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Toshchakov VY. Peptide-Based Inhibitors of the Induced Signaling Protein Interactions: Current State and Prospects. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2024; 89:784-798. [PMID: 38880642 DOI: 10.1134/s000629792405002x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Formation of the transient protein complexes in response to activation of cellular receptors is a common mechanism by which cells respond to external stimuli. This article presents the concept of blocking interactions of signaling proteins by the peptide inhibitors, and describes the progress achieved to date in the development of signaling inhibitors that act by blocking the signal-dependent protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Y Toshchakov
- Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sirius Federal Territory, Krasnodar Region, 354340, Russia.
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2
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Gonzalez-Valdivieso J, Vallejo R, Rodriguez-Rojo S, Santos M, Schneider J, Arias FJ, Girotti A. CD44-targeted nanoparticles for co-delivery of docetaxel and an Akt inhibitor against colorectal cancer. BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES 2023; 154:213595. [PMID: 37639856 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2023.213595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
New strategies to develop drug-loaded nanocarriers with improved therapeutic efficacy are needed for cancer treatment. Herein we report a novel drug-delivery nanosystem comprising encapsulation of the chemotherapeutic drug docetaxel (DTX) and recombinant fusion of a small peptide inhibitor of Akt kinase within an elastin-like recombinamer (ELR) vehicle. This combined approach is also precisely targeted to colorectal cancer cells by means of a chemically conjugated DNA aptamer specific for the CD44 tumor marker. This 53 nm dual-approach nanosystem was found to selectively affect cell viability (2.5 % survival) and proliferation of colorectal cancer cells in vitro compared to endothelial cells (50 % survival), and to trigger both apoptosis- and necrosis-mediated cell death. Our findings also show that the nanohybrid particles remain stable under physiological conditions, trigger sustained drug release and possess an adequate pharmacokinetic profile after systemic intravenous administration. In vivo assays showed that these dual-approach nanohybrids significantly reduced the number of tumor polyps along the colorectal tract in a murine colorectal cancer model. Furthermore, systemic administration of advanced nanohybrids induced tissue recovery by improving the morphology of gastrointestinal crypts and the tissue architecture. Taken together, these findings indicate that our strategy of an advanced dual-approach nanosystem allows us to achieve successful controlled release of chemotherapeutics in cancer cells and may have a promising potential for colorectal cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Gonzalez-Valdivieso
- Smart Devices for NanoMedicine Group, University of Valladolid, LUCIA Building, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Reinaldo Vallejo
- Smart Devices for NanoMedicine Group, University of Valladolid, LUCIA Building, Valladolid, Spain; BioEcoUVa, Research Institute on Bioeconomy, High Pressure Process Group, University of Valladolid, Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, Escuela de Ingenierías Industriales, Sede Mergelina, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Soraya Rodriguez-Rojo
- BioEcoUVa, Research Institute on Bioeconomy, High Pressure Process Group, University of Valladolid, Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, Escuela de Ingenierías Industriales, Sede Mergelina, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Mercedes Santos
- BIOFORGE Research Group (Group for Advanced Materials and Nanobiotechnology), University of Valladolid, CIBER-BBN, LUCIA Building, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Jose Schneider
- Smart Devices for NanoMedicine Group, University of Valladolid, LUCIA Building, Valladolid, Spain; Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Valladolid, School of Medicine, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Francisco Javier Arias
- Smart Devices for NanoMedicine Group, University of Valladolid, LUCIA Building, Valladolid, Spain; Unidad de excelencia Instituto de Biomedicina y Genética Molecular de Valladolid (IBGM), University of Valladolid CSIC, Valladolid, Spain.
| | - Alessandra Girotti
- Smart Devices for NanoMedicine Group, University of Valladolid, LUCIA Building, Valladolid, Spain; Unidad de excelencia Instituto de Biomedicina y Genética Molecular de Valladolid (IBGM), University of Valladolid CSIC, Valladolid, Spain.
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3
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Lyu S, Yang Q, Duan X, Liu X, Du Z, Shang X, Xu M, Liu J, Pan F, Zhang T. Protective effects and potential mechanisms of fermented egg-milk peptides on the damaged intestinal barrier. Front Nutr 2022; 9:1068877. [PMID: 36570170 PMCID: PMC9767966 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1068877] [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: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Fermented egg-milk peptides (FEMPs) could enhance the colon-intestinal barrier and upgrade the expression of zonula occludens-1 and mucin 2. Besides, the underlying biological mechanism and the targets FEMPs could regulate were analyzed in our study. Methods Herein, the immunofluorescence technique and western blot were utilized to evaluate the repair of the intestinal barrier. Network pharmacology analysis and bioinformatics methods were performed to investigate the targets and pathways affected by FEMPs. Results and discussion Animal experiments showed that FEMPs could restore intestinal damage and enhance the expression of two key proteins. The pharmacological results revealed that FEMPs could regulate targets related to kinase activity, such as AKT, CASP, RAF, and GSK. The above targets could interact with each other. GO analysis indicated that the targets regulated by FEMPs could participate in the kinase activity of the metabolic process. KEGG enrichment revealed that the core targets were enriched in pathways related to cell apoptosis and other important procedures. Molecular docking demonstrated that FEMPs could bind to the key target AKT via hydrogen bond interactions. Our study combined the experiment in vivo with the method in silico and investigated the interaction between peptides and targets in a pattern of multi-targets and multi-pathways, which offered a new perspective on the functional validation and potential application of bioactive peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siwen Lyu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Nutrition and Functional Food, College of Food Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Qi Yang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Nutrition and Functional Food, College of Food Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xuehui Duan
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Nutrition and Functional Food, College of Food Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xuanting Liu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Nutrition and Functional Food, College of Food Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zhiyang Du
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Nutrition and Functional Food, College of Food Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaomin Shang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Nutrition and Functional Food, College of Food Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Menglei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jingbo Liu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Nutrition and Functional Food, College of Food Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Fengguang Pan
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Nutrition and Functional Food, College of Food Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, China,Fengguang Pan
| | - Ting Zhang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Nutrition and Functional Food, College of Food Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, China,*Correspondence: Ting Zhang
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4
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Gonzalez-Valdivieso J, Garcia-Sampedro A, Hall AR, Girotti A, Arias FJ, Pereira SP, Acedo P. Smart Nanoparticles as Advanced Anti-Akt Kinase Delivery Systems for Pancreatic Cancer Therapy. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:55790-55805. [PMID: 34788541 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c14592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers partly due to late diagnosis, poor drug delivery to the target site, and acquired resistance to therapy. Therefore, more effective therapies are urgently needed to improve the outcome of patients. In this work, we have tested self-assembling genetically engineered polymeric nanoparticles formed by elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs), carrying a small peptide inhibitor of the protein kinase Akt, in both PANC-1 and patient-derived pancreatic cancer cells (PDX models). Nanoparticle cell uptake was measured by flow cytometry, and subcellular localization was determined by confocal microscopy, which showed a lysosomal localization of these nanoparticles. Furthermore, metabolic activity and cell viability were significantly reduced after incubation with nanoparticles carrying the Akt inhibitor in a time- and dose-dependent fashion. Self-assembling 73 ± 3.2 nm size nanoparticles inhibited phosphorylation and consequent activation of Akt protein, blocked the NF-κB signaling pathway, and triggered caspase 3-mediated apoptosis. Furthermore, in vivo assays showed that ELR-based nanoparticles were suitable devices for drug delivery purposes with long circulating time and minimum toxicity. Hence, the use of these smart nanoparticles could lead to the development of more effective treatment options for pancreatic cancer based on the inhibition of Akt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Gonzalez-Valdivieso
- Smart Biodevices for NanoMed Group, University of Valladolid, Paseo Belén, Valladolid 47011, Spain
| | - Andres Garcia-Sampedro
- Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, Royal Free Hospital Campus, University College London, Pond Street, London NW3 2QG, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew R Hall
- Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, Royal Free Hospital Campus, University College London, Pond Street, London NW3 2QG, United Kingdom
- Sheila Sherlock Liver Centre, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London NW3 2QG, United Kingdom
| | - Alessandra Girotti
- BIOFORGE (Group for Advanced Materials and Nanobiotechnology), CIBER-BBN, University of Valladolid, Paseo Belén, Valladolid 47011, Spain
| | - Francisco Javier Arias
- Smart Biodevices for NanoMed Group, University of Valladolid, Paseo Belén, Valladolid 47011, Spain
| | - Stephen P Pereira
- Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, Royal Free Hospital Campus, University College London, Pond Street, London NW3 2QG, United Kingdom
| | - Pilar Acedo
- Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, Royal Free Hospital Campus, University College London, Pond Street, London NW3 2QG, United Kingdom
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5
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Singh S, Ali R, Miyan J, Singh V, Meena S, Hasanain M, Bhadauria S, Datta D, Sarkar J, Haq W. Facile synthesis of rapamycin-peptide conjugates as mTOR and Akt inhibitors. Org Biomol Chem 2021; 19:4352-4358. [PMID: 33908567 DOI: 10.1039/d1ob00132a] [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: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A simple and straightforward process for the synthesis of rapamycin peptide conjugates in a regio and chemoselective manner was developed. The methodology comprises the tagging of chemoselective functionalities to rapamycin and peptides which enables the conjugation of free peptides, without protecting the functionality of the side chain amino acids, in high yield and purity. From this methodology, we successfully conjugate free peptides containing up to 15 amino acids. Rapamycin is also conjugated to the peptides known for inhibiting the kinase activity of Akt protein. These conjugates act as dual target inhibitors and inhibit the kinase activity of both mTOR and Akt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shalini Singh
- Medicinal and Process Chemistry Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226031, India.
