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Aboomar NM, Essam O, Hassan A, Bassiouny AR, Arafa RK. Exploring a repurposed candidate with dual hIDO1/hTDO2 inhibitory potential for anticancer efficacy identified through pharmacophore-based virtual screening and in vitro evaluation. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9386. [PMID: 38653790 PMCID: PMC11039737 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59353-4] [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: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Discovering effective anti-cancer agents poses a formidable challenge given the limited efficacy of current therapeutic modalities against various cancer types due to intrinsic resistance mechanisms. Cancer immunochemotherapy is an alternative strategy for breast cancer treatment and overcoming cancer resistance. Human Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (hIDO1) and human Tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase 2 (hTDO2) play pivotal roles in tryptophan metabolism, leading to the generation of kynurenine and other bioactive metabolites. This process facilitates the de novo synthesis of Nicotinamide Dinucleotide (NAD), promoting cancer resistance. This study identified a new dual hIDO1/hTDO2 inhibitor using a drug repurposing strategy of FDA-approved drugs. Herein, we delineate the development of a ligand-based pharmacophore model based on a training set of 12 compounds with reported hIDO1/hTDO2 inhibitory activity. We conducted a pharmacophore search followed by high-throughput virtual screening of 2568 FDA-approved drugs against both enzymes, resulting in ten hits, four of them with high potential of dual inhibitory activity. For further in silico and in vitro biological investigation, the anti-hypercholesterolemic drug Pitavastatin deemed the drug of choice in this study. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations demonstrated that Pitavastatin forms stable complexes with both hIDO1 and hTDO2 receptors, providing a structural basis for its potential therapeutic efficacy. At nanomolar (nM) concentration, it exhibited remarkable in vitro enzyme inhibitory activity against both examined enzymes. Additionally, Pitavastatin demonstrated potent cytotoxic activity against BT-549, MCF-7, and HepG2 cell lines (IC50 = 16.82, 9.52, and 1.84 µM, respectively). Its anticancer activity was primarily due to the induction of G1/S phase arrest as discovered through cell cycle analysis of HepG2 cancer cells. Ultimately, treating HepG2 cancer cells with Pitavastatin affected significant activation of caspase-3 accompanied by down-regulation of cellular apoptotic biomarkers such as IDO, TDO, STAT3, P21, P27, IL-6, and AhR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nourhan M Aboomar
- Drug Design and Discovery Lab, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Ahmed Zewail Road, October Gardens, Cairo, 12578, Giza, Egypt
- Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Cairo, 12578, Egypt
| | - Omar Essam
- Drug Design and Discovery Lab, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Ahmed Zewail Road, October Gardens, Cairo, 12578, Giza, Egypt
- Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Cairo, 12578, Egypt
| | - Afnan Hassan
- Drug Design and Discovery Lab, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Ahmed Zewail Road, October Gardens, Cairo, 12578, Giza, Egypt
- Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Cairo, 12578, Egypt
- Euro-Mediterranean Master in Neuroscience and Biotechnology Program, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21511, Egypt
| | - Ahmad R Bassiouny
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21511, Egypt
| | - Reem K Arafa
- Drug Design and Discovery Lab, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Ahmed Zewail Road, October Gardens, Cairo, 12578, Giza, Egypt.
- Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Cairo, 12578, Egypt.
