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Liu C, Vorderbruggen M, Muñoz-Trujillo C, Kim SH, Katzenellenbogen JA, Katzenellenbogen BS, Karpf AR. NB compounds are potent and efficacious FOXM1 inhibitors in high-grade serous ovarian cancer cells. J Ovarian Res 2024; 17:94. [PMID: 38704607 PMCID: PMC11069232 DOI: 10.1186/s13048-024-01421-4] [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: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic studies implicate the oncogenic transcription factor Forkhead Box M1 (FOXM1) as a potential therapeutic target in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). We evaluated the activity of different FOXM1 inhibitors in HGSOC cell models. RESULTS We treated HGSOC and fallopian tube epithelial (FTE) cells with a panel of previously reported FOXM1 inhibitors. Based on drug potency, efficacy, and selectivity, determined through cell viability assays, we focused on two compounds, NB-73 and NB-115 (NB compounds), for further investigation. NB compounds potently and selectively inhibited FOXM1 with lesser effects on other FOX family members. NB compounds decreased FOXM1 expression via targeting the FOXM1 protein by promoting its proteasome-mediated degradation, and effectively suppressed FOXM1 gene targets at both the protein and mRNA level. At the cellular level, NB compounds promoted apoptotic cell death. Importantly, while inhibition of apoptosis using a pan-caspase inhibitor rescued HGSOC cells from NB compound-induced cell death, it did not rescue FOXM1 protein degradation, supporting that FOXM1 protein loss from NB compound treatment is specific and not a general consequence of cytotoxicity. Drug washout studies indicated that FOXM1 reduction was retained for at least 72 h post-treatment, suggesting that NB compounds exhibit long-lasting effects in HGSOC cells. NB compounds effectively suppressed both two-dimensional and three-dimensional HGSOC cell colony formation at sub-micromolar concentrations. Finally, NB compounds exhibited synergistic activity with carboplatin in HGSOC cells. CONCLUSIONS NB compounds are potent, selective, and efficacious inhibitors of FOXM1 in HGSOC cells and are worthy of further investigation as HGSOC therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassie Liu
- Eppley Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68918-6805, USA
- Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68918-6805, USA
| | - Makenzie Vorderbruggen
- Eppley Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68918-6805, USA
- Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68918-6805, USA
| | - Catalina Muñoz-Trujillo
- Eppley Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68918-6805, USA
- Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68918-6805, USA
| | - Sung Hoon Kim
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - John A Katzenellenbogen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Benita S Katzenellenbogen
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Adam R Karpf
- Eppley Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68918-6805, USA.
- Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68918-6805, USA.
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Zandieh Z, Amjadi F, Vakilian H, Aflatoonian K, Amirchaghmaghi E, Fazeli A, Aflatoonian R. Sex hormones alter the response of Toll-like receptor 3 to its specific ligand in fallopian tube epithelial cells. Clin Exp Reprod Med 2018; 45:154-162. [PMID: 30538945 PMCID: PMC6277672 DOI: 10.5653/cerm.2018.45.4.154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The fallopian tubes play a critical role in the early events of fertilization. The rapid innate immune defense is an important part of the fallopian tubes. Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3), as a part of the innate immune system, plays an important role in detecting viral infections. In this basic and experimental study, the effect of sex hormones on the function of TLR3 in the OE-E6/E7 cell line was investigated. Methods The functionality of TLR3 in this cell line was evaluated by cytokine measurements (interleukin [IL]-6 and IL-1b) and the effects of sex hormones on TLR3 were tested by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Additionally, TLR3 small interfering RNA (siRNA) and a TLR3 function-blocking antibody were used to confirm our findings. Results The production of IL-6 significantly increased in the presence of polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) as the TLR3 ligand. Using a TLR3-siRNA-ransfected OE-E6/E7 cell line and function-blocking antibody confirmed that cytokine production was due to TLR3. In addition, 17-β estradiol and progesterone suppressed the production of IL-6 in the presence and absence of poly(I:C). Conclusion These results imply that sex hormones exerted a suppressive effect on the function of TLR3 in the fallopian tube cell line when different concentrations of sex hormones were present. The current results also suggest that estrogen receptor beta and nuclear progesterone receptor B are likely to mediate the hormonal regulation of TLR3, as these two receptors are the main estrogen and progesterone receptors in OE-E6/E7 cell line.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Zandieh
- Shahid Akbar Abadi Clinical Research Development Unit, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemehsadat Amjadi
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Cellular and Molecular Research Center, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Haghighat Vakilian
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Elham Amirchaghmaghi
- Department of Regenerative Biomedicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Endocrinology and Female Infertility, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Fazeli
- Academic Unit of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Reza Aflatoonian
- Department of Endocrinology and Female Infertility, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
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Adler E, Mhawech-Fauceglia P, Gayther SA, Lawrenson K. PAX8 expression in ovarian surface epithelial cells. Hum Pathol 2015; 46:948-56. [PMID: 26079312 DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2015.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2015] [Revised: 03/21/2015] [Accepted: 03/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is usually diagnosed at a late stage and is associated with poor prognosis. Understanding early stage disease biology is essential in developing clinical biomarkers to detect HGSOC earlier. While recent studies indicate that HGSOCs arise from fallopian tube secretory epithelial cells, a considerable body of evidence suggests that HGSOC can also arise from ovarian surface epithelial cells (OSECs). PAX8 is overexpressed in HGSOCs and expressed in fallopian tube secretory epithelial cells, but there are conflicting reports about PAX8 expression in OSECs. The purposes of this study were to comprehensively characterize PAX8 expression in a large series of OSECs and to investigate the role of PAX8 in early HGSOC development. PAX8 protein expression was analyzed in the OSECs of 27 normal ovaries and 7 primary OSEC cultures using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescent cytochemistry. PAX8 messenger RNA expression was quantified in 66 primary OSEC cultures. Cellular transformation was evaluated in OSECs expressing a PAX8 construct. PAX8 was expressed by 44% to 71% of OSECs. Calretinin and E-cadherin were frequently coexpressed with PAX8. Expression of PAX8 in OSECs decreased cellular migration (P = .028), but had no other effects on cellular transformation. In addition, PAX8 expression was significantly increased (P = .003) in an in vitro stepwise model of neoplastic transformation. In conclusion, PAX8 is frequently expressed by OSECs, and endogenous levels of PAX8 expression are non-transforming. These data indicate that in OSECs, PAX8 expression may represent a normal state and that OSECs may represent an origin of HGSOCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Adler
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California/Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033.
| | - Paulette Mhawech-Fauceglia
- Departments of Medicine and Pathology, University of Southern California/Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033.
| | - Simon A Gayther
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California/Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033.
| | - Kate Lawrenson
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California/Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033.
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