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6
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Murata K, Tsukuda S, Suizu F, Kimura A, Sugiyama M, Watashi K, Noguchi M, Mizokami M. Immunomodulatory Mechanism of Acyclic Nucleoside Phosphates in Treatment of Hepatitis B Virus Infection. Hepatology 2020; 71:1533-1545. [PMID: 31529730 DOI: 10.1002/hep.30956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Current treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogs (NUCs) safely controls the replication of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and improves prognosis in patients with HBV. However, the inability to completely clear HBV is problematic, and novel therapies are desired. It has been believed that all NUCs have similar functions to inhibit HBV reverse transcriptase. However, our recent findings that only acyclic nucleoside phosphonates (ANPs; adefovir dipivoxil and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) had an additional effect of inducing interferon (IFN)-λ3 in the gastrointestinal tract suggests that ANPs are not only distinct from nucleoside analogs (lamivudine and entecavir) in their structures but also in their functions. Because enteric lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can cross the intestine and affect peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), we hypothesized that orally administered ANPs could have further additional effects to modulate LPS-mediated cytokine profile in PBMCs. APPROACH AND RESULTS This study showed that pretreatment of PBMCs, from either healthy volunteers or patients with HBV, with ANPs inhibited LPS-mediated interleukin (IL)-10 production, which reciprocally induced IL-12p70 and tumor necrosis factor-α production in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the combination of IFN-α and ANPs synergistically enhanced LPS-mediated IL-12p70 production in PBMCs. Mechanistic analyses revealed that cellular metabolites of ANPs directly bound the Akt protein, inhibiting its translocation to the plasma membrane, thereby impairing Akt phosphorylation. Therefore, pretreatment of PBMCs with ANPs impairs LPS-mediated IL-10 production. CONCLUSIONS Among NUCs, only ANPs have an additional pharmacological effect modulating LPS-mediated cytokine production, which is expected to produce favorable immune responses toward HBV elimination. This additional immunomodulation by ANPs in PBMCs, as well as IFN-λ3 induction in the gastrointestinal tract, provides insights into HBV treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazumoto Murata
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, International University of Health and Welfare, Nasushiobara, Japan.,Genome Medical Sciences Project, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Ichikawa, Japan
| | - Senko Tsukuda
- RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS), Wako, Japan.,Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Futoshi Suizu
- Division of Cancer Biology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Akihiro Kimura
- Department of Immunology and Pathology, Research Center for Hepatitis and Immunology, Research Institute, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Ichikawa, Japan
| | - Masaya Sugiyama
- Genome Medical Sciences Project, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Ichikawa, Japan
| | - Koichi Watashi
- Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masayuki Noguchi
- Division of Cancer Biology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Masashi Mizokami
- Genome Medical Sciences Project, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Ichikawa, Japan
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7
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Sun S, Fang W. Current understandings on T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia and its association with TCL1 proto-oncogene. Biomed Pharmacother 2020; 126:110107. [PMID: 32247279 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL) is a rare mature T cell leukemia with aggressive clinical course, poor response to conventional therapies and high mortality rates. Classical cytogenetics and various genetic techniques have observed complex karyotypes and associated genes involved in the molecular pathogenesis of T-PLL, among which the proto-oncogene T-cell leukemia/lymphoma 1 (TCL1) as a hallmark of malignancy is hyper-activated and abnormally expressed in many T-PLL cases. Progress has been made to identify the presence of chromosomal rearrangements and subsequent changes in key molecular pathways typically involving Akt, which may hint cytogenetic mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of T-PLL and indicate new treatment targets. In this article, we describe current insights of T-PLL with an emphasis on the potential role of TCL1 gene disorders and TCL1-Akt interactions in cell transformation and disease progression, followed by discussion on current treatment options and novel therapeutic approaches based on cytogenetics, which still remains to be explored for the effective management of T-PLL and other TCL1-driven hematological malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Sun
- Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330000, China; Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 4NS, UK.
| | - Wenjia Fang
- Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330000, China; Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 4NS, UK.
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8
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Kunishige R, Kano F, Murata M. The cell resealing technique for manipulating, visualizing, and elucidating molecular functions in living cells. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2020; 1864:129329. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2019.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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9
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Kim AH, Lee S, Jeon S, Kim GT, Lee EJ, Kim D, Kim Y, Park TS. Addition of an N-Terminal Poly-Glutamate Fusion Tag Improves Solubility and Production of Recombinant TAT-Cre Recombinase in Escherichia coli. J Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 30:109-117. [PMID: 31693834 PMCID: PMC9728232 DOI: 10.4014/jmb.1909.09028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Cre recombinase is widely used to manipulate DNA sequences for both in vitro and in vivo research. Attachment of a trans-activator of transcription (TAT) sequence to Cre allows TATCre to penetrate the cell membrane, and the addition of a nuclear localization signal (NLS) helps the enzyme to translocate into the nucleus. Since the yield of recombinant TAT-Cre is limited by formation of inclusion bodies, we hypothesized that the positively charged arginine-rich TAT sequence causes the inclusion body formation, whereas its neutralization by the addition of a negatively charged sequence improves solubility of the protein. To prove this, we neutralized the positively charged TAT sequence by proximally attaching a negatively charged poly-glutamate (E12) sequence. We found that the E12 tag improved the solubility and yield of E12-TAT-NLS-Cre (E12-TAT-Cre) compared with those of TAT-NLS-Cre (TATCre) when expressed in E. coli. Furthermore, the growth of cells expressing E12-TAT-Cre was increased compared with that of the cells expressing TAT-Cre. Efficacy of the purified TATCre was confirmed by a recombination test on a floxed plasmid in a cell-free system and 293 FT cells. Taken together, our results suggest that attachment of the E12 sequence to TAT-Cre improves its solubility during expression in E. coli (possibly by neutralizing the ionic-charge effects of the TAT sequence) and consequently increases the yield. This method can be applied to the production of transducible proteins for research and therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- A-Hyeon Kim
- Department of Life Sciences, Gachon University, Sungnam 320, Republic of Korea
| | - Soohyun Lee
- Department of Research and Development, LumiMac, Inc., Seoul 05844, Republic of Korea
| | - Suwon Jeon
- Department of Life Sciences, Gachon University, Sungnam 320, Republic of Korea
| | - Goon-Tae Kim
- Department of Life Sciences, Gachon University, Sungnam 320, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Jig Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 0722, Republic of Korea
| | - Daham Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 0722, Republic of Korea
| | - Younggyu Kim
- Department of Research and Development, LumiMac, Inc., Seoul 05844, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Sik Park
- Department of Life Sciences, Gachon University, Sungnam 320, Republic of Korea,Corresponding author Phone: +82-31-750-8824 Fax: +82-31-750-8573 E-mail:
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10
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Xu Z, Ni R, Chen Y. Targeting breast cancer stem cells by a self-assembled, aptamer-conjugated DNA nanotrain with preloading doxorubicin. Int J Nanomedicine 2019; 14:6831-6842. [PMID: 31695364 PMCID: PMC6717853 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s200482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer relapse and metastasis is an obstacle to the treatment of breast cancer. Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs), which can evade the killing effect of traditional chemotherapies, such as doxorubicin (DOX), may contribute to cancer development. Therefore, it is necessary to develop novel drugs that can target and eliminate BCSCs. While multiple strategies have been conceived, they are normally limited by the low drug loading capacity. Purpose An aptamer-conjugated DNA nanotrain TA6NT-AKTin-DOX, which consists of a CD44 aptamer TA6, DNA building blocks M1 and M2 conjugated with an AKT inhibitor peptide AKTin individually and DOX, was designed. Methods This DNA nanotrain was prepared through hybridization chain reactionand this highly ordered DNA duplex has plenty of sites where DOX and AKTin can be intercalated or anchored. By performing on MCF-7 BCSCs and tumors by xenografting BCSCs into nude mice, efficacy of the newly prepared drug was evaluated and compared with that of free DOX and various DNA nanotrains. Results TA6NT-AKTin-DOX showed better efficacy both in vitro and in vivo. To some extent, the enhanced efficacy could be attributed to the targeting effect of TA6 and the high drug loading capacity of the nanotrain (~20 DOX molecules). Besides, a synergistic response was demonstrated by combining DOX with AKTin, probably due to that the anchored AKTin can reverse the drug resistance of BCSCs including apoptosis resistance and ABC transporters overexpression via the AKT signaling pathway. Conclusion The aptamer-conjugated DNA nanotrain TA6NT-AKTin-DOX demonstrated its targeting capability to BCSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyuan Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, People's Republic of China
| | - Ronghua Ni
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, People's Republic of China
| | - Yun Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing 210029, People's Republic of China
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11
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Gonzalez-Valdivieso J, Girotti A, Muñoz R, Rodriguez-Cabello JC, Arias FJ. Self-Assembling ELR-Based Nanoparticles as Smart Drug-Delivery Systems Modulating Cellular Growth via Akt. Biomacromolecules 2019; 20:1996-2007. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.9b00206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Gonzalez-Valdivieso
- BIOFORGE (Group for Advanced Materials and Nanobiotechnology), CIBER-BBN, University of Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Alessandra Girotti
- BIOFORGE (Group for Advanced Materials and Nanobiotechnology), CIBER-BBN, University of Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Raquel Muñoz
- BIOFORGE (Group for Advanced Materials and Nanobiotechnology), CIBER-BBN, University of Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - J. Carlos Rodriguez-Cabello
- BIOFORGE (Group for Advanced Materials and Nanobiotechnology), CIBER-BBN, University of Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - F. Javier Arias
- BIOFORGE (Group for Advanced Materials and Nanobiotechnology), CIBER-BBN, University of Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
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12
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Paduano F, Gaudio E, Mensah AA, Pinton S, Bertoni F, Trapasso F. T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma 1 (TCL1): An Oncogene Regulating Multiple Signaling Pathways. Front Oncol 2018; 8:317. [PMID: 30151355 PMCID: PMC6099186 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Almost 30 years ago, Carlo Croce's group discovered the T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma 1A oncogene (TCL1A or TCL1). TCL1 protein is normally expressed in fetal tissues and early developmental stage lymphocytes. Its expression is deregulated in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) and most lymphomas. TCL1 plays a central role in lymphomagenesis as a co-activator of AKT kinases and other recently elucidated interacting protein partners. These include ATM, HSP70 and TP63, which were all confirmed as binding partners of TCL1 from co-immunoprecipitation experiments utilizing endogenously expressed proteins. The nature of these interactions highlighted the role of TCL1 in enhancing multiple signaling pathways, including PI3K and NF-κB. Based on its role in the aforementioned pathways and, despite the lack of a well-defined enzymatic activity, TCL1 is considered a potential therapeutic target for TCL1-positive hematological malignancies. This perspective will provide an overview of TCL1A and its interacting partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Paduano
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, University Magna Græcia, Catanzaro, Italy.,Biomedical Section, Tecnologica Research Institute, Crotone, Italy
| | - Eugenio Gaudio
- Institute of Oncology Research, Università della Svizzera italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Afua A Mensah
- Institute of Oncology Research, Università della Svizzera italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Pinton
- Institute of Oncology Research, Università della Svizzera italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Francesco Bertoni
- Institute of Oncology Research, Università della Svizzera italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Francesco Trapasso
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, University Magna Græcia, Catanzaro, Italy
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13
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Murakami M, Kano F, Murata M. LLO-mediated Cell Resealing System for Analyzing Intracellular Activity of Membrane-impermeable Biopharmaceuticals of Mid-sized Molecular Weight. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1946. [PMID: 29386585 PMCID: PMC5792490 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20482-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-based assays have become increasingly important in the preclinical studies for biopharmaceutical products such as specialty peptides, which are of interest owing to their high substrate specificity. However, many of the latter are membrane impermeable and must be physically introduced into cells to evaluate their intracellular activities. We previously developed a "cell-resealing technique" that exploited the temperature-dependent pore-forming activity of the streptococcal toxin, streptolysin O (SLO), that enabled us to introduce various molecules into cells for evaluation of their intracellular activities. In this study, we report a new cell resealing method, the listeriolysin O (LLO)-mediated resealing method, to deliver mid-sized, membrane-impermeable biopharmaceuticals into cells. We found that LLO-type resealing required no exogenous cytosol to repair the injured cell membrane and allowed the specific entry of mid-sized molecules into cells. We use this method to introduce either a membrane-impermeable, small compound (8-OH-cAMP) or specialty peptide (Akt-in), and demonstrated PKA activation or Akt inhibition, respectively. Collectively, the LLO-type resealing method is a user-friendly and reproducible intracellular delivery system for mid-sized membrane-impermeable molecules into cells and for evaluating their intracellular activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masataka Murakami
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan
| | - Fumi Kano
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan.,Cell Biology Center, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 226-8503, Japan
| | - Masayuki Murata
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan. .,Cell Biology Center, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 226-8503, Japan. .,Laboratoty of Frontier Image Analysis, Graduate School of Arts and Science, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan.
