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Mehta H, Ambele MA, Mokgautsi N, Moela P. Probing the Effects of Retinoblastoma Binding Protein 6 (RBBP6) Knockdown on the Sensitivity of Cisplatin in Cervical Cancer Cells. Cells 2024; 13:700. [PMID: 38667315 DOI: 10.3390/cells13080700] [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: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer is a major cause of death in women despite the advancement of current treatment modalities. The conventional therapeutic agent, cisplatin (CCDP), is the standard treatment for CC; however, resistance often develops due to the cancer's heterogeneity. Therefore, a detailed elucidation of the specific molecular mechanisms driving CC is crucial for the development of targeted therapeutic strategies. Retinoblastoma binding protein 6 (RBBP6) is a potential biomarker associated with cell proliferation and is upregulated in cervical cancer sites, exhibiting apoptosis and dysregulated p53 expression. Furthermore, RBBP6 has been demonstrated to sensitize cancer cells to radiation and certain chemotherapeutic agents by regulating the Bcl-2 gene, thus suggesting a crosstalk among RBBP6/p53/BCL-2 oncogenic signatures. The present study, therefore, investigated the relationship between cisplatin and RBBP6 expression in CC cells. Herein, we first explored bioinformatics simulations and identified that the RBBP6/p53/BCL-2 signaling pathway is overexpressed and correlated with CC. For further analysis, we explored the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC) and found that most of the CC cell lines are sensitive to CCDP. To validate these findings, RBBP6 was silenced in HeLa and Vero cells using RNAi technology, followed by measurement of wild-type p53 and Bcl-2 at the mRNA level using qPCR. Cells co-treated with cisplatin and siRBBP6 were subsequently analyzed for apoptosis induction and real-time growth monitoring using flow cytometry and the xCELLigence system, respectively. Cancer cells in the co-treatment group showed a reduction in apoptosis compared to the cisplatin-treated group. Moreover, the real-time growth monitoring revealed a reduced growth rate in RBBP6 knockdown cells treated with cisplatin. Although wild-type p53 remained unchanged in the co-treatment group of cancer cells, Bcl-2 was completely repressed, suggesting that RBBP6 is necessary for sensitizing cervical cancer cells to cisplatin treatment by downregulating Bcl-2. The Vero cell population, which served as a non-cancerous control cell line in this study, remained viable following treatment with both siRBBP6 and cisplatin. Findings from this study suggest that RBBP6 expression promotes cisplatin sensitivity in HeLa cells through Bcl-2 downregulation. Knockdown of RBBP6 limits apoptosis induction and delays cell growth inhibition in response to cisplatin. The knowledge obtained here has the potential to help improve cisplatin efficacy through personalized administration based on the expression profile of RBBP6 among individual patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harshini Mehta
- Division of Genetics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Melvin Anyasi Ambele
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Department of Immunology and SAMRC Extramural Unit for Stem Cell Research and Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
| | - Ntlotlang Mokgautsi
- Division of Genetics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Pontsho Moela
- Division of Genetics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
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Shih JW, Wu ATH, Mokgautsi N, Wei PL, Huang YJ. Preclinical Repurposing of Sitagliptin as a Drug Candidate for Colorectal Cancer by Targeting CD24/ CTNNB1/ SOX4-Centered Signaling Hub. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:609. [PMID: 38203779 PMCID: PMC10778938 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010609] [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: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite significant advances in treatment modalities, colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a poorly understood and highly lethal malignancy worldwide. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) and the tumor microenvironment (TME) have been shown to play critical roles in initiating and promoting CRC progression, metastasis, and treatment resistance. Therefore, a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms contributing to the generation and maintenance of CSCs is crucial to developing CSC-specific therapeutics and improving the current standard of care for CRC patients. To this end, we used a bioinformatics approach to identify increased CD24/SOX4 expression in CRC samples associated with poor prognosis. We also discovered a novel population of tumor-infiltrating CD24+ cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), suggesting that the CD24/SOX4-centered signaling hub could be a potential therapeutic target. Pathway networking analysis revealed a connection between the CD24/SOX4-centered signaling, β-catenin, and DPP4. Emerging evidence indicates that DPP4 plays a role in CRC initiation and progression, implicating its involvement in generating CSCs. Based on these bioinformatics data, we investigated whether sitagliptin, a DPP4 inhibitor and diabetic drug, could be repurposed to inhibit colon CSCs. Using a molecular docking approach, we demonstrated that sitagliptin targeted CD24/SOX4-centered signaling molecules with high affinity. In vitro experimental data showed that sitagliptin treatment suppressed CRC tumorigenic properties and worked in synergy with 5FU and this study thus provided preclinical evidence to support the alternative use of sitagliptin for treating CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Wen Shih
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; (J.-W.S.); (N.M.)
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- The Ph.D. Program for Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan;
| | - Alexander T. H. Wu
- The Ph.D. Program for Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan;
- International Ph.D. Program for Translational Science, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Clinical Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan
| | - Ntlotlang Mokgautsi
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; (J.-W.S.); (N.M.)
