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Ezelarab HAA, Ali TFS, Abbas SH, Hassan HA, Beshr EAM. Indole-based FLT3 inhibitors and related scaffolds as potential therapeutic agents for acute myeloid leukemia. BMC Chem 2023; 17:73. [PMID: 37438819 DOI: 10.1186/s13065-023-00981-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) mutation mechanisms are among the most common genetic abnormalities detected in about 30% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. These mutations are accompanied by poor clinical response, although all these progressions in identifying and interpreting biological AML bio-targets. Several small structured FLT3 inhibitors have been ameliorated to struggle against AML. Despite all these developments regarding these inhibitors, the Overall survival rate is about five years or more in less than one-third of diagnosed AML patients. Midostaurin was the first FDA-approved FLT3 inhibitor in 2017 in the United States and Europe for AML remedy. Next, Gilteritinib was an FDA-approved FLT3 inhibitor in 2018 and in the next year, Quizartinib was approved an as FLT3 inhibitor in Japan. Interestingly, indole-based motifs had risen as advantaged scaffolds with unusual multiple kinase inhibitory activity. This review summarises indole-based FLT3 inhibitors and related scaffolds, including FDA-approved drugs, clinical candidates, and other bioactive compounds. Furthermore, their chemotypes, mechanism of action, and interaction mode over both wild and mutated FLT3 target proteins had been judgmentally discussed. Therefore, this review could offer inspiring future perspectives into the finding of new FLT3-related AML therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hend A A Ezelarab
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University, Minia, 61519, Egypt
| | - Taha F S Ali
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University, Minia, 61519, Egypt
| | - Samar H Abbas
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University, Minia, 61519, Egypt.
| | - Heba A Hassan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University, Minia, 61519, Egypt
| | - Eman A M Beshr
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University, Minia, 61519, Egypt.
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2
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Singha M, Pu L, Stanfield BA, Uche IK, Rider PJF, Kousoulas KG, Ramanujam J, Brylinski M. Artificial intelligence to guide precision anticancer therapy with multitargeted kinase inhibitors. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:1211. [PMID: 36434556 PMCID: PMC9694576 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-10293-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vast amounts of rapidly accumulating biological data related to cancer and a remarkable progress in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) have paved the way for precision oncology. Our recent contribution to this area of research is CancerOmicsNet, an AI-based system to predict the therapeutic effects of multitargeted kinase inhibitors across various cancers. This approach was previously demonstrated to outperform other deep learning methods, graph kernel models, molecular docking, and drug binding pocket matching. METHODS CancerOmicsNet integrates multiple heterogeneous data by utilizing a deep graph learning model with sophisticated attention propagation mechanisms to extract highly predictive features from cancer-specific networks. The AI-based system was devised to provide more accurate and robust predictions than data-driven therapeutic discovery using gene signature reversion. RESULTS Selected CancerOmicsNet predictions obtained for "unseen" data are positively validated against the biomedical literature and by live-cell time course inhibition assays performed against breast, pancreatic, and prostate cancer cell lines. Encouragingly, six molecules exhibited dose-dependent antiproliferative activities, with pan-CDK inhibitor JNJ-7706621 and Src inhibitor PP1 being the most potent against the pancreatic cancer cell line Panc 04.03. CONCLUSIONS CancerOmicsNet is a promising AI-based platform to help guide the development of new approaches in precision oncology involving a variety of tumor types and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manali Singha
- grid.64337.350000 0001 0662 7451Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 USA
| | - Limeng Pu
- grid.64337.350000 0001 0662 7451Center for Computation and Technology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 USA
| | - Brent A. Stanfield
- grid.64337.350000 0001 0662 7451Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 USA
| | - Ifeanyi K. Uche
- grid.64337.350000 0001 0662 7451Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 USA ,grid.64337.350000 0001 0662 7451Division of Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 USA ,grid.279863.10000 0000 8954 1233School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112 USA
| | - Paul J. F. Rider
- grid.64337.350000 0001 0662 7451Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 USA ,grid.64337.350000 0001 0662 7451Division of Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 USA
| | - Konstantin G. Kousoulas
- grid.64337.350000 0001 0662 7451Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 USA ,grid.64337.350000 0001 0662 7451Division of Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 USA
| | - J. Ramanujam
- grid.64337.350000 0001 0662 7451Center for Computation and Technology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 USA ,grid.64337.350000 0001 0662 7451Division of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 USA
| | - Michal Brylinski
- grid.64337.350000 0001 0662 7451Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 USA ,grid.64337.350000 0001 0662 7451Center for Computation and Technology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 USA
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Acharya B, Saha D, Armstrong D, Lakkaniga NR, Frett B. FLT3 inhibitors for acute myeloid leukemia: successes, defeats, and emerging paradigms. RSC Med Chem 2022; 13:798-816. [PMID: 35923716 PMCID: PMC9298189 DOI: 10.1039/d2md00067a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
FLT3 mutations are one of the most common genetic aberrations found in nearly 30% of acute myeloid leukemias (AML). The mutations are associated with poor prognosis despite advances in the understanding of the biological mechanisms of AML. Numerous small molecule FLT3 inhibitors have been developed in an effort to combat AML. Even with the development of these inhibitors, the five-year overall survival for newly diagnosed AML is less than 30%. In 2017, midostaurin received FDA approval to treat AML, which was the first approved FLT3 inhibitor in the U.S. and Europe. Following, gilteritinib received FDA approval in 2018 and in 2019 quizartinib received approval in Japan. This review parallels these clinical success stories along with other pre-clinical and clinical investigations of FLT3 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baku Acharya
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Little Rock AR 72205 USA
| | - Debasmita Saha
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Little Rock AR 72205 USA
| | - Daniel Armstrong
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Little Rock AR 72205 USA
| | - Naga Rajiv Lakkaniga
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad Jharkhand 826004 India
| | - Brendan Frett
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Little Rock AR 72205 USA
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4
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Roda N, Blandano G, Pelicci PG. Blood Vessels and Peripheral Nerves as Key Players in Cancer Progression and Therapy Resistance. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13174471. [PMID: 34503281 PMCID: PMC8431382 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13174471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The interactions between cancer cells and the surrounding blood vessels and peripheral nerves are critical in all the phases of tumor development. Accordingly, therapies that specifically target vessels and nerves represent promising anticancer approaches. The first aim of this review is to document the importance of blood vessels and peripheral nerves in both cancer onset and local or distant growth of tumoral cells. We then focus on the state-of-the-art therapies that limit cancer progression through the impairment of blood vessels and peripheral nerves. The mentioned literature is helpful for the scientific community to appreciate the recent advances in these two fundamental components of tumors. Abstract Cancer cells continuously interact with the tumor microenvironment (TME), a heterogeneous milieu that surrounds the tumor mass and impinges on its phenotype. Among the components of the TME, blood vessels and peripheral nerves have been extensively studied in recent years for their prominent role in tumor development from tumor initiation. Cancer cells were shown to actively promote their own vascularization and innervation through the processes of angiogenesis and axonogenesis. Indeed, sprouting vessels and axons deliver several factors needed by cancer cells to survive and proliferate, including nutrients, oxygen, and growth signals, to the expanding tumor mass. Nerves and vessels are also fundamental for the process of metastatic spreading, as they provide both the pro-metastatic signals to the tumor and the scaffold through which cancer cells can reach distant organs. Not surprisingly, continuously growing attention is devoted to the development of therapies specifically targeting these structures, with promising initial results. In this review, we summarize the latest evidence that supports the importance of blood vessels and peripheral nerves in cancer pathogenesis, therapy resistance, and innovative treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niccolò Roda
- Department of Experimental Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20139 Milan, Italy; (N.R.); (G.B.)
