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Greco A, Coperchini F, Croce L, Magri F, Teliti M, Rotondi M. Drug repositioning in thyroid cancer treatment: the intriguing case of anti-diabetic drugs. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1303844. [PMID: 38146457 PMCID: PMC10749369 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1303844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer represents the main cause of death worldwide. Thyroid cancer (TC) shows an overall good rate of survival, however there is a percentage of patients that do not respond or are refractory to common therapies. Thus new therapeutics strategies are required. In the past decade, drug repositioning become very important in the field of cancer therapy. This approach shows several advantages including the saving of: i) time, ii) costs, iii) de novo studies regarding the safety (just characterized) of a drug. Regarding TC, few studies considered the potential repositioning of drugs. On the other hand, certain anti-diabetic drugs, were the focus of interesting studies on TC therapy, in view of the fact that they exhibited potential anti-tumor effects. Among these anti-diabetic compounds, not all were judjed as appropriate for repositioning, in view of well documented side effects. However, just to give few examples biguanides, DPP-4-inhibitors and Thiazolidinediones were found to exert strong anti-cancer effects in TC. Indeed, their effects spaced from induction of citotoxicity and inhibition of metastatic spread, to induction of de-differentiation of TC cells and modulation of TC microenvironment. Thus, the multifacial anti-cancer effect of these compounds would make the basis also for combinatory strategies. The present review is aimed at discuss data from studies regarding the anti-cancer effects of several anti-diabetic drugs recently showed in TC in view of their potential repositioning. Specific examples of anti-diabetic repositionable drugs for TC treatment will also be provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Greco
- Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Laboratory for Endocrine Disruptors, Unit of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Pavia, Italy
| | - Francesca Coperchini
- Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Laboratory for Endocrine Disruptors, Unit of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Pavia, Italy
| | - Laura Croce
- Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Laboratory for Endocrine Disruptors, Unit of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Pavia, Italy
| | - Flavia Magri
- Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Laboratory for Endocrine Disruptors, Unit of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Pavia, Italy
| | - Marsida Teliti
- Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Laboratory for Endocrine Disruptors, Unit of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Pavia, Italy
| | - Mario Rotondi
- Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Laboratory for Endocrine Disruptors, Unit of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Pavia, Italy
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Liu S, Li Y, Yuan M, Song Q, Liu M. Correlation between the Warburg effect and progression of triple-negative breast cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 12:1060495. [PMID: 36776368 PMCID: PMC9913723 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1060495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is ineligible for hormonal therapy and Her-2-targeted therapy due to the negative expression of the estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2. Although targeted therapy and immunotherapy have been shown to attenuate the aggressiveness of TNBC partially, few patients have benefited from them. The conventional treatment for TNBC remains chemotherapy. Chemoresistance, however, impedes therapeutic progress over time, and chemotherapy toxicity increases the burden of cancer on patients. Therefore, introducing more advantageous TNBC treatment options is a necessity. Metabolic reprogramming centered on glucose metabolism is considered a hallmark of tumors. It is described as tumor cells tend to convert glucose to lactate even under normoxic conditions, a phenomenon known as the Warburg effect. Similar to Darwinian evolution, its emergence is attributed to the selective pressures formed by the hypoxic microenvironment of pre-malignant lesions. Of note, the Warburg effect does not disappear with changes in the microenvironment after the formation of malignant tumor phenotypes. Instead, it forms a constitutive expression mediated by mutations or epigenetic modifications, providing a robust selective survival advantage for primary and metastatic lesions. Expanding evidence has demonstrated that the Warburg effect mediates multiple invasive behaviors in TNBC, including proliferation, metastasis, recurrence, immune escape, and multidrug resistance. Moreover, the Warburg effect-targeted therapy has been testified to be feasible in inhibiting TNBC progression. However, not all TNBCs are sensitive to glycolysis inhibitors because TNBC cells flexibly switch their metabolic patterns to cope with different survival pressures, namely metabolic plasticity. Between the Warburg effect-targeted medicines and the actual curative effect, metabolic plasticity creates a divide that must be continuously researched and bridged.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Qing Song
- *Correspondence: Min Liu, ; Qing Song,
| | - Min Liu
- *Correspondence: Min Liu, ; Qing Song,
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Penugurti V, Mishra YG, Manavathi B. AMPK: An odyssey of a metabolic regulator, a tumor suppressor, and now a contextual oncogene. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2022; 1877:188785. [PMID: 36031088 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Metabolic reprogramming is a unique but complex biochemical adaptation that allows solid tumors to tolerate various stresses that challenge cancer cells for survival. Under conditions of metabolic stress, mammalian cells employ adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) to regulate energy homeostasis by controlling cellular metabolism. AMPK has been described as a cellular energy sensor that communicates with various metabolic pathways and networks to maintain energy balance. Earlier studies characterized AMPK as a tumor suppressor in the context of cancer. Later, a paradigm shift occurred in support of the oncogenic nature of AMPK, considering it a contextual oncogene. In support of this, various cellular and mouse models of tumorigenesis and clinicopathological studies demonstrated increased AMPK activity in various cancers. This review will describe AMPK's pro-tumorigenic activity in various malignancies and explain the rationale and context for using AMPK inhibitors in combination with anti-metabolite drugs to treat AMPK-driven cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasudevarao Penugurti
- Molecular and Cellular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500046, Telangana, India
| | - Yasaswi Gayatri Mishra
- Molecular and Cellular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500046, Telangana, India
| | - Bramanandam Manavathi
- Molecular and Cellular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500046, Telangana, India.
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Chemical genomics with pyrvinium identifies C1orf115 as a regulator of drug efflux. Nat Chem Biol 2022; 18:1370-1379. [PMID: 35970996 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-022-01109-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Pyrvinium is a quinoline-derived cyanine dye and an approved anti-helminthic drug reported to inhibit WNT signaling and have anti-proliferative effects in various cancer cell lines. To further understand the mechanism by which pyrvinium is cytotoxic, we conducted a pooled genome-wide CRISPR loss-of-function screen in the human HAP1 cell model. The top drug-gene sensitizer interactions implicated the malate-aspartate and glycerol-3-phosphate shuttles as mediators of cytotoxicity to mitochondrial complex I inhibition including pyrvinium. By contrast, perturbation of the poorly characterized gene C1orf115/RDD1 resulted in strong resistance to the cytotoxic effects of pyrvinium through dysregulation of the major drug efflux pump ABCB1/MDR1. Interestingly, C1orf115/RDD1 was found to physically associate with ABCB1/MDR1 through proximity-labeling experiments and perturbation of C1orf115 led to mis-localization of ABCB1/MDR1. Our results are consistent with a model whereby C1orf115 modulates drug efflux through regulation of the major drug exporter ABCB1/MDR1.
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