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Ruiz de Porras V, Bernat-Peguera A, Alcon C, Laguia F, Fernández-Saorin M, Jiménez N, Senan-Salinas A, Solé-Blanch C, Feu A, Marín-Aguilera M, Pardo JC, Ochoa-de-Olza M, Montero J, Mellado B, Font A. Dual inhibition of MEK and PI3Kβ/δ-a potential therapeutic strategy in PTEN-wild-type docetaxel-resistant metastatic prostate cancer. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1331648. [PMID: 38318136 PMCID: PMC10838968 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1331648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Docetaxel remains the standard treatment for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). However, resistance frequently emerges as a result of hyperactivation of the PI3K/AKT and the MEK/ERK pathways. Therefore, the inhibition of these pathways presents a potential therapeutic approach. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of simultaneous inhibition of the PI3K/AKT and MEK/ERK pathways in docetaxel-resistant mCRPC, both in vitro and in vivo. Methods: Docetaxel-sensitive and docetaxel-resistant mCRPC cells were treated with selumetinib (MEK1/2 inhibitor), AZD8186 (PI3Kβ/δ inhibitor) and capivasertib (pan-AKT inhibitor) alone and in combination. Efficacy and toxicity of selumetinib+AZD8186 were tested in docetaxel-resistant xenograft mice. CRISPR-Cas9 generated a PTEN-knockdown docetaxel-resistant cell model. Changes in phosphorylation of AKT, ERK and downstream targets were analyzed by Western blot. Antiapoptotic adaptations after treatments were detected by dynamic BH3 profiling. Results: PI3K/AKT and MEK/ERK pathways were hyperactivated in PTEN-wild-type (wt) docetaxel-resistant cells. Selumetinib+AZD8186 decreased cell proliferation and increased apoptosis in PTEN-wt docetaxel-resistant cells. This observation was further confirmed in vivo, where docetaxel-resistant xenograft mice treated with selumetinib+AZD8186 exhibited reduced tumor growth without additional toxicity. Conclusion: Our findings on the activity of selumetinib+AZD8186 in PTEN-wt cells and in docetaxel-resistant xenograft mice provide an excellent rationale for a novel therapeutic strategy for PTEN-wt mCRPC patients resistant to docetaxel, in whom, unlike PTEN-loss patients, a clinical benefit of treatment with single-agent PI3K and AKT inhibitors has not been demonstrated. A phase I-II trial of this promising combination is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicenç Ruiz de Porras
- CARE Program, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institute of Oncology, Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology (B·ARGO), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
- GRET and Toxicology Unit, Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adrià Bernat-Peguera
- CARE Program, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institute of Oncology, Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology (B·ARGO), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Clara Alcon
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Fernando Laguia
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Fernández-Saorin
- CARE Program, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institute of Oncology, Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology (B·ARGO), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Natalia Jiménez
- Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapeutics in Solid Tumors Lab, Fundació de Recerca Clínic Barcelona–Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (FRCB-IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana Senan-Salinas
- CARE Program, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institute of Oncology, Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology (B·ARGO), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carme Solé-Blanch
- CARE Program, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institute of Oncology, Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology (B·ARGO), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andrea Feu
- Department of Pathology, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mercedes Marín-Aguilera
- Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapeutics in Solid Tumors Lab, Fundació de Recerca Clínic Barcelona–Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (FRCB-IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan Carlos Pardo
- CARE Program, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institute of Oncology, Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology (B·ARGO), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Ochoa-de-Olza
- CARE Program, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institute of Oncology, Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology (B·ARGO), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Montero
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Begoña Mellado
- Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapeutics in Solid Tumors Lab, Fundació de Recerca Clínic Barcelona–Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (FRCB-IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Albert Font
- CARE Program, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institute of Oncology, Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology (B·ARGO), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
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2
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Raith F, O’Donovan DH, Lemos C, Politz O, Haendler B. Addressing the Reciprocal Crosstalk between the AR and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathways for Prostate Cancer Treatment. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032289. [PMID: 36768610 PMCID: PMC9917236 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The reduction in androgen synthesis and the blockade of the androgen receptor (AR) function by chemical castration and AR signaling inhibitors represent the main treatment lines for the initial stages of prostate cancer. Unfortunately, resistance mechanisms ultimately develop due to alterations in the AR pathway, such as gene amplification or mutations, and also the emergence of alternative pathways that render the tumor less or, more rarely, completely independent of androgen activation. An essential oncogenic axis activated in prostate cancer is the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, as evidenced by the frequent alterations of the negative regulator phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) and by the activating mutations in PI3K subunits. Additionally, crosstalk and reciprocal feedback loops between androgen signaling and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling cascade that activate pro-survival signals and play an essential role in disease recurrence and progression have been evidenced. Inhibitors addressing different players of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway have been evaluated in the clinic. Only a limited benefit has been reported in prostate cancer up to now due to the associated side effects, so novel combination approaches and biomarkers predictive of patient response are urgently needed. Here, we reviewed recent data on the crosstalk between AR signaling and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, the selective inhibitors identified, and the most advanced clinical studies, with a focus on combination treatments. A deeper understanding of the complex molecular mechanisms involved in disease progression and treatment resistance is essential to further guide therapeutic approaches with improved outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Raith
