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Suzuki S, Liu J, Sato Y, Miyake R, Suzuki S, Okitsu Y, Fukuda T, Isaji T, Gu J, Takahashi S. Fucosylation inhibitor 6-alkynylfucose enhances the ATRA-induced differentiation effect on acute promyelocytic leukemia cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 710:149541. [PMID: 38608490 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.149541] [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: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
For acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), differentiation therapy with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is well established. However, the narrow application and tolerance development of ATRA remain to be improved. In this study, we investigated the effects of combinations of glycosylation inhibitors with ATRA to achieve better efficiency than ATRA alone. We found that the combination of fucosylation inhibitor 6-alkynylfucose (6AF) and ATRA had an additional effect on cell differentiation, as revealed by expression changes in two differentiation markers, CD11b and CD11c, and significant morphological changes in NB4 APL and HL-60 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. In AAL lectin blot analyses, ATRA or 6AF alone could decrease fucosylation, while their combination decreased fucosylation more efficiently. To clarify the molecular mechanism for the 6AF effect on ATRA-induced differentiation, we performed microarray analyses using NB4 cells. In a pathway analysis using DAVID software, we found that the C-type lectin receptor (CLR) signaling pathway was enriched with high significance. In real-time PCR analyses using NB4 and HL-60 cells, FcεRIγ, CLEC6A, CLEC7A, CASP1, IL-1β, and EGR3, as components of the CLR pathway, as well as CD45 and AKT3 were upregulated by 6AF in ATRA-induced differentiation. Taken together, the present findings suggest that the CLR signaling pathway is involved in the 6AF effect on ATRA-induced differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susumu Suzuki
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 1-15-1 Fukumuro, Miyagino-ku, Sendai, 983-8536, Japan; Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University Hospital, 1-12-1 Fukumuro, Miyagino-ku, Sendai, 983-8512, Japan
| | - Jianwei Liu
- Division of Regulatory Glycobiology, Institute of Molecular Biomembrane and Glycobiology, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 4-4-1 Komatsushima, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 981-8558, Japan
| | - Yuri Sato
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University Hospital, 1-12-1 Fukumuro, Miyagino-ku, Sendai, 983-8512, Japan
| | - Rikuto Miyake
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 1-15-1 Fukumuro, Miyagino-ku, Sendai, 983-8536, Japan
| | - Souma Suzuki
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 1-15-1 Fukumuro, Miyagino-ku, Sendai, 983-8536, Japan
| | - Yoko Okitsu
- Division of Rheumatology and Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 1-15-1 Fukumuro, Miyagino-ku, Sendai, 983-8536, Japan
| | - Tomohiko Fukuda
- Division of Regulatory Glycobiology, Institute of Molecular Biomembrane and Glycobiology, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 4-4-1 Komatsushima, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 981-8558, Japan
| | - Tomoya Isaji
- Division of Regulatory Glycobiology, Institute of Molecular Biomembrane and Glycobiology, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 4-4-1 Komatsushima, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 981-8558, Japan
| | - Jianguo Gu
- Division of Regulatory Glycobiology, Institute of Molecular Biomembrane and Glycobiology, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 4-4-1 Komatsushima, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 981-8558, Japan.
| | - Shinichiro Takahashi
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 1-15-1 Fukumuro, Miyagino-ku, Sendai, 983-8536, Japan; Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University Hospital, 1-12-1 Fukumuro, Miyagino-ku, Sendai, 983-8512, Japan.
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Zhu B, Yang C, Liu D, Zhi Q, Hua ZC. Zinc depletion induces JNK/p38 phosphorylation and suppresses Akt/mTOR expression in acute promyelocytic NB4 cells. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2023; 79:127264. [PMID: 37473591 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2023.127264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Myeloid leukemia is associated with reduced serum zinc and increased intracellular zinc. Our previous studies found that zinc depletion by TPEN induced apoptosis with PML-RARα oncoprotein degradation in acute promyelocytic NB4 cells. The effect of zinc homeostasis on intracellular signaling pathways in myeloid leukemia cells remains unclear. OBJECTIVE This study examined how zinc homeostasis affected MAPK and Akt/mTOR pathways in NB4 cells. METHODS We used western blotting to detect the activation of p38 MAPK, JNK, ERK1/2, and Akt/mTOR pathways in NB4 cells stimulated with the zinc chelator TPEN. Whether the effects of TPEN on these pathways could be reversed by zinc or the nitric oxide donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) was further explored by western blotting. We used Zinpyr-1 staining to assess the role of SNP on labile zinc levels in NB4 cells treated with TPEN. In additional, we evaluated expressional correlations between the zinc-binding protein Metallothionein-2A (MT2A) and genes related to MAPKs and Akt/mTOR pathways in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) based on the TCGA database. RESULTS Zinc depletion by TPEN activated p38 and JNK phosphorylation in NB4 cells, whereas ERK1/2 phosphorylation was increased first and then decreased. The protein expression levels of Akt and mTOR were downregulated by TPEN. The nitric oxide donor SNP promotes zinc release in NB4 cells under zinc depletion conditions. We further found that the effects of zinc depletion on MAPK and Akt/mTOR pathways in NB4 cells can be reversed by exogenous zinc supplementation or treatment with the nitric oxide donor SNP. By bioinformatics analyses based on the TCGA database, we demonstrated that MT2A expression was negatively correlated with the expression of JNK, and was positively correlated with the expression of ERK1 and Akt in AML. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that zinc plays a critical role in leukemia cells and help understanding how zinc depletion induces apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zhu
- School of Biopharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, PR China.
| | - Chunhao Yang
- School of Biopharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, PR China
| | - Dekang Liu
- School of Medicine, and Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Qi Zhi
- School of Medicine, and Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Zi-Chun Hua
- School of Biopharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China.
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3
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Dadashi M, Pourbagheri-Sigaroodi A, Anjam-Najmedini A, Bashash D. Synergistic Effects of PI3K Inhibition on Arsenic Trioxide Cytotoxicity in Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia Cells: A New Portrait of Idelalisib as an Adjuvant Therapy. Indian J Hematol Blood Transfus 2023; 39:208-219. [PMID: 37006983 PMCID: PMC10064366 DOI: 10.1007/s12288-022-01573-7] [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: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The advent of small-molecule inhibitors targeting the components of oncogenic signaling pathways has revolutionized cancer treatment, where the pharmacological approaches have gone from an era of non-specific chemotherapeutic drugs to the golden age of targeted therapies. In the present study, we evaluated the therapeutic value of an isoform-specific inhibitor of PI3K (Idelalisib) in potentiating the anti-leukemic effects of arsenic trioxide (ATO), an eminent drug used in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). We found that the abrogation of the PI3K axis profoundly reinforced the anti-leukemic effects of the lower concentrations of ATO, as revealed by the superior reduction in the viability, cell number, and metabolic activity of APL-derived NB4 cells as compared to either agent alone. The cytotoxic effect of Idelalisib in combination with ATO was probably mediated through suppression of c-Myc that was coupled with the elevation in the intracellular level of reactive oxygen species and induction of caspase-3-dependent apoptosis. Notably, our results showed that the suppression of autophagy reinforced the ability of the drugs in eradicating the leukemic cells, suggesting that the compensatory activation of this system may probably overshadow the success of Idelalisib-plus-ATO in APL cells. All in all and given the significant efficacy of Idelalisib against NB4 cells, we proposed the application of this PI3K inhibitor as a foreseeable approach with a safe profile in the treatment of APL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Dadashi
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Atieh Pourbagheri-Sigaroodi
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Anjam-Najmedini
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Davood Bashash
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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4
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Tauzin S, Chaigne-Delalande B, Selva E, Khadra N, Daburon S, Contin-Bordes C, Blanco P, Seyec JL, Ducret T, Counillon L, Moreau JF, Hofman P, Vacher P, Legembre P. Correction: The Naturally Processed CD95L Elicits a c-Yes/Calcium/PI3K-Driven Cell Migration Pathway. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002027. [PMID: 36821824 PMCID: PMC9949890 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1001090.].
