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Del Bufalo D, Damia G. Overview of BH3 mimetics in ovarian cancer. Cancer Treat Rev 2024; 129:102771. [PMID: 38875743 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2024.102771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Ovarian carcinoma is the leading cause of gynecological cancer-related death, still with a dismal five-year prognosis, mainly due to late diagnosis and the emergence of resistance to cytotoxic and targeted agents. Bcl-2 family proteins have a key role in apoptosis and are associated with tumor development/progression and response to therapy in different cancer types, including ovarian carcinoma. In tumors, evasion of apoptosis is a possible mechanism of resistance to therapy. BH3 mimetics are small molecules that occupy the hydrophobic pocket on pro-survival proteins, allowing the induction of apoptosis, and are currently under study as single agents and/or in combination with cytotoxic and targeted agents in solid tumors. Here, we discuss recent advances in targeting anti-apoptotic proteins of the Bcl-2 family for the treatment of ovarian cancer, focusing on BH3 mimetics, and how these approaches could potentially offer an alternative/complementary way to treat patients and overcome or delay resistance to current treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donatella Del Bufalo
- Preclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Via E. Chianesi 53, 00144 Rome, Italy.
| | - Giovanna Damia
- Laboratory of Gynecological Preclinical Oncology, Experimental Oncology Department, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via M. Negri 2, 20156 Milan, Italy.
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2
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Kaur G, Sohanur Rahman M, Shaikh S, Panda K, Chinnapaiyan S, Santiago Estevez M, Xia L, Unwalla H, Rahman I. Emerging roles of senolytics/senomorphics in HIV-related co-morbidities. Biochem Pharmacol 2024:116179. [PMID: 38556028 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is known to cause cellular senescence and inflammation among infected individuals. While the traditional antiretroviral therapies (ART) have allowed the once fatal infection to be managed effectively, the quality of life of HIV patients on prolonged ART use is still inferior. Most of these individuals suffer from life-threatening comorbidities like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), and diabetes, to name a few. Interestingly, cellular senescence is known to play a critical role in the pathophysiology of these comorbidities as well. It is therefore important to understand the role of cellular senescence in the disease progression and co-morbidity development in HIV-infected individuals. In this respect, use of senolytic/senomorphic drugs as combination therapy with ART would be beneficial for HIV patients. This review provides a critical analysis of the current literature to determine the potential and efficacy of using senolytics/senotherapeutics in managing HIV infection, latency, and associated co-morbidities in humans. The various classes of senolytics have been studied in detail to focus on their potential to combat against HIV infections and associated pathologies with advancing age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gagandeep Kaur
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Md Sohanur Rahman
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Sadiya Shaikh
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Kingshuk Panda
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Srinivasan Chinnapaiyan
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Maria Santiago Estevez
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Li Xia
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Hoshang Unwalla
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Irfan Rahman
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.
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3
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Deng W, Xie Z, Chen L, Li W, Li M. Disulfidptosis status influences prognosis and therapeutic response in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Aging (Albany NY) 2024; 16:1249-1275. [PMID: 38271056 PMCID: PMC10866437 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205405] [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: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Disulfidptosis is a recently identified type of programmed cell death. It is characterized by aberrant accumulation of intracellular disulfides. The clinical implications of disulfidptosis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remain unclear. A series of bioinformatics approaches were employed to analyze ten disulfidptosis-related molecules. Firstly, the expression patterns of the disulfidptosis-related molecules were different between normal and ccRCC tissues. A comprehensive cohort of patients with ccRCC was then assembled from three public databases and subjected to cluster analysis based on disulfidptosis-related molecules. Consensus cluster analysis revealed three distinct disulfidptosis clusters. We then conducted weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify highly correlated genes. 267 hub genes were screened out through WGCNA, and three gene clusters were then determined. Finally, we identified 87 genes with prognostic value and then used them to develop a disulfidptosis scoring (DSscore) system, which was proven to independently predict survival in ccRCC. Patients in the high-DSscore group exhibited a significant survival advantage and better immunotherapeutic responses compared with those in the low-DSscore group. However, the patients in the low-DSscore group exhibited a greater degree of chemotherapeutic response. In addition, the expression of disulfidptosis-related molecules was validated by qRT-PCR, and the potential of disulfidptosis-related molecules to indicate distinct cell subtypes were validated by single-cell RNA-sequencing. In conclusion, DSscore is a promising index for predicting the prognosis and efficacy of immunotherapy in patients with ccRCC and may provide a basis for novel strategies for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiming Deng
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Zhenwei Xie
- Department of Kidney Transplantation, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Libo Chen
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Wenjin Li
- Department of Endocrinology, The Affiliated Nanhua Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Mingyong Li
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
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4
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Pellecchia S, Viscido G, Franchini M, Gambardella G. Predicting drug response from single-cell expression profiles of tumours. BMC Med 2023; 21:476. [PMID: 38041118 PMCID: PMC10693176 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-023-03182-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intra-tumour heterogeneity (ITH) presents a significant obstacle in formulating effective treatment strategies in clinical practice. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has evolved as a powerful instrument for probing ITH at the transcriptional level, offering an unparalleled opportunity for therapeutic intervention. RESULTS Drug response prediction at the single-cell level is an emerging field of research that aims to improve the efficacy and precision of cancer treatments. Here, we introduce DREEP (Drug Response Estimation from single-cell Expression Profiles), a computational method that leverages publicly available pharmacogenomic screens from GDSC2, CTRP2, and PRISM and functional enrichment analysis to predict single-cell drug sensitivity from transcriptomic data. We validated DREEP extensively in vitro using several independent single-cell datasets with over 200 cancer cell lines and showed its accuracy and robustness. Additionally, we also applied DREEP to molecularly barcoded breast cancer cells and identified drugs that can selectively target specific cell populations. CONCLUSIONS DREEP provides an in silico framework to prioritize drugs from single-cell transcriptional profiles of tumours and thus helps in designing personalized treatment strategies and accelerating drug repurposing studies. DREEP is available at https://github.com/gambalab/DREEP .
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Pellecchia
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Naples, Italy
- Genomics and Experimental Medicine Program, Scuola Superiore Meridionale, Naples, Italy
| | - Gaetano Viscido
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Naples, Italy
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Industrial Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Melania Franchini
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Naples, Italy
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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5
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Leśniak M, Lipniarska J, Majka P, Lejman M, Zawitkowska J. Recent Updates in Venetoclax Combination Therapies in Pediatric Hematological Malignancies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16708. [PMID: 38069030 PMCID: PMC10706781 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242316708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Venetoclax is a strongly effective B-cell lymphoma-2 inhibitor (BCL-2) with an ability to selectively restore the apoptotic potential of cancerous cells. It has been proven that in combination with immunotherapy, targeted therapies, and lower-intensity therapies such as hypomethylating agents (HMAs) or low-dose cytarabine (LDAC), the drug can improve overall outcomes for adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and multiple myeloma (MM), amongst other hematological malignancies, but its benefit in pediatric hematology remains unclear. With a number of preclinical and clinical trials emerging, the newest findings suggest that in many cases of younger patients, venetoclax combination treatment can be well-tolerated, with a safety profile similar to that in adults, despite often leading to severe infections. Studies aim to determine the activity of BCL-2 inhibitor in the treatment of both primary and refractory acute leukemias in combination with standard and high-dose chemotherapy. Although more research is required to identify the optimal venetoclax-based regimen for the pediatric population and its long-term effects on patients' outcomes, it can become a potential therapeutic agent for pediatric oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Leśniak
- Student Scientific Society of Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.L.); (J.L.); (P.M.)