- Research & Development, Pharmaceuticals, Bayer AG, Müllerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniel H. O’Donovan
- Research & Development, Pharmaceuticals, Bayer AG, Müllerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Clara Lemos
- Bayer Research and Innovation Center, Bayer US LLC, 238 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Oliver Politz
- Research & Development, Pharmaceuticals, Bayer AG, Müllerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Bernard Haendler
- Research & Development, Pharmaceuticals, Bayer AG, Müllerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-30-2215-41198
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3
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Al-Hamaly MA, Turner LT, Rivera-Martinez A, Rodriguez A, Blackburn JS. Zebrafish Cancer Avatars: A Translational Platform for Analyzing Tumor Heterogeneity and Predicting Patient Outcomes. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:2288. [PMID: 36768609 PMCID: PMC9916713 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing number of available anti-cancer drugs presents a challenge for oncologists, who must choose the most effective treatment for the patient. Precision cancer medicine relies on matching a drug with a tumor's molecular profile to optimize the therapeutic benefit. However, current precision medicine approaches do not fully account for intra-tumoral heterogeneity. Different mutation profiles and cell behaviors within a single heterogeneous tumor can significantly impact therapy response and patient outcomes. Patient-derived avatar models recapitulate a patient's tumor in an animal or dish and provide the means to functionally assess heterogeneity's impact on drug response. Mouse xenograft and organoid avatars are well-established, but the time required to generate these models is not practical for clinical decision-making. Zebrafish are emerging as a time-efficient and cost-effective cancer avatar model. In this review, we highlight recent developments in zebrafish cancer avatar models and discuss the unique features of zebrafish that make them ideal for the interrogation of cancer heterogeneity and as part of precision cancer medicine pipelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majd A. Al-Hamaly
- Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40356, USA
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Logan T. Turner
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40356, USA
| | | | - Analiz Rodriguez
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Jessica S. Blackburn
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40356, USA
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4
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Establishment and characterization of an ovarian yolk sac tumor patient-derived xenograft model. Pediatr Surg Int 2021; 37:1031-1040. [PMID: 34031745 DOI: 10.1007/s00383-021-04895-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The lack of appropriate preclinical models of ovarian yolk sac tumor (OYST) is currently hindering the pursuit of new methods of treatment and investigation of the pathogenesis of the disease. We developed and characterized an OYST patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model in this study. METHODS Tumor fragments from a patient with an OYST were implanted subcutaneously into BALB/c Nude mice. Engrafted xenografts were compared with the original tumor according to histology, immunohistochemistry, humanized identified, and drug efficacy testing with in vivo treatment programs. RESULTS There was a high degree of histologic and immunohistochemical (IHC) resemblance between the established PDX model and its corresponding human tumors. Bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (JEB) chemotherapy regimens were effective in clinical patients and were effective in the OYST PDX model; therefore, the effect of PDX intervention was consistent with clinical outcomes of OYSTs. CONCLUSION We have successfully established an OYST PDX model. This OYST model preserves the basic molecular features of the primary human tumor, thereby providing a valuable method to preclinically evaluate new treatments and explore disease pathogenesis.
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5
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Li J, Wang X, Ma C, Xu S, Xu M, Yang J, Wang R, Xue L. Dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor NVP‑BEZ235 decreases the proliferation of doxorubicin‑resistant K562 cells. Mol Med Rep 2021; 23:301. [PMID: 34223631 PMCID: PMC7930928 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2021.11940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is frequently accompanied by a poor prognosis. The majority of patients with AML will experience recurrence due to multiple drug resistance. Our previous study reported that targeting the mTOR pathway may increase cell sensitivity to doxorubicin (Doxo) and provide an improved therapeutic approach to leukemia. However, the effect and mechanism of action of NVP-BEZ235 (BEZ235), a dual inhibitor of PI3K/mTOR, on Doxo-resistant K562 cells (K562/A) is yet to be elucidated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of BEZ235 on K562/A cell proliferation. K562/A cells was investigated using CCK-8, flow cytometry and western blotting, following BEZ235 treatment. It was observed that BEZ235 significantly decreased the viability of K562/A cells. In addition, BEZ235 arrested K562/A cells at the G0/G1 phase, and reduced the protein expression levels of CDK4, CDK6 and cyclin D1. Apoptotic cells were more frequently detected in K562/A cells treated with BEZ235 compared with the control group (12.97±0.91% vs. 7.37±0.42%, respectively; P<0.05). Cells treated with BEZ235 exhibited downregulation of Bcl-2 and upregulation of Bax. Furthermore, BEZ235 treatment markedly decreased the activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and its downstream effectors. Thus, these results demonstrated that BEZ235 inhibited cell viability, induced G0/G1 arrest and increased apoptosis in K562/A cells, suggesting that BEZ235 may reverse Doxo resistance in leukemia cells. Therefore, targeting the PI3K/mTOR pathway may be of value as a novel therapeutic approach to leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- Department of Hematology, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, P.R. China
| | - Xiaozi Wang
- Laboratory of Pathology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, P.R. China
| | - Chuanbao Ma
- Laboratory of Pathology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, P.R. China