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14
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Gaudio E, Paduano F, Pinton S, D'Agostino S, Rocca R, Costa G, Ngankeu A, Aqeilan RI, Croce CM, Bertoni F, Alcaro S, Trapasso F. TCL1A interacts with TP63 and enhances the survival of Raji Burkitt lymphoma cell line. Br J Haematol 2017; 183:509-512. [PMID: 29048125 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.14989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eugenio Gaudio
- Lymphoma and Genomics Research Programme, The Institute of Oncology Research, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | | | - Sandra Pinton
- Laboratory for Biomedical Neurosciences - Ente Cantonale Ospedaliero, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Sabrina D'Agostino
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University 'Magna Graecia' of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Roberta Rocca
- Departimento Scienze della Vita, University 'Magna Graecia' of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Giosuè Costa
- Departimento Scienze della Vita, University 'Magna Graecia' of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Apollinaire Ngankeu
- Department of Molecular Immunology, Virology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Rami I Aqeilan
- The Lautenberg Centre for Immunology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Carlo M Croce
- Department of Molecular Immunology, Virology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Francesco Bertoni
- Lymphoma and Genomics Research Programme, The Institute of Oncology Research, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Stefano Alcaro
- Departimento Scienze della Vita, University 'Magna Graecia' of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Francesco Trapasso
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University 'Magna Graecia' of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
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15
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Huang BX, Newcomer K, Kevala K, Barnaeva E, Zheng W, Hu X, Patnaik S, Southall N, Marugan J, Ferrer M, Kim HY. Identification of 4-phenylquinolin-2(1H)-one as a specific allosteric inhibitor of Akt. Sci Rep 2017; 7:11673. [PMID: 28916818 PMCID: PMC5601486 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11870-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Akt plays a major role in tumorigenesis and the development of specific Akt inhibitors as effective cancer therapeutics has been challenging. Here, we report the identification of a highly specific allosteric inhibitor of Akt through a FRET-based high-throughput screening, and characterization of its inhibitory mechanism. Out of 373,868 compounds screened, 4-phenylquinolin-2(1H)-one specifically decreased Akt phosphorylation at both T308 and S473, and inhibited Akt kinase activity (IC50 = 6 µM) and downstream signaling. 4-Phenylquinolin-2(1H)-one did not alter the activity of upstream kinases including PI3K, PDK1, and mTORC2 as well as closely related kinases that affect cell proliferation and survival such as SGK1, PKA, PKC, or ERK1/2. This compound inhibited the proliferation of cancer cells but displayed less toxicity compared to inhibitors of PI3K or mTOR. Kinase profiling efforts revealed that 4-phenylquinolin-2(1H)-one does not bind to the kinase active site of over 380 human kinases including Akt. However, 4-phenylquinolin-2(1H)-one interacted with the PH domain of Akt, apparently inducing a conformation that hinders S473 and T308 phosphorylation by mTORC2 and PDK1. In conclusion, we demonstrate that 4-phenylquinolin-2(1H)-one is an exquisitely selective Akt inhibitor with a distinctive molecular mechanism, and a promising lead compound for further optimization toward the development of novel cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bill X Huang
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, 5625 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Kenny Newcomer
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, 5625 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Karl Kevala
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, 5625 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Elena Barnaeva
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, 9800 Medical Center Dr., Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Wei Zheng
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, 9800 Medical Center Dr., Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Xin Hu
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, 9800 Medical Center Dr., Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Samarjit Patnaik
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, 9800 Medical Center Dr., Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Noel Southall
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, 9800 Medical Center Dr., Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Juan Marugan
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, 9800 Medical Center Dr., Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Marc Ferrer
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, 9800 Medical Center Dr., Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Hee-Yong Kim
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, 5625 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA.
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16
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Sun Y, Tang G, Hu Z, Thakral B, Miranda RN, Medeiros LJ, Wang SA. Comparison of karyotyping, TCL1 fluorescence in situ hybridisation and TCL1 immunohistochemistry in T cell prolymphocytic leukaemia. J Clin Pathol 2017; 71:309-315. [DOI: 10.1136/jclinpath-2017-204616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Revised: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 07/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
AimsT cell prolymphocytic leukaemia (T-PLL) is defined as an aggressive T cell leukaemia composed of small to medium-sized lymphocytes with a mature T cell immunophenotype. Most of these cases are known to be associated with inv(14q11q32)/t(14;14)(q11;q32) or rarely t(X;14)(q28;q11). However, T-PLL can show variations in clinical presentation, morphology or immunophenotype that can make a diagnosis of T-PLL challenging. We aim to explore the value of ancillary testing in the diagnosis of T-PLL.MethodsWith this large cohort of 69 patients with T-PLL, we compared the diagnostic utility of conventional cytogenetics, TCL1 rearrangement by fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) and TCL1 expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC).ResultsConventional karyotyping was performed in all 69 patients and was abnormal in 44 (65%), showing 14q32 abnormalities in 31 (43%) and t(X;14) (MTCP) in 2 (3%). TCL1 rearrangement was assessed by FISH in 26 cases and was positive in 23 (85%). All cases with 14q32 abnormalities shown by karyotype were positive for TCL1 rearrangement by FISH, whereas 12/15 (80%) cases without 14q32 abnormalities were also positive. TCL1 overexpression by IHC was detected in 51/64 (81%), including 40/42 (95%) cases with TCL1/14q32 rearrangement, and 3 cases without, showing a concordance of 89%. TCL1 IHC was negative in both cases with t(X;14)(q28;q11).ConclusionsOur study shows that TCL1 by IHC is a convenient test, positive in >80% T-PLL. Conventional cytogenetics is insensitive in the detection of 14q32/TCL1 rearrangements but provides more complete information of the chromosomal landscape of T-PLL. FISH for TCL1 rearrangement is very valuable in diagnostic challenging cases.
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17
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Singh S, Shrivastava R, Singh G, Ali R, Sankar Ampapathi R, Bhadhuria S, Haq W. AzaGly-Appended Peptidomimetics Structurally Related to PTR6154 as Potential PKB/Akt Inhibitors. Chembiochem 2017; 18:1061-1065. [DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201700031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shalini Singh
- Medicinal and Process Chemistry Division; CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute; Lucknow Uttar Pradesh 226031 India
| | - Richa Shrivastava
- Toxicology Division; CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute; Lucknow Uttar Pradesh 226031 India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research; New Delhi 11000 India
| | - Gajendra Singh
- NMR Centre; SAIF; CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute; Lucknow Uttar Pradesh 226031 India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research; New Delhi 11000 India
| | - Rafat Ali
- Medicinal and Process Chemistry Division; CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute; Lucknow Uttar Pradesh 226031 India
| | - Ravi Sankar Ampapathi
- NMR Centre; SAIF; CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute; Lucknow Uttar Pradesh 226031 India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research; New Delhi 11000 India
| | - Smrati Bhadhuria
- Toxicology Division; CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute; Lucknow Uttar Pradesh 226031 India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research; New Delhi 11000 India
| | - Wahajul Haq
- Medicinal and Process Chemistry Division; CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute; Lucknow Uttar Pradesh 226031 India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research; New Delhi 11000 India
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18
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Li YC, Yang SS, Gao WJ. Disruption of Akt signaling decreases dopamine sensitivity in modulation of inhibitory synaptic transmission in rat prefrontal cortex. Neuropharmacology 2016; 108:403-14. [PMID: 27163190 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Revised: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Akt is a serine/threonine kinase, which is dramatically reduced in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of patients with schizophrenia, and a deficiency in Akt1 results in PFC function abnormalities. Although the importance of Akt in dopamine (DA) transmission is well established, how impaired Akt signaling affects the DA modulation of synaptic transmission in the PFC has not been characterized. Here we show that Akt inhibitors significantly decreased receptor sensitivity to DA by shifting DA modulation of GABAA receptor-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in prefrontal cortical neurons. Akt inhibition caused a significant decrease in synaptic dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) levels with high-dose DA exposure. In addition, Akt inhibition failed to affect DA modulation of IPSCs after blockade of β-arrestin 2. β-arrestin 2-mediated interaction of clathrin with D2R was enhanced by co-application of a Akt inhibitor and DA. Taken together, the reduced response in DA modulation of inhibitory transmission mainly involved β-arrestin 2-dependent D2R desensitization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Chun Li
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA
| | - Sha-Sha Yang
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA
| | - Wen-Jun Gao
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA.
