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van Harten AM, Shah R, de Boer DV, Buijze M, Kreft M, Song JY, Zürcher LM, Jacobs H, Brakenhoff RH. Gemcitabine as chemotherapy of head and neck cancer in Fanconi anemia patients. Oncogenesis 2024; 13:26. [PMID: 38992100 PMCID: PMC11239817 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-024-00525-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare hereditary disease resulting from an inactivating mutation in the FA/BRCA pathway, critical for the effective repair of DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs). The disease is characterized by congenital abnormalities, progressing bone marrow failure, and an increased risk of developing malignancies early in life, in particular head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). While ICL-inducing cisplatin combined with radiotherapy is a mainstay of HNSCC treatment, cisplatin is contra-indicated for FA-HNSCC patients. This dilemma necessitates the identification of novel treatment modalities tolerated by FA-HNSCC patients. To identify druggable targets, an siRNA-based genetic screen was previously performed in HNSCC-derived cell lines from FA and non-FA tumor origin. Here, we report that the Ribonucleotide Reductase (RNR) complex, consisting of the RRM1 and RRM2 subunits, was identified as a therapeutic target for both, FA and non-FA HNSCC. While non-FA HNSCC cells responded differentially to RNR depletion, FA-HNSCC cells were consistently found hypersensitive. This insight was confirmed pharmacologically using 2', 2'-difluoro 2'deoxycytidine (dFdC), also known as gemcitabine, a clinically used nucleotide analog that is a potent inhibitor of the RNR complex. Importantly, while cisplatin exposure displayed severe, long-lasting toxicity on the hematopoietic stem and progenitor compartments in Fancg-/- mice, gemcitabine was well tolerated and had only a mild, transient impact. Taken together, our data implicate that gemcitabine-based chemoradiotherapy could serve as an alternative HNSCC treatment in Fanconi patients, and deserves clinical testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne M van Harten
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Head and Neck Cancer Biology & Immunology Section, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ronak Shah
- Division of Tumor Biology & Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - D Vicky de Boer
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Head and Neck Cancer Biology & Immunology Section, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marijke Buijze
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Head and Neck Cancer Biology & Immunology Section, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maaike Kreft
- Division of Tumor Biology & Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ji-Ying Song
- Department of Experimental Animal Pathology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lisa M Zürcher
- Division of Tumor Biology & Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Heinz Jacobs
- Division of Tumor Biology & Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ruud H Brakenhoff
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Head and Neck Cancer Biology & Immunology Section, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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2
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Yang L, Tang L, Min Q, Tian H, Li L, Zhao Y, Wu X, Li M, Du F, Chen Y, Li W, Li X, Chen M, Gu L, Sun Y, Xiao Z, Shen J. Emerging role of RNA modification and long noncoding RNA interaction in cancer. Cancer Gene Ther 2024; 31:816-830. [PMID: 38351139 PMCID: PMC11192634 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-024-00734-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
RNA modification, especially N6-methyladenosine, 5-methylcytosine, and N7-methylguanosine methylation, participates in the occurrence and progression of cancer through multiple pathways. The function and expression of these epigenetic regulators have gradually become a hot topic in cancer research. Mutation and regulation of noncoding RNA, especially lncRNA, play a major role in cancer. Generally, lncRNAs exert tumor-suppressive or oncogenic functions and its dysregulation can promote tumor occurrence and metastasis. In this review, we summarize N6-methyladenosine, 5-methylcytosine, and N7-methylguanosine modifications in lncRNAs. Furthermore, we discuss the relationship between epigenetic RNA modification and lncRNA interaction and cancer progression in various cancers. Therefore, this review gives a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms by which RNA modification affects the progression of various cancers by regulating lncRNAs, which may shed new light on cancer research and provide new insights into cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqiong Yang
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Lu Tang
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Qi Min
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Hua Tian
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Linwei Li
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Yueshui Zhao
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Xu Wu
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Mingxing Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Fukuan Du
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Wanping Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Xiaobing Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Meijuan Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Li Gu
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Yuhong Sun
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Zhangang Xiao
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China.
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China.
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China.
| | - Jing Shen
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China.
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China.
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China.
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3
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Qin Q, Yu R, Eriksson JE, Tsai HI, Zhu H. Cancer-associated fibroblasts in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma therapy: Challenges and opportunities. Cancer Lett 2024; 591:216859. [PMID: 38615928 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216859] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a solid organ malignancy with a high mortality rate. Statistics indicate that its incidence has been increasing as well as the associated deaths. Most patients with PDAC show poor response to therapies making the clinical management of this cancer difficult. Stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) contribute to the development of resistance to therapy in PDAC cancer cells. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the most prevalent stromal cells in the TME, promote a desmoplastic response, produce extracellular matrix proteins and cytokines, and directly influence the biological behavior of cancer cells. These multifaceted effects make it difficult to eradicate tumor cells from the body. As a result, CAF-targeting synergistic therapeutic strategies have gained increasing attention in recent years. However, due to the substantial heterogeneity in CAF origin, definition, and function, as well as high plasticity, majority of the available CAF-targeting therapeutic approaches are not effective, and in some cases, they exacerbate disease progression. This review primarily elucidates on the effect of CAFs on therapeutic efficiency of various treatment modalities, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. Strategies for CAF targeting therapies are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Qin
- Institute of Medical Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, China
| | - Rong Yu
- Institute of Medical Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, China
| | - John E Eriksson
- Cell Biology, Biosciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, FI-20520 Finland
| | - Hsiang-I Tsai
- Institute of Medical Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, China; Department of Medical Imaging, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, China.
| | - Haitao Zhu
- Institute of Medical Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, China; Department of Medical Imaging, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, China.
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4
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Zhang Z, Chen L, Zhao C, Gong Q, Tang Z, Li H, Tao J. CASC9 potentiates gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer by reciprocally activating NRF2 and the NF-κB signaling pathway. Cell Biol Toxicol 2023; 39:1549-1560. [PMID: 35913601 DOI: 10.1007/s10565-022-09746-w] [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: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Gemcitabine resistance is a frequently occurring and intractable obstacle in pancreatic cancer treatment. However, the underlying mechanisms require further investigation. Adaptive regulation of oxidative stress and aberrant activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway are associated with resistance to chemotherapy. Here, we found that gemcitabine upregulated the expression of CASC9 in a dose-dependent manner, partially via induction of reactive oxygen species, whereas inhibition of CASC9 expression enhanced gemcitabine-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. Furthermore, suppression of CASC9 level inhibited the expression of NRF2 and the downstream genes NQO1 and HO-1, and vice versa, indicating that CASC9 forms a positive feedback loop with NRF2 signaling and modulates the level of oxidative stress. Silencing CASC9 attenuated NF-κB pathway activation in pancreatic cancer cells and synergistically enhanced the cytotoxic effect of gemcitabine chemotherapy in vivo. In conclusion, our findings suggest that CASC9 plays a key role in driving resistance to gemcitabine through a reciprocal loop with the NRF2-antioxidant signaling pathway and by activating NF-κB signaling. Our study reveals potential targets that can effectively reverse resistance to gemcitabine chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengle Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei Province, China
| | - Longjiang Chen
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei Province, China
| | - Chuanbing Zhao
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei Province, China
| | - Qiong Gong
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zhigang Tang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei Province, China
| | - Hanjun Li
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei Province, China.
| | - Jing Tao
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei Province, China.