| | - Shasha Xu
- Department of Hematology, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, P.R. China
| | - Mengyao Xu
- Department of Hematology, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, P.R. China
| | - Jie Yang
- Department of Hematology, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, P.R. China
| | - Ruicang Wang
- Department of Hematology, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, P.R. China
| | - Liying Xue
- Laboratory of Pathology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, P.R. China
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6
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Luo J, Wang D, Wan X, Xu Y, Lu Y, Kong Z, Li D, Gu W, Wang C, Li Y, Ji C, Gu S, Xu Y. Crosstalk Between AR and Wnt Signaling Promotes Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Growth. Onco Targets Ther 2020; 13:9257-9267. [PMID: 32982312 PMCID: PMC7509333 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s245861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related death in males in the United States. Despite the initial efficacy of androgen deprivation therapy in prostate cancer (PCa) patients, most patients progress to castration-resistant prostate cancer. However, the mechanisms underlying the androgen-independent progression of PCa remain largely unknown. Methods In this study, we established a PCa cell line (LNCaP-AI) by maintaining LNCaP cells under androgen-depleted conditions. To explore the cellular and molecular mechanisms of androgen-independent growth of PCa, we analyzed the gene expression patterns in androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC) compared with that in androgen-dependent prostate cancer (ADPC). KEGG pathway analysis revealed that Wnt signaling pathways were activated after androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). In vitro experiments showed that the inhibition of Wnt pathway reduced AIPC cell growth by inhibiting cell cycle progression and promoting apoptosis. Furthermore, WNT5A, LEF1 were identified as direct targets of AR by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay and public ChIP-seq datasets analysis. Results In the present study, we found a regulatory mechanism through which crosstalk between androgen receptor (AR) and Wnt signals promoted androgen-independent conversion of PCa. The Wnt pathway was inhibited by androgen in androgen-dependent prostate cancer cells, but this blocking effect was not elicited in androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC) cells. Moreover, Wnt pathway genes WNT5A and LEF1 were directly downregulated by AR. In vitro experiments showed that inhibition of the Wnt pathways repressed AIPC cell growth by inhibiting cell cycle progression and promoting apoptosis. We found that WNT5A and LEF1 were downregulated in low-grade PCa but upregulated in metastatic PCa. Conclusion In summary, we revealed that crosstalk between AR and Wnt signaling pathways promotes androgen-independent growth of PCa, which may provide novel therapeutic opportunities for castration-resistant prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Luo
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Dan Wang
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, School of Life Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuechao Wan
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, School of Life Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Yangguang Xu
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, School of Life Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Yali Lu
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, School of Life Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhe Kong
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, School of Life Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Dujian Li
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Gu
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Chenji Wang
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, School of Life Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Yao Li
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, School of Life Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Chaoneng Ji
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, School of Life Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Shaohua Gu
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, School of Life Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Yaoting Xu
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
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7
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Durrant DE, Das A, Dyer S, Kukreja RC. A dual PI3 kinase/mTOR inhibitor BEZ235 reverses doxorubicin resistance in ABCB1 overexpressing ovarian and pancreatic cancer cell lines. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2020; 1864:129556. [PMID: 32061787 PMCID: PMC10845210 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2020.129556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multi-drug resistance (MDR) develops because cancer cells evade toxicity of several structurally unrelated drugs. Besides other mechanisms, MDR is linked to the overexpression of ATP Binding Cassette (ABC), transporters, among which ABCB1 is the best characterized one. Since overactivation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR plays a pivotal role in the growth of human cancers, we hypothesized whether dual PI3K and mTOR inhibitor, BEZ235 (BEZ, dactolisib) reverses resistance to doxorubicin (DOX). METHODS Ovarian (A2780) and pancreatic (MiaPaca2) cancer cells were used to generate DOX-resistant clones by overexpressing ABCB1 or stepwise treatment of DOX. Intracellular accumulation of DOX was measured by flow cytometry after treatment with BEZ. RESULTS BEZ treatment caused an increase in intracellular levels of DOX which was almost identical to the naïve parental cell lines. BEZ was found to be a weak substrate for ABCB1 as demonstrated by minimal increase in ATPase activity. BEZ treatment caused a dose-dependent decrease in cell viability in combination with DOX, which was associated with an increase in cleaved PARP expression in the drug resistant clones. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that BEZ is a non-substrate inhibitor of ABCB1 and is able to effectively re-sensitize cells overexpressing ABCB1 to the effects of DOX. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE Dual PI3 Kinase/mTOR inhibitor, BEZ, has the potential to reverse MDR in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- David E Durrant
- VCU Pauley Heart Center, Division of Cardiology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, United States
| | - Anindita Das
- VCU Pauley Heart Center, Division of Cardiology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, United States
| | - Samya Dyer
- VCU Pauley Heart Center, Division of Cardiology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, United States
| | - Rakesh C Kukreja
- VCU Pauley Heart Center, Division of Cardiology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, United States.