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Po-Li Wei
- Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan;
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Yan-Jiun Huang
- Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan;
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
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Chinyama HA, Wei L, Mokgautsi N, Lawal B, Wu ATH, Huang HS. Identification of CDK1, PBK, and CHEK1 as an Oncogenic Signature in Glioblastoma: A Bioinformatics Approach to Repurpose Dapagliflozin as a Therapeutic Agent. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16396. [PMID: 38003585 PMCID: PMC10671581 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216396] [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: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive and lethal primary brain tumor whose median survival is less than 15 months. The current treatment regimen comprising surgical resectioning, chemotherapy with Temozolomide (TMZ), and adjuvant radiotherapy does not achieve total patient cure. Stem cells' presence and GBM tumor heterogeneity increase their resistance to TMZ, hence the poor overall survival of patients. A dysregulated cell cycle in glioblastoma enhances the rapid progression of GBM by evading senescence or apoptosis through an over-expression of cyclin-dependent kinases and other protein kinases that are the cell cycle's main regulatory proteins. Herein, we identified and validated the biomarker and predictive properties of a chemoradio-resistant oncogenic signature in GBM comprising CDK1, PBK, and CHEK1 through our comprehensive in silico analysis. We found that CDK1/PBK/CHEK1 overexpression drives the cell cycle, subsequently promoting GBM tumor progression. In addition, our Kaplan-Meier survival estimates validated the poor patient survival associated with an overexpression of these genes in GBM. We used in silico molecular docking to analyze and validate our objective to repurpose Dapagliflozin against CDK1/PBK/CHEK1. Our results showed that Dapagliflozin forms putative conventional hydrogen bonds with CDK1, PBK, and CHEK1 and arrests the cell cycle with the lowest energies as Abemaciclib.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harold A. Chinyama
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan;
| | - Li Wei
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, No.111, Sec. 3, Xinglong Rd., Taipei 11696, Taiwan;
- Taipei Neuroscience Institute, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Injury Prevention and Control, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Ntlotlang Mokgautsi
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan;
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Bashir Lawal
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA;
| | - Alexander T. H. Wu
- PhD Program of Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Clinical Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan
| | - Hsu-Shan Huang
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan;
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- School of Pharmacy, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan
- PhD Program in Drug Discovery and Development Industry, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
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Chen LC, Mokgautsi N, Kuo YC, Wu ATH, Huang HS. In Silico Evaluation of HN-N07 Small Molecule as an Inhibitor of Angiogenesis and Lymphangiogenesis Oncogenic Signatures in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2011. [PMID: 37509650 PMCID: PMC10376976 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11072011] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis pathways have been identified as important therapeutic targets in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Bevacizumab, which is a monoclonal antibody, was the initial inhibitor of angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis that received approval for use in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in combination with chemotherapy. Despite its usage, patients may still develop resistance to the treatment, which can be attributed to various histological subtypes and the initiation of treatment at advanced stages of cancer. Due to their better specificity, selectivity, and safety compared to chemotherapy, small molecules have been approved for treating advanced NSCLC. Based on the development of multiple small-molecule antiangiogenic drugs either in house and abroad or in other laboratories to treat NSCLC, we used a quinoline-derived small molecule-HN-N07-as a potential target drug for NSCLC. Accordingly, we used computational simulation tools and evaluated the drug-likeness properties of HN-N07. Moreover, we identified target genes, resulting in the discovery of the target BIRC5/HIF1A/FLT4 pro-angiogenic genes. Furthermore, we used in silico molecular docking analysis to determine whether HN-N07 could potentially inhibit BIRC5/HIF1A/FLT4. Interestingly, the results of docking HN-N07 with the BIRC5, FLT4, and HIF1A oncogenes revealed unique binding affinities, which were significantly higher than those of standard inhibitors. In summary, these results indicate that HN-N07 shows promise as a potential inhibitor of oncogenic signaling pathways in NSCLC. Ongoing studies that involve in vitro experiments and in vivo investigations using tumor-bearing mice are in progress, aiming to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of the HN-N07 small molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lung-Ching Chen
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei 11101, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei 24205, Taiwan
| | - Ntlotlang Mokgautsi
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Cheng Kuo
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- School of Post-Baccalaureate Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Alexander T H Wu
- The PhD Program of Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Clinical Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan
| | - Hsu-Shan Huang
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan
- School of Pharmacy, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan
- PhD Program in Drug Discovery and Development Industry, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
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Mokgautsi N, Kuo YC, Huang YJ, Chen CH, Mukhopadhyay D, Wu ATH, Huang HS. Preclinical Evaluation of a Novel Small Molecule LCC-21 to Suppress Colorectal Cancer Malignancy by Inhibiting Angiogenic and Metastatic Signatures. Cells 2023; 12:cells12020266. [PMID: 36672201 PMCID: PMC9856425 DOI: 10.3390/cells12020266] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers, and it frequently metastasizes to the liver and lymph nodes. Despite major advances in treatment modalities, CRC remains a poorly characterized biological malignancy, with high reported cases of deaths globally. Moreover, cancer stem cells (CSCs) and their microenvironment have been widely shown to promote colon cancer development, progression, and metastasis. Therefore, an understanding of the underlying mechanisms that contribute to the maintenance of CSCs and their markers in CRC is crucial in efforts to treat cancer metastasis and develop specific therapeutic targets for augmenting current standard treatments. Herein, we applied computational simulations using bioinformatics to identify potential theranostic markers for CRC. We identified the overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor-α (VEGFA)/β-catenin/matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-7/Cluster of Differentiation 44 (CD44) in CRC to be associated with cancer progression, stemness, resistance to therapy, metastasis, and poor clinical outcomes. To further investigate, we explored in silico molecular docking, which revealed potential inhibitory activities of LCC-21 as a potential multitarget small molecule for VEGF-A/CTNNB1/MMP7/CD44 oncogenic signatures, with the highest binding affinities displayed. We validated these finding in vitro and demonstrated that LCC-21 inhibited colony and sphere formation, migration, and invasion, and these results were further confirmed by a Western blot analysis in HCT116 and DLD-1 cells. Thus, the inhibitory effects of LCC-21 on these angiogenic and onco-immunogenic signatures could be of translational relevance as potential CRC biomarkers for early diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ntlotlang Mokgautsi
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Cheng Kuo
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- School of Post-Baccalaureate Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Yan-Jiun Huang
- Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Hsin Chen
- Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, WanFang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, No. 111 Sec. 3 Xinglong Rd., Wenshan Dist., Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | | | - Alexander T. H. Wu
- TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- The Ph.D. Program of Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Clinical Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (A.T.H.W.); (H.-S.H.); Tel.: +886-2-2697-2035 (ext. 112) (A.T.H.W.); +886-2-6638-2736 (ext. 1377) (H.-S.H.)
