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Tate EW, Soday L, de la Lastra AL, Wang M, Lin H. Protein lipidation in cancer: mechanisms, dysregulation and emerging drug targets. Nat Rev Cancer 2024; 24:240-260. [PMID: 38424304 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-024-00666-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Protein lipidation describes a diverse class of post-translational modifications (PTMs) that is regulated by over 40 enzymes, targeting more than 1,000 substrates at over 3,000 sites. Lipidated proteins include more than 150 oncoproteins, including mediators of cancer initiation, progression and immunity, receptor kinases, transcription factors, G protein-coupled receptors and extracellular signalling proteins. Lipidation regulates the physical interactions of its protein substrates with cell membranes, regulating protein signalling and trafficking, and has a key role in metabolism and immunity. Targeting protein lipidation, therefore, offers a unique approach to modulate otherwise undruggable oncoproteins; however, the full spectrum of opportunities to target the dysregulation of these PTMs in cancer remains to be explored. This is attributable in part to the technological challenges of identifying the targets and the roles of protein lipidation. The early stage of drug discovery for many enzymes in the pathway contrasts with efforts for drugging similarly common PTMs such as phosphorylation and acetylation, which are routinely studied and targeted in relevant cancer contexts. Here, we review recent advances in identifying targetable protein lipidation pathways in cancer, the current state-of-the-art in drug discovery, and the status of ongoing clinical trials, which have the potential to deliver novel oncology therapeutics targeting protein lipidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward W Tate
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
| | - Lior Soday
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Mei Wang
- Program in Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hening Lin
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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2
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Xu Y, Lin Z, Ji Y, Zhang C, Tang X, Li C, Liu T. Pan-cancer analysis identifies RNF43 as a prognostic, therapeutic and immunological biomarker. Eur J Med Res 2023; 28:438. [PMID: 37848933 PMCID: PMC10580550 DOI: 10.1186/s40001-023-01383-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND RING finger protein 43 (RNF43), an E3 ubiquitin ligase, is a homologous gene mutated in several cancers. However, the pan-cancer panoramic picture of RNF43 and its predictive value for tumor immune phenotypes and immunotherapeutic efficacy are still largely unclear. Our study aims to clarify the functions of RNF43 in predicting the prognosis, immune signature, and immunotherapeutic efficacy in pan-cancer. METHODS By using RNA-seq, mutation, and clinical data from the TCGA database, the expression levels and prognostic significance of RNF43 in pan-cancer were analyzed. The genetic alteration characteristics of RNF43 were displayed by the cBioPortal database. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was performed to investigate the potential biological functions and signaling pathways modulated by RNF43 in cancers. The relationship of RNF43 expression with immune cell infiltration, and immune modulators expression was interpreted by the ESTIMATE algorithm, CIBERSORT algorithm, and TISIDB database. The correlations between RNF43, microsatellite instability (MSI), and tumor mutation burden (TMB) were also investigated. Furthermore, the predictive value of RNF43 for immunotherapeutic efficacy and drug sensitivity was further illustrated. Besides, immunohistochemistry (IHC) was employed to validate the expression of the RNF43 in different cancer types by our clinical cohorts, including patients with lung cancer, sarcoma, breast cancer, and kidney renal clear cell carcinoma. RESULTS The results demonstrated that RNF43 was abnormally expressed in multiple cancers, and RNF43 is a critical prognosis-related factor in several cancers. RNF43 was frequently mutated in several cancers with a high frequency of 4%, and truncating mutation was the most frequent RNF43 mutation type. RNF43 expression was linked to the abundance of several immune cell types, including CD8+ T cells, B cells, and macrophages within the tumor immune microenvironment. Furthermore, RNF43 expression was significantly correlated with the efficacy of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment, and it could predict the sensitivity of various anti-cancer drugs. Finally, IHC explored and validated the different expression levels of RNF43 in different cancers by our clinical samples. CONCLUSION Our results first present the expression pattern and the mutation signature of RNF43, highlighting that RNF43 is an important prognostic biomarker in pan-cancer. Furthermore, RNF43 seems to be a critical modulator in the tumor immune microenvironment and can function as a promising biomarker for predicting the immunotherapeutic efficacy of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment, and drug sensitivity in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingting Xu
