1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3-3β-bromoacetate, a potential cancer therapeutic agent: synthesis and molecular mechanism of action

VDX-111, a novel small molecule, induces necroptosis to inhibit ovarian cancer progression

Epithelial ovarian cancers that are nonhomologous recombination deficient, as well as those that are recurrent and in a platinum-resistant state, have limited therapeutic options. The objectives of this study were to characterize the mechanism of action and investigate the therapeutic potential of a small molecule, VDX-111, against ovarian cancer. We examined the ability of VDX-111 to inhibit the growth of a panel of ovarian cancer cell lines, focusing on BRCA wild-type lines. We found that VDX-111 causes a dose-dependent loss of cell viability across ovarian cancer cell lines. Reverse phase protein array (RPPA) analysis was used to identify changes in cell signaling in response to VDX-111 treatment. An RPPA analysis performed on cells treated with VDX-111 detected changes in cell signaling related to autophagy and necroptosis. Immunoblots of OVCAR3 and SNU8 cells confirmed a dose-dependent increase in LC3A/B and RIPK1. Incucyte live cell imaging was used to measure cell proliferation and death in response to VDX-111 alone and with inhibitors of apoptosis, necroptosis, and autophagy. Annexin/PI assays suggested predominantly nonapoptotic cell death, while real-time kinetic imaging of cell growth indicated the necroptosis inhibitor, necrostatin-1, attenuates VDX-111-induced loss of cell viability, suggesting a necroptosis-dependent mechanism. Furthermore, VDX-111 inhibited tumor growth in patient-derived xenograft and syngeneic murine models. In conclusion, the cytotoxic effects of VDX-111 seen in vitro and in vivo appear to occur in a necroptosis-dependent manner and may promote an antitumor immune response.

VDX-111 targets proliferative pathways in canine cancer cell lines

VDX-111 (also identified as AMPI-109) is a vitamin D derivative which has shown anticancer activity. To further assess the function of this compound against multiple cancer types, we examined the efficacy of VDX-111 against a panel of 30 well characterized canine cancer cell lines. Across a variety of cancer types, VDX-111 induced widely variable growth inhibition, cell death, and migration inhibition, at concentrations ranging from 10 nM to 1 μM. Growth inhibition sensitivity did not correlate strongly with tumor cell histotype; however, it was significantly correlated with the expression of genes in multiple cell signaling pathways, including the MAPK and PI3K-AKT pathways. We confirmed inhibition of these signaling pathways as likely participants in the effects of VDX-111. These results suggest that a subset of canine tumors may be sensitive to treatment with VDX-111, and suggests possible predictive markers of drug sensitivity and pharmacodynamic biomarkers of drug exposure that could be employed in future clinical trials.

An efficient synthesis of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 LC-biotin

In recent years the apparent impact of vitamin D deficiency on human health has gained increased awareness. Consequently, the development of appropriate assays to measure the status of medicinally most relevant vitamin D metabolites in human blood, serum or relevant tissue is continuously being improved. Particularly, assaying of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, in turn considered as the most active metabolite, is mainly indicated in disorders leading to calcaemia or those resulting from an impaired 1α-hydroxylation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃. Thus, in some competitive protein binding and ELISA assays, biotin-linked 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ (1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ LC-biotin) is employed for measurement of actual calicitriol concentration. A new efficient synthesis of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ LC-biotin is described, starting with readily available vitamin D₂, and combining a classical approach to access 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, appropriate OH-protective group transformations, and a C-3-O-alkylation, suitable to connect the biotin-linker in a reliable, selective and high yielding strategy. The developed methodology is applicable to the synthesis of a wide variety of C-3-OH-linked vitamin D₃ and D₂ derivatives.