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19
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Deyle KM, Farrow B, Hee YQ, Work J, Wong M, Lai B, Umeda A, Millward SW, Nag A, Das S, Heath JR. A protein-targeting strategy used to develop a selective inhibitor of the E17K point mutation in the PH domain of Akt1. Nat Chem 2015; 7:455-62. [PMID: 25901825 PMCID: PMC4408887 DOI: 10.1038/nchem.2223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2014] [Accepted: 02/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Ligands that can bind selectively to proteins with single amino-acid point mutations offer the potential to detect or treat an abnormal protein in the presence of the wild type (WT). However, it is difficult to develop a selective ligand if the point mutation is not associated with an addressable location, such as a binding pocket. Here we report an all-chemical synthetic epitope-targeting strategy that we used to discover a 5-mer peptide with selectivity for the E17K-transforming point mutation in the pleckstrin homology domain of the Akt1 oncoprotein. A fragment of Akt1 that contained the E17K mutation and an I19[propargylglycine] substitution was synthesized to form an addressable synthetic epitope. Azide-presenting peptides that clicked covalently onto this alkyne-presenting epitope were selected from a library using in situ screening. One peptide exhibits a 10:1 in vitro selectivity for the oncoprotein relative to the WT, with a similar selectivity in cells. This 5-mer peptide was expanded into a larger ligand that selectively blocks the E17K Akt1 interaction with its PIP3 (phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate) substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaycie M. Deyle
- Department of Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA 91125
| | - Blake Farrow
- Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA 91125
| | - Ying Qiao Hee
- Department of Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA 91125
| | - Jeremy Work
- Department of Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA 91125
| | - Michelle Wong
- Department of Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA 91125
| | - Bert Lai
- InDi Molecular, Culver City, CA, USA 90230
| | - Aiko Umeda
- Department of Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA 91125
| | - Steven W. Millward
- Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA 77054
| | - Arundhati Nag
- Department of Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA 91125
| | - Samir Das
- Department of Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA 91125
| | - James R. Heath
- Department of Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA 91125
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20
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Fang Z, Simard JR, Plenker D, Nguyen HD, Phan T, Wolle P, Baumeister S, Rauh D. Discovery of inter-domain stabilizers-a novel assay system for allosteric akt inhibitors. ACS Chem Biol 2015; 10:279-88. [PMID: 24959717 DOI: 10.1021/cb500355c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
In addition to the catalytically active kinase domain, most kinases feature regulatory domains that govern their activity. Modulating and interfering with these interdomain interactions presents a major opportunity for understanding biological systems and developing novel therapeutics. Therefore, small molecule inhibitors that target these interactions through an allosteric mode of action have high intrinsic selectivity, as these interactions are often unique to a single kinase or kinase family. Here we report the development of iFLiK (interface-Fluorescent Labels in Kinases), a fluorescence-based assay that can monitor such interdomain interactions. Using iFLiK, we have demonstrated selective detection of allosteric Akt inhibitors that induce an inactive closed conformation unique to Akt. This methodology easily distinguished small molecule allosteric inhibitors from classic ATP-competitive inhibitors. Screening an in-house compound library with iFLiK, we were able to identify novel compounds with a scaffold that has not been previously described for allosteric Akt inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhizhou Fang
- Technische Universität Dortmund, Fakultät
für Chemie und Chemische Biologie, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 6, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
- Chemical
Genomics
Centre of the Max Planck Society, Otto-Hahn-Strasse
15, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Jeffrey R. Simard
- Chemical
Genomics
Centre of the Max Planck Society, Otto-Hahn-Strasse
15, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Dennis Plenker
- University of Cologne, Medical Faculty, Department
of Translational Genomics, Weyertal 115b, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Hoang D. Nguyen
- Chemical
Genomics
Centre of the Max Planck Society, Otto-Hahn-Strasse
15, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Trang Phan
- Chemical
Genomics
Centre of the Max Planck Society, Otto-Hahn-Strasse
15, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Patrik Wolle
- Technische Universität Dortmund, Fakultät
für Chemie und Chemische Biologie, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 6, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Stefan Baumeister
- Technische Universität Dortmund, Fakultät
für Chemie und Chemische Biologie, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 6, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Daniel Rauh
- Technische Universität Dortmund, Fakultät
für Chemie und Chemische Biologie, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 6, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
- Chemical
Genomics
Centre of the Max Planck Society, Otto-Hahn-Strasse
15, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
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21
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Penetrating the cell membrane, thermal targeting and novel anticancer drugs: the development of thermally targeted, elastin-like polypeptide cancer therapeutics. Ther Deliv 2014; 5:429-45. [PMID: 24856169 DOI: 10.4155/tde.14.14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic peptides offer important cancer treatment approaches. Designed to inhibit oncogenes and other oncoproteins, early therapeutic peptides applications were hampered by pharmacokinetic properties now addressed through tumor targeting strategies. Active targeting with environmentally responsive biopolymers or macromolecules enhances therapeutics accumulation at tumor sites; passive targeting with macromolecules, or liposomes, exploits angiogenesis and poor lymphatic drainage to preferentially accumulate therapeutics within tumors. Genetically engineered, thermally-responsive, elastin-like polypeptides use both strategies and cell-penetrating peptides to further intratumoral cell uptake. This review describes the development and application of cell-penetrating peptide-elastin-like polypeptide therapeutics for the thermally targeted delivery of therapeutic peptides.
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22
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Hirata N, Suizu F, Matsuda-Lennikov M, Edamura T, Bala J, Noguchi M. Inhibition of Akt kinase activity suppresses entry and replication of influenza virus. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2014; 450:891-8. [PMID: 24971535 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.06.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2014] [Accepted: 06/17/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The possibility of the pandemic spread of influenza viruses highlights the need for an effective cure for this life-threatening disease. Influenza A virus, belonging to a family of orthomyxoviruses, is a negative-strand RNA virus which encodes 11 viral proteins. A numbers of intracellular signaling pathways in the host cells interact with influenza the viral proteins, which affect various stages of viral infection and replication. In this study, we investigated how inhibition of Akt kinase activity impacts on influenza virus infection by using "Akt-in", a peptide Akt inhibitor. In PR8 influenza-infected A549 cells, Akt interacted with the NS1 (Non structural protein 1), and hence increased phosphorylation of Akt kinase activity and NS1. Treatment of cells with either "TCL1- or TCL1b-based Akt-in" efficiently suppressed Akt kinase activity while decreasing the levels of phosphorylated NS1; this, in turn, inhibited viral replication in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect on viral replication appears to not be due to inhibition of the production of inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6 and IL-8, in the host cells. Inhibition of Akt kinase activity in the host cells inhibited the efficiency of viral entry, which is associated with decreased levels of phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase 3, a substrate of Akt. Thus inhibition of Akt kinase activity in host cells may have therapeutic advantages for influenza virus infection by inhibiting viral entry and replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriyuki Hirata
- Division of Cancer Biology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Futoshi Suizu
- Division of Cancer Biology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Mami Matsuda-Lennikov
- Division of Cancer Biology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Tatsuma Edamura
- Division of Cancer Biology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Jyoti Bala
- Division of Cancer Biology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Masayuki Noguchi
- Division of Cancer Biology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
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23
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Warner K, Weit N, Crispatzu G, Admirand J, Jones D, Herling M. T-cell receptor signaling in peripheral T-cell lymphoma - a review of patterns of alterations in a central growth regulatory pathway. Curr Hematol Malig Rep 2014; 8:163-72. [PMID: 23892905 DOI: 10.1007/s11899-013-0165-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling is pivotal in T-cell development and function. In peripheral T-cell lymphomas/leukemias (PTCL/L), histogenesis, transforming events, epidemiology, and clinical presentation are also closely linked to TCR-mediated influences. After reviewing the physiology of normal TCR signaling and cellular responses, we describe here the association of subgroups of PTCL/L with specific patterns of TCR activation as relevant tumor-initiating and/or tumor-sustaining programs. We identify PTCL/L with a functionally intact TCR machinery in which stimulation is possibly incited by exogenous antigens or autoantigens. Distinct from these are tumors with autonomous oncogenic signaling by dysregulated TCR components uncoupled from extrinsic receptor input. A further subset is characterized by transforming events that activate molecules acting as substitutes for TCR signaling, but triggering similar downstream cascades. We finally discuss the consequences of such a functional model for TCR-targeted therapeutic strategies including those that are being tested in the clinic and those that still require further development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Warner
- Laboratory for Lymphocyte Signaling and Oncoproteome, Department I of Internal Medicine, Center for Integrated Oncology Köln-Bonn, Cologne, Germany
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24