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Zhu L, Zhang H, Zhang X, Chen R, Xia L. Drug repositioning and ovarian cancer, a study based on Mendelian randomisation analysis. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1376515. [PMID: 38651149 PMCID: PMC11033362 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1376515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The role of drug repositioning in the treatment of ovarian cancer has received increasing attention. Although promising results have been achieved, there are also major controversies. Methods In this study, we conducted a drug-target Mendelian randomisation (MR) analysis to systematically investigate the reported effects and relevance of traditional drugs in the treatment of ovarian cancer. The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was used in the main analysis to estimate the causal effect. Several MR methods were used simultaneously to test the robustness of the results. Results By screening 31 drugs with 110 targets, FNTA, HSPA5, NEU1, CCND1, CASP1, CASP3 were negatively correlated with ovarian cancer, and HMGCR, PLA2G4A, ITGAL, PTGS1, FNTB were positively correlated with ovarian cancer. Conclusion Statins (HMGCR blockers), lonafarnib (farnesyltransferase inhibitors), the anti-inflammatory drug aspirin, and the anti-malarial drug adiponectin all have potential therapeutic roles in ovarian cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhu
- School of Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Hairong Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shandong Provincial Third Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaoyu Zhang
- School of Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Ruoqing Chen
- School of Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Lei Xia
- Department of Pathology, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
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Ivermectin Augments the Anti-Cancer Activity of Pitavastatin in Ovarian Cancer Cells. Diseases 2023; 11:diseases11010049. [PMID: 36975598 PMCID: PMC10047003 DOI: 10.3390/diseases11010049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
We have previously shown that pitavastatin has the potential to be used to treat ovarian cancer, although relatively high doses are likely to be necessary. One solution to this problem is to identify drugs that are synergistic with pitavastatin, thereby reducing the dose that is necessary to have a therapeutic effect. Here, we tested combinations of pitavastatin with the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin in six ovarian cancer cell lines. When tested on its own, ivermectin inhibited the growth of the cells but only with modest potency (IC50 = 10–20 µM). When the drugs were combined and assessed in cell growth assays, ivermectin showed synergy with pitavastatin in 3 cell lines and this was most evident in COV-318 cells (combination index ~ 0.6). Ivermectin potentiated the reduction in COV-318 cell viability caused by pitavastatin by 20–25% as well as potentiating apoptosis induced by pitavastatin, assessed by activation of caspase-3/7 (2–4 fold) and annexin-labelling (3–5 fold). These data suggest that ivermectin may be useful in the treatment of ovarian cancer when combined with pitavastatin, but methods to achieve an adequate ivermectin concentration in tumour tissue will be necessary.
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Xia L, Ding S, Wang X, Zhang X, Zhu L, Zhang H, Li H. Advances in ovarian cancer treatment using a combination of statins with other drugs. Front Pharmacol 2023; 13:1048484. [PMID: 36686716 PMCID: PMC9845598 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1048484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
New anti-cancer drugs are constantly being developed, especially targeted drugs. Although these drugs have achieved significant clinical efficacy, they do not play a significant role in ovarian cancer. Moreover, the research cycle and costs of such drugs are often huge. The repositioning of conventional drugs has gradually become a concern. Statins, as traditional lipid-lowering drugs, play a role mainly by inhibiting HMGCR. In recent years, epidemiological studies and in vitro experiments have confirmed its anti-cancer effect, especially the effect of anti-ovarian cancer. The mutation rate of TP53 in ovarian cancer is as high as 95%, while HMGCR is often highly expressed in TP53 mutant tumors. However, the effect of prospective clinical trials is not ideal. This result seems understandable considering that it seems unrealistic for a lipid-lowering drug to completely inhibit tumor growth. Therefore, statins play more synergistic roles in the treatment of ovarian cancer. Because ovarian cancer is a highly heterogeneous tumor, it may be a good choice to deeply understand the mechanism of statins in the treatment of ovarian cancer and achieve precise treatment by combining it with other drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Xia
- Department of Pathology, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Shichao Ding
- Department of Internal Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Xuezhen Wang
- School of Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaoyu Zhang
- School of Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Lin Zhu
- School of Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Hairong Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shandong Provincial Third Hospital, Jinan, China,*Correspondence: Hairong Zhang, ; Huirong Li,
| | - Huirong Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shandong Provincial Third Hospital, Jinan, China,*Correspondence: Hairong Zhang, ; Huirong Li,