| | - Hsu-Shan Huang
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- School of Pharmacy, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Ph.D. Program in Biotechnology Research and Development, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (A.T.H.W.); (H.-S.H.); Tel.: +886-2-2697-2035 (ext. 112) (A.T.H.W.); +886-2-6638-2736 (ext. 1377) (H.-S.H.)
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Chen YF, Lawal B, Huang LJ, Kuo SC, Sumitra MR, Mokgautsi N, Lin HY, Huang HS. In Vitro and In Silico Biological Studies of 4-Phenyl-2-quinolone (4-PQ) Derivatives as Anticancer Agents. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28020555. [PMID: 36677621 PMCID: PMC9861105 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28020555] [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] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Our previous study found that 2-phenyl-4-quinolone (2-PQ) derivatives are antimitotic agents, and we adopted the drug design concept of scaffold hopping to replace the 2-aromatic ring of 2-PQs with a 4-aromatic ring, representing 4-phenyl-2-quinolones (4-PQs). The 4-PQ compounds, whose structural backbones also mimic analogs of podophyllotoxin (PPT), maybe a new class of anticancer drugs with simplified PPT structures. In addition, 4-PQs are a new generation of anticancer lead compounds as apoptosis stimulators. On the other hand, previous studies showed that 4-arylcoumarin derivatives with 5-, 6-, and 7-methoxy substitutions displayed remarkable anticancer activities. Therefore, we further synthesized a series of 5-, 6-, and 7-methoxy-substituted 4-PQ derivatives (19-32) by Knorr quinoline cyclization, and examined their anticancer effectiveness. Among these 4-PQs, compound 22 demonstrated excellent antiproliferative activities against the COLO205 cell line (50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) = 0.32 μM) and H460 cell line (IC50 = 0.89 μM). Furthermore, we utilized molecular docking studies to explain the possible anticancer mechanisms of these 4-PQs by the docking mode in the colchicine-binding pocket of the tubulin receptor. Consequently, we selected the candidate compounds 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 27, and 28 to predict their absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) profiles. Pharmacokinetics (PKs) indicated that these 4-PQs displayed good drug-likeness and bioavailability, and had no cardiotoxic side effects or carcinogenicity, but we detected risks of drug-drug interactions and AMES toxicity (mutagenic). However, structural modifications of these 4-PQs could improve their PK properties and reduce their side effects, and their promising anticancer activities attracted our attention for further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Fong Chen
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medicine, China Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Bashir Lawal
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Li-Jiau Huang
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medicine, China Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
- School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Chu Kuo
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medicine, China Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
- School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
- Chinese Medicinal Research and Development Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Maryam Rachmawati Sumitra
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Ntlotlang Mokgautsi
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Yun Lin
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Cancer Center, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Traditional Herbal Medicine Research Center of Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA
- Correspondence: (H.-Y.L.); (H.-S.H.); Tel.: +886-2-2736-1661 (H.-Y.L. & H.-S.H.)
| | - Hsu-Shan Huang
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan
- Ph.D. Program in Drug Discovery and Development Industry, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (H.-Y.L.); (H.-S.H.); Tel.: +886-2-2736-1661 (H.-Y.L. & H.-S.H.)
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Lin KC, Wu CC, Mokgautsi N, Lawal B, Wu CZ, Wu ATH, Shen YK, Liu MC. In silico repurposing of midostaurin as a therapeutic candidate for head and neck cancer via targeting SPARC/MMP9/CD44 Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs) oncogenic signature. Am J Cancer Res 2023; 13:1004-1025. [PMID: 37034220 PMCID: PMC10077027] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSCC) affects more than half a million individuals and ranks the ninth leading cause of death globally each year. Many patients develop treatment resistance leading to poor clinical outcomes. The poor treatment responses are in part due to the heterogeneity of HNSCC tumor and tumor microenvironment (TME). The interaction of tumor cells with their TME has been studied vigorously in recent years because of their pivotal roles in tumorigenesis and determining the treatment response. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the most abundant tumor-infiltrating cells, which have been shown to associate with the aggressive behavior of HNSCC. Hence, targeting and disrupting the tumor-CAFs interactions represents a rational therapeutic approach. To develop targeted therapeutic drugs against CAFs, the identification of CAF-associated gene signature is essential. Here, we analyzed multiple sequencing databases including microarrays and single-cell RNA-sequencing databases and identified SPARC/MMP9/CD44 as HNSCC targetable gene signatures encompassing cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). We found SPARC/MMP9CD44 signature was highly expressed in HNSC tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues. Increased SPARC/MMP9/CD44 signature levels strongly correlated with tumor-infiltrating CAFs, suggesting the functional importance of this signature for HNSCC-CAFs interaction and progression. Subsequently, we utilized a genomics approach and identified midostaurin as the top-ranking drug candidate for targeting SPARC/MMP9/CD44 signature. For validation, we performed molecular docking of midostaurin in complex with SPARC/MMP9/CD44 and demonstrated midostaurin's high binding affinities compared to their respective standard inhibitors. In summary, our study provided a rapid genomics approach for identifying targetable gene signature and drug candidate for HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuan-Chou Lin
- Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Dentistry, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Dentistry, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial HospitalTaipei, Taiwan
- School of Dentistry, College of Oral Medicine, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Che Wu
- Taipei Medical University, School of Medicine, Department of OtorhinolaryngologyTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Taipei Medical University, Wang Fang Hospital, Department of OtorhinolaryngologyTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Ntlotlang Mokgautsi
- Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia SinicaTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Bashir Lawal
- Department of Pathology, University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
| | - Ching-Zong Wu
- School of Dentistry, College of Oral Medicine, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Alexander TH Wu
- The PhD Program of Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Clinical Research Center, Taipei Medical University HospitalTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Kang Shen
- School of Dental Technology, College of oral Medicine, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Che Liu