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Hashimoto M, Suizu F, Tokuyama W, Noguchi H, Hirata N, Matsuda-Lennikov M, Edamura T, Masuzawa M, Gotoh N, Tanaka S, Noguchi M. Protooncogene TCL1b functions as an Akt kinase co-activator that exhibits oncogenic potency in vivo. Oncogenesis 2013; 2:e70. [PMID: 24042734 PMCID: PMC3816220 DOI: 10.1038/oncsis.2013.30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2013] [Accepted: 07/16/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Protooncogene T-cell leukemia 1 (TCL1), which is implicated in human T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL), interacts with Akt and enhances its kinase activity, functioning as an Akt kinase co-activator. Two major isoforms of TCL1 Protooncogenes (TCL1 and TCL1b) are present adjacent to each other on human chromosome 14q.32. In human T-PLL, both TCL1 and TCL1b are activated by chromosomal translocation. Moreover, TCL1b-transgenic mice have never been created. Therefore, it remains unclear whether TCL1b itself, independent of TCL1, exhibits oncogenicity. In co-immunoprecipitation assays, both ectopic and endogenous TCL1b interacted with Akt. In in vitro Akt kinase assays, TCL1b enhanced Akt kinase activity in dose- and time-dependent manners. Bioinformatics approaches utilizing multiregression analysis, cluster analysis, KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway mapping, Venn diagrams and Gene Ontology (GO) demonstrated that TCL1b showed highly homologous gene-induction signatures similar to Myr-Akt or TCL1. TCL1b exhibited oncogenicity in in vitro colony-transformation assay. Further, two independent lines of β-actin promoter-driven TCL1b-transgenic mice developed angiosarcoma on the intestinal tract. Angiosarcoma is a rare form of cancer in humans with poor prognosis. Using immunohistochemistry, 11 out of 13 human angiosarcoma samples were positively stained with both anti-TCL1b and anti-phospho-Akt antibodies. Consistently, in various cancer tissues, 69 out of 146 samples were positively stained with anti-TCL1b, out of which 46 were positively stained with anti-phospho-Akt antibodies. Moreover, TCL1b structure-based inhibitor 'TCL1b-Akt-in' inhibited Akt kinase activity in in vitro kinase assays and PDGF (platelet-derived growth factor)-induced Akt kinase activities-in turn, 'TCL1b-Akt-in' inhibited cellular proliferation of sarcoma. The current study disclosed TCL1b bears oncogenicity and hence serves as a novel therapeutic target for human neoplastic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Hashimoto
- Division of Cancer Biology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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25
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Ammoun S, Schmid MC, Ristic N, Zhou L, Hilton D, Ercolano E, Carroll C, Hanemann CO. The role of insulin-like growth factors signaling in merlin-deficient human schwannomas. Glia 2012; 60:1721-33. [DOI: 10.1002/glia.22391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2012] [Revised: 06/20/2012] [Accepted: 06/22/2012] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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26
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Hayashi Y, Morimoto J, Suga H. In vitro selection of anti-Akt2 thioether-macrocyclic peptides leading to isoform-selective inhibitors. ACS Chem Biol 2012; 7:607-13. [PMID: 22273180 DOI: 10.1021/cb200388k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The Akt kinase family, consisting of three isoforms in humans, is a well-validated class of drug target. Through various screening campaigns in academics and pharmaceutical industries, several promising inhibitors have been developed to date. However, due to the mechanistic and structural similarities of Akt kinases, it is yet a challenging task to discover selective inhibitors against a specific Akt isoform. We here report Akt-selective and also Akt2 isoform-selective inhibitors based on a thioether-macrocyclic peptide scaffold. Several anti-Akt2 peptides have been selected from a library by means of an in vitro display system, referred to as the RaPID (Random nonstandard Peptide Integrated Discovery) system. Remarkably, the majority of these "binding-active" anti-Akt2 peptides turned out to be "inhibitory active", exhibiting IC(50) values of approximately 100 nM. Moreover, these peptides are not only selective to the Akt kinase family but also isoform-selective to Akt2. Particularly, one referred to as Pakti-L1 is able to discriminate Akt2 250- and 40-fold over Akt1 and Akt3, respectively. This proof-of-concept case study suggests that the RaPID system has a tremendous potential for the discovery of unique inhibitors with high family- and isoform-selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuuki Hayashi
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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27
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Meuillet EJ. Novel inhibitors of AKT: assessment of a different approach targeting the pleckstrin homology domain. Curr Med Chem 2011; 18:2727-42. [PMID: 21649580 DOI: 10.2174/092986711796011292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2011] [Accepted: 05/13/2011] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Protein kinase B/AKT plays a central role in cancer. The serine/threonine kinase is overexpressed or constitutively active in many cancers and has been validated as a therapeutic target for cancer treatment. However, targeting the kinase activity has revealed itself to be a challenge due to non-selectivity of the compounds towards other kinases. This review summarizes other approaches scientists have developed to inhibit the activity and function of AKT. They consist in targeting the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain of AKT. Indeed, upon the generation of 3-phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol phosphates (PI3Ps) by PI3-kinase (PI3K), AKT translocates from the cytosol to the plasma membrane and binds to the PI3Ps via its PH domain. Thus, several analogs of PI3Ps (PI Analogs or PIAs), alkylphospholipids (APLs), such as edelfosine or inositol phophates (IPs) have been described that inhibit the binding of the PH domain to PI3Ps. Recent allostertic inhibitors and small molecules that do not bind the kinase domain but affect the kinase activity of AKT, presumably by interacting with the PH domain, have been also identified. Finally, several drug screening studies spawned novel chemical scaffolds that bind the PH domain of AKT. Together, these approaches have been more or less sucessfull in vitro and to some extent translated in preclinical studies. Several of these new AKT PH domain inhibitors exhibit promising anti-tumor activity in mouse models and some of them show synergy with ionizing radiation and chemotherapy. Early clinical trials have started and results will attest to the validity and efficacy of such approaches in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- E J Meuillet
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA.
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Ammoun S, Schmid MC, Zhou L, Ristic N, Ercolano E, Hilton DA, Perks CM, Hanemann CO. Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) regulates human schwannoma proliferation, adhesion and survival. Oncogene 2011; 31:1710-22. [PMID: 21892205 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2011.357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Merlin is a tumour suppressor involved in the development of a variety of tumours including mesotheliomas. Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2), a dominantly inherited tumour disease, is also caused by loss of merlin. NF2 patients suffer from multiple genetically well-defined tumours, schwannomas are most frequent among those. Using our in vitro model for human schwannoma, we found that schwannoma cells display enhanced proliferation because of the overexpression/activation of platelet-derived growth factor receptor and ErbB2/3, increased cell-matrix adhesion because of the overexpression of integrins, and decreased apoptosis. Mechanisms underlying schwannomas basal proliferation and cell-matrix adhesion are not understood. Here, we investigated insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1), which is expressed and released from central nervous system tumours and strongly overexpressed in schwannoma at the mRNA level. IGFBP-1 acts via β1-integrin and focal-adhesion-kinase (FAK), which are strongly overexpressed and basally activated in schwannoma. Using short hairpin RNA knockdown, small inhibitors and recombinant IGFBP-1, we demonstrate that schwannoma cells, in contrast to Schwann cells, release IGFBP-1 that activates the Src/FAK pathway, via integrin β1, potentiating schwannoma's proliferation and cell-matrix adhesion. We show that FAK localizes to the nucleus and Src triggers IGFBP-1 production. Further, we observed downregulation of the tumour-suppressor phosphatase and tensin homolog in schwannoma cells leading to increased activity of anti-apoptotic AKT. Thus, IGFBP-1/integrin β1/Src/FAK pathway has a crucial role in merlin-related tumourigenesis and therefore represents an important therapeutic target in the treatment of merlin-deficient tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Ammoun
- Clinical Neurobiology, Peninsula College for Medicine and Dentistry, Plymouth, UK
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Morrow JK, Du-Cuny L, Chen L, Meuillet EJ, Mash EA, Powis G, Zhang S. Recent development of anticancer therapeutics targeting Akt. Recent Pat Anticancer Drug Discov 2011; 6:146-59. [PMID: 21110830 DOI: 10.2174/157489211793980079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2010] [Accepted: 04/01/2010] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The serine/threonine kinase Akt has proven to be a significant signaling target, involved in various biological functions. Because of its cardinal role in numerous cellular responses, Akt has been implicated in many human diseases, particularly cancer. It has been established that Akt is a viable and feasible target for anticancer therapeutics. Analysis of all Akt kinases reveals conserved homology for an N-terminal regulatory domain, which contains a pleckstrin-homology (PH) domain for cellular translocation, a kinase domain with serine/threonine specificity, and a C-terminal extension domain. These well defined regions have been targeted, and various approaches, including in silico methods, have been implemented to develop Akt inhibitors. In spite of unique techniques and a prolific body of knowledge surrounding Akt, no targeted Akt therapeutics have reached the market yet. Here we will highlight successes and challenges to date on the development of anticancer agents modulating the Akt pathway in recent patents as well as discuss the methods employed for this task. Special attention will be given to patents with focus on those discoveries using computer-aided drug design approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- John K Morrow
- The Integrated Molecular Discovery Laboratory, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Unit 36, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Nerve growth factor induces axonal filopodia through localized microdomains of phosphoinositide 3-kinase activity that drive the formation of cytoskeletal precursors to filopodia. J Neurosci 2010; 30:12185-97. [PMID: 20826681 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1740-10.2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The initiation of axonal filopodia is the first step in the formation of collateral branches and synaptic structures. In sensory neurons, nerve growth factor (NGF) promotes the formation of axonal filopodia and branches. However, the signaling and cytoskeletal mechanisms of NGF-induced initiation of axonal filopodia are not clear. Axonal filopodia arise from precursor axonal cytoskeletal structures termed filamentous actin (F-actin) patches. Patches form spontaneously and are transient. Although filopodia emerge from patches, only a fraction of patches normally gives rise to filopodia. Using chicken sensory neurons and live imaging of enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (eYFP)-actin dynamics, we report that NGF promotes the formation of axonal filopodia by increasing the rate of F-actin patch formation but not the fraction of patches that give rise to filopodia. We also demonstrate that activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt pathway is sufficient and required for driving the formation of axonal F-actin patches, filopodia, and axon branches. Using the green fluorescent protein-plekstrin homology domain of Akt, which targets to PI3K-generated phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-triphosphate (PIP(3)), we report localized microdomains of PIP(3) accumulation that form in synchrony with F-actin patches and that NGF promotes the formation of microdomains of PIP(3) and patches. Finally, we find that, in NGF, F-actin patches form in association with axonal mitochondria and oxidative phosphorylation is required for patch formation. This investigation demonstrates that surprisingly NGF promotes formation of axonal filopodia by increasing the formation of cytoskeletal filopodial precursors (patches) through localized microdomains of PI3K signaling but not the emergence of filopodia from patches.