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8
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Tao Q, Fang F, Li J, Wang Y, Zhao C, Liang J, Ma X, Wang H. A conjugated mTOR/MEK bifunctional inhibitor as potential polypharmacological anticancer agent: the prototype compound discovery. Med Chem Res 2020; 29:519-527. [PMID: 32435126 PMCID: PMC7223898 DOI: 10.1007/s00044-020-02502-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
mTOR/MEK bifunctional inhibitors have the potential to surmount the drug resistance aroused from cross talk between PI3K/Akt/mTOR (PAM) and Ras/MEK/ERK pathways. Herein, we report the discovery of a conjugated dual-targeted molecule, compound 13, as the prototype mTOR/MEK bifunctional inhibitor. It exhibited moderately high inhibitory activity against mTOR and MEK1 with IC50 values of 0.19 μM and 0.98 μM, respectively. In particular, it displayed attractive antiproliferative activity against both A549 (GI50 = 4.66 μM) and HCT116 (GI50 = 5.47 μM) cell lines. To our knowledge, it has been the first example of a conjugated mTOR/MEK bifunctional inhibitor. In addition, from this proof-of-principle study, it has become evident that the single-agent dual inhibition of mTOR and MEK can be fulfilled via covalently attaching mTOR kinase inhibitor to an allosteric MEK inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiangqiang Tao
- 1School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012 China
| | - Fang Fang
- 1School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012 China.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012 China
| | - Jiaming Li
- 1School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012 China.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012 China
| | - Yong Wang
- 1School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012 China
| | - Can Zhao
- 1School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012 China
| | - Jingtai Liang
- 1School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012 China
| | - Xiaodong Ma
- 1School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012 China.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012 China
| | - Hao Wang
- 3Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001 China
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9
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Smith AM, Zhang CRC, Cristino AS, Grady JP, Fink JL, Moore AS. PTEN deletion drives acute myeloid leukemia resistance to MEK inhibitors. Oncotarget 2019; 10:5755-5767. [PMID: 31645898 PMCID: PMC6791388 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Kinases such as MEK are attractive targets for novel therapy in cancer, including acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Acquired and inherent resistance to kinase inhibitors, however, is becoming an increasingly important challenge for the clinical success of such therapeutics, and often arises from mutations in the drug-binding domain of the target kinase. To identify possible causes of resistance to MEK inhibition, we generated a model of resistance by long-term treatment of AML cells with AZD6244 (selumetinib). Remarkably, resistance to MEK inhibition was due to acquired PTEN haploinsufficiency, rather than mutation of MEK. Resistance via this mechanism was confirmed using CRISPR/Cas9 technology targeting exon 5 of PTEN. While PTEN loss has been previously implicated in resistance to a number of other therapeutic agents, this is the first time that it has been shown directly and in AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M Smith
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Australia.,Current address: Washington University in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Christine R C Zhang
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Australia.,Current address: Washington University in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Alexandre S Cristino
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Australia.,Current address: Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Brisbane Innovation Park, Nathan, Australia
| | - John P Grady
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Australia.,Current address: Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, Australia
| | - J Lynn Fink
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Australia
| | - Andrew S Moore
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Australia.,Oncology Services Group, Queensland Children's Hospital, South Brisbane, Australia.,Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Australia.,Current address: Washington University in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
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10
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Sarkar PL, Lee W, Williams ED, Lubik AA, Stylianou N, Shokoohmand A, Lehman ML, Hollier BG, Gunter JH, Nelson CC. Insulin Enhances Migration and Invasion in Prostate Cancer Cells by Up-Regulation of FOXC2. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2019; 10:481. [PMID: 31379747 PMCID: PMC6652804 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the standard treatment for advanced prostate cancer (PCa), yet many patients relapse with lethal metastatic disease. With this loss of androgens, increased cell plasticity has been observed as an adaptive response to ADT. This includes gain of invasive and migratory capabilities, which may contribute to PCa metastasis. Hyperinsulinemia, which develops as a side-effect of ADT, has been associated with increased tumor aggressiveness and faster treatment failure. We investigated the direct effects of insulin in PCa cells that may contribute to this progression. We measured cell migration and invasion induced by insulin using wound healing and transwell assays in a range of PCa cell lines of variable androgen dependency (LNCaP, 22RV1, DuCaP, and DU145 cell lines). To determine the molecular events driving insulin-induced invasion we used transcriptomics, quantitative real time-PCR, and immunoblotting in three PCa cell lines. Insulin increased invasiveness of PCa cells, upregulating Forkhead Box Protein C2 (FOXC2), and activating key PCa cell plasticity mechanisms including gene changes consistent with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and a neuroendocrine phenotype. Additionally, analysis of publicly available clinical PCa tumor data showed metastatic prostate tumors demonstrate a positive correlation between insulin receptor expression and the EMT transcription factor FOXC2. The insulin receptor is not suitable to target clinically however, our data shows that actions of insulin in PCa cells may be suppressed by inhibiting downstream signaling molecules, PI3K and ERK1/2. This study identifies for the first time, a mechanism for insulin-driven cancer cell motility and supports the concept that targeting insulin signaling at the level of the PCa tumor may extend the therapeutic efficacy of ADT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phoebe L. Sarkar
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-Queensland, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Wendy Lee
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-Queensland, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Elizabeth D. Williams
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-Queensland, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Amy A. Lubik
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Nataly Stylianou
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-Queensland, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Ali Shokoohmand
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-Queensland, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Melanie L. Lehman
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-Queensland, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Brett G. Hollier
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-Queensland, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Jennifer H. Gunter
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-Queensland, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- *Correspondence: Jennifer H. Gunter
| | - Colleen C. Nelson
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-Queensland, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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11
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Park S, Kim YS, Kim DY, So I, Jeon JH. PI3K pathway in prostate cancer: All resistant roads lead to PI3K. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2018; 1870:198-206. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2018.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Revised: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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12
