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Yang Y, Cao X, Wang Y, Wu X, Zhou P, Miao L, Deng X. Neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist aprepitant regulates autophagy and apoptosis via ROS/JNK in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Liver Int 2024. [PMID: 38554043 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15904] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) has a poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Aprepitant, a selective NK-1R antagonist, can inhibit the growth of various tumours in vitro and in vivo. However, it remains unclear whether aprepitant has cytotoxic effects on iCCA. METHODS We measured the expression of SP/NK-1R in clinical samples of iCCA by immunohistochemistry. Then, we detected the cytotoxic effects of aprepitant on iCCA cells via MTT, EdU and colony formation assay. We constructed a subcutaneous xenograft model of BALB/c nude mice by using HCCC-9810 and RBE cell lines to explore the effects of aprepitant in vivo. To elucidate the potential mechanisms, we explored the pro-apoptotic effect of aprepitant by flow cytometric, western blotting, ROS detection and JC-1 staining. Furthermore, we detected the autophagic level of HCCC-9810 and RBE by western blotting, mRFP-eGFP-LC3 adenovirus transfection and electron microscope. RESULTS SP/NK-1R is significantly expressed in iCCA. Aprepitant inhibited human iCCA xenograft growth and dose-dependently decreased the viability of RBE and HCCC-9810 cells. Aprepitant-induced mitochondria-dependent apoptosis through ROS/JNK pathway. Additionally, pretreatment with z-VAD-fmk partly reversed the effect of aprepitant on cell viability, while NAC completely attenuated the cytotoxic effects of aprepitant in vitro. Furthermore, we observed the dynamic changes of autophagosome in RBE and HCCC-9810 cells treated with aprepitant. CONCLUSION SP/NK-1R signalling is significantly activated in iCCA and promotes the proliferation of iCCA cells. By contrast, aprepitant can induce autophagy and apoptosis in iCCA cells via ROS accumulation and subsequent activation of JNK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- Institute of Digestive Endoscopy and Medical Center for Digestive Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xueyan Cao
- Institute of Digestive Endoscopy and Medical Center for Digestive Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuting Wang
- Institute of Digestive Endoscopy and Medical Center for Digestive Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xinyu Wu
- Institute of Digestive Endoscopy and Medical Center for Digestive Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ping Zhou
- Lab Center, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lin Miao
- Institute of Digestive Endoscopy and Medical Center for Digestive Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xueting Deng
- Institute of Digestive Endoscopy and Medical Center for Digestive Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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Alalikhan A, Ebrahimi S, Aliee A, Mirzavi F, Hashemy SI. The combined anti-tumor effects of 5-fluorouracil and neurokinin receptor inhibitor, aprepitant, against colorectal cancer: In vitro and in vivo study. Med Oncol 2024; 41:70. [PMID: 38340190 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-024-02312-w] [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] [Received: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the world's largest health concerns with growing global incidence and mortality. The potential value of the neurokinin-1 receptor as a therapeutic target has been reported in several tumor types, including CRC. Here we examined the potential anti-tumor effects of a clinically approved neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist, aprepitant, alone and its combination with 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) as a first choice CRC chemotherapeutic drug, in both in vitro and in vivo models of CRC. METHODS MTT assay was employed for assessing cell proliferation. mRNA expression levels were determined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Flow cytometric analysis of apoptosis was performed using an Annexin-V/propidium iodide assay kit. We finally conducted an in vivo experiment in a mouse model of CRC to confirm the in vitro antiproliferative activity of aprepitant and 5-FU. RESULTS We found that aprepitant and 5-FU significantly reduced CRC cell viability. The combination of drugs exhibited potent synergistic growth inhibitory effects on CRC cells. Moreover, aprepitant and 5-FU induced apoptosis and altered the levels of apoptotic genes (up-regulation of Bax, and p53 along with downregulation of Bcl-2). Importantly, the aprepitant and 5-FU combination showed a more pronounced impact on apoptosis and associated genes than either of the agents alone. Furthermore, aprepitant reduced tumor growth in vivo and led to significantly longer survival time, and this effect was more prominent when using the aprepitant and 5-FU combination. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, combinatory treatment with aprepitant and 5-FU potentially exerts synergistic growth inhibition and apoptosis induction in CRC, deserving further consideration as a novel strategy for CRC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abbas Alalikhan
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Safieh Ebrahimi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Ali Aliee
- Clinical Research Development Center, Imam Khomeini and Mohammad Kermanshahi and Farabi Hospitals, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, 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.