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Jawad M, Ibrahim S, Kumar M, Burgert C, Li WW, Richardson A. Identification of foods that affect the anti‑cancer activity of pitavastatin in cells. Oncol Lett 2022; 23:73. [DOI: 10.3892/ol.2022.13193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Jawad
- The Guy Hilton Research Centre, School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Keele University, Stoke‑on‑Trent, Staffordshire ST4 7QB, UK
| | - Suad Ibrahim
- The Guy Hilton Research Centre, School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Keele University, Stoke‑on‑Trent, Staffordshire ST4 7QB, UK
| | - Mayur Kumar
- The Guy Hilton Research Centre, School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Keele University, Stoke‑on‑Trent, Staffordshire ST4 7QB, UK
| | - Charlie Burgert
- The Guy Hilton Research Centre, School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Keele University, Stoke‑on‑Trent, Staffordshire ST4 7QB, UK
| | - Wen-Wu Li
- The Guy Hilton Research Centre, School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Keele University, Stoke‑on‑Trent, Staffordshire ST4 7QB, UK
| | - Alan Richardson
- The Guy Hilton Research Centre, School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Keele University, Stoke‑on‑Trent, Staffordshire ST4 7QB, UK
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A comprehensive review on the lipid and pleiotropic effects of pitavastatin. Prog Lipid Res 2021; 84:101127. [PMID: 34509516 DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2021.101127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, or statins, are administered as first line therapy for hypercholesterolemia, both in primary and secondary prevention. There is a growing body of evidence showing that beyond their lipid-lowering effect, statins have a number of additional beneficial properties. Pitavastatin is a unique lipophilic statin with a strong effect on lowering plasma total cholesterol and triacylglycerol. It has been reported to have pleiotropic effects such as decreasing inflammation and oxidative stress, regulating angiogenesis and osteogenesis, improving endothelial function and arterial stiffness, and reducing tumor progression. Based on the available studies considering the risk of statin-associated muscle symptoms it seems to be also the safest statin. The unique lipid and non-lipid effects of pitavastatin make this molecule a particularly interesting option for the management of different human diseases. In this review, we first summarized the lipid effects of pitavastatin and then strive to unravel the diverse pleiotropic effects of this molecule.
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Meryet-Figuiere M, Vernon M, Andrianteranagna M, Lambert B, Brochen C, Issartel JP, Guttin A, Gauduchon P, Brotin E, Dingli F, Loew D, Vigneron N, Wambecke A, Abeilard E, Barillot E, Poulain L, Martignetti L, Denoyelle C. Network-Based Integration of Multi-Omics Data Identifies the Determinants of miR-491-5p Effects. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13163970. [PMID: 34439123 PMCID: PMC8393872 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13163970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The identification of miRNAs' targets and associated regulatory networks might allow the definition of new strategies using drugs whose association mimics a given miRNA's effects. Based on this assumption we devised a multi-omics approach to precisely characterize miRNAs' effects. We combined miR-491-5p target affinity purification, RNA microarray, and mass spectrometry to perform an integrated analysis in ovarian cancer cell lines. We thus constructed an interaction network that highlighted highly connected hubs being either direct or indirect targets of miR-491-5p effects: the already known EGFR and BCL2L1 but also EP300, CTNNB1 and several small-GTPases. By using different combinations of specific inhibitors of these hubs, we could greatly enhance their respective cytotoxicity and mimic the miR-491-5p-induced phenotype. Our methodology thus constitutes an interesting strategy to comprehensively study the effects of a given miRNA. Moreover, we identified targets for which pharmacological inhibitors are already available for a clinical use or in clinical trials. This study might thus enable innovative therapeutic options for ovarian cancer, which remains the leading cause of death from gynecological malignancies in developed countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthieu Meryet-Figuiere
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, Inserm U1086 ANTICIPE (Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Cancer Prevention and Treatment), 14000 Caen, France; (M.M.-F.); (M.V.); (M.A.); (B.L.); (C.B.); (P.G.); (E.B.); (N.V.); (A.W.); (E.A.); (L.P.)
- Cancer Center François Baclesse, UNICANCER, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Mégane Vernon
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, Inserm U1086 ANTICIPE (Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Cancer Prevention and Treatment), 14000 Caen, France; (M.M.-F.); (M.V.); (M.A.); (B.L.); (C.B.); (P.G.); (E.B.); (N.V.); (A.W.); (E.A.); (L.P.)
- Cancer Center François Baclesse, UNICANCER, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Mamy Andrianteranagna
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, Inserm U1086 ANTICIPE (Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Cancer Prevention and Treatment), 14000 Caen, France; (M.M.-F.); (M.V.); (M.A.); (B.L.); (C.B.); (P.G.); (E.B.); (N.V.); (A.W.); (E.A.); (L.P.)
- Cancer Center François Baclesse, UNICANCER, 14000 Caen, France
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France; (E.B.); (L.M.)