| | - Justyna Lipniarska
- Student Scientific Society of Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.L.); (J.L.); (P.M.)
| | - Patrycja Majka
- Student Scientific Society of Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.L.); (J.L.); (P.M.)
| | - Monika Lejman
- Independent Laboratory of Genetic Diagnostics, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Joanna Zawitkowska
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
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6
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Gupta SRR, Mittal P, Kundu B, Singh A, Singh IK. Silibinin: an inhibitor for a high-expressed BCL-2A1/BFL1 protein, linked with poor prognosis in breast cancer. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-11. [PMID: 37837418 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2268176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) accounts for 30% of all diagnosed cases of cancer in women and remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. The current study looks for a protein from the anti-apoptotic/pro-survival BCL-2 family whose overexpression reduces survivability in BC patients and a potential inhibitor for the protein. We found BCL-2A1/BFL1 protein with high expression linked to low survivability in BC. The protein shows prognosis in 8 out of 29 categories, whereas no other family member manifests this property. Out of 7379 compounds, three small molecules (CHEMBL9509, CHEMBL2104550 and CHEMBL3545011) form an H-bond with BCL-2A1/BFL1 protein's unique residue Cys55. Of the three small molecules, we found CHEMBL9509 (Silibinin) to be a potent inhibitor. The compound forms a stable H-bond with the residue Cys55 with the lowest binding energy compared to the other two compounds. It remains stable in the BH3 binding region for more than 100 ns, whereas the other two detach from the region. Additionally, the compound is found to be better than Venetoclax and Nematoclax. We firmly believe in the compound CHEMBL9509 potency to halt BC's progression by inhibiting the BCL-2A1/BFL1 protein, increasing patients' survivability.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shradheya R R Gupta
- Molecular Biology Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Pooja Mittal
- Molecular Biology Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Bishwajit Kundu
- Kusuma School of Biological Science, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Archana Singh
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi (South Campus), New Delhi, India
| | - Indrakant K Singh
- Molecular Biology Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
- Institute of Eminence, Delhi School of Public Health, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
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Xie C, Zhou H, Qin D, Zheng H, Tang Y, Li W, Zhou J, Liu L, Yu X, Duan H, Zhou Y, Li Z, Fang Z, Luo Y, Carter BZ, Xu B, Zha J. Bcl-2 inhibition combined with PPARα activation synergistically targets leukemic stem cell-like cells in acute myeloid leukemia. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:573. [PMID: 37644011 PMCID: PMC10465498 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06075-6] [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: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Persistence of leukemic stem cells (LSCs) is one of the determining factors to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treatment failure and responsible for the poor prognosis of the disease. Hence, novel therapeutic strategies that target LSCs are crucial for treatment success. We investigated if targeting Bcl-2 and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α (PPARα), two distinct cell survival regulating mechanisms could eliminate LSCs. This study demonstrate that the Bcl-2 inhibitor venetoclax combined with the PPARα agonist chiglitazar resulted in synergistic killing of LSC-like cell lines and CD34+ primary AML cells while sparing their normal counterparts. Furthermore, the combination regimen significantly suppressed AML progression in patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mouse models. Mechanistically, chiglitazar-mediated PPARα activation inhibited the transcriptional activity of the PIK3AP1 gene promoter and down-regulated the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins, leading to cell proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induction, which was synergized with venetoclax. These findings suggest that combinatorial Bcl-2 inhibition and PPARα activation selectively eliminates AML cells in vivo and vitro, representing an effective therapy for patients with relapsed and refractory AML.
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Grants
- The National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. U22A20290,82170180, 81800163, 82100204,81900164); Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province, China (No.2023J06054,2020J05307,2020J011246, 2021J011359); The Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Science and Technology (3502Z20209003, 3502Z20209008).
- The National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. U22A20290,82170180, 81800163, 82100204,81900164); Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province, China (No. 2020J05307,2020J011246, 2021J011359); The Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Science and Technology (3502Z20209003, 3502Z20209008).
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Affiliation(s)
- Chendi Xie
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Key Laboratory of Xiamen for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hematological Malignancy, Xiamen, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Hui Zhou
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Key Laboratory of Xiamen for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hematological Malignancy, Xiamen, China
| | - Dongmei Qin
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Key Laboratory of Xiamen for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hematological Malignancy, Xiamen, China
| | - Huijian Zheng
- School of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Yuanfang Tang
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Key Laboratory of Xiamen for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hematological Malignancy, Xiamen, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Wenjuan Li
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Key Laboratory of Xiamen for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hematological Malignancy, Xiamen, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Key Laboratory of Xiamen for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hematological Malignancy, Xiamen, China
| | - Long Liu
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Key Laboratory of Xiamen for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hematological Malignancy, Xiamen, China
| | - Xinxin Yu
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Key Laboratory of Xiamen for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hematological Malignancy, Xiamen, China
| | - Hongpeng Duan
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Key Laboratory of Xiamen for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hematological Malignancy, Xiamen, China
| | - Yong Zhou
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Key Laboratory of Xiamen for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hematological Malignancy, Xiamen, China
| | - Zhifeng Li
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Key Laboratory of Xiamen for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hematological Malignancy, Xiamen, China
| | - Zhihong Fang
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Key Laboratory of Xiamen for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hematological Malignancy, Xiamen, China
| | - Yiming Luo
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Key Laboratory of Xiamen for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hematological Malignancy, Xiamen, China
| | - Bing Z Carter
- Section of Molecular Hematology and Therapy, Department of Leukemia, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
- Key Laboratory of Xiamen for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hematological Malignancy, Xiamen, China.
| | - Jie Zha
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
- Key Laboratory of Xiamen for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hematological Malignancy, Xiamen, China.