- Surgical Oncology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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Zarei Shandiz S, Assaran Darban R, Javid H, Ghahremanloo A, Hashemy SI. The effect of SP/NK1R on expression and activity of glutaredoxin and thioredoxin proteins in prostate cancer cells. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2024:10.1007/s00210-024-02996-x. [PMID: 38334824 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-024-02996-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] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Substance P (SP), an important neuropeptide, has a crucial role in the progression of several cancers, including prostate cancer, through interacting with the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R). Oxidative stress is also involved in the onset and progression of prostate cancer. However, no studies have been performed on the cross-talk between the SP/NK1R system and cellular redox balance in prostate cancer, and how it is involved in tumorogenesis. We aimed to investigate the effect of the SP/NK1R system and the blockage of NK1R with its specific antagonist (aprepitant) on the cellular redox status of the prostate cancer cell line (PC3 and LNCaP). We performed the resazurin assay to evaluate the toxicity of the aprepitant on the PC3 and LNCaP cell lines. The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was measured after SP and aprepitant treatment. The alterations of expression and activity of two crucial cellular oxidoreductases, glutaredoxin, and thioredoxin were evaluated by qRT-PCR and commercial kits (ZellBio GmbH), respectively. Our results revealed that SP increased ROS production and decreased the expression and activity of glutaredoxin and thioredoxin. On the other hand, treatment of cells with aprepitant showed reverse results. In conclusion, we found that the SP/NK1R system could promote prostate cancer progression by inducing oxidative stress. In addition, the inhibition of NK1R by aprepitant modulated the effect of the SP/NK1R system on the cellular redox system. Aprepitant might therefore be introduced as a candidate for the treatment of prostate cancer; however, more studies are required to confirm the validation of this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Zarei Shandiz
- Department of Biology, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Reza Assaran Darban
- Department of Biology, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran.
| | - Hossein Javid
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Varastegan Institute for Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Atefeh Ghahremanloo
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Seyed Isaac Hashemy
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
- Surgical Oncology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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5
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Rastin F, Javid H, Oryani MA, Rezagholinejad N, Afshari AR, Karimi-Shahri M. Immunotherapy for colorectal cancer: Rational strategies and novel therapeutic progress. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 126:111055. [PMID: 37992445 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.111055] [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] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
There are increasing incidences and mortality rates for colorectal cancer in the world. It is common for chemotherapy and radiation given to patients with colorectal cancer to cause toxicities that limit their effectiveness and cause cancer cells to become resistant to these treatments. Additional targeted treatments are needed to improve patient's quality of life and outcomes. Immunotherapy has rapidly emerged as an incredibly exciting and promising avenue for cancer treatment in recent years. This innovative approach provides novel options for tackling solid tumors, effectively establishing itself as a new cornerstone in cancer treatment. Specifically, in the realm of colorectal cancer (CRC), there is great promise in developing new drugs that target immune checkpoints, offering a hopeful and potentially transformative solution. While immunotherapy of CRC has made significant advances, there are still obstacles and limitations. CRC patients have a poor response to treatment because of the immune-suppressing function of their tumor microenvironment (TME). In addition to blocking inhibitory immune checkpoints, checkpoint-blocking antibodies may also boost immune responses against tumors. The review summarizes recent advances in immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for CRC, including CTLA-4, PD-1, PD-L1, LAG-3, and TIM-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farangis Rastin
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Hossein Javid
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Varastegan Institute for Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Surgical Oncology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
| | - Mahsa Akbari Oryani
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | | | - Amir-R Afshari
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran
| | - Mehdi Karimi-Shahri
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran.