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Xu C, Li X, Liu P, Li M, Luo F. Patient-derived xenograft mouse models: A high fidelity tool for individualized medicine. Oncol Lett 2018; 17:3-10. [PMID: 30655732 PMCID: PMC6313209 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.9583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mouse models involve the direct transfer of fresh human tumor samples into immunodeficient mice following surgical resection or other medical operations. Gene expression in tumors may be maintained by serial passages of tumors from mouse to mouse. These models aid research into tumor biology and pharmacology without manual manipulation of cell cultures in vitro. and are widely used in individualized cancer therapy/translational medicine, drug development and coclinical trials. PDX models exhibit higher predictive values for clinical outcomes than cell line-derived xenograft models and genetically engineered mouse models. However, PDX models are associated with certain challenges in clinical application. The present study reviewed current collections of PDX models and assessed the challenges and future directions of this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Xu
- Department of Acute Abdomen Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, P.R. China
| | - Xuelu Li
- Department of Breast Surgery and Oncology, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, P.R. China
| | - Pixu Liu
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, P.R. China.,College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, P.R. China
| | - Man Li
- Department of Breast Surgery and Oncology, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, P.R. China
| | - Fuwen Luo
- Department of Acute Abdomen Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, P.R. China
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13
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Vlachostergios PJ, Paddock M, Molina AM. Molecular Targeted Therapies of Prostate Cancer. MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY LIBRARY 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-64096-9_29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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14
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AP4 modulated by the PI3K/AKT pathway promotes prostate cancer proliferation and metastasis of prostate cancer via upregulating L-plastin. Cell Death Dis 2017; 8:e3060. [PMID: 28981098 PMCID: PMC5680569 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2017.437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Revised: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The transition from androgen-dependent to metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (PCa) is a lethal event of uncertain molecular aetiology. Our previous studies demonstrated that L-plastin is involved in PCa invasion and metastasis and is upregulated by androgen and oestrogen in the hormone-dependent PCa cell line LNCaP. We recently found that L-plastin expression is consistently activated even after androgen deprivation, suggesting that androgen-independent transcription factors may regulate its expression. Herein, we performed sequential deletion and luciferase analysis of the L-plastin promoter and found that an androgen-independent regulatory factor prominently located in the region close to the transcription initiation site (−216 to +118) may facilitate L-plastin upregulation. AP4 was then identified as the relevant transcription activator that directly binds to the L-plastin promoter, as confirmed by EMSAs, supershift assays and CHIP-qPCR experiments. Moreover, we determined that the AP4/L-plastin axis is regulated by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway, contributing to PCa metastasis and castration resistance. Furthermore, we found that AP4 promotes PCa metastasis by upregulating L-plastin expression in vitro and in vivo. We collected a total of 136 PCa tissues and corresponding adjacent normal tissues from patients who underwent prostatectomy at Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital from 2005 to 2015 and measured AP4 and L-plastin protein levels by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that AP4 levels strongly correlated with those of its downstream target gene L-plastin, were significantly upregulated in PCa tissues, were positively correlated with lymph node metastasis and Gleason scores over 7, and were an independent prognostic factor for patient survival. In summary, these findings support a plausible mechanism by which the AP4/L-plastin axis is regulated by the PI3K/AKT pathway in human PCa and may represent a novel therapeutic target in PCa treatment.
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15
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Cattrini C, Zanardi E, Vallome G, Cavo A, Cerbone L, Di Meglio A, Fabbroni C, Latocca MM, Rizzo F, Messina C, Rubagotti A, Barboro P, Boccardo F. Targeting androgen-independent pathways: new chances for patients with prostate cancer? Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2017; 118:42-53. [PMID: 28917268 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2017.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Revised: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the mainstay treatment for advanced prostate cancer (PC). Most patients eventually progress to a condition known as castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), characterized by lack of response to ADT. Although new androgen receptor signaling (ARS) inhibitors and chemotherapeutic agents have been introduced to overcome resistance to ADT, many patients progress because of primary or acquired resistance to these agents. This comprehensive review aims at exploring the mechanisms of resistance and progression of PC, with specific focus on alterations which lead to the activation of androgen receptor (AR)-independent pathways of survival. Our work integrates available clinical and preclinical data on agents which target these pathways, assessing their potential clinical implication in specific settings of patients. Given the rising interest of the scientific community in cancer immunotherapy strategies, further attention is dedicated to the role of immune evasion in PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Cattrini
- Academic Unit of Medical Oncology, San Martino University Hospital - IST National Cancer Research Institute, L.go R. Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy; Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DIMI), School of Medicine, University of Genoa, V.le Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
| | - E Zanardi
- Academic Unit of Medical Oncology, San Martino University Hospital - IST National Cancer Research Institute, L.go R. Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy; Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DIMI), School of Medicine, University of Genoa, V.le Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - G Vallome
- Academic Unit of Medical Oncology, San Martino University Hospital - IST National Cancer Research Institute, L.go R. Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy; Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DIMI), School of Medicine, University of Genoa, V.le Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - A Cavo
- Academic Unit of Medical Oncology, San Martino University Hospital - IST National Cancer Research Institute, L.go R. Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy; Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DIMI), School of Medicine, University of Genoa, V.le Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - L Cerbone
- Academic Unit of Medical Oncology, San Martino University Hospital - IST National Cancer Research Institute, L.go R. Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy; Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DIMI), School of Medicine, University of Genoa, V.le Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - A Di Meglio
- Academic Unit of Medical Oncology, San Martino University Hospital - IST National Cancer Research Institute, L.go R. Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy; Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DIMI), School of Medicine, University of Genoa, V.le Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - C Fabbroni
- Academic Unit of Medical Oncology, San Martino University Hospital - IST National Cancer Research Institute, L.go R. Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy; Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DIMI), School of Medicine, University of Genoa, V.le Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - M M Latocca
- Academic Unit of Medical Oncology, San Martino University Hospital - IST National Cancer Research Institute, L.go R. Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy; Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DIMI), School of Medicine, University of Genoa, V.le Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - F Rizzo
- Academic Unit of Medical Oncology, San Martino University Hospital - IST National Cancer Research Institute, L.go R. Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy; Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DIMI), School of Medicine, University of Genoa, V.le Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - C Messina
- Academic Unit of Medical Oncology, San Martino University Hospital - IST National Cancer Research Institute, L.go R. Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy; Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DIMI), School of Medicine, University of Genoa, V.le Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - A Rubagotti