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8
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Ryu W, Park CW, Kim J, Lee H, Chung H. The Bcl-2/Bcl-xL Inhibitor ABT-263 Attenuates Retinal Degeneration by Selectively Inducing Apoptosis in Senescent Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells. Mol Cells 2023; 46:420-429. [PMID: 37222160 PMCID: PMC10336274 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2023.2188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of blindness in elderly individuals. However, the currently used intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor are invasive, and repetitive injections are also accompanied by a risk of intraocular infection. The pathogenic mechanism of AMD is still not completely understood, but a multifactorial mechanism that combines genetic predisposition and environmental factors, including cellular senescence, has been suggested. Cellular senescence refers to the accumulation of cells that stop dividing due to the presence of free radicals and DNA damage. Characteristics of senescent cells include nuclear hypertrophy, increased levels of cell cycle inhibitors such as p16 and p21, and resistance to apoptosis. Senolytic drugs remove senescent cells by targeting the main characteristics of these cells. One of the senolytic drugs, ABT-263, which inhibits the antiapoptotic functions of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, may be a new treatment for AMD patients because it targets senescent retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells. We proved that it selectively kills doxorubicin (Dox)-induced senescent ARPE-19 cells by activating apoptosis. By removing senescent cells, the expression of inflammatory cytokines was reduced, and the proliferation of the remaining cells was increased. When ABT-263 was orally administered to the mouse model of senescent RPE cells induced by Dox, we confirmed that senescent RPE cells were selectively removed and retinal degeneration was alleviated. Therefore, we suggest that ABT-263, which removes senescent RPE cells through its senolytic effect, has the potential to be the first orally administered senolytic drug for the treatment of AMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wonseon Ryu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Chul-Woo Park
- Department of Ophthalmology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Junghoon Kim
- Department of Ophthalmology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Hyungwoo Lee
- Department of Ophthalmology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea
- Department of Ophthalmology, Konkuk University Medical Center, Seoul 05030, Korea
| | - Hyewon Chung
- Department of Ophthalmology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea
- Department of Ophthalmology, Konkuk University Medical Center, Seoul 05030, Korea
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9
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Musicco C, Signorile A, Pesce V, Loguercio Polosa P, Cormio A. Mitochondria Deregulations in Cancer Offer Several Potential Targets of Therapeutic Interventions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10420. [PMID: 37445598 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria play a key role in cancer and their involvement is not limited to the production of ATP only. Mitochondria also produce reactive oxygen species and building blocks to sustain rapid cell proliferation; thus, the deregulation of mitochondrial function is associated with cancer disease development and progression. In cancer cells, a metabolic reprogramming takes place through a different modulation of the mitochondrial metabolic pathways, including oxidative phosphorylation, fatty acid oxidation, the Krebs cycle, glutamine and heme metabolism. Alterations of mitochondrial homeostasis, in particular, of mitochondrial biogenesis, mitophagy, dynamics, redox balance, and protein homeostasis, were also observed in cancer cells. The use of drugs acting on mitochondrial destabilization may represent a promising therapeutic approach in tumors in which mitochondrial respiration is the predominant energy source. In this review, we summarize the main mitochondrial features and metabolic pathways altered in cancer cells, moreover, we present the best known drugs that, by acting on mitochondrial homeostasis and metabolic pathways, may induce mitochondrial alterations and cancer cell death. In addition, new strategies that induce mitochondrial damage, such as photodynamic, photothermal and chemodynamic therapies, and the development of nanoformulations that specifically target drugs in mitochondria are also described. Thus, mitochondria-targeted drugs may open new frontiers to a tailored and personalized cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Musicco
- Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies (IBIOM), CNR, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Anna Signorile
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Vito Pesce
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Environment, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Paola Loguercio Polosa
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Environment, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Antonella Cormio
- Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", 70124 Bari, Italy
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10
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de Paula B, Kieran R, Koh SSY, Crocamo S, Abdelhay E, Muñoz-Espín D. Targeting Senescence as a Therapeutic Opportunity for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Mol Cancer Ther 2023; 22:583-598. [PMID: 36752780 PMCID: PMC10157365 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-22-0643] [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: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with an elevated risk of recurrence and poor prognosis. Historically, only chemotherapy was available as systemic treatment, but immunotherapy and targeted therapies currently offer prolonged benefits. TNBC is a group of diseases with heterogeneous treatment sensitivity, and resistance is inevitable and early for a large proportion of the intrinsic subtypes. Although senescence induction by anticancer therapy offers an immediate favorable clinical outcome once the rate of tumor progression reduces, these cells are commonly dysfunctional and metabolically active, culminating in treatment-resistant repopulation associated with worse prognosis. This heterogeneous response can also occur without therapeutic pressure in response to damage or oncogenic stress, playing a relevant role in the carcinogenesis. Remarkably, there is preclinical and exploratory clinical evidence to support a relevant role of senescence in treatment resistance. Therefore, targeting senescent cells has been a scientific effort in many malignant tumors using a variety of targets and strategies, including increasing proapoptotic and decreasing antiapoptotic stimuli. Despite promising results, there are some challenges to applying this technology, including the best schedule of combination, assessment of senescence, specific vulnerabilities, and the best clinical scenarios. This review provides an overview of senescence in TNBC with a focus on future-proofing senotherapy strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno de Paula
- Breast Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Nacional de Cancer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rosalind Kieran
- Early Cancer Institute, Department of Oncology, Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Samantha Shui Yuan Koh
- Department of Medicine, Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Susanne Crocamo
- Breast Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Nacional de Cancer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Daniel Muñoz-Espín
- Early Cancer Institute, Department of Oncology, Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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11
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Sarkar A, Paul A, Banerjee T, Maji A, Saha S, Bishayee A, Maity TK. Therapeutic advancements in targeting BCL-2 family proteins by epigenetic regulators, natural, and synthetic agents in cancer. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 944:175588. [PMID: 36791843 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.175588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is amongst the deadliest and most disruptive disorders, having a much higher death rate than other diseases worldwide. Human cancer rates continue to rise, thereby posing the most significant concerns for medical health professionals. In the last two decades, researchers have gone past several milestones in tackling cancer while gaining insight into the role of apoptosis in cancer or targeting various biomarker tools for prognosis and diagnosis. Apoptosis which is still a topic full of complexities, can be controlled considerably by B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) and its family members. Therefore, targeting proteins of this family to prevent tumorigenesis, is essential to focus on the pharmacological features of the anti-apoptotic and pro-apoptotic members, which will help to develop and manage this disorder. This review deals with the advancements of various epigenetic regulators to target BCL-2 family proteins, including the mechanism of several microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Similarly, a rise in natural and synthetic molecules' research over the last two decades has allowed us to acquire insights into understanding and managing the transcriptional alterations that have led to apoptosis and treating various neoplastic diseases. Furthermore, several inhibitors targeting anti-apoptotic proteins and inducers or activators targeting pro-apoptotic proteins in preclinical and clinical stages have been summarized. Overall, agonistic and antagonistic mechanisms of BCL-2 family proteins conciliated by epigenetic regulators, natural and synthetic agents have proven to be an excellent choice in developing cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnab Sarkar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, West Bengal, Kolkata, 700032, India.
| | - Abhik Paul
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, West Bengal, Kolkata, 700032, India.
| | - Tanmoy Banerjee
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, West Bengal, Kolkata, 700032, India.
| | - Avik Maji
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, West Bengal, Kolkata, 700032, India.
| | - Sanjukta Saha
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, West Bengal, Kolkata, 700032, India.
| | - Anupam Bishayee
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton, FL, 34211, USA.
| | - Tapan Kumar Maity
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, West Bengal, Kolkata, 700032, India.