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Jafarinezhad S, Assaran Darban R, Javid H, Hashemy SI. The SP/NK1R system promotes the proliferation of breast cancer cells through NF-κB-mediated inflammatory responses. Cell Biochem Biophys 2023; 81:787-794. [PMID: 37740877 DOI: 10.1007/s12013-023-01171-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [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] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Numerous molecules have been introduced to participate in the formation of breast cancer, the most common malignancy in women. Among them, neuropeptide substance P (SP) and its related receptor neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R) have attracted unprecedented attention in tumorigenesis processes. In this study, we investigated the effect of the SP/NK1R pathway on the induction of oxidative stress in breast cancer and examine the therapeutic potential of NK1R inhibition in this malignancy. METHODS MCF-7 cells were treated with varying concentrations of SP and aprepitant, an FDA-approved NK1R antagonist, either as a single drug or in a combined modality. Resazurin assay was used to evaluate the anti-cancer ability of aprepitant. The alteration in the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and gene expression were determined using ROS assay and the qRT-PCR analysis, respectively. RESULTS The stimulation of the SP/NK1R axis in the MCF-7 cells was coupled with the accumulation of ROS as well as upregulation of NF-κB and its related pro-inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-6. In contrast, the suppression of NK1R by aprepitant halted the viability of MCF-7 cells, at least partly due to p53-mediated upregulation of p21. Moreover, aprepitant attenuated the oncogenic properties of SP by preventing the oxidative property of this neuropeptide. CONCLUSION Overall, our results suggest that the SP/NK1R pathway might play a critical role in breast cancer pathogenesis, probably through inducing ROS/NF-κB-mediated inflammatory responses. Moreover, it seems that blockage of the axis has promising therapeutic value against breast cancer cells. Schematic representation proposed for the plausible mechanism by which the stimulation of the SP/NK1R might induce oxidative stress in breast cancer-derived MCF-7 cells. Once SP interacts with NK1R, this signaling axis could disturb the balance between the expression of p53 and NF-κB, an event that leads to the accumulation of ROS within MCF-7 cells. The produced ROS, in turn, elevates the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) and downregulates the expression of p21. On the other hand, aprepitant, an antagonist of NK1R, could reduce the survival of proliferative capacity of MCF-7 cells by decreasing the intracellular levels of ROS and p53-mediated up-regulation of p21. Along with the effect on p53, aprepitant could also reduce the expression of NF-κB and its related pro-inflammatory cytokines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samine Jafarinezhad
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Reza Assaran Darban
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran.
| | - Hossein Javid
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Varastegan Institute for Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Seyed Isaac Hashemy
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
- Surgical Oncology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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Mokhtari Y, Yousefi AM, Bashash D. Inhibition of PI3K Signaling Intensified the Antileukemic Effects of Pioglitazone: New Insight into the Application of PPARγ Stimulators in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Indian J Hematol Blood Transfus 2023; 39:546-556. [PMID: 37786817 PMCID: PMC10542079 DOI: 10.1007/s12288-023-01650-5] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past two decades, molecular targeted therapy has revolutionized the landscape of cancer treatment due to lower side effects as well as higher anticancer effects. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is a member of the nuclear hormone receptor which plays a crucial role in cell proliferation and death and the efficacy of PPARγ ligands either as monotherapy or in combination with traditional chemotherapy drugs has been proved by recent studies. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of pioglitazone, a well-known PPARγ stimulator, in ALL-derived NALM6 cells by using trypan blue assay, MTT assay, and flow cytometry analysis. Moreover, to investigate the molecular mechanism action of pioglitazone in these cells, we assessed the possible alterations in the expression of some target genes which regulate cell proliferation, apoptosis, and autophagy system. Our result demonstrated that pioglitazone induced a remarkable antileukemic effect on NALM6 cells through a PTEN-mediated manner. Based on the fact that PI3K hyperactivation is one of the main properties of ALL cells, the effects of PI3K inhibition using CAL-101 on pioglitazone-induced cytotoxicity were evaluated by combinatorial experiments. Moreover, the result of cell cycle assay and qRT-PCR demonstrated that pioglitazone-CAL-101 induced antileukemic effect mainly through induction of p21 and p27-mediated G1 arrest. Additionally, our result showed that inhibition of proteasome and autophagy system, two main cellular processes, increased the antileukemic effects of the agents. Taken together, we suggest a novel therapeutic application for PPARγ stimulators as a single agent or in combination with PI3K inhibitors that should be clinically evaluated in ALL patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yazdan Mokhtari
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir-Mohammad Yousefi
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Davood Bashash
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Mukherjee AG, Wanjari UR, Gopalakrishnan AV, Bradu P, Biswas A, Ganesan R, Renu K, Dey A, Vellingiri B, El Allali A, Alsamman AM, Zayed H, George Priya Doss C. Evolving strategies and application of proteins and peptide therapeutics in cancer treatment. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 163:114832. [PMID: 37150032 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114832] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Several proteins and peptides have therapeutic potential and can be used for cancer therapy. By binding to cell surface receptors and other indicators uniquely linked with or overexpressed on tumors compared to healthy tissue, protein biologics enhance the active targeting of cancer cells, as opposed to the passive targeting of cells by conventional small-molecule chemotherapeutics. This study focuses on peptide medications that exist to slow or stop tumor growth and the spread of cancer, demonstrating the therapeutic potential of peptides in cancer treatment. As an alternative to standard chemotherapy, peptides that selectively kill cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue are developing. A mountain of clinical evidence supports the efficacy of peptide-based cancer vaccines. Since a single treatment technique may not be sufficient to produce favourable results in the fight against cancer, combination therapy is emerging as an effective option to generate synergistic benefits. One example of this new area is the use of anticancer peptides in combination with nonpeptidic cytotoxic drugs or the combination of immunotherapy with conventional therapies like radiation and chemotherapy. This review focuses on the different natural and synthetic peptides obtained and researched. Discoveries, manufacture, and modifications of peptide drugs, as well as their contemporary applications, are summarized in this review. We also discuss the benefits and difficulties of potential advances in therapeutic peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anirban Goutam Mukherjee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore 632014, India
| | - Uddesh Ramesh Wanjari
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore 632014, India
| | - Abilash Valsala Gopalakrishnan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore 632014, India.
| | - Pragya Bradu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore 632014, India
| | - Antara Biswas
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore 632014, India
| | - Raja Ganesan
- Institute for Liver and Digestive Diseases, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, South Korea
| | - Kaviyarasi Renu
- Centre of Molecular Medicine and Diagnostics (COMManD), Department of Biochemistry, Saveetha Dental College & Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai 600077 Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Abhijit Dey
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, Kolkata, West Bengal 700073, India
| | - Balachandar Vellingiri
- Stem cell and Regenerative Medicine/Translational Research, Department of Zoology, School of Basic Sciences, Central University of Punjab (CUPB), Bathinda 151401, Punjab, India
| | - Achraf El Allali
- African Genome Center, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Ben Guerir, Morocco.