- Academic Unit of Medical Oncology, San Martino University Hospital - IST National Cancer Research Institute, L.go R. Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy; Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), University of Genoa, Via A. Pastore 1, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - P Barboro
- Academic Unit of Medical Oncology, San Martino University Hospital - IST National Cancer Research Institute, L.go R. Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - F Boccardo
- Academic Unit of Medical Oncology, San Martino University Hospital - IST National Cancer Research Institute, L.go R. Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy; Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DIMI), School of Medicine, University of Genoa, V.le Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy
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16
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Narov K, Yang J, Samsel P, Jones A, Sampson JR, Shen MH. The dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor GSK2126458 is effective for treating solid renal tumours in Tsc2+/- mice through suppression of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis. Oncotarget 2017; 8:58504-58512. [PMID: 28938574 PMCID: PMC5601670 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.17215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2017] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuberous sclerosis (TSC) is an inherited tumour syndrome caused by mutations in TSC1 or TSC2 that lead to aberrant activation of mTOR. Tumour responses in TSC patients to rapamycin, an allosteric inhibitor of mTOR, or its analogs are partial and reversible probably due to feedback activation of Akt. In this study, we examined the efficacy of GSK2126458, an ATP-competitive dual inhibitor of PI3K/mTOR, in comparison to rapamycin for treatment of renal tumours in genetically engineered Tsc2+/- mice. We found that both GSK2126458 and rapamycin caused significant reduction in number and size of solid renal tumours. GSK2126458 also significantly reduced the number and size of all lesions (cystic, papillary and solid) although to a lesser extent compared to rapamycin. GSK2126458 inhibited both PI3K and mTOR while rapamycin exerted stronger inhibitory effect on mTORC1 in renal tumours. Furthermore, GSK2126458 and rapamycin suppressed proliferation of tumour cells. Importantly, GSK2126458 increased apoptosis of solid tumours but rapamycin did not. Further investigations are therefore needed to test whether rapamycin in combination with GSK2126458 could promote apoptosis and thus improve therapy of TSC-associated renal tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalin Narov
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Division of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Jian Yang
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Division of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Paulina Samsel
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Division of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Ashley Jones
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Division of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Julian R Sampson
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Division of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Ming Hong Shen
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Division of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
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17
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Seed G, Yuan W, Mateo J, Carreira S, Bertan C, Lambros M, Boysen G, Ferraldeschi R, Miranda S, Figueiredo I, Riisnaes R, Crespo M, Rodrigues DN, Talevich E, Robinson DR, Kunju LP, Wu YM, Lonigro R, Sandhu S, Chinnaiyan AM, de Bono JS. Gene Copy Number Estimation from Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing of Prostate Cancer Biopsies: Analytic Validation and Clinical Qualification. Clin Cancer Res 2017; 23:6070-6077. [PMID: 28751446 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-17-0972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Revised: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 07/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Purpose: Precise detection of copy number aberrations (CNA) from tumor biopsies is critically important to the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer. The use of targeted panel next-generation sequencing (NGS) is inexpensive, high throughput, and easily feasible, allowing single-nucleotide variant calls, but CNA estimation from this remains challenging.Experimental Design: We evaluated CNVkit for CNA identification from amplicon-based targeted NGS in a cohort of 110 fresh castration-resistant prostate cancer biopsies and used capture-based whole-exome sequencing (WES), array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH), and FISH to explore the viability of this approach.Results: We showed that this method produced highly reproducible CNA results (r = 0.92), with the use of pooled germline DNA as a coverage reference supporting precise CNA estimation. CNA estimates from targeted NGS were comparable with WES (r = 0.86) and aCGH (r = 0.7); for key selected genes (BRCA2, MYC, PIK3CA, PTEN, and RB1), CNA estimation correlated well with WES (r = 0.91) and aCGH (r = 0.84) results. The frequency of CNAs in our population was comparable with that previously described (i.e., deep deletions: BRCA2 4.5%; RB1 8.2%; PTEN 15.5%; amplification: AR 45.5%; gain: MYC 31.8%). We also showed, utilizing FISH, that CNA estimation can be impacted by intratumor heterogeneity and demonstrated that tumor microdissection allows NGS to provide more precise CNA estimates.Conclusions: Targeted NGS and CNVkit-based analyses provide a robust, precise, high-throughput, and cost-effective method for CNA estimation for the delivery of more precise patient care. Clin Cancer Res; 23(20); 6070-7. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Seed
- The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Wei Yuan
- The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Joaquin Mateo
- The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Claudia Bertan
- The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maryou Lambros
- The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gunther Boysen
- The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Roberta Ferraldeschi
- The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom.,The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Susana Miranda
- The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ruth Riisnaes
- The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mateus Crespo
- The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Eric Talevich
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Dan R Robinson
- Michigan Centre for Translational Pathology, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Lakshmi P Kunju
- Michigan Centre for Translational Pathology, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Yi-Mi Wu
- Michigan Centre for Translational Pathology, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Robert Lonigro
- Michigan Centre for Translational Pathology, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | | | | | - Johann S de Bono
- The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom. .,The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
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18
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Janku F. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway inhibitors in solid tumors: From laboratory to patients. Cancer Treat Rev 2017; 59:93-101. [PMID: 28779636 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2017.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2017] [Revised: 07/11/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway is an intracellular signaling pathway that has regulatory roles in cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation, and a critical role in tumorigenesis. In cancer, multiple studies have investigated the therapeutic targeting of the PI3K pathway, and multiple inhibitors targeting PI3K and its isoforms, protein kinase B/AKT, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and other pathway proteins have been developed. For the treatment of solid tumors, only allosteric mTOR inhibitors, such as everolimus and temsirolimus, are currently approved for clinical use. This review describes the PI3K inhibitors that have progressed from the laboratory to late-stage clinical trials, and discusses the challenges that have prevented other compounds from doing the same. Challenges to the therapeutic effectiveness of some PI3K inhibitors include the absence of reliable and effective biomarkers, their limited efficacy as single agents, insufficient development of rational therapeutic combinations, the use of schedules with a variety of off-target effects, and suboptimal therapeutic exposures. Therefore, with regard to PI3K inhibitors currently in late-stage clinical trials, the identification of appropriate biomarkers of efficacy and the development of optimal combination regimens and dosing schedules are likely to be important for graduation into clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Janku
- MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics (Phase I Clinical Trials Program), Houston, TX, USA.