| | - Giada Blandano
- Department of Experimental Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20139 Milan, Italy; (N.R.); (G.B.)
| | - Pier Giuseppe Pelicci
- Department of Experimental Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20139 Milan, Italy; (N.R.); (G.B.)
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence:
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Zenkov RG, Ektova LV, Vlasova OА, Belitskiy GА, Yakubovskaya MG, Kirsanov KI. Indolo[2,3-a]carbazoles: diversity, biological properties, application in antitumor therapy. Chem Heterocycl Compd (N Y) 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10593-020-02714-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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6
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Singha M, Pu L, Shawky A, Busch K, Wu H, Ramanujam J, Brylinski M. GraphGR: A graph neural network to predict the effect of pharmacotherapy on the cancer cell growth.. [DOI: 10.1101/2020.05.20.107458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
AbstractGenomic profiles of cancer cells provide valuable information on genetic alterations in cancer. Several recent studies employed these data to predict the response of cancer cell lines to treatment with drugs. Nonetheless, due to the multifactorial phenotypes and intricate mechanisms of cancer, the accurate prediction of the effect of pharmacotherapy on a specific cell line based on the genetic information alone is problematic. High prediction accuracies reported in the literature likely result from significant overlaps among training, validation, and testing sets, making many predictors inapplicable to new data. To address these issues, we developed GraphGR, a graph neural network with sophisticated attention propagation mechanisms to predict the therapeutic effects of kinase inhibitors across various tumors. Emphasizing on the system-level complexity of cancer, GraphGR integrates multiple heterogeneous data, such as biological networks, genomics, inhibitor profiling, and genedisease associations, into a unified graph structure. In order to construct diverse and information-rich cancer-specific networks, we devised a novel graph reduction protocol based on not only the topological information, but also the biological knowledge. The performance of GraphGR, properly cross-validated at the tissue level, is 0.83 in terms of the area under the receiver operating characteristics, which is notably higher than those measured for other approaches on the same data. Finally, several new predictions are validated against the biomedical literature demonstrating that GraphGR generalizes well to unseen data, i.e. it can predict therapeutic effects across a variety of cancer cell lines and inhibitors. GraphGR is freely available to the academic community at https://github.com/pulimeng/GraphGR.
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Abstract
Fms-like tyrosine kinase-3 (FLT3) mutations occur in approximately 30% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cases, suggesting FLT3 as an attractive target for AML treatment. Early FLT3 inhibitors enhance antileukemia efficacy by inhibiting multiple targets, and thus had stronger off-target activity, increasing their toxicity. Recently, a number of potent and selective FLT3 inhibitors have been developed, many of which are effective against multiple mutations. This review outlines the evolution of AML-targeting FLT3 inhibitors by focusing on their chemotypes, selectivity and activity over FLT3 wild-type and FLT3 mutations as well as new techniques related to FLT3. Compounds that currently enter the late clinical stage or have entered the market are also briefly reported.
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8
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Liu SY, Liu SZ, Li Y, Chen S. Mouse Nerve Growth Factor Facilitates the Growth of Interspinal Schwannoma Cells by Activating NGF Receptors. J Korean Neurosurg Soc 2019; 62:626-634. [PMID: 31527385 PMCID: PMC6835149 DOI: 10.3340/jkns.2019.0081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a member of the neurotrophic factor family and plays a vital role in the physiological processes of organisms, especially in the nervous system. Many recent studies have reported that NGF is also involved in the regulation of tumourigenesis by either promoting or suppressing tumor growth, which depends on the location and type of tumor. However, little is known regarding the effect of NGF on interspinal schwannoma (IS). In the present study, we aimed to explored whether mouse nerve growth factor (mNGF), which is widely used in the clinic, can influence the growth of interspinal schwannoma cells (ISCs) isolated from IS in vitro. Methods ISCs were isolated, cultured and identified by S-100 with immunofluorescence analysis. S-100-positive cells were divided into five groups, and separately cultured with various concentrations of mNGF (0 [phosphate buffered saline, PBS], 40, 80, 160, and 320 ng/mL) for 24 hours. Western blot and quantantive real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were applied to detect tyrosine kinase A (TrkA) receptor and p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) in each group. Crystal violet staining was selected to assess the effect of mNGF (160 ng/mL) on ISCs growth.
Results ISCs growth was enhanced by mNGF in a dose-dependent manner. The result of crystal violet staining revealed that it was significantly strengthened the cells growth kinetics when cultured with 160 ng/mL mNGF compared to PBS group. Western blot and quantantive real time PCR discovered that TrkA receptor and mRNA expression were both up-regualated under the condition of mNGF, expecially in 160 ng/mL, while the exoression of p75NTR demonstrated no difference among groups.