- INSERM, U900, 75000 Paris, France
- MINES ParisTech, CBIO—Center for Computational Biology, PSL Research University, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Bernard Lambert
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, Inserm U1086 ANTICIPE (Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Cancer Prevention and Treatment), 14000 Caen, France; (M.M.-F.); (M.V.); (M.A.); (B.L.); (C.B.); (P.G.); (E.B.); (N.V.); (A.W.); (E.A.); (L.P.)
- Cancer Center François Baclesse, UNICANCER, 14000 Caen, France
- CNRS, Normandy Regional Delegation, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Célia Brochen
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, Inserm U1086 ANTICIPE (Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Cancer Prevention and Treatment), 14000 Caen, France; (M.M.-F.); (M.V.); (M.A.); (B.L.); (C.B.); (P.G.); (E.B.); (N.V.); (A.W.); (E.A.); (L.P.)
- Cancer Center François Baclesse, UNICANCER, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Jean-Paul Issartel
- INSERM U1216, Core Facility of Clinical Transcriptomics, Neurosciences Institute, 38000 Grenoble, France; (J.-P.I.); (A.G.)
| | - Audrey Guttin
- INSERM U1216, Core Facility of Clinical Transcriptomics, Neurosciences Institute, 38000 Grenoble, France; (J.-P.I.); (A.G.)
| | - Pascal Gauduchon
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, Inserm U1086 ANTICIPE (Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Cancer Prevention and Treatment), 14000 Caen, France; (M.M.-F.); (M.V.); (M.A.); (B.L.); (C.B.); (P.G.); (E.B.); (N.V.); (A.W.); (E.A.); (L.P.)
- Cancer Center François Baclesse, UNICANCER, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Emilie Brotin
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, Inserm U1086 ANTICIPE (Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Cancer Prevention and Treatment), 14000 Caen, France; (M.M.-F.); (M.V.); (M.A.); (B.L.); (C.B.); (P.G.); (E.B.); (N.V.); (A.W.); (E.A.); (L.P.)
- Cancer Center François Baclesse, UNICANCER, 14000 Caen, France
- ImpedanCELL Core Facility, Federative Structure 4206 ICORE, UNICAEN, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Florent Dingli
- Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility (LSMP), Institut Curie, PSL Research University, 75000 Paris, France; (F.D.); (D.L.)
| | - Damarys Loew
- Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility (LSMP), Institut Curie, PSL Research University, 75000 Paris, France; (F.D.); (D.L.)
| | - Nicolas Vigneron
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, Inserm U1086 ANTICIPE (Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Cancer Prevention and Treatment), 14000 Caen, France; (M.M.-F.); (M.V.); (M.A.); (B.L.); (C.B.); (P.G.); (E.B.); (N.V.); (A.W.); (E.A.); (L.P.)
- Cancer Center François Baclesse, UNICANCER, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Anaïs Wambecke
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, Inserm U1086 ANTICIPE (Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Cancer Prevention and Treatment), 14000 Caen, France; (M.M.-F.); (M.V.); (M.A.); (B.L.); (C.B.); (P.G.); (E.B.); (N.V.); (A.W.); (E.A.); (L.P.)
- Cancer Center François Baclesse, UNICANCER, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Edwige Abeilard
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, Inserm U1086 ANTICIPE (Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Cancer Prevention and Treatment), 14000 Caen, France; (M.M.-F.); (M.V.); (M.A.); (B.L.); (C.B.); (P.G.); (E.B.); (N.V.); (A.W.); (E.A.); (L.P.)
- Cancer Center François Baclesse, UNICANCER, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Emmanuel Barillot
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France; (E.B.); (L.M.)
- INSERM, U900, 75000 Paris, France
- MINES ParisTech, CBIO—Center for Computational Biology, PSL Research University, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Laurent Poulain
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, Inserm U1086 ANTICIPE (Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Cancer Prevention and Treatment), 14000 Caen, France; (M.M.-F.); (M.V.); (M.A.); (B.L.); (C.B.); (P.G.); (E.B.); (N.V.); (A.W.); (E.A.); (L.P.)
- Cancer Center François Baclesse, UNICANCER, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Loredana Martignetti
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France; (E.B.); (L.M.)
