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Shah ET, Molloy C, Gough M, Kryza T, Samuel SG, Tucker A, Bhatia M, Ferguson G, Heyman R, Vora S, Monkman J, Bolderson E, Kulasinghe A, He Y, Gabrielli B, Hooper JD, Richard DJ, O'Byrne KJ, Adams MN. Inhibition of Aurora B kinase (AURKB) enhances the effectiveness of 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy against colorectal cancer cells. Br J Cancer 2024; 130:1196-1205. [PMID: 38287178 PMCID: PMC10991355 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-024-02584-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) remains a core component of systemic therapy for colorectal cancer (CRC). However, response rates remain low, and development of therapy resistance is a primary issue. Combinatorial strategies employing a second agent to augment the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy is predicted to reduce the incidence of treatment resistance and increase the durability of response to therapy. METHODS Here, we employed quantitative proteomics approaches to identify novel druggable proteins and molecular pathways that are deregulated in response to 5-FU, which might serve as targets to improve sensitivity to chemotherapy. Drug combinations were evaluated using 2D and 3D CRC cell line models and an ex vivo culture model of a patient-derived tumour. RESULTS Quantitative proteomics identified upregulation of the mitosis-associated protein Aurora B (AURKB), within a network of upregulated proteins, in response to a 24 h 5-FU treatment. In CRC cell lines, AURKB inhibition with the dihydrogen phosphate prodrug AZD1152, markedly improved the potency of 5-FU in 2D and 3D in vitro CRC models. Sequential treatment with 5-FU then AZD1152 also enhanced the response of a patient-derived CRC cells to 5-FU in ex vivo cultures. CONCLUSIONS AURKB inhibition may be a rational approach to augment the effectiveness of 5-FU chemotherapy in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esha T Shah
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Christopher Molloy
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Madeline Gough
- Mater Research Institute - The University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Thomas Kryza
- Mater Research Institute - The University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Selwin G Samuel
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Amos Tucker
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Maneet Bhatia
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Genevieve Ferguson
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Rebecca Heyman
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Shivam Vora
- Mater Research Institute - The University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - James Monkman
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Emma Bolderson
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Arutha Kulasinghe
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Yaowu He
- Mater Research Institute - The University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Brian Gabrielli
- Mater Research Institute - The University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - John D Hooper
- Mater Research Institute - The University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Derek J Richard
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Kenneth J O'Byrne
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
- Cancer Services, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Mark N Adams
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia.
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Jiang M, Wu W, Xiong Z, Yu X, Ye Z, Wu Z. Targeting autophagy drug discovery: Targets, indications and development trends. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 267:116117. [PMID: 38295689 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.116117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Autophagy plays a vital role in sustaining cellular homeostasis and its alterations have been implicated in the etiology of many diseases. Drugs development targeting autophagy began decades ago and hundreds of agents were developed, some of which are licensed for the clinical usage. However, no existing intervention specifically aimed at modulating autophagy is available. The obstacles that prevent drug developments come from the complexity of the actual impact of autophagy regulators in disease scenarios. With the development and application of new technologies, several promising categories of compounds for autophagy-based therapy have emerged in recent years. In this paper, the autophagy-targeted drugs based on their targets at various hierarchical sites of the autophagic signaling network, e.g., the upstream and downstream of the autophagosome and the autophagic components with enzyme activities are reviewed and analyzed respectively, with special attention paid to those at preclinical or clinical trials. The drugs tailored to specific autophagy alone and combination with drugs/adjuvant therapies widely used in clinical for various diseases treatments are also emphasized. The emerging drug design and development targeting selective autophagy receptors (SARs) and their related proteins, which would be expected to arrest or reverse the progression of disease in various cancers, inflammation, neurodegeneration, and metabolic disorders, are critically reviewed. And the challenges and perspective in clinically developing autophagy-targeted drugs and possible combinations with other medicine are considered in the review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjia Jiang
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, China Jiliang University, China
| | - Wayne Wu
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York Institute of Technology, USA
| | - Zijie Xiong
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, China Jiliang University, China
| | - Xiaoping Yu
- Department of Biology, China Jiliang University, China
| | - Zihong Ye
- Department of Biology, China Jiliang University, China
| | - Zhiping Wu
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, China Jiliang University, China.