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5
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Gautam SK, Basu S, Aithal A, Dwivedi NV, Gulati M, Jain M. Regulation of pancreatic cancer therapy resistance by chemokines. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:69-80. [PMID: 36064086 PMCID: PMC10370390 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal malignancy characterized by high resistance and poor response to chemotherapy. In addition, the poorly immunogenic pancreatic tumors constitute an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) that render immunotherapy-based approaches ineffective. Understanding the mechanisms of therapy resistance, identifying new targets, and developing effective strategies to overcome resistance can significantly impact the management of PDAC patients. Chemokines are small soluble factors that are significantly deregulated during PDAC pathogenesis, contributing to tumor growth, metastasis, immune cell trafficking, and therapy resistance. Thus far, different chemokine pathways have been explored as therapeutic targets in PDAC, with some promising results in recent clinical trials. Particularly, immunotherapies such as immune check point blockade therapies and CAR-T cell therapies have shown promising results when combined with chemokine targeted therapies. Considering the emerging pathological and clinical significance of chemokines in PDAC, we reviewed major chemokine-regulated pathways leading to therapy resistance and the ongoing endeavors to target chemokine signaling in PDAC. This review discusses the role of chemokines in regulating therapy resistance in PDAC and highlights the continuing efforts to target chemokine-regulated pathways to improve the efficacy of various treatment modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shailendra K Gautam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5870, USA
| | - Soumi Basu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5870, USA
| | - Abhijit Aithal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5870, USA
| | - Nidhi V Dwivedi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5870, USA
| | - Mansi Gulati
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5870, USA
| | - Maneesh Jain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5870, USA; Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5870, USA.
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6
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Wang HY, Hsin P, Huang CY, Chang ZF. A Convenient and Sensitive Method for Deoxynucleoside Triphosphate Quantification by the Combination of Rolling Circle Amplification and Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction. Anal Chem 2021; 93:14247-14255. [PMID: 34633808 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c03236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Measurement of four dNTP pools is important for investigating metabolism, genome stability, and drug action. In this report, we developed a two-step method for quantitating dNTPs by the combination of rolling circle amplification (RCA) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). We used CircLigase to generate a single-strand DNA in circular monomeric configuration, which was then used for the first step of RCA reaction that contained three dNTPs in excess for quantification of one dNTP at limiting levels. The second step is the amplification of RCA products by qPCR, in which one primer was designed to be completely annealed with the polymeric ssDNA product but not the monomeric template DNA. Using 1 amol of the template in the assay, each dNTP from 0.02 to 2.5 pmol gave a linearity with r2 > 0.99, and the quantification was not affected by the presence of rNTPs. We further found that the preparation of biological samples for the RCA reaction required methanol and chloroform extraction. The method was so sensitive that 1 × 104 cells were sufficient for dNTP quantification with the results similar to those determined by a radio-isotope method using 2 × 105 cells. Thus, the RCA/qPCR method is convenient, cost-effective, and highly sensitive for dNTP quantification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Yen Wang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei 100, Taiwan, R.O.C.,Center of Precision Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei 100, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Peng Hsin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei 100, Taiwan, R.O.C.,Center of Precision Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei 100, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Chang-Yu Huang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei 100, Taiwan, R.O.C.,Center of Precision Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei 100, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Zee-Fen Chang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei 100, Taiwan, R.O.C.,Center of Precision Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei 100, Taiwan, R.O.C
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7
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Arora M, Bogenberger JM, Abdelrahman A, Leiting JL, Chen X, Egan JB, Kasimsetty A, Lenkiewicz E, Malasi S, Uson PLS, Nagalo BM, Zhou Y, Salomao MA, Kosiorek HE, Braggio E, Barrett MT, Truty MJ, Borad MJ. Evaluation of NUC-1031: a first-in-class ProTide in biliary tract cancer. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2020; 85:1063-1078. [PMID: 32440762 DOI: 10.1007/s00280-020-04079-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE NUC1031 is a first-in-class ProTide, that is a gemcitabine pro-drug designed to overcome putative mechanisms of resistance, including decreased expression of hENT/hCNT transporters, absence of activating enzymes such as deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) and presence of degrading enzymes such as cytidine deaminase (CDA). We undertook comprehensive pre-clinical evaluation of NUC1031 in biliary tract cancer (BTC) models, given that gemcitabine/cisplatin is a standard first-line therapy in advanced BTC. METHODS Here, we compared the in vitro activity of NUC1031 in comparison to gemcitabine, validate putative mechanism(s) of action, assessed potential biomarkers of sensitivity or resistance, and performed combination studies with cisplatin. We also evaluated the in vivo efficacy of NUC1031 and gemcitabine using a CDA-high cholangiocarcinoma patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model. RESULTS In a panel of BTC cell lines (N = 10), NUC1031 had less potency than gemcitabine in multiple cellular assays. NUC1031 did not demonstrate evidence of greater synergy over gemcitabine in combination with cisplatin. Surprisingly, efficacy of both gemcitabine and NUC1031 was not found to be correlated with hENT/hCTN, dCK or CDA transcript levels. Gemcitabine and NUC1031 showed equivalent efficacy in a CDA-high PDX model in vivo contradicting the primary rationale of NUC1031 design. CONCLUSION NUC1031 did not exhibit evidence of superior activity over gemcitabine, as a single-agent, or in combination with cisplatin, in either our in vivo or in vitro BTC models. Given that the largest Phase 3 study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT0314666) to date in BTC is underway (N = 828) comparing NUC1031/cisplatin to gemcitabine/cisplatin, our results suggest that a more conservative clinical evaluation path would be more appropriate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansi Arora
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Cancer Cell, Gene and Virus Therapy Lab, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, 5777 E Mayo Blvd, Phoenix, AZ, 85254, USA
| | - James M Bogenberger
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Cancer Cell, Gene and Virus Therapy Lab, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, 5777 E Mayo Blvd, Phoenix, AZ, 85254, USA
| | | | | | - Xianfeng Chen
- Department of Informatics, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Jan B Egan
- Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Aradhana Kasimsetty
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Elzbieta Lenkiewicz
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Smriti Malasi
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Pedro Luiz Serrano Uson
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Bolni Marius Nagalo
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Cancer Cell, Gene and Virus Therapy Lab, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, 5777 E Mayo Blvd, Phoenix, AZ, 85254, USA
| | - Yumei Zhou
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Cancer Cell, Gene and Virus Therapy Lab, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, 5777 E Mayo Blvd, Phoenix, AZ, 85254, USA
| | - Marcela A Salomao
- Department of Lab Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Heidi E Kosiorek
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Esteban Braggio
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Cancer Cell, Gene and Virus Therapy Lab, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, 5777 E Mayo Blvd, Phoenix, AZ, 85254, USA
| | - Michael T Barrett
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Mark J Truty
- Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Mitesh J Borad
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA.
