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Cordover E, Wei J, Patel C, Shan NL, Gionco J, Sargsyan D, Wu R, Cai L, Kong AN, Jacinto E, Minden A. KPT-9274, an Inhibitor of PAK4 and NAMPT, Leads to Downregulation of mTORC2 in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells. Chem Res Toxicol 2020; 33:482-491. [PMID: 31876149 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.9b00376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is difficult to treat due to lack of druggable targets. We have found that treatment with the small molecule inhibitor KPT-9274 inhibits growth of TNBC cells and eventually leads to cell death. KPT-9274 is a dual specific inhibitor of PAK4 and Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT). The PAK4 protein kinase is often highly expressed in TNBC cells and has important roles in cell growth, survival, and migration. Previously we have found that inhibition of PAK4 leads to growth inhibition of TNBC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Likewise, NAMPT has been shown to be dysregulated in cancer due to its role in cell metabolism. In order to understand better how treating cells with KPT-9274 abrogates TNBC cell growth, we carried out an RNA sequencing of TNBC cells treated with KPT-9274. As a result, we identified Rictor as an important target that is inhibited in the KPT-9274 treated cells. Conversely, we found that Rictor is predicted to be activated when PAK4 is overexpressed in cells, which suggests a role for PAK4 in the regulation of Rictor. Rictor is a component of mTORC2, one of the complexes formed by the serine/threonine kinase mTOR. mTOR is important for the control of cell growth and metabolism. Our results suggest a new mechanism by which the KPT-9274 compound may block the growth of breast cancer cells, which is via inhibition of mTORC2 signaling. Consistent with this, sequencing analysis of PAK4 overexpressing cells indicates that PAK4 has a role in activation of the mTOR pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Cordover
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Chemical Biology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy , Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , 164 Frelinghuysen Road , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| | - Janet Wei
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School , 683 Hoes Lane , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| | - Chadni Patel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School , 683 Hoes Lane , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| | - Naing Lin Shan
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Chemical Biology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy , Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , 164 Frelinghuysen Road , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| | - John Gionco
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Chemical Biology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy , Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , 164 Frelinghuysen Road , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| | - Davit Sargsyan
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy , Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , 164 Frelinghuysen Road , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| | - Renyi Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy , Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , 164 Frelinghuysen Road , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| | - Li Cai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering , Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , 599 Taylor Road , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| | - Ah-Ng Kong
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy , Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , 164 Frelinghuysen Road , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| | - Estela Jacinto
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School , 683 Hoes Lane , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| | - Audrey Minden
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Chemical Biology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy , Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , 164 Frelinghuysen Road , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
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Abstract
Oncogenic signalling and metabolic alterations are interrelated in cancer cells. mTOR, which is frequently activated in cancer, controls cell growth and metabolism. mTOR signalling regulates amino acid, glucose, nucleotide, fatty acid and lipid metabolism. Conversely, metabolic inputs, such as amino acids, activate mTOR. In this Review, we discuss how mTOR signalling rewires cancer cell metabolism and delineate how changes in metabolism, in turn, sustain mTOR signalling and tumorigenicity. Several drugs are being developed to perturb cancer cell metabolism. However, their efficacy as stand-alone therapies, similar to mTOR inhibitors, is limited. Here, we discuss how the interdependence of mTOR signalling and metabolism can be exploited for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sujin Park
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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