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 139# Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhengjun Lin
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 139# Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuqiao Ji
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 139# Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Chen Zhang
- Department of The Emergency, The Fourth People's Hospital of Zigong, Zigong, 643000, Sichuan, China
| | - Xianzhe Tang
- Department of Orthopedics, Chenzhou No.1, People's Hospital, Chenzhou, 423000, Hunan, China
| | - Chuan Li
- Department of Orthopaedic, 920Th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force of Chinese People's Liberation Army, 212 Daguan Road, Xishan District, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
| | - Tang Liu
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 139# Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
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Kishore C, Zi X. Wnt Signaling and Therapeutic Resistance in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. Curr Pharmacol Rep 2023; 9:261-274. [PMID: 37994344 PMCID: PMC10664806 DOI: 10.1007/s40495-023-00333-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Purpose of Review Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is a lethal form of prostate cancer (PCa) due to the development of resistance to androgen deprivation therapy and anti-androgens. Here, we review the emerging role of Wnt signaling in therapeutic resistance of CRPC. Recent Findings Convincing evidence have accumulated that Wnt signaling is aberrantly activated through genomic alterations and autocrine and paracrine augmentations. Wnt signaling plays a critical role in a subset of CRPC and in resistance to anti-androgen therapies. Wnt signaling navigates CRPC through PCa heterogeneity, neuroendocrine differentiation, DNA repair, PCa stem cell maintenance, epithelial-mesenchymal-transition and metastasis, and immune evasion. Summary Components of Wnt signaling can be harnessed for inhibiting PCa growth and metastasis and for developing novel therapeutic strategies to manage metastatic CRPC. There are many Wnt pathway-based potential drugs in different stages of pre-clinical development and clinical trials but so far, no Wnt signaling-specific drug has been approved by FDA for clinical use in CRPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandra Kishore
- Department of Urology, University of California, Irvine, 101 The City Drive South, Rt.81 Bldg.55 Rm.204, Orange, CA 92868, USA
| | - Xiaolin Zi
- Department of Urology, University of California, Irvine, 101 The City Drive South, Rt.81 Bldg.55 Rm.204, Orange, CA 92868, USA
- Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Irvine, CA 92868, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
- Veterans Affairs Long Beach Healthcare System, Long Beach, CA 90822, USA
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Shakhpazyan N, Mikhaleva L, Bedzhanyan A, Gioeva Z, Sadykhov N, Mikhalev A, Atiakshin D, Buchwalow I, Tiemann M, Orekhov A. Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of the Tumor Stroma in Colorectal Cancer: Insights into Disease Progression and Therapeutic Targets. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2361. [PMID: 37760801 PMCID: PMC10525158 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11092361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major health burden worldwide and is the third most common type of cancer. The early detection and diagnosis of CRC is critical to improve patient outcomes. This review explores the intricate interplay between the tumor microenvironment, stromal interactions, and the progression and metastasis of colorectal cancer. The review begins by assessing the gut microbiome's influence on CRC development, emphasizing its association with gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). The role of the Wnt signaling pathway in CRC tumor stroma is scrutinized, elucidating its impact on disease progression. Tumor budding, its effect on tumor stroma, and the implications for patient prognosis are investigated. The review also identifies conserved oncogenic signatures (COS) within CRC stroma and explores their potential as therapeutic targets. Lastly, the seed and soil hypothesis is employed to contextualize metastasis, accentuating the significance of both tumor cells and the surrounding stroma in metastatic propensity. This review highlights the intricate interdependence between CRC cells and their microenvironment, providing valuable insights into prospective therapeutic approaches targeting tumor-stroma interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolay Shakhpazyan
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology, Petrovsky National Research Center of Surgery, 119435 Moscow, Russia; (N.S.); (L.M.); (Z.G.); (N.S.); (A.O.)
