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Jayaprasad AG, Chandrasekharan A, Arun Jyothi SP, John Sam SM, Santhoshkumar TR, Pillai MR. Telomerase inhibitors induce mitochondrial oxidation and DNA damage-dependent cell death rescued by Bcl-2/Bcl-xL. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 264:130151. [PMID: 38403227 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reactivation of telomerase is a hallmark of cancer and the majority of cancers over-express telomerase. Telomerase-dependent telomere length maintenance confers immortality to cancer cells. However, telomere length-independent cell survival functions of telomerase also play a critical role in tumorigenesis. Multiple telomerase inhibitors have been developed as therapeutics and include anti-sense oligonucleotides, telomerase RNA component targeting agents, chemical inhibitors of telomerase, small molecule inhibitors of hTERT, and telomerase vaccine. In general, telomerase inhibitors affect cell proliferation and survival of cells depending on the telomere length reduction, culminating in replicative senescence or cell death by crisis. However, most telomerase inhibitors kill cancer cells prior to significant reduction in telomere length, suggesting telomere length independent role of telomerase in early telomere dysfunction-dependent cell death. METHODS In this study, we explored the mechanism of cell death induced by three prominent telomerase inhibitors utilizing a series of genetically encoded sensor cells including redox and DNA damage sensor cells. RESULTS We report that telomerase inhibitors induce early cell cycle inhibition, followed by redox alterations at cytosol and mitochondria. Massive mitochondrial oxidation and DNA damage induce classical cell death involving mitochondrial transmembrane potential loss and mitochondrial permeabilization. Real-time imaging of the progression of mitochondrial oxidation revealed that treated cells undergo a biphasic mitochondrial redox alteration during telomerase inhibition, emphasizing the potential role of telomerase in the redox regulation at mitochondria. Additionally, silencing of hTERT confirmed its predominant role in maintaining mitochondrial redox homeostasis. Interestingly, the study also demonstrated that anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins still confer protection against cell death induced by telomerase inhibitors. CONCLUSION The study demonstrates that redox alterations and DNA damage contribute to early cell death by telomerase inhibitors and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins confer protection from cell death by their ability to safeguard mitochondria from oxidation damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aparna Geetha Jayaprasad
- Cancer Research Program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Poojappura, Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram 695014, Kerala, India; PhD Program, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Madhav Nagar, Manipal, Karnataka 576104, India
| | - Aneesh Chandrasekharan
- Cancer Research Program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Poojappura, Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram 695014, Kerala, India
| | - S P Arun Jyothi
- Cancer Research Program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Poojappura, Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram 695014, Kerala, India
| | - S M John Sam
- Cancer Research Program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Poojappura, Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram 695014, Kerala, India
| | - T R Santhoshkumar
- Cancer Research Program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Poojappura, Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram 695014, Kerala, India.
| | - M Radhakrishna Pillai
- Cancer Research Program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Poojappura, Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram 695014, Kerala, India.
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Song J, Zhang S, Zhang B, Ma J. The anti-breast cancer therapeutic potential of 1,2,3-triazole-containing hybrids. Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2024; 357:e2300641. [PMID: 38110853 DOI: 10.1002/ardp.202300641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer, as one of the most common invasive malignancies and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women globally, poses a significant challenge in the world health system. Substantial advances in diagnosis and treatment have significantly improved the survival rate of breast cancer patients, but the number of incidences and deaths of breast cancer are projected to increase by 40% and 50%, respectively, by 2040. Chemotherapy is one of the principal treatments for breast cancer therapy, but multidrug resistance and severe side effects remain the major obstacles to the success of treatment. Hence, there is a vital need to develop novel chemotherapeutic agents to combat this deadly disease. 1,2,3-Triazole, which can be effectively constructed by click chemistry, not only can serve as a linker to connect different anti-breast cancer pharmacophores but also is a valuable pharmacophore with anti-breast cancer potential and favorable properties such as hydrogen bonding, moderate dipole moment, and enhanced water solubility. Particularly, 1,2,3-triazole-containing hybrids have demonstrated promising in vitro and in vivo anti-breast cancer potential against both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant forms and possessed excellent selectivity by targeting different biological pathways associated with breast cancer, representing privileged scaffolds for the discovery of novel anti-breast cancer candidates. This review concentrates on the latest advancements of 1,2,3-triazole-containing hybrids with anti-breast cancer potential, including work published between 2020 and the present. The structure-activity relationships (SARs) and mechanisms of action are also reviewed to shed light on the development of more effective and multitargeted candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juntao Song
- Department of Oncology and Hematology, Zibo 148 Hospital, Zibo, China
| | - Shuai Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, People's Hospital of Zhoucun District, Zibo, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Emergency Department, People's Hospital of Zhoucun District, Zibo, China
| | - Junwei Ma
- Department of General Surgery, Zibo 148 Hospital, Zibo, China