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Vanhaesebroeck B, Perry MWD, Brown JR, André F, Okkenhaug K. PI3K inhibitors are finally coming of age. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2021; 20:741-769. [PMID: 34127844 PMCID: PMC9297732 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-021-00209-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 65.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Overactive phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) in cancer and immune dysregulation has spurred extensive efforts to develop therapeutic PI3K inhibitors. Although progress has been hampered by issues such as poor drug tolerance and drug resistance, several PI3K inhibitors have now received regulatory approval - the PI3Kα isoform-selective inhibitor alpelisib for the treatment of breast cancer and inhibitors mainly aimed at the leukocyte-enriched PI3Kδ in B cell malignancies. In addition to targeting cancer cell-intrinsic PI3K activity, emerging evidence highlights the potential of PI3K inhibitors in cancer immunotherapy. This Review summarizes key discoveries that aid the clinical translation of PI3Kα and PI3Kδ inhibitors, highlighting lessons learnt and future opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew W D Perry
- Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Respiratory & Immunology BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jennifer R Brown
- CLL Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Fabrice André
- Institut Gustave Roussy, INSERM U981, Université Paris Saclay, Paris, France
| | - Klaus Okkenhaug
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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6
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Zhu J, Ke K, Xu L, Jin J. Discovery of a novel phosphoinositide 3-kinase gamma (PI3Kγ) inhibitor against hematologic malignancies and theoretical studies on its PI3Kγ-specific binding mechanisms. RSC Adv 2019; 9:20207-20215. [PMID: 35546906 PMCID: PMC9087882 DOI: 10.1039/c9ra02649e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Class IB phosphoinositide 3-kinase gamma (PI3Kγ) is vital for regulating intracellular signaling pathways and has become an attractive drug target for the treatment of malignant tumors. In the present study, one potent PI3Kγ inhibitor (JN-PK1) with a novel scaffold against hematologic malignancies was identified based on a series of biological experiments, and then the selective mechanism of PI3Kγ inhibition was explored by a systematic computational method. JN-PK1 shows an effective antiproliferative activity on several cancer cell lines, especially blood cancer cells. Cell-free enzymatic studies demonstrated that JN-PK1 specifically inhibits PI3Kγ at low micromolar concentrations without affecting other isoforms of PI3K. In the cellular context, JN-PK1 potently inhibits PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, which leads to the apoptosis of cancer cells. Further, the specific binding mode of JN-PK1 with PI3Kγ was illustrated by molecular docking, and the selective inhibition mechanism of PI3Kγ by JN-PK1 was revealed by molecular dynamics simulation. Finally, some key residues of PI3Kγ required for specificity and activity were identified. Taken together, JN-PK1 may be developed as a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of hematologic malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyu Zhu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jiangnan University Wuxi Jiangsu 214122 China
| | - Ke Ke
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jiangnan University Wuxi Jiangsu 214122 China
| | - Lei Xu
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering, School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Jiangsu University of Technology Changzhou 213001 China
| | - Jian Jin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jiangnan University Wuxi Jiangsu 214122 China
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7
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O’Brien S, Patel M, Kahl BS, Horwitz SM, Foss FM, Porcu P, Jones J, Burger J, Jain N, Allen K, Faia K, Douglas M, Stern HM, Sweeney J, Kelly P, Kelly V, Flinn I. Duvelisib, an oral dual PI3K-δ,γ inhibitor, shows clinical and pharmacodynamic activity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and small lymphocytic lymphoma in a phase 1 study. Am J Hematol 2018; 93:1318-1326. [PMID: 30094870 PMCID: PMC8260004 DOI: 10.1002/ajh.25243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Revised: 07/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Duvelisib (IPI-145), an oral, dual inhibitor of phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)-δ and -γ, was evaluated in a Phase 1 study in advanced hematologic malignancies, which included expansion cohorts in relapsed/refractory (RR) chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) and treatment-naïve (TN) CLL. Per protocol, TN patients were at least 65 years old or had a del(17p)/TP53 mutation. Duvelisib was administered twice daily (BID) in 28-day cycles at doses of 8-75 mg in RR patients (n = 55) and 25 mg in TN patients (n = 18.) Diarrhea was the most common nonhematologic AE (TN 78%, RR 47%); transaminase elevations the most frequent lab-abnormality AE (TN 33.3%, RR 30.9%); and neutropenia the most common ≥grade 3 AE (RR 44%, TN 33%). The overall response rates were 56.4% for RR patients (1.8% CR, 54.5% PR) and 83.3% for TN patients (all PRs); median response duration was 21.0 months in RR patients but was not reached for TN patients. Based upon phase 1 efficacy, pharmacodynamics, and safety, duvelisib 25 mg BID was selected for further investigation in a phase 3 study in RR CLL/SLL.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Pierluigi Porcu
- The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Jeffrey Jones
- The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Jan Burger
- MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Nitin Jain
- MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Kerstin Allen
- Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Kerrie Faia
- Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Mark Douglas
- Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | | | | | - Patrick Kelly
- Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Virginia Kelly
- Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Ian Flinn
- Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, Tennessee
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8
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Low Autophagy (ATG) Gene Expression Is Associated with an Immature AML Blast Cell Phenotype and Can Be Restored during AML Differentiation Therapy. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2018; 2018:1482795. [PMID: 29743969 PMCID: PMC5878891 DOI: 10.1155/2018/1482795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Revised: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 12/31/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy is an intracellular degradation system that ensures a dynamic recycling of a variety of building blocks required for self-renewal, homeostasis, and cell survival under stress. We used primary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) samples and human AML cell lines to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of autophagy and its role in AML differentiation. We found a significantly lower expression of key autophagy- (ATG-) related genes in primary AML as compared to healthy granulocytes, an increased autophagic activity during all-trans retinoic acid- (ATRA-) induced neutrophil differentiation, and an impaired AML differentiation upon inhibition of ATG3, ATG4D, and ATG5. Supporting the notion of noncanonical autophagy, we found that ATRA-induced autophagy was Beclin1-independent compared to starvation- or arsenic trioxide- (ATO-) induced autophagy. Furthermore, we identified PU.1 as positive transcriptional regulator of ATG3, ATG4D, and ATG5. Low PU.1 expression in AML may account for low ATG gene expression in this disease. Low expression of the autophagy initiator ULK1 in AML can partially be attributed to high expression of the ULK1-targeting microRNA-106a. Our data clearly suggest that granulocytic AML differentiation relies on noncanonical autophagy pathways and that restoring autophagic activity might be beneficial in differentiation therapies.