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12
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Reece MD, Song C, Hancock SC, Pereira Ribeiro S, Kulpa DA, Gavegnano C. Repurposing BCL-2 and Jak 1/2 inhibitors: Cure and treatment of HIV-1 and other viral infections. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1033672. [PMID: 36569952 PMCID: PMC9782439 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1033672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
B cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) family proteins are involved in the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and are key modulators of cellular lifespan, which is dysregulated during human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and other viral infections, thereby increasing the lifespan of cells harboring virus, including the latent HIV-1 reservoir. Long-lived cells harboring integrated HIV-1 DNA is a major barrier to eradication. Strategies reducing the lifespan of reservoir cells could significantly impact the field of cure research, while also providing insight into immunomodulatory strategies that can crosstalk to other viral infections. Venetoclax is a first-in-class orally bioavailable BCL-2 homology 3 (BH3) mimetic that recently received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for treatment in myeloid and lymphocytic leukemia. Venetoclax has been recently investigated in HIV-1 and demonstrated anti-HIV-1 effects including a reduction in reservoir size. Another immunomodulatory strategy towards reduction in the lifespan of the reservoir is Jak 1/2 inhibition. The Jak STAT pathway has been implicated in BCL-2 and interleukin 10 (IL-10) expression, leading to a downstream effect of cellular senescence. Ruxolitinib and baricitinib are FDA-approved, orally bioavailable Jak 1/2 inhibitors that have been shown to indirectly decay the HIV-1 latent reservoir, and down-regulate markers of HIV-1 persistence, immune dysregulation and reservoir lifespan in vitro and ex vivo. Ruxolitinib recently demonstrated a significant decrease in BCL-2 expression in a human study of virally suppressed people living with HIV (PWH), and baricitinib recently received emergency use approval for the indication of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), underscoring their safety and efficacy in the viral infection setting. BCL-2 and Jak 1/2 inhibitors could be repurposed as immunomodulators for not only HIV-1 and COVID-19, but other viruses that upregulate BCL-2 anti-apoptotic proteins. This review examines potential routes for BCL-2 and Jak 1/2 inhibitors as immunomodulators for treatment and cure of HIV-1 and other viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica D. Reece
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Colin Song
- Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Sarah C. Hancock
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Susan Pereira Ribeiro
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Deanna A. Kulpa
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Christina Gavegnano
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Center for the Study of Human Health, College of Arts and Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Decatur, GA, United States
- Center for Bioethics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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13
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Ibrahim SA, Salem MM, Elsalam HAA, Noser AA. Design, synthesis, in-silico and biological evaluation of novel 2-Amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole based hydrides as B-cell lymphoma-2 inhibitors with potential anticancer effects. J Mol Struct 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2022.133673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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14
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Li F, Boon ACM, Michelson AP, Foraker RE, Zhan M, Payne PRO. Estrogen hormone is an essential sex factor inhibiting inflammation and immune response in COVID-19. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9462. [PMID: 35676404 PMCID: PMC9175532 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13585-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Although vaccines have been evaluated and approved for SARS-CoV-2 infection prevention, there remains a lack of effective treatments to reduce the mortality of COVID-19 patients already infected with SARS-CoV-2. The global data on COVID-19 showed that men have a higher mortality rate than women. We further observed that the proportion of mortality of females increases starting from around the age of 55 significantly. Thus, sex is an essential factor associated with COVID-19 mortality, and sex related genetic factors could be interesting mechanisms and targets for COVID-19 treatment. However, the associated sex factors and signaling pathways remain unclear. Here, we propose to uncover the potential sex associated factors using systematic and integrative network analysis. The unique results indicated that estrogens, e.g., estrone and estriol, (1) interacting with ESR1/2 receptors, (2) can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 caused inflammation and immune response signaling in host cells; and (3) estrogens are associated with the distinct fatality rates between male and female COVID-19 patients. Specifically, a high level of estradiol protects young female COVID-19 patients, and estrogens drop to an extremely low level in females after about 55 years of age causing the increased fatality rate of women. In conclusion, estrogen, interacting with ESR1/2 receptors, is an essential sex factor that protects COVID-19 patients from death by inhibiting inflammation and immune response caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Moreover, medications boosting the down-stream signaling of ESR1/ESR2, or inhibiting the inflammation and immune-associated targets on the signaling network can be potentially effective or synergistic combined with other existing drugs for COVID-19 treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuhai Li
- Institute for Informatics (I2), Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Adrianus C M Boon
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Pathology & Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Andrew P Michelson
- Institute for Informatics (I2), Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Randi E Foraker
- Institute for Informatics (I2), Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ming Zhan
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Philip R O Payne
- Institute for Informatics (I2), Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
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15
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Dwivedi AR, Kumar V, Prashar V, Verma A, Kumar N, Parkash J, Kumar V. Morpholine substituted quinazoline derivatives as anticancer agents against MCF-7, A549 and SHSY-5Y cancer cell lines and mechanistic studies. RSC Med Chem 2022; 13:599-609. [PMID: 35694693 PMCID: PMC9132193 DOI: 10.1039/d2md00023g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A series of morpholine substituted quinazoline derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated for cytotoxic potential against A549, MCF-7 and SHSY-5Y cancer cell lines. These compounds were found to be non-toxic against HEK293 cells at 25 μM and hence display anticancer potential. In these series compounds, AK-3 and AK-10 displayed significant cytotoxic activity against all the three cell lines. AK-3 displayed IC50 values of 10.38 ± 0.27 μM, 6.44 ± 0.29 μM and 9.54 ± 0.15 μM against A549, MCF-7 and SHSY-5Y cancer cell lines. Similarly, AK-10 showed IC50 values of 8.55 ± 0.67 μM, 3.15 ± 0.23 μM and 3.36 ± 0.29 μM against A549, MCF-7 and SHSY-5Y, respectively. In the mechanistic studies, it was found that AK-3 and AK-10 inhibit the cell proliferation in the G1 phase of the cell cycle and the primary cause of death of the cells was found to be through apoptosis. Thus, morpholine based quinazoline derivatives have the potential to be developed as potent anticancer drug molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Ranjan Dwivedi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab Bathinda Punjab 151401 India +91 164 286 4214
| | - Vijay Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab Bathinda Punjab 151401 India +91 164 286 4214
| | - Vikash Prashar
- Department of Zoology, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Punjab Bathinda Punjab 151401 India
| | - Akash Verma
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab Bathinda Punjab 151401 India +91 164 286 4214
| | - Naveen Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab Bathinda Punjab 151401 India +91 164 286 4214
| | - Jyoti Parkash
- Department of Zoology, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Punjab Bathinda Punjab 151401 India
| | - Vinod Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab Bathinda Punjab 151401 India +91 164 286 4214
- Laboratory of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Central University of Punjab Bathinda Punjab 151401 India
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16
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Wang W, Sun Y, Liu X, Kumar SK, Jin F, Dai Y. Dual-Targeted Therapy Circumvents Non-Genetic Drug Resistance to Targeted Therapy. Front Oncol 2022; 12:859455. [PMID: 35574302 PMCID: PMC9093074 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.859455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The introduction of various targeted agents into the armamentarium of cancer treatment has revolutionized the standard care of patients with cancer. However, like conventional chemotherapy, drug resistance, either preexisting (primary or intrinsic resistance) or developed following treatment (secondary or acquired resistance), remains the Achilles heel of all targeted agents with no exception, via either genetic or non-genetic mechanisms. In the latter, emerging evidence supports the notion that intracellular signaling pathways for tumor cell survival act as a mutually interdependent network via extensive cross-talks and feedback loops. Thus, dysregulations of multiple signaling pathways usually join forces to drive oncogenesis, tumor progression, invasion, metastasis, and drug resistance, thereby providing a basis for so-called “bypass” mechanisms underlying non-genetic resistance in response to targeted agents. In this context, simultaneous interruption of two or more related targets or pathways (an approach called dual-targeted therapy, DTT), via either linear or parallel inhibition, is required to deal with such a form of drug resistance to targeted agents that specifically inhibit a single oncoprotein or oncogenic pathway. Together, while most types of tumor cells are often addicted to two or more targets or pathways or can switch their dependency between them, DTT targeting either intrinsically activated or drug-induced compensatory targets/pathways would efficiently overcome drug resistance caused by non-genetic events, with a great opportunity that those resistant cells might be particularly more vulnerable. In this review article, we discuss, with our experience, diverse mechanisms for non-genetic resistance to targeted agents and the rationales to circumvent them in the treatment of cancer, emphasizing hematologic malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- Laboratory of Cancer Precision Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yue Sun
