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Kaya B, Gholam Azad M, Suleymanoglu M, Harmer JR, Wijesinghe TP, Richardson V, Zhao X, Bernhardt PV, Dharmasivam M, Richardson DR. Isosteric Replacement of Sulfur to Selenium in a Thiosemicarbazone: Promotion of Zn(II) Complex Dissociation and Transmetalation to Augment Anticancer Efficacy. J Med Chem 2024. [PMID: 38967641 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
We implemented isosteric replacement of sulfur to selenium in a novel thiosemicarbazone (PPTP4c4mT) to create a selenosemicarbazone (PPTP4c4mSe) that demonstrates potentiated anticancer efficacy and selectivity. Their design specifically incorporated cyclohexyl and styryl moieties to sterically inhibit the approach of their Fe(III) complexes to the oxy-myoglobin heme plane. Importantly, in contrast to the Fe(III) complexes of the clinically trialed thiosemicarbazones Triapine, COTI-2, and DpC, the Fe(III) complexes of PPTP4c4mT and PPTP4c4mSe did not induce detrimental oxy-myoglobin oxidation. Furthermore, PPTP4c4mSe demonstrated more potent antiproliferative activity than the homologous thiosemicarbazone, PPTP4c4mT, with their selectivity being superior or similar, respectively, to the clinically trialed thiosemicarbazone, COTI-2. An advantageous property of the selenosemicarbazone Zn(II) complexes relative to their thiosemicarbazone analogues was their greater transmetalation to Cu(II) complexes in lysosomes. This latter effect probably promoted their antiproliferative activity. Both ligands down-regulated multiple key receptors that display inter-receptor cooperation that leads to aggressive and resistant breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Busra Kaya
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane 4111, Australia
| | - Mahan Gholam Azad
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane 4111, Australia
| | - Mediha Suleymanoglu
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane 4111, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Fatih, Istanbul 34093, Turkey
| | - Jeffrey R Harmer
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Tharushi P Wijesinghe
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane 4111, Australia
| | - Vera Richardson
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane 4111, Australia
| | - Xiao Zhao
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane 4111, Australia
| | - Paul V Bernhardt
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Mahendiran Dharmasivam
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane 4111, Australia
| | - Des R Richardson
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane 4111, Australia
- Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
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Jadhav SB, Vondrackova M, Potomova P, Sandoval-Acuña C, Smigova J, Klanicova K, Rosel D, Brabek J, Stursa J, Werner L, Truksa J. NDRG1 acts as an oncogene in triple-negative breast cancer and its loss sensitizes cells to mitochondrial iron chelation. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1422369. [PMID: 38983911 PMCID: PMC11231402 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1422369] [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: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple studies indicate that iron chelators enhance their anti-cancer properties by inducing NDRG1, a known tumor and metastasis suppressor. However, the exact role of NDRG1 remains controversial, as newer studies have shown that NDRG1 can also act as an oncogene. Our group recently introduced mitochondrially targeted iron chelators deferoxamine (mitoDFO) and deferasirox (mitoDFX) as effective anti-cancer agents. In this study, we evaluated the ability of these modified chelators to induce NDRG1 and the role of NDRG1 in breast cancer. We demonstrated that both compounds specifically increase NDRG1 without inducing other NDRG family members. We have documented that the effect of mitochondrially targeted chelators is at least partially mediated by GSK3α/β, leading to phosphorylation of NDRG1 at Thr346 and to a lesser extent on Ser330. Loss of NDRG1 increases cell death induced by mitoDFX. Notably, MDA-MB-231 cells lacking NDRG1 exhibit reduced extracellular acidification rate and grow slower than parental cells, while the opposite is true for ER+ MCF7 cells. Moreover, overexpression of full-length NDRG1 and the N-terminally truncated isoform (59112) significantly reduced sensitivity towards mitoDFX in ER+ cells. Furthermore, cells overexpressing full-length NDRG1 exhibited a significantly accelerated tumor formation, while its N-terminally truncated isoforms showed significantly impaired capacity to form tumors. Thus, overexpression of full-length NDRG1 promotes tumor growth in highly aggressive triple-negative breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukanya B. Jadhav
- Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV Research Centre, Vestec, Czechia
- Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Michaela Vondrackova
- Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV Research Centre, Vestec, Czechia
- Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
- Faculty of Sciences, BIOCEV Research Centre, Charles University, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Petra Potomova
- Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV Research Centre, Vestec, Czechia
- Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Cristian Sandoval-Acuña
- Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV Research Centre, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Jana Smigova
- Faculty of Sciences, BIOCEV Research Centre, Charles University, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Kristyna Klanicova
- Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV Research Centre, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Daniel Rosel
- Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
- Faculty of Sciences, BIOCEV Research Centre, Charles University, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Jan Brabek
- Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
- Faculty of Sciences, BIOCEV Research Centre, Charles University, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Jan Stursa
- Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV Research Centre, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Lukas Werner
- Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV Research Centre, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Jaroslav Truksa
- Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV Research Centre, Vestec, Czechia
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Gholam Azad M, Hussaini M, Russell TM, Richardson V, Kaya B, Dharmasivam M, Richardson DR. Multi-modal mechanisms of the metastasis suppressor, NDRG1: Inhibition of WNT/β-catenin signaling by stabilization of protein kinase Cα. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107417. [PMID: 38815861 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The metastasis suppressor, N-myc downstream regulated gene-1 (NDRG1), inhibits pro-oncogenic signaling in pancreatic cancer (PC). This investigation dissected a novel mechanism induced by NDRG1 on WNT/β-catenin signaling in multiple PC cell types. NDRG1 overexpression decreased β-catenin and downregulated glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) protein levels and its activation. However, β-catenin phosphorylation at Ser33, Ser37, and Thr41 are classically induced by GSK-3β was significantly increased after NDRG1 overexpression, suggesting a GSK-3β-independent mechanism. Intriguingly, NDRG1 overexpression upregulated protein kinase Cα (PKCα), with PKCα silencing preventing β-catenin phosphorylation at Ser33, Ser37, and Thr41, and decreasing β-catenin expression. Further, NDRG1 and PKCα were demonstrated to associate, with PKCα stabilization occurring after NDRG1 overexpression. PKCα half-life increased from 1.5 ± 0.8 h (3) in control cells to 11.0 ± 2.5 h (3) after NDRG1 overexpression. Thus, NDRG1 overexpression leads to the association of NDRG1 with PKCα and PKCα stabilization, resulting in β-catenin phosphorylation at Ser33, Ser37, and Thr41. The association between PKCα, NDRG1, and β-catenin was identified, with the formation of a potential metabolon that promotes the latter β-catenin phosphorylation. This anti-oncogenic activity of NDRG1 was multi-modal, with the above mechanism accompanied by the downregulation of the nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling protein, p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4), which is involved in β-catenin nuclear translocation, inhibition of AKT phosphorylation (Ser473), and decreased β-catenin phosphorylation at Ser552 that suppresses its transcriptional activity. These mechanisms of NDRG1 activity are important to dissect to understand the marked anti-cancer efficacy of NDRG1-inducing thiosemicarbazones that upregulate PKCα and inhibit WNT signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahan Gholam Azad
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mohammed Hussaini
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Tiffany M Russell
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Vera Richardson
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Busra Kaya
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mahendiran Dharmasivam
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Des R Richardson
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
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Dharmasivam M, Kaya B, Wijesinghe TP, Richardson V, Harmer JR, Gonzalvez MA, Lewis W, Azad MG, Bernhardt PV, Richardson DR. Differential transmetallation of complexes of the anti-cancer thiosemicarbazone, Dp4e4mT: effects on anti-proliferative efficacy, redox activity, oxy-myoglobin and oxy-hemoglobin oxidation. Chem Sci 2024; 15:974-990. [PMID: 38239703 PMCID: PMC10793205 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc05723b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The di-2-pyridylthiosemicarbazone (DpT) analogs demonstrate potent and selective anti-proliferative activity against human tumors. The current investigation reports the synthesis and chemical and biological characterization of the Fe(iii), Co(iii), Ni(ii), Cu(ii), Zn(ii), Ga(iii), and Pd(ii) complexes of the promising second generation DpT analog, di-2-pyridylketone-4-ethyl-4-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Dp4e4mT). These studies demonstrate that the Dp4e4mT Co(iii), Ni(ii), and Pd(ii) complexes display distinct biological activity versus