Detection of PI3K inhibition in human neuroblastoma using multiplex luminex bead immunoassay: a targeted approach for pathway analysis

Pharmacodynamic Monitoring of mTOR Inhibitors

Pharmacodynamic (PD) monitoring may complement routine pharmacokinetic monitoring of mTOR inhibitors (mTORis) in an attempt to better guide individualized sirolimus (SRL) or everolimus (EVR) treatment after organ transplantation. This review focuses on current knowledge about PD biomarkers for personalized mTORi therapies. Different strategies have already been used in the evaluation of the pharmacodynamics of SRL and EVR as a proxy for their effects on the immune response after transplantation. These include measuring p70S6K (70 kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase) activity, p70S6K phosphorylation (P-p70S6K), or P-S6 protein expression. Compared with Western blot and ELISA, phosphoflow cytometry can detect phosphorylated proteins and differentiate activation-induced changes of signaling molecules inside the cell from unstimulated populations of identical cells in the same sample. Alternatively, in patients receiving a combined therapy, the other PD approach is to consider biomarkers such as NFAT residual expression for calcineurin inhibitors or to evaluate nonspecific effects of the drugs such as lymphocyte proliferation, interleukin synthesis, specific peripheral blood T regulatory subsets, or lymphocyte surface antigens, which have the advantage to reflect the overall immunosuppressive status achieved. Although limited, the available data on mTOR pathway biomarkers seem promising. Before clinical implementation, the analytical methodologies must be standardized and cross-validated, and the selected biomarkers will have to demonstrate their clinical utility for SRL or EVR dose individualization in multicenter clinical trials.

Low dose of arsenic trioxide inhibits multidrug resistant-related P-glycoprotein expression in human neuroblastoma cell line

This study investigated arsenic trioxide (As2O3), cisplatin (DDP) and etoposide (Vp16) on the anticancer effects and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression in neuroblastoma (NB) SK-N-SH cells. The potential influence of As2O3, DDP and Vp16 currently included in NB routine treatment protocols on cytotoxicity in SK-N-SH cells was measured by flow cytometry and drug half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was established. Moreover, chemotherapeutic agent-mediated changes of cellular expression levels of resistant-related P-gp, was monitored using western blotting. The data showed that As2O3, DDP and Vp16 significantly inhibited the growth and survival of the SK-N-SH cells at different concentration. Notably, the levels of apoptosis were upregulated in SK-N-SH cells with an acceleration of the exposure time and the concentration of As2O3, DDP and Vp16. As2O3, DDP and Vp16 were observed with their IC50 values on SK-N-SH cells being 3 µM, 8 and 100 µg/ml, respectively. Flow cytometry analysis showed that As2O3 at low concentrations in SK-N-SH cells led to enhanced accumulation of cell populations in G2/M phase with increasing the exposure time, and increased levels of apoptosis. In contrast, we observed that SK-N-SH cell populations arrested in S phase by DDP and Vp16. In vitro examination revealed that following pretreatment of SK-N-SH cells with As2O3, the expression of P-gp was not increased. The expression of P-gp downregulation were noted following the group treated by As2O3 at 2 and 3 µM. Exposed to As2O3 at 3 µM for 72 h, SK-N-SH cells exhibited lower expression of P-gp than 2 µM As2O3 for 72 h. In contrast, the expression of P-gp was upregulated by DDP and VP16. In summary, SK-N-SH cells were responsive to chemotherapeutic agent-induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. In particular, ours findings showed that low dose of As2O3 markedly reduced the P-gp expression and increased apoptotic cell death in human NB cell line.