tnaya St., Ryazan 390026, Russia
- Laboratory of Single Cell Biology, Friendship University of Russia, 6 Miklukho-Maklaya St., Moscow 117198, Russia
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Siddiqui S, Deshmukh AJ, Mudaliar P, Nalawade AJ, Iyer D, Aich J. Drug repurposing: re-inventing therapies for cancer without re-entering the development pipeline—a review. J Egypt Natl Canc Inst 2022; 34:33. [PMID: 35934727 PMCID: PMC9358112 DOI: 10.1186/s43046-022-00137-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
While majority of the current treatment approaches for cancer remain expensive and are associated with several side effects, development of new treatment modalities takes a significant period of research, time, and expenditure. An alternative novel approach is drug repurposing that focuses on finding new applications for the previously clinically approved drugs. The process of drug repurposing has also been facilitated by current advances in the field of proteomics, genomics, and information computational biology. This approach not only provides cheaper, effective, and potentially safer drugs with less side effects but also increases the processing pace of drug development. In this review, we wish to highlight some recent developments in the area of drug repurposing in cancer with a specific focus on the repurposing potential of anti-psychotic, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral drugs, anti-diabetic, antibacterial, and anti-fungal drugs.
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Huang R, Dai Q, Yang R, Duan Y, Zhao Q, Haybaeck J, Yang Z. A Review: PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway and Its Regulated Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factors May Be a Potential Therapeutic Target in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:817916. [PMID: 35574327 PMCID: PMC9096244 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.817916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a malignant tumor developing from the esophageal squamous epithelium, and is the most common histological subtype of esophageal cancer (EC). EC ranks 10th in morbidity and sixth in mortality worldwide. The morbidity and mortality rates in China are both higher than the world average. Current treatments of ESCC are surgical treatment, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy plus surgical resection is recommended for advanced patients. However, it does not work in the significant promotion of overall survival (OS) after such therapy. Research on targeted therapy in ESCC mainly focus on EGFR and PD-1, but neither of the targeted drugs can significantly improve the 3-year and 5-year survival rates of disease. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is an important survival pathway in tumor cells, associated with its aggressive growth and malignant progression. Specifically, proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy, and so on. Related genetic alterations of this pathway have been investigated in ESCC, such as PI3K, AKT and mTOR-rpS6K. Therefore, the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway seems to have the capability to serve as research hotspot in the future. Currently, various inhibitors are being tested in cells, animals, and clinical trials, which targeting at different parts of this pathway. In this work, we reviewed the research progress on the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway how to influence biological behaviors in ESCC, and discussed the interaction between signals downstream of this pathway, especially eukaryotic translation initiation factors (eIFs) and the development and progression of ESCC, to provide reference for the identification of new therapeutic targets in ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Huang
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Qiong Dai
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Ruixue Yang
- Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Yi Duan
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Qi Zhao
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Johannes Haybaeck
- Institute of Pathology, Neuropathology and Molecular Pathology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
- Diagnostic & Research Center for Molecular BioMedicine, Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Zhihui Yang
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
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Lehman SL, Wilson ED, Camphausen K, Tofilon PJ. Translation Initiation Machinery as a Tumor Selective Target for Radiosensitization. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910664. [PMID: 34639005 PMCID: PMC8508945 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Towards improving the efficacy of radiotherapy, one approach is to target the molecules and processes mediating cellular radioresponse. Along these lines, translational control of gene expression has been established as a fundamental component of cellular radioresponse, which suggests that the molecules participating in this process (i.e., the translational machinery) can serve as determinants of radiosensitivity. Moreover, the proteins comprising the translational machinery are often overexpressed in tumor cells suggesting the potential for tumor specific radiosensitization. Studies to date have shown that inhibiting proteins involved in translation initiation, the rate-limiting step in translation, specifically the three members of the eIF4F cap binding complex eIF4E, eIF4G, and eIF4A as well as the cap binding regulatory kinases mTOR and Mnk1/2, results in the radiosensitization of tumor cells. Because ribosomes are required for translation initiation, inhibiting ribosome biogenesis also appears to be a strategy for radiosensitization. In general, the radiosensitization induced by targeting the translation initiation machinery involves inhibition of DNA repair, which appears to be the consequence of a reduced expression of proteins critical to radioresponse. The availability of clinically relevant inhibitors of this component of the translational machinery suggests opportunities to extend this approach to radiosensitization to patient care.