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
- Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
- Cancer Cell, Gene and Virus Therapy Lab, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, 5777 E Mayo Blvd, Phoenix, AZ, 85254, USA.
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8
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Bhat AA, Ahamad B, Rehman MU, Ahmad P. Impact of ethanolic extract of Equisetum arvense (EA1) on pancreatic carcinoma AsPC-1 cells. Saudi J Biol Sci 2020; 27:1260-1264. [PMID: 32346333 PMCID: PMC7183007 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2020.01.029] [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: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The current research was focused on evaluation of the cytotoxic and suppressive action of ethanolic extract of Equisetum arvense (EA1) against human pancreatic carcinoma cell line ASPC-1 after treatment with 25 µg/mL, 50 µg/mL, 100 µg/mL and 200 µg/mL EA1, using MTT assay and Antioxidant activity. Detailed investigations led to reveal the ability of cell patronage through the dreadful upshot of free radicals. The current approach followed MTT assays to examine the long-lasting ability and growth of cells as EA1 restrained the cell viability and growth of ASPC-1. At the end, EA1 showed its potential cytotoxicity and reduced the cellular proliferation of ASPC-1 cells through a pattern, which appeared to be concentration dependent. Our results can form the basis to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying Ethanolic Extract of Equisetum arvense induced cell death in pancreatic cancer cell lines and may serve as an alternative anticancer agent for the treatment of pancreatic carcinoma (PC) with no or least side effects to the patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajaz Ali Bhat
- Government Degree College for Women, Baramulla 193101, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Bilal Ahamad
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muneeb U Rehman
- Department of Biochemistry, Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar, Karan Nagar, Srinagar, India.,Departnment of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Parvaiz Ahmad
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
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9
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Huang CY, Yagüe-Capilla M, González-Pacanowska D, Chang ZF. Quantitation of deoxynucleoside triphosphates by click reactions. Sci Rep 2020; 10:611. [PMID: 31953472 PMCID: PMC6969045 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-57463-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The levels of the four deoxynucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) are under strict control in the cell, as improper or imbalanced dNTP pools may lead to growth defects and oncogenesis. Upon treatment of cancer cells with therapeutic agents, changes in the canonical dNTPs levels may provide critical information for evaluating drug response and mode of action. The radioisotope-labeling enzymatic assay has been commonly used for quantitation of cellular dNTP levels. However, the disadvantage of this method is the handling of biohazard materials. Here, we described the use of click chemistry to replace radioisotope-labeling in template-dependent DNA polymerization for quantitation of the four canonical dNTPs. Specific oligomers were designed for dCTP, dTTP, dATP and dGTP measurement, and the incorporation of 5-ethynyl-dUTP or C8-alkyne-dCTP during the polymerization reaction allowed for fluorophore conjugation on immobilized oligonucleotides. The four reactions gave a linear correlation coefficient >0.99 in the range of the concentration of dNTPs present in 106 cells, with little interference of cellular rNTPs. We present evidence indicating that data generated by this methodology is comparable to radioisotope-labeling data. Furthermore, the design and utilization of a robust microplate assay based on this technology evidenced the modulation of dNTPs in response to different chemotherapeutic agents in cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Yu Huang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang-Ming University, No.155, Sec. 2, Linong Street, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.,Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei, 100, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Miriam Yagüe-Capilla
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra" (IPBLN), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avenida del Conocimiento, 17, 18016, Armilla, Granada, Spain
| | - Dolores González-Pacanowska
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra" (IPBLN), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avenida del Conocimiento, 17, 18016, Armilla, Granada, Spain
| | - Zee-Fen Chang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang-Ming University, No.155, Sec. 2, Linong Street, Taipei, 112, Taiwan. .,Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei, 100, Taiwan, ROC. .,Center of Precision Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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10
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Miller AL, Garcia PL, Gamblin TL, Vance RB, Yoon KJ. Development of gemcitabine-resistant patient-derived xenograft models of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2020; 3:572-585. [PMID: 33073205 PMCID: PMC7561044 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2020.35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
AIM Gemcitabine is a frontline agent for locally-advanced and metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), but neither gemcitabine alone nor in combination produces durable remissions of this tumor type. We developed three PDAC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models with gemcitabine resistance (gemR) acquired in vivo, with which to identify mechanisms of resistance relevant to drug exposure in vivo and to evaluate novel therapies. METHODS Mice bearing independently-derived PDXs received 100 mg/kg gemcitabine once or twice weekly. Tumors initially responded, but regrew on treatment and were designated gemR. We used immunohistochemistry to compare expression of proteins previously associated with gemcitabine resistance [ribonucleotide reductase subunit M1 (RRM1), RRM2, human concentrative nucleoside transporter 1 (hCNT1), human equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (hENT1), cytidine deaminase (CDA), and deoxycytidine kinase (dCK)] in gemR and respective gemcitabine-naive parental tumors. RESULTS Parental and gemR tumors did not differ in tumor cell morphology, amount of tumor-associated stroma, or expression of stem cell markers. No consistent pattern of expression of the six gemR marker proteins was observed among the models. Increases in RRM1 and CDA were consistent with in vitro-derived gemR models. However, rather than the expected decreases of hCNT1, hENT1, and dCK, gemR tumors expressed no change in or higher levels of these gemR marker proteins than parental tumors. CONCLUSION These models are the first PDAC PDX models with gemcitabine resistance acquired in vivo. The data indicate that mechanisms identified in models with resistance acquired in vitro are unlikely to be the predominant mechanisms when resistance is acquired in vivo. Ongoing work focuses on characterizing unidentified mechanisms of gemR and on identifying agents with anti-tumor efficacy in these gemR models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aubrey L. Miller
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 USA
| | - Patrick L. Garcia
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 USA
| | - Tracy L. Gamblin
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 USA
| | - Rebecca B. Vance
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 USA
| | - Karina J. Yoon
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 USA
- Correspondence Address: Dr. Karina J. Yoon, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, VH 241, 1670 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA. E-mail:
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11
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CtBP-a targetable dependency for tumor-initiating cell activity and metastasis in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Oncogenesis 2019; 8:55. [PMID: 31586042 PMCID: PMC6778071 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-019-0163-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Ctbp2 is a uniquely targetable oncogenic transcriptional coregulator, exhibiting overexpression in most common solid tumors, and critical to the tumor-initiating cell (TIC) transcriptional program. In the “CKP” mouse pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) model driven by mutant K-Ras, Ctbp2 haploinsufficiency prolonged survival, abrogated peritoneal metastasis, and caused dramatic downregulation of c-Myc, a known critical dependency for TIC activity and tumor progression in PDAC. A small-molecule inhibitor of CtBP2, 4-chloro-hydroxyimino phenylpyruvate (4-Cl-HIPP) phenocopied Ctbp2 deletion, decreasing tumor burden similarly to gemcitabine, and the combination of 4-Cl-HIPP and gemcitabine further synergistically suppressed tumor growth. Pharmacodynamic monitoring revealed that the 4-Cl-HIPP/gemcitabine combination induced robust and synergistic tumor apoptosis and marked downregulation of the TIC marker CD133 in CKP PDAC tumors. Collectively, our data demonstrate that targeting CtBP represents a fruitful avenue for development of highly active agents in PDAC that cooperate with standard therapy to limit both primary and metastatic tumor burden.