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Sulaiman AA, Al-Ansari DE, Ali R, Aouida M, Ramotar D. Mft1, identified from a genome-wide screen of the yeast haploid mutants, mediates cell cycle arrest to counteract quinoxaline-induced toxicity. Front Genet 2024; 14:1296383. [PMID: 38283148 PMCID: PMC10811161 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1296383] [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: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Quinoxaline is a heterocyclic compound with a two-membered ring structure that undergoes redox cycling to produce toxic free radicals. It has antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antitumor activities. However, the biological functions that are involved in mounting a response against the toxic effects of quinoxaline have not been investigated. Herein, we performed a genome-wide screen using the yeast haploid mutant collection and reported the identification of 12 mutants that displayed varying sensitivity towards quinoxaline. No mutant was recovered that showed resistance to quinoxaline. The quinoxaline-sensitive mutants were deleted for genes that encode cell cycle function, as well as genes that belong to other physiological pathways such as the vacuolar detoxification process. Three of the highly sensitive gene-deletion mutants lack the DDC1, DUN1, and MFT1 genes. While Ddc1 and Dun1 are known to perform roles in the cell cycle arrest pathway, the role of Mft1 remains unclear. We show that the mft1Δ mutant is as sensitive to quinoxaline as the ddc1Δ mutant. However, the double mutant ddc1Δ mft1Δ lacking the DDC1 and MFT1 genes, is extremely sensitive to quinoxaline, as compared to the ddc1Δ and mft1Δ single mutants. We further show that the mft1Δ mutant is unable to arrest in the G2/M phase in response to the drug. We conclude that Mft1 performs a unique function independent of Ddc1 in the cell cycle arrest pathway in response to quinoxaline exposure. This is the first demonstration that quinoxaline exerts its toxic effect likely by inducing oxidative DNA damage causing cell cycle arrest. We suggest that clinical applications of quinoxaline and its derivatives should entail targeting cancer cells with defective cell cycle arrest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdallah Alhaj Sulaiman
- Qatar Foundation, Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Dana E. Al-Ansari
- Qatar Foundation, Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Reem Ali
- Qatar Foundation, Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mustapha Aouida
- Qatar Foundation, Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Dindial Ramotar
- Qatar Foundation, Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
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Salem MG, Abu El-Ata SA, Elsayed EH, Mali SN, Alshwyeh HA, Almaimani G, Almaimani RA, Almasmoum HA, Altwaijry N, Al-Olayan E, Saied EM, Youssef MF. Novel 2-substituted-quinoxaline analogs with potential antiproliferative activity against breast cancer: insights into cell cycle arrest, topoisomerase II, and EGFR activity. RSC Adv 2023; 13:33080-33095. [PMID: 37954422 PMCID: PMC10633821 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra06189b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is a global health concern, with increasing disease burden and disparities in access to healthcare. Late diagnosis and limited treatment options in underserved areas contribute to poor outcomes. In response to this challenge, we developed a novel family of 2-substituted-quinoxaline analogues, combining coumarin and quinoxaline scaffolds known for their anticancer properties. Through a versatile synthetic approach, we designed, synthesized, and characterized a set of 2-substituted quinoxaline derivatives. The antiproliferative activity of the synthesized compounds was assessed toward the MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Our investigations showed that the synthesized compounds exhibit considerable antiproliferative activity toward MCF-7 cells. Notably, compound 3b, among examined compounds, displayed a superior inhibitory effect (IC50 = 1.85 ± 0.11 μM) toward the growth of MCF-7 cells compared to the conventional anticancer drug staurosporine (IC50 = 6.77 ± 0.41 μM) and showed minimal impact on normal cells (MCF-10A cell lines, IC50 = 33.7 ± 2.04 μM). Mechanistic studies revealed that compound 3b induced cell cycle arrest at the G1 transition and triggered apoptosis in MCF-7 cells, as evidenced by increasing the percentage of cells arrested in the G2/M and pre-G1 phases utilizing flow cytometric analysis and Annexin V-FITC/PI analysis. Moreover, compound 3b was found to substantially suppress topoisomerase enzyme activity in MCF-7 cells. Molecular modeling studies further supported the potential of compound 3b as a therapeutic candidate by demonstrating significant binding affinity to the active sites of both topoisomerase II and EGFR proteins. Taken together, the presented 2-substituted-quinoxaline analogues, especially compound 3b, show promise as potential candidates for the development of effective anti-breast cancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manar G Salem
- Department of Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University Ismailia 41522 Egypt
| | - Sara A Abu El-Ata
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Port Said University Port Said Egypt
| | - Elsherbiny H Elsayed
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Port Said University Port Said Egypt
| | - Suraj N Mali
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Birla Institute of Technology Ranchi 835215 India
| | - Hussah Abdullah Alshwyeh
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University Dammam 31441 Saudi Arabia
- Basic & Applied Scientific Research Centre, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University PO Box 1982 Dammam 31441 Saudi Arabia
| | - Ghassan Almaimani
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University Al Abdeyah, PO Box 7607 Makkah Saudi Arabia
| | - Riyad A Almaimani
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University Al Abdeyah, PO Box 7607 Makkah Saudi Arabia
| | - Hussain A Almasmoum
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University Al Abdeyah, PO Box 7607 Makkah Saudi Arabia
| | - Najla Altwaijry
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University PO Box 84428 Riyadh 11671 Saudi Arabia
| | - Ebtesam Al-Olayan
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University Riyadh Saudi Arabia
| | - Essa M Saied
- Department of Chemistry (Biochemistry Division), Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University Ismailia 41522 Egypt
- Institute for Chemistry, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin Brook-Taylor-Str. 2 12489 Berlin Germany
| | - Mohamed F Youssef
- Department of Chemistry (Organic Chemistry Division), Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University Ismailia 41522 Egypt
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