1
|
Alves-Silva JM, Zuzarte M, Salgueiro L, Cocco E, Ghiani V, Falconieri D, Maccioni D, Maxia A. Agroprospecting of Biowastes: Globe Artichoke ( Cynara scolymus L. Cultivar Tema, Asteraceae) as Potential Source of Bioactive Compounds. Molecules 2024; 29:3960. [PMID: 39203039 PMCID: PMC11356890 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29163960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Artichokes (Cynara scolymus L.) are valuable foods, thanks to their health benefits, but they generate significant waste during their production, harvesting, and processing, which poses sustainability issues. This study applied an agroprospecting approach to convert Tema artichoke biowaste (TB) into valuable resources, starting from a global perspective of the production chain to the targeted applications based on chemical and biological analysis. The major TB was identified in the outer bracts of the immature flower heads, which were collected throughout the harvesting season, extracted, and analyzed. The most abundant compounds were phenolic acids including chlorogenic acid and caffeoylquinic derivatives. Among flavonoids, cynaroside was the most abundant compound. Multivariate analysis distinguished batches by collection period, explaining 77.7% of the variance, with most compounds increasing in concentration later in the harvest season. Subsequently, TB extracts were analyzed for their potential in wound healing and anti-aging properties. Fibroblasts were used to assess the effect of selected extracts on cell migration through a scratch wound assay and on cellular senescence induced by etoposide. The results show a significant decrease in senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity, γH2AX nuclear accumulation, and both p53 and p21 protein levels. Overall, this study ascribes relevant anti-skin aging effects to TB, thus increasing its industrial value in cosmeceutical and nutraceutical applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jorge M. Alves-Silva
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de S. Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (J.M.A.-S.); (M.Z.); (L.S.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de S. Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Mónica Zuzarte
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de S. Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (J.M.A.-S.); (M.Z.); (L.S.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de S. Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Lígia Salgueiro
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de S. Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (J.M.A.-S.); (M.Z.); (L.S.)
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Renewable Resources for Sustainability (CERES), University of Coimbra, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Emma Cocco
- Laboratory of Economic and Pharmaceutical Botany, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, V.le S. Ignazio da Laconi 13, 09123 Cagliari, Italy (A.M.)
| | | | - Danilo Falconieri
- Laboratory of Economic and Pharmaceutical Botany, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, V.le S. Ignazio da Laconi 13, 09123 Cagliari, Italy (A.M.)
| | - Delia Maccioni
- Laboratory of Economic and Pharmaceutical Botany, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, V.le S. Ignazio da Laconi 13, 09123 Cagliari, Italy (A.M.)
| | - Andrea Maxia
- Laboratory of Economic and Pharmaceutical Botany, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, V.le S. Ignazio da Laconi 13, 09123 Cagliari, Italy (A.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hjazi A, Alissa M, Alqasem AA, Alghamdi A, Alghamdi SA. Cynaropicrin, a sesquiterpene lactone, triggers apoptotic cell death in triple negative breast cancer cells. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:856. [PMID: 39066893 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09723-y] [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: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the world. Cynaropicrin is a natural sesquiterpene lactone with potential anticancer effects. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of cynaropicrin on proliferation and apoptosis in breast cancer cells. METHODS MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell lines were treated with increasing concentrations of cynaropicrin. The viability of both cell lines was measured using MTT assay. Flowcytometry was used to detect apoptotic cells. The expression levels of apoptosis-related genes were determined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The protein expression of apoptosis markers was determined by western blotting. RESULTS Cynaropicrin significantly diminished the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. Flowcytometry data uncovered that cynaropicrin augmented early and late apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells. Real time-PCR and western blotting results also confirmed the upregulation of pro-apoptotic Bax, caspase-3, -8, and 9 as well as downregulated level of anti-apoptotic marker Bcl-2. Cynaropicrin also remarkably increased the activity of caspase-3, -8, and 9 in MDA-MB-231 cells. However, cynaropicrin neither promoted apoptosis in MCF-7 cells nor altered the expression levels and activity of above mentioned apoptotic markers. CONCLUSION The present data indicated anti-proliferative properties of cynaropicrin against breast cancer and highlighted apoptosis-inducing effects of this sesquiterpene on triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. These data may suggest cynaropicrin as a potential anti-TNBC agent to tackle therapy resistance in this type of breast cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Hjazi
- Department of Medical Laboratory, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Mohammed Alissa
- Department of Medical Laboratory, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah A Alqasem
- Department of Medical Laboratory, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah Alghamdi