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The Akt activation inhibitor TCN-P inhibits Akt phosphorylation by binding to the PH domain of Akt and blocking its recruitment to the plasma membrane. Cell Death Differ 2010; 17:1795-804. [PMID: 20489726 PMCID: PMC2952662 DOI: 10.1038/cdd.2010.63] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Persistently hyper-phosphorylated Akt contributes to human oncogenesis and resistance to therapy. TCN-P, the active metabolite of the Akt phosphorylation inhibitor triciribine (TCN), is in clinical trials, but the mechanism by which TCN-P inhibits Akt phosphorylation is unknown. Here we show that in vitro, TCN-P inhibits neither Akt activity nor the phosphorylation of Akt S473 and T308 by mTOR or PDK1, respectively. However, in intact cells, TCN inhibits EGF-stimulated Akt recruitment to the plasma membrane and phosphorylation of Akt. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) demonstrates that TCN-P, but not TCN, binds Akt-derived pleckstrin homology (PH) domain (KD: 690 nM). Furthermore, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy shows that TCN-P, but not TCN, binds to the PH domain in the vicinity of the PIP3 binding pocket. Finally, constitutively active Akt mutants, Akt1-T308D/S473D and myr-Akt1, but not the transforming mutant Akt1-E17K, are resistant to TCN-P and rescue from TCN inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis. Thus, our studies indicate that TCN-P binds to the PH domain of Akt and blocks its recruitment to the membrane and that the subsequent inhibition of Akt phosphorylation contributes to TCN-P anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activity, suggesting that this drug may be beneficial to patients whose tumors express persistently phosphorylated Akt.
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Gao Y, Deng K, Cao Z, Graziani EI, Gilbert AM, Koehn FE, Wood A, Doherty P, Walsh FS. Amphotericin B, identified from a natural product screen, antagonizes CNS inhibitors to promote axon growth via activation of an Akt pathway in neurons. J Neurochem 2010; 113:1331-42. [PMID: 20345749 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2010.06704.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
One of the major barriers to successful axon regeneration in the adult CNS is the presence of inhibitory molecules that originate from the myelin sheath and glial scar. So far, only a small number of pharmacological compounds have exhibited functional activity against CNS inhibitors in promoting axon regeneration after injury. To search for novel compounds that enhance neurite outgrowth in vitro, we initiated a screen of a collection of natural products. We identified four compounds with the potential to promote growth over a myelin substrate. Of these, Amphotericin B (AmB) was shown to enhance neurite outgrowth and antagonize activities of major myelin associated inhibitors and glial-scar-derived chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans. AmB was found to activate Akt and thereby suppress the activity of glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta. Also, a cell permeable peptide that inhibits Akt activity was shown to block the effect of AmB in promoting axonal growth, while another peptide that increases Akt activity stimulated axonal growth in the presence of the myelin associated inhibitors. Our results suggest that AmB can promote neurite outgrowth over a wide range of inhibitory substrates via a mechanism that involves activation of Akt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Gao
- Discovery Neuroscience, Pfizer Research, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
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Wang J, Ma H, Tong C, Zhang H, Lawlis GB, Li Y, Zang M, Ren J, Nijland MJ, Ford SP, Nathanielsz PW, Li J. Overnutrition and maternal obesity in sheep pregnancy alter the JNK-IRS-1 signaling cascades and cardiac function in the fetal heart. FASEB J 2010; 24:2066-76. [PMID: 20110268 DOI: 10.1096/fj.09-142315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Maternal obesity in pregnancy predisposes offspring to insulin resistance and associated cardiovascular disease. Here, we used a well-established sheep model to investigate the effects of maternal obesity on cardiac functions. Multiparous ewes were assigned to a control (CON) diet [100% of National Research Council (NRC) recommendations] or an obesogenic (OB) diet (150% of NRC recommendations) from 60 d before conception to necropsy on d 135 of pregnancy. Fetal blood glucose and insulin were increased (P<0.01, n=8) in OB (35.09+/-2.03 mg/dl and 3.40+/-1.43 microU/ml, respectively) vs. CON ewes (23.80+/-1.38 mg/dl and 0.769+/-0.256 microU/ml). Phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a cardioprotective signaling pathway, was reduced (P<0.05), while the stress signaling pathway, p38 MAPK, was up-regulated (P<0.05) in OB maternal and fetal hearts. Phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) at Ser-307 were increased (P<0.05) in OB fetal heart associated with lower downstream PI3K-Akt activity (P<0.05), indicating impaired cardiac insulin signaling. Although OB fetal hearts exhibited a normal contractile function vs. CON fetal hearts during basal perfusion, they developed an impaired heart-rate-left-ventricular-developed pressure product in response to high workload stress. Taken together, fetuses of OB mothers demonstrate alterations in cardiac PI3K-Akt, AMPK, and JNK-IRS-1 signaling pathways that would predispose them to insulin resistance and cardiac dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingying Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo-SUNY, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
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Neisseria gonorrhoeae survival during primary human cervical epithelial cell infection requires nitric oxide and is augmented by progesterone. Infect Immun 2010; 78:1202-13. [PMID: 20048043 DOI: 10.1128/iai.01085-09] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae is an obligate human pathogen that causes gonorrhea. We have shown previously that complement receptor 3 and Akt kinase play important roles in mediating cervical infection. At present, there are limited data to indicate how hormonally induced changes to the mucosal epithelia of the female genital tract mediate the course of gonococcal disease. Hence, I have expanded upon previous work to investigate the interaction of gonococci with primary human cervical epithelial (pex) cells under the variable estrogen and progesterone concentrations likely to be encountered in vivo throughout the female menstrual cycle. My data indicated that the ability of gonococci to survive and to replicate within pex cells was increased under progesterone-predominant conditions. Using bacterial survival, immunological, and kinase assays, I show that progesterone functioned in an additive manner with gonococcal phospholipase D to augment Akt kinase activity. This, in turn, resulted in a parallel increase in nitric oxide synthase expression. Nitric oxide production by pex cells was dependent upon Akt activity and was increased under progesterone-predominant conditions. Whereas both inducible and endothelial nitric oxide synthase contributed to nitric oxide production, only inducible nitric oxide synthase activity promoted gonococcal survival within pex cells. Collectively, these data provide the first clues as to how steroid hormones potentially modulate the course of gonococcal disease in women. In addition, these data demonstrate that host-derived nitric oxide likely is not protective against gonococci, in vivo; rather, nitric oxide may be required to sustain cervical bacterial disease.
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Protein Kinase B (PKB/Akt), a Key Mediator of the PI3K Signaling Pathway. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2010; 346:31-56. [DOI: 10.1007/82_2010_58] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Estrada AC, Syrovets T, Pitterle K, Lunov O, Büchele B, Schimana-Pfeifer J, Schmidt T, Morad SAF, Simmet T. Tirucallic acids are novel pleckstrin homology domain-dependent Akt inhibitors inducing apoptosis in prostate cancer cells. Mol Pharmacol 2009; 77:378-87. [PMID: 20018812 DOI: 10.1124/mol.109.060475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Activation of the serine/threonine kinase Akt is associated with aggressive clinical behavior of prostate cancer. We found that the human prostate cancer cell lines LNCaP and PC-3 express predominantly Akt1 and Akt2. Selective down-regulation of Akt1, but not Akt2, by short-hairpin RNA reduced the viability of prostate cancer cells. In addition, structurally different Akt inhibitors were cytotoxic for the prostate cancer cells, confirming that the Akt pathway is indispensable for their viability. We have purified the tetracyclic triterpenoids 3-oxo-tirucallic acid, 3-alpha-acetoxy-tirucallic acid, and 3-beta-acetoxy-tirucallic acid from the oleogum resin of Boswellia carterii to chemical homogeneity. The acetoxy-derivatives in particular potently inhibited the activities of human recombinant Akt1 and Akt2 and of constitutively active Akt immunoprecipitated from PC-3 cells, whereas inhibitor of nuclear factor-kappaB kinases remained unaffected. Docking data indicated that these tetracyclic triterpenoids form hydrogen bonds within the phosphatidylinositol binding pocket of the Akt pleckstrin homology domain. Accordingly, 3-beta-acetoxy-tirucallic acid did not inhibit the activity of Akt1 lacking the pleckstrin homology domain. In the prostate cancer cell lines investigated, these compounds inhibited the phosphorylation of cellular Akt and the Akt signaling pathways, including glycogen synthase kinase-3beta and BAD phosphorylation, nuclear accumulation of p65, the androgen receptor, beta-catenin, and c-Myc. These events culminated in the induction of apoptosis in prostate cancer, but not in nontumorigenic cells. The tirucallic acid derivatives inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in tumors xenografted onto chick chorioallantoic membranes and decreased the growth of pre-established prostate tumors in nude mice without overt systemic toxicity. Thus, tirucallic acid derivatives represent a new class of Akt inhibitors with antitumor properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aydee C Estrada
- Institute of Pharmacology of Natural Products and Clinical Pharmacology, Ulm University, Helmholtzstrasse 20, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
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Deng K, Gao Y, Cao Z, Graziani EI, Wood A, Doherty P, Walsh FS. Overcoming amino-Nogo-induced inhibition of cell spreading and neurite outgrowth by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-type tumor promoters. J Biol Chem 2009; 285:6425-33. [PMID: 20018888 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m109.071548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The N-terminal domain of NogoA, called amino-Nogo, inhibits axonal outgrowth and cell spreading via a largely unknown mechanism. In the present study, we show that amino-Nogo decreases Rac1 activity and inhibits fibroblast spreading. 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-type tumor promoters, such as phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and teleocidin, increase Rac1 activity and overcome the amino-Nogo-induced inhibition of cell spreading. The stimulating effect of tumor promoters on cell spreading requires activation of protein kinase D and the subsequent activation of Akt1. Furthermore, we identified Akt1 as a new signaling component of the amino-Nogo pathway. Akt1 phosphorylation is decreased by amino-Nogo. Activation of Akt1 with a cell-permeable peptide, TAT-TCL1, blocks the amino-Nogo inhibition. Finally, we provide evidence that these signaling pathways operate in neurons in addition to fibroblasts. Our results suggest that activation of protein kinase D and Akt1 are approaches to promote axonal regeneration after injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangwen Deng
- Neuroscience Research, Pfizer Global Research and Development, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, USA
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Raucher D, Moktan S, Massodi I, Bidwell GL. Therapeutic peptides for cancer therapy. Part II - cell cycle inhibitory peptides and apoptosis-inducing peptides. Expert Opin Drug Deliv 2009; 6:1049-64. [PMID: 19743895 DOI: 10.1517/17425240903158909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Therapeutic peptides have great potential as anticancer agents owing to their ease of rational design and target specificity. However, their utility in vivo is limited by low stability and poor tumor penetration. OBJECTIVE The authors review the development of peptide inhibitors with potential for cancer therapy. Peptides that arrest the cell cycle by mimicking CDK inhibitors or induce apoptosis directly are discussed. METHODS The authors searched Medline for articles concerning the development of therapeutic peptides and their delivery. RESULTS/CONCLUSION Inhibition of cancer cell proliferation directly using peptides that arrest the cell cycle or induce apoptosis is a promising strategy. Peptides can be designed that interact very specifically with cyclins and/or cyclin-dependent kinases and with members of apoptotic cascades. Use of these peptides is not limited by their design, as a rational approach to peptide design is much less challenging than the design of small molecule inhibitors of specific protein-protein interactions. However, the limitations of peptide therapy lie in the poor pharmacokinetic properties of these large, often charged molecules. Therefore, overcoming the drug delivery hurdles could open the door for effective peptide therapy, thus making an entirely new class of molecules useful as anticancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drazen Raucher
- The University of Mississippi Medical Center, Department of Biochemistry, Jackson, 39216, USA.