| | - Alsamman M Alsamman
- Department of Genome Mapping, Molecular Genetics, and Genome Mapping Laboratory, Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute, Giza, Egypt
| | - Hatem Zayed
- Department of Biomedical Sciences College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - C George Priya Doss
- Department of Integrative Biology, School of BioSciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
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Lin J, Wu X. Halofuginone inhibits cell proliferation and AKT/mTORC1 signaling in uterine leiomyoma cells. Growth Factors 2022; 40:212-220. [PMID: 36001478 DOI: 10.1080/08977194.2022.2113394] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The present study aimed to explore the effects of antifibrotic agent halofuginone on uterine leiomyomas (ULs) cells. The survival of the uterine smooth muscle (UtSMC) cells and UL ELT3 cells were measured. Flow cytometry was used to assess the cell cycle distribution and apoptosis. Effects of halofuginone on the state of AKT/mTOR pathway were evaluated. Xenograft animal model was applied to explore the effects of halofuginone in vivo. Halofuginone inhibited the proliferation of ELT3 cells dose-dependently without obvious influence on UtSMC cells. Halofuginone suppressed cell cycle progression and promoted apoptosis of ELT3 cells dose-dependently. Also, p-AKT/AKT and p-p70S6/p70S6 were significantly lowered after treatment with 20 nM halofuginone. Additionally, halofuginone reduced ELT3 tumor growth in xenograft tumor animal model. The present study illustrates that halofuginone inhibits cell proliferation of ULs with low side effects on normal smooth muscle cells, and AKT/mTOR signaling pathway was inactivated meanwhile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Lin
- Department of Gynecology, Longyan People Hospital, Longyan, Fujian Province, China
| | - Xiaochun Wu
- Department of Gynecology, Longyan People Hospital, Longyan, Fujian Province, China
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11
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Javid H, Hashemian P, Yazdani S, Sharbaf Mashhad A, Karimi-Shahri M. The role of heat shock proteins in metastatic colorectal cancer: A review. J Cell Biochem 2022; 123:1704-1735. [PMID: 36063530 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a large molecular chaperone family classified by their molecular weights, including HSP27, HSP40, HSP60, HSP70, HSP90, and HSP110. HSPs are likely to have antiapoptotic properties and participate actively in various processes such as tumor cell proliferation, invasion, metastases, and death. In this review, we discuss comprehensively the functions of HSPs associated with the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) and metastasis and resistance to cancer therapy. Taken together, HSPs have numerous clinical applications as biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis and potential therapeutic targets for CRC and its related metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Javid
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Varastegan Institute for Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Pedram Hashemian
- Jahad Daneshgahi Research Committee, Jahad Daneshgahi Institute, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Shaghayegh Yazdani
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
| | - Alireza Sharbaf Mashhad
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mehdi Karimi-Shahri
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran
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12
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Momen Razmgah M, Ghahremanloo A, Javid H, AlAlikhan A, Afshari AR, Hashemy SI. The effect of substance P and its specific antagonist (aprepitant) on the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, VEGF, and VEGFR in ovarian cancer cells. Mol Biol Rep 2022; 49:9307-9314. [PMID: 35960409 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-07771-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Substance P (SP) has a crucial role in cancer initiation and progression via binding to its specific receptor (NK1R). Various evidence confirmed the overexpression of NK1R and SP in the tissue of multiple cancers, including ovarian cancer. Despite numerous studies, the mechanism of the SP/NK1R system on migration and angiogenesis of ovarian cancer cells has not yet been deciphered. In this study, considering the critical factors in cell migration (MMP-2, MMP-9) and angiogenesis (VEGF, VEGFR), we investigated the possible mechanism of this system in inducing migration and angiogenesis of ovarian cancer cells. METHODS AND RESULTS First, the resazurin assay was conducted to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of aprepitant (NK1R antagonist) on the viability of A2780 ovarian cancer cells. After that, the impact of this system and aprepitant on the mRNA expression of the factors mentioned above were studied using RT-PCR. Besides, the scratch assay was performed to confirm the effect of the SP/NK-1R system and aprepitant on cell migration. Our results implied that this system induced cell migration and angiogenesis by increasing the mRNA expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, VEGF, and VEGFR. The obtained results from the scratch assay also confirmed the positive effect of this system on cell migration. Meanwhile, the blocking of NK1R by aprepitant suppresses the SP effects on cell migration and angiogenesis. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the SP/NK1R system plays a vital role in ovarian cancer progression, and the inhibition of NK1Rusing aprepitant could inhibit the spread of ovarian cancer cells through metastasis and angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Momen Razmgah
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Atefeh Ghahremanloo
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Hossein Javid