- Laboratory of Cancer Precision Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaobo Liu
- Laboratory of Cancer Precision Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Shaji K Kumar
- Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Fengyan Jin
- Department of Hematology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yun Dai
- Laboratory of Cancer Precision Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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17
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Venkata Suseela Y, Sengupta P, Roychowdhury T, Panda S, Talukdar S, Chattopadhyay S, Chatterjee S, Govindaraju T. Targeting Oncogene Promoters and Ribosomal RNA Biogenesis by G-Quadruplex Binding Ligands Translate to Anticancer Activity. ACS BIO & MED CHEM AU 2022; 2:125-139. [PMID: 37101746 PMCID: PMC10114666 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomedchemau.1c00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
G-Quadruplex (GQ) nucleic acids are promising therapeutic targets in anticancer research due to their structural robustness, polymorphism, and gene-regulatory functions. Here, we presented the structure-activity relationship of carbazole-based monocyanine ligands using region-specific functionalization with benzothiazole (TCA and TCZ), lepidine (LCA and LCZ), and quinaldine (QCA and QCZ) acceptor moieties and evaluated their binding profiles with different oncogenic GQs. Their differential turn-on fluorescence emission upon GQ binding confirmed the GQ-to-duplex selectivity of all carbazole ligands, while the isothermal titration calorimetry results showed selective interactions of TCZ and TCA to c-MYC and BCL-2 GQs, respectively. The aldehyde group in TCA favors stacking interactions with the tetrad of BCL-2 GQ, whereas TCZ provides selective groove interactions with c-MYC GQ. Dual-luciferase assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) showed that these molecules interfere with the recruitment of specific transcription factors at c-MYC and BCL-2 promoters and stabilize the promoter GQ structures to inhibit their constitutive transcription in cancer cells. Their intrinsic turn-on fluorescence response with longer lifetimes upon GQ binding allowed real-time visualization of GQ structures at subcellular compartments. Confocal microscopy revealed the uptake of these ligands in the nucleoli, resulting in nucleolar stress. ChIP studies further confirmed the inhibition of Nucleolin occupancy at multiple GQ-enriched regions of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) promoters, which arrested rRNA biogenesis. Therefore, carbazole ligands act as the "double-edged swords" to arrest c-MYC and BCL-2 overexpression as well as rRNA biogenesis, triggering synergistic inhibition of multiple oncogenic pathways and apoptosis in cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yelisetty Venkata Suseela
- Bioorganic
Chemistry Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Jakkur, P.O., Bengaluru, Karnataka 560064, India
| | - Pallabi Sengupta
- Department
of Biophysics, Bose Institute, P-1/12 CIT Scheme VII (M), Kankurgachi, Kolkata 700054, India
| | - Tanaya Roychowdhury
- Cancer
Biology and Inflammatory Disorder Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4, Raja S.C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Suman Panda
- Department
of Biophysics, Bose Institute, P-1/12 CIT Scheme VII (M), Kankurgachi, Kolkata 700054, India
| | - Sangita Talukdar
- Bioorganic
Chemistry Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Jakkur, P.O., Bengaluru, Karnataka 560064, India
| | - Samit Chattopadhyay
- Cancer
Biology and Inflammatory Disorder Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4, Raja S.C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Subhrangsu Chatterjee
- Department
of Biophysics, Bose Institute, P-1/12 CIT Scheme VII (M), Kankurgachi, Kolkata 700054, India
| | - Thimmaiah Govindaraju
- Bioorganic
Chemistry Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Jakkur, P.O., Bengaluru, Karnataka 560064, India
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18
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Hönigova K, Navratil J, Peltanova B, Polanska HH, Raudenska M, Masarik M. Metabolic tricks of cancer cells. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2022; 1877:188705. [PMID: 35276232 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
One of the characteristics of cancer cells important for tumorigenesis is their metabolic plasticity. Indeed, in various stress conditions, cancer cells can reshape their metabolic pathways to support the increased energy request due to continuous growth and rapid proliferation. Moreover, selective pressures in the tumor microenvironment, such as hypoxia, acidosis, and competition for resources, force cancer cells to adapt by complete reorganization of their metabolism. In this review, we highlight the characteristics of cancer metabolism and discuss its clinical significance, since overcoming metabolic plasticity of cancer cells is a key objective of modern cancer therapeutics and a better understanding of metabolic reprogramming may lead to the identification of possible targets for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Hönigova
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University / Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Navratil
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University / Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Peltanova
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University / Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University / Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Holcova Polanska
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University / Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University / Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Raudenska
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University / Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University / Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Masarik
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University / Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University / Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; BIOCEV, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prumyslova 595, CZ-252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic.
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19
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Maru D, Hothi A, Bagariya C, Kumar A. Targeting Ferroptosis Pathways: A Novel Strategy for Cancer Therapy. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2022; 22:234-244. [DOI: 10.2174/1568009622666220211122745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:
Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent nonapoptotic kind of regulated cell death resulting from the destruction of redox balance in the cytosol. Unlike apoptosis, ferroptosis is caused by an increase in intracellular iron and lipid peroxides that causes significant damage to the membrane lipid bilayer and mitochondria, which leads to cell death. Increased iron level in the cell promotes ROS production. Ferroptosis inducer molecules increase ROS production and inhibit the antioxidant defence mechanism to facilitate ferroptosis in cancer cells. Inhibition of GPX4, redox-active iron availability, and lipid peroxidation are major contributors to ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is involved in many diseases like heart disease, neurodegenerative disease as well as cancer. Ferroptosis induction recently emerged as an attractive strategy for cancer therapy. In this review, we discuss the regulatory mechanism of ferroptosis, its different hallmarks, including genetic and metabolic regulators and inducers that promote ferroptosis in the cancer cells. Finally, the latest progress and development in ferroptosis research in different cancer with a focus on proposing a novel strategy in cancer therapy, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devangkumar Maru
- Department of Biotechnology, Atmiya University, Rajkot-360005, India
| | - Akhil Hothi
- Department of Biotechnology, Atmiya University, Rajkot-360005, India
| | - Chintan Bagariya
- Department of Biotechnology, Atmiya University, Rajkot-360005, India
| | - Anmol Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Atmiya University, Rajkot-360005, India
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20
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Joly F, Fabbro M, Follana P, Lequesne J, Medioni J, Lesoin A, Frenel JS, Abadie-Lacourtoisie S, Floquet A, Gladieff L, You B, Gavoille C, Kalbacher E, Briand M, Brachet PE, Giffard F, Weiswald LB, Just PA, Blanc-Fournier C, Leconte A, Clarisse B, Leary A, Poulain L. A phase II study of Navitoclax (ABT-263) as single agent in women heavily pretreated for recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer: The MONAVI – GINECO study. Gynecol Oncol 2022; 165:30-39. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2022.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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21
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Bcl-2 Modulation in p53 Signaling Pathway by Flavonoids: A Potential Strategy towards the Treatment of Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222111315. [PMID: 34768743 PMCID: PMC8582810 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a major cause of death, affecting human life in both developed and developing countries. Numerous antitumor agents exist but their toxicity and low efficacy limits their utility. Furthermore, the complex pathophysiological mechanisms of cancer, serious side effects and poor prognosis restrict the administration of available cancer therapies. Thus, developing novel therapeutic agents are required towards a simultaneous targeting of major dysregulated signaling mediators in cancer etiology, while possessing lower side effects. In this line, the plant kingdom is introduced as a rich source of active phytochemicals. The secondary metabolites produced by plants could potentially regulate several dysregulated pathways in cancer. Among the secondary metabolites, flavonoids are hopeful phytochemicals with established biological activities and minimal side effects. Flavonoids inhibit B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) via the p53 signaling pathway, which is a significant apoptotic target in many cancer types, hence suppressing a major dysregulated pathway in cancer. To date, there have been no studies reported which extensively highlight the role of flavonoids and especially the different classes of flavonoids in the modulation of Bcl-2 in the P53 signaling pathway. Herein, we discuss the modulation of Bcl-2 in the p53 signaling pathway by different classes of flavonoids and highlight different mechanisms through which this modulation can occur. This study will provide a rationale for the use of flavonoids against different cancers paving a new mechanistic-based approach to cancer therapy.
