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Huang H, Yan J, Xu X, Feng Y, Liu H, Liu J, Xie M, Chen L, Xiang D, Peng W, Zeng L, Zeng Y, Chen F, Zhang S, Liu Q. Everolimus inhibits hepatoblastoma by inducing autophagy-dependent ferroptosis. Drug Dev Res 2024; 85:e22140. [PMID: 38349263 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.22140] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
Everolimus, a known inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), has shown uncertain efficacy in treating hepatoblastoma. This study delves into the potential anti-hepatoblastoma properties of everolimus and its intricate relationship with autophagy and ferroptosis, both in vitro and in vivo. In vivo, tumor tissue from hepatoblastoma patient and human hepatoblastoma cell line HuH-6 were xenografted into nude mice to establish xenograft models for observing the effect of everolimus on tumor growth. In vitro, HuH-6 cells were cultured to evaluate the anti-hepatoblastoma activity of everolimus. Transmission electron microscopy and microtubule-associated proteins 1 light chain 3 (LC3), beclin 1, and p62 protein expressions were employed to investigate autophagy. Additionally, indicators of cell apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and proteins associated with ferroptosis were measured to evaluate ferroptosis. The results demonstrate that everolimus treatment effectively induced the formation of autophagosomes in hepatoblastoma cells, upregulated the LC3II/I ratio and beclin 1 expression, and downregulated p62 expression, indicating an enhanced autophagy level both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, everolimus treatment induced cell apoptosis, increased ROS level, elevated concentrations of malondialdehyde, 4-hydroxynonenal, and iron content, while reducing the ratio of glutathione/oxidized glutathione, and downregulating the protein expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 and solute carrier family 7 member 11, suggesting its ability to induce ferroptosis in hepatoblastoma cells. Importantly, the induction of ferroptosis by everolimus was significantly reversed in the presence of autophinib, an autophagy inhibitor, indicating the autophagy-dependent of everolimus-induced ferroptosis. Taken together, these findings suggest that everolimus holds promise as an effective anti-hepatoblastoma drug, with its mechanism of action potentially involving the induction of autophagy-dependent ferroptosis in hepatoblastoma cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haijin Huang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Provincial Clinical Research Center for Vascular Anomalies, The First Affiliated Hospital of GanNan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Jinlong Yan
- Department of General Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Xianyun Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yanping Feng
- Department of Neurological Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Haijin Liu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Jianping Liu
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Mingfeng Xie
- Jiangxi Provincial Clinical Research Center for Vascular Anomalies, The First Affiliated Hospital of GanNan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
- Chinese & Western Integrative Medicine Discipline, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of TCM for Prevention and Treatment on Hemangioma, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
- Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Institute for Children Health & Drug Innovation, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Leifeng Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Deng Xiang
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Children's Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Wei Peng
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Linshan Zeng
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yong Zeng
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Feng Chen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Shouhua Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Children's Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Qian Liu
- Jiangxi Provincial Clinical Research Center for Vascular Anomalies, The First Affiliated Hospital of GanNan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
- Chinese & Western Integrative Medicine Discipline, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of TCM for Prevention and Treatment on Hemangioma, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
- Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Institute for Children Health & Drug Innovation, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
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