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19
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Arshad OA, Datta A. Towards targeted combinatorial therapy design for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer. BMC Bioinformatics 2017; 18:134. [PMID: 28361666 PMCID: PMC5374594 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-017-1522-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prostate cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers in males in the United States and amongst the leading causes of cancer related deaths. A particularly virulent form of this disease is castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), where patients no longer respond to medical or surgical castration. CRPC is a complex, multifaceted and heterogeneous malady with limited standard treatment options. RESULTS The growth and progression of prostate cancer is a complicated process that involves multiple pathways. The signaling network comprising the integral constituents of the signature pathways involved in the development and progression of prostate cancer is modeled as a combinatorial circuit. The failures in the gene regulatory network that lead to cancer are abstracted as faults in the equivalent circuit and the Boolean circuit model is then used to design therapies tailored to counteract the effect of each molecular abnormality and to propose potentially efficacious combinatorial therapy regimens. Furthermore, stochastic computational modeling is utilized to identify potentially vulnerable components in the network that may serve as viable candidates for drug development. CONCLUSION The results presented herein can aid in the design of scientifically well-grounded targeted therapies that can be employed for the treatment of prostate cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osama Ali Arshad
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.,Center for Bioinformatics and Genomics Systems Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Aniruddha Datta
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA. .,Center for Bioinformatics and Genomics Systems Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
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20
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Deng L, Jiang L, Lin XH, Tseng KF, Liu Y, Zhang X, Dong RH, Lu ZG, Wang XJ. The PI3K/mTOR dual inhibitor BEZ235 suppresses proliferation and migration and reverses multidrug resistance in acute myeloid leukemia. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2017; 38:382-391. [PMID: 28042875 DOI: 10.1038/aps.2016.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Aberrant activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway contributes to the proliferation of malignant cells, and may confer resistance to chemotherapy in various malignancies, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Chemoresistance is the major reason for relapse in AML. RAD001 (everolimus) has been used at d1 and d7 of an induction chemotherapy regimen for AML, which has acceptable toxicity and may improve conventional chemotherapeutic treatment. Dual inhibitors of PI3K and mTOR overcome some of the intrinsic disadvantages of rapamycin and its derivatives. In this study, we evaluated the effects of BEZ235, a PI3K/mTOR dual inhibitor, on the multidrug-resistant AML cell lines HL-60/VCR and K562/ADR in vitro. BEZ235 dose-dependently inhibited the viability of HL-60/VCR and K562/ADR cells with the IC50 values of 66.69 and 71.44 nmol/L, respectively. BEZ235 (25-100 nmol/L) dose-dependently inhibited the migration of the two AML cell lines, and it also significantly sensitized the two AML cell lines to VCR and ADR. After treatment with BEZ235, the miR-1-3p levels were markedly increased in HL-60/VCR cells. Using TargetScan analysis and luciferase assays, we showed that miR-1-3p targeted BAG4, EDN1 and ABCB1, the key regulators of cell apoptosis, migration and multidrug resistance, and significantly decreased their levels in the two AML cell lines. Transfection of HL-60/VCR and K562/ADR cells with miR-1-3p-AMO to inhibit miR-1-3p could reverse the anti-proliferation effects of BEZ235. In conclusion, the PI3K/mTOR dual inhibitor BEZ235 effectively chemosensitizes AML cells via increasing miR-1-3p and subsequently down-regulating BAG4, EDN1 and ABCB1.
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21
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Lim W, Park S, Bazer FW, Song G. Naringenin-Induced Apoptotic Cell Death in Prostate Cancer Cells Is Mediated via the PI3K/AKT and MAPK Signaling Pathways. J Cell Biochem 2017; 118:1118-1131. [PMID: 27606834 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.25729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in men. Although, various drugs targeting the androgen receptor are normally used, the patients frequently undergo recurrence of the disease. To overcome these limitations, natural compounds have been researched for evidence that they suppress progression and metastasis of various cancer cells. In the present study, we investigated effects of naringenin, a natural anti-oxidant flavonoid derived from citrus, on prostate cancer cells (PC3 and LNCaP). Results of present study with PC3 and LNCaP cells revealed that naringenin inhibited proliferation and migration, while inducing apoptosis and ROS production by those cells. In addition, naringenin-induced loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and increased Bax and decreased Bcl-2 proteins in PC3 cells, but not LNCaP cells. In a dose-dependent manner, naringenin decreased phosphorylation of ERK1/2, P70S6K, S6, and P38 in PC3 cells, and reduced phosphorylation of ERK1/2, P53, P38, and JNK proteins in LNCaP cells. However, naringenin activated phosphorylation of AKT in both PC3 and LNCaP cells. Then, targeted signaling proteins associated with viability of PC3 and LNCaP cells were analyzed using pharmacological inhibitors of AKT and ERK1/2 cell signaling pathways. Moreover, we compared the apoptotic effects of naringenin and paclitaxel alone and in combination to find that naringenin enhanced the efficiency of paclitaxel to suppress progression of prostate cancer cell lines. Collectively, these results indicate that naringenin is a potential chemotherapeutic agent for treatment of prostate cancer. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 1118-1131, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Whasun Lim
- Department of Biotechnology and Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunwoo Park
- Department of Biotechnology and Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Fuller W Bazer
- Center for Animal Biotechnology and Genomics and Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, 77843-2471, Texas
| | - Gwonhwa Song
- Department of Biotechnology and Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
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22
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Class I phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors for cancer therapy. Acta Pharm Sin B 2017; 7:27-37. [PMID: 28119806 PMCID: PMC5237710 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2016.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2016] [Revised: 05/09/2016] [Accepted: 05/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway is frequently activated in human cancers. Class I PI3Ks are lipid kinases that phosphorylate phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) at the 3-OH of the inositol ring to generate phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3), which in turn activates Akt and the downstream effectors like mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) to play key roles in carcinogenesis. Therefore, PI3K has become an important anticancer drug target, and currently there is very high interest in the pharmaceutical development of PI3K inhibitors. Idelalisib has been approved in USA and Europe as the first-in-class PI3K inhibitor for cancer therapy. Dozens of other PI3K inhibitors including BKM120 and ZSTK474 are being evaluated in clinical trials. Multifaceted studies on these PI3K inhibitors are being performed, such as single and combinational efficacy, resistance, biomarkers, etc. This review provides an introduction to PI3K and summarizes key advances in the development of PI3K inhibitors.
