Vinblastine, a chemotherapeutic drug, inhibits palmitoylation of tubulin in human leukemic lymphocytes

Pharmacomicrobiomics of cell-cycle specific anti-cancer drugs - is it a new perspective for personalized treatment of cancer patients?

Intestinal bacteria are equipped with an enzyme apparatus that is involved in the active biotransformation of xenobiotics, including drugs. Pharmacomicrobiomics, a new area of pharmacology, analyses interactions between bacteria and xenobiotics. However, there is another side to the coin. Pharmacotherapeutic agents can significantly modify the microbiota, which consequently affects their efficacy. In this review, we comprehensively gathered scientific evidence on the interplay between anticancer therapies and gut microbes. We also underlined how such interactions might impact the host response to a given therapy. We discuss the possibility of modulating the gut microbiota to increase the effectiveness/decrease the incidence of adverse events during tumor therapy. The anticipation of the future brings new evidence that gut microbiota is a target of interest to increase the efficacy of therapy.

Diverse Roles of Protein Palmitoylation in Cancer Progression, Immunity, Stemness, and Beyond

Protein S-palmitoylation, a type of post-translational modification, refers to the reversible process of attachment of a fatty acyl chain-a 16-carbon palmitate acid-to the specific cysteine residues on target proteins. By adding the lipid chain to proteins, it increases the hydrophobicity of proteins and modulates protein stability, interaction with effector proteins, subcellular localization, and membrane trafficking. Palmitoylation is catalyzed by a group of zinc finger DHHC-containing proteins (ZDHHCs), whereas depalmitoylation is catalyzed by a family of acyl-protein thioesterases. Increasing numbers of oncoproteins and tumor suppressors have been identified to be palmitoylated, and palmitoylation is essential for their functions. Understanding how palmitoylation influences the function of individual proteins, the physiological roles of palmitoylation, and how dysregulated palmitoylation leads to pathological consequences are important drivers of current research in this research field. Further, due to the critical roles in modifying functions of oncoproteins and tumor suppressors, targeting palmitoylation has been used as a candidate therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. Here, based on recent literatures, we discuss the progress of investigating roles of palmitoylation in regulating cancer progression, immune responses against cancer, and cancer stem cell properties.

Cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction in breast cancer, skin cancer and glioblastoma cells by plant extracts

Medicinal plants can be candidate as a common alternative for cancer treatment according to natural landscaping and native plants in each country. The aim of this study was the evaluations of cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest induction by using seven leaves extracts of Catharanthus roseus, Calystegia sepium, Berberis integerrima, Mahonia fortunei, Melia azedarach, Plantago major, Betula pendula and one bulb extract of Narcissus tazetta. Extracts were assessed on three cancer cell lines including MCF-7 breast cancer cells, A431 epidermal cell line, and U87-MG glioma cell line that were compared to HGF-1 as normal cells. According to analysis of MTT, methanolic extract of C. sepium leaves increased significantly the rate of cell death in all cancer cell lines when compared to HGF-1 as normal cells. Among different extracts, methanolic extract of C. roseus leaves and methanolic extract of C. sepium leaves indicated a crucial role in apoptosis of cancer cells according to evidences from MTT assay, cell cycle analysis, and apoptosis assay. Doxorubicin has been used as standard drug to compare with IC50 s of different extracts. In addition, the encapsulation of methanolic and ethanolic extracts in small unilamellar vesicles form (SUV) increased the cytotoxicity on cancer cell lines and normal cells. Our results indicated that different extracts can differently affect the cytotoxicity rate in variety of cancer cell lines.

The Biological Activity of the Novel Vinca Alkaloids 4-chlorochablastine and 4-chlorochacristine

BACKGROUND

Vinca alkaloids are important cancer drugs belonging to the class of antimitotic agents. The most commonly used substances are vinblastine and vincristine, other compounds are vinorelbine and vinflunine. All of them are very effective drugs but their use is limited by severe side-effects including neurotoxicity and bone marrow depression. Therefore, it is very important to develop novel vinca alkaloids with similar efficacy but lower toxicity.

METHODS

Here, we analyzed two new compounds, 4-chlorochablastine and 4-chlorochacristine, with regard to their biological activity. These novel compounds were applied to a leukemia cell line at clinically relevant concentrations. For comparison, the established vinca alkaloids vinblastine, vincristine, vinorelbine, and vinflunine were also tested.

RESULTS

Both novel substances decreased cellular proliferation. Apoptosis was found to be increased using two different methods reflecting early and late apoptosis. Cell cycle analysis revealed a clear decrease in G1-cells and an increase in G2/M-cells indicating an arrest in mitosis. In general, 4- chlorochablastine and 4-chlorochacristine caused these effects at concentrations higher than those needed for vinblastine, vincristine, and vinorelbine, but the potency was approximately in the range of vinflunine.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, the results show first indications that these novel vinca alkaloids might be effective and that they warrant further analysis.