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Kalashova J, Yang C, Li H, Long Y, Yu D, Zhang T, Liu X, Choudhry N, Shi Q, Allen TD. The Aurora kinase B relocation blocker LXY18 triggers mitotic catastrophe selectively in malignant cells. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0293283. [PMID: 37903144 PMCID: PMC10615259 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The mitotic regulator, Aurora kinase B (AURKB), is frequently overexpressed in malignancy and is a target for therapeutic intervention. The compound, LXY18, is a potent, orally available small molecule that inhibits the proper localization of AURKB during late mitosis, without affecting its kinase activity. In this study, we demonstrate that LXY18 elicits apoptosis in cancer cells derived from various indications, but not in non-transformed cell lines. The apoptosis is p53-independent, triggered by a prolonged mitotic arrest and occurs predominantly in mitosis. Some additional cells succumb post-mitotic slippage. We also demonstrate that cancer cell lines refractory to AURKB kinase inhibitors are sensitive to LXY18. The mitotic proteins MKLP2, NEK6, NEK7 and NEK9 are known regulators of AURKB localization during the onset of anaphase. LXY18 fails to inhibit the catalytic activity of these AURKB localization factors. Overall, our findings suggest a novel activity for LXY18 that produces a prolonged mitotic arrest and lethality in cancer cells, leaving non-transformed cells healthy. This new activity suggests that the compound may be a promising drug candidate for cancer treatment and that it can also be used as a tool compound to further dissect the regulatory network controlling AURKB localization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Kalashova
- Division of Discovery Oncology, Chengdu Anticancer Bioscience, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Basic Cancer Research, J. Michael Bishop Institute of Cancer Research, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Chenglu Yang
- Division of Discovery Oncology, Chengdu Anticancer Bioscience, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Basic Cancer Research, J. Michael Bishop Institute of Cancer Research, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Hongmei Li
- Division of Discovery Oncology, Chengdu Anticancer Bioscience, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Basic Cancer Research, J. Michael Bishop Institute of Cancer Research, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yan Long
- Division of Discovery Oncology, Chengdu Anticancer Bioscience, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Basic Cancer Research, J. Michael Bishop Institute of Cancer Research, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Duo Yu
- Division of Discovery Oncology, Chengdu Anticancer Bioscience, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Division of Discovery Oncology, Chengdu Anticancer Bioscience, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Basic Cancer Research, J. Michael Bishop Institute of Cancer Research, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xumei Liu
- Division of Discovery Oncology, Chengdu Anticancer Bioscience, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Namrta Choudhry
- Division of Discovery Oncology, Chengdu Anticancer Bioscience, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Basic Cancer Research, J. Michael Bishop Institute of Cancer Research, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qiong Shi
- Division of Discovery Oncology, Chengdu Anticancer Bioscience, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Basic Cancer Research, J. Michael Bishop Institute of Cancer Research, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Thaddeus D. Allen
- Division of Discovery Oncology, Chengdu Anticancer Bioscience, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Basic Cancer Research, J. Michael Bishop Institute of Cancer Research, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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Miranda J, Vázquez-Blomquist D, Bringas R, Fernandez-de-Cossio J, Palenzuela D, Novoa LI, Bello-Rivero I. A co-formulation of interferons alpha2b and gamma distinctively targets cell cycle in the glioblastoma-derived cell line U-87MG. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:806. [PMID: 37644431 PMCID: PMC10463508 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11330-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND HeberFERON is a co-formulation of α2b and γ interferons, based on their synergism, which has shown its clinical superiority over individual interferons in basal cell carcinomas. In glioblastoma (GBM), HeberFERON has displayed promising preclinical and clinical results. This led us to design a microarray experiment aimed at identifying the molecular mechanisms involved in the distinctive effect of HeberFERON compared to the individual interferons in U-87MG model. METHODS Transcriptional expression profiling including a control (untreated) and three groups receiving α2b-interferon, γ-interferon and HeberFERON was performed using an Illumina HT-12 microarray platform. Unsupervised methods for gene and sample grouping, identification of differentially expressed genes, functional enrichment and network analysis computational biology methods were applied to identify distinctive transcription patterns of HeberFERON. Validation of most representative genes was performed by qPCR. For the cell cycle analysis of cells treated with HeberFERON for 24 h, 48 and 72 h we used flow cytometry. RESULTS The three treatments show different behavior based on the gene expression profiles. The enrichment analysis identified several mitotic cell cycle related events, in particular from prometaphase to anaphase, which are exclusively targeted by HeberFERON. The FOXM1 transcription factor network that is involved in several cell cycle phases and is highly expressed in GBMs, is significantly down regulated. Flow cytometry experiments corroborated the action of HeberFERON on the cell cycle in a dose and time dependent manner with a clear cellular arrest as of 24 h post-treatment. Despite the fact that p53 was not down-regulated, several genes involved in its regulatory activity were functionally enriched. Network analysis also revealed a strong relationship of p53 with genes targeted by HeberFERON. We propose a mechanistic model to explain this distinctive action, based on the simultaneous activation of PKR and ATF3, p53 phosphorylation changes, as well as its reduced MDM2 mediated ubiquitination and export from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. PLK1, AURKB, BIRC5 and CCNB1 genes, all regulated by FOXM1, also play central roles in this model. These and other interactions could explain a G2/M arrest and the effect of HeberFERON on the proliferation of U-87MG. CONCLUSIONS We proposed molecular mechanisms underlying the distinctive behavior of HeberFERON compared to the treatments with the individual interferons in U-87MG model, where cell cycle related events were highly relevant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamilet Miranda
- Bioinformatics Group, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), Havana, Cuba.
| | - Dania Vázquez-Blomquist
- Pharmacogenomics Group, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), Havana, Cuba.
| | - Ricardo Bringas
- Bioinformatics Group, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), Havana, Cuba
| | | | - Daniel Palenzuela
- Pharmacogenomics Group, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), Havana, Cuba
| | - Lidia I Novoa
- Pharmacogenomics Group, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), Havana, Cuba
| | - Iraldo Bello-Rivero
- Clinical Assays Division, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), Havana, Cuba
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Small Molecule Inhibitors for Unc-51-like Autophagy-Activating Kinase Targeting Autophagy in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24020953. [PMID: 36674464 PMCID: PMC9866249 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24020953] [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: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a cellular process that removes damaged components of cells and recycles them as biochemical building blocks. Autophagy can also be induced to protect cells in response to intra- and extracellular stresses, including damage to cellular components, nutrient deprivation, hypoxia, and pathogenic invasion. Dysregulation of autophagy has been attributed to various diseases. In particular, autophagy protects cancer cells by supporting tumor cell survival and the development of drug resistance. Understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms of autophagy in cancer has stimulated the research on discovery and development of specific inhibitors targeting various stages of autophagy. In recent years, Unc-51-like autophagy-activating kinase (ULK) inhibitors have become an attractive strategy to treat cancer. This review summarizes recent discoveries and developments in small-molecule ULK inhibitors and their potential as anticancer agents. We focused on structural features, interactions with binding sites, and biological effects of these inhibitors. Overall, this review will provide guidance for using ULK inhibitors as chemical probes for autophagy in various cancers and developing improved ULK inhibitors that would enhance therapeutic benefits in the clinic.