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12
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Halfdanarson TR, Foster NR, Kim GP, Meyers JP, Smyrk TC, McCullough AE, Ames MM, Jaffe JP, Alberts SR. A Phase II Randomized Trial of Panitumumab, Erlotinib, and Gemcitabine Versus Erlotinib and Gemcitabine in Patients with Untreated, Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: North Central Cancer Treatment Group Trial N064B (Alliance). Oncologist 2019; 24:589-e160. [PMID: 30679315 PMCID: PMC6516109 DOI: 10.1634/theoncologist.2018-0878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
LESSONS LEARNED Dual epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-directed therapy with erlotinib and panitumumab in combination with gemcitabine was superior to gemcitabine and erlotinib, but the clinical relevance is uncertain given the limited role of gemcitabine monotherapy.A significantly longer overall survival was observed in patients receiving the dual EGFR-directed therapy.The dual EGFR-directed therapy resulted in increased toxicity. BACKGROUND Gemcitabine is active in patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The combination of erlotinib, an oral epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor, and gemcitabine was shown to modestly prolong overall survival when compared with gemcitabine alone. The North Central Cancer Treatment Group (now part of Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology) trial N064B compared gemcitabine plus erlotinib versus gemcitabine plus combined EGFR inhibition with erlotinib and panitumumab. METHODS Eligible patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas were randomized to either gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle with erlotinib 100 mg p.o. daily (Arm A) or the same combination with the addition of panitumumab 4 mg/kg on days 1 and 15 of a 28-day cycle (Arm B). The primary endpoint of the trial was overall survival. Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival, the confirmed response rate, and toxicity. Comparison between arms for the primary endpoint was done with a one-sided log-rank test, and a p value less than .20 was considered statistically significant. Response rate comparison was done with Fisher's exact test. All other reported p values are two-sided. RESULTS A total of 92 patients were randomized, 46 to each arm. The median overall survival was 4.2 months in Arm A and 8.3 months in Arm B (hazard ratio, 0.817; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.530-1.260; p = .1792). The progression-free survival was 2.0 months in Arm A and 3.6 months in Arm B (hazard ratio, 0.843; 95% CI, 0.555-1.280; p = .4190). A partial confirmed response was seen in 8.7% of patients on Arm A and 6.5% on Arm B (p = .9999). No patients had a complete response. Grade 3 and higher nonhematologic toxicities were more common in patients on Arm B compared with those on Arm A (82.6% vs. 52.2%; p = .0018). CONCLUSION Dual EGFR-directed therapy resulted in a significant prolongation of overall survival in patients with advanced adenocarcinoma of the pancreas but was associated with substantially increased toxicities. Dual EGFR-directed therapy in combination with gemcitabine alone cannot be recommended for further study, as single-agent gemcitabine is no longer considered an appropriate therapy for otherwise fit patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nathan R Foster
- Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
- Alliance Statistics and Data Center, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey P Meyers
- Alliance Statistics and Data Center, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Thomas C Smyrk
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ann E McCullough
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - Matthew M Ames
- Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jeffrry P Jaffe
- Metro-Minnesota Community Oncology Research Consortium, Saint Louis Park, Minnesota, USA
| | - Steven R Alberts
- Division of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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13
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Liu N, Funasaka K, Obayashi T, Miyahara R, Hirooka Y, Goto H, Senga T. ATAD2 is associated with malignant characteristics of pancreatic cancer cells. Oncol Lett 2019; 17:3489-3494. [PMID: 30867788 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2019.9960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive human cancers and is associated with a poor prognosis. To develop a novel strategy for pancreatic cancer treatment, it is essential to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the invasion and proliferation of cancer cells. ATPase family AAA domain containing protein 2 (ATAD2) is a highly conserved protein with an AAA+ domain and a bromodomain. Accumulating studies have demonstrated that ATAD2 is associated with the progression of multiple cancers. The present study demonstrated that ATAD2 depletion suppressed cell invasion and migration. In addition, ATAD2 knockdown suppressed anchorage-independent growth of pancreatic cancer cells. Finally, ATAD2 depletion was demonstrated to sensitize pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine. The results of the present study indicate that ATAD2 is involved in the malignant characteristics of pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nairong Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan
| | - Kohei Funasaka
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan
| | - Tomohiko Obayashi
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan
| | - Ryoji Miyahara
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan
| | - Yoshiki Hirooka
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan
| | - Hidemi Goto
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan
| | - Takeshi Senga
- Division of Cancer Biology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan
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14
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Wang T, Zhuang Z, Zhang P, Wang Y, Mu L, Jin H, Zhou L, Ma X, Liang R, Yuan Y. Effect of arenobufagin on human pancreatic carcinoma cells. Oncol Lett 2017; 14:4971-4976. [PMID: 29085509 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2017.6798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2015] [Accepted: 06/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic carcinoma (PC) is a deadly form of cancer with poor overall survival. Currently, chemotherapy such as gemcitabine and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) are the most popular medications that can improve survival, but rapid drug-resistance makes the search for more effective drugs urgent. Upon looking for natural components to treat PC, it was found that arenobufagin, a cardiac glycosides-like compound, showed significant effects on the gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic carcinoma cell line Panc-1 and the gemcitabine-sensitive cell line ASPC-1 at nanomolar concentrations. The present study used MTT and clonogenic survival assays to examine survival and proliferation, and western blotting to assess changes in the associated mitogen activated protein kinase and phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathways and expression of apoptosis-related proteins. The current study also detected the cell cycle by flow cytometry. Arenobufagin inhibited cell survival and proliferation, decreased the phosphorylation of key downstream proteins of K-Ras, including protein kinase B and extracellular signal related kinase, induced cell cycle G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis, and downregulated the level of phosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptor. Notably, the present data also showed that arenobufagin can enhance the sensitivity of PC cells to gemcitabine and 5-FU. In conclusion, arenobufagin could enhance the effect of gemcitabine and 5-FU on PC cells by targeting multiple key proteins. Therefore, arenobufagin has potential as anadjuvant therapy for the treatment of PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianjiao Wang
- General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, P.R. China
| | - Zhumei Zhuang
- General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, P.R. China
| | - Peng Zhang
- General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, P.R. China
| | - Yueyue Wang
- General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, P.R. China
| | - Lin Mu
- College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, P.R. China
| | - Haifeng Jin
- General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, P.R. China
| | - Lei Zhou
- General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, P.R. China
| | - Xiaochi Ma
- College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, P.R. China
| | - Rui Liang
- General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, P.R. China
| | - Yuhui Yuan
- General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, P.R. China
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15