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23
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Immune Regulation and Antitumor Effect of TIM-1. J Immunol Res 2016; 2016:8605134. [PMID: 27413764 PMCID: PMC4931049 DOI: 10.1155/2016/8605134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2016] [Revised: 04/10/2016] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
T cells play an important role in antitumor immunity, and the T cell immunoglobulin domain and the mucin domain protein-1 (TIM-1) on its surface, as a costimulatory molecule, has a strong regulatory effect on T cells. TIM-1 can regulate and enhance type 1 immune response of tumor association. Therefore, TIM-1 costimulatory pathways may be a promising therapeutic target in future tumor immunotherapy. This review describes the immune regulation and antitumor effect of TIM-1.
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24
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Combined AKT and MEK Pathway Blockade in Pre-Clinical Models of Enzalutamide-Resistant Prostate Cancer. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0152861. [PMID: 27046225 PMCID: PMC4821639 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0152861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 03/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite recent improvements in patient outcomes using newer androgen receptor (AR) pathway inhibitors, treatment resistance in castrate resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) continues to remain a clinical problem. Co-targeting alternate resistance pathways are of significant interest to treat CRPC and delay the onset of resistance. Both the AKT and MEK signaling pathways become activated as prostate cancer develops resistance to AR-targeted therapies. This pre-clinical study explores co-targeting these pathways in AR-positive prostate cancer models. Using various in vitro models of prostate cancer disease states including androgen dependent (LNCaP), CRPC (V16D and 22RV1) and ENZ-resistant prostate cancer (MR49C and MR49F), we evaluate the relevance of targeting both AKT and MEK pathways. Our data reveal that AKT inhibition induces apoptosis and inhibits cell growth in PTEN null cell lines independently of their sensitivity to hormone therapy; however, AKT inhibition had no effect on the PTEN positive 22RV1 cell line. Interestingly, we found that MEK inhibition had greater effect on 22RV1 cells compared to LNCaP, V16D or ENZ-resistant cells MR49C and MR49F cells. In vitro, combination AKT and MEK blockade had evidence of synergy observed in some cell lines and assays, but this was not consistent across all results. In vivo, the combination of AKT and MEK inhibition resulted in more consistent tumor growth inhibition of MR49F xenografts and longer disease specific survival compared to AKT inhibitor monotherapy. As in our in vitro study, 22RV1 xenografts were more resistant to AKT inhibition while they were more sensitive to MEK inhibition. Our results suggest that targeting AKT and MEK in combination may be a valuable strategy in prostate cancer when both pathways are activated and further support the importance of characterizing the dominant oncogenic pathway in each patient’s tumor in order to select optimal therapy.
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25
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Dirican E, Akkiprik M, Özer A. Mutation distributions and clinical correlations of PIK3CA gene mutations in breast cancer. Tumour Biol 2016; 37:7033-45. [PMID: 26921096 DOI: 10.1007/s13277-016-4924-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2015] [Accepted: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BCa) is the most common cancer and the second cause of death among women. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway has a crucial role in the cellular processes such as cell survival, growth, division, and motility. Moreover, oncogenic mutations in the PI3K pathway generally involve the activation phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase-catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) mutation which has been identified in numerous BCa subtypes. In this review, correlations between PIK3CA mutations and their clinicopathological parameters on BCa will be described. It is reported that PIK3CA mutations which have been localized mostly on exon 9 and 20 hot spots are detected 25-40 % in BCa. This relatively high frequency can offer an advantage for choosing the best treatment options for BCa. PIK3CA mutations may be used as biomarkers and have been major focus of drug development in cancer with the first clinical trials of PI3K pathway inhibitors currently in progress. Screening of PIK3CA gene mutations might be useful genetic tests for targeted therapeutics or diagnosis. Increasing data about PIK3CA mutations and its clinical correlations with BCa will help to introduce new clinical applications in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebubekir Dirican
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, Marmara University, Başıbüyük Mah., Maltepe Başıbüyük Yolu Sok., No: 9/1, 34854, Maltepe, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Akkiprik
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, Marmara University, Başıbüyük Mah., Maltepe Başıbüyük Yolu Sok., No: 9/1, 34854, Maltepe, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | - Ayşe Özer
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, Marmara University, Başıbüyük Mah., Maltepe Başıbüyük Yolu Sok., No: 9/1, 34854, Maltepe, Istanbul, Turkey
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