- INSERM, U900, 75000 Paris, France
- MINES ParisTech, CBIO—Center for Computational Biology, PSL Research University, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Christophe Denoyelle
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, Inserm U1086 ANTICIPE (Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Cancer Prevention and Treatment), 14000 Caen, France; (M.M.-F.); (M.V.); (M.A.); (B.L.); (C.B.); (P.G.); (E.B.); (N.V.); (A.W.); (E.A.); (L.P.)
- Cancer Center François Baclesse, UNICANCER, 14000 Caen, France
- ImpedanCELL Core Facility, Federative Structure 4206 ICORE, UNICAEN, 14000 Caen, France
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-(0)2-31-45-51-71; Fax: +33-(0)2-31-45-51-72
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Tilija Pun N, Jeong CH. Statin as a Potential Chemotherapeutic Agent: Current Updates as a Monotherapy, Combination Therapy, and Treatment for Anti-Cancer Drug Resistance. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14050470. [PMID: 34065757 PMCID: PMC8156779 DOI: 10.3390/ph14050470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is incurable because progressive phenotypic and genotypic changes in cancer cells lead to resistance and recurrence. This indicates the need for the development of new drugs or alternative therapeutic strategies. The impediments associated with new drug discovery have necessitated drug repurposing (i.e., the use of old drugs for new therapeutic indications), which is an economical, safe, and efficacious approach as it is emerged from clinical drug development or may even be marketed with a well-established safety profile and optimal dosing. Statins are inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase in cholesterol biosynthesis and are used in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerosis, and obesity. As cholesterol is linked to the initiation and progression of cancer, statins have been extensively used in cancer therapy with a concept of drug repurposing. Many studies including in vitro and in vivo have shown that statin has been used as monotherapy to inhibit cancer cell proliferation and induce apoptosis. Moreover, it has been used as a combination therapy to mediate synergistic action to overcome anti-cancer drug resistance as well. In this review, the recent explorations are done in vitro, in vivo, and clinical trials to address the action of statin either single or in combination with anti-cancer drugs to improve the chemotherapy of the cancers were discussed. Here, we discussed the emergence of statin as a lipid-lowering drug; its use to inhibit cancer cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis as a monotherapy; and its use in combination with anti-cancer drugs for its synergistic action to overcome anti-cancer drug resistance. Furthermore, we discuss the clinical trials of statins and the current possibilities and limitations of preclinical and clinical investigations.
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Badr-Eldin SM, Alhakamy NA, Fahmy UA, Ahmed OAA, Asfour HZ, Althagafi AA, Aldawsari HM, Rizg WY, Mahdi WA, Alghaith AF, Alshehri S, Caraci F, Caruso G. Cytotoxic and Pro-Apoptotic Effects of a Sub-Toxic Concentration of Fluvastatin on OVCAR3 Ovarian Cancer Cells After its Optimized Formulation to Melittin Nano-Conjugates. Front Pharmacol 2021; 11:642171. [PMID: 33633571 PMCID: PMC7901935 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.642171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluvastatin (FLV) is a hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor often used to lower total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and for the prevention of adverse cardiovascular events. This drug as well as melittin (MEL), the major component of honeybee venom (Apis mellifera), has shown antineoplastic activity, then representing promising approaches for cancer therapy. However, adverse effects related to the use of FLV and MEL have been reported and very few studies have been carried out to obtain an optimized formulation allowing for combining the two drugs and then maximizing the anticancer activity, then minimizing the needed dosage. In the present study, an optimized formulation in terms of minimized particle size and maximized zeta potential was investigated for its cytotoxic potential in human OVCAR3 ovarian cancer cells. FLV-MEL nano-conjugates, containing a sub-toxic concentration of drug, demonstrated an improved cytotoxic potential (IC50 = 2.5 µM), about 18-fold lower, compared to the free drug (IC50 = 45.7 µM). Cell cycle analysis studies demonstrated the significant inhibition of the OVCAR3 cells proliferation exerted by FLV-MEL nano-conjugates compared to all the other treatments, with a higher percentage of cells accumulating on G2/M and pre-G1 phases, paralleled by lower percentage of cells in G0/G1 and S phases. The synergistic antineoplastic activity of FLV and MEL combined in the optimized formula was also showed by the marked pronecrotic and pro-apoptotic activities, the latter mediated by the modulation of BAX/BCL-2 ratio in favor of BAX. Our optimized FLV-MEL formulation might therefore represents a novel path for the development of specific and more effective antineoplastic drugs directed against ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaimaa M Badr-Eldin
- Department of Pharmaceutics, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Nabil A Alhakamy