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Ding B, Wahid MA, Wang Z, Xie C, Thakkar A, Prabhu S, Wang J. Triptolide and celastrol loaded silk fibroin nanoparticles show synergistic effect against human pancreatic cancer cells. NANOSCALE 2017; 9:11739-11753. [PMID: 28782773 PMCID: PMC5648537 DOI: 10.1039/c7nr03016a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a lethal disease with a dreadful 5-year survival rate of only 5%. In spite of several treatment options, the prognosis still remains extremely poor. Therefore, novel therapy strategies with combinations of drugs are urgently required to combat this fatal disease. Triptolide (TPL) and celastrol (CL), two main compounds in traditional Chinese medicine isolated from Thunder God Vine, have a broad range of bioactivities including anticancer activity. Silk fibroin (SF), a naturally occurring protein with several unique properties, is an ideal carrier material. In this study, we prepared TPL and CL loaded silk fibroin nanoparticles (TPL-SFNPs and CL-SFNPs) by a modified desolvation method and evaluated their synergistic effects against human pancreatic cancer cells. Both SFNPs were characterized for particle size and zeta potential. The entrapment efficiency, drug loading, and drug release profiles were evaluated by HPLC. The cytotoxicity and synergistic effect of SFNPs were investigated in MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1 human pancreatic cells. The results showed that the particle sizes of TPL-SFNPs and CL-SFNPs were 166.4 ± 4.6 nm and 170.4 ± 2.3 nm, with a mean zeta potential -27.2 ± 2.0 mV and -25.5 ± 2.57 mV, respectively. TPL-SFNPs and CL-SFNPs have a drug loading of 57.0 ± 4.7 μg mg-1 and 63.5 ± 3.8 μg mg-1 along with an encapsulation efficiency of 81.8 ± 2.8% and 87.0 ± 5.1%, respectively. Drug release studies revealed that a rapid release of the drugs from SFNPs was observed at pH 4.5 (lysosomal pH) and a delayed release was observed at pH 7.4 (plasma pH). TPL-SFNPs (IC50 3.80 and 4.75 nM) and CL-SFNPs (IC50 0.38 and 0.64 μM) were 2-3 fold more potent against MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1 cells than free TPL (IC50 11.25 and 11.58 nM) and CL (IC50 0.84 and 1.23 μM). Furthermore, co-treatment with TPL-SFNPs and CL-SFNPs increased the growth inhibition of the same cells significantly in comparison with TPL-SFNPs or CL-SFNPs alone. Almost all combination index (CI) values, calculated using the CompuSyn software, were <1, suggesting that the growth inhibition effect of TPL-SFNPs in combination with CL-SFNPs was synergistic rather than additive, further suggesting that this novel combination may offer a potential treatment for pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baoyue Ding
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Medicine, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, PR China
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Md Arif Wahid
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Zhijun Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Chen Xie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Arvind Thakkar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Sunil Prabhu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Jeffrey Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
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Reiter RJ, Rosales-Corral SA, Tan DX, Acuna-Castroviejo D, Qin L, Yang SF, Xu K. Melatonin, a Full Service Anti-Cancer Agent: Inhibition of Initiation, Progression and Metastasis. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:E843. [PMID: 28420185 PMCID: PMC5412427 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18040843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 308] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2017] [Revised: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
There is highly credible evidence that melatonin mitigates cancer at the initiation, progression and metastasis phases. In many cases, the molecular mechanisms underpinning these inhibitory actions have been proposed. What is rather perplexing, however, is the large number of processes by which melatonin reportedly restrains cancer development and growth. These diverse actions suggest that what is being observed are merely epiphenomena of an underlying more fundamental action of melatonin that remains to be disclosed. Some of the arresting actions of melatonin on cancer are clearly membrane receptor-mediated while others are membrane receptor-independent and involve direct intracellular actions of this ubiquitously-distributed molecule. While the emphasis of melatonin/cancer research has been on the role of the indoleamine in restraining breast cancer, this is changing quickly with many cancer types having been shown to be susceptible to inhibition by melatonin. There are several facets of this research which could have immediate applications at the clinical level. Many studies have shown that melatonin's co-administration improves the sensitivity of cancers to inhibition by conventional drugs. Even more important are the findings that melatonin renders cancers previously totally resistant to treatment sensitive to these same therapies. Melatonin also inhibits molecular processes associated with metastasis by limiting the entrance of cancer cells into the vascular system and preventing them from establishing secondary growths at distant sites. This is of particular importance since cancer metastasis often significantly contributes to death of the patient. Another area that deserves additional consideration is related to the capacity of melatonin in reducing the toxic consequences of anti-cancer drugs while increasing their efficacy. Although this information has been available for more than a decade, it has not been adequately exploited at the clinical level. Even if the only beneficial actions of melatonin in cancer patients are its ability to attenuate acute and long-term drug toxicity, melatonin should be used to improve the physical wellbeing of the patients. The experimental findings, however, suggest that the advantages of using melatonin as a co-treatment with conventional cancer therapies would far exceed improvements in the wellbeing of the patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russel J Reiter
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
| | - Sergio A Rosales-Corral
- Centro de Investigacion Biomedica de Occidente, Del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico.
| | - Dun-Xian Tan
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
| | | | - Lilan Qin
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
| | - Shun-Fa Yang
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan, Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan.
| | - Kexin Xu
- Department of Molecular Medicine, UT Health, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
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17
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Jung KH, Choi IK, Lee HS, Yan HH, Son MK, Ahn HM, Hong J, Yun CO, Hong SS. Oncolytic adenovirus expressing relaxin (YDC002) enhances therapeutic efficacy of gemcitabine against pancreatic cancer. Cancer Lett 2017; 396:155-166. [PMID: 28315430 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2017.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Revised: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a highly lethal disease for which limited therapeutic options are available. Pancreatic cancer exhibits a pronounced collagen-rich stromal reaction, which induces chemoresistance by inhibiting drug diffusion into the tumor. Complementary treatment with oncolytic virus such as an oncolytic adenovirus expressing relaxin (YDC002) is an innovative treatment option for combating chemoresistant pancreatic cancer. Here, we examined the ability of combined treatment with gemcitabine and YDC002, which degrades extracellular matrix (ECM), to efficiently treat chemoresistant and desmoplastic pancreatic cancer. Gemcitabine alone exhibited similarly low cytotoxicity toward pancreatic cancer cells throughout the concentration range (1-50 μM) used, whereas the combination of YDC002 and a subtherapeutic dose of gemcitabine (0.01-0.05 μM) resulted in potent anticancer effects through effective induction of apoptosis. Importantly, YDC002 combined with gemcitabine significantly attenuated the expression of major ECM components including collagens, fibronectin, and elastin in tumor spheroids and xenograft tumors compared with gemcitabine alone, resulting in potent induction of apoptosis, gemcitabine-mediated cytotoxicity, and an oncolytic effect through degradation of tumor ECM. Our results demonstrate that YDC002 can selectively degrade aberrant ECM and attenuate the ECM-induced chemoresistance observed in desmoplastic pancreatic tumor, resulting in a potent antitumor effect through effective induction of apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung Hee Jung
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Inha University, 3-ga, Sinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon, 400-712, Republic of Korea
| | - Il-Kyu Choi
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, 133-791, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Hee-Seung Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Inha University, 3-ga, Sinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon, 400-712, Republic of Korea
| | - Hong Hua Yan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Inha University, 3-ga, Sinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon, 400-712, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi Kwon Son
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Inha University, 3-ga, Sinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon, 400-712, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo Min Ahn
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, 133-791, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - JinWoo Hong
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, 133-791, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chae-Ok Yun
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, 133-791, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Soon-Sun Hong
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Inha University, 3-ga, Sinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon, 400-712, Republic of Korea.