Loss of the oncogenic phosphatase PRL-3 promotes a TNF-R1 feedback loop that mediates triple-negative breast cancer growth

Stimulating tumor cell senescence and apoptosis are proven methods for therapeutically combating cancer. However, senescence and apoptosis are conventionally viewed as parallel, not sequential, processes. We have discovered that the metastasis-promoting phosphatase, PRL-3, is transcriptionally regulated by the NF-ĸB pathway in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells, and that PRL-3 knockdown elicits an autocrine tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNF-R1) feedback loop that results in TNBC cell senescence followed by apoptosis. Knockdown of PRL-3 leads to rapid G1 cell cycle arrest and induction of a strong TNFα cytokine response that promotes a period of cellular senescence through TNF-R1-mediated activation of NF-ĸB. Senescent PRL-3 knockdown cells subsequently underwent apoptosis as a result of increased TNF-R1 signaling through the TNFα-associated extrinsic death pathway, shunting signaling away from the NF-ĸB cascade. These data suggest that TNF-R1 signaling dynamically re-programs after PRL-3 knockdown, from sustaining cell senescence through NF-ĸB to promoting apoptosis through TNF-R1 internalization and caspase-8 activation. The molecular mechanisms that determine the survival–death balance of TNF-R1 signaling are poorly understood, despite the fact that TNF-R1 has been extensively studied. Our results describe PRL-3 knockdown as a novel survival–death balance modifier of the TNF-R1 pathway, and show that senescent TNBC tumor cells can be sensitized to undergo apoptosis in a sequential manner.

PRL-3 engages the focal adhesion pathway in triple-negative breast cancer cells to alter actin structure and substrate adhesion properties critical for cell migration and invasion

Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are among the most aggressive cancers characterized by a high propensity to invade, metastasize and relapse. We previously reported that the TNBC-specific inhibitor, AMPI-109, significantly impairs the ability of TNBC cells to migrate and invade by reducing levels of the metastasis-promoting phosphatase, PRL-3. Here, we examined the mechanisms by which AMPI-109 and loss of PRL-3 impede cell migration and invasion. AMPI-109 treatment or knock down of PRL-3 expression were associated with deactivation of Src and ERK signaling and concomitant downregulation of RhoA and Rac1/2/3 GTPase protein levels. These cellular changes led to rearranged filamentous actin networks necessary for cell migration and invasion. Conversely, overexpression of PRL-3 promoted TNBC cell invasion by upregulating matrix metalloproteinase 10, which resulted in increased TNBC cell adherence to, and degradation of, the major basement membrane component laminin. Our data demonstrate that PRL-3 engages the focal adhesion pathway in TNBC cells as a key mechanism for promoting TNBC cell migration and invasion. Collectively, these data suggest that blocking PRL-3 activity may be an effective method for reducing the metastatic potential of TNBC cells.

Genome-wide functional genetic screen with the anticancer agent AMPI-109 identifies PRL-3 as an oncogenic driver in triple-negative breast cancers

Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) are among the most aggressive and heterogeneous cancers with a high propensity to invade, metastasize and relapse. Here, we demonstrate that the anticancer compound, AMPI-109, is selectively efficacious in inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis of multiple TNBC subtype cell lines as assessed by activation of pro-apoptotic caspases-3 and 7, PARP cleavage and nucleosomal DNA fragmentation. AMPI-109 had little to no effect on growth in the majority of non-TNBC cell lines examined. We therefore utilized AMPI-109 in a genome-wide shRNA screen in the TNBC cell line, BT-20, to investigate the utility of AMPI-109 as a tool in helping to identify molecular alterations unique to TNBC. Our screen identified the oncogenic phosphatase, PRL-3, as a potentially important driver of TNBC growth, migration and invasion. Through stable lentiviral knock downs and transfection with catalytically impaired PRL-3 in TNBC cells, loss of PRL-3 expression, or functionality, led to substantial growth inhibition. Moreover, AMPI-109 treatment, downregulation of PRL-3 expression or impairment of PRL-3 activity reduced TNBC cell migration and invasion. Histological evaluation of human breast cancers revealed PRL-3 was significantly, though not exclusively, associated with the TNBC subtype and correlated positively with regional and distant metastases, as well as 1 and 3 year relapse free survival. Collectively, our study is proof-of-concept that AMPI-109, a selectively active agent against TNBC cell lines, can be used as a molecular tool to uncover unique drivers of disease progression, such as PRL-3, which we show promotes oncogenic phenotypes in TNBC cells.