those with Cu(ii), Zn(ii), and Ga(iii) regarding anti-proliferative efficacy against cancer cells and a detrimental off-target effect involving oxidation of oxy-myoglobin (oxy-Mb) and oxy-hemoglobin (oxy-Hb). With regards to anti-proliferative activity, the Zn(ii) and Ga(iii) Dp4e4mT complexes demonstrate facile transmetallation with Cu(ii), resulting in efficacy against tumor cells that is strikingly similar to the Dp4e4mT Cu(ii) complex (IC50: 0.003-0.006 μM and 72 h). Relative to the Zn(ii) and Ga(iii) Dp4e4mT complexes, the Dp4e4mT Ni(ii) complex demonstrates kinetically slow transmetallation with Cu(ii) and intermediate anti-proliferative effects (IC50: 0.018-0.076 μM after 72 h). In contrast, the Co(iii) and Pd(ii) complexes demonstrate poor anti-proliferative activity (IC50: 0.262-1.570 μM after 72 h), probably due to a lack of transmetallation with Cu(ii). The poor efficacy of the Dp4e4mT Co(iii), Ni(ii), and Pd(ii) complexes to transmetallate with Fe(iii) markedly suppresses the oxidation of oxy-Mb and oxy-Hb. In contrast, the 2 : 1 Dp4e4mT: Cu(ii), Zn(ii), and Ga(iii) complexes demonstrate facile reactions with Fe(iii), leading to the redox active Dp4e4mT Fe(iii) complex and oxy-Mb and oxy-Hb oxidation. This study demonstrates the key role of differential transmetallation of Dp4e4mT complexes that has therapeutic ramifications for their use as anti-cancer agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahendiran Dharmasivam
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, The University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University Nathan Brisbane Queensland 4111 Australia
| | - Busra Kaya
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University Nathan Brisbane Queensland 4111 Australia
| | - Tharushi P Wijesinghe
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University Nathan Brisbane Queensland 4111 Australia
| | - Vera Richardson
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University Nathan Brisbane Queensland 4111 Australia
| | - Jeffrey R Harmer
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland 4072 Australia
| | - Miguel A Gonzalvez
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland 4072 Australia
| | - William Lewis
- Department of Chemistry, University of Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
| | - Mahan Gholam Azad
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University Nathan Brisbane Queensland 4111 Australia
| | - Paul V Bernhardt
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland 4072 Australia
| | - Des R Richardson
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, The University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University Nathan Brisbane Queensland 4111 Australia
- Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine Nagoya 466-8550 Japan
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Wijesinghe TP, Kaya B, Gonzálvez MA, Harmer JR, Gholam Azad M, Bernhardt PV, Dharmasivam M, Richardson DR. Steric Blockade of Oxy-Myoglobin Oxidation by Thiosemicarbazones: Structure-Activity Relationships of the Novel PPP4pT Series. J Med Chem 2023; 66:15453-15476. [PMID: 37922410 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2023]
Abstract
The di-2-pyridylketone thiosemicarbazones demonstrated marked anticancer efficacy, prompting progression of DpC to clinical trials. However, DpC induced deleterious oxy-myoglobin oxidation, stifling development. To address this, novel substituted phenyl thiosemicarbazone (PPP4pT) analogues and their Fe(III), Cu(II), and Zn(II) complexes were prepared. The PPP4pT analogues demonstrated potent antiproliferative activity (IC50: 0.009-0.066 μM), with the 1:1 Cu:L complexes showing the greatest efficacy. Substitutions leading to decreased redox potential of the PPP4pT:Cu(II) complexes were associated with higher antiproliferative activity, while increasing potential correlated with increased redox activity. Surprisingly, there was no correlation between redox activity and antiproliferative efficacy. The PPP4pT:Fe(III) complexes attenuated oxy-myoglobin oxidation significantly more than the clinically trialed thiosemicarbazones, Triapine, COTI-2, and DpC, or earlier thiosemicarbazone series. Incorporation of phenyl- and styryl-substituents led to steric blockade, preventing approach of the PPP4pT:Fe(III) complexes to the heme plane and its oxidation. The 1:1 Cu(II):PPP4pT complexes were inert to transmetalation and did not induce oxy-myoglobin oxidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tharushi P Wijesinghe
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane 4111, Australia
| | - Busra Kaya
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane 4111, Australia
| | - Miguel A Gonzálvez
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Jeffrey R Harmer
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Mahan Gholam Azad
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane 4111, Australia
| | - Paul V Bernhardt
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Mahendiran Dharmasivam
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane 4111, Australia
| | - Des R Richardson
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane 4111, Australia
- Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
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