- Department of Pharmaceutics, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Advanced Drug Delivery Research Group, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Center of Excellence for Drug Research and Pharmaceutical Industries, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Mohamed Saeed Tamer Chair for Pharmaceutical Industries, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Usama A Fahmy
- Department of Pharmaceutics, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Osama A A Ahmed
- Department of Pharmaceutics, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Advanced Drug Delivery Research Group, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Center of Excellence for Drug Research and Pharmaceutical Industries, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Mohamed Saeed Tamer Chair for Pharmaceutical Industries, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hani Z Asfour
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Hibah M Aldawsari
- Department of Pharmaceutics, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Waleed Y Rizg
- Department of Pharmaceutics, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Advanced Drug Delivery Research Group, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Center of Excellence for Drug Research and Pharmaceutical Industries, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Wael A Mahdi
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Adel F Alghaith
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sultan Alshehri
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Almaarefa University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Filippo Caraci
- Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy.,Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Caruso
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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Pillaiyar T, Meenakshisundaram S, Manickam M, Sankaranarayanan M. A medicinal chemistry perspective of drug repositioning: Recent advances and challenges in drug discovery. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 195:112275. [PMID: 32283298 PMCID: PMC7156148 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Drug repurposing is a strategy consisting of finding new indications for already known marketed drugs used in various clinical settings or highly characterized compounds despite they can be failed drugs. Recently, it emerges as an alternative approach for the rapid identification and development of new pharmaceuticals for various rare and complex diseases for which lack the effective drug treatments. The success rate of drugs repurposing approach accounts for approximately 30% of new FDA approved drugs and vaccines in recent years. This review focuses on the status of drugs repurposing approach for various diseases including skin diseases, infective, inflammatory, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. Efforts have been made to provide structural features and mode of actions of drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanigaimalai Pillaiyar
- PharmaCenter Bonn, Pharmaceutical Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, D-53121, Bonn, Germany.
| | | | - Manoj Manickam
- Department of Chemistry, PSG Institute of Technology and Applied Research, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Murugesan Sankaranarayanan
- Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Pilani Campus, Pilani, 333031, Rajasthan, India
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Lee N, Tilija Pun N, Jang WJ, Bae JW, Jeong CH. Pitavastatin induces apoptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma through activation of FOXO3a. J Cell Mol Med 2020; 24:7055-7066. [PMID: 32406610 PMCID: PMC7299721 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.15389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Statins are a class of lipid‐lowering drugs that have recently been used in drug repositioning in the treatment of human cancer. However, the underlying mechanism of statin‐induced cancer cell death has not been clearly defined. In the present study, we evaluated the anticancer effect of pitavastatin on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), SCC15 and SCC4 cells and found that FOXO3a might be a direct target in pitavastatin‐induced cancer cell death. Our data revealed that pitavastatin selectively suppressed cell viability and induced intrinsic apoptosis in a FOXO3a‐dependent manner in SCC15 cells while no effect was observed in SCC4 cells. Notably, treatment with pitavastatin in SCC15 cells induced the nuclear translocation of FOXO3a via dual regulation of two upstream kinases, AMPK and Akt, resulting in the up‐regulation of PUMA, a transcriptional target gene of FOXO3a. Furthermore, our data revealed that FOXO3a‐mediated PUMA induction plays a role in pitavastatin‐induced intrinsic apoptosis in SCC15 cells. Taken together, our findings suggest that pitavastatin activates the FOXO3a/PUMA apoptotic axis by regulation of nuclear translocation of FOXO3a via Akt/FOXO3a or AMPK/FOXO3a signalling. Therefore, these findings might help to elucidate the underlying mechanism of the anticancer effects of pitavastatin on OSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naeun Lee
- College of Pharmacy, Keimyung University, Daegu, South Korea
| | | | - Won-Jun Jang
- College of Pharmacy, Keimyung University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Jung Woo Bae
- College of Pharmacy, Keimyung University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Chul-Ho Jeong
- College of Pharmacy, Keimyung University, Daegu, South Korea
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