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Lu K, Yuan X, Zhao L, Wang B, Zhang Y. Comprehensive pan-cancer analysis and the regulatory mechanism of AURKA, a gene associated with prognosis of ferroptosis of adrenal cortical carcinoma in the tumor micro-environment. Front Genet 2023; 13:996180. [PMID: 36685952 PMCID: PMC9845395 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.996180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The only curative option for patients with locally or locally advanced adrenocortical carcinoma is primary tumor curative sexual resection (ACC). However, overall survival remains low, with most deaths occurring within the first 2 years following surgery. The 5-year survival rate after surgery is less than 30%. As a result, more accurate prognosis-related predictive biomarkers must be investigated urgently to detect patients' disease status after surgery. Methods: Data from FerrDb were obtained to identify ferroptosis-related genes, and ACC gene expression profiles were collected from the GEO database to find differentially expressed ACC ferroptosis-related genes using differential expression analysis. The DEFGs were subjected to Gene Ontology gene enrichment analysis and KEGG signaling pathway enrichment analysis. PPI network building and predictive analysis were used to filter core genes. The expression of critical genes in ACC pathological stage and pan-cancer was then investigated. In recent years, immune-related factors, DNA repair genes, and methyltransferase genes have been employed in diagnosing and prognosis of different malignancies. Cancer cells are mutated due to DNA repair genes, and highly expressed DNA repair genes promote cancer. Dysregulation of methyltransferase genes and Immune-related factors, which are shown to be significantly expressed in numerous malignancies, also plays a crucial role in cancer. As a result, we investigated the relationship of AURKA with immunological checkpoints, DNA repair genes, and methyltransferases in pan-cancer. Result: The DEGs found in the GEO database were crossed with ferroptosis-related genes, yielding 42 differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes. Six of these 42 genes, particularly AURKA, are linked to the prognosis of ACC. AURKA expression was significantly correlated with poor prognosis in patients with multiple cancers, and there was a significant positive correlation with Th2 cells. Furthermore, AURKA expression was positively associated with tumor immune infiltration in Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), Liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC), Sarcoma (SARC), Esophageal carcinoma (ESCA), and Stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD), but negatively correlated with the immune score, matrix score, and calculated score in these tumors. Further investigation into the relationship between AURKA expression and immune examination gene expression revealed that AURKA could control the tumor-resistant pattern in most tumors by regulating the expression level of specific immune examination genes. Conclusion: AURKA may be an independent prognostic marker for predicting ACC patient prognosis. AURKA may play an essential role in the tumor microenvironment and tumor immunity, according to a pan-cancer analysis, and it has the potential to be a predictive biomarker for multiple cancers.
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Priya, Jaswal S, Gupta GD, Verma SK. A Comprehension on Synthetic Strategies of Aurora kinase A and B Inhibitors. J Mol Struct 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2023.134935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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8
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Chan SW. Fusion assays for screening of fusion inhibitors targeting SARS-CoV-2 entry and syncytia formation. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1007527. [PMID: 36438831 PMCID: PMC9691968 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1007527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 08/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Virus fusion process is evolutionarily conserved and provides a promising pan-viral target. Cell-cell fusion leads to syncytial formation and has implications in pathogenesis, virus spread and immune evasion. Drugs that target these processes can be developed into anti-virals. Here, we have developed sensitive, rapid, adaptable fusion reporter gene assays as models for plasma membrane and alternative fusion pathways as well as syncytial fusion in the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and have confirmed their specificity using neutralizing antibodies and specific protease inhibitors. The fusion report gene assays are more sensitive and unbiased than morphological fusion assay. The fusion assays can differentiate between transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2)-dependency in TMPRSS2(+) cells and trypsin-dependency in angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)(+)TMPRSS2(-) cells. Moreover, we have identified putative novel fusion processes that are triggered by an acidic pH with and without trypsin. Coupled with morphological fusion criteria, we have found that syncytia formation is enhanced by TMPRSS2 or trypsin. By testing against our top drug hits previously shown to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus infection, we have identified several fusion inhibitors including structurally related lopsided kite-shaped molecules. Our results have important implications in the development of universal blockers and synergistic therapeutics and the small molecule inhibitors can provide important tools in elucidating the fusion process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiu-Wan Chan
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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9