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Huang BX, Kim HY. Probing Akt-inhibitor interaction by chemical cross-linking and mass spectrometry. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2009; 20:1504-1513. [PMID: 19446470 PMCID: PMC2750033 DOI: 10.1016/j.jasms.2009.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2009] [Revised: 04/07/2009] [Accepted: 04/07/2009] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The serine/threonine kinase Akt is a critical enzyme that regulates cell survival. As high Akt activity has been shown to contribute to the pathogenesis of various human malignancies, inhibition of Akt activation is a promising therapeutic strategy for cancers. We have previously demonstrated that changes in Akt interdomain arrangements from a closed to open conformation occur upon Akt-membrane interaction, which in turn allows Akt phosphorylation/activation. In the present study, we demonstrate a novel strategy to discern mechanisms for Akt inhibition based on Akt conformational changes using chemical cross-linking and (18)O labeling mass spectrometry. By quantitative comparison of two interdomain cross-linked peptides, which represent the proximity of the domains involved, we found that the binding of Akt to an inhibitor (PI analog) caused the open interdomain conformation where the PH and regulatory domains moved away from the kinase domain, even before interacting with membranes, subsequently preventing translocation of Akt to the plasma membrane. In contrast, the interdomain conformation remained unchanged after incubating with another type of inhibitor (peptide TCL1). Subsequent interaction with unilamellar vesicles suggested that TCL1 impaired particularly the opening of the PH domain for exposing T308 for phosphorylation at the plasma membrane. This novel approach based on the conformation-based molecular interaction mechanism should be potentially useful for drug discovery efforts for specific Akt inhibitors or anti-tumor agents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hee-Yong Kim
- Address reprint requests to: Hee-Yong Kim, Ph. D., Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, NIAAA, NIH, 5625 Fishers Lane Rm.3N-07, Bethesda, MD 20892-9410, 301-402-8746 (phone), 301-594-0035 (fax),
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Hajishengallis G, Wang M, Liang S. Induction of distinct TLR2-mediated proinflammatory and proadhesive signaling pathways in response to Porphyromonas gingivalis fimbriae. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2009; 182:6690-6. [PMID: 19454663 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.0900524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis, as well as its purified fimbriae, are known to activate TLR2 and induce proinflammatory and proadhesive effects. The TLR2 proinflammatory pathway induces NF-kappaB-dependent inflammatory cytokines, whereas the TLR2 proadhesive pathway is characterized by inside-out signaling that transactivates beta(2) integrin adhesive activities. In this article, using dominant-negative or pharmacological approaches, we show that the two pathways bifurcate and proceed independently downstream of TLR2. Whereas the proinflammatory pathway is dependent on the adaptor molecules Toll/IL-1 receptor domain-containing adaptor protein (also known as Mal) and MyD88, the proadhesive pathway is Toll/IL-1 receptor domain-containing adaptor protein/MyD88-independent and proceeds through PI3K-mediated signaling. Although the Ser/Thr kinase Akt is a major downstream target of PI3K and was activated by P. gingivalis fimbriae in a TLR2- and PI3K-dependent way, Akt was shown not to play a role in the proadhesive pathway. In contrast, another PI3K downstream target, cytohesin-1, was shown to mediate P. gingivalis fimbria-induced activation of beta(2) integrin for ICAM-1 binding. Therefore, P. gingivalis fimbriae activate two distinct TLR2 pathways mediating proinflammatory or proadhesive effects. The delineation of these signaling pathways may provide appropriate targets for selectively inhibiting or enhancing specific activities, depending on whether they undermine or promote the host defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Hajishengallis
- Department of Periodontics/Oral Health and Systemic Disease, University of Louisville Health Sciences Center, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
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41
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Moses SA, Ali MA, Zuohe S, Du-Cuny L, Zhou LL, Lemos R, Ihle N, Skillman AG, Zhang S, Mash EA, Powis G, Meuillet EJ. In vitro and in vivo activity of novel small-molecule inhibitors targeting the pleckstrin homology domain of protein kinase B/AKT. Cancer Res 2009; 69:5073-81. [PMID: 19491272 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-08-3839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT signaling pathway plays a critical role in activating survival and antiapoptotic pathways within cancer cells. Several studies have shown that this pathway is constitutively activated in many different cancer types. The goal of this study was to discover novel compounds that bind to the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain of AKT, thereby inhibiting AKT activation. Using proprietary docking software, 22 potential PH domain inhibitors were identified. Surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy was used to measure the binding of the compounds to the expressed PH domain of AKT followed by an in vitro activity screen in Panc-1 and MiaPaCa-2 pancreatic cancer cell lines. We identified a novel chemical scaffold in several of the compounds that binds selectively to the PH domain of AKT, inducing a decrease in AKT activation and causing apoptosis at low micromolar concentrations. Structural modifications of the scaffold led to compounds with enhanced inhibitory activity in cells. One compound, 4-dodecyl-N-(1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)benzenesulfonamide, inhibited AKT and its downstream targets in cells as well as in pancreatic cancer cell xenografts in immunocompromised mice; it also exhibited good antitumor activity. In summary, a pharmacophore for PH domain inhibitors targeting AKT function was developed. Computer-aided modeling, synthesis, and testing produced novel AKT PH domain inhibitors that exhibit promising preclinical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvestor A Moses
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721-0038, USA
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Gustin JP, Cosgrove DP, Park BH. The PIK3CA gene as a mutated target for cancer therapy. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2009; 8:733-40. [PMID: 19075596 DOI: 10.2174/156800908786733504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The development of targeted therapies with true specificity for cancer relies upon exploiting differences between cancerous and normal cells. Genetic and genomic alterations including somatic mutations, translocations, and amplifications have served as recent examples of how such differences can be exploited as effective drug targets. Small molecule inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies directed against the protein products of these genetic anomalies have led to cancer therapies with high specificity and relatively low toxicity. Recently, our group and others have demonstrated that somatic mutations in the PIK3CA gene occur at high frequency in breast and other cancers. Moreover, the majority of mutations occur at three hotspots, making these ideal targets for therapeutic development. Here we review the literature on PIK3CA mutations in cancer, as well as existing data on PIK3CA inhibitors and inhibitors of downstream effectors for potential use as targeted cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P Gustin
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
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Madziar B, Shah S, Brock M, Burke R, Lopez-Coviella I, Nickel AC, Cakal EB, Blusztajn JK, Berse B. Nerve growth factor regulates the expression of the cholinergic locus and the high-affinity choline transporter via the Akt/PKB signaling pathway. J Neurochem 2008; 107:1284-93. [PMID: 18793330 PMCID: PMC5912896 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2008.05681.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a trophic and survival factor for cholinergic neurons, and it induces the expression of several genes that are essential for synthesis and storage of acetylcholine (ACh), specifically choline acetyltransferase, vesicular ACh transporter (VAChT), and choline transporter. We have found previously that the phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase pathway, but not the MEK/MAPK pathway, is the mediator of NGF-induced cholinergic differentiation. Here we demonstrate, in the rat pheochromocytoma cell line PC12 and in primary mouse neuronal cultures, that NGF-evoked up-regulation of these three cholinergic-specific genes is mediated by the anti-apoptotic signaling molecule Akt/protein kinase B. Inhibition of Akt activation by the pharmacological inhibitor 1L-6-hydroxymethyl-chiro-inositol 2(R)-2-O-methyl-3-O-octadecylcarbonate (HIMO), or by a peptide fragment derived from the proto-oncogene TLC1, eliminated NGF-stimulated increases in cholinergic gene expression, as demonstrated by RT-PCR and reporter gene assays. Moreover, treatment with HIMO reversed NGF-evoked increases in choline acetyltransferase activity and ACh production. In co-transfection assays with the reporter construct, a dominant-negative Akt plasmid and Akt1-specific small interfering RNA also attenuated NGF-induced cholinergic promoter activity. Our data indicate that, in addition to its well-described role in promoting neuronal survival, Akt can also mediate signals necessary for neurochemical differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beata Madziar
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
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Steelman LS, Stadelman KM, Chappell WH, Horn S, Bäsecke J, Cervello M, Nicoletti F, Libra M, Stivala F, Martelli AM, McCubrey JA. Akt as a therapeutic target in cancer. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2008; 12:1139-65. [PMID: 18694380 DOI: 10.1517/14728222.12.9.1139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)/v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is central in the transmission of growth regulatory signals originating from cell surface receptors. OBJECTIVE This review discusses how mutations occur that result in elevated expression the PI3K/PTEN/Akt/mTOR pathway and lead to malignant transformation, and how effective targeting of this pathway may result in suppression of abnormal growth of cancer cells. METHODS We searched the literature for articles which dealt with altered expression of this pathway in various cancers including: hematopoietic, melanoma, non-small cell lung, pancreatic, endometrial and ovarian, breast, prostate and hepatocellular. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS The PI3K/PTEN/Akt/mTOR pathway is frequently aberrantly regulated in various cancers and targeting this pathway with small molecule inhibitors and may result in novel, more effective anticancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda S Steelman
- Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