| | - Liudmila Mikhaleva
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology, Petrovsky National Research Center of Surgery, 119435 Moscow, Russia; (N.S.); (L.M.); (Z.G.); (N.S.); (A.O.)
| | - Arkady Bedzhanyan
- Department of Abdominal Surgery and Oncology II (Coloproctology and Uro-Gynecology), Petrovsky National Research Center of Surgery, 119435 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Zarina Gioeva
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology, Petrovsky National Research Center of Surgery, 119435 Moscow, Russia; (N.S.); (L.M.); (Z.G.); (N.S.); (A.O.)
| | - Nikolay Sadykhov
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology, Petrovsky National Research Center of Surgery, 119435 Moscow, Russia; (N.S.); (L.M.); (Z.G.); (N.S.); (A.O.)
| | - Alexander Mikhalev
- Department of Hospital Surgery No. 2, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 117997 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Dmitri Atiakshin
- Research and Educational Resource Center for Immunophenotyping, Digital Spatial Profiling and Ultrastructural Analysis Innovative Technologies, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, 117198 Moscow, Russia;
- Research Institute of Experimental Biology and Medicine, Burdenko Voronezh State Medical University, 394036 Voronezh, Russia
| | - Igor Buchwalow
- Research and Educational Resource Center for Immunophenotyping, Digital Spatial Profiling and Ultrastructural Analysis Innovative Technologies, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, 117198 Moscow, Russia;
- Institute for Hematopathology, 22547 Hamburg, Germany;
| | | | - Alexander Orekhov
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology, Petrovsky National Research Center of Surgery, 119435 Moscow, Russia; (N.S.); (L.M.); (Z.G.); (N.S.); (A.O.)
- Laboratory of Angiopathology, Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, 125315 Moscow, Russia
- Institute for Atherosclerosis Research, 121096 Moscow, Russia
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Zhao H, Tang S, Tao Q, Ming T, Lei J, Liang Y, Peng Y, Wang M, Liu M, Yang H, Ren S, Xu H. Ursolic Acid Suppresses Colorectal Cancer by Down-Regulation of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway Activity. J Agric Food Chem 2023; 71:3981-3993. [PMID: 36826439 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c06775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Overwhelming evidence points to an abnormally active Wnt/β-catenin signaling as a key player in colorectal cancer (CRC) pathogenesis. Ursolic acid (UA) is a pentacyclic triterpenoid that has been found in a broad variety of fruits, spices, and medicinal plants. UA has been shown to have potent bioactivity against a variety of cancers, including CRC, with the action mechanism obscure. Our study tried to learn more about the efficacy of UA on CRC and its functional mechanism amid the Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade. We determined the efficacy of UA on CRC SW620 cells with respect to the proliferation, migration, clonality, apoptosis, cell cycle, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade, with assessment of the effect of UA on normal colonic NCM460 cells. Also, the effects of UA on the tumor development, apoptosis, cell cycle, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis were evaluated after a subcutaneous SW620 xenograft tumor model was established in mice. In this work, we showed that UA drastically suppressed proliferation, migration, and clonality; induced apoptosis; and arrested the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase of SW620 cells, without the influence on NCM460 cells, accompanied by weakened activity of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Besides, UA markedly deterred the growth of the xenograft tumor, ameliorated pathological features, triggered apoptosis, and arrested the cell cycle in xenograft CRC tissue, by lessening the Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade. Overall, UA may inhibit the malignant phenotype, induce apoptosis, and arrest the cell cycle of CRC, potentially by attenuating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis, providing insights into the mechanism for the potency of UA on CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Shun Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Qiu Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Tianqi Ming
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Jiarong Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Yuanjing Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Yuhui Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Minmin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Maolun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Han Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Shan Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Haibo Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