- School of Dental Technology, College of oral Medicine, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Department of Urology, Taipei Medical University HospitalTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- TMU Research Center of Urology and Kidney, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031,Taiwan
- Clinical Research Center, Taipei Medical University HospitalTaipei 11031, Taiwan
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Lawal B, Kuo YC, Khedkar H, Mokgautsi N, Sumitra MR, Wu ATH, Huang HS. Deciphering the immuno-pathological role of FLT, and evaluation of a novel dual inhibitor of topoisomerases and mutant-FLT3 for treating leukemia. Am J Cancer Res 2022; 12:5140-5159. [PMID: 36504887 PMCID: PMC9729887] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a type of leukemia with an aggressive phenotype, that commonly occurs in adults and with disappointing treatment outcomes. Genetic alterations were implicated in the etiology of cancers and form the basis for defining patient prognoses and guiding targeted therapies. In the present study, we leveraged bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing datasets from AML patients to determine the clinical significance of Fms-related receptor tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) alterations on the T-cell phenotype and immune response of AML patients. Subsequently, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of Lwk-n019, a novel small-molecule derivative of thiochromeno[2,3-c]quinolin-12-one. Our results suggested that FLT3 plays an important role in the progression, aggressive phenotype, and worse immune response of patients. An FLT3 mutation was associated with dysfunctional T-cell phenotypes, and high risk and shorter survival of AML patients. Our findings further suggested that the aggressiveness of AML and the prognostic role of FLT3 are associated with the co-occurrence of NPM1 and DNMT3A mutations. Lwk-n019 demonstrated dose-dependent anticancer activities against various leukemia cancer cell lines. Lwk-n019 demonstrated highly selective kinase inhibitory activities against the wild-type FLT3 (D835V) and mutant FLT3 (internal tandem duplication (ITD), D835V) with >95% and 99% inhibitory levels, respectively. Moreover, the compound demonstrated the best binding constant (Kd value) of 0.77 µM against FLT3 (ITD, 835V). In addition, Lwk-n019 significantly inhibited the activities of both the topoisomerase I (TOPI) and TOPII enzymes, with higher TOPI inhibitory activity than camptothecin, a clinical inhibitor. While the jejunum, duodenum, cecum, and colon were prime sites of absorption, Lwk-n019 achieved maximum concentration (Cmax), Vd, blood/plasma ratio, time to maximum concentration (Tmax), area under the receiver operating concentration curve (AUC)(0-24), and AUC(0-∞) values of 0.665 µg/mL, 5.21 Vc, L/kg, 1.5 h, 6634.7, and 6909.2, respectively. In conclusion, Lwk-n019 demonstrated anticancer activities via multi-target inhibition of TOPs and kinases with high inhibition preference for mutant ITD-FLT3. The present pioneer study provides a basis for advanced optimization of drug potency, selectivity, specificity, and other properties desired of anticancer drug leads. Studies are ongoing to determine the full therapeutic properties of Lwk-n019 and the detailed mechanisms of FLT3 in TOP inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bashir Lawal
- Department of Pathology, University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA 15232, U.S.A,Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Cheng Kuo
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan,School of Post-baccalaureate Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical UniversityTaichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Harshita Khedkar
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan,PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia SinicaTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Ntlotlang Mokgautsi
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan,PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia SinicaTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Maryam Rachmawati Sumitra
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan,PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia SinicaTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Alexander TH Wu
- The PhD Program of Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan,Clinical Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan,TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Hsu-Shan Huang
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan,PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia SinicaTaipei 11031, Taiwan,Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical CenterTaipei 11490, Taiwan,School of Pharmacy, National Defense Medical CenterTaipei 11490, Taiwan,PhD Program in Drug Discovery and Development Industry, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
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Leung WH, Shih JW, Chen JS, Mokgautsi N, Wei PL, Huang YJ. Preclinical Identification of Sulfasalazine’s Therapeutic Potential for Suppressing Colorectal Cancer Stemness and Metastasis through Targeting KRAS/MMP7/CD44 Signaling. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10020377. [PMID: 35203586 PMCID: PMC8962339 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10020377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Approximately 25% of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients will develop metastatic (m)CRC despite treatment interventions. In this setting, tumor cells are attracted to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) oncogene. Kirsten rat sarcoma (RAS) 2 viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) mutations were reported to drive CRC by promoting cancer progression in activating Wnt/β-catenin and RAS/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathways. In addition, KRAS is associated with almost 40% of patients who acquire resistance to EGFR inhibitors in mCRC. Multiple studies have demonstrated that cancer stem cells (CSCs) promote tumorigenesis, tumor growth, and resistance to therapy. One of the most common CSC prognostic markers widely reported in CRC is a cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44), which regulates matrix metalloproteinases 7/9 (MMP7/9) to promote tumor progression and metastasis; however, the molecular role of CD44 in CRC is still unclear. In invasive CRC, overexpression of MMP7 was reported in tumor cells compared to normal cells and plays a crucial function in CRC cetuximab and oxaliplatin resistance and distant metastasis. Here, we utilized a bioinformatics analysis and identified overexpression of KRAS/MMP7/CD44 oncogenic signatures in CRC tumor tissues compared to normal tissues. In addition, a high incidence of mutations in KRAS and CD44 were associated with some of the top tumorigenic oncogene’s overexpression, which ultimately promoted a poor response to chemotherapy and resistance to some FDA-approved drugs. Based on these findings, we explored a computational approach to drug repurposing of the drug, sulfasalazine, and our in silico molecular docking revealed unique interactions of sulfasalazine with the KRAS/MMP7/CD44 oncogenes, resulting in high binding affinities compared to those of standard inhibitors. Our in vitro analysis demonstrated that sulfasalazine combined with cisplatin reduced cell viability, colony, and sphere formation in CRC cell lines. In addition, sulfasalazine alone and combined with cisplatin suppressed the expression of KRAS/MMP7/CD44 in DLD-1 and HCT116 cell lines. Thus, sulfasalazine is worthy of further investigation as an adjuvant agent for improving chemotherapeutic responses in CRC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wai-Hung Leung
- Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Mackay Memorial Hospital, No. 92, Sec. 2, Zhongshan N. Rd., Taipei 10449, Taiwan; (W.-H.L.); (J.-S.C.)