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18
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Cancer Cell Mitochondria Targeting by Pancratistatin Analogs is Dependent on Functional Complex II and III. Sci Rep 2017; 7:42957. [PMID: 28220885 PMCID: PMC5318952 DOI: 10.1038/srep42957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhanced mitochondrial stability and decreased dependence on oxidative phosphorylation confer an acquired resistance to apoptosis in cancer cells, but may present opportunities for therapeutic intervention. The compound pancratistatin (PST) has been shown to selectively induce apoptosis in cancer cells. However, its low availability in nature has hindered its clinical advancement. We synthesized PST analogs and a medium-throughput screen was completed. Analogs SVTH-7, -6, and -5 demonstrated potent anti-cancer activity greater than PST and several standard chemotherapeutics. They disrupted mitochondrial function, activated the intrinsic apoptotic pathway, and reduced growth of tumor xenografts in vivo. Interestingly, the pro-apoptotic effects of SVTH-7 on cancer cells and mitochondria were abrogated with the inhibition of mitochondrial complex II and III, suggesting mitochondrial or metabolic vulnerabilities may be exploited by this analog. This work provides a scaffold for characterizing distinct mitochondrial and metabolic features of cancer cells and reveals several lead compounds with high therapeutic potential.
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Hoang NTH, Kadonosono T, Kuchimaru T, Kizaka-Kondoh S. Hypoxia-inducible factor-targeting prodrug TOP3 combined with gemcitabine or TS-1 improves pancreatic cancer survival in an orthotopic model. Cancer Sci 2016; 107:1151-8. [PMID: 27270607 PMCID: PMC4982586 DOI: 10.1111/cas.12982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2016] [Revised: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal digestive system cancers with a 5‐year survival rate of 4–7%. Despite extensive efforts, recent chemotherapeutic regimens have provided only limited benefits to pancreatic cancer patients. Gemcitabine and TS‐1, the current standard‐of‐care chemotherapeutic drugs for treatment of this severe cancer, have a low response rate. Hypoxia is one of the factors contributing to treatment resistance. Specifically, overexpression of hypoxia‐inducible factor, a master transcriptional regulator of cell adaption to hypoxia, is strongly correlated with poor prognosis in many human cancers. TAT‐ODD‐procaspase‐3 (TOP3) is a protein prodrug that is specifically processed and activated in hypoxia‐inducible factor‐active cells in cancers, leading to cell death. Here, we report combination therapies in which TOP3 was combined with gemcitabine or TS‐1. As monotherapy, gemcitabine and TS‐1 showed a limited effect on hypoxic and starved pancreatic cancer cells, whereas co‐treatment with TOP3 successfully overcame this limitation in vitro. Furthermore, combination therapies of TOP3 with these drugs resulted in a significant improvement in survival of orthotopic pancreatic cancer models involving the human pancreatic cancer cell line SUIT‐2. Overall, our study indicates that the combination of TOP3 with current chemotherapeutic drugs can significantly improve treatment outcome, offering a promising new therapeutic option for patients with pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ngoc Thi Hong Hoang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Kadonosono
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Takahiro Kuchimaru
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Shinae Kizaka-Kondoh
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
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20
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Obayashi T, Funasaka K, Ohno E, Miyahara R, Hirooka Y, Hamaguchi M, Goto H, Senga T. Treatment with near-infrared radiation promotes apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. Oncol Lett 2015; 10:1836-1840. [PMID: 26622761 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2015.3399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2014] [Accepted: 04/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer remains one of the leading causes of human mortality worldwide. Radiation and chemotherapy are commonly used for cancer treatment; however, the combination of these therapies and surgery do not completely eradicate cancer cells. Near-infrared radiation (NIR) is a low-energy form of radiation that exerts multiple effects on mammalian cells. Previous studies have reported that NIR induces DNA double-strand breaks and apoptosis of cancer cells. In the present study, a 915-nm laser was used to examine the effects of NIR on pancreatic cancer cells. Irradiation of pancreatic cancer cells using a 915-nm laser significantly induced caspase-3 activation and apoptosis. In addition, the combination of gemcitabine treatment and a 915-nm laser synergistically increased the number of apoptotic cells. The results of the present study indicate the use of infrared irradiation and chemotherapy may be a possible therapy for the treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomohiko Obayashi
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan
| | - Kohei Funasaka
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan
| | - Eizaburo Ohno
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan
| | - Ryoji Miyahara
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan
| | - Yoshiki Hirooka
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan
| | - Michinari Hamaguchi
- Division of Cancer Biology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan
| | - Hidemi Goto
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan
| | - Takeshi Senga
- Division of Cancer Biology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan
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21
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Guo Y, Ziesch A, Hocke S, Kampmann E, Ochs S, De Toni EN, Göke B, Gallmeier E. Overexpression of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) increases gemcitabine sensitivity in pancreatic cancer cells through S-phase arrest and apoptosis. J Cell Mol Med 2014; 19:340-50. [PMID: 25331547 PMCID: PMC4407596 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.12444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2014] [Accepted: 08/25/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