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Liu B, Liu Y, Zhao L, Pan Y, Shan Y, Li Y, Jia L. Upregulation of microRNA-135b and microRNA-182 promotes chemoresistance of colorectal cancer by targeting ST6GALNAC2 via PI3K/AKT pathway. Mol Carcinog 2017; 56:2669-2680. [PMID: 28767179 DOI: 10.1002/mc.22710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Revised: 07/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are increasingly involved in the development of drug resistance, including 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) resistance in colorectal cancer (CRC). Aberrant sialylation is correlated with human CRC. The study was to explore whether miR-135b and miR-182 modulated 5-FU chemoresistance of CRC by targeting ST6GALNAC2 via PI3K/AKT pathway. MiR-135b and miR-182 were found to be up-regulated in CRC tissues and 5-FU resistant CRC cell lines. Forced miR-135b and miR-182 expression also affected ST6GALNAC2 levels. Using reporter-gene assay, ST6GALNAC2 was identified as direct target of miR-135b and miR-182, while ST6GALNAC2 expression exhibited patterns opposite to that of miR-135b and miR-182 in CRC samples and cell lines. Interestingly, up-regulation of miR-135b or miR-182 increased drug resistance and proliferation, but decreased apoptosis in 5-FU resistant CRC cell lines. Suppression of these miRNAs implicated an inverse function, while altered expression of ST6GALNAC2 mediated CRC progression upon transfection with miR-135b/-182 mimic or inhibitor. Furthermore, miR-135b and miR-182 were clarified to regulate the activity of phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway. Inhibition of the PI3K/AKT pathway enhanced the chemosensitivity to 5-FU in HCT-8/5-FU and LoVo/5-FU. Taken together, miR-135b and miR-182 may reverse the resistance to 5-FU in CRC cells by targeting ST6GALNAC2 via PI3K/AKT pathway, which render potential chemotherapy targets for the treatment of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Liu
- College of Laboratory Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yanfeng Liu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Lifen Zhao
- College of Laboratory Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yue Pan
- College of Laboratory Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yujia Shan
- College of Laboratory Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yang Li
- College of Laboratory Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Li Jia
- College of Laboratory Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
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Ricciardi MR, Mirabilii S, Licchetta R, Piedimonte M, Tafuri A. Targeting the Akt, GSK-3, Bcl-2 axis in acute myeloid leukemia. Adv Biol Regul 2017; 65:36-58. [PMID: 28549531 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbior.2017.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2017] [Revised: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Over the last few decades, there has been significant progress in the understanding of the pathogenetic mechanisms of the Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). However, despite important advances in elucidating molecular mechanisms, the treatment of AML has not improved significantly, remaining anchored at the standard chemotherapy regimen "3 + 7", with the prognosis of patients remaining severe, especially for the elderly and for those not eligible for transplant procedures. The biological and clinical heterogeneity of AML represents the major obstacle that hinders the improvement of prognosis and the identification of new effective therapeutic approaches. To date, abundant information has been collected on the genetic and molecular alterations of AML carrying prognostic significance. However, not enough is known on how AML progenitors regulate proliferation and survival by redundant and cross-talking signal transduction pathways (STP). Furthermore, it remains unclear how such complicated network affects prognosis and therapeutic treatment options, although many of these molecular determinants are potentially attractive for their druggable characteristics. In this review, some of the key STP frequently deregulated in AML, such as PI3k/Akt/mTOR pathway, GSK3 and components of Bcl-2 family of proteins, are summarized, highlighting in addition their interplay. Based on this information, we reviewed new targeted therapeutic approaches, focusing on the aberrant networks that sustain the AML blast proliferation, survival and drug resistance, aiming to improve disease treatment. Finally, we reported the approaches aimed at disrupting key signaling cross-talk overcoming resistances based on the combination of different targeting therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Rosaria Ricciardi
- Hematology, "Sant'Andrea" Hospital-Sapienza, University of Rome, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Rome, Italy
| | - Simone Mirabilii
- Hematology, "Sant'Andrea" Hospital-Sapienza, University of Rome, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Rome, Italy.
| | - Roberto Licchetta
- Hematology, "Sant'Andrea" Hospital-Sapienza, University of Rome, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Rome, Italy
| | - Monica Piedimonte
- Hematology, "Sant'Andrea" Hospital-Sapienza, University of Rome, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Rome, Italy
| | - Agostino Tafuri
- Hematology, "Sant'Andrea" Hospital-Sapienza, University of Rome, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Rome, Italy
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11
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Transcription factor C/EBP-β induces tumor-suppressor phosphatase PHLPP2 through repression of the miR-17-92 cluster in differentiating AML cells. Cell Death Differ 2016; 23:1232-42. [PMID: 26868909 DOI: 10.1038/cdd.2016.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Revised: 11/22/2015] [Accepted: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
PHLPP2, a member of the PH-domain leucine-rich repeat protein phosphatase (PHLPP) family, which targets oncogenic kinases, has been actively investigated as a tumor suppressor in solid tumors. Little is known, however, regarding its regulation in hematological malignancies. We observed that PHLPP2 protein expression, but not its mRNA, was suppressed in late differentiation stage acute myeloid leukemia (AML) subtypes. MicroRNAs (miR or miRNAs) from the miR-17-92 cluster, oncomir-1, were shown to inhibit PHLPP2 expression and these miRNAs were highly expressed in AML cells that lacked PHLPP2 protein. Studies showed that miR-17-92 cluster regulation was, surprisingly, independent of transcription factors c-MYC and E2F in these cells; instead all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA), a drug used for terminally differentiating AML subtypes, markedly suppressed miR-17-92 expression and increased PHLPP2 protein levels and phosphatase activity. Finally, we demonstrate that the effect of ATRA on miR-17-92 expression is mediated through its target, transcription factor C/EBPβ, which interacts with the intronic promoter of the miR-17-92 gene to inhibit transactivation of the cluster. These studies reveal a novel mechanism for upregulation of the phosphatase activity of PHLPP2 through C/EBPβ-mediated repression of the miR-17-92 cluster in terminally differentiating myeloid cells.
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12
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Wang R, Xia L, Gabrilove J, Waxman S, Jing Y. Sorafenib Inhibition of Mcl-1 Accelerates ATRA-Induced Apoptosis in Differentiation-Responsive AML Cells. Clin Cancer Res 2015; 22:1211-21. [PMID: 26459180 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-15-0663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2015] [Accepted: 10/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE All trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) is successful in treating acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) by inducing terminal differentiation-mediated cell death, but it has limited activity in non-APL acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We aim to improve ATRA therapy of AML by enhancing apoptosis through repression of the antiapoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Mcl-1. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN APL and AML cell lines, as well as primary AML samples, were used to explore the mechanisms regulating differentiation and apoptosis during ATRA treatment. Stable transfection and gene silencing with siRNA were used to identify the key factors that inhibit apoptosis during induction of differentiation and drugs that accelerate apoptosis. RESULTS In differentiation-responsive AML cells, ATRA treatment induces long-lasting repression of Bcl-2 while first upmodulating and then reducing the Mcl-1 level. The Mcl-1 level appears to serve as a gatekeeper between differentiation and apoptosis. During differentiation induction, activation of MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt pathways by ATRA leads to activation of p90RSK and inactivation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), which increase Mcl-1 levels by increasing its translation and stability. Sorafenib blocks ATRA-induced Mcl-1 increase by reversing p90RSK activation and GSK3β inactivation, maintains the repressed Bcl-2 level, and enhances ATRA induced apoptosis in non-APL AML cell lines and in primary AML cells. CONCLUSIONS Inhibition of Mcl-1 is required for apoptosis induction in ATRA differentiation-responsive AML cells. ATRA and sorafenib can be developed as a novel drug combination therapy for AML patients because this drug combination augments apoptosis by inhibiting Bcl-2 and Mcl-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Wang
- The Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Lijuan Xia
- The Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Janice Gabrilove
- The Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Samuel Waxman
- The Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Yongkui Jing
- The Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
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13
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Discovery of selective phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors to treat hematological malignancies. Drug Discov Today 2015; 20:988-94. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2015.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2014] [Revised: 02/22/2015] [Accepted: 03/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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14
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Tang J, Zhu J, Yu Y, Zhang Z, Chen G, Zhou X, Qiao C, Hou T, Mao X. A virtual screen identified C96 as a novel inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase that displays potent preclinical activity against multiple myeloma in vitro and in vivo. Oncotarget 2015; 5:3836-48. [PMID: 25003534 PMCID: PMC4116524 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.1657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathway is emerging as a promising therapeutic target for multiple myeloma (MM). In the present study, we performed a virtual screen against 800,000 of small molecule compounds by targeting PI3Kγ. C96, one of such compounds, inhibited PI3K activated by insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), but did not suppress IGF-1R activation. The cell-free assay revealed that C96 preferred to inhibit PI3Kα and δ, but was not active against AKT1, 2, 3 or mTOR. C96 inhibited PI3K activation in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Consistent with its inhibition on PI3K/AKT, C96 downregulated the activation of mTOR, p70S6K, 4E-BP1, but did not suppress other kinases such as ERK and c-Src. Inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by C96 led to MM cell apoptosis which was demonstrated by Annexin V staining and activation of the pro-apoptotic signals. Furthermore, C96 displayed potent anti-myeloma activity in a MM xenograft model in nude mice. Oral administration of 100 mg/kg bodyweight almost fully suppressed tumor growth within 16 days, but without gross toxicity. Importantly, AKT activation was suppressed in tumor tissues from C96-treated mice, which was consistent with delayed tumor growth. Thus, we identified a novel PI3K inhibitor with a great potential for MM therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Tang
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China;Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Xinliang Mao
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China; Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, Suzhou, China;Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Suzhou, China
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15
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Sopko R, Lin YB, Makhijani K, Alexander B, Perrimon N, Brückner K. A systems-level interrogation identifies regulators of Drosophila blood cell number and survival. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005056. [PMID: 25749252 PMCID: PMC4352040 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2014] [Accepted: 02/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In multicellular organisms, cell number is typically determined by a balance of intracellular signals that positively and negatively regulate cell survival and proliferation. Dissecting these signaling networks facilitates the understanding of normal development and tumorigenesis. Here, we study signaling by the Drosophila PDGF/VEGF Receptor (Pvr) in embryonic blood cells (hemocytes) and in the related cell line Kc as a model for the requirement of PDGF/VEGF receptors in vertebrate cell survival and proliferation. The system allows the investigation of downstream and parallel signaling networks, based on the ability of Pvr to activate Ras/Erk, Akt/TOR, and yet-uncharacterized signaling pathway/s, which redundantly mediate cell survival and contribute to proliferation. Using Kc cells, we performed a genome wide RNAi screen for regulators of cell number in a sensitized, Pvr deficient background. We identified the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) Insulin-like receptor (InR) as a major Pvr Enhancer, and the nuclear hormone receptors Ecdysone receptor (EcR) and ultraspiracle (usp), corresponding to mammalian Retinoid X Receptor (RXR), as Pvr Suppressors. In vivo analysis in the Drosophila embryo revealed a previously unrecognized role for EcR to promote apoptotic death of embryonic blood cells, which is balanced with pro-survival signaling by Pvr and InR. Phosphoproteomic analysis demonstrates distinct modes of cell number regulation by EcR and RTK signaling. We define common phosphorylation targets of Pvr and InR that include regulators of cell survival, and unique targets responsible for specialized receptor functions. Interestingly, our analysis reveals that the selection of phosphorylation targets by signaling receptors shows qualitative changes depending on the signaling status of the cell, which may have wide-reaching implications for other cell regulatory systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richelle Sopko
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - You Bin Lin
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Kalpana Makhijani
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Brandy Alexander
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Norbert Perrimon
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Katja Brückner
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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16
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Ma H, Zhou H, Li P, Song X, Miao X, Li Y, Jia L. Effect of ST3GAL 4 and FUT 7 on sialyl Lewis X synthesis and multidrug resistance in human acute myeloid leukemia. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2014; 1842:1681-92. [PMID: 24953795 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2014.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2014] [Revised: 06/07/2014] [Accepted: 06/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Sialyl Lewis X (sLe X, CD15s) is a key antigen produced on tumor cell surfaces during multidrug resistance (MDR) development. The present study investigated the effect of α1, 3 fucosyltransferase VII (FucT VII) and α2, 3 sialyltransferase IV (ST3Gal IV) on sLe X oligosaccharides synthesis as well as their impact on MDR development in acute myeloid leukemia cells (AML). FUT7 and ST3GAL4 were overexpressed in three AML MDR cells and bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMC) of AML patients with MDR by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A close association was found between the expression levels of FUT7 and ST3GAL4 and the amount of sLe X oligosaccharides, as well as the phenotypic variation of MDR of HL60 and HL60/ADR cells both in vitro and in vivo. Manipulation of these two genes' expression modulated the activity of phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway, thereby regulating the proportionally mutative expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and multidrug resistance related protein 1 (MRP1), both of which are known to be involved in MDR. Blocking the PI3K/Akt pathway by its specific inhibitor LY294002 or Akt short hairpin RNA (shRNA) resulted in the reduced MDR of HL60/ADR cells. This study indicated that sLe X involved in the development of MDR of AML cells probably through FUT7 and ST3GAL4 regulating the activity of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and the expression of P-gp and MRP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongye Ma
- College of Laboratory Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Huimin Zhou
- Department of Microbiology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Peng Li
- Department of Bone Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Xiaobo Song
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Xiaoyan Miao
- College of Laboratory Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yanping Li
- College of Laboratory Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Li Jia
- College of Laboratory Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China.
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17
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Li J, Feng ZC, Yeung FSH, Wong MRM, Oakie A, Fellows GF, Goodyer CG, Hess DA, Wang R. Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 activity in the developing human pancreas modulates retinoic acid signalling in mediating islet differentiation and survival. Diabetologia 2014; 57:754-64. [PMID: 24374552 DOI: 10.1007/s00125-013-3147-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2013] [Accepted: 11/29/2013] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
AIMS/HYPOTHESIS Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1), a human stem-cell marker, is an enzyme responsible for converting retinaldehydes to retinoic acids (RAs) to modulate cell differentiation. However, data on expression levels and functional roles of ALDH1 during human fetal pancreatic development are limited. The focus of this study was to characterise ALDH1 expression patterns and to determine its functional role in islet cell differentiation. METHODS The presence of ALDH1 in the human fetal pancreas (8-22 weeks) was characterised by microarray, quantitative RT-PCR, western blotting and immunohistological approaches. Isolated human fetal islet-epithelial cell clusters were treated with ALDH1 inhibitors, retinoic acid receptor (RAR) agonists and ALDH1A1 small interfering (si)RNA. RESULTS In the developing human pancreatic cells, high ALDH1 activity frequently co-localised with key stem-cell markers as well as endocrine transcription factors. A high level of ALDH1 was expressed in newly differentiated insulin(+) cells and this decreased as development progressed. Pharmacological inhibition of ALDH1 activity in human fetal islet-epithelial cell clusters resulted in reduced endocrine cell differentiation and increased cell apoptosis, and was reversed with co-treatment of RAR/RXR agonists. Furthermore, siRNA knockdown of ALDH1A1 significantly decreased RAR expression and induced cell apoptosis via suppression of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway and activation of caspase signals. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION Our findings indicate that ALDH1(+) cells represent a pool of endocrine precursors in the developing human pancreas and that ALDH1 activity is required during endocrine cell differentiation. Inhibition of ALDH1-mediated retinoid signalling impairs human fetal islet cell differentiation and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinming Li
- Children's Health Research Institute, Western University, 800 Commissioners Road East, London, ON, Canada, N6C 2V5
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18
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Reactive oxygen species-regulated glycogen synthase kinase-3β activation contributes to all-trans retinoic acid-induced apoptosis in granulocyte-differentiated HL60 cells. Biochem Pharmacol 2014; 88:86-94. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2013.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2013] [Revised: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 12/19/2013] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Castillo JJ, Iyengar M, Kuritzky B, Bishop KD. Isotype-specific inhibition of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase pathway in hematologic malignancies. Onco Targets Ther 2014; 7:333-42. [PMID: 24591840 PMCID: PMC3937185 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s34641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, the advent of biological targeted therapies has revolutionized the management of several types of cancer, especially in the realm of hematologic malignancies. One of these pathways, and the center of this review, is the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. The PI3K pathway seems to play an important role in the pathogenesis and survival advantage in hematologic malignancies, such as leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. The objectives of the present review, hence, are to describe the current knowledge on the PI3K pathway and its isoforms, and to summarize preclinical and clinical studies using PI3K inhibitors, focusing on the advances made in hematologic malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge J Castillo
- Division of Hematologic Malignancies, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Meera Iyengar
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Benjamin Kuritzky
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Kenneth D Bishop
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
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20
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Modification of sialylation is associated with multidrug resistance in human acute myeloid leukemia. Oncogene 2014; 34:726-40. [PMID: 24531716 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2014.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2013] [Revised: 12/07/2013] [Accepted: 01/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Aberrant cell surface sialylation patterns have been shown to correlate with tumor progression and metastasis. However, the role of sialylation regulation of cancer multidrug resistance (MDR) remains poorly understood. This study investigated sialylation in modification on MDR in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Using mass spectrometry (MS) analysis, the composition profiling of sialylated N-glycans differed in three pairs of AML cell lines. Real-time PCR showed the differential expressional profiles of 20 sialyltransferase (ST) genes in the both AML cell lines and bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs) of AML patients. The expression levels of ST3GAL5 and ST8SIA4 were detected, which were overexpressed in HL60 and HL60/adriamycin-resistant (ADR) cells. The altered levels of ST3GAL5 and ST8SIA4 were found in close association with the MDR phenotype changing of HL60 and HL60/ADR cells both in vitro and in vivo. Further data demonstrated that manipulation of these two genes' expression modulated the activity of phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway and its downstream target thus regulated the proportionally mutative expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and MDR-related protein 1 (MRP1), both of which are known to be involved in MDR. Blocking the PI3K/Akt pathway by its specific inhibitor LY294002 or by Akt small interfering RNA resulted in the reduced chemosensitivity of HL60/ADR cells. Therefore, this study indicated that sialylation involved in the development of MDR of AML cells probably through ST3GAL5 or ST8SIA4 regulating the activity of PI3K/Akt signaling and the expression of P-gp and MRP1.
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21
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Cruceru ML, Neagu M, Demoulin JB, Constantinescu SN. Therapy targets in glioblastoma and cancer stem cells: lessons from haematopoietic neoplasms. J Cell Mol Med 2013; 17:1218-35. [PMID: 23998913 PMCID: PMC4159024 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.12122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2013] [Accepted: 07/27/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite intense efforts to identify cancer-initiating cells in malignant brain tumours, markers linked to the function of these cells have only very recently begun to be uncovered. The notion of cancer stem cell gained prominence, several molecules and signalling pathways becoming relevant for diagnosis and treatment. Whether a substantial fraction or only a tiny minority of cells in a tumor can initiate and perpetuate cancer, is still debated. The paradigm of cancer-initiating stem cells has initially been developed with respect to blood cancers where chronic conditions such as myeloproliferative neoplasms are due to mutations acquired in a haematopoietic stem cell (HSC), which maintains the normal hierarchy to neoplastic haematopoiesis. In contrast, acute leukaemia transformation of such blood neoplasms appears to derive not only from HSCs but also from committed progenitors that cannot differentiate. This review will focus on putative novel therapy targets represented by markers described to define cancer stem/initiating cells in malignant gliomas, which have been called ‘leukaemia of the brain’, given their rapid migration and evolution. Parallels are drawn with other cancers, especially haematopoietic, given the similar rampant proliferation and treatment resistance of glioblastoma multiforme and secondary acute leukaemias. Genes associated with the malignant conditions and especially expressed in glioma cancer stem cells are intensively searched. Although many such molecules might only coincidentally be expressed in cancer-initiating cells, some may function in the oncogenic process, and those would be the prime candidates for diagnostic and targeted therapy. For the latter, combination therapies are likely to be envisaged, given the robust and plastic signalling networks supporting malignant proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Linda Cruceru
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
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22
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Evangelisti C, Evangelisti C, Bressanin D, Buontempo F, Chiarini F, Lonetti A, Soncin M, Spartà A, McCubrey JA, Martelli AM. Targeting phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling in acute myelogenous leukemia. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2013; 17:921-36. [DOI: 10.1517/14728222.2013.808333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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23
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García-Regalado A, Vargas M, García-Carrancá A, Aréchaga-Ocampo E, González-De la Rosa CH. Activation of Akt pathway by transcription-independent mechanisms of retinoic acid promotes survival and invasion in lung cancer cells. Mol Cancer 2013; 12:44. [PMID: 23693014 PMCID: PMC3665688 DOI: 10.1186/1476-4598-12-44] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2013] [Accepted: 05/10/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is currently being used in clinical trials for cancer treatment. The use of ATRA is limited because some cancers, such as lung cancer, show resistance to treatment. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms that regulate resistance to ATRA treatment. Akt is a kinase that plays a key role in cell survival and cell invasion. Akt is often activated in lung cancer, suggesting its participation in resistance to chemotherapy. In this study, we explored the hypothesis that activation of the Akt pathway promotes resistance to ATRA treatment at the inhibition of cell survival and invasion in lung cancer. We aimed to provide guidelines for the proper use of ATRA in clinical trials and to elucidate basic biological mechanisms of resistance. Results We performed experiments using the A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cell line. We found that ATRA treatment promotes PI3k-Akt pathway activation through transcription-independent mechanisms. Interestingly, ATRA treatment induces the translocation of RARα to the plasma membrane, where it colocalizes with Akt. Immunoprecipitation assays showed that ATRA promotes Akt activation mediated by RARα-Akt interaction. Activation of the PI3k-Akt pathway by ATRA promotes invasion through Rac-GTPase, whereas pretreatment with 15e (PI3k inhibitor) or over-expression of the inactive form of Akt blocks ATRA-induced invasion. We also found that treatment with ATRA induces cell survival, which is inhibited by 15e or over-expression of an inactive form of Akt, through a subsequent increase in the levels of the active form of caspase-3. Finally, we showed that over-expression of the active form of Akt significantly decreases expression levels of the tumor suppressors RARβ2 and p53. In contrast, over-expression of the inactive form of Akt restores RARβ2 expression in cells treated with ATRA, indicating that activation of the PI3k-Akt pathway inhibits the expression of ATRA target genes. Conclusion Our results demonstrate that rapid activation of Akt blocks transcription-dependent mechanism of ATRA, promotes invasion and cell survival and confers resistance to retinoic acid treatment in lung cancer cells. These findings provide an incentive for the design and clinical testing of treatment regimens that combine ATRA and PI3k inhibitors for lung cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro García-Regalado
- Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Cuajimalpa, Artificios 40, Col, Hidalgo, México, D, F 01120, Mexico
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24
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Tzenaki N, Papakonstanti EA. p110δ PI3 kinase pathway: emerging roles in cancer. Front Oncol 2013; 3:40. [PMID: 23459844 PMCID: PMC3585436 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2013.00040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2012] [Accepted: 02/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Class IA PI3Ks consists of three isoforms of the p110 catalytic subunit designated p110α, p110β, and p110δ which are encoded by three separate genes. Gain-of-function mutations on PIK3CA gene encoding for p110α isoform have been detected in a wide variety of human cancers whereas no somatic mutations of genes encoding for p110β or p110δ have been reported. Unlike p110α and p110β which are ubiquitously expressed, p110δ is highly enriched in leukocytes and thus the p110δ PI3K pathway has attracted more attention for its involvement in immune disorders. However, findings have been accumulated showing that the p110δ PI3K plays a seminal role in the development and progression of some hematologic malignancies. A wealth of knowledge has come from studies showing the central role of p110δ PI3K in B-cell functions and B-cell malignancies. Further data have documented that wild-type p110δ becomes oncogenic when overexpressed in cell culture models and that p110δ is the predominant isoform expressed in some human solid tumor cells playing a prominent role in these cells. Genetic inactivation of p110δ in mice models and highly-selective inhibitors of p110δ have demonstrated an important role of this isoform in differentiation, growth, survival, motility, and morphology with the inositol phosphatase PTEN to play a critical role in p110δ signaling. In this review, we summarize our understanding of the p110δ PI3K signaling pathway in hematopoietic cells and malignancies, we highlight the evidence showing the oncogenic potential of p110δ in cells of non-hematopoietic origin and we discuss perspectives for potential novel roles of p110δ PI3K in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niki Tzenaki
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Crete Heraklion, Greece
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25
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Joh EH, Hollenbaugh JA, Kim B, Kim DH. Pleckstrin homology domain of Akt kinase: a proof of principle for highly specific and effective non-enzymatic anti-cancer target. PLoS One 2012. [PMID: 23189201 PMCID: PMC3506615 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
While pharmacological inhibition of Akt kinase has been regarded as a promising anti-cancer strategy, most of the Akt inhibitors that have been developed are enzymatic inhibitors that target the kinase active site of Akt. Another key cellular regulatory event for Akt activation is the translocation of Akt kinase to the cell membrane from the cytoplasm, which is accomplished through the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain of Akt. However, compounds specifically interacting with the PH domain of Akt to inhibit Akt activation are currently limited. Here we identified a compound, lancemaside A (LAN-A), which specifically binds to the PH domain of Akt kinase. First, our mass spectra analysis of cellular Akt kinase isolated from cells treated with LAN-A revealed that LAN-A specifically binds to the PH domain of cellular Akt kinase. Second, we observed that LAN-A inhibits the translocation of Akt kinase to the membrane and thus Akt activation, as examined by the phosphorylation of various downstream targets of Akt such as GSK3β, mTOR and BAD. Third, in a co-cultured cell model containing human lung epithelial cancer cells (A549) and normal human primary lung fibroblasts, LAN-A specifically restricts the growth of the A549 cells. LAN-A also displayed anti-proliferative effects on various human cancer cell lines. Finally, in the A549-luciferase mouse transplant model, LAN-A effectively inhibited A549 cell growth with little evident cytotoxicity. Indeed, the therapeutic index of LAN-A in this mouse model was >250, supporting that LAN-A is a potential lead compound for PH domain targeting as a safe anti-cancer Akt inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Ha Joh
- Department of Pharmacy, Kyung-Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Joseph A. Hollenbaugh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Baek Kim
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail: (DHK); (BK)
| | - Dong-Hyun Kim
- Department of Pharmacy, Kyung-Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
- * E-mail: (DHK); (BK)
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26
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Martelli AM, Chiarini F, Evangelisti C, Cappellini A, Buontempo F, Bressanin D, Fini M, McCubrey JA. Two hits are better than one: targeting both phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and mammalian target of rapamycin as a therapeutic strategy for acute leukemia treatment. Oncotarget 2012; 3:371-94. [PMID: 22564882 PMCID: PMC3380573 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) are two key components of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. This signal transduction cascade regulates a wide range of physiological cell processes, that include differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy, metabolism, motility, and exocytosis. However, constitutively active PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling characterizes many types of tumors where it negatively influences response to therapeutic treatments. Hence, targeting PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling with small molecule inhibitors may improve cancer patient outcome. The PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling cascade is overactive in acute leukemias, where it correlates with enhanced drug-resistance and poor prognosis. The catalytic sites of PI3K and mTOR share a high degree of sequence homology. This feature has allowed the synthesis of ATP-competitive compounds targeting the catalytic site of both kinases. In preclinical models, dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitors displayed a much stronger cytotoxicity against acute leukemia cells than either PI3K inhibitors or allosteric mTOR inhibitors, such as rapamycin. At variance with rapamycin, dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitors targeted both mTOR complex 1 and mTOR complex 2, and inhibited the rapamycin-resistant phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1, resulting in a marked inhibition of oncogenic protein translation. Therefore, they strongly reduced cell proliferation and induced an important apoptotic response. Here, we reviewed the evidence documenting that dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitors may represent a promising option for future targeted therapies of acute leukemia patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto M Martelli
- Department of Human Anatomy, University of Bologna, Cellular Signalling Laboratory, Bologna, Italy.
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27
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Juss JK, Hayhoe RP, Owen CE, Bruce I, Walmsley SR, Cowburn AS, Kulkarni S, Boyle KB, Stephens L, Hawkins PT, Chilvers ER, Condliffe AM. Functional redundancy of class I phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) isoforms in signaling growth factor-mediated human neutrophil survival. PLoS One 2012; 7:e45933. [PMID: 23029326 PMCID: PMC3454369 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0045933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2012] [Accepted: 08/23/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We have investigated the contribution of individual phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) Class I isoforms to the regulation of neutrophil survival using (i) a panel of commercially available small molecule isoform-selective PI3K Class I inhibitors, (ii) novel inhibitors, which target single or multiple Class I isoforms (PI3Kα, PI3Kβ, PI3Kδ, and PI3Kγ), and (iii) transgenic mice lacking functional PI3K isoforms (p110δKOγKO or p110γKO). Our data suggest that there is considerable functional redundancy amongst Class I PI3Ks (both Class IA and Class IB) with regard to GM-CSF-mediated suppression of neutrophil apoptosis. Hence pharmacological inhibition of any 3 or more PI3K isoforms was required to block the GM-CSF survival response in human neutrophils, with inhibition of individual or any two isoforms having little or no effect. Likewise, isolated blood neutrophils derived from double knockout PI3K p110δKOγKO mice underwent normal time-dependent constitutive apoptosis and displayed identical GM-CSF mediated survival to wild type cells, but were sensitized to pharmacological inhibition of the remaining PI3K isoforms. Surprisingly, the pro-survival neutrophil phenotype observed in patients with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was resilient to inactivation of the PI3K pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jatinder K. Juss
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke’s and Papworth Hospitals, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Inositide Laboratory, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Richard P. Hayhoe
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke’s and Papworth Hospitals, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ian Bruce
- Novartis, Horsham Research Centre, Horsham, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah R. Walmsley
- Academic Unit of Respiratory Medicine, The Medical School, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew S. Cowburn
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke’s and Papworth Hospitals, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Suhasini Kulkarni
- Inositide Laboratory, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Keith B. Boyle
- Inositide Laboratory, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Len Stephens
- Inositide Laboratory, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Edwin R. Chilvers
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke’s and Papworth Hospitals, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Alison M. Condliffe
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke’s and Papworth Hospitals, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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PKCδ Regulates Translation Initiation through PKR and eIF2α in Response to Retinoic Acid in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells. LEUKEMIA RESEARCH AND TREATMENT 2012; 2012:482905. [PMID: 23259068 PMCID: PMC3505929 DOI: 10.1155/2012/482905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2012] [Revised: 05/08/2012] [Accepted: 05/10/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Translation initiation and activity of eukaryotic initiation factor-alpha (eIF2α), the rate-limiting step of translation initiation, is often overactivated in malignant cells. Here, we investigated the regulation and role of eIF2α in acute promyelocytic (APL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells in response to all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and arsenic trioxide (ATO), the front-line therapies in APL. ATRA and ATO induce Ser-51 phosphorylation (inactivation) of eIF2α, through the induction of protein kinase C delta (PKCδ) and PKR, but not other eIF2α kinases, such as GCN2 and PERK in APL (NB4) and AML cells (HL60, U937, and THP-1). Inhibition of eIF2α reduced the expression of cellular proteins that are involved in apoptosis (DAP5/p97), cell cycle (p21Waf1/Cip1), differentiation (TG2) and induced those regulating proliferation (c-myc) and survival (p70S6K). PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway is involved in regulation of eIF2α through PKCδ/PKR axis. PKCδ and p-eIF2α protein expression levels revealed a significant association between the reduced levels of PKCδ (P = 0.0378) and peIF2 (P = 0.0041) and relapses in AML patients (n = 47). In conclusion, our study provides the first evidence that PKCδ regulates/inhibits eIF2α through induction of PKR in AML cells and reveals a novel signaling mechanism regulating translation initiation.
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Lalic H, Lukinovic-Skudar V, Banfic H, Visnjic D. Rapamycin enhances dimethyl sulfoxide-mediated growth arrest in human myelogenous leukemia cells. Leuk Lymphoma 2012; 53:2253-61. [DOI: 10.3109/10428194.2012.684351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Zhao Y, Duan S, Zeng X, Liu C, Davies NM, Li B, Forrest ML. Prodrug strategy for PSMA-targeted delivery of TGX-221 to prostate cancer cells. Mol Pharm 2012; 9:1705-16. [PMID: 22494444 DOI: 10.1021/mp3000309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
TGX-221 is a potent, selective, and cell membrane permeable inhibitor of the PI3K p110β catalytic subunit. Recent studies showed that TGX-221 has antiproliferative activity against PTEN-deficient tumor cell lines including prostate cancers. The objective of this study was to develop an encapsulation system for parenterally delivering TGX-221 to the target tissue through a prostate-specific membrane aptamer (PSMAa10) with little or no side effects. In this study, PEG-PCL micelles were formulated to encapsulate the drug, and a prodrug strategy was pursued to improve the stability of the carrier system. Fluorescence imaging studies demonstrated that the cellular uptake of both drug and nanoparticles was significantly improved by targeted micelles in a PSMA positive cell line. The area under the plasma concentration time curve of the micelle formulation in nude mice was 2.27-fold greater than that of the naked drug, and the drug clearance rate was 6.16-fold slower. These findings suggest a novel formulation approach for improving site-specific drug delivery of a molecular-targeted prostate cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunqi Zhao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, The University of Kansas , Simons Laboratories, 2095 Constant Ave. Rm. 136B, Lawrence, Kansas 66047, United States
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Optimal induction of myeloma cell death requires dual blockade of phosphoinositide 3-kinase and mTOR signalling and is determined by translocation subtype. Leukemia 2012; 26:1761-70. [PMID: 22415553 PMCID: PMC3392205 DOI: 10.1038/leu.2012.69] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Novel inhibitors of PI3K, Akt and mTOR have been developed recently, some of which have entered clinical trials. Although such compounds inhibit cell proliferation, their effects on cell survival, an important determinant of clinical response, are less distinct. Using a broad panel of myeloma cell lines and primary patient samples, we show that dual PI3K and mTOR inhibition can induce cell death. The effects are most marked in cells expressing the t(4;14) translocation, whereas t(11;14) cells are largely resistant. Using specific inhibitors of individual pathway components, we show that optimal induction of cell death requires inhibition of both PI3K and mTOR. This is due to a PI3K-independent component of mTOR activation downstream of the MAP kinase pathway. Novel mTOR kinase inhibitors, which block both TORC1 and TORC2 complexes thereby also reducing Akt activity, are less effective than dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitors because of feedback activation of PI3K signalling. Dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitors sensitise t(4;14) and t(14;16), but not t(11;14), expressing cells to the cytotoxic effects of dexamethasone. We have identified a robust cytogenetic biomarker for response to PI3K/mTOR inhibition--these results will inform the design and prioritisation of clinical studies with novel inhibitors in genetic subgroups of myeloma.
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32
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The PI3K/PKB signaling module as key regulator of hematopoiesis: implications for therapeutic strategies in leukemia. Blood 2012; 119:911-23. [PMID: 22065598 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2011-07-366203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
An important mediator of cytokine signaling implicated in regulation of hematopoiesis is the PI3K/protein kinase B (PKB/c-Akt) signaling module. Constitutive activation of this signaling module has been observed in a large group of leukemias. Because activation of this signaling pathway has been demonstrated to be sufficient to induce hematologic malignancies and is thought to correlate with poor prognosis and enhanced drug resistance, it is considered to be a promising target for therapy. A high number of pharmacologic inhibitors directed against either individual or multiple components of this pathway have already been developed to improve therapy. In this review, the safety and efficacy of both single and dual-specificity inhibitors will be discussed as well as the potential of combination therapy with either inhibitors directed against other signal transduction molecules or classic chemotherapy.
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Class I phosphoinositide 3-kinases in normal and pathologic hematopoietic cells. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2012; 362:163-84. [PMID: 23086418 DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-5025-8_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Class I phosphoinositide 3-kinases which produce the D3-phosphoinositide second messenger phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate in response to membrane receptors activation play a critical role in cell proliferation, survival, metabolism, and motility. These lipid kinases and the phosphatases regulating the level of D3-phosphoinositides have been an intense area of research these last two decades. The class I phosphoinositide 3-kinases signaling is found aberrantly activated in numerous human cancers, including in malignant hemopathies, and are important therapeutic targets for cancer therapy. Haematopoiesis is an ongoing process which generates the distinct blood cell types from a common hematopoietic stem cell through the action of a variety of cytokines. In the human adult hematopoiesis occurs primarily in the bone marrow, and defects in hematopoiesis result in diseases, such as anemia, thrombocytopenia, myeloproliferative syndromes, or leukemia. Here we give a brief overview of the role of class I phosphoinositide 3-kinases in hematopoietic stem cells, in hematopoietic lineage development and in leukemia, particularly in acute myeloid leukemia and summarize the potential therapeutic implications.
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Martelli AM, Evangelisti C, Chiarini F, McCubrey JA. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt/mTOR signaling network as a therapeutic target in acute myelogenous leukemia patients. Oncotarget 2011; 1:89-103. [PMID: 20671809 PMCID: PMC2911128 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 194] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling axis plays a central role in cell proliferation, growth, and survival under physiological conditions. However, aberrant PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling has been implicated in many human cancers, including acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Therefore, the PI3K/Akt/mTOR network is considered as a validated target for innovative cancer therapy. The limit of acceptable toxicity for standard polychemotherapy has been reached in AML. Novel therapeutic strategies are therefore needed. This review highlights how the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling axis is constitutively active in AML patients, where it affects survival, proliferation, and drug-resistance of leukemic cells including leukemic stem cells. Effective targeting of this pathway with small molecule kinase inhibitors, employed alone or in combination with other drugs, could result in the suppression of leukemic cell growth. Furthermore, targeting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling network with small pharmacological inhibitors, employed either alone or in combinations with other drugs, may result in less toxic and more efficacious treatment of AML patients. Efforts to exploit pharmacological inhibitors of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR cascade which show efficacy and safety in the clinical setting are now underway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto M Martelli
- Department of Human Anatomical Sciences University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
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35
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Xu DR, Huang S, Long ZJ, Chen JJ, Zou ZZ, Li J, Lin DJ, Liu Q. Inhibition of mitotic kinase Aurora suppresses Akt-1 activation and induces apoptotic cell death in all-trans retinoid acid-resistant acute promyelocytic leukemia cells. J Transl Med 2011; 9:74. [PMID: 21600017 PMCID: PMC3224588 DOI: 10.1186/1479-5876-9-74] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2010] [Accepted: 05/21/2011] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aurora kinase ensures accurate chromosome segregation during cell cycle, maintaining genetic integrity in cell division. VX-680, a small-molecule Aurora kinase inhibitor, interferes with mitotic entry and formation of bipolar spindles. Here, we evaluated VX-680 as a potential agent for treatment of all-trans retinoid acid (ATRA)-resistant acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) in vitro. METHODS CD11b expression was utilized to assess cell differentiation by flow cytometry. Immunofluorescence staining was conducted to analyze formation of cell monopolar spindle. Cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT assay. Sub-G1 population and Annexin V/PI staining were used to measure cell apoptosis. Hoechst 33342 staining was applied for identifying morphological changes in nucleus of apoptotic cell. Aurora-A (Aur-A) activation and the signaling pathways involved in apoptosis were detected by Western blot. JC-1 probe was employed to measure mitochondrial depolarization. RESULTS VX-680 inhibited Aur-A by reducing autophosphorylation at the activation site, Thr288, accompanied by producing monopolar mitotic spindles in APL cell line NB4-R2 that was resistant to ATRA. In addition, we found that VX-680 inhibited cell proliferation as assessed by MTT assay. Flow cytometry showed that VX-680 led to apoptotic cell death in both dose- and time-dependent manners by either Sub-G1 or Annexin V/PI analysis. Hoechst 33342 staining represented typical apoptotic cells with nuclear fragmentation in VX-680 treated cells. Importantly, VX-680 inhibition of Aurora kinase suppressed Akt-1 activation and induced mitochondrial depolarization, which eventually resulted in apoptosis by activation of caspase pathway, as indicated by increasing proteolytic cleavage of procaspase-3 and poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) in NB4-R2 cells. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggested potential clinical use of mitotic Aurora kinase inhibitor in targeting ATRA-resistant leukemic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duo-Rong Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
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36
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Haylock-Jacobs S, Comerford I, Bunting M, Kara E, Townley S, Klingler-Hoffmann M, Vanhaesebroeck B, Puri KD, McColl SR. PI3Kδ drives the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by inhibiting effector T cell apoptosis and promoting Th17 differentiation. J Autoimmun 2011; 36:278-87. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2011.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2010] [Revised: 02/10/2011] [Accepted: 02/10/2011] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Abstract
Although classical mutations in genes such as PIK3CA and PTEN occur at a relatively low frequency in haematological malignancies, activation of PI3K signalling is often detected in these tumours. In some conditions, for example acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), this is due to activating mutations of upstream regulators such as the FLT3 tyrosine kinase or RAS. Primary tumour cells taken from patients with AML, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and multiple myeloma show varying levels of sensitivity to PI3K and mTOR inhibitors. The challenge now is to conduct high quality trials with novel agents that target these pathways to establish the level of clinical response and to identify those subsets of patients that are more likely to respond.
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A small-molecule inhibitor of D-cyclin transactivation displays preclinical efficacy in myeloma and leukemia via phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway. Blood 2010; 117:1986-97. [PMID: 21135258 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2010-05-284810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
D-cyclins are universally dysregulated in multiple myeloma and frequently overexpressed in leukemia. To better understand the role and impact of dysregulated D-cyclins in hematologic malignancies, we conducted a high-throughput screen for inhibitors of cyclin D2 transactivation and identified 8-ethoxy-2-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-nitro-2H-chromene (S14161), which inhibited the expression of cyclins D1, D2, and D3 and arrested cells at the G(0)/G(1) phase. After D-cyclin suppression, S14161 induced apoptosis in myeloma and leukemia cell lines and primary patient samples preferentially over normal hematopoietic cells. In mouse models of leukemia, S14161 inhibited tumor growth without evidence of weight loss or gross organ toxicity. Mechanistically, S14161 inhibited the activity of phosphoinositide 3-kinase in intact cells and the activity of the phosphoinositide 3-kinases α, β, δ, and γ in a cell-free enzymatic assay. In contrast, it did not inhibit the enzymatic activities of other related kinases, including the mammalian target of rapamycin, the DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit, and phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1. Thus, we identified a novel chemical compound that inhibits D-cyclin transactivation via the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B signaling pathway. Given its potent antileukemia and antimyeloma activity and minimal toxicity, S14161 could be developed as a novel agent for blood cancer therapy.
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Martelli AM, Evangelisti C, Chiarini F, Grimaldi C, Manzoli L, McCubrey JA. Targeting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling network in acute myelogenous leukemia. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2010; 18:1333-49. [PMID: 19678801 DOI: 10.1517/14728220903136775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The PI3K/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway plays a central role in cell growth, proliferation and survival not only under physiological conditions but also in a variety of tumor cells. Therefore, the PI3K/Akt/mTOR axis may be a critical target for cancer therapy. OBJECTIVE This review discusses how PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling network is constitutively active in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), where it strongly influences proliferation, survival and drug-resistance of leukemic cells, and how effective targeting of this pathway with pharmacological inhibitors, used alone or in combination with existing drugs, may result in suppression of leukemic cell growth, including leukemic stem cells. METHODS We searched the literature for articles dealing with activation of this pathway in AML and highlighting the efficacy of small molecules directed against the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling cascade. CONCLUSIONS The limit of acceptable toxicity for standard chemotherapy has been reached in AML. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies are needed. Targeting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling network with small molecule inhibitors, alone or in combinations with other drugs, may result in less toxic and more efficacious treatment of AML patients. Efforts to exploit selective inhibitors of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway that show effectiveness and safety in the clinical setting are currently underway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto M Martelli
- Università di Bologna, Dipartimento di Scienze Anatomiche Umane, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
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40
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Park S, Chapuis N, Tamburini J, Bardet V, Cornillet-Lefebvre P, Willems L, Green A, Mayeux P, Lacombe C, Bouscary D. Role of the PI3K/AKT and mTOR signaling pathways in acute myeloid leukemia. Haematologica 2009; 95:819-28. [PMID: 19951971 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2009.013797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 216] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The PI3K/AKT and mTOR signaling pathways are activated in acute myeloid leukemia, including in the more immature leukemic populations. Constitutive PI3K activation is detectable in 50% of acute myeloid leukemia samples whereas mTORC1 is activated in all cases of this disease. In leukemic cells, the PI3K activity relates to the expression of the p110delta isoform of class IA PI3K. Constitutive PI3K activation is the result of autocrine IGF-1/IGF-1R signaling in 70% of acute myeloid leukemia samples but specific inhibition of this pathway does not induce apoptosis. Specific inhibition of PI3K/AKT or mTORC1 alone in vitro has anti-leukemic effects which are essentially exerted via the suppression of proliferation. However, as mTORC1 activation is independent of PI3K/AKT in acute myeloid leukemia, dual PI3K and mTOR inhibitors may induce apoptosis in blast cells. Moreover, mTORC1 inhibition using sirolimus overactivates PI3K/AKT via the upregulation of IRS2 expression and by favoring IGF-1/IGF-1R autocrine signaling. Recent data also indicate that mTORC1 does not control protein translation in acute myeloid leukemia. These results open the way for the design of direct inhibitors of protein synthesis as novel acute myeloid leukemia therapies and also for the development of second generation mTOR inhibitors (the TORKinhibs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Park
- Institut Cochin, Département d'Hématologie, CNRS, UMR8104, Paris
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41
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Selective inhibition of retinal angiogenesis by targeting PI3 kinase. PLoS One 2009; 4:e7867. [PMID: 19924235 PMCID: PMC2773410 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0007867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2009] [Accepted: 10/09/2009] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Ocular neovascularisation is a pathological hallmark of some forms of debilitating blindness including diabetic retinopathy, age related macular degeneration and retinopathy of prematurity. Current therapies for delaying unwanted ocular angiogenesis include laser surgery or molecular inhibition of the pro-angiogenic factor VEGF. However, targeting of angiogenic pathways other than, or in combination to VEGF, may lead to more effective and safer inhibitors of intraocular angiogenesis. In a small chemical screen using zebrafish, we identify LY294002 as an effective and selective inhibitor of both developmental and ectopic hyaloid angiogenesis in the eye. LY294002, a PI3 kinase inhibitor, exerts its anti-angiogenic effect in a dose-dependent manner, without perturbing existing vessels. Significantly, LY294002 delivered by intraocular injection, significantly inhibits ocular angiogenesis without systemic side-effects and without diminishing visual function. Thus, targeting of PI3 kinase pathways has the potential to effectively and safely treat neovascularisation in eye disease.
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Abstract
There are ample genetic and laboratory studies that suggest the PI3K-Akt pathway is vital to the growth and survival of cancer cells. Inhibitors targeting this pathway are entering the clinic at a rapid pace. In this Review, the therapeutic potential of drugs targeting PI3K-Akt signalling for the treatment of cancer is discussed. I focus on the advantages and drawbacks of different treatment strategies for targeting this pathway, the cancers that might respond best to these therapies and the challenges and limitations that confront their clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey A Engelman
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02129, USA.
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43
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Kok K, Nock GE, Verrall EAG, Mitchell MP, Hommes DW, Peppelenbosch MP, Vanhaesebroeck B. Regulation of p110delta PI 3-kinase gene expression. PLoS One 2009; 4:e5145. [PMID: 19357769 PMCID: PMC2663053 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0005145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2008] [Accepted: 02/19/2009] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite an intense interest in the biological functions of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signalling enzymes, little is known about the regulation of PI3K gene expression. This also applies to the leukocyte-enriched p110delta catalytic subunit of PI3K, an enzyme that has attracted widespread interest because of its role in immunity and allergy. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We show that p110delta expression is mainly regulated at the transcriptional level. In fibroblasts, lymphocytes and myeloid cells, p110delta gene transcription appears to be constitutive and not subject to acute stimulation. 5'RACE experiments revealed that p110delta mRNA transcripts contain distinct upstream untranslated exons (named exon -1, -2a, -2b, -2c and -2d), which are located up to 81 kb upstream of the translational start codon in exon 1. The levels of all the different p110delta transcripts are higher in leukocytes compared to non-leukocytes, with the p110delta transcript containing exon -2a most abundantly expressed. We have identified a highly conserved transcription factor (TF) binding cluster in the p110delta gene which has enhanced promoter activity in leukocytes compared to non-leukocytes. In human, this TF cluster is located immediately upstream of exon -2a whilst in mouse, it is located within exon -2a. CONCLUSION This study identifies a conserved PIK3CD promoter region that may account for the predominant leukocyte expression of p110delta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaartje Kok
- Centre for Cell Signalling, Institute of Cancer, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Cell Biology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Gemma E. Nock
- Centre for Cell Signalling, Institute of Cancer, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth A. G. Verrall
- Centre for Cell Signalling, Institute of Cancer, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michael P. Mitchell
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, Cancer Research UK London Research Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Daan W. Hommes
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Maikel P. Peppelenbosch
- Department of Cell Biology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bart Vanhaesebroeck
- Centre for Cell Signalling, Institute of Cancer, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, United Kingdom
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Shuttleworth S, Silva F, Tomassi C, Cecil A, Hill T, Rogers H, Townsend P. Progress in the design and development of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors for the treatment of chronic diseases. PROGRESS IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY 2009; 48:81-131. [PMID: 21544958 DOI: 10.1016/s0079-6468(09)04803-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Shuttleworth
- Karus Therapeutics Ltd., 2 Venture Road, Southampton Science Park, Southampton, S016 7NP, UK
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