| | - Jing-Wen Shih
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; (J.-W.S.); (N.M.)
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Ph.D. Program for Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Jian-Syun Chen
- Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Mackay Memorial Hospital, No. 92, Sec. 2, Zhongshan N. Rd., Taipei 10449, Taiwan; (W.-H.L.); (J.-S.C.)
| | - Ntlotlang Mokgautsi
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; (J.-W.S.); (N.M.)
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Po-Li Wei
- Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan;
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Yan-Jiun Huang
- Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan;
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Correspondence:
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Wu AT, Yeh YC, Huang YJ, Mokgautsi N, Lawal B, Huang TH. Gamma-mangostin isolated from garcinia mangostana suppresses colon carcinogenesis and stemness by downregulating the GSK3β/β-catenin/CDK6 cancer stem pathway. Phytomedicine 2022; 95:153797. [PMID: 34802869 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite advances in chemotherapies and targeted drugs, colorectal cancer (CRC) remains challenging to treat due to drug resistance. Emerging evidence indicates that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) facilitate the generation of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) and drug resistance. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK) associated signaling pathways have been implicated in the generation of CSCs and represent a target for therapeutics development. HYPOTHESIS Gamma-mangostin (gMG) isolated from Garcinia mangostana was evaluated for its ability to downregulate GSK3β-associated signaling in CRC cells and overcome CAF-induced 5-fluorouracil resistance and CSC generation. METHODS Bioinformatics analysis, in silico molecular docking, in vitro assays, including cell viability tests, colony- and tumor sphere-formation assays, transwell migration assays, ELISA, SDS-PAGE, Western blotting, miR expression, qPCR, and flow cytometry, as well as in vivo mouse xenograft models were used to evaluate the antitumor effects of gMG. RESULTS Bioinformatics analyses indicated that GSK3β/CDK6/β-catenin mRNA signature was significantly higher in colon cancer patients. Additional algorithms predicted a higher miR-26b level was associated with significantly higher survival in CRC patients and GSK3β and CDK6 as targets of miR-26b-5p. To validate these findings in vitro, we showed that CAF-cocultured CRC cells expressed an increased expression of GSK3β, β-catenin, CDK6, and NF-κB. Therapeutically, we demonstrated that gMG treatment suppressed GSK3β-associated signaling pathways while concomitantly increased the miR-26b-5p level. Using a xenograft mouse model of CAFs cocultured HCT116 tumorspheres, we showed that gMG treatment reduced tumor growth and overcame CAF-induced 5-fluorouracil resistance. CONCLUSIONS Pharmacological intervention with gMG suppressed CRC carcinogenesis and stemness via downregulating GSK3/β-catenin/CDK6 and upregulating the miR-26b-5p tumor suppressor. Thus, gMG represents a potential new CRC therapeutic agent and warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Th Wu
- The PhD Program of Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; International PhD Program for Translational Science, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; College of Medical Science and Technology, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Informatics, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; Clinical Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan
| | - Yuan-Chieh Yeh
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, 20401, Taiwan; Program in Molecular Medicine, School of Life Sciences, National Yang Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan
| | - Yan-Jiun Huang
- Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Ntlotlang Mokgautsi
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; College of Medical Science and Technology, Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Bashir Lawal
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; College of Medical Science and Technology, Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Tse-Hung Huang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung 20401, Taiwan; School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan; School of Nursing, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei 112, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Health Industry Technology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan; Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan; Department & Graduate Institute of Chemical Engineering & Graduate Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei City 243, Taiwan.
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11
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Lawal B, Lo WC, Mokgautsi N, Sumitra MR, Khedkar H, Wu ATH, Huang HS. Erratum: A preclinical report of a cobimetinib-inspired novel anticancer small-molecule scaffold of isoflavones, NSC777213, for targeting PI3K/AKT/mTOR/MEK in multiple cancers. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:5761. [PMID: 34873494 PMCID: PMC8640810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
[This corrects the article on p. 2590 in vol. 11, PMID: 34249417.].