Conclusion From these data, we conclude that exogenous mNGF can facilitate ISC growth by activating both TrkA receptor and p75NTR. In addition, patients who are suffering from IS should not be administered mNGF in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Yi Liu
- School of Clinical Medicine, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Sheng Ze Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Fuzhou Second Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yu Li
- Department of Otolaryngology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shi Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Fuzhou Second Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Fuzhou, China
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9
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Feinberg K, Kolaj A, Wu C, Grinshtein N, Krieger JR, Moran MF, Rubin LL, Miller FD, Kaplan DR. A neuroprotective agent that inactivates prodegenerative TrkA and preserves mitochondria. J Cell Biol 2017; 216:3655-3675. [PMID: 28877995 PMCID: PMC5674898 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201705085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2017] [Revised: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The pan-kinase inhibitor foretinib is identified as a potent suppressor of sympathetic, sensory, and motor neuron axon degeneration, acting in part by inhibiting the activity of the unliganded TrkA/nerve growth factor receptor and by preserving mitochondria in die-back and Wallerian degeneration models. Axon degeneration is an early event and pathological in neurodegenerative conditions and nerve injuries. To discover agents that suppress neuronal death and axonal degeneration, we performed drug screens on primary rodent neurons and identified the pan-kinase inhibitor foretinib, which potently rescued sympathetic, sensory, and motor wt and SOD1 mutant neurons from trophic factor withdrawal-induced degeneration. By using primary sympathetic neurons grown in mass cultures and Campenot chambers, we show that foretinib protected neurons by suppressing both known degenerative pathways and a new pathway involving unliganded TrkA and transcriptional regulation of the proapoptotic BH3 family members BimEL, Harakiri,and Puma, culminating in preservation of mitochondria in the degenerative setting. Foretinib delayed chemotherapy-induced and Wallerian axonal degeneration in culture by preventing axotomy-induced local energy deficit and preserving mitochondria, and peripheral Wallerian degeneration in vivo. These findings identify a new axon degeneration pathway and a potentially clinically useful therapeutic drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantin Feinberg
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Adelaida Kolaj
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Chen Wu
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology and Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
| | - Natalie Grinshtein
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jonathan R Krieger
- Program in Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael F Moran
- Program in Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lee L Rubin
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology and Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
| | - Freda D Miller
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada .,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - David R Kaplan
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada .,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Tajbakhsh A, Mokhtari-Zaer A, Rezaee M, Afzaljavan F, Rivandi M, Hassanian SM, Ferns GA, Pasdar A, Avan A. Therapeutic Potentials of BDNF/TrkB in Breast Cancer; Current Status and Perspectives. J Cell Biochem 2017; 118:2502-2515. [PMID: 28230291 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.25943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a potent neurotrophic factor that has been shown to stimulate breast cancer cell growth and metastasis via tyrosine kinase receptors TrkA, TrkB, and the p75NTR death receptor. The aberrant activation of BDNF/TrkB pathways can modulate several signaling pathways, including Akt/PI3K, Jak/STAT, NF-kB, UPAR/UPA, Wnt/β-catenin, and VEGF pathways as well as the ER receptor. Several microRNAs have been identified that are involved in the modulation of BDNF/TrkB pathways. These include miR-206, miR-204, MiR-200a/c, MiR-210, MiR-134, and MiR-191; and these may be of value as prognostic and predictive biomarkers for detecting patients at high risk of developing breast cancer. It has been also been demonstrated that a high expression of genes involved in the BDNF pathway in breast cancer is associated with poor clinical outcome and reduced survival of patients. Several approaches have been developed for targeting this pathway, for example TKr inhibitors (AZD6918, CEP-701) and RNA interference. The aim of the current review was to provide an overview of the role of BDNF/TrkB pathways in the pathogenesis of breast cancer and its value as a potential therapeutic target. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 2502-2515, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Tajbakhsh
- Department of Modern Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Amin Mokhtari-Zaer
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Neurogenic Inflammation Research Centre and Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mehdi Rezaee
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Fahimeh Afzaljavan
- Department of Modern Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mehdi Rivandi
- Department of Modern Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Seyed Mahdi Hassanian
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Gordon A Ferns
- Brighton & Sussex Medical School, Division of Medical Education, Falmer, Brighton, UK
| | - Alireza Pasdar
- Department of Modern Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Division of Applied Medicine, Medical School, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK.,Medical Genetics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Amir Avan
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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Shamblott MJ, O’Driscoll ML, Gomez DL, McGuire DL. Neurogenin 3 is regulated by neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor type 2 (TRKB) signaling in the adult human exocrine pancreas. Cell Commun Signal 2016; 14:23. [PMID: 27659207 PMCID: PMC5034529 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-016-0146-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/14/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reports of exocrine-to-endocrine reprogramming through expression or stabilization of the transcription factor neurogenin 3 (NGN3) have generated renewed interest in harnessing pancreatic plasticity for therapeutic applications. NGN3 is expressed by a population of endocrine progenitor cells that give rise exclusively to hormone-secreting cells within pancreatic islets and is necessary and sufficient for endocrine differentiation during development. In the adult human pancreas, NGN3 is expressed by dedifferentiating exocrine cells with a phenotype resembling endocrine progenitor cells and the capacity for endocrine differentiation in vitro. Neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor type 2 (TRKB), which regulates neuronal cell survival, differentiation and plasticity, was identified as highly overexpressed in the NGN3 positive cell transcriptome compared to NGN3 negative exocrine cells. This study was designed to