1
|
Zhang W, Bhagwath AS, Ramzan Z, Williams TA, Subramaniyan I, Edpuganti V, Kallem RR, Dunbar KB, Ding P, Gong K, Geurkink SA, Beg MS, Kim J, Zhang Q, Habib AA, Choi SH, Lapsiwala R, Bhagwath G, Dowell JE, Melton SD, Jie C, Putnam WC, Pham TH, Wang DH. Itraconazole Exerts Its Antitumor Effect in Esophageal Cancer By Suppressing the HER2/AKT Signaling Pathway. Mol Cancer Ther 2021; 20:1904-1915. [PMID: 34376577 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-20-0638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Itraconazole, an FDA-approved antifungal, has antitumor activity against a variety of cancers. We sought to determine the effects of itraconazole on esophageal cancer and elucidate its mechanism of action. Itraconazole inhibited cell proliferation and induced G1-phase cell-cycle arrest in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma cell lines. Using an unbiased kinase array, we found that itraconazole downregulated protein kinase AKT phosphorylation in OE33 esophageal adenocarcinoma cells. Itraconazole also decreased phosphorylation of downstream ribosomal protein S6, transcriptional expression of the upstream receptor tyrosine kinase HER2, and phosphorylation of upstream PI3K in esophageal cancer cells. Lapatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets HER2, and siRNA-mediated knockdown of HER2 similarly suppressed cancer cell growth in vitro. Itraconazole significantly inhibited growth of OE33-derived flank xenografts in mice with detectable levels of itraconazole and its primary metabolite, hydroxyitraconazole, in esophagi and tumors. HER2 total protein and phosphorylation of AKT and S6 proteins were decreased in xenografts from itraconazole-treated mice compared to xenografts from placebo-treated mice. In an early phase I clinical trial (NCT02749513) in patients with esophageal cancer, itraconazole decreased HER2 total protein expression and phosphorylation of AKT and S6 proteins in tumors. These data demonstrate that itraconazole has potent antitumor properties in esophageal cancer, partially through blockade of HER2/AKT signaling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- Esophageal Diseases Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Ankur S Bhagwath
- Esophageal Diseases Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, Texas
| | - Zeeshan Ramzan
- Esophageal Diseases Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, Texas.,Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,Department of Internal Medicine, TCU and University of North Texas Health Science Center School of Medicine and Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital, Fort Worth, Texas
| | - Taylor A Williams
- Esophageal Diseases Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Indhumathy Subramaniyan
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Dallas, Texas.,Clinical Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Center, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Vindhya Edpuganti
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Dallas, Texas.,Clinical Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Center, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Raja Reddy Kallem
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Dallas, Texas.,Clinical Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Center, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Kerry B Dunbar
- Esophageal Diseases Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, Texas.,Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Peiguo Ding
- Esophageal Diseases Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Ke Gong
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Samuel A Geurkink
- Department of Internal Medicine, Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Muhammad S Beg
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - James Kim
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Qiuyang Zhang
- Department of Medicine, Center for Esophageal Diseases, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Amyn A Habib
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, Texas.,Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Sung-Hee Choi
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, Texas
| | - Ritu Lapsiwala
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, Texas
| | - Gayathri Bhagwath
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, Texas
| | - Jonathan E Dowell
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, Texas
| | - Shelby D Melton
- Esophageal Diseases Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, Texas.,Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Chunfa Jie
- Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Des Moines University, Des Moines, Iowa
| | - William C Putnam
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Dallas, Texas.,Clinical Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Center, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Dallas, Texas.,Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Thai H Pham
- Esophageal Diseases Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, Texas.,Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - David H Wang
- Esophageal Diseases Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas. .,Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, Texas
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Zhang W, Williams TA, Bhagwath AS, Hiermann JS, Peacock CD, Watkins DN, Ding P, Park JY, Montgomery EA, Forastiere AA, Jie C, Cantarel BL, Pham TH, Wang DH. GEAMP, a novel gastroesophageal junction carcinoma cell line derived from a malignant pleural effusion. J Transl Med 2020; 100:16-26. [PMID: 31292541 PMCID: PMC6920545 DOI: 10.1038/s41374-019-0278-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [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: 03/14/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer remains a clinically significant disease in Western countries due to its increasing incidence, which mirrors that of esophageal cancer, and poor prognosis. To develop novel and effective approaches for prevention, early detection, and treatment of patients with GEJ cancer, a better understanding of the mechanisms driving pathogenesis and malignant progression of this disease is required. These efforts have been limited by the small number of available cell lines and appropriate preclinical animal models for in vitro and in vivo studies. We have established and characterized a novel GEJ cancer cell line, GEAMP, derived from the malignant pleural effusion of a previously treated GEJ cancer patient. Comprehensive genetic analyses confirmed a clonal relationship between GEAMP cells and the primary tumor. Targeted next-generation sequencing identified 56 nonsynonymous alterations in 51 genes including TP53 and APC, which are commonly altered in GEJ cancer. In addition, multiple copy-number alterations were found including EGFR and K-RAS gene amplifications and loss of CDKN2A and CDKN2B. Histological examination of subcutaneous flank xenografts in nude and NOD-SCID mice showed a carcinoma with mixed squamous and glandular differentiation, suggesting GEAMP cells contain a subpopulation with multipotent potential. Finally, pharmacologic inhibition of the EGFR signaling pathway led to downregulation of key downstream kinases and inhibition of cell proliferation in vitro. Thus, GEAMP represents a valuable addition to the limited number of bona fide GEJ cancer cell lines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- Esophageal Diseases Center and Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine and the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Taylor A. Williams
- Esophageal Diseases Center and Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine and the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ankur S. Bhagwath
- Esophageal Diseases Center and Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine and the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jared S. Hiermann
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Craig D. Peacock
- Translational Hematology and Oncology Research, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - D. Neil Watkins
- The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - Peiguo Ding
- Esophageal Diseases Center and Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine and the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jason Y. Park
- Department of Pathology and the Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Montgomery
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Pathology, Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Arlene A. Forastiere
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Chunfa Jie
- Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Des Moines University, Des Moines, IA, USA
| | - Brandi L. Cantarel
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Thai H. Pham
- Esophageal Diseases Center and Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA,VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - David H. Wang
- Esophageal Diseases Center and Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine and the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA,VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|