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Affiliation(s)
- Bashir Lawal
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia SinicaTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Cheng Lo
- Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Taipei Medical University HospitalTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Taipei Neuroscience Institute, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Ntlotlang Mokgautsi
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia SinicaTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Maryam Rachmawati Sumitra
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia SinicaTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Harshita Khedkar
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia SinicaTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Alexander TH Wu
- TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- The PhD Program of Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Clinical Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical CenterTaipei 11490, Taiwan
| | - Hsu-Shan Huang
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia SinicaTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- School of Pharmacy, National Defense Medical CenterTaipei 11490, Taiwan
- PhD Program in Biotechnology Research and Development, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
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Lawal B, Lo WC, Mokgautsi N, Sumitra MR, Khedkar H, Wu ATH, Huang HS. A preclinical report of a cobimetinib-inspired novel anticancer small-molecule scaffold of isoflavones, NSC777213, for targeting PI3K/AKT/mTOR/MEK in multiple cancers. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:2590-2617. [PMID: 34249417 PMCID: PMC8263676] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MEK/ERK) signaling pathways are critical for normal human physiology, and any alteration in their regulation leads to several human cancers. These pathways are well interconnected and share a survival mechanism for escaping the depressant effect of antagonists. Therefore, novel small molecules capable of targeting both pathways with minimal or no toxicity are better alternatives to current drugs, which are disadvantaged by their accompanying resistance and toxicity. In this study, we demonstrate that the PI3K/AKT/mTOR/MEK is a crucial oncoimmune signature in multiple cancers. Moreover, we describe NSC777213, a novel isoflavone core and cobimetinib-inspired small molecule, which exhibit both antiproliferative activities against all panels of NCI60 human tumor cell lines (except COLO205 and HT29) and a selective cytotoxic preference for melanoma, non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), brain, renal, and ovarian cancer cell lines. Notably, for NSC777213 treatment, chemoresistant ovarian cancer cell lines, including SK-OV-3, OVCAR-3, OVCAR-4, and NCI/ADR-RES, exhibited a higher antiproliferative sensitivity (total growth inhibition (TGI) = 7.62-31.50 µM) than did the parental cell lines OVCAR-8 and IGROV1 (TGI > 100 µM). NSC777213 had a mechanistic correlation with clinical inhibitors of PI3K/AKT/mTOR/MEK. NSC777213 demonstrates robust binding interactions and higher affinities for AKT and mTOR than did isoflavone, and also demonstrate a higher affinity for human MEK-1 kinase than some MEK inhibitors under clinical developments. In addition, treatment of U251 and U87MG cells with NSC777213 significantly downregulated the expression levels of the total and phosphorylated forms of PI3K/AKT/mTOR/MEK. Our study suggests that NSC777213 is a promising PI3K/AKT/mTOR/MEK inhibitor for further preclinical and clinical evaluation as a chemotherapeutic agent, particularly for the treatment of NSCLC, melanoma, and brain, renal, and ovarian cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bashir Lawal
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia SinicaTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Cheng Lo
- Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Taipei Medical University HospitalTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Taipei Neuroscience Institute, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Ntlotlang Mokgautsi
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia SinicaTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Maryam Rachmawati Sumitra
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia SinicaTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Harshita Khedkar
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia SinicaTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Alexander TH Wu
- TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- The PhD Program of Translational Medicine, College of Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Clinical Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical CenterTaipei 11490, Taiwan
| | - Hsu-Shan Huang
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia SinicaTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
- School of Pharmacy, National Defense Medical CenterTaipei 11490, Taiwan
- PhD Program in Biotechnology Research and Development, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei 11031, Taiwan
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Khedkar HN, Wang YC, Yadav VK, Srivastava P, Lawal B, Mokgautsi N, Sumitra MR, Wu ATH, Huang HS. In-Silico Evaluation of Genetic Alterations in Ovarian Carcinoma and Therapeutic Efficacy of NSC777201, as a Novel Multi-Target Agent for TTK, NEK2, and CDK1. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22115895. [PMID: 34072728 PMCID: PMC8198179 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is often detected at the advanced stages at the time of initial diagnosis. Early-stage diagnosis is difficult due to its asymptomatic nature, where less than 30% of 5-year survival has been noticed. The underlying molecular events associated with the disease’s pathogenesis have yet to be fully elucidated. Thus, the identification of prognostic biomarkers as well as developing novel therapeutic agents for targeting these markers become relevant. Herein, we identified 264 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) common in four ovarian cancer datasets (GSE14407, GSE18520, GSE26712, GSE54388), respectively. We constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) interaction network with the overexpressed genes (72 genes) and performed gene enrichment analysis. In the PPI networks, three proteins; TTK Protein Kinase (TTK), NIMA Related Kinase 2 (NEK2), and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK1) with higher node degrees were further evaluated as therapeutic targets for our novel multi-target small molecule NSC777201. We found that the upregulated DEGs were enriched in KEGG and gene ontologies associated with ovarian cancer progression, female gamete association, otic vesicle development, regulation of chromosome segregation, and therapeutic failure. In addition to the PPI network, ingenuity pathway analysis also implicate TTK, NEK2, and CDK1 in the elevated salvage pyrimidine and pyridoxal pathways in ovarian cancer. The TTK, NEK2, and CDK1 are over-expressed, demonstrating a high frequency of genetic alterations, and are associated with poor prognosis of ovarian cancer cohorts. Interestingly, NSC777201 demonstrated anti-proliferative and cytotoxic activities (GI50 = 1.6 µM~1.82 µM and TGI50 = 3.5 µM~3.63 µM) against the NCI panels of ovarian cancer cell lines and exhibited a robust interaction with stronger affinities for TTK, NEK2, and CDK1, than do the standard drug, paclitaxel. NSC777201 displayed desirable properties of a drug-like candidate and thus could be considered as a novel small molecule for treating ovarian carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harshita Nivrutti Khedkar
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; (H.N.K.); (B.L.); (N.M.); (M.R.S.)