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Varastegan Institute for Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Abbas AlAlikhan
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Amir-R Afshari
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran
| | - Seyed Isaac Hashemy
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. .,Surgical Oncology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. .,Department of Clinical Biochemistry Surgical Oncology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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13
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Li M, Zhong X, Xu WT. Substance P promotes the progression of bronchial asthma through activating the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway mediated cellular inflammation and pyroptotic cell death in bronchial epithelial cells. Cell Cycle 2022; 21:2179-2191. [PMID: 35726575 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2022.2092166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing three (NLRP3) inflammasome-mediated pyroptotic cell death and inflammation contribute to the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma, and it is reported that Substance P (SP) plays important role in the process, however, the detailed molecular mechanisms by which SP participates in the aggravation of bronchial asthma have not been fully studied. Here, our clinical data showed that SP and its receptor Neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R) were significantly elevated in the plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) collected from patients with bronchial asthma, and further pre-clinical experiments evidenced that SP suppressed cell viability, accelerated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, and upregulated ASC, Caspase-1, NLRP3, IL-1β and IL-18 to promote pyroptotic cell death and cellular inflammation in the human bronchial epithelial cells and asthmatic mice models in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, SP-induced pyroptotic cell death was reversed by NK1R inhibitor L732138. Then, we uncovered the underlying mechanisms, and found that SP activated the downstream PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signal pathway in a NK1R-dependent manner, and blockage of this pathway by both PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) and NF-κB inhibitor (MG132) reversed SP-induced pyroptotic cell death and recovered cell viability in bronchial epithelial cells. Collectively, we concluded that SP interacted with its receptor NK1R to activate the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway, which further triggered NLRP3-mediated pyroptotic cell death in the bronchial epithelial cells, resulting in the aggravation of bronchial asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Xiao Zhong
- Department of Pediatrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Wen-Ting Xu
- Department of Pediatrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
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14
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Vazirian F, Samadi S, Rahimi H, Sadeghi M, Mohammadpour AH. Aprepitant, fosaprepitant and risk of ifosfamide-induced neurotoxicity: a systematic review. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2022; 90:1-6. [DOI: 10.1007/s00280-022-04439-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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15
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García-Aranda M, Téllez T, McKenna L, Redondo M. Neurokinin-1 Receptor (NK-1R) Antagonists as a New Strategy to Overcome Cancer Resistance. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14092255. [PMID: 35565383 PMCID: PMC9102068 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14092255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, the identification of new therapeutic targets that allow for the development of treatments, which as monotherapy, or in combination with other existing treatments can contribute to improve response rates, prognosis and survival of oncologic patients, is a priority to optimize healthcare within sustainable health systems. Recent studies have demonstrated the role of Substance P (SP) and its preferred receptor, Neurokinin 1 Receptor (NK-1R), in human cancer and the potential antitumor activity of NK-1R antagonists as an anticancer treatment. In this review, we outline the relevant studies published to date regarding the SP/NK-1R complex as a key player in human cancer and also evaluate if the repurposing of already marketed NK-1R antagonists may be useful in the development of new treatment strategies to overcome cancer resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilina García-Aranda
- Research and Innovation Unit, Hospital Costa del Sol, Autovía A-7, km 187, 29603 Marbella, Spain; (M.G.-A.); (L.M.)
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), C/Dr. Miguel Díaz Recio, 28, 29010 Málaga, Spain
- Red de Investigación en Servicios de Salud en Enfermedades Crónicas (REDISSEC) and Red de Investigación en Cronicidad, Atención Primaria y Promoción de la Salud (RICAPPS), Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), 29010 Málaga, Spain;
- Surgical Specialties, Biochemistry and Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain
| | - Teresa Téllez
- Red de Investigación en Servicios de Salud en Enfermedades Crónicas (REDISSEC) and Red de Investigación en Cronicidad, Atención Primaria y Promoción de la Salud (RICAPPS), Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), 29010 Málaga, Spain;
- Surgical Specialties, Biochemistry and Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain
| | - Lauraine McKenna
- Research and Innovation Unit, Hospital Costa del Sol, Autovía A-7, km 187, 29603 Marbella, Spain; (M.G.-A.); (L.M.)
| | - Maximino Redondo
- Research and Innovation Unit, Hospital Costa del Sol, Autovía A-7, km 187, 29603 Marbella, Spain; (M.G.-A.); (L.M.)