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22
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Li F, Boon AC, Michelson AP, Foraker RE, Zhan M, Payne PR. Estrogen Hormone Is an Essential Sex Factor Inhibiting Inflammation and Immune Response in COVID-19. RESEARCH SQUARE 2021:rs.3.rs-936900. [PMID: 34611658 PMCID: PMC8491851 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-936900/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Although vaccines have been evaluated and approved for SARS-CoV-2 infection prevention, there remains a lack of effective treatments to reduce the mortality of COVID-19 patients already infected with SARS-CoV-2. The global data of COVID-19 showed that men have a higher mortality rate than women. We further observed that the proportion of mortality of female increases starting from around the age of 55 significantly. Thus, sex is an essential factor associated with COVID-19 mortality, and sex related genetic factors could be interesting mechanisms and targets for COVID-19 treatment. However, the associated sex factors and signaling pathways remain unclear. Here, we propose to uncover the potential sex associated factors using systematic and integrative network analysis. The unique results indicated that estrogen hormones (ER), e.g., estrone and estriol, 1) interacting with ESR1/2 receptors, 2) can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 caused inflammation and immune response signaling in host cells; and 3) estrogen hormone is associated with the distinct fatality rates between male and female COVID-19 patients. Specifically, a high level of estradiol protecting young female COVID-19 patients, and estrogen loss to an extremely low level in females after about 55 years of age causing the increased fatality rate of women. In conclusion, estrogen hormone, interacting with ESR1/2 receptors, is an essential sex factor that protects COVID-19 patients by inhibiting inflammation and immune response caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Medications perturb the down-stream of ESR1/ESR2 to inhibit the inflammation and immune response can be effective or synergistic combined with other existing drugs for COVID-19 treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuhai Li
- Institute for Informatics (I2), Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Adrianus C.M. Boon
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Pathology & Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Andrew P. Michelson
- Institute for Informatics (I2), Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Randi E. Foraker
- Institute for Informatics (I2), Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ming Zhan
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Philip R.O. Payne
- Institute for Informatics (I2), Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
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23
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Li X, Dou J, You Q, Jiang Z. Inhibitors of BCL2A1/Bfl-1 protein: Potential stock in cancer therapy. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 220:113539. [PMID: 34034128 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
The Bcl-2 family members rigorously regulate cell endogenous apoptosis, and targeting anti-apoptotic members is a hot topic in design of anti-cancer drugs. At present, FDA and EMA have approved Bcl-2 inhibitor Venetoclax (ABT-199) for treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). However, inhibitors of anti-apoptotic protein BCL2A1/Bfl-1 have not been vigorously developed, and no molecule with ideal activity and selectivity has been found yet. Here we review the biological function and protein structure of Bfl-1, discuss the therapeutic potential and list the currently reported inhibitory peptides and small molecules. This will provide a reference for Bfl-1 targeting drug discovery in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Junwei Dou
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Qidong You
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Zhengyu Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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24
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Guy JB, Espenel S, Louati S, Gauthier A, Garcia MA, Vial N, Malésys C, Ardail D, Alphonse G, Wozny AS, Rodriguez-Lafrasse C, Magné N. Combining radiation to EGFR and Bcl-2 blockade: a new approach to target cancer stem cells in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2021; 147:1905-1916. [PMID: 33791846 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-021-03593-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The clinical outcome of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains poor, partly due to the presence of resistant cancer stem cells (CSCs) which are responsible of recurrences. CSCs have low EGFR expression and, conversely, overexpress the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein, which is involved in resistance to apoptosis and the invasion/migration capacities of tumour cells. METHODS The combination therapy of ABT-199, a Bcl-2 inhibitor, cetuximab an EGFR inhibitor, and radiation using an HNSCC model (SQ20B cell line) and its corresponding CSC subpopulation were evaluated in vitro (2D/3D cell proliferation; invasion/migration and apoptosis using videomicroscopy) and in vivo. RESULTS Cetuximab strongly inhibited 2D and 3D cell proliferation, as well as invasion/migration, only in non-CSC-SQ20B cells, whereas ABT-199 selectively inhibited these mechanisms in SQ20B/CSCs. The combination of irradiation + cetuximab + ABT-199 increased the inhibition of the 2D and 3D cell proliferation, invasion/migration, and resistance to apoptosis in both cell sub-populations. In addition, in a nude mouse model with heterotopic tumour xenograft, a treatment combining cetuximab + ABT-199 with fractional irradiation strongly delayed the tumour growth and increased in vivo lifespan without side effects. CONCLUSION Based on the present results, this triple combination therapy may represent a new opportunity for testing in clinical trials, particularly in locally advanced HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Baptiste Guy
- Faculté de Médecine-Lyon-Sud, Université Lyon 1, 69921, Oullins, France.
- Laboratoire de Radiobiologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine Lyon Sud, CNRS UMR 5822 IP2I, 165 Chemin du Grand Revoyet, BP 12, 69921, Oullins Cedex, France.
- Département de Radiothérapie, Institut de Cancérologie de La Loire, Lucien Neuwirth, 42270, St Priest en Jarez, France.
| | - Sophie Espenel
- Faculté de Médecine-Lyon-Sud, Université Lyon 1, 69921, Oullins, France
- Laboratoire de Radiobiologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine Lyon Sud, CNRS UMR 5822 IP2I, 165 Chemin du Grand Revoyet, BP 12, 69921, Oullins Cedex, France
- Département de Radiothérapie, Institut de Cancérologie de La Loire, Lucien Neuwirth, 42270, St Priest en Jarez, France
| | - Safa Louati
- Faculté de Médecine-Lyon-Sud, Université Lyon 1, 69921, Oullins, France
- Laboratoire de Radiobiologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine Lyon Sud, CNRS UMR 5822 IP2I, 165 Chemin du Grand Revoyet, BP 12, 69921, Oullins Cedex, France
- Département de Radiothérapie, Institut de Cancérologie de La Loire, Lucien Neuwirth, 42270, St Priest en Jarez, France
| | - Arnaud Gauthier
- Faculté de Médecine-Lyon-Sud, Université Lyon 1, 69921, Oullins, France
- Laboratoire de Radiobiologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine Lyon Sud, CNRS UMR 5822 IP2I, 165 Chemin du Grand Revoyet, BP 12, 69921, Oullins Cedex, France
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69229, Lyon, France
| | - Max-Adrien Garcia
- Département de Santé Publique, Institut de Cancérologie de La Loire, Lucien Neuwirth, 42270, St Priest en Jarez, France
| | - Nicolas Vial
- Département de Radiothérapie, Institut de Cancérologie de La Loire, Lucien Neuwirth, 42270, St Priest en Jarez, France
| | - Céline Malésys
- Faculté de Médecine-Lyon-Sud, Université Lyon 1, 69921, Oullins, France
- Laboratoire de Radiobiologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine Lyon Sud, CNRS UMR 5822 IP2I, 165 Chemin du Grand Revoyet, BP 12, 69921, Oullins Cedex, France
| | - Dominique Ardail
- Faculté de Médecine-Lyon-Sud, Université Lyon 1, 69921, Oullins, France
- Laboratoire de Radiobiologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine Lyon Sud, CNRS UMR 5822 IP2I, 165 Chemin du Grand Revoyet, BP 12, 69921, Oullins Cedex, France
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69229, Lyon, France