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chi Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan;
| | - Vijesh Kumar Yadav
- The Program for Translational Medicine, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; (V.K.Y.); (P.S.)
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei City 23561, Taiwan
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Prateeti Srivastava
- The Program for Translational Medicine, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; (V.K.Y.); (P.S.)
| | - Bashir Lawal
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; (H.N.K.); (B.L.); (N.M.); (M.R.S.)
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Ntlotlang Mokgautsi
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; (H.N.K.); (B.L.); (N.M.); (M.R.S.)
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Maryam Rachmawati Sumitra
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; (H.N.K.); (B.L.); (N.M.); (M.R.S.)
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Alexander T. H. Wu
- The Program for Translational Medicine, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; (V.K.Y.); (P.S.)
- The PhD Program for Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Clinical Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (A.T.H.W.); (H.-S.H.)
| | - Hsu-Shan Huang
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; (H.N.K.); (B.L.); (N.M.); (M.R.S.)
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan
- National Defense Medical Center, School of Pharmacy, Taipei 11490, Taiwan
- PhD Program in Drug Discovery and Development Industry, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (A.T.H.W.); (H.-S.H.)
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Lawal B, Lee CY, Mokgautsi N, Sumitra MR, Khedkar H, Wu ATH, Huang HS. mTOR/EGFR/iNOS/MAP2K1/FGFR/TGFB1 Are Druggable Candidates for N-(2,4-Difluorophenyl)-2',4'-Difluoro-4-Hydroxybiphenyl-3-Carboxamide (NSC765598), With Consequent Anticancer Implications. Front Oncol 2021; 11:656738. [PMID: 33842373 PMCID: PMC8034425 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.656738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [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: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The application of computational and multi-omics approaches has aided our understanding of carcinogenesis and the development of therapeutic strategies. NSC765598 is a novel small molecule derivative of salicylanilide. This study aims to investigate the ligand-protein interactions of NSC765598 with its potential targets and to evaluate its anticancer activities in vitro. Methods We used multi-computational tools and clinical databases, respectively, to identify the potential drug target for NSC765598 and analyze the genetic profile and prognostic relevance of the targets in multiple cancers. We evaluated the in vitro anticancer activities against the National Cancer Institute 60 (NCI60) human tumor cell lines and used molecular docking to study the ligand-protein interactions. Finally, we used the DTP-COMPARE algorithm to compare the NSC765598 anticancer fingerprints with NCI standard agents. Results We identified mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)/mitogen-activated protein 2 kinase 1 (MAP2K1)/fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)/transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFB1) as potential targets for NSC765598. The targets were enriched in cancer-associated pathways, were overexpressed and were of prognostic relevance in multiple cancers. Among the identified targets, genetic alterations occurred most frequently in EGFR (7%), particularly in glioblastoma, esophageal squamous cell cancer, head and neck squamous cell cancer, and non–small-cell lung cancer, and were associated with poor prognoses and survival of patients, while other targets were less frequently altered. NSC765598 displayed selective antiproliferative and cytotoxic preferences for NSCLC (50% growth inhibition (GI50) = 1.12–3.95 µM; total growth inhibition (TGI) = 3.72–16.60 μM), leukemia (GI50 = 1.20–3.10 µM; TGI = 3.90–12.70 μM), melanoma (GI50 = 1.45–3.59 µM), and renal cancer (GI50 = 1.38–3.40 µM; TGI = 4.84–13.70 μM) cell lines, while panels of colon, breast, ovarian, prostate, and central nervous system (CNS) cancer cell lines were less sensitive to NSC765598. Interestingly, NSC765598 docked well into the binding cavity of the targets by conventional H-bonds, van der Waal forces, and a variety of π-interactions, with higher preferences for EGFR (ΔG = −11.0 kcal/mol), NOS2 (ΔG = −11.0 kcal/mol), and mTOR (ΔG = −8.8 kcal/mol). NSC765598 shares similar anti-cancer fingerprints with NCI standard agents displayed acceptable physicochemical values and met the criteria of drug-likeness. Conclusion NSC765598 displayed significant anticancer and potential multi-target properties, thus serve as a novel candidate worthy of further preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bashir Lawal
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Yu Lee
- Department of Orthopedics, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ntlotlang Mokgautsi
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Maryam Rachmawati Sumitra
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Harshita Khedkar
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Alexander T H Wu
- TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,The PhD Program of Translational Medicine, College of Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Clinical Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsu-Shan Huang
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.,School of Pharmacy, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.,PhD Program in Biotechnology Research and Development, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
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15
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Lawal B, Liu YL, Mokgautsi N, Khedkar H, Sumitra MR, Wu ATH, Huang HS. Pharmacoinformatics and Preclinical Studies of NSC765690 and NSC765599, Potential STAT3/CDK2/4/6 Inhibitors with Antitumor Activities against NCI60 Human Tumor Cell Lines. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9010092. [PMID: 33477856 PMCID: PMC7832910 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9010092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2020] [Revised: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a transcriptional regulator of a number of biological processes including cell differentiation, proliferation, survival, and angiogenesis, while cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are a critical regulator of cell cycle progression. These proteins appear to play central roles in angiogenesis and cell survival and are widely implicated in tumor progression. In this study, we used the well-characterized US National Cancer Institute 60 (NCI60) human tumor cell lines to screen the in vitro anti-cancer activities of our novel small molecule derivatives (NSC765690 and NSC765599) of salicylanilide. Furthermore, we used the DTP-COMPARE algorithm and in silico drug target prediction to identify the potential molecular targets, and finally, we used molecular docking to assess the interaction between the compounds and prominent potential targets. We found that NSC765690 and NSC765599 exhibited an anti-proliferative effect against the 60 panels of NCI human cancer cell lines, and dose-dependent cytotoxic preference for NSCLC, melanoma, renal, and breast cancer cell lines. Protein–ligand interactions studies revealed that NSC765690 and NSC765599 were favored ligands for STAT3/CDK2/4/6. Moreover, cyclization of the salicylanilide core scaffold of NSC765690 mediated its higher anti-cancer activities and had greater potential to interact with STAT3/CDK2/4/6 than did NSC765599 with an open-ring structure. NSC765690 and NSC765599 met the required safety and criteria of a good drug candidate, and are thus worthy of further in-vitro and in-vivo investigations in tumor-bearing mice to assess their full therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bashir Lawal
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; (B.L.); (N.M.); (H.K.); (M.R.S.)