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Wolf L, Boutros M. The role of Evi/Wntless in exporting Wnt proteins. Development 2023; 150:286996. [PMID: 36763105 PMCID: PMC10112924 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Intercellular communication by Wnt proteins governs many essential processes during development, tissue homeostasis and disease in all metazoans. Many context-dependent effects are initiated in the Wnt-producing cells and depend on the export of lipidated Wnt proteins. Although much focus has been on understanding intracellular Wnt signal transduction, the cellular machinery responsible for Wnt secretion became better understood only recently. After lipid modification by the acyl-transferase Porcupine, Wnt proteins bind their dedicated cargo protein Evi/Wntless for transport and secretion. Evi/Wntless and Porcupine are conserved transmembrane proteins, and their 3D structures were recently determined. In this Review, we summarise studies and structural data highlighting how Wnts are transported from the ER to the plasma membrane, and the role of SNX3-retromer during the recycling of its cargo receptor Evi/Wntless. We also describe the regulation of Wnt export through a post-translational mechanism and review the importance of Wnt secretion for organ development and cancer, and as a future biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Wolf
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Division of Signalling and Functional Genomics and Heidelberg University, BioQuant and Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Boutros
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Division of Signalling and Functional Genomics and Heidelberg University, BioQuant and Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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López-Camacho E, Prado-Vázquez G, Martínez-Pérez D, Ferrer-Gómez M, Llorente-Armijo S, López-Vacas R, Díaz-Almirón M, Gámez-Pozo A, Vara JÁF, Feliu J, Trilla-Fuertes L. A Novel Molecular Analysis Approach in Colorectal Cancer Suggests New Treatment Opportunities. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15. [PMID: 36831448 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a molecular and clinically heterogeneous disease. In 2015, the Colorectal Cancer Subtyping Consortium classified CRC into four consensus molecular subtypes (CMS), but these CMS have had little impact on clinical practice. The purpose of this study is to deepen the molecular characterization of CRC. A novel approach, based on probabilistic graphical models (PGM) and sparse k-means-consensus cluster layer analyses, was applied in order to functionally characterize CRC tumors. First, PGM was used to functionally characterize CRC, and then sparse k-means-consensus cluster was used to explore layers of biological information and establish classifications. To this aim, gene expression and clinical data of 805 CRC samples from three databases were analyzed. Three different layers based on biological features were identified: adhesion, immune, and molecular. The adhesion layer divided patients into high and low adhesion groups, with prognostic value. The immune layer divided patients into immune-high and immune-low groups, according to the expression of immune-related genes. The molecular layer established four molecular groups related to stem cells, metabolism, the Wnt signaling pathway, and extracellular functions. Immune-high patients, with higher expression of immune-related genes and genes involved in the viral mimicry response, may benefit from immunotherapy and viral mimicry-related therapies. Additionally, several possible therapeutic targets have been identified in each molecular group. Therefore, this improved CRC classification could be useful in searching for new therapeutic targets and specific therapeutic strategies in CRC disease.
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Phillips C, Bhamra I, Eagle C, Flanagan E, Armer R, Jones CD, Bingham M, Calcraft P, Edmenson Cook A, Thompson B, Woodcock SA. The Wnt Pathway Inhibitor RXC004 Blocks Tumor Growth and Reverses Immune Evasion in Wnt Ligand-dependent Cancer Models. Cancer Res Commun 2022; 2:914-928. [PMID: 36922934 PMCID: PMC10010340 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-21-0095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Wnt signaling is implicated in the etiology of gastrointestinal tract cancers. Targeting Wnt signaling is challenging due to on-target toxicity concerns and lack of druggable pathway components. We describe the discovery and characterization of RXC004, a potent and selective inhibitor of the membrane-bound o-acyl transferase Porcupine, essential for Wnt ligand secretion. Absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion and safety pharmacology studies were conducted with RXC004 in vitro, and pharmacokinetic exposure assessed in vivo. RXC004 effects on proliferation and tumor metabolism were explored in genetically defined colorectal and pancreatic cancer models in vitro and in vivo. RXC004 effects on immune evasion were assessed in B16F10 immune "cold" and CT26 immune "hot" murine syngeneic models, and in human cell cocultures. RXC004 showed a promising pharmacokinetic profile, inhibited Wnt ligand palmitoylation, secretion, and