- Department of Medical Laboratory, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Suad A Alghamdi
- Department of Medical Laboratory, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Jiang J, Yang P, Xu X, Yuan H, Zhu H. Donafenib inhibits PARP1 expression and induces DNA damage, in combination with PARP1 inhibitors promotes apoptosis in liver cancer cells. Anticancer Drugs 2024:00001813-990000000-00297. [PMID: 38940933 DOI: 10.1097/cad.0000000000001631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Liver cancer is a prevalent malignant tumor globally. The newly approved first-line drug, donafenib, is a novel oral small molecule multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has significant antitumor effects on liver cancer. This study aims to investigate the antitumor effects of donafenib on liver cancer and to explore its potential mechanisms. Donafenib significantly inhibited the viability of Huh-7 and HCCLM3 cells, inhibited malignant cell proliferation, and promoted cell apoptosis, as demonstrated by CCK-8, EdU, and Calcein/PI (propidium iodide) staining experiments. The results of DNA damage detection experiments and western blot analysis indicate that donafenib caused considerable DNA damage in liver cancer cells. The analysis of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) in liver cancer patients using online bioinformatics data websites such as TIMER2.0, GEPIA, UALCAN, cBioPortal, Kaplan-Meier Plotter, and HPA revealed a high expression of PARP1, which is associated with poor prognosis. Molecular docking and western blot analysis demonstrated that donafenib can directly target and downregulate the protein expression of PARP1, a DNA damage repair protein, thereby promoting DNA damage in liver cancer cells. Western blot and immunofluorescence detection showed that the group treated with donafenib combined with PARP1 inhibitor had significantly higher expression of γ-H2AX and 8-OHdG compared to the groups treated with donafenib or PARP1 inhibitors alone, the combined treatment suppresses the expression of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl2 and enhances the protein expression level of the proapoptotic protein Bcl-2-associated X protein (BAX). These data suggest that the combination of donafenib and a PARP1 inhibitor results in more significant DNA damage in cells and promotes cell apoptosis. Thus, the combination of donafenib and PARP1 inhibitors has the potential to be a treatment option for liver cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Pingping Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, People's Hospital of Qiannan Prefecture, Guizhou
| | - Xinyu Xu
- School of Clinical Medicine, Guizhou Medical University
| | - Huixiong Yuan
- Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities; Key Laboratory of Research and Development on Clinical Molecular Diagnosis for High-Incidence Diseases of Baise, Guangxi
| | - Haitao Zhu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Zeng Y, Zhang Y, Cui Z, Mao J, Xu J, Yao R. The Selective SIRT3 Inhibitor 3-TYP Represses Primary Myeloma Growth by Reducing c-Myc Stability. Chem Res Toxicol 2024; 37:1062-1069. [PMID: 38815162 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.4c00142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Multiple myeloma is a hematological cancer that can be treated but remains incurable. With the advancement of science and technology, more drugs have been developed for myeloma chemotherapy that greatly improve the quality of life of patients. However, relapse remains a serious problem puzzling patients and doctors. Thus, developing more highly active and specific inhibitors is urgent for myeloma-targeted therapy. In this study, we identified the SIRT3 inhibitor 3-TYP (3-(1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl) pyridine) after screening a histone modification compound library, which showed high cytotoxicity and induced DNA damage in myeloma cells. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of 3-TYP in our xenograft tumor studies also confirmed that compound 3-TYP could inhibit primary myeloma growth by reducing c-Myc protein stability by decreasing c-Myc Ser62 phosphorylation levels. Taken together, the results of our study identified 3-TYP as a novel c-Myc inhibitor, which could be a potential chemotherapeutic agent to target multiple myeloma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yindi Zeng
- Department of Hematology, the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221002, Jiangsu, China
- Blood Diseases Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yaxin Zhang
- Department of Hematology, the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221002, Jiangsu, China
- Blood Diseases Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zeyu Cui
- Blood Diseases Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiwei Mao
- Blood Diseases Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jinge Xu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221002, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ruosi Yao
- Department of Hematology, the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221002, Jiangsu, China