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Lin Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 11031, Taiwan;
- Taipei Cancer Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Ntlotlang Mokgautsi
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; (B.L.); (N.M.); (H.K.); (M.R.S.)
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Harshita Khedkar
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; (B.L.); (N.M.); (H.K.); (M.R.S.)
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Maryam Rachmawati Sumitra
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; (B.L.); (N.M.); (H.K.); (M.R.S.)
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Alexander T. H. Wu
- TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- The PhD Program of Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Clinical Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (A.T.H.W.); (H.-S.H.)
| | - Hsu-Shan Huang
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; (B.L.); (N.M.); (H.K.); (M.R.S.)
- Graduate Institute for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan
- School of Pharmacy, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan
- PhD Program in Biotechnology Research and Development, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (A.T.H.W.); (H.-S.H.)
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Lin SR, Wen YC, Yeh HL, Jiang KC, Chen WH, Mokgautsi N, Huang J, Chen WY, Liu YN. EGFR-upregulated LIFR promotes SUCLG2-dependent castration resistance and neuroendocrine differentiation of prostate cancer. Oncogene 2020; 39:6757-6775. [PMID: 32963351 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-01468-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 08/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Neuroendocrine (NE) differentiation is a well-recognized phenotypic change of prostate cancer after androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), and it ultimately develops into an aggressive subset of this disease. However, the contribution of signaling pathways that lead to metabolic disorders and NE differentiation of prostate cancer remains unclear. In this study, we identified that ADT induced upregulation of the succinate-CoA ligase GDP-forming beta subunit (SUCLG2), which regulates succinate metabolism and NE differentiation of prostate cancer. We demonstrated a connection that upregulation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR) signaling induced SUCLG2 expression in prostate cancer cells. The LIFR is upregulated by nuclear EGFR, which acts as a transcriptional regulator, directly binds to the LIFR promoter, and drives NE differentiation and glycolysis of prostate cancer. LIFR upregulation is associated with SUCLG2, which increased succinate synthesis and enzymatic activities of mitochondrial nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK) in prostate cancer cells. Knockdown of SUCLG2 suppressed NE differentiation in cultured cells and reduced prostate tumor growth in a xenograft model. Analysis of prostate tissue samples showed increased intensity of nuclear EGFR associated with the LIFR and SUCLG2 in castration-resistant prostate cancer tumors. Our study provides a mechanism whereby ADT upregulates EGFR-LIFR signaling that activates SUCLG2, which subsequently stimulates the metabolic changes associated with NE differentiation and aggressive prostate cancer phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shian-Ren Lin
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Ching Wen
- Department of Urology, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Urology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsiu-Lien Yeh
- Institute of Information System and Applications, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Kuo-Ching Jiang
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Hao Chen
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ntlotlang Mokgautsi
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jiaoti Huang
- Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Wei-Yu Chen
- Department of Pathology, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Yen-Nien Liu
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
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Liu YN, Lin SR, Mokgautsi N, Yeh HL, Huang J. Abstract 304: Androgen deprivation induces epithelial to mesenchymal transition and neuroendocrine differentiation of prostate cancer via LIF-mediated phosphorylation of Smad2. Cancer Res 2020. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2020-304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The current therapies for prostate cancer, which can either be androgen-sensitive or androgen-insensitive ones, are based on AR-targeting approaches; however, there is no available treatment for neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC). We previously identified the leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), which is stimulated by androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Here, we further elucidated the physiological relevance of LIF, whereby the high LIF output is associated with the activation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and neuroendocrine differentiation of prostate cancer cells through stimulation of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling. We have elucidated the effect of LIF on inducing the EMT and NEPC progression through the stimulated TGF-β signaling via phosphorylation of Smad2. We also demonstrated that the inverse relationship between inhibition of AR signaling and induction of LIF-Smad2 signaling may predispose prostate cancer to metastasis. Importantly, an established activation in prostate cancer cells was shown between recombinant LIF protein and phosphorylation of Smad2, supporting the connection between LIF and p-Smad2. This was supported by the results obtained in high-LIF samples with elevated expression of p-Smad2 in tissues from high-grade prostate cancer. This study highlights the role of the important crosstalk between the LIF and TGF-β signaling pathways may exist and provide a new direction for investigating NEPC development.
Citation Format: Yen-Nien Liu, Shian-Ren Lin, Ntlotlang Mokgautsi, Hsiu-Lien Yeh, Jiaoti Huang. Androgen deprivation induces epithelial to mesenchymal transition and neuroendocrine differentiation of prostate cancer via LIF-mediated phosphorylation of Smad2 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 304.
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