determine if NGN3 is regulated by TRKB signaling in the adult human exocrine pancreas. METHODS Transcriptome analysis, quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) and immunochemistry were used to identify TRKB isoform expression in primary cultures of human islet-depleted exocrine tissue and human cadaveric pancreas biopsies. The effects of pharmacological modulation of TRKB signaling on the expression of NGN3 were assessed by Student's t-test and ANOVA. RESULTS Approximately 30 % of cultured exocrine cells and 95 % of NGN3+ cells express TRKB on their cell surface. Transcriptome-based exon splicing analyses, isoform-specific quantitative RTPCR and immunochemical staining demonstrate that TRKB-T1, which lacks a tyrosine kinase domain, is the predominant isoform expressed in cultured exocrine tissue and is expressed in histologically normal cadaveric pancreas biopsies. Pharmacological inhibition of TRKB significantly decreased the percentage of NGN3+ cells, while a TRKB agonist significantly increased this percentage. Inhibition of protein kinase B (AKT) blocked the effect of the TRKB agonist, while inhibition of tyrosine kinase had no effect. Modulation of TRKB and AKT signaling did not significantly affect the level of NGN3 mRNA. CONCLUSIONS In the adult human exocrine pancreas, TRKB-T1 positively regulates NGN3 independent of effects on NGN3 transcription. Targeting mechanisms controlling the NGN3+ cell population size and endocrine cell fate commitment represent a potential new approach to understand pancreas pathobiology and means whereby cell populations could be expanded for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Shamblott
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Research Institute, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 601 4th St. South, CRI 3005, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 USA
- Morphogenesis, Inc, 4613 N. Clark Ave, Tampa, FL 33614 USA
| | - Marci L. O’Driscoll
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Research Institute, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 601 4th St. South, CRI 3005, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 USA
| | - Danielle L. Gomez
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Research Institute, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 601 4th St. South, CRI 3005, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 USA
| | - Dustin L. McGuire
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Research Institute, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 601 4th St. South, CRI 3005, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 USA
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12
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Kim MS, Lee WS, Jin W. TrkB Promotes Breast Cancer Metastasis via Suppression of Runx3 and Keap1 Expression. Mol Cells 2016; 39:258-65. [PMID: 26657794 PMCID: PMC4794608 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2016.2310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2015] [Revised: 11/24/2015] [Accepted: 11/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In metastatic breast cancer, the acquisition of malignant traits has been associated with the increased rate of cell growth and division, mobility, resistance to chemotherapy, and invasiveness. While screening for the key regulators of cancer metastasis, we observed that neurotrophin receptor TrkB is frequently overexpressed in breast cancer patients and breast cancer cell lines. Additionally, we demonstrate that TrkB expression and clinical breast tumor pathological phenotypes show significant correlation. Moreover, TrkB expression was significantly upregulated in basal-like, claudin-low, and metaplastic breast cancers from a published microarray database and in patients with triple-negative breast cancer, which is associated with a higher risk of invasive recurrence. Interestingly, we identified a new TrkB-regulated functional network that is important for the tumorigenicity and metastasis of breast cancer. We demonstrated that TrkB plays a key role in regulation of the tumor suppressors Runx3 and Keap1. A markedly increased expression of Runx3 and Keap1 was observed upon knockdown of TrkB, treatment with a TrkB inhibitor, and in TrkB kinase dead mutants. Additionally, the inhibition of PI3K/AKT activation significantly induced Runx3 and Keap1 expression. Furthermore, we showed that TrkB enhances metastatic potential and induces proliferation. These observations suggest that TrkB plays a key role in tumorigenicity and metastasis of breast cancer cells through suppression of Runx3 or Keap1 and that it is a promising target for future intervention strategies for preventing tumor metastasis and cancer chemoprevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Soo Kim
- Laboratory of Molecular Disease and Cell Regulation, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon 406-840,
Korea
| | - Won Sung Lee
- Laboratory of Molecular Disease and Cell Regulation, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon 406-840,
Korea
| | - Wook Jin
- Laboratory of Molecular Disease and Cell Regulation, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon 406-840,
Korea
- Gachon Medical Research Institute, Gil Medical Center, Incheon, 405-760,
Korea
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Croucher JL, Iyer R, Li N, Molteni V, Loren J, Gordon WP, Tuntland T, Liu B, Brodeur GM. TrkB inhibition by GNF-4256 slows growth and enhances chemotherapeutic efficacy in neuroblastoma xenografts. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2014; 75:131-41. [PMID: 25394774 DOI: 10.1007/s00280-014-2627-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2014] [Accepted: 11/06/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Neuroblastoma (NB) is one of the most common and deadly pediatric solid tumors. NB is characterized by clinical heterogeneity, from spontaneous regression to relentless progression despite intensive multimodality therapy. There is compelling evidence that members of the tropomyosin receptor kinase (Trk) family play important roles in these disparate clinical behaviors. Indeed, TrkB and its ligand, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), are expressed in 50-60 % of high-risk NBs. The BDNF/TrkB autocrine pathway enhances survival, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis and drug resistance. METHODS We tested a novel pan-Trk inhibitor, GNF-4256 (Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation), in vitro and in vivo in a nu/nu athymic xenograft mouse model to determine its efficacy in inhibiting the growth of TrkB-expressing human NB cells (SY5Y-TrkB). Additionally, we assessed the ability of GNF-4256 to enhance NB cell growth inhibition in vitro and in vivo, when combined with conventional chemotherapeutic agents, irinotecan and temozolomide (Irino-TMZ). RESULTS GNF-4256 inhibits TrkB phosphorylation and the in vitro growth of TrkB-expressing NBs in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC₅₀ around 7 and 50 nM, respectively. Furthermore, GNF-4256 inhibits the growth of NB xenografts as a single agent (p < 0.0001 for mice treated at 40 or 100 mg/kg BID, compared to controls), and it significantly enhances the antitumor efficacy of irinotecan plus temozolomide (Irino-TMZ, p < 0.0071 compared to Irino-TMZ alone). CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that GNF-4256 is a potent and specific Trk inhibitor capable of significantly slowing SY5Y-TrkB growth, both in vitro and in vivo. More importantly, the addition of GNF-4256 significantly enhanced the antitumor efficacy of Irino-TMZ, as measured by in vitro and in vivo growth inhibition and increased event-free survival in a mouse xenograft model, without additional toxicity. These data strongly suggest that inhibition of TrkB with GNF-4256 can enhance the efficacy of current chemotherapeutic treatment for recurrent/refractory high-risk NBs with minimal or no additional toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L Croucher