| | - Gersende Alphonse
- Laboratoire de Radiobiologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine Lyon Sud, CNRS UMR 5822 IP2I, 165 Chemin du Grand Revoyet, BP 12, 69921, Oullins Cedex, France
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69229, Lyon, France
| | - Anne-Sophie Wozny
- Faculté de Médecine-Lyon-Sud, Université Lyon 1, 69921, Oullins, France
- Laboratoire de Radiobiologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine Lyon Sud, CNRS UMR 5822 IP2I, 165 Chemin du Grand Revoyet, BP 12, 69921, Oullins Cedex, France
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69229, Lyon, France
| | - Claire Rodriguez-Lafrasse
- Faculté de Médecine-Lyon-Sud, Université Lyon 1, 69921, Oullins, France
- Laboratoire de Radiobiologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine Lyon Sud, CNRS UMR 5822 IP2I, 165 Chemin du Grand Revoyet, BP 12, 69921, Oullins Cedex, France
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69229, Lyon, France
| | - Nicolas Magné
- Laboratoire de Radiobiologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine Lyon Sud, CNRS UMR 5822 IP2I, 165 Chemin du Grand Revoyet, BP 12, 69921, Oullins Cedex, France
- Département de Radiothérapie, Institut de Cancérologie de La Loire, Lucien Neuwirth, 42270, St Priest en Jarez, France
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25
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Tian Z, Liang G, Cui K, Liang Y, Wang Q, Lv S, Cheng X, Zhang L. Insight Into the Prospects for RNAi Therapy of Cancer. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:644718. [PMID: 33796026 PMCID: PMC8007863 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.644718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi), also known as gene silencing, is a biological process that prevents gene expression in certain diseases such as cancer. It can be used to improve the accuracy, efficiency, and stability of treatments, particularly genetic therapies. However, challenges such as delivery of oligonucleotide drug to less accessible parts of the body and the high incidence of toxic side effects are encountered. It is therefore imperative to improve their delivery to target sites and reduce their harmful effects on noncancerous cells to harness their full potential. In this study, the role of RNAi in the treatment of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus disease plaguing many countries, has been discussed. This review aims to ascertain the mechanism and application of RNAi and explore the current challenges of RNAi therapy by identifying some of the cancer delivery systems and providing drug information for their improvement. It is worth mentioning that delivery systems such as lipid-based delivery systems and exosomes have revolutionized RNAi therapy by reducing their immunogenicity and improving their cellular affinity. A deeper understanding of the mechanism and challenges associated with RNAi in cancer therapy can provide new insights into RNAi drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhili Tian
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Henan University, Kaifeng, China.,School of Clinical Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Guohui Liang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Henan University, Kaifeng, China.,School of Clinical Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Kunli Cui
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Yayu Liang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Henan University, Kaifeng, China.,School of Stomatology, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Qun Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Shuangyu Lv
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Xiaoxia Cheng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
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26
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Gamboa-Cedeño AM, Díaz M, Cristaldo N, Otero V, Schutz N, Fantl D, Cugliari S, Zerga M, Rojas-Bilbao E, Jauk F, García Rivello H, Nuñez M, Ranuncolo SM. Apoptotic regulator BCL-2 blockade as a potential therapy in classical Hodgkin Lymphoma. Life Sci 2021; 268:118979. [PMID: 33421528 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.118979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The challenge in classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (cHL) management is the 30-40% of refractory/relapsed cases. AIMS The aim of this work was to determine whether NIK and BCL-2 could be useful as prognosis biomarkers in cHL. In addition, we evaluated BCL-2 as a directed-therapy in cHL cell lines using venetoclax. MAIN METHODS We evaluated NIK and BCL-2 expression in 112 untreated cHL patients' lymph-node biopsies by immunohistochemistry. cHL cell lines were treated with venetoclax alone or combined with vincristine or doxorubicin. Cell viability, metabolic activity and cell death were analyzed by trypan-blue exclusion method, MTS assay and FDA/IP staining respectively. KEY FINDINGS No correlation between NIK or BCL-2 expression and the majority of the clinical parameters was found. Patients with ≥60% BCL-2+ HRS-cells had a shorter disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) (p = 0.002, p = 0.02 respectively). A decision tree analysis, in a 30 patients subgroup, showed that patients with <60% NIK+ HRS-cells but with ≥60% BCL-2+ HRS-cells had a worse outcome in terms of DFS and OS. These parameters performed better as prognosis indicators as compared to the diagnosis bone marrow status. Human cHL cell lines U-H01, KM-H2, L1236, SUPHD1, L540 showed sensitivity to venetoclax. The co-treatment effect of venetoclax and vincristine or doxorubicin on cell viability was diverse depending on the cell line evaluated. SIGNIFICANCE BCL-2 should be considered as a prognosis biomarker as well as a potential new therapeutic target in cHL. We report for the first time the cytotoxic effect of venetoclax in human cHL cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mariángeles Díaz
- Research Area, Institute of Oncology "A.H. Roffo", School of Medicine (FMED), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina; National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Argentina
| | - Nancy Cristaldo
- Hematology, Italian Hospital of Buenos Aires (HIBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Victoria Otero
- Hematology, Italian Hospital of Buenos Aires (HIBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Natalia Schutz
- Hematology, Italian Hospital of Buenos Aires (HIBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Dorotea Fantl
- Hematology, Italian Hospital of Buenos Aires (HIBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Silvana Cugliari
- Hematology, Institute of Oncology "A.H. Roffo", School of Medicine (FMED), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marta Zerga
- Hematology, Institute of Oncology "A.H. Roffo", School of Medicine (FMED), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Erica Rojas-Bilbao
- Pathology, Institute of Oncology "A.H. Roffo", School of Medicine (FMED), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Federico Jauk
- Sequencing Laboratory, Italian Hospital of Buenos Aires (HIBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Myriam Nuñez
- School of Pharmacy and Biochemistry (FFyB), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Stella Maris Ranuncolo
- Traslational Medicine and Biomedical Engineering Institute (IMTIB), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Research Area, Institute of Oncology "A.H. Roffo", School of Medicine (FMED), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina; National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Argentina.
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27
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AhR and Cancer: From Gene Profiling to Targeted Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22020752. [PMID: 33451095 PMCID: PMC7828536 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that has been shown to be an essential regulator of a broad spectrum of biological activities required for maintaining the body’s vital functions. AhR also plays a critical role in tumorigenesis. Its role in cancer is complex, encompassing both pro- and anti-tumorigenic activities. Its level of expression and activity are specific to each tumor and patient, increasing the difficulty of understanding the activating or inhibiting roles of AhR ligands. We explored the role of AhR in tumor cell lines and patients using genomic data sets and discuss the extent to which AhR can be considered as a therapeutic target.