- Blood Diseases Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Elbadawi M, Efferth T. In Vivo and Clinical Studies of Natural Products Targeting the Hallmarks of Cancer. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2024. [PMID: 38797749 DOI: 10.1007/164_2024_716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Despite more than 200 approved anticancer agents, cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide due to disease complexity, tumour heterogeneity, drug toxicity, and the emergence of drug resistance. Accordingly, the development of chemotherapeutic agents with higher efficacy, a better safety profile, and the capability of bypassing drug resistance would be a cornerstone in cancer therapy. Natural products have played a pivotal role in the field of drug discovery, especially for the pharmacotherapy of cancer, infectious, and chronic diseases. Owing to their distinctive structures and multiple mechanistic activities, natural products and their derivatives have been utilized for decades in cancer treatment protocols. In this review, we delve into the potential of natural products as anticancer agents by targeting cancer's hallmarks, including sustained proliferative signalling, evading growth suppression, resisting apoptosis and cell death, enabling replicative immortality, inducing angiogenesis, and activating invasion and metastasis. We highlight the molecular mechanisms of some natural products, in vivo studies, and promising clinical trials. This review emphasizes the significance of natural products in fighting cancer and the need for further studies to uncover their fully therapeutic potential.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Elbadawi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Thomas Efferth
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Arimoto KI, Miyauchi S, Liu M, Zhang DE. Emerging role of immunogenic cell death in cancer immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1390263. [PMID: 38799433 PMCID: PMC11116615 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1390263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy, such as immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), has emerged as a groundbreaking approach for effective cancer treatment. Despite its considerable potential, clinical studies have indicated that the current response rate to cancer immunotherapy is suboptimal, primarily attributed to low immunogenicity in certain types of malignant tumors. Immunogenic cell death (ICD) represents a form of regulated cell death (RCD) capable of enhancing tumor immunogenicity and activating tumor-specific innate and adaptive immune responses in immunocompetent hosts. Therefore, gaining a deeper understanding of ICD and its evolution is crucial for developing more effective cancer therapeutic strategies. This review focuses exclusively on both historical and recent discoveries related to ICD modes and their mechanistic insights, particularly within the context of cancer immunotherapy. Our recent findings are also highlighted, revealing a mode of ICD induction facilitated by atypical interferon (IFN)-stimulated genes (ISGs), including polo-like kinase 2 (PLK2), during hyperactive type I IFN signaling. The review concludes by discussing the therapeutic potential of ICD, with special attention to its relevance in both preclinical and clinical settings within the field of cancer immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kei-ichiro Arimoto
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Sayuri Miyauchi
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Mengdan Liu
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Dong-Er Zhang
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Youssef R, Maniar R, Khan J, Mesa H. Metabolic Interplay in the Tumor Microenvironment: Implications for Immune Function and Anticancer Response. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:9753-9767. [PMID: 38132455 PMCID: PMC10742411 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45120609] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Malignant tumors exhibit rapid growth and high metabolic rates, similar to embryonic stem cells, and depend on aerobic glycolysis, known as the "Warburg effect". This understanding has enabled the use of radiolabeled glucose analogs in tumor staging and therapeutic response assessment via PET scans. Traditional treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy target rapidly dividing cells, causing significant toxicity. Despite immunotherapy's impact on solid tumor treatment, gaps remain, leading to research on cancer cell evasion of immune response and immune tolerance induction via interactions with the tumor microenvironment (TME). The TME, consisting of immune cells, fibroblasts, vessels, and the extracellular matrix, regulates tumor progression and therapy responses. TME-targeted therapies aim to transform this environment from supporting tumor growth to impeding it and fostering an effective immune response. This review examines the metabolic disparities between immune cells and cancer cells, their impact on immune function and therapeutic targeting, the TME components, and the complex interplay between cancer cells and nontumoral cells. The success of TME-targeted therapies highlights their potential to achieve better cancer control or even a cure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reem Youssef
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Rohan Maniar
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Jaffar Khan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Hector Mesa
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Zhou M, Boulos JC, Omer EA, Rudbari HA, Schirmeister T, Micale N, Efferth T. Two palladium (II) complexes derived from halogen-substituted Schiff bases and 2-picolylamine induce parthanatos-type cell death in sensitive and multi-drug resistant CCRF-CEM leukemia cells. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 956:175980. [PMID: 37567459 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.175980] [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: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