- Oncology Research, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, CTRB Rm. 3018, 3501 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA, 19104-4302, USA
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Nannini M, Astolfi A, Urbini M, Indio V, Santini D, Heinrich MC, Corless CL, Ceccarelli C, Saponara M, Mandrioli A, Lolli C, Ercolani G, Brandi G, Biasco G, Pantaleo MA. Integrated genomic study of quadruple-WT GIST (KIT/PDGFRA/SDH/RAS pathway wild-type GIST). BMC Cancer 2014; 14:685. [PMID: 25239601 PMCID: PMC4181714 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-14-685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2014] [Accepted: 09/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background About 10-15% of adult gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and the vast majority of pediatric GIST do not harbour KIT or platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) mutations (J Clin Oncol 22:3813–3825, 2004; Hematol Oncol Clin North Am 23:15–34, 2009). The molecular biology of these GIST, originally defined as KIT/PDGFRA wild-type (WT), is complex due to the existence of different subgroups with distinct molecular hallmarks, including defects in the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) complex and mutations of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), BRAF, or KRAS genes (RAS-pathway or RAS-P). In this extremely heterogeneous landscape, the clinical profile and molecular abnormalities of the small subgroup of WT GIST suitably referred to as quadruple wild-type GIST (quadrupleWT or KITWT/PDGFRAWT/SDHWT/RAS-PWT) remains undefined. The aim of this study is to investigate the genomic profile of KITWT/PDGFRAWT/SDHWT/RAS-PWT GIST, by using a massively parallel sequencing and microarray approach, and compare it with the genomic profile of other GIST subtypes. Methods We performed a whole genome analysis using a massively parallel sequencing approach on a total of 16 GIST cases (2 KITWT/PDGFRAWT/SDHWT and SDHBIHC+/SDHAIHC+, 2 KITWT/PDGFRAWT/SDHAmut and SDHBIHC-/SDHAIHC- and 12 cases of KITmut or PDGFRAmut GIST). To confirm and extend the results, whole-genome gene expression analysis by microarray was performed on 9 out 16 patients analyzed by RNAseq and an additional 20 GIST patients (1 KITWT/PDGFRAWTSDHAmut GIST and 19 KITmut or PDGFRAmut GIST). The most impressive data were validated by quantitave PCR and Western Blot analysis. Results We found that both cases of quadrupleWT GIST had a genomic profile profoundly different from both either KIT/PDGFRA mutated or SDHA-mutated GIST. In particular, the quadrupleWT GIST tumors are characterized by the overexpression of molecular markers (CALCRL and COL22A1) and of specific oncogenes including tyrosine and cyclin- dependent kinases (NTRK2 and CDK6) and one member of the ETS-transcription factor family (ERG). Conclusion We report for the first time an integrated genomic picture of KITWT/PDGFRAWT/SDHWT/RAS-PWT GIST, using massively parallel sequencing and gene expression analyses, and found that quadrupleWT GIST have an expression signature that is distinct from SDH-mutant GIST as well as GIST harbouring mutations in KIT or PDGFRA. Our findings suggest that quadrupleWT GIST represent another unique group within the family of gastrointestintal stromal tumors. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2407-14-685) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Maria A Pantaleo
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, Sant'Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
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Wolfe A, O'Clair B, Groppi VE, McEwen DP. Pharmacologic characterization of a kinetic in vitro human co-culture angiogenesis model using clinically relevant compounds. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 18:1234-45. [PMID: 24019254 DOI: 10.1177/1087057113502085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Angiogenesis, the formation of new vessels from preexisting vessels, involves multiple cell types acting in concert to cause endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation into microvascular arrays. Under pathologic conditions, microenvironment changes result in altered blood vessel production. Historically, in vitro angiogenesis assays study individual aspects of the process and tend to be variable, difficult to quantify, and limited in clinical relevance. Here, we describe a kinetic, quantitative, co-culture angiogenesis model and demonstrate its relevance to in vivo pharmacology. Similar to in vivo angiogenesis, a co-culture of human umbilical vein endothelial cells with normal human dermal fibroblasts remains sensitive to multiple cytokines, resulting in a concentration-dependent stimulation of tube formation over time. Treatment with axitinib, a selective vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antagonist, inhibited VEGF-mediated tube length and branch point formation and was selective for inhibiting VEGF over basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), similar to previous studies. Conversely, an FGFR-1 selective compound, PD-161570, was more potent at inhibiting bFGF-mediated angiogenesis. These results demonstrate the cytokine dynamics, selective pharmacology, and translational application of this model system. Finally, combining quantitative angiogenic biology with kinetic, live-content imaging highlights the importance of using validated in vitro models in drug discovery research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Wolfe
- 1Biotechnology Group, Essen BioScience, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Bharate SB, Sawant SD, Singh PP, Vishwakarma RA. Kinase inhibitors of marine origin. Chem Rev 2013; 113:6761-815. [PMID: 23679846 DOI: 10.1021/cr300410v] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sandip B Bharate
- Medicinal Chemistry Division, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research), Canal Road, Jammu-180001, India
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Selective kinase inhibitors as tools for neuroscience research. Neuropharmacology 2012; 63:1227-37. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2012.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2012] [Revised: 07/06/2012] [Accepted: 07/11/2012] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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Iyer R, Varela CR, Minturn JE, Ho R, Simpson AM, Light JE, Evans AE, Zhao H, Thress K, Brown JL, Brodeur GM. AZ64 inhibits TrkB and enhances the efficacy of chemotherapy and local radiation in neuroblastoma xenografts. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2012; 70:477-86. [PMID: 22623209 DOI: 10.1007/s00280-012-1879-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2011] [Accepted: 04/30/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is a common pediatric tumor characterized by clinical heterogeneity. Because it is derived from sympathetic neuroblasts, the NTRK family of neurotrophin receptors plays an integral role in neuroblastoma cell survival, growth, and differentiation. Indeed, high expression of NTRK1 is associated with favorable clinical features and outcome, whereas expression of NTRK2 and its ligand, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), are associated with unfavorable features and outcome. AZ64 (Astra Zeneca) is a potent and selective inhibitor of the NTRK tyrosine kinases that blocks phosphorylation at nanomolar concentrations. To determine the preclinical activity of AZ64, we performed intervention trials in a xenograft model with NTRK2-overexpressing neuroblastomas. AZ64 alone significantly inhibited tumor growth compared to vehicle-treated animals (p = 0.0006 for tumor size). Furthermore, the combination of AZ64 with conventional chemotherapeutic agents, irinotecan and temozolomide (irino-temo), showed significantly enhanced anti-tumor efficacy compared to irino-temo alone [(p < 0.0001 for tumor size, p < 0.0005 for event-free survival (EFS)]. We also assessed the combination of AZ64 and local radiation therapy (RT) on a neuroblastoma hindlimb xenograft model, and the efficacy of local RT was significantly increased when animals were treated simultaneously with AZ64 (p < 0.0001 for tumor size, p = 0.0006 for EFS). We conclude that AZ64 can inhibit growth of NTRK-expressing neuroblastomas both in vitro and in vivo. More importantly, it can significantly enhance the efficacy of conventional chemotherapy as well as local RT, presumably by inhibition of the NTRK2/BDNF autocrine survival pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radhika Iyer
- Division of Oncology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA 19104-4302, USA
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Preclinical evaluation of lestaurtinib (CEP-701) in combination with retinoids for neuroblastoma. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2011; 68:1469-75. [PMID: 21484309 DOI: 10.1007/s00280-011-1623-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2010] [Accepted: 02/15/2011] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Lestaurtinib (CEP-701), a multi-kinase inhibitor with potent activity against the Trk family of receptor tyrosine kinases, has undergone early phase clinical evaluation in children with relapsed neuroblastoma. We studied the interaction of CEP-701 with isotretinoin (13cRA) and fenretinide (4HPR), two retinoids that have been studied in children with high-risk neuroblastoma. METHODS In vitro growth inhibition was assessed following a 72-hour drug exposure using the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay in eight neuroblastoma cell lines with variable TrkB expression. When appropriate, the combination index (CI) of Chou-Talalay was used to characterize the interaction of 13cRA (non-constant ratio) or 4HPR (constant ratio) with CEP-701. RESULTS The median (range) IC(50) of single-agent CEP-701 across all cell lines was 0.09 (0.08-0.3) μM. The combination of 13cRA and CEP-701 resulted in additive to synergistic interactions in four of the five cell lines studied. Addition of 1 or 5 μM of 13cRA decreased the median (range) CEP-701 IC(50) 1.5-fold (1.1-2.8-fold) and 1.7-fold (1.5-1.8-fold), respectively. With 10 μM 13cRA, less than 50% of cells survived when combined with various concentrations of CEP-701. The combination of 4HPR and CEP-701 trended toward being antagonistic, with a median (range) CI at the ED(50) of 1.3 (1.1-1.5). CONCLUSIONS The combination of 13cRA and CEP-701 was additive or synergistic in a spectrum of neuroblastoma cell lines, suggesting that these agents can be potentially studied together in the setting of minimal residual disease following intensive chemoradiotherapy for children with high-risk neuroblastoma.
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Comparison of the specificity of Trk inhibitors in recombinant and neuronal assays. Neuropharmacology 2011; 61:148-55. [PMID: 21466816 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2011.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2010] [Revised: 03/21/2011] [Accepted: 03/22/2011] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Neurotrophins are important mediators of neuronal development, survival and plasticity. They act via binding to Trk receptors, which results in the stimulation of the intracellular tyrosine kinase domain of the receptor leading to autophosphorylation of this domain. This in turn creates a scaffold that recruits various adapter proteins allowing the activation of intracellular signaling cascades including the PLCγ, MAPK and PI3K pathways. Compounds that specifically block the activity of the tyrosine kinase domain of Trk receptors would provide a powerful tool to study the role of these receptors in cells. K252a has previously been used for this purpose, however we show here that it can inhibit many tyrosine and serine/threonine kinases in vitro. Profiling of 3 newer inhibitors, referred to here as SHN-753, SHN-722 and GSK-Trk, demonstrate that they have significantly improved specificity for the kinase activity of TrkA in vitro compared to K252a. In addition these compounds were found to block the TrkB mediated activation of ERK1/2 by BDNF, but did not affect NMDA induced ERK1/2 activation. These compounds, while still not completely specific for Trk receptor kinase activity, do represent a considerable improvement over K252a and should prove valuable in the study of neurotrophin-mediated actions in the nervous system.
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Minturn JE, Evans AE, Villablanca JG, Yanik GA, Park JR, Shusterman S, Groshen S, Hellriegel ET, Bensen-Kennedy D, Matthay KK, Brodeur GM, Maris JM. Phase I trial of lestaurtinib for children with refractory neuroblastoma: a new approaches to neuroblastoma therapy consortium study. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2011; 68:1057-65. [PMID: 21340605 DOI: 10.1007/s00280-011-1581-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2010] [Accepted: 01/31/2011] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE TrkB acts as an oncogenic kinase in a subset of human neuroblastomas. Lestaurtinib, a multi-kinase inhibitor with potent activity against Trk kinases, has demonstrated activity in preclinical models of neuroblastoma. METHODS Patients with refractory high-risk neuroblastoma received lestaurtinib twice daily for 5 days out of seven in 28-day cycles, starting at 70% of the adult recommended Phase 2 dose. Lestaurtinib dose was escalated using a 3 + 3 design. Pharmacokinetics and plasma phospho-TrkB inhibitory activity were evaluated in the first cycle. RESULTS Forty-seven subjects were enrolled, and 10 dose levels explored starting at 25 mg/M(2)/dose BID. Forty-six subjects were evaluable for response, and 42 subjects were fully evaluable for determination of dose escalation. Asymptomatic and reversible grade 3-4 transaminase elevation was dose limiting in 4 subjects. Reversible pancreatitis (grade 2) was observed in 3 subjects after prolonged treatment at higher dose levels. Other toxicities were mild and reversible. Pharmacokinetic analyses revealed rapid drug absorption, however inter-patient variability was large. Plasma inhibition of phospho-TrkB activity was observed 1 h post-dosing at 85 mg/M(2) with uniform inhibition at 120 mg/M(2). There were two partial responses and nine subjects had prolonged stable disease at dose levels ≥ 5, (median: 6 cycles). A biologically effective and recommended phase 2 dose of 120 mg/M(2)/dose BID was established. CONCLUSIONS Lestaurtinib was well tolerated in patients with refractory neuroblastoma, and a dose level sufficient to inhibit TrkB activity was established. Safety and signs of activity at the higher dose levels warrant further evaluation in neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane E Minturn