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28
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Cheratta AR, Thayyullathil F, Pallichankandy S, Subburayan K, Alakkal A, Galadari S. Prostate apoptosis response-4 and tumor suppression: it's not just about apoptosis anymore. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:47. [PMID: 33414404 PMCID: PMC7790818 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-03292-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The tumor suppressor prostate apoptosis response-4 (Par-4) has recently turned ‘twenty-five’. Beyond its indisputable role as an apoptosis inducer, an increasing and sometimes bewildering, new roles for Par-4 are being reported. These roles include its ability to regulate autophagy, senescence, and metastasis. This growing range of responses to Par-4 is reflected by our increasing understanding of the various mechanisms through which Par-4 can function. In this review, we summarize the existing knowledge on Par-4 tumor suppressive mechanisms, and discuss how the interaction of Par-4 with different regulators influence cell fate. This review also highlights the new secretory pathway that has emerged and the likely discussion on its clinical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anees Rahman Cheratta
- Cell Death Signaling Laboratory, Division of Science, Experimental Research Building, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Saadiyat Island Campus, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Faisal Thayyullathil
- Cell Death Signaling Laboratory, Division of Science, Experimental Research Building, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Saadiyat Island Campus, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Siraj Pallichankandy
- Cell Death Signaling Laboratory, Division of Science, Experimental Research Building, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Saadiyat Island Campus, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Karthikeyan Subburayan
- Cell Death Signaling Laboratory, Division of Science, Experimental Research Building, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Saadiyat Island Campus, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Ameer Alakkal
- Cell Death Signaling Laboratory, Division of Science, Experimental Research Building, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Saadiyat Island Campus, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Sehamuddin Galadari
- Cell Death Signaling Laboratory, Division of Science, Experimental Research Building, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Saadiyat Island Campus, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
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29
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Yu Q, Sun Y. Targeting Protein Neddylation to Inactivate Cullin-RING Ligases by Gossypol: A Lucky Hit or a New Start? DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY 2021; 15:1-8. [PMID: 33442232 PMCID: PMC7797302 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s286373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Cullin-RING E3 ligases (CRLs) are the largest family of E3 ubiquitin ligases, responsible for about 20% of the protein degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). Given their vital roles in multiple cellular processes, and over-activation in many human cancers, CRLs are validated as promising targets for anti-cancer therapies. Activation of CRLs requires cullin neddylation, a process catalysed by three neddylation enzymes. Recently, our group established an AlphaScreen-based in vitro cullin neddylation assay and employed it for high-throughput screening to search for small-molecule inhibitors targeting cullin neddylation. During our pilot screen, gossypol, a natural product extracted from cottonseeds, was identified as one of the most potent neddylation inhibitors of cullin-1 and cullin-5. We further demonstrated that gossypol blocks cullin neddylation by binding to cullin-1/-5 to inactivate CRL1/5 ligase activity, leading to accumulation of MCL-1 and NOXA, the substrates of CRL1 and CRL5, respectively. The combination of gossypol and an MCL-1 inhibitor synergistically enhanced the anti-proliferative effect in multiple human cancer cell lines. Our study unveiled a rational combination of two previously known inhibitors of the Bcl-2 family for enhanced anti-cancer efficacy and identified a novel activity of gossypol as an inhibitor of CRL1 and CRL5 E3s, thus providing a new possibility in the development of novel CRL inhibitors for anti-cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Yu
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Science, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Head & Neck Cancer Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.,Cancer Institute of the Second Affiliated Hospital and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Sun
- Cancer Institute of the Second Affiliated Hospital and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
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30
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Mohamad Anuar NN, Nor Hisam NS, Liew SL, Ugusman A. Clinical Review: Navitoclax as a Pro-Apoptotic and Anti-Fibrotic Agent. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:564108. [PMID: 33381025 PMCID: PMC7768911 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.564108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) family proteins primarily work as a programmed cell death regulator, whereby multiple interactions between them determine cell survival. This explains the two major classes of BCL-2 proteins which are anti-apoptotic and pro-apoptotic proteins. The anti-apoptotic proteins are attractive targets for BCL-2 family inhibitors, which result in the augmentation of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. BCL-2 family inhibitors have been studied extensively for novel targeted therapies in various cancer types, fibrotic diseases, aging-related as well as autoimmune diseases. Navitoclax is one of them and it has been discovered to have a high affinity toward BCL-2 anti-apoptotic proteins, including BCL-2, BCL-W and B-cell lymphoma-extra-large. Navitoclax has been demonstrated as a single agent or in combination with other drugs to successfully ameliorate tumor progression and fibrosis development. To date, navitoclax has entered phase I and phase II clinical studies. Navitoclax alone potently treats small cell lung cancer and acute lymphocytic leukemia, whilst in combination therapy for solid tumors, it enhances the therapeutic effect of other chemotherapeutic agents. A low platelet count has always associated with single navitoclax treatments, though this effect is tolerable. Moreover, the efficacy of navitoclax is determined by the expression of several BCL-2 family members. Here, we elucidate the complex mechanisms of navitoclax as a pro-apoptotic agent, and review the early and current clinical studies of navitoclax alone as well as with other drugs. Additionally, some suggestions on the development of navitoclax clinical studies are presented in the future prospects section.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nur Najmi Mohamad Anuar
- Programme of Biomedical Science, Centre for Toxicology & Health Risk Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nur Syahidah Nor Hisam
- Programme of Biomedical Science, Centre for Toxicology & Health Risk Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sze Ling Liew
- Programme of Biomedical Science, Centre for Toxicology & Health Risk Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Azizah Ugusman
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Cheras, Malaysia
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31
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Opydo-Chanek M, Cichoń I, Rak A, Kołaczkowska E, Mazur L. The pan-Bcl-2 inhibitor obatoclax promotes differentiation and apoptosis of acute myeloid leukemia cells. Invest New Drugs 2020; 38:1664-1676. [PMID: 32367199 PMCID: PMC7575496 DOI: 10.1007/s10637-020-00931-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
One of the key features of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the arrest of differentiation at the early progenitor stage of myelopoiesis. Therefore, the identification of new agents that could overcome this differentiation block and force leukemic cells to enter the apoptotic pathway is essential for the development of new treatment strategies in AML. Regarding this, herein we report the pro-differentiation activity of the pan-Bcl-2 inhibitor, obatoclax. Obatoclax promoted differentiation of human AML HL-60 cells and triggered their apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Importantly, obatoclax-induced apoptosis was associated with leukemic cell differentiation. Moreover, decreased expression of Bcl-2 protein was observed in obatoclax-treated HL-60 cells. Furthermore, differentiation of these cells was accompanied by the loss of their proliferative capacity, as shown by G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. Taken together, these findings indicate that the anti-AML effects of obatoclax involve not only the induction of apoptosis but also differentiation of leukemic cells. Therefore, obatoclax represents a promising treatment for AML that warrants further exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Opydo-Chanek
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Iwona Cichoń
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Kraków, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Rak
- Department of Physiology and Toxicology of Reproduction, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Kraków, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Kołaczkowska
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Kraków, Poland
| | - Lidia Mazur
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Kraków, Poland
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32
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Obatoclax, a Pan-BCL-2 Inhibitor, Downregulates Survivin to Induce Apoptosis in Human Colorectal Carcinoma Cells Via Suppressing WNT/β-catenin Signaling. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21051773. [PMID: 32150830 PMCID: PMC7084590 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21051773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a highly prevailing cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Aberrant expression of antiapoptotic BCL-2 family proteins is closely linked to neoplastic progression and chemoresistance. Obatoclax is a clinically developed drug, which binds antiapoptotic BCL-2, BCL-xL, and MCL-1 for inhibition to elicit apoptosis. Survivin is an antiapoptotic protein, whose upregulation correlates with pathogenesis, therapeutic resistance, and poor prognosis in CRC. Herein, we provide the first evidence delineating the functional linkage between Obatoclax and survivin in the context of human CRC cells. In detail, Obatoclax was found to markedly downregulate survivin. This downregulation was mainly achieved via transcriptional repression, as Obatoclax lowered the levels of both survivin mRNA and promoter activity, while blocking proteasomal degradation failed to prevent survivin from downregulation by Obatoclax. Notably, ectopic survivin expression curtailed Obatoclax-induced apoptosis and cytotoxicity, confirming an essential role of survivin downregulation in Obatoclax-elicited anti-CRC effect. Moreover, Obatoclax was found to repress hyperactive WNT/β-catenin signaling activity commonly present in human CRC cells, and, markedly, ectopic expression of dominant-active β-catenin mutant rescued the levels of survivin along with elevated cell viability. We further revealed that, depending on the cell context, Obatoclax suppresses WNT/β-catenin signaling in HCT 116 cells likely via inducing β-catenin destabilization, or by downregulating LEF1 in DLD-1 cells. Collectively, we for the first time define survivin downregulation as a novel, pro-apoptotic mechanism of Obatoclax as a consequence of Obatocalx acting as an antagonist to WNT/β-catenin signaling.
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