The use of cisplatin and its derivatives in cancer treatment triggered the interest in metal-containing complexes as potential novel anticancer agents. Palladium (II)-based complexes have been synthesized in recent years with promising antitumor activity. Previously, we described the synthesis and cytotoxicity of palladium (II) complexes containing halogen-substituted Schiff bases and 2-picolylamine. Here, we selected two palladium (II) complexes with double chlorine-substitution or double iodine-substitution that displayed the best cytotoxicity in drug-sensitive CCRF-CEM and multidrug-resistant CEM/ADR5000 leukemia cells for further biological investigation. Surprisingly, these compounds did not significantly induce apoptotic cell death. This study aims to reveal the major mode of cell death of these two palladium (II) complexes. We performed annexin V-FITC/PI staining and flow cytometric mitochondrial membrane potential measurement followed by western blotting, immunofluorescence microscopy, and alkaline single cell electrophoresis (comet assay). J4 and J6 still induced neither apoptosis nor necrosis in both leukemia cell lines. They also insufficiently induced autophagy as evidenced by Beclin and p62 detection in western blotting. Interestingly, J4 and J6 induced a novel mode of cell death (parthanatos) as mainly demonstrated in CCRF-CEM cells by hyper-activation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP) and poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) using western blotting, flow cytometric measurement of mitochondrial membrane potential collapse, nuclear translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) by immunofluorescence microscopy, and DNA damage by alkaline single cell electrophoresis (comet assay). AIF translocation was also observed in CEM/ADR5000 cells. Thus, parthanatos was the predominant mode of cell death induced by J4 and J6, which explains the high cytotoxicity in CCRF-CEM and CEM/ADR5000 cells. J4 and J6 may be interesting drug candidates and deserve further investigations to overcome resistance of tumors against apoptosis. This study will promote the design of further novel palladium (II)-based complexes as chemotherapeutic agents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min Zhou
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University-Mainz, Staudinger Weg 5, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Joelle C Boulos
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University-Mainz, Staudinger Weg 5, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ejlal A Omer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University-Mainz, Staudinger Weg 5, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Hadi Amiri Rudbari
- Department of Chemistry, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, 81746-73441, Iran
| | - Tanja Schirmeister
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University-Mainz, Staudinger Weg 5, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Nicola Micale
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D'Alcontres 31, 1-98166, Messina, Italy
| | - Thomas Efferth
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University-Mainz, Staudinger Weg 5, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Boulos JC, Chatterjee M, Shan L, Efferth T. In Silico, In Vitro, and In Vivo Investigations on Adapalene as Repurposed Third Generation Retinoid against Multiple Myeloma and Leukemia. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4136. [PMID: 37627164 PMCID: PMC10452460 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15164136] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The majority of hematopoietic cancers in adults are incurable and exhibit unpredictable remitting-relapsing patterns in response to various therapies. The proto-oncogene c-MYC has been associated with tumorigenesis, especially in hematological neoplasms. Therefore, targeting c-MYC is crucial to find effective, novel treatments for blood malignancies. To date, there are no clinically approved c-MYC inhibitors. In this study, we virtually screened 1578 Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs from the ZINC15 database against c-MYC. The top 117 compounds from PyRx-based screening with the best binding affinities to c-MYC were subjected to molecular docking studies with AutoDock 4.2.6. Retinoids consist of synthetic and natural vitamin A derivatives. All-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) were highly effective in hematological malignancies. In this study, adapalene, a third-generation retinoid usually used to treat acne vulgaris, was selected as a potent c-MYC inhibitor as it robustly bound to c-MYC with a lowest binding energy (LBE) of -7.27 kcal/mol, a predicted inhibition constant (pKi) of 4.69 µM, and a dissociation constant (Kd value) of 3.05 µM. Thus, we examined its impact on multiple myeloma (MM) cells in vitro and evaluated its efficiency in vivo using a xenograft tumor zebrafish model. We demonstrated that adapalene exerted substantial cytotoxicity against a panel of nine MM and two leukemic cell lines, with AMO1 cells being the most susceptible one (IC50 = 1.76 ± 0.39 µM) and, hence, the focus of this work. Adapalene (0.5 × IC50, 1 × IC50, 2 × IC50) decreased c-MYC expression and transcriptional activity in AMO1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. An examination of the cell cycle revealed that adapalene halted the cells in the G2/M phase and increased the portion of cells in the sub-G0/G1 phase after 48 and 72 h, indicating that cells failed to initiate mitosis, and consequently, cell death was triggered. Adapalene also increased the number of p-H3(Ser10) positive AMO1 cells, which is a further proof of its ability to prevent mitotic exit. Confocal imaging demonstrated that adapalene destroyed the tubulin network of U2OS cells stably transfected with a cDNA coding for α-tubulin-GFP, refraining the migration of malignant cells. Furthermore, adapalene induced DNA damage in AMO1 cells. It also induced apoptosis and autophagy, as demonstrated by flow cytometry and western blotting. Finally, adapalene impeded tumor growth in a xenograft tumor zebrafish model. In summary, the discovery of the vitamin A derivative adapalene as a c-MYC inhibitor reveals its potential as an avant-garde treatment for MM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joelle C. Boulos
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Staudinger Weg 5, 55128 Mainz, Germany;
| | - Manik Chatterjee
- Translational Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany;
| | - Letian Shan
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China;
| | - Thomas Efferth
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Staudinger Weg 5, 55128 Mainz, Germany;
| |
Collapse
|