- Department of Pediatrics and Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Lestaurtinib is Cytotoxic to Oxaliplatin-resistant Transitional Cell Carcinoma Cell Line T24 In Vitro. Tzu Chi Med J 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/s1016-3190(10)60056-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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K252a induces anoikis-sensitization with suppression of cellular migration in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)--associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Invest New Drugs 2010; 30:48-58. [PMID: 20694504 DOI: 10.1007/s10637-010-9513-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2010] [Accepted: 07/26/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies revealed an unexpected role of the neurotrophin receptor pathway, BDNF/TrkB signaling, in cancer metastasis and anoikis (i.e. detachment-induced cell death). Survival of cancer cells in detached state (known as anoikis-resistance) is known to be pre-requisite for metastasis. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), an endemic head and neck cancer in Southeast Asia, is highly invasive, metastatic, and etiologically associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV, an oncovirus) infection. Mechanistic studies on the invasive/metastatic nature of NPC can facilitate the development of anti-metastatic therapy in NPC. Thus far, the role of BDNF/TrkB signaling in virus-associated human cancer is unclear. Here, using multiple cell line models of NPC with EBV-association (HONE-1-EBV, HK1-LMP1 and C666-1), we investigated the potential involvement of BDNF/TrkB signaling in cellular migration and anoikis-resistant characteristics of NPC. We found that all three EBV-associated NPC cell lines tested were intrinsically anoikis-resistant (i.e. survived in detached state) and expressed both BDNF and TrkB. BDNF stimulation induced cellular migration, but not proliferation of these cells. Further, we examined if pharmacologic targeting of anoikis-resistance of NPC cells can be achievable by a proof-of-concept Trk inhibitor, K252a, in these EBV-associated NPC models. Our results demonstrated that K252a, was able to attenuate BDNF-induced migration and proliferation of NPC cells. More importantly, we demonstrated for the first time that K252a harbored potent anoikis-sensitization activity (i.e. sensitizing cancer cells to detachment-induced cell death) against EBV-associated human cancer cells, namely NPC cells. This proof-of-concept study demonstrated that K252a, a Trk inhibitor, can potentially be used as an anoikis-sensitizing agent in NPC.
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Shabbir M, Stuart R. Lestaurtinib, a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor: from bench to bedside. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2010; 19:427-36. [PMID: 20141349 DOI: 10.1517/13543781003598862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD Internal tandem duplication of the fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) gene (FLT3-ITD) is a common recurring mutation in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with normal karyotype, and the presence of FLT3-ITD confers a poor prognosis on this large subgroup of AML patients. Since the discovery of lestaurtinib as a potent FLT3 inhibitor, in 1985, there has been considerable interest in the development of this agent (CEP-701, Cephalon, Frazer, PA, USA) for treatment of this population. AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW An extensive literature search was conducted that included published articles and abstracts on the preclinical and clinical development of this agent spanning the last decade. WHAT THE READER WILL GAIN The review describes the historical development of this agent and reviews the available preclinical and clinical data on lestaurtinib and expands on potential future directions in development of this agent. TAKE HOME MESSAGE Lestaurtinib is a multi targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor which has been shown to potently inhibit FLT3 at nanomolar concentrations in preclinical studies, leading to its rapid development as a potential targeted agent for treatment of AML. Phase I studies have shown lestaturtinib to be an active agent particularly when used in combination with cytotoxic drugs. Currently, Phase II and Phase III studies are underway aiming to establish the future of this agent as a treatment option for patients with FLT3-ITD AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munira Shabbir
- Medical University of South Carolina, Hematology and Oncology, 96 Jonathan Lucas Street, CSB 903, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
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Iyer R, Evans AE, Qi X, Ho R, Minturn JE, Zhao H, Balamuth N, Maris JM, Brodeur GM. Lestaurtinib enhances the antitumor efficacy of chemotherapy in murine xenograft models of neuroblastoma. Clin Cancer Res 2010; 16:1478-85. [PMID: 20179224 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-09-1531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Neuroblastoma, a common pediatric tumor of the sympathetic nervous system, is characterized by clinical heterogeneity. The Trk family neurotrophin receptors play an important role in this behavior. Expression of TrkA is associated with favorable clinical features and outcome, whereas TrkB expression is associated with an unfavorable prognosis. We wanted to determine if the Trk-selective inhibitor lestaurtinib had therapeutic efficacy in a preclinical neuroblastoma model. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We performed intervention trials of lestaurtinib alone or in combination with other agents in TrkB-overexpressing neuroblastoma xenograft models. RESULTS Lestaurtinib alone significantly inhibited tumor growth compared to vehicle-treated animals [P = 0.0004 for tumor size and P = 0.011 for event-free survival (EFS)]. Lestaurtinib also enhanced the antitumor efficacy of the combinations of topotecan plus cyclophosphamide (P < 0.0001 for size and P < 0.0001 for EFS) or irinotecan plus temozolomide (P = 0.011 for size and P = 0.012 for EFS). There was no additive benefit of combining either 13-cis-retinoic acid or fenretinide with lestaurtinib compared to lestaurtinib alone. There was dramatic growth inhibition combining lestaurtinib with bevacizumab (P < 0.0001), but this combination had substantial systemic toxicity. CONCLUSIONS We show that lestaurtinib can inhibit the growth of neuroblastoma both in vitro and in vivo and can substantially enhance the efficacy of conventional chemotherapy, presumably by inhibition of the Trk/brain-derived neurotrophic factor autocrine survival pathway. It may also enhance the efficacy of selected biological agents, but further testing is required to rule out unanticipated toxicities. Our data support the incorporation of Trk inhibitors, such as lestaurtinib, in clinical trials of neuroblastoma or other tumors relying on Trk signaling pathways for survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radhika Iyer