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), C/Dr. Miguel Díaz Recio, 28, 29010 Málaga, Spain
- Red de Investigación en Servicios de Salud en Enfermedades Crónicas (REDISSEC) and Red de Investigación en Cronicidad, Atención Primaria y Promoción de la Salud (RICAPPS), Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), 29010 Málaga, Spain;
- Surgical Specialties, Biochemistry and Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain
- Correspondence:
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16
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Golestaneh M, Firoozrai M, Javid H, Hashemy SI. The substance P/ neurokinin-1 receptor signaling pathway mediates metastasis in human colorectal SW480 cancer cells. Mol Biol Rep 2022; 49:4893-4900. [DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-07348-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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17
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Javid H, Ghahremanloo A, Afshari AR, Salek R, Hashemy SI. The Emerging Role of Neurokinin-1 Receptor Blockade Using Aprepitant in the Redox System of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Int J Pept Res Ther 2022; 28. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-022-10399-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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18
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Rezaei S, Assaran Darban R, Javid H, Hashemy SI, Muñoz M. The Therapeutic Potential of Aprepitant in Glioblastoma Cancer Cells through Redox Modification. BioMed Research International 2022; 2022:1-8. [PMID: 35281606 PMCID: PMC8913111 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8540403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Although there is no doubt regarding the involvement of oxidative stress in the development of glioblastoma, many questions remained unanswered about signaling cascades that regulate the redox status. Given the importance of the substance P (SP)/neurokinin 1 receptor (NK1R) system in different cancers, it was of particular interest to evaluate whether the stimulation of this cascade in glioblastoma-derived U87 cells is associated with the induction of oxidative stress. Our results showed that SP-mediated activation of NK1R not only increased the intracellular levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) but also reduced the concentration of thiol in U87 cells. We also found that upon SP addition, there was a significant reduction in the cells' total antioxidant capacity (TAC), revealing that the SP/NK1R axis may be involved in the regulation of oxidative stress in glioblastoma cells. The significant role of SP/NK1R in triggering oxidative stress in glioblastoma has become more evident when we found that the abrogation of the axis using aprepitant reduced cell survival, probably through exerting antioxidant effects. The results showed that both MDA and ROS concentrations were significantly reduced in the presence of aprepitant, and the number of antioxidant components of the redox system increased. Overall, these findings suggest that aprepitant might exert its anticancer effect on U87 cells through shifting the balance of oxidant and antioxidant components of the redox system.