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Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomal microRNA-181a retards nasopharyngeal carcinoma development by mediating KDM5C. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2021; 147:2867-2877. [PMID: 34218325 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-021-03684-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE It has been studied that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)-derived exosomes could suppress tumor growth in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and microRNA-181a (miR-181a) could mediate drug resistance in NPC. Focused on this work, the mechanism of human umbilical cord MSCs (hUC-MSCs)-derived exosomal miR-181a was explored in NPC cell progression. METHODS NPC tissues and normal tissues were obtained from patients, and miR-181a and KDM5C expression was examined. hUC-MSCs-derived exosomes were extracted, identified and co-cultured with NPC cells (C666-1 and SUNE1). C666-1 cell progression in vitro and/or tumor growth in vivo were examined after incubation with exosomes, miR-181a or lysine-specific demethylase 5C (KDM5C). miR-181a and KDM5C expression were examined in NPC. RESULTS miR-181a expression was reduced while KDM5C expression was elevated in NPC. hUC-MSCs-derived exosomes restrained NPC cell growth in vivo and in vitro. Depleting or restoring exosomal miR-181a promoted or delayed NPC cell progression. KDM5C silencing suppressed NPC cell progression. CONCLUSION This study concluded that hUC-MSCs-derived exosomal miR-181a retards NPC development via negatively modulating KDM5C, serving as a candidate reference for the therapy of NPC.
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Repurposing of Antimicrobial Agents for Cancer Therapy: What Do We Know? Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13133193. [PMID: 34206772 PMCID: PMC8269327 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13133193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The substantial costs of clinical trials, the lengthy timelines of new drug discovery and development, along the high attrition rates underscore the need for alternative strategies for finding quickly suitable therapeutics agents. Given that most approved drugs possess more than one target tightly linked to other diseases, it encourages promptly testing these drugs in patients. Over the past decades, this has led to considerable attention for drug repurposing, which relies on identifying new uses for approved or investigational drugs outside the scope of the original medical indication. The known safety of approved drugs minimizes the possibility of failure for adverse toxicology, making them attractive de-risked compounds for new applications with potentially lower overall development costs and shorter development timelines. This latter case is an exciting opportunity, specifically in oncology, due to increased resistance towards the current therapies. Indeed, a large body of evidence shows that a wealth of non-cancer drugs has beneficial effects against cancer. Interestingly, 335 drugs are currently being evaluated in different clinical trials for their potential activities against various cancers (Redo database). This review aims to provide an extensive discussion about the anti-cancer activities exerted by antimicrobial agents and presents information about their mechanism(s) of action and stage of development/evaluation.
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Huq S, Kannapadi NV, Casaos J, Lott T, Felder R, Serra R, Gorelick NL, Ruiz-Cardozo MA, Ding AS, Cecia A, Medikonda R, Ehresman J, Brem H, Skuli N, Tyler BM. Preclinical efficacy of ribavirin in SHH and group 3 medulloblastoma. J Neurosurg Pediatr 2021; 27:482-488. [PMID: 33545678 DOI: 10.3171/2020.8.peds20561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Medulloblastoma, the most common pediatric brain malignancy, has Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) and group 3 (Myc driven) subtypes that are associated with the activity of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E), a critical mediator of translation, and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), a histone methyltransferase and master regulator of transcription. Recent drug repurposing efforts in multiple solid and hematologic malignancies have demonstrated that eIF4E and EZH2 are both pharmacologically inhibited by the FDA-approved antiviral drug ribavirin. Given the molecular overlap between medulloblastoma biology and known ribavirin activity, the authors investigated the preclinical efficacy of repurposing ribavirin as a targeted therapeutic in cell and animal models of medulloblastoma. METHODS Multiple in vitro assays were performed using human ONS-76 (a primitive SHH model) and D425 (an aggressive group 3 model) cells. The impacts of ribavirin on cellular growth, death, migration, and invasion were quantified using proliferation and Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays, flow cytometry with annexin V (AnnV) staining, scratch wound assays, and Matrigel invasion chambers, respectively. Survival following daily ribavirin treatment (100 mg/kg) was assessed in vivo in immunodeficient mice intracranially implanted with D425 cells. RESULTS Compared to controls, ribavirin treatment led to a significant reduction in medulloblastoma cell growth (ONS-76 proliferation assay, p = 0.0001; D425 CCK-8 assay, p < 0.0001) and a significant increase in cell death (flow cytometry for AnnV, ONS-76, p = 0.0010; D425, p = 0.0284). In ONS-76 cells, compared to controls, ribavirin significantly decreased cell migration and invasion (Matrigel invasion chamber assay, p = 0.0012). In vivo, ribavirin significantly extended survival in an aggressive group 3 medulloblastoma mouse model compared to vehicle-treated controls (p = 0.0004). CONCLUSIONS The authors demonstrate that ribavirin, a clinically used drug known to inhibit eIF4E and EZH2, has significant antitumor effects in multiple preclinical models of medulloblastoma, including an aggressive group 3 animal model. Ribavirin may represent a promising targeted therapeutic in medulloblastoma.
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