- Division of Oncology and Biostatistics and Data Management Core, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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Thiele CJ, Li Z, McKee AE. On Trk--the TrkB signal transduction pathway is an increasingly important target in cancer biology. Clin Cancer Res 2009; 15:5962-7. [PMID: 19755385 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-08-0651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In the beginning, Trk was an oncogene. Yet Neurotrophin-Trk signaling came to preeminence in the field of neurobiology. Now it is appreciated that Trks regulate important processes in nonneuronal cells and, in addition to their impact on tumors of neural origin, may contribute to the pathogenesis of carcinomas, myelomas, and prostate and lymphoid tumors. Although mutations and rearrangements of Trk are seen only sporadically in human cancers, such as medullary thyroid carcinoma, a number of recent studies indicate that expression of TrkB contributes to tumor pathology. In neuroblastoma, TrkA expression marks good prognosis which TrkB and Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression marks poor prognosis. Activation of the BDNF/TrkB signal transduction pathway also stimulates tumor cell survival and angiogenesis and contributes to resistance to cytotoxic drugs and anoikis, enabling cells to acquire many of the characteristic features required for tumorigenesis. Small molecule inhibitors, such as Cephalon's CEP-701, are in phase 1 and 2 clinical trials, and a series of AstraZeneca Trk inhibitors are poised to enter the clinic. As monotherapy, inhibitors may be effective only in tumors with activating Trk mutations. Important clinical follow-up will be the assessment of Trk inhibitors in combination with standard chemo- or radiotherapy or other signal transduction pathway inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol J Thiele
- Cell and Molecular Biology Section, Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, CRC, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
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Geiger TR, Peeper DS. Critical role for TrkB kinase function in anoikis suppression, tumorigenesis, and metastasis. Cancer Res 2007; 67:6221-9. [PMID: 17616679 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-07-0121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Anoikis, or cell death induced by cell detachment, provides protection against the metastatic spread of tumor cells. We have previously shown that the neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase TrkB suppresses anoikis in rat intestinal epithelial cells and renders them highly tumorigenic and metastatic. Because TrkB is overexpressed in several aggressive human cancers, first attempts are being made to target TrkB in cancer therapy. However, the mechanisms underlying TrkB-mediated anoikis suppression, tumorigenesis, and metastasis still remain largely elusive. Although, to date, most attempts to neutralize TrkB in tumors aim to inactivate its kinase activity, it is unclear whether TrkB kinase activity is required for its oncogenic functions. Indeed, it has been suggested that also other properties of the receptor contribute to functions that are relevant to tumor cell survival. Specifically, several adhesion motifs reside within the extracellular domains of TrkB. In line with this, TrkB-expressing epithelial cells form large cellular aggregates in suspension cultures, possibly facilitating tumor cell survival. Therefore, we set out to study the relative contributions of TrkB's kinase activity and its adhesion domains to anoikis suppression and oncogenicity. On the basis of a structure-function analysis, we report that TrkB kinase activity is required and, unexpectedly, also sufficient for anoikis suppression, tumor formation, and experimental metastasis. Thus, TrkB can act tumorigenically independent of its adhesion motifs. These results suggest that targeting the enzymatic activity of TrkB might be beneficial in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas R Geiger
- Division of Molecular Genetics, the Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Sclabas GM, Fujioka S, Schmidt C, Li Z, Frederick WA, Yang W, Yokoi K, Evans DB, Abbruzzese JL, Hess KR, Zhang W, Fidler IJ, Chiao PJ. Overexpression of Tropomysin-Related Kinase B in Metastatic Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells. Clin Cancer Res 2005. [DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.440.11.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is currently the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and most pancreatic cancers develop locally advanced disease or metastasis at the time of diagnosis. The mechanisms by which it invades and metastasizes are not known.
Experimental Design: To identify the genes involved in pancreatic cancer metastasis, we analyzed the gene expression profiles between highly metastatic Colo357L3.6pl and parental Colo357FG pancreatic cancer cell lines using cDNA microarrays and confirmed differential gene expression by reverse transcription-PCR, Western blotting, and immunologic analysis of 54 samples from pancreatic cancer patients. The correlation with clinical outcome was also examined. The possible signaling pathways involved with tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) were analyzed.
Results: Our findings showed that TrkB was overexpressed in the highly metastatic Colo357L3.6pl cells, which correlated with perineural invasion (P = 0.026), positive retroperitoneal margin (P = 0.0005), and shorter latency to development of liver metastasis (Cox proportional hazard ratio, 0.3; 95% confidence interval, 0.1-0.8; P = 0.01) in patient samples. Extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 were activated and Elk-1 and AP-1 DNA binding activity was induced in Colo357L3.6pl cells. Furthermore, interleukin 8 and vascular endothelial growth factor were more strongly expressed in Colo357L3.6pl than Colo357FG cells, and these findings were confirmed in Colo357L3.6pl and Colo357FG orthotopic tumors.
Conclusion: These results suggest that overexpression of TrkB and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase and AP-1, which may in turn induce the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and interleukin 8, may mediate the cardinal clinical features of locally aggressive growth and metastasis of pancreatic cancer. Our results also imply that TrkB receptor may be a novel therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Wei Zhang
- 4Pathology,
- 7The Program in Cancer Biology, University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Isaiah J. Fidler
- 2Cancer Biology,
- 7The Program in Cancer Biology, University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Paul J. Chiao
- 1Surgical Oncology, Departments of
- 6Molecular and Cellular Oncology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and
- 7The Program in Cancer Biology, University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston, Houston, Texas
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31
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua B Rubin
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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32
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Abstract
We survey some interesting features of gene expression in nonendocrine pancreatic cancer, the response to some less widely known agents as they impact on pancreatic cell proliferation and programmed death, and several developing approaches to therapy. The proliferative and cellular suicide responses of Panc-1 cells to the free radical spin trap, NTBN, and to the 5-lipoxygenease inhibitor, MK 886, the latter assessed with CLONTECH Atlas Human cDNA Array 1, are reviewed. Difficulties in identifying those factors whose suppression or augmentation could result in inhibition of malignantly transformed cell properties are considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- K M Anderson
- Department of Medicine, Rush Medical College, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA.
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