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Furqan M, Fayyaz A, Firdous F, Raza H, Bilal A, Saleem RSZ, Shahzad-Ul-Hussan S, Wang D, Youssef FS, Al Musayeib NM, Ashour ML, Hussain H, Faisal A. Identification and Characterization of Natural and Semisynthetic Quinones as Aurora Kinase Inhibitors. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2022; 85:1503-1513. [PMID: 35687347 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.1c01222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Aurora kinases (Aurora A, B, and C) are a family of serine/threonine kinases that play critical roles during mitotic initiation and progression. Aurora A and B kinases are ubiquitously expressed, and their overexpression and/or amplification in many cancers have been associated with poor prognosis. Several inhibitors that target Aurora kinases A, B, or both have been developed during the past decade with efficacy in different in vitro and in vivo models for a variety of cancers. Recent studies have also identified Aurora A as a synthetic lethal target for different tumor suppressors, including RB1, SMARCA4, and ARID1A, which signifies the need for Aurora-A-selective inhibitors. Here, we report the screening of a small library of quinones (nine naphthoquinones, one orthoquinone, and one anthraquinone) in a biochemical assay for Aurora A kinase that resulted in the identification of several quinones as inhibitors. IC50 determination against Aurora A and B kinases revealed the inhibition of both kinases with selectivity toward Aurora A. Two of the compounds, natural quinone naphthazarin (1) and a pseudo anthraquinone, 2-(chloromethyl)quinizarin (11), potently inhibited the proliferation of various cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 0.16 ± 0.15 to 1.7 ± 0.06 and 0.15 ± 0.04 to 6.3 ± 1.8 μM, respectively. Treatment of cancer cells with these compounds for 24 h resulted in abrogated mitosis and apoptotic cell death. Direct binding of both the compounds with Aurora A kinase was also confirmed through STD NMR analysis. Docking studies predicted the binding of both compounds to the ATP binding pocket of Aurora A kinase. We have, therefore, identified quinones as Aurora kinase inhibitors that can serve as a lead for future drug discovery endeavors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Furqan
- Department of Biology, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 54792, Pakistan
| | - Alishba Fayyaz
- Department of Biology, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 54792, Pakistan
| | - Farhat Firdous
- Department of Biology, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 54792, Pakistan
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 54792, Pakistan
| | - Hadeeqa Raza
- Department of Biology, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 54792, Pakistan
| | - Aishah Bilal
- Department of Biology, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 54792, Pakistan
| | - Rahman Shah Zaib Saleem
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 54792, Pakistan
| | - Syed Shahzad-Ul-Hussan
- Department of Biology, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 54792, Pakistan
| | - Daijie Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Key Laboratory for Applied Technology of Sophisticated Analytical Instruments of Shandong Province, Shandong Analysis and Test Center, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
| | - Fadia S Youssef
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain-Shams University, Abbasia, Cairo 11566, Egypt
| | - Nawal M Al Musayeib
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed L Ashour
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain-Shams University, Abbasia, Cairo 11566, Egypt
| | - Hidayat Hussain
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Weinberg 3, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Amir Faisal
- Department of Biology, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 54792, Pakistan
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Novel Aurora A Kinase Inhibitor Fangchinoline Enhances Cisplatin-DNA Adducts and Cisplatin Therapeutic Efficacy in OVCAR-3 Ovarian Cancer Cells-Derived Xenograft Model. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031868. [PMID: 35163790 PMCID: PMC8836832 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Aurora A kinase (Aurora A) is a serine/threonine kinase regulating control of multiple events during cell-cycle progression. Playing roles in promoting proliferation and inhibiting cell death in cancer cells leads Aurora A to become a target for cancer therapy. It is overexpressed and associated with a poor prognosis in ovarian cancer. Improving cisplatin therapy outcomes remains an important issue for advanced-stage ovarian cancer treatment, and Aurora A inhibitors may improve it. In the present study, we identified natural compounds with higher docking scores than the known Aurora A ligand through structure-based virtual screening, including the natural compound fangchinoline, which has been associated with anticancer activities but not yet investigated in ovarian cancer. The binding and inhibition of Aurora A by fangchinoline were verified using cellular thermal shift and enzyme activity assays. Fangchinoline reduced viability and proliferation in ovarian cancer cell lines. Combination fangchinoline and cisplatin treatment enhanced cisplatin-DNA adduct levels, and the combination index revealed synergistic effects on cell viability. An in vivo study showed that fangchinoline significantly enhanced cisplatin therapeutic effects in OVCAR-3 ovarian cancer-bearing mice. Fangchinoline may inhibit tumor growth and enhance cisplatin therapy in ovarian cancer. This study reveals a novel Aurora A inhibitor, fangchinoline, as a potentially viable adjuvant for ovarian cancer therapy.