FASN Inhibition and Taxane Treatment Combine to Enhance Anti-tumor Efficacy in Diverse Xenograft Tumor Models through Disruption of Tubulin Palmitoylation and Microtubule Organization and FASN Inhibition-Mediated Effects on Oncogenic Signaling and Gene Expression

Palmitate, the enzymatic product of FASN, and palmitate-derived lipids support cell metabolism, membrane architecture, protein localization, and intracellular signaling. Tubulins are among many proteins that are modified post-translationally by acylation with palmitate. We show that FASN inhibition with TVB-3166 or TVB-3664 significantly reduces tubulin palmitoylation and mRNA expression. Disrupted microtubule organization in tumor cells is an additional consequence of FASN inhibition. FASN inhibition combined with taxane treatment enhances inhibition of in vitro tumor cell growth compared to treatment with either agent alone. In lung, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic tumor xenograft studies, FASN inhibition and paclitaxel or docetaxel combine to inhibit xenograft tumor growth with significantly enhanced anti-tumor activity. Tumor regression was observed in 3 of 6 tumor xenograft models. FASN inhibition does not affect cellular taxane concentration in vitro. Our data suggest a mechanism of enhanced anti-tumor activity of the FASN and taxane drug combination that includes inhibition of tubulin palmitoylation and disruption of microtubule organization in tumor cells, as well as a sensitization of tumor cells to FASN inhibition-mediated effects that include gene expression changes and inhibition of β-catenin. Together, the results strongly support investigation of combined FASN inhibition and taxane treatment as a therapy for a variety of human cancers.

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FASN inhibition decreases tubulin palmitoylation and disrupts microtubules in tumor cells but not non-tumor cells

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Combined FASN inhibition and taxane treatment increases inhibition of in vitro tumor cell colony growth

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FASN inhibition does not affect intracellular paclitaxel concentrations

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Combined FASN inhibition and taxane treatment significantly increases inhibition of tumor growth or causes regression of diverse xenograft tumors

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Taxane treatment sensitizes xenograft tumors to FASN inhibition-mediated beta-catenin blockade and gene expression changes

Fatty acid synthase (FASN) is a vital enzyme in tumor cell biology; the over-expression of FASN is associated with diminished patient prognosis and resistance to many cancer therapies. Our data demonstrate that selective and potent FASN inhibition combines with taxane treatment to enhance tumor growth inhibition and induce tumor regression in varied preclinical tumor models. Mechanism-of-action studies indicate that the increased activity of the combination results from the effects of both drugs. The results support clinical investigation of combined FASN inhibition and taxane treatment as an anti-cancer therapy.

Methyl Sulfone Blocked Multiple Hypoxia- and Non-Hypoxia-Induced Metastatic Targets in Breast Cancer Cells and Melanoma Cells

Metastatic cancer causes 90% of cancer deaths. Unlike many primary tumors, metastatic tumors cannot be cured by surgery alone. Metastatic cancer requires chemotherapy. However, metastatic cells are not easily killed by chemotherapy. These problems with chemotherapy are caused in part by the metastatic cell niche: hypoxia. Here we show that the molecule, methyl sulfone, normalized metastatic metabolism of hypoxic breast cancer and melanoma cells by altering several metabolic functions of the cells. Under hypoxia, methyl sulfone decreased expression of the master regulator of hypoxia, HIF-1α, and reduced levels of the glycolytic enzymes, PKM2, LDHA, GLUT1, the pro-angiogenic protein, VEGF, and the iron-sulfur metabolism molecules, miR-210 and transferrin, all of which promote metastasis. Conversely, methyl sulfone increased levels of ISCU1/2 and ferroportin, proteins associated with iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis and iron homeostasis in normal cells. These data identify methyl sulfone as a multi-targeting molecule that blocks the survival/proliferative effect of hypoxia on metastatic cells and brings normality back to cellular metabolism.

Post-translational modifications of tubulin: pathways to functional diversity of microtubules

Tubulin and microtubules are subject to a remarkable number of post-translational modifications. Understanding the roles these modifications play in determining the functions and properties of microtubules has presented a major challenge that is only now being met. Many of these modifications are found concurrently, leading to considerable diversity in cellular microtubules, which varies with development, differentiation, cell compartment, and cell cycle. We now know that post-translational modifications of tubulin affect, not only the dynamics of the microtubules, but also their organization and interaction with other cellular components. Many early suggestions of how post-translational modifications affect microtubules have been replaced with new ideas and even new modifications as our understanding of cellular microtubule diversity comes into focus.

Plasma membrane tubulin

The association of tubulin with the plasma membrane comprises multiple levels of penetration into the bilayer: from integral membrane protein, to attachment via palmitoylation, to surface binding, and to microtubules attached by linker proteins to proteins in the membrane. Here we discuss the soundness and weaknesses of the chemical and biochemical evidence marshaled to support these associations, as well as the mechanisms by which tubulin or microtubules may regulate functions at the plasma membrane.

Protein acyl thioesterases (Review)

Many proteins are S-acylated, affecting their localization and function. Dynamic S-acylation in response to various stimuli has been seen for several proteins in vivo. The regulation of S-acylation is beginning to be elucidated. Proteins can autoacylate or be S-acylated by protein acyl transferases (PATs). Deacylation, on the other hand, is an enzymatic process catalyzed by protein thioesterases (APT1 and PPT1) but only APT1 appears to be involved in the regulation of the reversible S-acylation of cytoplasmic proteins seen in vivo. PPT1, on the other hand, is involved in the lysosomal degradation of S-acylated proteins and PPT1 deficiency causes the disease infant neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis.