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Gorji M, Farsani MA, Kargar M, Garavand J, Mohammadi MH. Investigating the multifaceted cooperation of autophagy, PI3K/AKT signaling pathways, and INPP4B gene in de novo acute myeloid leukemia patients. Curr Res Transl Med 2024; 72:103429. [PMID: 38246071 DOI: 10.1016/j.retram.2023.103429] [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: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has been the most prevalent form of acute leukemia among adults, and it has been associated with poor survival rates over the last four decades. Understanding the processes involved in leukemogenesis, particularly autophagy and signaling pathways, can provide critical insights into their roles in disease development, risk assessment, and potential therapeutic interventions. This study investigated gene expression changes, focusing on MAP1LC3B and BECN1, related to autophagy, as well as PI3KCA and AKT1 in the PI3K-AKT pathway, and INPP4B, which regulates this signaling cascade. METHODS We collected blood samples from 21 AML patients and 9 healthy volunteers. Gene expression was analyzed through qPCR following RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis. Statistical analysis encompassed t-tests, ANOVA, and correlation coefficients. RESULTS AML patients exhibited significantly increased MAP1LC3B gene expression (****P < 0.0001; fold change = 11.9) and significantly reduced levels of INPP4B (****P < 0.0001; fold change = 0.026), AKT1 (*P < 0.05; fold change = 0.59), and PI3KCA (****P < 0.0001; fold change = 0.16) compared to healthy controls. However, BECN1 gene expression did not significantly differ between the two groups. Additionally, noteworthy correlations were observed between INPP4B and BECN1 (r = 0.57; P = 0.006) and BECN1 and PI3KCA (r = 0.61; P = 0.003) in AML patients. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights variations in leukemogenesis pathways, exemplified by increased MAP1LC3B expression and diminished expression of regulatory genes in specific AML cases. These findings contribute to our comprehension of the molecular mechanisms underlying AML and may inform future diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahnaz Gorji
- Department of Laboratory Hematology and Blood Bank, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Allahbakhshian Farsani
- Department of Laboratory Hematology and Blood Bank, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; HSCT Research Center, Laboratory Hematology and Blood Banking Department, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Kargar
- Department of Laboratory Hematology and Blood Bank, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Javad Garavand
- Department of Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hossein Mohammadi
- HSCT Research Center, Laboratory Hematology and Blood Banking Department, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Liang X, Zhang H, Shang W, Wang M, Li J, Zhao Y, Fang C. PPP2CA Inhibition Promotes Ferroptosis Sensitivity Through AMPK/SCD1 Pathway in Colorectal Cancer. Dig Dis Sci 2024; 69:2083-2095. [PMID: 38637456 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-024-08416-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a very common malignancy of the digestive system. Despite a variety of treatments including surgery, chemotherapeutic and targeted drugs, the prognosis for patients with CRC is still unsatisfactory and the mortality remains high. Protein phosphorylation plays an essential role in tumorigenesis and progression and is also crucial for protein to act with proper functions. Ferroptosis is found widely involved in various diseases especially tumors as a newly identified programmed cell death. METHODS In our study, we aimed at PPP2CA as a prospective target which may play a crucial role in CRC progression. In one hand, knockdown of PPP2CA significantly enhanced the malignant phenotype in HCT116. In the other hand, knockdown of PPP2CA significantly enhanced Erastin-induced ferroptosis as well. RESULTS Specifically, knockdown of PPP2CA in HCT116 significantly increased the relative level of malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Fe2+, and decreased GSH/GSSG ratio after the treatment of certain concentration of Erastin. Besides, we found that the inhibition of PPP2CA further led to the suppression of SCD1 expression in CRC cells in a AMPK-dependent way. CONCLUSION Ultimately, we conclude that PPP2CA may regulate Erastin-induced ferroptosis through AMPK/SCD1 signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojie Liang
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 169 Hushan Road, Nanjing, 211100, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 169 Hushan Road, Nanjing, 211100, China
| | - Weiwei Shang
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 169 Hushan Road, Nanjing, 211100, China
| | - Mingming Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 169 Hushan Road, Nanjing, 211100, China
| | - Jun Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 169 Hushan Road, Nanjing, 211100, China
| | - Yunzhao Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Jinling Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 305 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, 210002, China
| | - Chao Fang
- Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 169 Hushan Road, Nanjing, 211100, China.
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Mann JE, Smith JD, Kulkarni A, Foltin SK, Scheftz EB, Murray IR, Gensterblum-Miller E, Brummel CV, Bhangale A, Hoesli RC, Brenner JC. Genome-wide open reading frame profiling identifies fibroblast growth factor signaling as a driver of PD-L1 expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Oral Oncol 2023; 146:106562. [PMID: 37666053 PMCID: PMC11308298 DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2023.106562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are associated with significant treatment-related morbidity and poor disease-free and disease-specific survival, especially in the recurrent and metastatic (R/M HNSCC) setting. Inhibition of the programmed death-1/ligand-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) immune checkpoint is accepted as a first-line treatment strategy for R/M HNSCC and has expanded into the neoadjuvant, definitive, and adjuvant settings. To understand cellular signals modulating the PD-L1 in HNSCC, we profiled a HNSCC cell-line with a genome-wide open reading frame (ORF) library of 17,000 individual constructs (14,000 unique genes). We identified 335 ORFs enriched in PD-L1high cells and independently validated five of these ORFs (FGF6, IL17A, CD300C, KLR1C and NFKBIA) as drivers of PD-L1 upregulation. We showed that exogenous FGF ligand is sufficient to induce PD-L1 expression in multiple HNSCC cell lines and human immature dendritic cells. Accordingly, overexpression of FGFR1, FGFR3 or the FGFR3 S249C and D786N mutants common to HNSCC tumors also induced PD-L1 overexpression on tumor cells. Small molecule inhibition of FGF signaling abrogated PD-L1 upregulation in these models and also blocked "classical" IFNγ-regulated PD-L1 expression in a STAT1-independent manner. Finally, we found that FGF specifically upregulated a glycosylated form of PD-L1 in our study, and exogenous FGF led to concomitant upregulation of glycosyltransferases that may stabilize PD-L1 on the surface of HNSCC cells. Taken together, our study supports a potential role for FGF/FGFR pathway signaling as a mechanism driving immune escape and rationalizes further exploration of novel combination therapies to improve clinical responses to PD-1/PD-L1 axis inhibition in HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline E Mann
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 41809, USA
| | - Joshua D Smith
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Aditi Kulkarni
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Susan K Foltin
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Erin B Scheftz
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Isabel R Murray
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Elizabeth Gensterblum-Miller
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 41809, USA
| | - Collin V Brummel
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Apurva Bhangale
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Rebecca C Hoesli
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - J Chad Brenner
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 41809, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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Despotović A, Janjetović K, Zogović N, Tovilović-Kovačević G. Pharmacological Akt and JNK Kinase Inhibitors 10-DEBC and SP600125 Potentiate Anti-Glioblastoma Effect of Menadione and Ascorbic Acid Combination in Human U251 Glioblastoma Cells. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2652. [PMID: 37893026 PMCID: PMC10604608 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11102652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most lethal primary brain tumor in adults, characterized by a highly invasive nature and therapy resistance. Combination of menadione and ascorbic acid (AA+MD) exerts strong ROS-mediated anti-GBM activity in vitro. The objective of this study was to improve AA+MD anti-GBM potential by modulating the activity of Akt and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), molecules with an important role in GBM development. The effects of Akt and JNK modulation on AA+MD toxicity in U251 human glioblastoma cells were assessed by cell viability assays, flow cytometry, RNA interference and plasmid overexpression, and immunoblot analysis. The AA+MD induced severe oxidative stress, an early increase in Akt phosphorylation followed by its strong inhibition, persistent JNK activation, and U251 cell death. Small molecule Akt kinase inhibitor 10-DEBC enhanced, while pharmacological and genetic Akt activation decreased, AA+MD-induced toxicity. The U251 cell death potentiation by 10-DEBC correlated with an increase in the combination-induced autophagic flux and was abolished by genetic autophagy silencing. Additionally, pharmacological JNK inhibitor SP600125 augmented combination toxicity toward U251 cells, an effect linked with increased ROS accumulation. These results indicate that small Akt and JNK kinase inhibitors significantly enhance AA+MD anti-GBM effects by autophagy potentiation and amplifying deleterious ROS levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Despotović
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”—National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (A.D.); (K.J.)
| | - Kristina Janjetović
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”—National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (A.D.); (K.J.)
| | - Nevena Zogović
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”—National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (A.D.); (K.J.)
| | - Gordana Tovilović-Kovačević
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”—National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
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Aouimeur I, Sagnial T, Coulomb L, Maurin C, Thomas J, Forestier P, Ninotta S, Perrache C, Forest F, Gain P, Thuret G, He Z. Investigating the Role of TGF-β Signaling Pathways in Human Corneal Endothelial Cell Primary Culture. Cells 2023; 12:1624. [PMID: 37371094 DOI: 10.3390/cells12121624] [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: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Corneal endothelial diseases are the leading cause of corneal transplantation. The global shortage of donor corneas has resulted in the investigation of alternative methods, such as cell therapy and tissue-engineered endothelial keratoplasty (TEEK), using primary cultures of human corneal endothelial cells (hCECs). The main challenge is optimizing the hCEC culture process to increase the endothelial cell density (ECD) and overall yield while preventing endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT). Fetal bovine serum (FBS) is necessary for hCEC expansion but contains TGF-βs, which have been shown to be detrimental to hCECs. Therefore, we investigated various TGF-β signaling pathways using inhibitors to improve hCEC culture. Initially, we confirmed that TGF-β1, 2, and 3 induced EndMT on confluent hCECs without FBS. Using this TGF-β-induced EndMT model, we validated NCAM as a reliable biomarker to assess EndMT. We then demonstrated that, in a culture medium containing 8% FBS for hCEC expansion, TGF-β1 and 3, but not 2, significantly reduced the ECD and caused EndMT. TGF-β receptor inhibition had an anti-EndMT effect. Inhibition of the ROCK pathway, notably that of the P38 MAPK pathway, increased the ECD, while inhibition of the ERK pathway decreased the ECD. In conclusion, the presence of TGF-β1 and 3 in 8% FBS leads to a reduction in ECD and induces EndMT. The use of SB431542 or LY2109761 may prevent EndMT, while Y27632 or Ripasudil, and SB203580 or SB202190, can increase the ECD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inès Aouimeur
- Laboratory of Biology, Engineering and Imaging for Ophthalmology (BiiO), EA2521, Faculty of Medicine, Jean Monnet University, 42270 Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Tomy Sagnial
- Laboratory of Biology, Engineering and Imaging for Ophthalmology (BiiO), EA2521, Faculty of Medicine, Jean Monnet University, 42270 Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Louise Coulomb
- Laboratory of Biology, Engineering and Imaging for Ophthalmology (BiiO), EA2521, Faculty of Medicine, Jean Monnet University, 42270 Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Corantin Maurin
- Laboratory of Biology, Engineering and Imaging for Ophthalmology (BiiO), EA2521, Faculty of Medicine, Jean Monnet University, 42270 Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Justin Thomas
- Laboratory of Biology, Engineering and Imaging for Ophthalmology (BiiO), EA2521, Faculty of Medicine, Jean Monnet University, 42270 Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Pierre Forestier
- Laboratory of Biology, Engineering and Imaging for Ophthalmology (BiiO), EA2521, Faculty of Medicine, Jean Monnet University, 42270 Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Sandrine Ninotta
- Laboratory of Biology, Engineering and Imaging for Ophthalmology (BiiO), EA2521, Faculty of Medicine, Jean Monnet University, 42270 Saint-Etienne, France
- Eye Bank, Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS) Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, 42023 Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Chantal Perrache
- Laboratory of Biology, Engineering and Imaging for Ophthalmology (BiiO), EA2521, Faculty of Medicine, Jean Monnet University, 42270 Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Fabien Forest
- Laboratory of Biology, Engineering and Imaging for Ophthalmology (BiiO), EA2521, Faculty of Medicine, Jean Monnet University, 42270 Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Philippe Gain
- Laboratory of Biology, Engineering and Imaging for Ophthalmology (BiiO), EA2521, Faculty of Medicine, Jean Monnet University, 42270 Saint-Etienne, France
- Ophthalmology Department, University Hospital Center, 42055 Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Gilles Thuret
- Laboratory of Biology, Engineering and Imaging for Ophthalmology (BiiO), EA2521, Faculty of Medicine, Jean Monnet University, 42270 Saint-Etienne, France
- Ophthalmology Department, University Hospital Center, 42055 Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Zhiguo He
- Laboratory of Biology, Engineering and Imaging for Ophthalmology (BiiO), EA2521, Faculty of Medicine, Jean Monnet University, 42270 Saint-Etienne, France
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Targeting Tumor Microenvironment Akt Signaling Represents a Potential Therapeutic Strategy for Aggressive Thyroid Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065471. [PMID: 36982542 PMCID: PMC10049397 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Effects of the tumor microenvironment (TME) stromal cells on progression in thyroid cancer are largely unexplored. Elucidating the effects and underlying mechanisms may facilitate the development of targeting therapy for aggressive cases of this disease. In this study, we investigated the impact of TME stromal cells on cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) in patient-relevant contexts where applying in vitro assays and xenograft models uncovered contributions of TME stromal cells to thyroid cancer progression. We found that TME stromal cells can enhance CSC self-renewal and invasiveness mainly via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway. The disruption of Akt signaling could diminish the impact of TME stromal cells on CSC aggressiveness in vitro and reduce CSC tumorigenesis and metastasis in xenografts. Notably, disrupting Akt signaling did not cause detectable alterations in tumor histology and gene expression of major stromal components while it produced therapeutic benefits. In addition, using a clinical cohort, we discovered that papillary thyroid carcinomas with lymph node metastasis are more likely to have elevated Akt signaling compared with the ones without metastasis, suggesting the relevance of Akt-targeting. Overall, our results identify PI3K/Akt pathway-engaged contributions of TME stromal cells to thyroid tumor disease progression, illuminating TME Akt signaling as a therapeutic target in aggressive thyroid cancer.
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Lu G, Wang Y, Shi Y, Zhang Z, Huang C, He W, Wang C, Shen H. Autophagy in health and disease: From molecular mechanisms to therapeutic target. MedComm (Beijing) 2022; 3:e150. [PMID: 35845350 PMCID: PMC9271889 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Macroautophagy/autophagy is an evolutionally conserved catabolic process in which cytosolic contents, such as aggregated proteins, dysfunctional organelle, or invading pathogens, are sequestered by the double-membrane structure termed autophagosome and delivered to lysosome for degradation. Over the past two decades, autophagy has been extensively studied, from the molecular mechanisms, biological functions, implications in various human diseases, to development of autophagy-related therapeutics. This review will focus on the latest development of autophagy research, covering molecular mechanisms in control of autophagosome biogenesis and autophagosome-lysosome fusion, and the upstream regulatory pathways including the AMPK and MTORC1 pathways. We will also provide a systematic discussion on the implication of autophagy in various human diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, Huntington's disease, and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), metabolic diseases (obesity and diabetes), viral infection especially SARS-Cov-2 and COVID-19, cardiovascular diseases (cardiac ischemia/reperfusion and cardiomyopathy), and aging. Finally, we will also summarize the development of pharmacological agents that have therapeutic potential for clinical applications via targeting the autophagy pathway. It is believed that decades of hard work on autophagy research is eventually to bring real and tangible benefits for improvement of human health and control of human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang Lu
- Department of Physiology, Zhongshan School of MedicineSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic MedicineSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center for BiotherapyChengduChina
| | - Yin Shi
- Department of BiochemistryZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
| | - Zhe Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic MedicineSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center for BiotherapyChengduChina
| | - Canhua Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic MedicineSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center for BiotherapyChengduChina
| | - Weifeng He
- State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Institute of Burn ResearchSouthwest HospitalArmy Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Chuang Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Provincial Key Laboratory of PathophysiologyNingbo University School of MedicineNingboZhejiangChina
| | - Han‐Ming Shen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Precision OncologyUniversity of MacauMacauChina
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Ren Y, Kumar A, Das JK, Peng HY, Wang L, Balllard D, Xiong X, Ren X, Zhang Y, Yang JM, Song J. Tumorous expression of NAC1 restrains antitumor immunity through the LDHA-mediated immune evasion. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:e004856. [PMID: 36150745 PMCID: PMC9511653 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-004856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND T cell-mediated antitumor immunity has a vital role in cancer prevention and treatment; however, the immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) constitutes a significant contributor to immune evasion that weakens antitumor immunity. Here, we explore the relationship between nucleus accumbens-associated protein-1 (NAC1), a nuclear factor of the BTB (broad-complex, Tramtrack, bric a brac)/POZ (Poxvirus, and Zinc finger) gene family, and the TME. METHODS Adoptive cell transfer (ACT) of mouse or human tumor antigen (Ag)-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) was tested in an immunocompetent or immunodeficient mouse model of melanoma with or without expression of NAC1. The effects of NAC1 expression on immune evasion in tumor cells were assessed in vitro and in vivo. CRISPR/Cas9, glycolysis analysis, retroviral transduction, quantitative real-time PCR, flow cytometric analysis, immunoblotting, database analyses were used to screen the downstream target and underlying mechanism of NAC1 in tumor cells. RESULTS Tumorous expression of NAC1 negatively impacts the CTL-mediated antitumor immunity via lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA)-mediated suppressive TME. NAC1 positively regulated the expression of LDHA at the transcriptional level, which led to higher accumulation of lactic acid in the TME. This inhibited the cytokine production and induced exhaustion and apoptosis of CTLs, impairing their cell-killing ability. In the immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice, NAC1 depleted melanoma tumors grew significantly slower and had an elevated infiltration of tumor Ag-specific CTLs following ACT, compared with the control groups. CONCLUSIONS Tumor expression of NAC1 contributes substantially to immune evasion through its regulatory role in LDHA expression and lactic acid production. Thus, therapeutic targeting of NAC1 warrants further exploration as a potential strategy to reinforce cancer immunotherapy, such as the ACT of CTLs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijie Ren
- Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Sciences Center, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Anil Kumar
- Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Sciences Center, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Jugal K Das
- Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Sciences Center, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Hao-Yun Peng
- Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Sciences Center, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Liqing Wang
- Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Sciences Center, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Darby Balllard
- Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Sciences Center, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Xiaofang Xiong
- Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Sciences Center, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Xingcong Ren
- Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Yi Zhang
- Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Jin-Ming Yang
- Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Jianxun Song
- Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Sciences Center, Bryan, Texas, USA
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9
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Huang W, Hao Z, Mao F, Guo D. Small Molecule Inhibitors in Adult High-Grade Glioma: From the Past to the Future. Front Oncol 2022; 12:911876. [PMID: 35785151 PMCID: PMC9247310 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.911876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma is the most common primary malignant tumor in the brain and has a dismal prognosis despite patients accepting standard therapies. Alternation of genes and deregulation of proteins, such as receptor tyrosine kinase, PI3K/Akt, PKC, Ras/Raf/MEK, histone deacetylases, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), CDK4/6, branched-chain amino acid transaminase 1 (BCAT1), and Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), play pivotal roles in the pathogenesis and progression of glioma. Simultaneously, the abnormalities change the cellular biological behavior and microenvironment of tumor cells. The differences between tumor cells and normal tissue become the vulnerability of tumor, which can be taken advantage of using targeted therapies. Small molecule inhibitors, as an important part of modern treatment for cancers, have shown significant efficacy in hematologic cancers and some solid tumors. To date, in glioblastoma, there have been more than 200 clinical trials completed or ongoing in which trial designers used small molecules as monotherapy or combination regimens to correct the abnormalities. In this review, we summarize the dysfunctional molecular mechanisms and highlight the outcomes of relevant clinical trials associated with small-molecule targeted therapies. Based on the outcomes, the main findings were that small-molecule inhibitors did not bring more benefit to newly diagnosed glioblastoma, but the clinical studies involving progressive glioblastoma usually claimed “noninferiority” compared with historical results. However, as to the clinical inferiority trial, similar dosing regimens should be avoided in future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenda Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhaonian Hao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing TianTan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Feng Mao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Dongsheng Guo, ; Feng Mao,
| | - Dongsheng Guo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Dongsheng Guo, ; Feng Mao,
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Hijazi M, Casado P, Akhtar N, Alvarez-Teijeiro S, Rajeeve V, Cutillas PR. eEF2K Activity Determines Synergy to Cotreatment of Cancer Cells With PI3K and MEK Inhibitors. Mol Cell Proteomics 2022; 21:100240. [PMID: 35513296 PMCID: PMC9184568 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2022.100240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
PI3K-mammalian target of rapamycin and MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) are the most frequently dysregulated signaling pathways in cancer. A problem that limits the success of therapies that target individual PI3K-MAPK members is that these pathways converge to regulate downstream functions and often compensate each other, leading to drug resistance and transient responses to therapy. In order to overcome resistance, therapies based on cotreatments with PI3K/AKT and MEK/MAPK inhibitors are now being investigated in clinical trials, but the mechanisms of sensitivity to cotreatment are not fully understood. Using LC-MS/MS-based phosphoproteomics, we found that eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K), a key convergence point downstream of MAPK and PI3K pathways, mediates synergism to cotreatment with trametinib plus pictilisib (which target MEK1/2 and PI3Kα/δ, respectively). Inhibition of eEF2K by siRNA or with a small molecule inhibitor reversed the antiproliferative effects of the cotreatment with PI3K plus MEK inhibitors in a cell model-specific manner. Systematic analysis in 12 acute myeloid leukemia cell lines revealed that eEF2K activity was increased in cells for which PI3K plus MEKi cotreatment is synergistic, while PKC potentially mediated resistance to such cotreatment. Together, our study uncovers eEF2K activity as a key mediator of responses to PI3Ki plus MEKi and as a potential biomarker to predict synergy to cotreatment in cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maruan Hijazi
- Signalling & Proteomics Group, Centre for Genomics and Computational Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Pedro Casado
- Signalling & Proteomics Group, Centre for Genomics and Computational Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nosheen Akhtar
- Signalling & Proteomics Group, Centre for Genomics and Computational Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Saul Alvarez-Teijeiro
- Signalling & Proteomics Group, Centre for Genomics and Computational Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Vinothini Rajeeve
- Signalling & Proteomics Group, Centre for Genomics and Computational Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Pedro R Cutillas
- Signalling & Proteomics Group, Centre for Genomics and Computational Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom; The Alan Turing Institute, British Library, London, United Kingdom.
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11
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Li X, Sun C, Chen J, Ma JF, Pan YH. Suppression of FAM83D Inhibits Glioma Proliferation, Invasion and Migration by Regulating the AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway. Transl Oncol 2022; 22:101454. [PMID: 35617811 PMCID: PMC9136185 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2022.101454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
FAM83D is upregulated in the glioma cells and tissues. Silencing FAM83D inhibits the proliferation, invasion and migration of glioma cells. Silencing FAM83D inhibits the activity of AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. FAM83D inhibition limits the in vivo growth of glioma cells.
Objective To explore the mechanism by which the family with sequence similarity 83, member D (FAM83D)-mediated AKT/mTOR signaling pathway activation affects the proliferation and metastasis of glioma cells. Methods FAM83D protein expression in glioma cells and tissues was detected by western blotting. Glioma U87 and U251 cells were selected and divided into the Mock, siNC, siFAM83D, FAM83D, MK2206 and FAM83D + MK2206 groups. Cell proliferation was assessed by MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) and clone formation assays, while invasion and migration were evaluated by Transwell assays and wound healing tests. The protein expression of members of the AKT/mTOR pathway was determined via western blotting. Xenograft models were also established in nude mice to observe the in vivo effect of FAM83D on the growth of glioma. Results FAM83D was upregulated in glioma patients, especially in those with Stage III-IV. In addition, cells treated with siFAM83D had significant downregulation of p-AKT/AKT and p-mTOR/mTOR, with decreased proliferation and colony numbers, as well as decreased invasion and migration compared to the Mock group. However, FAM83D overexpression could activate the Akt/mTOR pathway and promote the proliferation, invasion and migration of glioma cells. Moreover, treatment with MK2206, an inhibitor of AKT, reversed the promoting effect of FAM83D on the growth of glioma cells. The in vivo experiments demonstrated that silencing FAM83D could inhibit the in vivo growth of glioma cells Conclusion FAM83D was upregulated in glioma and silencing FAM83D suppressed the proliferation, invasion and migration of glioma cells via inhibition of the AKT/mTOR pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Li
- Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Neuro-oncology Diseases, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Cui Sun
- Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Neuro-oncology Diseases, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Neuro-oncology Diseases, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Ji-Fen Ma
- Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Neuro-oncology Diseases, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Yi-Heng Pan
- Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Neuro-oncology Diseases, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, Hubei, China.
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12
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Chen X, Wang K, Jiang S, Sun H, Che X, Zhang M, He J, Wen Y, Liao M, Li X, Zhou X, Song J, Ren X, Yi W, Yang J, Chen X, Yin M, Cheng Y. eEF2K promotes PD-L1 stabilization through inactivating GSK3β in melanoma. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2021-004026. [PMID: 35347072 PMCID: PMC8961175 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-004026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) targeting programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1)/programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) pathway has become an attractive strategy for cancer treatment; however, unsatisfactory efficacy has limited its clinical benefits. Therefore, a more comprehensive understanding of the regulation of PD-L1 expression is essential for developing more effective cancer immunotherapy. Recent studies have revealed the important roles of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K) in promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, tumor cell migration and invasion; nevertheless, the exact role of eEF2K in the regulation of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) remains largely unknown. Methods In this study, we used a cohort of 38 patients with melanoma who received anti-PD-1 treatment to explore the association between eEF2K expression and immunotherapy efficacy against melanoma. Immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry analysis and in vitro assays were used to examine the role and molecular mechanism of eEF2K in regulating PD-L1 expression. We also determined the effects of eEF2K on tumor growth and cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells in TIME in a mouse melanoma model. We further investigated the efficacy of the eEF2K inhibition in combination with anti-PD-1 treatment in vivo. Results High eEF2K expression is correlated with better therapeutic response and longer survival in patients with melanoma treated with PD-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb). Moreover, eEF2K protein expression is positively correlated with PD-L1 protein expression. Mechanistically, eEF2K directly bound to and inactivated glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β) by phosphorylating it at serine 9 (S9), leading to PD-L1 protein stabilization and upregulation, and subsequently tumor immune evasion. Knockdown of eEF2K decreased PD-L1 expression and enhanced CD8+ T cell activity, thus dramatically attenuating murine B16F10 melanoma growth in vivo. Clinically, p-GSK3β/S9 expression is positively correlated with the expressions of eEF2K and PD-L1, and the response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Furthermore, eEF2K inhibitor, NH125 treatment or eEF2K knockdown enhanced the efficacy of PD-1 mAb therapy in a melanoma mouse model. Conclusions Our results suggest that eEF2K may serve as a biomarker for predicting therapeutic response and prognosis in patients receiving anti-PD-1 therapy, reveal a vital role of eEF2K in regulating TIME by controlling PD-L1 expression and provide a potential combination therapeutic strategy of eEF2K inhibition with ICB therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xisha Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hunan Provincial Engineering Research Centre of Translational Medicine and Innovative Drug, Changsha, China
| | - Kuansong Wang
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya hospital and Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Shilong Jiang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Hongyin Sun
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xuanling Che
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Minghui Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Jiaying He
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ying Wen
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Mengting Liao
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiangling Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hunan Provincial Engineering Research Centre of Translational Medicine and Innovative Drug, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaoming Zhou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Jianxun Song
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Xingcong Ren
- Department of Cancer Biology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Wenjun Yi
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jinming Yang
- Department of Cancer Biology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Xiang Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Mingzhu Yin
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yan Cheng
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hunan Provincial Engineering Research Centre of Translational Medicine and Innovative Drug, Changsha, China
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Das JK, Ren Y, Kumar A, Peng HY, Wang L, Xiong X, Alaniz RC, de Figueiredo P, Ren X, Liu X, Ryazonov AG, Yang JM, Song J. Elongation factor-2 kinase is a critical determinant of the fate and antitumor immunity of CD8 + T cells. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabl9783. [PMID: 35108044 PMCID: PMC8809536 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abl9783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
eEF-2K has important roles in stress responses and cellular metabolism. We report here a previously unappreciated but critical role of eEF-2K in regulating the fate and cytocidal activity of CD8+ T cells. CD8+ T cells from eEF-2K KO mice were more proliferative but had lower survival than their wild-type counterparts after their activation, followed by occurrence of premature senescence and exhaustion. eEF-2K KO CD8+ T cells were more metabolically active and showed hyperactivation of the Akt-mTOR-S6K pathway. Loss of eEF-2K substantially impaired the activity of CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, the antitumor efficacy and tumor infiltration of the CAR-CD8+ T cells lacking eEF-2K were notably reduced as compared to the control CAR-CD8+ T cells. Thus, eEF-2K is critically required for sustaining the viability and function of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, and therapeutic augmentation of this kinase may be exploited as a novel approach to reinforcing CAR-T therapy against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jugal Kishore Das
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77843, USA
| | - Yijie Ren
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77843, USA
| | - Anil Kumar
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77843, USA
| | - Hao-Yun Peng
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77843, USA
| | - Liqing Wang
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77843, USA
| | - Xiaofang Xiong
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77843, USA
| | - Robert C. Alaniz
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77843, USA
| | - Paul de Figueiredo
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77843, USA
- Norman Borlaug Center, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Xingcong Ren
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Xiaoqi Liu
- Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Science, and Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Alexey G. Ryazonov
- Department of Pharmacology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Jin-Ming Yang
- Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Science, and Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Jianxun Song
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77843, USA
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Battaglia L, Scomparin A, Dianzani C, Milla P, Muntoni E, Arpicco S, Cavalli R. Nanotechnology Addressing Cutaneous Melanoma: The Italian Landscape. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:1617. [PMID: 34683910 PMCID: PMC8540596 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13101617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous melanoma is one of the most aggressive solid tumors, with a low survival for the metastatic stage. Currently, clinical melanoma treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and radiotherapy. Of note, innovative therapeutic regimens concern the administration of multitarget drugs in tandem, in order to improve therapeutic efficacy. However, also, if this drug combination is clinically relevant, the patient's response is not yet optimal. In this scenario, nanotechnology-based delivery systems can play a crucial role in the clinical treatment of advanced melanoma. In fact, their nano-features enable targeted drug delivery at a cellular level by overcoming biological barriers. Various nanomedicines have been proposed for the treatment of cutaneous melanoma, and a relevant number of them are undergoing clinical trials. In Italy, researchers are focusing on the pharmaceutical development of nanoformulations for malignant melanoma therapy. The present review reports an overview of the main melanoma-addressed nanomedicines currently under study in Italy, alongside the state of the art of melanoma therapy. Moreover, the latest Italian advances concerning the pre-clinical evaluation of nanomedicines for melanoma are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Battaglia
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Anna Scomparin
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
- . Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Chiara Dianzani
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Paola Milla
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Elisabetta Muntoni
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Silvia Arpicco
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Roberta Cavalli
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
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15
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Ballard DJ, Peng HY, Das JK, Kumar A, Wang L, Ren Y, Xiong X, Ren X, Yang JM, Song J. Insights Into the Pathologic Roles and Regulation of Eukaryotic Elongation Factor-2 Kinase. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:727863. [PMID: 34532346 PMCID: PMC8438118 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.727863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic Elongation Factor-2 Kinase (eEF2K) acts as a negative regulator of protein synthesis, translation, and cell growth. As a structurally unique member of the alpha-kinase family, eEF2K is essential to cell survival under stressful conditions, as it contributes to both cell viability and proliferation. Known as the modulator of the global rate of protein translation, eEF2K inhibits eEF2 (eukaryotic Elongation Factor 2) and decreases translation elongation when active. eEF2K is regulated by various mechanisms, including phosphorylation through residues and autophosphorylation. Specifically, this protein kinase is downregulated through the phosphorylation of multiple sites via mTOR signaling and upregulated via the AMPK pathway. eEF2K plays important roles in numerous biological systems, including neurology, cardiology, myology, and immunology. This review provides further insights into the current roles of eEF2K and its potential to be explored as a therapeutic target for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darby J. Ballard
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States
| | - Hao-Yun Peng
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Jugal Kishore Das
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States
| | - Anil Kumar
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States
| | - Liqing Wang
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Yijie Ren
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States
| | - Xiaofang Xiong
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States
| | - Xingcong Ren
- Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Jin-Ming Yang
- Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Jianxun Song
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States
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Wei R, Li X, Wang X, Zhang N, Wang Y, Zhang X, Gong P, Li J. Trypanosoma evansi evades host innate immunity by releasing extracellular vesicles to activate TLR2-AKT signaling pathway. Virulence 2021; 12:2017-2036. [PMID: 34348595 PMCID: PMC8344757 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.1959495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Surra, one of the most important animal diseases with economic consequences in Asia and South America, is caused by Trypanosoma evansi. However, the mechanism of immune evasion by T. evansi has not been extensively studied. In the present study, T. evansi extracellular vesicles (TeEVs) were characterized and the role of TeEVs in T. evansi infection were examined. The results showed that T. evansi and TeEVs could activate TLR2-AKT pathway to inhibit the secretions of IL-12p40, IL-6, and TNF-α in mouse BMDMs. TLR2−/- mice and mice with a blocked AKT pathway were more resistant to T. evansi infection than wild type (WT) mice, with a significantly lower infection rate, longer survival time and less parasite load, as well as an increased secretion level of IL-12p40 and IFN-γ. Kinetoplastid membrane protein-11 (KMP-11) of TeEVs could activate AKT pathway and inhibit the productions of IL-12p40, TNF-α, and IL-6 in vitro. TeEVs and KMP-11 could inhibit the productions of IL-12p40 and IFN-γ, promote T. evansi proliferation and shorten the survival time of infected mice in vivo. In conclusion, T. evansi could escape host immune response through inhibiting the productions of inflammatory cytokines via secreting TeEVs to activate TLR2-AKT pathway. KMP-11 in TeEVs was involved in promoting T. evansi infection. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by Trypanosoma evansi (T. evansi) activate the TLR2-AKT signaling pathway to inhibit the production of inflammatory cytokines, thereby escaping the host’s immune response. Kinetoplastid membrane protein-11 (KMP-11) in EVs is related to the promotion of T.evansi infection via AKT pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Wei
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education; College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xin Li
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education; College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaocen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education; College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education; College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yuru Wang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education; College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xichen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education; College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Pengtao Gong
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education; College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jianhua Li
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education; College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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Cai W, Zhang J, Zhou H, Li X, Lou F, Sun Y, Xu Z, Bai J, Yin Q, Wang Z, Sun L, Cai X, Tang S, Wu Y, Fan L, Wang H, Wang H, Li Q. Protein phosphatase 6 (Pp6) is crucial for regulatory T cell function and stability in autoimmunity. Genes Dis 2021; 9:562-575. [PMID: 35224167 PMCID: PMC8843994 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2021.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T (Treg) cells constitute a dynamic population that is critical in autoimmunity. Treg cell therapies for autoimmune diseases are mainly focused on enhancing their suppressive activities. However, recent studies demonstrated that certain inflammatory conditions induce Treg cell instability with diminished FoxP3 expression and convert them into pathogenic effector cells. Therefore, the identification of novel targets crucial to both Treg cell function and plasticity is of vital importance to the development of therapeutic approaches in autoimmunity. In this study, we found that conditional Pp6 knockout (cKO) in Treg cells led to spontaneous autoinflammation, immune cell activation, and diminished levels of FoxP3 in CD4+ T cells in mice. Loss of Pp6 in Treg cells exacerbated two classical mouse models of Treg-related autoinflammation. Mechanistically, Pp6 deficiency increased CpG motif methylation of the FoxP3 locus by dephosphorylating Dnmt1 and enhancing Akt phosphorylation at Ser473/Thr308, leading to impaired FoxP3 expression in Treg cells. In summary, our study proposes Pp6 as a critical positive regulator of FoxP3 that acts by decreasing DNA methylation of the FoxP3 gene enhancer and inhibiting Akt signaling, thus maintaining Treg cell stability and preventing autoimmune diseases.
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Kocak M, Ezazi Erdi S, Jorba G, Maestro I, Farrés J, Kirkin V, Martinez A, Pless O. Targeting autophagy in disease: established and new strategies. Autophagy 2021; 18:473-495. [PMID: 34241570 PMCID: PMC9037468 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2021.1936359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Macroautophagy/autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved pathway responsible for clearing cytosolic aggregated proteins, damaged organelles or invading microorganisms. Dysfunctional autophagy leads to pathological accumulation of the cargo, which has been linked to a range of human diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, infectious and autoimmune diseases and various forms of cancer. Cumulative work in animal models, application of genetic tools and pharmacologically active compounds, has suggested the potential therapeutic value of autophagy modulation in disease, as diverse as Huntington, Salmonella infection, or pancreatic cancer. Autophagy activation versus inhibition strategies are being explored, while the role of autophagy in pathophysiology is being studied in parallel. However, the progress of preclinical and clinical development of autophagy modulators has been greatly hampered by the paucity of selective pharmacological agents and biomarkers to dissect their precise impact on various forms of autophagy and cellular responses. Here, we summarize established and new strategies in autophagy-related drug discovery and indicate a path toward establishing a more efficient discovery of autophagy-selective pharmacological agents. With this knowledge at hand, modern concepts for therapeutic exploitation of autophagy might become more plausible. Abbreviations: ALS: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; AMPK: AMP-activated protein kinase; ATG: autophagy-related gene; AUTAC: autophagy-targeting chimera; CNS: central nervous system; CQ: chloroquine; GABARAP: gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor-associated protein; HCQ: hydroxychloroquine; LYTAC: lysosome targeting chimera; MAP1LC3/LC3: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3; MTOR: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase; NDD: neurodegenerative disease; PDAC: pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma; PE: phosphatidylethanolamine; PIK3C3/VPS34: phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit type 3; PtdIns3K: class III phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; PtdIns3P: phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate; PROTAC: proteolysis-targeting chimera; SARS-CoV-2: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; SQSTM1/p62: sequestosome 1; ULK1: unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammed Kocak
- Cancer Research UK, Cancer Therapeutics Unit, the Institute of Cancer Research London, Sutton, UK
| | | | | | - Inés Maestro
- Centro De Investigaciones Biologicas "Margarita Salas"-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Vladimir Kirkin
- Cancer Research UK, Cancer Therapeutics Unit, the Institute of Cancer Research London, Sutton, UK
| | - Ana Martinez
- Centro De Investigaciones Biologicas "Margarita Salas"-CSIC, Madrid, Spain.,Centro De Investigación Biomédica En Red En Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto De Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ole Pless
- Fraunhofer ITMP ScreeningPort, Hamburg, Germany
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Zhang J, Huang J, Gu Y, Xue M, Qian F, Wang B, Yang W, Yu H, Wang Q, Guo X, Ding X, Wang J, Jin M, Zhang Y. Inflammation-induced inhibition of chaperone-mediated autophagy maintains the immunosuppressive function of murine mesenchymal stromal cells. Cell Mol Immunol 2021; 18:1476-1488. [PMID: 31900460 PMCID: PMC8167126 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-019-0345-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Macroautophagy has been implicated in modulating the therapeutic function of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). However, the biological function of chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) in MSCs remains elusive. Here, we found that CMA was inhibited in MSCs in response to the proinflammatory cytokines interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). In addition, suppression of CMA by knocking down the CMA-related lysosomal receptor lysosomal-associated membrane protein 2 (LAMP-2A) in MSCs significantly enhanced the immunosuppressive effect of MSCs on T cell proliferation, and as expected, LAMP-2A overexpression in MSCs exerted the opposite effect on T cell proliferation. This effect of CMA on the immunosuppressive function of MSCs was attributed to its negative regulation of the expression of chemokine C-X-C motif ligand 10 (CXCL10), which recruits inflammatory cells, especially T cells, to MSCs, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), which leads to the subsequent inhibition of T cell proliferation via nitric oxide (NO). Mechanistically, CMA inhibition dramatically promoted IFN-γ plus TNF-α-induced activation of NF-κB and STAT1, leading to the enhanced expression of CXCL10 and iNOS in MSCs. Furthermore, we found that IFN-γ plus TNF-α-induced AKT activation contributed to CMA inhibition in MSCs. More interestingly, CMA-deficient MSCs exhibited improved therapeutic efficacy in inflammatory liver injury. Taken together, our findings established CMA inhibition as a critical contributor to the immunosuppressive function of MSCs induced by inflammatory cytokines and highlighted a previously unknown function of CMA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tissue Microenvironment and Tumor, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiefang Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tissue Microenvironment and Tumor, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuting Gu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tissue Microenvironment and Tumor, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingxing Xue
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tissue Microenvironment and Tumor, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Fengtao Qian
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tissue Microenvironment and Tumor, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Bei Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tissue Microenvironment and Tumor, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanlin Yang
- Pediatric Institute of Soochow University, Institutes for Translational Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Hongshuang Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tissue Microenvironment and Tumor, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiwei Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Guo
- Pediatric Institute of Soochow University, Institutes for Translational Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xinyuan Ding
- Pediatric Institute of Soochow University, Institutes for Translational Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jina Wang
- Department of Urology and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Min Jin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tissue Microenvironment and Tumor, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yanyun Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tissue Microenvironment and Tumor, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- Pediatric Institute of Soochow University, Institutes for Translational Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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20
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Alboushi L, Hackett AP, Naeli P, Bakhti M, Jafarnejad SM. Multifaceted control of mRNA translation machinery in cancer. Cell Signal 2021; 84:110037. [PMID: 33975011 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2021.110037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The mRNA translation machinery is tightly regulated through several, at times overlapping, mechanisms that modulate its efficiency and accuracy. Due to their fast rate of growth and metabolism, cancer cells require an excessive amount of mRNA translation and protein synthesis. However, unfavorable conditions, such as hypoxia, amino acid starvation, and oxidative stress, which are abundant in cancer, as well as many anti-cancer treatments inhibit mRNA translation. Cancer cells adapt to the various internal and environmental stresses by employing specialised transcript-specific translation to survive and gain a proliferative advantage. We will highlight the major signaling pathways and mechanisms of translation that regulate the global or mRNA-specific translation in response to the intra- or extra-cellular signals and stresses that are key components in the process of tumourigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilas Alboushi
- Patrick G. Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Angela P Hackett
- Patrick G. Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Parisa Naeli
- Patrick G. Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Mostafa Bakhti
- Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Seyed Mehdi Jafarnejad
- Patrick G. Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
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21
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Zhang Z, Xing X, Guan P, Song S, You G, Xia C, Liu T. Recent progress in agents targeting polo-like kinases: Promising therapeutic strategies. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 217:113314. [PMID: 33765606 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Polo-like kinases (PLKs) play important roles in regulating multiple aspects of cell cycle and cell proliferation. In many cancer types, PLK family members are often dysregulated, which can lead to uncontrolled cell proliferation and aberrant cell division and has been shown to associate with poor prognosis of cancers. The key roles of PLK kinases in cancers lead to an enhanced interest in them as promising targets for anticancer drug development. In consideration of PLK inhibitors and some other anticancer agents, such as BRD4, EEF2K and Aurora inhibitors, exert synergy effects in cancer cells, dual-targeting of PLK and other cancer-related targets is regarded as an rational and potent strategy to enhance the effectiveness of single-targeting therapy for cancer treatment. This review introduces the PLK family members at first and then focuses on the recent advances of single-target PLK inhibitors and summarizes the corresponding SARs of them. Moreover, we discuss the synergisms between PLK and other anti-tumor targets, and sum up the current dual-target agents based on them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, Shandong, 271016, PR China
| | - Xiaolan Xing
- Yangtze River Pharmaceutical Group Shanghai Haini Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Pudong, Shanghai, 201100, PR China
| | - Peng Guan
- Department of Pharmacy, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, PR China
| | - Shubin Song
- Department of Breast Surgery, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250117, PR China
| | - Guirong You
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, Shandong, 271016, PR China
| | - Chengcai Xia
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, Shandong, 271016, PR China
| | - Tingting Liu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, Shandong, 271016, PR China.
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22
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Elongation factor eEF2 kinase and autophagy jointly promote survival of cancer cells. Biochem J 2021; 478:1547-1569. [PMID: 33779695 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Cells within solid tumours can become deprived of nutrients; in order to survive, they need to invoke mechanisms to conserve these resources. Using cancer cells in culture in the absence of key nutrients, we have explored the roles of two potential survival mechanisms, autophagy and elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K), which, when activated, inhibits the resource-intensive elongation stage of protein synthesis. Both processes are regulated through the nutrient-sensitive AMP-activated protein kinase and mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 signalling pathways. We find that disabling both autophagy and eEF2K strongly compromises the survival of nutrient-deprived lung and breast cancer cells, whereas, for example, knocking out eEF2K alone has little effect. Contrary to some earlier reports, we find no evidence that eEF2K regulates autophagy. Unexpectedly, eEF2K does not facilitate survival of prostate cancer PC3 cells. Thus, eEF2K and autophagy enable survival of certain cell-types in a mutually complementary manner. To explore this further, we generated, by selection, cells which were able to survive nutrient starvation even when autophagy and eEF2K were disabled. Proteome profiling using mass spectrometry revealed that these 'resistant' cells showed lower levels of diverse proteins which are required for energy-consuming processes such as protein and fatty acid synthesis, although different clones of 'resistant cells' appear to adapt in dissimilar ways. Our data provide further information of the ways that human cells cope with nutrient limitation and to understanding of the utility of eEF2K as a potential target in oncology.
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Abstract
Viral infections lead to the death of more than a million people each year around the world, both directly and indirectly. Viruses interfere with many cell functions, particularly critical pathways for cell death, by affecting various intracellular mediators. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a major example of these mediators because they are involved in many (if not most) cellular mechanisms. Virus-regulated miRNAs have been implicated in three cell death pathways, namely, apoptosis, autophagy, and anoikis. Several molecules (e.g., BECN1 and B cell lymphoma 2 [BCL2] family members) are involved in both apoptosis and autophagy, while activation of anoikis leads to cell death similar to apoptosis. These mechanistic similarities suggest that common regulators, including some miRNAs (e.g., miR-21 and miR-192), are involved in different cell death pathways. Because the balance between cell proliferation and cell death is pivotal to the homeostasis of the human body, miRNAs that regulate cell death pathways have drawn much attention from researchers. miR-21 is regulated by several viruses and can affect both apoptosis and anoikis via modulating various targets, such as PDCD4, PTEN, interleukin (IL)-12, Maspin, and Fas-L. miR-34 can be downregulated by viral infection and has different effects on apoptosis, depending on the type of virus and/or host cell. The present review summarizes the existing knowledge on virus-regulated miRNAs involved in the modulation of cell death pathways. Understanding the mechanisms for virus-mediated regulation of cell death pathways could provide valuable information to improve the diagnosis and treatment of many viral diseases.
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Progress in the Development of Eukaryotic Elongation Factor 2 Kinase (eEF2K) Natural Product and Synthetic Small Molecule Inhibitors for Cancer Chemotherapy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22052408. [PMID: 33673713 PMCID: PMC7957638 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K or Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, CAMKIII) is a new member of an atypical α-kinase family different from conventional protein kinases that is now considered as a potential target for the treatment of cancer. This protein regulates the phosphorylation of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) to restrain activity and inhibit the elongation stage of protein synthesis. Mounting evidence shows that eEF2K regulates the cell cycle, autophagy, apoptosis, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis in several types of cancers. The expression of eEF2K promotes survival of cancer cells, and the level of this protein is increased in many cancer cells to adapt them to the microenvironment conditions including hypoxia, nutrient depletion, and acidosis. The physiological function of eEF2K and its role in the development and progression of cancer are here reviewed in detail. In addition, a summary of progress for in vitro eEF2K inhibitors from anti-cancer drug discovery research in recent years, along with their structure-activity relationships (SARs) and synthetic routes or natural sources, is also described. Special attention is given to those inhibitors that have been already validated in vivo, with the overall aim to provide reference context for the further development of new first-in-class anti-cancer drugs that target eEF2K.
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25
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Targeting eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase suppresses the growth and peritoneal metastasis of ovarian cancer. Cell Signal 2021; 81:109938. [PMID: 33539938 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2021.109938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OC) is the deadliest gynecological cancer and is currently incurable with standard treatment regimens. Early invasion, intraperitoneal metastasis, and an aggressive course are the hallmarks of OC. The major reason for poor prognosis is a lack of molecular targets and highly effective targeted therapies. Therefore, identification of novel molecular targets and therapeutic strategies is urgently needed to improve OC survival. Herein we report that eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase (EF2K) is highly upregulated in primary and drug-resistant OC cells and its expresssion associated with progression free survival TCGA database) and promotes cell proliferation, survival, and invasion. Downregulation of EF2K reduced expression of integrin β1 and cyclin D1 and the activity of the Src, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT, and nuclear factor-κB signaling pathways. Also, in vivo, therapeutic targeting of EF2K by using single-lipid nanoparticles containing siRNA led to substantial inhibition of ovarian tumor growth and peritoneal metastasis in nude mouse models. Furthermore, EF2K inhibition led to robust apoptosis and markedly reduced intratumoral proliferation in vivo in ovarian tumor xenografts and intraperitoneal metastatic models. Collectively, our data suggest for the first time that EF2K plays an important role in OC growth, metastasis, and progression and may serve as a novel therapeutic target in OCs.
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Guan Y, Jiang S, Ye W, Ren X, Wang X, Zhang Y, Yin M, Wang K, Tao Y, Yang J, Cao D, Cheng Y. Combined treatment of mitoxantrone sensitizes breast cancer cells to rapalogs through blocking eEF-2K-mediated activation of Akt and autophagy. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:948. [PMID: 33144562 PMCID: PMC7642277 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-03153-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Oncogenic activation of the mTOR signaling pathway occurs frequently in tumor cells and contributes to the devastating features of cancer, including breast cancer. mTOR inhibitors rapalogs are promising anticancer agents in clinical trials; however, rapalogs resistance remains an unresolved clinical challenge. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms by which cells become resistant to rapalogs may guide the development of successful mTOR-targeted cancer therapy. In this study, we found that eEF-2K, which is overexpressed in cancer cells and is required for survival of stressed cells, was involved in the negative-feedback activation of Akt and cytoprotective autophagy induction in breast cancer cells in response to mTOR inhibitors. Therefore, disruption of eEF-2K simultaneously abrogates the two critical resistance signaling pathways, sensitizing breast cancer cells to rapalogs. Importantly, we identified mitoxantrone, an admitted anticancer drug for a wide range of tumors, as a potential inhibitor of eEF-2K via a structure-based virtual screening strategy. We further demonstrated that mitoxantrone binds to eEF-2K and inhibits its activity, and the combination treatment of mitoxantrone and mTOR inhibitor resulted in significant synergistic cytotoxicity in breast cancer. In conclusion, we report that eEF-2K contributes to the activation of resistance signaling pathways of mTOR inhibitor, suggesting a novel strategy to enhance mTOR-targeted cancer therapy through combining mitoxantrone, an eEF-2K inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidi Guan
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410011, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Shilong Jiang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410011, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Wenling Ye
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xingcong Ren
- Department of Cancer Biology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Xinluan Wang
- Translational Medicine R&D Center, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 518057, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Mingzhu Yin
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Kuansong Wang
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410078, Changsha, China
| | - Yongguang Tao
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medicine, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - JinMing Yang
- Department of Cancer Biology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Dongsheng Cao
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Yan Cheng
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410011, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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Wang F, Yao S, Xia H. SIRT1 is a key regulatory target for the treatment of the endoplasmic reticulum stress-related organ damage. Biomed Pharmacother 2020; 130:110601. [PMID: 32784049 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is an evolutionarily conserved adaptive response that contributes to deal with the misfolded or unfolded protein in the lumen of the ER and restore the ER homeostasis. However, excessive and prolonged ER stress can trigger the cell-death signaling pathway which causes cell death, usually in the form of apoptosis. It is generally accepted that inappropriate cellular apoptosis and a series of the subsequent inflammatory response and oxidative stress can cause disturbance of normal physiological functions and organ damage. A lot of evidence shows that the excessive activation of the ER stress contributes to the pathogenesis of many kinds of diseases and inhibiting the inappropriate stress is of great significance for maintaining the normal physiological function. In recent years, Sirtuin1 (SIRT1) has become a research hotspot on ER stress. As a master regulator of ER stress, increasing evidence suggests that SIRT1 plays a positive role in a variety of ER stress-induced organ damage via multiple mechanisms, including inhibiting cellular apoptosis and promoting autophagy. Furthermore, a lot of factors have shown effective regulation of SIRT1, which indicates the feasibility of treating SIRT1 as a target for the treatment of ER stress-related diseases. We summarize and reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effect of SIRT1 in multiple ER stress-mediated organ damage in this review. We also summed up the possible adjustment mechanism of SIRT1, which provides a theoretical basis for the treatment of ER stress-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuquan Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China; Institute of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Shanglong Yao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China; Institute of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
| | - Haifa Xia
- Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China; Institute of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
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28
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Hirth M, Gandla J, Höper C, Gaida MM, Agarwal N, Simonetti M, Demir A, Xie Y, Weiss C, Michalski CW, Hackert T, Ebert MP, Kuner R. CXCL10 and CCL21 Promote Migration of Pancreatic Cancer Cells Toward Sensory Neurons and Neural Remodeling in Tumors in Mice, Associated With Pain in Patients. Gastroenterology 2020; 159:665-681.e13. [PMID: 32330476 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2020.04.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is frequently accompanied by excruciating pain, which has been associated with attraction of cancer cells and their invasion of intrapancreatic sensory nerves. Neutralization of the chemokine CCL2 reduced cancer-associated pain in a clinical trial, but there have been no systematic analyses of the highly diverse chemokine families and their receptors in PDAC. METHODS We performed an open, unbiased RNA-interference screen of mammalian chemokines in co-cultures of mouse PDAC cells (K8484) and mouse peripheral sensory neurons, and confirmed findings in studies of DT8082 PDAC cells. We studied the effects of chemokines on migration of PDAC cell lines. Orthotopic tumors were grown from K8484 cells in mice, and mice were given injections of neutralizing antibodies against chemokines, antagonists, or control antibodies. We analyzed abdominal mechanical hypersensitivity and collected tumors and analyzed them by histology and immunohistochemistry to assess neural remodeling. We collected PDAC samples and information on pain levels from 74 patients undergoing resection and measured levels of CXCR3 and CCR7 by immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting. RESULTS Knockdown of 9 chemokines in DRG neurons significantly reduced migration of PDAC cells towards sensory neurons. Sensory neuron-derived CCL21 and CXCL10 promoted migration of PDAC cells via their receptors CCR7 and CXCR3, respectively, which were expressed by cells in orthotopic tumors and PDAC specimens from patients. Neutralization of CCL21 or CXCL10, or their receptors, in mice with orthotopic tumors significantly reduced nociceptive hypersensitivity and nerve fiber hypertrophy and improved behavioral parameters without affecting tumor infiltration by T cells or neutrophils. Increased levels of CXCR3 and CCR7 in human PDAC specimens were associated with increased frequency of cancer-associated pain, determined from patient questionnaires. CONCLUSIONS In an unbiased screen of chemokines, we identified CCL21 and CXCL10 as proteins that promote migration of pancreatic cancer cells toward sensory neurons. Inhibition of these chemokines or their receptors reduce hypersensitivity in mice with orthotopic tumors, and patients with PDACs with high levels of the chemokine receptors of CXCR3 and CCR7 had increased frequency of cancer-associated pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Hirth
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Medicine II, University Medical Center Mannheim, Medical Faculty at Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jagadeesh Gandla
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christiane Höper
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Matthias M Gaida
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Nitin Agarwal
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Manuela Simonetti
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Aykut Demir
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yong Xie
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cleo Weiss
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christoph W Michalski
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Surgery, Halle University Hospital, Halle, Germany
| | - Thilo Hackert
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Matthias P Ebert
- Department of Medicine II, University Medical Center Mannheim, Medical Faculty at Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Rohini Kuner
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
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29
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Cao DS, Jiang SL, Guan YD, Chen XS, Zhang LX, Zhang Y, Chen AF, Yang JM, Cheng Y. A multi-scale systems pharmacology approach uncovers the anti-cancer molecular mechanism of Ixabepilone. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 199:112421. [PMID: 32428794 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
It has been realized that FDA approved drugs may have more molecular targets than is commonly thought. Thus, to find the exact drug-target interactions (DTIs) is of great significance for exploring the new molecular mechanism of drugs. Here, we developed a multi-scale system pharmacology (MSSP) method for the large-scale prediction of DTIs. We used MSSP to integrate drug-related and target-related data from multiple levels, the network structural data formed by known drug-target relationships for predicting likely unknown DTIs. Prediction results revealed that Ixabepilone, an epothilone B analog for treating breast cancer patients, may target Bcl-2, an oncogene that contributes to tumor progression and therapy resistance by inhibiting apoptosis. Furthermore, we demonstrated that Ixabepilone could bind with Bcl-2 and decrease its protein expression in breast cancer cells. The down-regulation of Bcl-2 by Ixabepilone is resulted from promoting its degradation by affecting p-Bcl-2. We further found that Ixabepilone could induce autophagy by releasing Beclin1 from Beclin1/Bcl-2 complex. Inhibition of autophagy by knockdown of Beclin1 or pharmacological inhibitor augmented apoptosis, thus enhancing the antitumor efficacy of Ixabepilone against breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. In addition, Ixabepilone also decreases Bcl-2 protein expression and induces cytoprotective autophagy in human hepatic carcinoma and glioma cells. In conclusion, this study not only provides a feasible and alternative way exploring new molecular mechanisms of drugs by combing computation DTI prediction, but also reveals an effective strategy to reinforce the antitumor efficacy of Ixabepilone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Sheng Cao
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
| | - Shi-Long Jiang
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China; Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Yi-Di Guan
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China; Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Xi-Sha Chen
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China; Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Liu-Xia Zhang
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China, 215000, China
| | - Alex F Chen
- Center for Vascular Disease and Translational Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410013, PR China
| | - Jin-Ming Yang
- Department of Cancer Biology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Yan Cheng
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China; Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China.
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30
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Karakas D, Ozpolat B. Eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF2K) signaling in tumor and microenvironment as a novel molecular target. J Mol Med (Berl) 2020; 98:775-787. [PMID: 32377852 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-020-01917-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF2K), an atypical member of alpha-kinase family, is highly overexpressed in breast, pancreatic, brain, and lung cancers, and associated with poor survival in patients. eEF2K promotes cell proliferation, survival, and aggressive tumor characteristics, leading to tumor growth and progression. While initial studies indicated that eEF2K acts as a negative regulator of protein synthesis by suppressing peptide elongation phase, later studies demonstrated that it has multiple functions and promotes cell cycle, angiogenesis, migration, and invasion as well as induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition through induction of integrin β1, SRC/FAK, PI3K/AKT, cyclin D1, VEGF, ZEB1, Snail, and MMP-2. Under stress conditions such as hypoxia and metabolic distress, eEF2K is activated by several signaling pathways and slows down protein synthesis and helping cells to save energy and survive. In vivo therapeutic targeting of eEF2K by genetic methods inhibits tumor growth in various tumor models, validating it as a potential molecular target. Recent studies suggest that eEF2K plays a role in tumor microenvironment cells by monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and accumulation of tumor-associated macrophages. Due to its clinical significance and the pivotal role in tumorigenesis and progression, eEF2K is considered as an important therapeutic target in solid tumors. However, currently, there is no specific and potent inhibitor for translation into clinical studies. Here, we aim to systematically review current knowledge regarding eEF2K in tumor biology, microenvironment, and development of eEF2K targeted inhibitors and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didem Karakas
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Bulent Ozpolat
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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31
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Xiao M, Xie J, Wu Y, Wang G, Qi X, Liu Z, Wang Y, Wang X, Hoque A, Oakhill J, Proud CG, Li J. The eEF2 kinase-induced STAT3 inactivation inhibits lung cancer cell proliferation by phosphorylation of PKM2. Cell Commun Signal 2020; 18:25. [PMID: 32054489 PMCID: PMC7020344 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-020-0528-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF2K) is a Ca 2+ /calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase that inhibits protein synthesis. However, the role of eEF2K in cancer development was reported paradoxically and remains to be elucidated. METHODS Herein, A549 cells with eEF2K depletion or overexpression by stably transfected lentivirus plasmids were used in vitro and in vivo study. MTT and colony assays were used to detect cell proliferation and growth. Extracellular glucose and lactate concentration were measured using test kit. Immunoblot and co-immunoprecipitation assays were used to examine the molecular biology changes and molecular interaction in these cells. LC-MS/MS analysis and [γ- 32 P] ATP kinase assay were used to identify combining protein and phosphorylation site. Nude mice was utilized to study the correlation of eEF2K and tumor growth in vivo. RESULTS We demonstrated that eEF2K inhibited lung cancer cells proliferation and affected the inhibitory effects of EGFR inhibitor gefitinib. Mechanistically, we showed that eEF2K formed a complex with PKM2 and STAT3, thereby phosphorylated PKM2 at T129, leading to reduced dimerization of PKM2. Subsequently, PKM2 impeded STAT3 phosphorylation and STAT3-dependent c-Myc expression. eEF2K depletion promoted the nuclear translocation of PKM2 and increased aerobic glycolysis reflected by increased lactate secretion and glucose. CONCLUSIONS Our findings define a novel mechanism underlying the regulation of cancer cell proliferation by eEF2K independent of its role in protein synthesis, disclosing the diverse roles of eEF2K in cell biology, which lays foundation for the development of new anticancer therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianling Xie
- South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Yu Wu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China
| | - Genzhu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Qi
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China
| | - Zailiang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuying Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuemin Wang
- South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Ashfaqul Hoque
- St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, SA, 4312, Australia
| | - Jon Oakhill
- St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, SA, 4312, Australia
| | - Christopher G Proud
- South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Jing Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China.
- Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts of Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, People's Republic of China.
- Open Studio for Druggability Research of Marine Natural Products, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao, People's Republic of China.
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32
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SIRT1 Protects the Heart from ER Stress-Induced Injury by Promoting eEF2K/eEF2-Dependent Autophagy. Cells 2020; 9:cells9020426. [PMID: 32059483 PMCID: PMC7072417 DOI: 10.3390/cells9020426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Many recent studies have demonstrated the involvement of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the development of cardiac diseases and have suggested that modulation of ER stress response could be cardioprotective. Previously, we demonstrated that the deacetylase Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) attenuates ER stress response and promotes cardiomyocyte survival. Here, we investigated whether and how autophagy plays a role in SIRT1-afforded cardioprotection against ER stress. The results revealed that protective autophagy was initiated before cell death in response to tunicamycin (TN)-induced ER stress in cardiac cells. SIRT1 inhibition decreased ER stress-induced autophagy, whereas its activation enhanced autophagy. In response to TN- or isoproterenol-induced ER stress, mice deficient for SIRT1 exhibited suppressed autophagy along with exacerbated cardiac dysfunction. At the molecular level, we found that in response to ER stress (i) the extinction of eEF2 or its kinase eEF2K not only reduced autophagy but further activated cell death, (ii) inhibition of SIRT1 inhibited the phosphorylation of eEF2, (iii) eIF2α co-immunoprecipitated with eEF2K, and (iv) knockdown of eIF2α reduced the phosphorylation of eEF2. Our results indicate that in response to ER stress, SIRT1 activation promotes cardiomyocyte survival by enhancing autophagy at least through activation of the eEF2K/eEF2 pathway.
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Xu Z, Han X, Ou D, Liu T, Li Z, Jiang G, Liu J, Zhang J. Targeting PI3K/AKT/mTOR-mediated autophagy for tumor therapy. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 104:575-587. [PMID: 31832711 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-019-10257-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 323] [Impact Index Per Article: 64.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Autophagy is a highly conserved catabolic process and participates in a variety of cellular biological activities. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, as a critical regulator of autophagy, is involved in the initiation and promotion of a series of pathological disorders including various tumors. Autophagy also participates in regulating the balance between the tumor and the tumor microenvironment. Natural products have been considered a treasure of new drug discoveries and are of great value to medicine. Mounting evidence has suggested that numerous natural products are targeting PI3K/AKT/mTOR-mediated autophagy, thereby suppressing tumor growth. Furthermore, autophagy plays a "double-edged sword" role in different tumors. Targeting PI3K/AKT/mTOR-mediated autophagy is an important therapeutic strategy for a variety of tumors, and plays important roles in enhancing the chemosensitivity of tumor cells and avoiding drug resistance. Therefore, we summarized the roles of PI3K/AKT/mTOR-mediated autophagy in tumorigenesis, progression, and drug resistance of tumors, which may be utilized to design preferably therapeutic strategies for various tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenru Xu
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Xu Han
- Molecular Biology Research Center & Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Daming Ou
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Ting Liu
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Zunxiong Li
- University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Guanmin Jiang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Molecular Biology Research Center & Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Ji Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China.
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Sabater-Arcis M, Bargiela A, Furling D, Artero R. miR-7 Restores Phenotypes in Myotonic Dystrophy Muscle Cells by Repressing Hyperactivated Autophagy. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2019; 19:278-292. [PMID: 31855836 PMCID: PMC6926285 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2019.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2019] [Revised: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Unstable CTG expansions in the 3’ UTR of the DMPK gene are responsible for myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) condition. Muscle dysfunction is one of the main contributors to DM1 mortality and morbidity. Pathways by which mutant DMPK trigger muscle defects, however, are not fully understood. We previously reported that miR-7 was downregulated in a DM1 Drosophila model and in biopsies from patients. Here, using DM1 and normal muscle cells, we investigated whether miR-7 contributes to the muscle phenotype by studying the consequences of replenishing or blocking miR-7, respectively. Restoration of miR-7 with agomiR-7 was sufficient to rescue DM1 myoblast fusion defects and myotube growth. Conversely, oligonucleotide-mediated blocking of miR-7 in normal myoblasts led to fusion and myotube growth defects. miR-7 was found to regulate autophagy and the ubiquitin-proteasome system in human muscle cells. Thus, low levels of miR-7 promoted both processes, and high levels of miR-7 repressed them. Furthermore, we uncovered that the mechanism by which miR-7 improves atrophy-related phenotypes is independent of MBNL1, thus suggesting that miR-7 acts downstream or in parallel to MBNL1. Collectively, these results highlight an unknown function for miR-7 in muscle dysfunction through autophagy- and atrophy-related pathways and support that restoration of miR-7 levels is a candidate therapeutic target for counteracting muscle dysfunction in DM1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Sabater-Arcis
- Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, Valencia 46100, Spain; Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (ERI BIOTECMED), University of Valencia, Valencia 46100, Spain; CIPF-INCLIVA Joint Unit, Valencia 46012, Spain
| | - Ariadna Bargiela
- Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, Valencia 46100, Spain; Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (ERI BIOTECMED), University of Valencia, Valencia 46100, Spain; CIPF-INCLIVA Joint Unit, Valencia 46012, Spain.
| | - Denis Furling
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Association Institut de Myologie, Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Paris 75013, France
| | - Ruben Artero
- Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, Valencia 46100, Spain; Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (ERI BIOTECMED), University of Valencia, Valencia 46100, Spain; CIPF-INCLIVA Joint Unit, Valencia 46012, Spain
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35
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Li YL, Weng HC, Hsu JL, Lin SW, Guh JH, Hsu LC. The Combination of MK-2206 and WZB117 Exerts a Synergistic Cytotoxic Effect Against Breast Cancer Cells. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:1311. [PMID: 31780937 PMCID: PMC6856645 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Hormone receptor-positive breast cancer is usually subjected to hormone therapy, while triple-negative breast cancer is more formidable and poses a therapeutic challenge. Glucose transporters are potential targets for the development of anticancer drugs. In search of anticancer agents whose effect could be enhanced by a GLUT1 inhibitor WZB117, we found that MK-2206, a potent allosteric Akt inhibitor, when combined with WZB117, showed a synergistic effect on growth inhibition and apoptosis induction in breast cancer cells, including ER(+) MCF-7 cells and triple-negative MDA-MB-231 cells. The combination index values at 50% growth inhibition were 0.45 and 0.21, respectively. Mechanism studies revealed that MK-2206 and WZB117 exert a synergistic cytotoxic effect in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells by inhibiting Akt phosphorylation and inducing DNA damage. The combination may also compromise DNA damage repair and ultimately lead to apoptosis. Our findings suggest that the combination of Akt inhibitors and GLUT1 inhibitors could be a novel strategy to combat breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Liang Li
- School of Pharmacy, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hao-Cheng Weng
- School of Pharmacy, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jui-Ling Hsu
- School of Pharmacy, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Wha Lin
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jih-Hwa Guh
- School of Pharmacy, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Lih-Ching Hsu
- School of Pharmacy, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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36
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Zsákai L, Sipos A, Dobos J, Erős D, Szántai-Kis C, Bánhegyi P, Pató J, Őrfi L, Matula Z, Mikala G, Kéri G, Peták I, Vályi-Nagy I. Targeted drug combination therapy design based on driver genes. Oncotarget 2019; 10:5255-5266. [PMID: 31523388 PMCID: PMC6731102 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.26985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted therapies against cancer types with more than one driver gene hold bright but elusive promise, since approved drugs are not available for all driver mutations and monotherapies often result in resistance. Targeting multiple driver genes in different pathways at the same time may provide an impact extensive enough to fight resistance. Our goal was to find synergistic drug combinations based on the availability of targeted drugs and their biological activity profiles and created an associated compound library based on driver gene-related protein targets. In this study, we would like to show that driver gene pattern based customized combination therapies are more effective than monotherapies on six cell lines and patient-derived primary cell cultures. We tested 55–102 drug combinations targeting driver genes and driver pathways for each cell line and found 25–85% of these combinations highly synergistic. Blocking 2–5 cancer pathways using only 2–3 targeted drugs was sufficient to reach high rates of tumor cell eradication at remarkably low concentrations. Our results demonstrate that the efficiency of cancer treatment may be significantly improved by combining drugs against multiple tumor specific drivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilian Zsákai
- Vichem Chemie Research Ltd., Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Central Hospital of Southern Pest National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anna Sipos
- Vichem Chemie Research Ltd., Budapest, Hungary.,Oncompass Medicine Hungary Ltd., Budapest, Hungary
| | - Judit Dobos
- Vichem Chemie Research Ltd., Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dániel Erős
- Vichem Chemie Research Ltd., Budapest, Hungary
| | | | | | - János Pató
- Vichem Chemie Research Ltd., Budapest, Hungary
| | - László Őrfi
- Vichem Chemie Research Ltd., Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Matula
- Department of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Central Hospital of Southern Pest National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Mikala
- Department of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Central Hospital of Southern Pest National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Budapest, Hungary
| | - György Kéri
- Vichem Chemie Research Ltd., Budapest, Hungary.,MTA-SE Patho-Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Medical Chemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.,Author deceased
| | - István Peták
- Oncompass Medicine Hungary Ltd., Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Pharmacology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - István Vályi-Nagy
- Department of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Central Hospital of Southern Pest National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Budapest, Hungary
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Yu P, Wang HY, Tian M, Li AX, Chen XS, Wang XL, Zhang Y, Cheng Y. Eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase regulates the cross-talk between autophagy and pyroptosis in doxorubicin-treated human melanoma cells in vitro. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2019; 40:1237-1244. [PMID: 30914761 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-019-0222-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF-2K), a negative regulator of protein synthesis, has been shown to play an important role in modulating autophagy and apoptosis in tumor cells under various stresses. In this study, we investigated the regulatory role of eEF-2K in pyroptosis (a new form of programmed necrosis) in doxorubicin-treated human melanoma cells. We found that doxorubicin (0.5-5 μmol/L) induced pyroptosis in melanoma cell lines SK-MEL-5, SK-MEL-28, and A-375 with high expression of DFNA5, but not in human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 with little expression of DFNA5. On the other hand, doxorubicin treatment activated autophagy in the melanoma cells; inhibition of autophagy by transfecting the cells with siRNA targeting Beclin1 or by pretreatment with chloroquine (20 μmol/L) significantly augmented pyroptosis, thus sensitizing the melanoma cells to doxorubicin. We further demonstrated that doxorubicin treatment activated eEF-2K in the melanoma cells, and silencing of eEF-2K blunted autophagic responses, but promoted doxorubicin-induced pyroptotic cell death. Taken together, the above results demonstrate that eEF-2K dictates the cross-talk between pyroptosis and autophagy in doxorubicin-treated human melanoma cells; suppression of eEF-2K results in inhibiting autophagy and augmenting pyroptosis, thus modulating the sensitivity of melanoma cells to doxorubicin, suggesting that targeting eEF-2K may reinforce the antitumor efficacy of doxorubicin, offering a new insight into tumor chemotherapy.
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A phase I trial of MK-2206 and hydroxychloroquine in patients with advanced solid tumors. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2019; 84:899-907. [PMID: 31463691 DOI: 10.1007/s00280-019-03919-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Given the evidence that coordinate inhibition of AKT induces autophagy, we studied the combination of the AKT inhibitor, MK-2206 with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in patients with advanced solid tumors. METHODS Patients were treated with weekly MK-2206 (135 mg or 200 mg) plus HCQ (200 mg, 400 mg or 600 mg BID). RESULTS Thirty-five patients were enrolled across 5 dose levels. Two DLTs of grade 3 maculo-papular rash were observed at dose level 2 (MK-2206 200 mg weekly plus HCQ at 400 mg BID) and 1 DLT of grade 3 fatigue at dose level 2B (MK-2206 135 mg weekly plus HCQ 600 mg BID). The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was declared as dose level 2B. The most common adverse events attributed to MK-2206 were hyperglycemia (N = 18; 51%), fatigue (N = 17; 49%), maculo-papular rash (N = 16; 46%), diarrhea (N = 12; 34%), anorexia (N = 11; 31%), and nausea (N = 11; 31%). Patients experiencing adverse events attributed to HCQ were small in number (N = 13) and primarily included fatigue (N = 5; 14%) and maculo-papular rashes (N = 3; 9%). Statistically significant effects on the pharmacokinetic properties of MK-2206 were observed in combination with HCQ. In addition, the plasma concentrations of HCQ in the combination with MK-2206 were significantly higher than the plasma levels of HCQ as monotherapy in prior studies. The best overall response of stable disease was observed in 5/34 (15%) patients. CONCLUSION The combination of MK-2206 and hydroxychloroquine was tolerable, but with substantial number of drug-related AEs and minimal evidence of antitumor activity.
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Jiang SL, Guan YD, Chen XS, Ge P, Wang XL, Lao YZ, Xiao SS, Zhang Y, Yang JM, Xu XJ, Cao DS, Cheng Y. Tubeimoside-1, a triterpenoid saponin, induces cytoprotective autophagy in human breast cancer cells in vitro via Akt-mediated pathway. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2019; 40:919-928. [PMID: 30315250 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-018-0165-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy, a form of cellular self-digestion by lysosome, is associated with various disease processes including cancers, and modulating autophagy has shown promise in the treatment of various malignancies. A number of natural products display strong antitumor activity, yet their mechanisms of action remain unclear. To gain a better understanding of how traditional Chinese medicine agents exert antitumor effects, we screened 480 natural compounds for their effects on autophagy using a high content screening assay detecting GFP-LC3 puncta in HeLa cells. Tubeimoside-1 (TBMS1), a triterpenoid saponin extracted from Bolbostemma paniculatum (Maxim) Franquet (Cucurbitaceae), was identified as a potent activator of autophagy. The activation of autophagy by TBMS1 was evidenced by increased LC3-II amount and GFP-LC3 dots, observation of autophagosomes under electron microscopy, and enhanced autophagic flux. To explore the mechanisms underlying TBMS1-activated autophagy, we performed cheminformatic analyses and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) binding assay that showed a higher likelihood of the binding between Akt protein and TBMS1. In three human breast cancer cell lines, we demonstrated that Akt-mTOR-eEF-2K pathway was involved in TBMS1-induced activation of autophagy, while Akt-mediated downregulations of Mcl-1, Bcl-xl, and Bcl-2 led to the activation of apoptosis of the breast cancer cells. Inhibition of autophagy enhanced the cytotoxic effect of TBMS1 via promoting apoptosis. Our results demonstrate the role and mechanism of TBMS1 in activating autophagy, suggesting that inhibition of cytoprotective autophagy may act as a therapeutic strategy to reinforce the activity of TBMS1 against cancers.
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Tang Y, Ren F, Cong X, Kong Y, Tian Y, Xu Y, Fan J. Overexpression of ribonuclease inhibitor induces autophagy in human colorectal cancer cells via the Akt/mTOR/ULK1 pathway. Mol Med Rep 2019; 19:3519-3526. [PMID: 30896869 PMCID: PMC6472130 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2019.10030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ribonuclease inhibitor (RI), also termed angiogenin inhibitor, acts as the inhibitor of ribonucleolytic activity of RNase A and angiogenin. The expression of RI has been investigated in melanoma and bladder cancer cells. However, the precise role of RI in tumorigenesis, in addition to RI‑induced autophagy, remains poorly understood. In the present study, it was demonstrated that RI positively regulated autophagy in human colorectal cancer (CRC) cells as indicated by an increase in light chain 3 (LC3)‑II levels. Furthermore, RI regulated cell survival in HT29 cells. In addition, autophagy‑associated proteins, including beclin‑1 and autophagy‑related protein 13, were increased in response to RI‑induced autophagy, and the protein kinase B (Akt)/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR)/Unc‑51 like autophagy activating kinase (ULK1) pathway may be involved in the activation of autophagy induced by RI overexpression. Taken together, the evidence of the present study indicated that the overexpression of RI induced ATG‑dependent autophagy in CRC cells via the Akt/mTOR/ULK1 pathway, suggesting that the upregulation of RI activity may constitute a novel approach for the treatment of human colorectal carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Tang
- Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, P.R. China
| | - Feng Ren
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, P.R. China
| | - Xi Cong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, P.R. China
| | - Ying Kong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, P.R. China
| | - Yuxiang Tian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, P.R. China
| | - Yuefei Xu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, P.R. China
| | - Jianhui Fan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, P.R. China
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Ye WL, Zhang LX, Guan YD, Xue WW, Chen AF, Cao Q, Cheng Y, Cao DS. Virtual screening and experimental validation of eEF2K inhibitors by combining homology modeling, QSAR and molecular docking from FDA approved drugs. NEW J CHEM 2019. [DOI: 10.1039/c9nj02600b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF2K), a calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, is a potential target for treating cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Ling Ye
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Central South University
- Changsha
- P. R. China
| | - Liu-Xia Zhang
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Central South University
- Changsha
- P. R. China
| | - Yi-Di Guan
- Department of Pharmacy
- The Second Xiangya Hospital
- Central South University
- Changsha
- China
| | - Wei-Wei Xue
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Drug Research
- Chongqing University
- Chongqing 401331
- China
| | - Alex F Chen
- Center for Vascular Disease and Translational Medicine
- The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University
- Changsha
- P. R. China
| | - Qian Cao
- Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University
- Beijing 100001
- People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Cheng
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Central South University
- Changsha
- P. R. China
- Department of Pharmacy
| | - Dong-Sheng Cao
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Central South University
- Changsha
- P. R. China
- Center for Vascular Disease and Translational Medicine
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Bircan HA, Gurbuz N, Pataer A, Caner A, Kahraman N, Bayraktar E, Bayraktar R, Erdogan MA, Kabil N, Ozpolat B. Elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF-2K) expression is associated with poor patient survival and promotes proliferation, invasion and tumor growth of lung cancer. Lung Cancer 2018; 124:31-39. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2018.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Wang NN, Dong J, Zhang L, Ouyang D, Cheng Y, Chen AF, Lu AP, Cao DS. HAMdb: a database of human autophagy modulators with specific pathway and disease information. J Cheminform 2018; 10:34. [PMID: 30066211 PMCID: PMC6068059 DOI: 10.1186/s13321-018-0289-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is an important homeostatic cellular recycling mechanism responsible for degrading unnecessary or dysfunctional cellular organelles and proteins in all living cells. In addition to its vital homeostatic role, this degradation pathway also involves in various human disorders, including metabolic conditions, neurodegenerative diseases, cancers and infectious diseases. Therefore, the comprehensive understanding of autophagy process, autophagy-related modulators and corresponding pathway and disease information will be of great help for identifying the new autophagy modulators, potential drug candidates, new diagnostic and therapeutic targets. In recent years, some autophagy databases providing structural and functional information were developed, but the specific databases covering autophagy modulator (proteins, chemicals and microRNAs)-related target, pathway and disease information do not exist. Hence, we developed an online resource, Human Autophagy Modulator Database (HAMdb, http://hamdb.scbdd.com), to provide researchers related pathway and disease information as many as possible. HAMdb contains 796 proteins, 841 chemicals and 132 microRNAs. Their specific effects on autophagy, physicochemical information, biological information and disease information were manually collected and compiled. Additionally, lots of external links were available for more information covering extensive biomedical knowledge. HAMdb provides a user-friendly interface to query, search, browse autophagy modulators and their comprehensive related information. HAMdb will help researchers understand the whole autophagy process and provide detailed information about related diseases. Furthermore, it can give hints for the identification of new diagnostic and therapeutic targets and the discovery of new autophagy modulators. In a word, we hope that HAMdb has the potential to promote the autophagy research in pharmacological and pathophysiological area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning-Ning Wang
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, No. 172, Tongzipo Road, Yuelu District, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Dong
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, No. 172, Tongzipo Road, Yuelu District, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Grain-Oil Deep Process and Quality Control, Hunan Key Laboratory of Processed Food for Special Medical Purpose, National Engineering Laboratory for Deep Processing of Rice and Byproducts, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin Zhang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Grain-Oil Deep Process and Quality Control, Hunan Key Laboratory of Processed Food for Special Medical Purpose, National Engineering Laboratory for Deep Processing of Rice and Byproducts, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Defang Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences (ICMS), University of Macau, Macau, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Cheng
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, No. 172, Tongzipo Road, Yuelu District, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Alex F Chen
- Center for Vascular Disease and Translational Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Ai-Ping Lu
- Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone and Joint Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, SAR, People's Republic of China
| | - Dong-Sheng Cao
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, No. 172, Tongzipo Road, Yuelu District, Changsha, People's Republic of China. .,Center for Vascular Disease and Translational Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, People's Republic of China. .,Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone and Joint Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, SAR, People's Republic of China.