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11
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Jadhav M, Sankhe K, Bhandare RR, Edis Z, Bloukh SH, Khan TA. Synthetic Strategies of Pyrimidine-Based Scaffolds as Aurora Kinase and Polo-like Kinase Inhibitors. Molecules 2021; 26:5170. [PMID: 34500603 PMCID: PMC8434097 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26175170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The past few decades have witnessed significant progress in anticancer drug discovery. Small molecules containing heterocyclic moieties have attracted considerable interest for designing new antitumor agents. Of these, the pyrimidine ring system is found in multitude of drug structures, and being the building unit of DNA and RNA makes it an attractive scaffold for the design and development of anticancer drugs. Currently, 22 pyrimidine-containing entities are approved for clinical use as anticancer drugs by the FDA. An exhaustive literature search indicates several publications and more than 59 patents from the year 2009 onwards on pyrimidine derivatives exhibiting potent antiproliferative activity. These pyrimidine derivatives exert their activity via diverse mechanisms, one of them being inhibition of protein kinases. Aurora kinase (AURK) and polo-like kinase (PLK) are protein kinases involved in the regulation of the cell cycle. Within the numerous pyrimidine-based small molecules developed as anticancer agents, this review focuses on the pyrimidine fused heterocyclic compounds modulating the AURK and PLK proteins in different phases of clinical trials as anticancer agents. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of synthetic strategies for the preparation of pyrimidine derivatives and their associated biological activity on AURK/PLK. It will also present an overview of the synthesis of the heterocyclic-2-aminopyrimidine, 4-aminopyrimidine and 2,4-diaminopyrimidine scaffolds, and one of the pharmacophores in AURK/PLK inhibitors is described systematically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mrunal Jadhav
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Quality Assurance, SVKM’s Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Pharmacy, Mumbai 400056, India; (M.J.); (K.S.)
| | - Kaksha Sankhe
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Quality Assurance, SVKM’s Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Pharmacy, Mumbai 400056, India; (M.J.); (K.S.)
| | - Richie R. Bhandare
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Ajman University, Ajman P.O. Box 346, United Arab Emirates;
- Center of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman P.O. Box 346, United Arab Emirates;
| | - Zehra Edis
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Ajman University, Ajman P.O. Box 346, United Arab Emirates;
- Center of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman P.O. Box 346, United Arab Emirates;
| | - Samir Haj Bloukh
- Center of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman P.O. Box 346, United Arab Emirates;
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Ajman University, Ajman P.O. Box 346, United Arab Emirates
| | - Tabassum Asif Khan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Quality Assurance, SVKM’s Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Pharmacy, Mumbai 400056, India; (M.J.); (K.S.)
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Wu FL, Chu PY, Chen GY, Wang K, Hsu WY, Ahmed A, Ma WL, Cheng WC, Wu YC, Yang JC. Natural anthraquinone compound emodin as a novel inhibitor of aurora A kinase: A pilot study. Chem Biol Drug Des 2021; 99:126-135. [PMID: 34411446 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.13938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Aurora kinase A (AURKA) carries out an essential role in proliferation and involves in cisplatin resistance in various cancer cells. Overexpression of AURKA is associated with the poor prognosis of cancer patients. Thus, AURKA has been considered as a target for cancer therapy. Developing AURKA inhibitors became an important issue in cancer therapy. A natural compound emodin mainly extracted from rhubarbs possesses anti-cancer properties. However, the effect of emodin on AURKA has never been investigated. In the present study, molecular docking analysis indicated that emodin interacts with AURKA protein active site. We also found nine emodin analogues from Key Organic database by using ChemBioFinder software. Among that, one analogue 8L-902 showed a similar anti-cancer effect as emodin. The bindings of emodin and 8L-902 on AURKA protein were confirmed by cellular thermal shift assay. Furthermore, emodin inhibited the AURKA kinase activity in vitro and enhanced the cisplatin-DNA adduct level in a resistant ovarian cancer cell line. It seems that emodin may have the potential to inhibit cancer cell growth and enhance cisplatin therapy in cancer with resistance. Collectively, our finding reveals a novel AURKA inhibitor, emodin, which may be vulnerable to ovarian cancer therapy in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fen-Lan Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Suzhou BenQ Medical Center, The Affiliated BenQ Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
| | - Pei-Yi Chu
- Chinese Medicine Research and Development Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Guan-Yu Chen
- Chinese Medicine Research and Development Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ke Wang
- Chinese Medicine Research and Development Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Sex Hormone Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Yu Hsu
- Chinese Medicine Research and Development Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Azaj Ahmed
- Chinese Medicine Research and Development Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Sex Hormone Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Lung Ma
- Sex Hormone Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Chung Cheng
- Sex Hormone Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate Institution of Cancer Biology, Graduate Institute of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yang-Chang Wu
- Chinese Medicine Research and Development Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Juan-Cheng Yang
- Chinese Medicine Research and Development Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
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