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19
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Yang Y, Zhou W, Xu X, Ge X, Wang F, Zhang GQ, Miao L, Deng X. Aprepitant Inhibits JNK and p38/MAPK to Attenuate Inflammation and Suppresses Inflammatory Pain. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:811584. [PMID: 35087409 PMCID: PMC8786910 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.811584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Substance P contributes to the pathogenesis of pain by acting on NK-1R, specialized sensory neurons that detect noxious stimuli. Aprepitant, an antagonist of NK-1R, is widely used to treat chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. In this study, we used LPS-stimulated BV-2 microglia cell line and animal models of inflammatory pain to explore the analgesic effect of aprepitant on inflammatory pain and its underlying mechanism. The excitability of DRG neurons were measured using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings. The behavioral tests were measured and the morphological changes on inflamed paw sections were determined by HE staining. Changes in the expressions of cytokine were measured by using real-time quantitative PCR analysis and ELISA method. Immunofluorescence and western blotting were used to detect the microglia activation and MAPK. Aprepitant treatment significantly inhibited the excitability of DRG neurons. The pain behavior and the paw tissues inflammatory damage were significantly relived after the administration of aprepitant compared to formalin group. Aprepitant significantly suppressed the activation of microglia, phosphorylation of JNK and p38 MAPK, as well as the mRNA and protein expressions of MCP-1, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, in vivo and in vitro. The LPS-induced over-translocation into nucleus of NF-κBp65 was down-regulated following aprepitant treatment in BV-2 cells. The present study suggests that aprepitant attenuates inflammatory pain in mice via suppressing the phosphorylation of JNK and p38, and inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- Medical Center for Digestive Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei Zhou
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiuqi Xu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xianxiu Ge
- Medical Center for Digestive Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Medical Center for Digestive Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Guang-Qin Zhang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lin Miao
- Medical Center for Digestive Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xueting Deng
- Medical Center for Digestive Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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20
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Sanati M, Aminyavari S, Mollazadeh H, Bibak B, Mohtashami E, Afshari AR. How do phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors affect cancer? A focus on glioblastoma multiforme. Pharmacol Rep 2022; 74:323-339. [PMID: 35050491 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-021-00349-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Since the discovery of phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) enzyme overexpression in the central nervous system (CNS) malignancies, investigations have explored the potential capacity of current PDE5 inhibitor drugs for repositioning in the treatment of brain tumors, notably glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). It has now been recognized that these drugs increase brain tumors permeability and enhance standard chemotherapeutics effectiveness. More importantly, studies have highlighted the promising antitumor functions of PDE5 inhibitors, e.g., triggering apoptosis, suppressing tumor cell growth and invasion, and reversing tumor microenvironment (TME) immunosuppression in the brain. However, contradictory reports have suggested a pro-oncogenic role for neuronal cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), indicating the beneficial function of PDE5 in the brain of GBM patients. Unfortunately, due to the inconsistent preclinical findings, only a few clinical trials are evaluating the therapeutic value of PDE5 inhibitors in GBM treatment. Accordingly, additional studies should be conducted to shed light on the precise effect of PDE5 inhibitors in GBM biology regarding the existing molecular heterogeneities among individuals. Here, we highlighted and discussed the previously investigated mechanisms underlying the impacts of PDE5 inhibitors in cancers, focusing on GBM to provide an overview of current knowledge necessary for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Sanati
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Samaneh Aminyavari
- Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Mollazadeh
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran
| | - Bahram Bibak
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran
| | - Elmira Mohtashami
- Pharmacological Research Center of Medicinal Plants, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Amir R Afshari
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran.
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Mehrabani N, Vaezi Kakhki MR, Javid H, Ebrahimi S, Hashemy SI. The SP/NK1R System-Mediated ROS Generation in GBM Cells through Inhibiting Glutaredoxin Protein. Neurol Res Int 2021; 2021:9966000. [PMID: 34917417 DOI: 10.1155/2021/9966000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Altered redox balance is among the main contributing factors developing glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a highly aggressive grade IV brain tumor. Neuropeptide substance P (SP) plays a key role in modifying the cellular redox environment by activating the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R). In this study, we aimed to investigate the redox-modulating properties of both SP and a commercially available NK1R antagonist, aprepitant in GBM cells. To detect the effect of aprepitant on the viability of U87 glioblastoma cells, resazurin assay was applied. The level of intracellular ROS was assessed using 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (H2DCFDA) assay. The expression of glutaredoxin, a well-known redox-active protein, was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Concurrently, the activity of glutaredoxin was also analyzed by a commercial kit (ZellBio GmbH). We found that SP increased the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in U87 GBM cells, and aprepitant remarkably decreased this effect. We also explored the effects of SP/NK1R signaling on the glutaredoxin system as a major cellular redox buffer in GBM cells. SP reduced both expression and enzymatic activity of glutaredoxin, and these effects were significantly decreased by aprepitant. In conclusion, our results suggest a possible involvement of SP/NK1R signaling in GBM pathogenesis through oxidative stress and offering new insight for the application of aprepitant as a redox-modulating strategy in GBM patients.
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