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Craig DH, Owen CR, Conway WC, Walsh MF, Downey C, Basson MD. Colchicine inhibits pressure-induced tumor cell implantation within surgical wounds and enhances tumor-free survival in mice. J Clin Invest 2008; 118:3170-80. [PMID: 18704196 DOI: 10.1172/jci34279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2007] [Accepted: 07/09/2008] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Iatrogenic tumor cell implantation within surgical wounds can compromise curative cancer surgery. Adhesion of cancer cells, in particular colon cancer cells, is stimulated by exposure to increased extracellular pressure through a cytoskeleton-dependent signaling mechanism requiring FAK, Src, Akt, and paxillin. Mechanical stimuli during tumor resection may therefore negatively impact patient outcome. We hypothesized that perioperative administration of colchicine, which prevents microtubule polymerization, could disrupt pressure-stimulated tumor cell adhesion to surgical wounds and enhance tumor-free survival. Ex vivo treatment of Co26 and Co51 colon cancer cells with colchicine inhibited pressure-stimulated cell adhesion to murine surgical wounds and blocked pressure-induced FAK and Akt phosphorylation. Surgical wound contamination with pressure-activated Co26 and Co51 cells significantly reduced tumor-free survival compared with contamination with tumor cells under ambient pressure. Mice treated with pressure-activated Co26 and Co51 cells from tumors preoperatively treated with colchicine in vivo displayed reduced surgical site implantation and significantly increased tumor-free survival compared with mice exposed to pressure-activated cells from tumors not pretreated with colchicine. Our data suggest that pressure activation of malignant cells promotes tumor development and impairs tumor-free survival and that perioperative colchicine administration or similar interventions may inhibit this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- David H Craig
- Department of Surgery, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center and Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201-1932, USA
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Kondo E, Tanaka T, Miyake T, Ichikawa T, Hirai M, Adachi M, Yoshikawa K, Ichimura K, Ohara N, Moriwaki A, Date I, Ueda R, Yoshino T. Potent synergy of dual antitumor peptides for growth suppression of human glioblastoma cell lines. Mol Cancer Ther 2008; 7:1461-71. [PMID: 18566217 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-07-2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Molecular targeting agents have become formidable anticancer weapons, which show much promise against the refractory tumors. Functional peptides are among the more desirable of these nanobio-tools. Intracellular delivery of multiple functional peptides forms a basis for potent, non-invasive mode of delivery, providing distinctive therapeutic advantages. Here, we examine growth suppression efficiency of human glioblastomas by dual-peptide targeting. We did simultaneous introduction of two tumor suppressor peptides (p14(ARF) and p16(INK4a) or p16(INK4a) and p21(CIP1) functional peptides) compared with single-peptide introduction using Wr-T-mediated peptide delivery. Wr-T-mediated transport of both p14(ARF) and p16(INK4a) functional peptides (p14-1C and p16-MIS, respectively) into human glioblastoma cell line, U87DeltaEGFR, reversed specific loss of p14 and p16 function, thereby drastically inhibiting tumor growth by >95% within the first 72 h, whereas the growth inhibition was approximately 40% by p14 or p16 single-peptide introduction. Additionally, the combination of p16 and p21(CIP1) (p21-S154A) peptides dramatically suppressed the growth of glioblastoma line Gli36DeltaEGFR, which carries a missense mutation in p53, by >97% after 120 h. Significantly, our murine brain tumor model for dual-peptide delivery showed a substantial average survival enhancement (P < 0.0001) for peptide-treated mice. Wr-T-mediated dual molecular targeting using antitumor peptides is highly effective against growth of aggressive glioblastoma cells in comparison with single molecule targeting. Thus, jointly restoring multiple tumor suppressor functions by Wr-T-peptide delivery represents a powerful approach, with mechanistic implications for development of efficacious molecular targeting therapeutics against intractable human malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eisaku Kondo
- Department of Pathology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Okayama 700-8558, Japan.
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The efficacy and selectivity of tumor cell killing by Akt inhibitors are substantially increased by chloroquine. Bioorg Med Chem 2008; 16:7888-93. [PMID: 18691894 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2008.07.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2008] [Revised: 07/23/2008] [Accepted: 07/25/2008] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
This study was to evaluate the enhancement value of chloroquine (CQ) in cancer cell killing when used in combination with Akt inhibitors. The results showed that the combination of CQ and Akt inhibitors is much more effective than either one alone. Importantly, the CQ-mediated chemosensitization of cell killing effects by Akt inhibitors is cancer specific. In particular, when combined with 10 microM CQ, 1,3-dihydro-1-(1-((4-(6-phenyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-g]quinoxalin-7-yl)phenyl)methyl)-4-piperidinyl)-2H-benzimidazol-2-one (an Akt1 and 2 inhibitor; compound 8) killed cancer cells 10-120 times more effectively than normal cells. Thus, CQ is a very effective and cancer-specific chemosensitizer when used in combination with Akt inhibitors.
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Missiroli S, Etro D, Buontempo F, Ye K, Capitani S, Neri LM. Nuclear translocation of active AKT is required for erythroid differentiation in erythropoietin treated K562 erythroleukemia cells. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2008; 41:570-7. [PMID: 18694847 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2008.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2008] [Revised: 06/25/2008] [Accepted: 07/10/2008] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Erythroid differentiation of human erythroleukemia cell line K562 induced by erythropoietin is a complex process that involves modifications at nuclear level, including nuclear translocation of phosphatidyl-inositol 3-kinase. In this work we show that erythropoietin stimulation of K562 cells can induce nuclear translocation of active Akt, a downstream molecule of the phosphatidyl-inositol 3-kinase signaling pathway. Akt shows a peak of activity in whole cell homogenates at earlier stage when compared to the nucleus, which shows a peak delayed of 10 min. Akt increases its intranuclear amount and activity rapidly and transiently in response to EPO. Almost all Akt kinase that translocates to the nucleus shows a marked phosphorylation on serine 473. Nuclear enzyme translocation is blocked by the phosphatidyl-inositol 3-kinase inhibitor Ly294002 or Wortmannin. The specific Akt pharmacological inhibitor VI, VII and VIII that act as blocking enzyme activation inhibited translocation as well, whereas Akt inhibitor IX, that inhibits Akt activity, did not block Akt nuclear translocation. When cells were treated by means of siRNA sequences or with the Akt inhibitors the differentiation process was arrested, thus showing the requirement of the nuclear translocation of the active enzyme to differentiate. These findings strongly suggest that the intranuclear translocation of active Akt kinase represents an important step in the signaling pathway that mediates erythropoietin-induced erythroid differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Missiroli
- Dipartimento di Morfologia ed Embriologia, Sezione di Anatomia Umana, Signal Transduction Unit, Universita' di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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Abstract
Over the past decade, the serine/threonine kinase Akt (also known as protein kinase B) has emerged as a critical signaling molecule within eukaryotic cells. In addition to the research required for the clarification of its regulation by upstream kinases and phosphatases, progress has been made in the identification of Akt-binding partners that modulate its activation, regulate its kinase activity, and define its impact on downstream biological responses. Studies of Akt-binding molecules have highlighted novel mechanisms involved in the regulation of signaling downstream of activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase. Akt-interacting molecules may have important roles in Akt signal transduction both under physiological and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas F Franke
- Department of Psychiatry , New York University School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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Burnham CAD, Shokoples SE, Tyrrell GJ. Invasion of HeLa cells by group B streptococcus requires the phosphoinositide-3-kinase signalling pathway and modulates phosphorylation of host-cell Akt and glycogen synthase kinase-3. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2008; 153:4240-4252. [PMID: 18048937 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.2007/008417-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The group B streptococcus (GBS) is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen with the ability to cause invasive disease. While the ability of GBS to invade a number of host-cell types has been clearly demonstrated, the invasion process is not well understood at the molecular level. What has been well established is that modulation of host-cell actin microfilaments is essential for GBS invasion to occur. Phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) is a key regulator of the cytoskeleton in eukaryotic cells. Our goal in this investigation was to explore the role of the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway in epithelial cell invasion by GBS. The epithelial cell invasion process was mimicked using the HeLa 229 cell-culture model. Treating HeLa cells with chemical inhibitors of PI3K, Akt or Ras prior to bacterial infection inhibited GBS invasion but not attachment; treatment with 30 microM LY294002 (PI3K inhibitor) reduced GBS invasion by 75%, 20 microM L-6-hydroxymethyl-chiro-inositol 2-(R)-2-O-methyl-3-O-octadecylcarbonate (ICIO) (Akt inhibitor) reduced GBS invasion by 50%, and 10 microM manumycin A (Ras inhibitor) inhibited GBS invasion by 90%. Genetic inactivation of the p85alpha or p110alpha PI3K subunits in HeLa cells also reduced GBS invasion by 55 and 30%, respectively. Western blot analysis revealed that phosphorylation of host-cell Akt and glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) occurs in response to GBS infection, and that this is mediated upstream by PI3K. Infection of HeLa cells with GBS triggers pro-survival signalling and protects the HeLa cells from camptothecin-induced caspase-3 cleavage. The results from this investigation show that GBS both requires and activates the PI3K/Akt host-cell signalling pathway during invasion of epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carey-Ann D Burnham
- The Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, The University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Sandra E Shokoples
- The National Centre for Streptococcus, The Provincial Laboratory for Public Health (Microbiology), Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Gregory J Tyrrell
- The Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,The National Centre for Streptococcus, The Provincial Laboratory for Public Health (Microbiology), Edmonton, AB, Canada.,The Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, The University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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