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Autophagic cell death associated to Sorafenib in renal cell carcinoma is mediated through Akt inhibition in an ERK1/2 independent fashion. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0200878. [PMID: 30048489 PMCID: PMC6062059 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To fully clarify the role of Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase in the therapeutic response to Sorafenib in Renal Cell Carcinoma as well as the cell death mechanism associated to this kinase inhibitor, we have evaluated the implication of several Mitogen Activated Protein Kinases in Renal Cell Carcinoma-derived cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS An experimental model of Renal Cell Carcinoma-derived cell lines (ACHN and 786-O cells) was evaluated in terms of viability by MTT assay, induction of apoptosis by caspase 3/7 activity, autophagy induction by LC3 lipidation, and p62 degradation and kinase activity using phospho-targeted antibodies. Knock down of ATG5 and ERK5 was performed using lentiviral vector coding specific shRNA. RESULTS Our data discard Extracellular Regulated Kinase 1/2 and 5 as well as p38 Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase pathways as mediators of Sorafenib toxic effect but instead indicate that the inhibitory effect is exerted through the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway. Furthermore, we demonstrate that inhibition of Akt mediates cell death associated to Sorafenib without caspase activation, and this is consistent with the induction of autophagy, as indicated by the use of pharmacological and genetic approaches. CONCLUSION The present report demonstrates that Sorafenib exerts its toxic effect through the induction of autophagy in an Akt-dependent fashion without the implication of Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase. Therefore, our data discard the use of inhibitors of the RAF-MEK-ERK1/2 signalling pathway in RCC and support the use of pro-autophagic compounds, opening new therapeutic opportunities for Renal Cell Carcinoma.
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Eukaryotic elongation factors 2 promotes tumor cell proliferation and correlates with poor prognosis in ovarian cancer. Tissue Cell 2018; 53:53-60. [PMID: 30060827 DOI: 10.1016/j.tice.2018.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2017] [Revised: 05/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic elongation factors 2 (eEF2) plays an essential role in the GTP-dependent translocation of the ribosome along mRNA. Previous studies have shown that eEF2 is overexpressed in various tumors. However, little is known about the role of eEF2 in ovarian cancer. The aim of the present study is to examine the effect of eEF2 on ovarian cancer proliferation. We first measured eEF2 protein expression by western blot using six fresh ovarian cancer tissues from G1 to G3. The results showed that eEF2 expression gradually increased from G1 to G3. Additionally, eEF2 expression correlated significantly with grade (P = 0.045), FIGO stage (P = 0.035) and Ki67 (P < 0.05). Additionally, there was a significant positive association between eEF2 expression and Ki67 (r = 0.855). Cox's proportional hazards model also showed that eEF2 (P = 0.004) and Ki67 (P < 0.001) were an independent prognostic factor of overall survival in ovarian cancer patients. In vitro, after the release of ovarian cancer cell line (HO8910) from serum starvation, the expression of eEF2, cyclinD1 and PCNA was up-regulated. Moreover, silencing eEF2 in HO8910 cells decreased cell proliferation. Finally, we hypothesize that eEF2 may be activated in a positive feedback cycle through inactivation of eEF2K via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. These data provide novel insights into developing experimental therapies for ovarian cancer.
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46
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Ji C, Xu Q, Guo L, Wang X, Ren Y, Zhang H, Zhu W, Ming Z, Yuan Y, Ren X, Song J, Cheng Y, Yang J, Zhang Y. eEF-2 Kinase-targeted miR-449b confers radiation sensitivity to cancer cells. Cancer Lett 2018; 418:64-74. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2018.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Revised: 12/27/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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47
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Liu S, Li X, Li Q, Liu H, Shi Y, Zhuo H, Li C, Zhu H. Silencing Livin improved the sensitivity of colon cancer cells to 5-fluorouracil by regulating crosstalk between apoptosis and autophagy. Oncol Lett 2018; 15:7707-7715. [PMID: 29740490 PMCID: PMC5934728 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.8282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2016] [Accepted: 10/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cause of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. Currently, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) remains a widely used chemotherapeutic drug in the treatment of CRC; however, 5-FU resistance during treatment has become a common problem. Livin, a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein family, is considered to be associated with tumor resistance to chemotherapy. In the present study, Livin-silenced cells were generated by introducing a lentivirus into HCT116 and SW620 colon cancer cell lines. Acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining was used as an indicator of cell death. Western blot analysis was performed to detect protein expression levels, and transmission electron microscopy was used to assess autophagy. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 5-FU in colon cancer cells was evaluated using a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. The results of the present study confirmed that silencing Livin significantly enhanced colon cancer cell death in the presence of 5-FU, increased expression levels of various apoptosis- and autophagy-associated proteins and augmented chemotherapeutic sensitivity to 5-FU. Furthermore, the present study demonstrated that this effect may be reversed when autophagy or apoptosis was inhibited, indicating that apoptosis and autophagy were involved in this process. The protein kinase B signaling pathway and B-cell lymphoma-2 expression levels significantly decreased following Livin knockdown, suggesting they may contribute to the regulation of apoptosis and autophagy crosstalk, which caused the Livin knockdown-induced cell death observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Liu
- Department of Urology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Urology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Urology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China.,Department of Urology, Yucheng People's Hospital, Yucheng, Shandong 251200, P.R. China
| | - Hongjun Liu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Yulong Shi
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Hongqing Zhuo
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Chensheng Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Huijuan Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy Intravenous Admixture Services, Kaifeng Children's Hospital of Henan Province, Kaifeng, Henan 475000, P.R. China
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48
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Alameen AAM, Simioni C, Martelli AM, Zauli G, Ultimo S, McCubrey JA, Gonelli A, Marisi G, Ulivi P, Capitani S, Neri LM. Healthy CD4+ T lymphocytes are not affected by targeted therapies against the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Oncotarget 2018; 7:55690-55703. [PMID: 27494886 PMCID: PMC5342446 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.10984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
An attractive molecular target for novel anti-cancer therapies is the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway which is commonly deregulated in many types of cancer. Nevertheless, the effects of PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors on T lymphocytes, a key component of immune responses, have been seldom explored. In this study we investigated the effects on human CD4+ T-cells of a panel of PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors: BGT226, Torin-2, MK-2206, and ZSTK474. We also assessed their efficacy against two acute leukemia T cell lines. T lymphocytes were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin. Inhibitor effects on cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry, while cytotoxicity was assessed by MTT assays. In addition, the activation status of the pathway as well as induction of autophagy were analyzed by Western blotting. Quiescent healthy T lymphocytes were unaffected by the drugs whereas mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes as well as leukemic cell lines displayed a cell cycle block, caspase-dependent apoptosis, and dephosphorylation of key components of the signaling pathway. Autophagy was also induced in proliferating lymphocytes and in JURKAT and MOLT-4 cell lines. When autophagy was inhibited by 3-methyladenine or Bafilomycin A1, drug cytotoxicity was increased, indicating that autophagy is a protective mechanism. Therefore, our findings suggest that PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors preserve lymphocyte viability. This is a valuable result to be taken into account when selecting drugs for targeted cancer therapy in order to minimize detrimental effects on immune function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayman A M Alameen
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,Department of Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Carolina Simioni
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Alberto M Martelli
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giorgio Zauli
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Simona Ultimo
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - James A McCubrey
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Arianna Gonelli
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giorgia Marisi
- Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Italy
| | - Paola Ulivi
- Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Italy
| | - Silvano Capitani
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,LTTA Center, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Luca M Neri
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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Yu C, Li W, Liu J, Lu J, Feng J. Autophagy: novel applications of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for primary cancer. Cancer Med 2018; 7:471-484. [PMID: 29282893 PMCID: PMC5806108 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.1287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Revised: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In eukaryotic cells, autophagy is a process associated with programmed cell death. During this process, cytoplasmic proteins and organelles are engulfed by double-membrane autophagosomes, which then fuse with lysosomes to form autolysosomes. These autolysosomes then degrade their contents to recycle the cellular components. Autophagy has been implicated in a wide variety of physiological and pathological processes that are closely related to tumorigenesis. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have indicated that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as celecoxib, meloxicam, sulindac, aspirin, sildenafil, rofecoxib, and sodium salicylate, have diverse effects in cancer that are mediated by the autophagy pathway. These nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can modulate tumor autophagy through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR, MAPK/ERK1/2, P53/DRAM, AMPK/mTOR, Bip/GRP78, CHOP/ GADD153, and HGF/MET signaling pathways and inhibit lysosome function, leading to p53-dependent G1 cell-cycle arrest. In this review, we summarize the research progress in autophagy induced by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and the molecular mechanisms of autophagy in cancer cells to provide a reference for the potential benefits of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in cancer chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Yu
- Department of Integrated TCM & Western MedicineJiangsu Cancer HospitalJiangsu Institute of Cancer ResearchNanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer HospitalNanjingJiang Su210000China
| | - Wei‐bing Li
- Department of Integrated TCM & Western MedicineJiangsu Cancer HospitalJiangsu Institute of Cancer ResearchNanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer HospitalNanjingJiang Su210000China
| | - Jun‐bao Liu
- Department of Traditional Chinese MedicineHenan Provincial People's HospitalZhengzhouHenanChina
| | - Jian‐wei Lu
- Department of MedicineJiangsu Cancer HospitalJiangsu Institute of Cancer ResearchNanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer HospitalNanjingJiang Su210000China
| | - Ji‐feng Feng
- Department of MedicineJiangsu Cancer HospitalJiangsu Institute of Cancer ResearchNanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer HospitalNanjingJiang Su210000China
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50
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Pan Z, Chen Y, Liu J, Jiang Q, Yang S, Guo L, He G. Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of polo-like kinase 1/eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (PLK1/EEF2K) dual inhibitors for regulating breast cancer cells apoptosis and autophagy. Eur J Med Chem 2018; 144:517-528. [PMID: 29288948 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2017.12.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2017] [Revised: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Both PLK1 and EEF2K are serine⁄threonine kinases that play important roles in the proliferation and programmed cell death of various types of cancer. They are highly expressed in breast cancer tissues. Based on the multiple-complexes generated pharmacophore models of PLK1 and homology models of EEF2K, the integrated virtual screening is performed to discover novel PLK1/EEF2K dual inhibitors. The top ten hit compounds are selected and tested in vitro, and five of them display PLK1 and EEF2K inhibition in vitro. Based on the docking modes of the most potent hit compound, a series of derivatives are synthesized, characterized and biological assayed on the PLK1, EEF2K as well as breast cancer cell proliferation models. Compound 18i with satisfied inhibitory potency are shifted to molecular mechanism studies contained molecular dynamics simulations, cell cycles, apoptosis and autophagy assays. Our results suggested that these novel PLK1/EEF2K dual inhibitors can be used as lead compounds for further development breast cancer chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoping Pan
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting of Education Ministry and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Department of Breast Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yujuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Department of Breast Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jingyan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Department of Breast Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Qinglin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Department of Breast Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China; School of Pharmacy and Sichuan Province College Key Laboratory of Structure-Specific Small Molecule Drugs, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China.
| | - Shengyong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Department of Breast Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Li Guo
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting of Education Ministry and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Gu He
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting of Education Ministry and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Department of Breast Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China.
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