We previously established a role for HSP27 as a predictive marker for therapeutic response towards gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer. Here, we investigate the underlying mechanisms of HSP27-mediated gemcitabine sensitivity. Utilizing a pancreatic cancer cell model with stable HSP27 overexpression, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction were analysed by flow cytometry, nuclear staining, immunoblotting and mitochondrial staining. Drug sensitivity studies were performed by proliferation assays. Hyperthermia was simulated using mild heat shock at 41.8°C. Upon gemcitabine treatment, HSP27-overexpressing cells displayed an early S-phase arrest subsequently followed by a strongly increased sub-G1 fraction. Apoptosis was characterized by PARP-, CASPASE 3-, CASPASE 8-, CASPASE 9- and BIM- activation along with a mitochondrial membrane potential loss. It was reversible through chemical caspase inhibition. Importantly, gemcitabine sensitivity and PARP cleavage were also elicited by heat shock-induced HSP27 overexpression, although to a smaller extent, in a panel of pancreatic cancer cell lines. Finally, HSP27-overexpressing pancreatic cancer cells displayed an increased sensitivity also towards death receptor-targeting agents, suggesting another pro-apoptotic role of HSP27 along the extrinsic apoptosis pathway. Taken together, in contrast to the well-established anti-apoptotic properties of HSP27 in cancer, our study reveals novel pro-apoptotic functions of HSP27—mediated through both the intrinsic and the extrinsic apoptotic pathways—at least in pancreatic cancer cells. HSP27 could represent a predictive marker of therapeutic response towards specific drug classes in pancreatic cancer and provides a novel molecular rationale for current clinical trials applying the combination of gemcitabine with regional hyperthermia in pancreatic cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Guo
- Department of Medicine II, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
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22
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Venkatasubbarao K, Peterson L, Zhao S, Hill P, Cao L, Zhou Q, Nawrocki ST, Freeman JW. Inhibiting signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 increases response to gemcitabine and delays progression of pancreatic cancer. Mol Cancer 2013; 12:104. [PMID: 24025152 PMCID: PMC3847497 DOI: 10.1186/1476-4598-12-104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2013] [Accepted: 09/05/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Among the solid tumors, human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has the worst prognosis. Gemcitabine is the standard first line of therapy for pancreatic cancer but has limited efficacy due to inherent or rapid development of resistance and combining EGFR inhibitors with this regimen results in only a modest clinical benefit. The goal of this study was to identify molecular targets that are activated during gemcitabine therapy alone or in combination with an EGFR inhibitor. Methods PDAC cell lines were used to determine molecular changes and rates of growth after treatment with gemcitabine or an EGFR inhibitor, AG1478, by Western blot analysis and MTT assays respectively. Flow cytometric analysis was performed to study the cell cycle progression and rate of apoptosis after gemcitabine treatment. ShRNA was used to knockdown STAT3. An in vivo orthotopic animal model was used to evaluate STAT3 as a target. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to analyze Ki67 and STAT3 expression in tumors. Results Treatment with gemcitabine increased the levels of EGFRTyr1068 and ERK phosphorylation in the PDAC cell lines tested. The constitutive STAT3Tyr705 phosphorylation observed in PDAC cell lines was not altered by treatment with gemcitabine. Treatment of cells with gemcitabine or AG1478 resulted in differential rate of growth inhibition. AG1478 efficiently blocked the phosphorylation of EGFRTyr1068 and inhibited the phosphorylation of down-stream effectors AKT and ERKs, while STAT3Tyr705 phosphorylation remained unchanged. Combining these two agents neither induced synergistic growth suppression nor inhibited STAT3Tyr705 phosphorylation, thus prompting further studies to assess whether targeting STAT3 improves the response to gemcitabine or AG1478. Indeed, knockdown of STAT3 increased sensitivity to gemcitabine by inducing pro-apoptotic signals and by increasing G1 cell cycle arrest. However, knockdown of STAT3 did not enhance the growth inhibitory potential of AG1478. In vivo orthotopic animal model results show that knockdown of STAT3 caused a significant reduction in tumor burden and delayed tumor progression with increased response to gemcitabine associated with a decrease in the Ki-67 positive cells. Conclusions This study suggests that STAT3 should be considered an important molecular target for therapy of PDAC for enhancing the response to gemcitabine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kolaparthi Venkatasubbarao
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA.
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23
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Woods NK, Padmanabhan J. Inhibition of amyloid precursor protein processing enhances gemcitabine-mediated cytotoxicity in pancreatic cancer cells. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:30114-30124. [PMID: 24022491 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.459255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma or pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed at a very late stage at which point treatment options are minimal. Current chemotherapeutic interventions prolong survival marginally, thereby emphasizing the acute need for better treatment options to effectively manage this disease. Studies from different laboratories have shown that the Alzheimer disease-associated amyloid precursor protein (APP) is overexpressed in various cancers but its significance is not known. Here we sought to determine the role of APP in pancreatic cancer cell survival and proliferation. Our results show that pancreatic cancer cells secrete high levels of sAPPα, the α-secretase cleaved ectodomain fragment of APP, as compared with normal non-cancerous cells. Treatment of cells with batimastat or GI254023X, inhibitors of the α-secretase ADAM10, prevented sAPPα generation and reduced cell survival. Additionally, inhibition of sAPPα significantly reduced anchorage independent growth of the cancer cells. The effect of batimastat on cell survival and colony formation was enhanced when sAPPα downregulation was combined with gemcitabine treatment. Moreover, treatment of batimastat-treated cells with recombinant sAPPα reversed the inhibitory effect of the drug thereby indicating that sAPPα can indeed induce proliferation of cancer cells. Down-regulation of APP and ADAM10 brought about similar results, as did batimastat treatment, thereby confirming that APP processing is important for growth and proliferation of these cells. These results suggest that inhibition of sAPPα generation might enhance the effectiveness of the existing chemotherapeutic regimen for a better outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Kabra Woods
- From the USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute, Tampa, Florida 33613 and; the Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612
| | - Jaya Padmanabhan
- From the USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute, Tampa, Florida 33613 and; the Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612.
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24
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Li J, Di Y, Jin C, Fu D, Yang F, Jiang Y, Yao L, Hao S, Wang X, Subedi S, Ni Q. Gemcitabine-loaded albumin nanospheres (GEM-ANPs) inhibit PANC-1 cells in vitro and in vivo. NANOSCALE RESEARCH LETTERS 2013; 8:176. [PMID: 23594566 PMCID: PMC3655015 DOI: 10.1186/1556-276x-8-176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2013] [Accepted: 02/27/2013] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
With the development of nanotechnology, special attention has been given to the nanomaterial application in tumor treatment. Here, a modified desolvation-cross-linking method was successfully applied to fabricate gemcitabine-loaded albumin nanospheres (GEM-ANPs), with 110 and 406 nm of mean diameter, respectively. The aim of this study was to assess the drug distribution, side effects, and antitumor activity of GEM-ANPs in vivo. The metabolic viability and flow cytometry analysis revealed that both GEM-ANPs, especially 406-nm GEM-ANPs, could effectively inhibit the metabolism and proliferation and promote the apoptosis of human pancreatic carcinoma (PANC-1) in vitro. Intravenous injection of 406-nm GEM-ANPs exhibited a significant increase of gemcitabine in the pancreas, liver, and spleen of Sprague-Dawley rats (p < 0.05). Moreover, no signs of toxic side effects analyzed by blood parameter changes were observed after 3 weeks of administration although a high dose (200 mg/kg) of GEM-ANPs were used. Additionally, in PANC-1-induced tumor mice, intravenous injection of 406-nm GEM-ANPs also could effectively reduce the tumor volume by comparison with free gemcitabine. With these findings, albumin nanosphere-loading approach might be efficacious to improve the antitumor activity of gemcitabine, and the efficacy is associated with the size of GEM-ANPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Li
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Yang Di
- Pancreatic Disease Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Chen Jin
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Deliang Fu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Feng Yang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Yongjian Jiang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Lie Yao
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Sijie Hao
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Xiaoyi Wang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Sabin Subedi
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Quanxing Ni
- Pancreatic Disease Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
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25
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Peters HL, Tuli A, Wang X, Liu C, Pan Z, Ouellette MM, Hollingsworth MA, Macdonald RG, Solheim JC. Relevance of amyloid precursor-like protein 2 C-terminal fragments in pancreatic cancer cells. Int J Oncol 2012; 41:1464-74. [PMID: 22797723 PMCID: PMC3482291 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2012.1553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2012] [Accepted: 05/25/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In some cellular systems, particularly neurons, amyloid precursor-like protein 2 (APLP2), and its highly homologous family member amyloid precursor protein (APP), have been linked to cellular growth. APLP2 and APP undergo regulated intramembrane proteolysis to produce C-terminal fragments. In this study, we found comprehensive expression of APLP2 C-terminal fragments in a panel of pancreatic cancer cell lines; however, APP C-terminal fragments were notably limited to the BxPC3 cell line. Extensive glycosaminoglycan modification on APLP2 was also found in the majority of pancreatic cancer cell lines. Glycosaminoglycan-modified and -unmodified APLP2, and particularly APLP2 C-terminal fragments, also demonstrated increased expression in oncogene-transformed pancreatic ductal cells. Additionally, elevated APLP2 levels were confirmed in human pancreatic cancer tissue. Downregulation of APLP2 and APP expression, alone or in combination, caused a decrease in the growth of a pancreatic cancer cell line with representatively low APP C-terminal fragment expression, the S2-013 cell line. Furthermore, we found that treatment with β-secretase inhibitors to block formation of APLP2 C-terminal fragments decreased the growth and viability of S2-013 cells, without affecting the survival of a non-transformed pancreatic ductal cell line. In conclusion, our studies demonstrate that abundant APLP2, but not APP, C-terminal fragment expression is conserved in pancreatic cancer cell lines; however, APP and APLP2 equally regulated the growth of S2-013 pancreatic cancer cells. Chiefly, our discoveries establish a role for APLP2 in the growth of pancreatic cancer cells and show that inhibitors preventing APLP2 cleavage reduce the viability of pancreatic cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haley L Peters
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
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26
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Xia Y, Liu Y, Rocchi P, Wang M, Fan Y, Qu F, Iovanna JL, Peng L. Targeting heat shock factor 1 with a triazole nucleoside analog to elicit potent anticancer activity on drug-resistant pancreatic cancer. Cancer Lett 2012; 318:145-53. [PMID: 22266185 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2011.09.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2011] [Revised: 09/28/2011] [Accepted: 09/29/2011] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Issued from a lead optimization process, we have identified a novel triazole nucleoside analog which elicits potent anticancer activity on drug-resistant pancreatic cancer. Most importantly, this compound targets heat shock response pathways by down-regulation of heat shock transcription factor 1 and consequential down-regulation of multiple heat shock proteins HSP27, HSP70 and HSP90. Down-regulation of these proteins caused the shut-down of several oncogenic pathways and caspase-dependent apoptosis resulting in a potent anticancer effect in vitro and in vivo. These results demonstrate the potential rewards gained in searching for anticancer candidates with multimodal actions on heat shock response pathways via HSF1 down-regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Xia
- Aix-Marseille Université, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Nanoscience de Marseille, Marseille, France
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27
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Fan Y, Xia Y, Tang J, Ziarelli F, Qu F, Rocchi P, Iovanna JL, Peng L. An Efficient Mixed-Ligand Pd Catalytic System to Promote CN Coupling for the Synthesis of N-Arylaminotriazole Nucleosides. Chemistry 2012; 18:2221-5. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.201103918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2011] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Abstract
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma presents in an advanced stage and has a dismal prognosis. Extensive recent research efforts have provided us with greater insight into the etiology of pancreatic cancer and have also improved our means of prognostication. Molecular analysis demonstrated that specific pathways involved in pancreatic carcinogenesis are perhaps more valuable to study than single genetic aberrations. Previous risk factors, including family history, body mass index, and current cigarette smoking, were validated and novel risks, such as ABO blood group alleles, were identified. Similar to other illnesses, combinations of healthful habits, such as not smoking, adhering to a Mediterranean dietary pattern, and engaging in physical activity, may decrease pancreatic cancer risk. Finally, CA 19-9 levels, the presence of diabetes mellitus, and a six-gene signature provided critical information regarding survival that could help guide treatment of individuals diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
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Tempero MA, Arnoletti JP, Behrman S, Ben-Josef E, Benson AB, Berlin JD, Cameron JL, Casper ES, Cohen SJ, Duff M, Ellenhorn JDI, Hawkins WG, Hoffman JP, Kuvshinoff BW, Malafa MP, Muscarella P, Nakakura EK, Sasson AR, Thayer SP, Tyler DS, Warren RS, Whiting S, Willett C, Wolff RA. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma. J Natl Compr Canc Netw 2010; 8:972-1017. [PMID: 20876541 DOI: 10.6004/jnccn.2010.0073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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30
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Rajeshkumar NV, Rasheed ZA, García-García E, López-Ríos F, Fujiwara K, Matsui WH, Hidalgo M. A combination of DR5 agonistic monoclonal antibody with gemcitabine targets pancreatic cancer stem cells and results in long-term disease control in human pancreatic cancer model. Mol Cancer Ther 2010; 9:2582-92. [PMID: 20660600 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-10-0370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is an aggressive malignancy with one of the worst outcomes among all cancers. PDA often recurs after initial treatment to result in patient death despite the use of chemotherapy or radiation therapy. PDA contains a subset of tumor-initiating cells capable of extensive self-renewal known as cancer stem cells (CSC), which may contribute to therapeutic resistance and metastasis. At present, conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy are largely ineffective in depleting CSC pool, suggesting the need for novel therapies that specifically target the cancer-sustaining stem cells for tumor eradication and to improve the poor prognosis of PDA patients. In this study, we report that death receptor 5 (DR5) is enriched in pancreatic CSCs compared with the bulk of the tumor cells. Treating a collection of freshly generated patient-derived PDA xenografts with gemcitabine, the first-line chemotherapeutic agent for PDA, is initially effective in reducing tumor size, but largely ineffective in diminishing the CSC populations, and eventually culminated in tumor relapse. However, a combination of tigatuzumab, a fully humanized DR5 agonist monoclonal antibody, with gemcitabine proved to be more efficacious by providing a double hit to kill both CSCs and bulk tumor cells. The combination therapy produced remarkable reduction in pancreatic CSCs, tumor remissions, and significant improvements in time to tumor progression in a model that is considered more difficult to treat. These data provide the rationale to explore the DR5-directed therapies in combination with chemotherapy as a therapeutic option to improve the current standard of care for pancreatic cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- N V Rajeshkumar
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21231, USA.
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