pathway activation, and demonstrated potent antiproliferative effects in Wnt ligand-dependent (RNF43-mutant or RSPO3-fusion) colorectal and pancreatic cell lines. Reduced tumor growth and increased cancer cell differentiation were observed in SNU-1411 (RSPO3-fusion), AsPC1 and HPAF-II (both RNF43-mutant) xenograft models, with a therapeutic window versus Wnt homeostatic functions. Additional effects of RXC004 on tumor cell metabolism were confirmed in vitro and in vivo by glucose uptake and 18fluorodeoxyglucose-PET, respectively. RXC004 stimulated host tumor immunity; reducing resident myeloid-derived suppressor cells within B16F10 tumors and synergizing with anti-programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) to increase CD8+/regulatory T cell ratios within CT26 tumors. Moreover, RXC004 reversed the immunosuppressive effects of HPAF-II cells cocultured with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, confirming the multiple anticancer mechanisms of this compound, which has progressed into phase II clinical trials. Significance Wnt pathway dysregulation drives many gastrointestinal cancers; however, there are no approved therapies that target the pathway. RXC004 has demonstrated the potential to block both tumor growth and tumor immune evasion in a genetically defined, clinically actionable subpopulation of Wnt ligand-dependent gastrointestinal cancers. The clinical utility of RXC004, and other Porcupine inhibitors, in such Wnt ligand-dependent cancers is currently being assessed in patient trials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Inder Bhamra
- Redx Oncology Ltd, Redx Pharma PLC; Cheshire, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine Eagle
- Redx Oncology Ltd, Redx Pharma PLC; Cheshire, United Kingdom
| | - Eimear Flanagan
- Redx Oncology Ltd, Redx Pharma PLC; Cheshire, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Armer
- Redx Oncology Ltd, Redx Pharma PLC; Cheshire, United Kingdom
| | | | - Matilda Bingham
- Redx Oncology Ltd, Redx Pharma PLC; Cheshire, United Kingdom.,Concept Life Sciences Ltd, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Calcraft
- Redx Oncology Ltd, Redx Pharma PLC; Cheshire, United Kingdom.,Analytical Development, Flu-BPD, AstraZeneca PLC, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Alicia Edmenson Cook
- Redx Oncology Ltd, Redx Pharma PLC; Cheshire, United Kingdom.,Oncology Cell Therapy, GlaxoSmithKline PLC, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ben Thompson
- Redx Oncology Ltd, Redx Pharma PLC; Cheshire, United Kingdom.,In Vitro, RxCelerate Ltd, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Boudou C, Mattio L, Koval A, Soulard V, Katanaev VL. Wnt-pathway inhibitors with selective activity against triple-negative breast cancer: From thienopyrimidine to quinazoline inhibitors. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1045102. [PMID: 36386148 PMCID: PMC9649909 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1045102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Wnt-pathway has a critical role in development and tissue homeostasis and has attracted increased attention to develop anticancer drugs due to its aberrant activation in many cancers. In this study, we identified a novel small molecule series with a thienopyrimidine scaffold acting as a downstream inhibitor of the β-catenin-dependent Wnt-pathway. This novel chemotype was investigated using Wnt-dependent triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines. Structure activity relationship (SAR) exploration led to identification of low micromolar compounds such as 5a, 5d, 5e and a novel series with quinazoline scaffold such as 9d. Further investigation showed translation of activity to inhibit cancer survival of HCC1395 and MDA-MB-468 TNBC cell lines without affecting a non-cancerous breast epithelial cell line MCF10a. This anti-proliferative effect was synergistic to docetaxel treatment. Collectively, we identified novel chemotypes acting as a downstream inhibitor of β-catenin-dependent Wnt-pathway that could expand therapeutic options to manage TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cédric Boudou
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Translational Research Centre in Oncohaematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Luce Mattio
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Translational Research Centre in Oncohaematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Alexey Koval
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Translational Research Centre in Oncohaematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Valentin Soulard
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Translational Research Centre in Oncohaematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Vladimir L. Katanaev
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Translational Research Centre in Oncohaematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Institute of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, Russia
- *Correspondence: Vladimir L. Katanaev,
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