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Wani AK, Singh R, Akhtar N, Prakash A, Nepovimova E, Oleksak P, Chrienova Z, Alomar S, Chopra C, Kuca K. Targeted Inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Axis: Potential for Sarcoma Therapy. Mini Rev Med Chem 2024; 24:1496-1520. [PMID: 38265369 DOI: 10.2174/0113895575270904231129062137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Sarcoma is a heterogeneous group of malignancies often resistant to conventional chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/ protein kinase B /mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) signaling pathway has emerged as a critical cancer target due to its central role in regulating key cellular processes such as cell growth, proliferation, survival, and metabolism. Dysregulation of this pathway has been implicated in the development and progression of bone sarcomas (BS) and soft tissue sarcomas (STS). PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors have shown promising preclinical and clinical activity in various cancers. These agents can inhibit the activation of PI3K, Akt, and mTOR, thereby reducing the downstream signaling events that promote tumor growth and survival. In addition, PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors have been shown to enhance the efficacy of other anticancer therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The different types of PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors vary in their specificity, potency, and side effect profiles and may be effective depending on the specific sarcoma type and stage. The molecular targeting of PI3K/Akt/mToR pathway using drugs, phytochemicals, nanomaterials (NMs), and microbe-derived molecules as Pan-PI3K inhibitors, selective PI3K inhibitors, and dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitors have been delineated. While there are still challenges to be addressed, the preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that these inhibitors may significantly improve patient outcomes. Further research is needed to understand the potential of these inhibitors as sarcoma therapeutics and to continue developing more selective and effective agents to meet the clinical needs of sarcoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atif Khurshid Wani
- School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar (144411), Punjab, India
| | - Reena Singh
- School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar (144411), Punjab, India
| | - Nahid Akhtar
- School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar (144411), Punjab, India
| | - Ajit Prakash
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Eugenie Nepovimova
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czechia
| | - Patrik Oleksak
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czechia
| | - Zofia Chrienova
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czechia
| | - Suliman Alomar
- King Saud University, Zoology Department, College of Science, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Chirag Chopra
- School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar (144411), Punjab, India
| | - Kamil Kuca
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czechia
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Hradec Králové, Czechia
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Ciołczyk-Wierzbicka D, Krawczyk A, Zarzycka M, Zemanek G, Wierzbicki K. Three generations of mTOR kinase inhibitors in the activation of the apoptosis process in melanoma cells. J Cell Commun Signal 2023; 17:975-989. [PMID: 37097377 PMCID: PMC10409930 DOI: 10.1007/s12079-023-00748-9] [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: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Many signaling pathways are involved in the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and this serine/threonine kinase regulates the most important cellular processes such as cell proliferation, autophagy, and apoptosis. The subject of this research was the effect of protein kinase inhibitors involved in the AKT, MEK, and mTOR kinase signaling pathways on the expression of pro-survival proteins, activity of caspase-3, proliferation, and induction of apoptosis in melanoma cells. The following inhibitors were used: protein kinase inhibitors such as AKT-MK-2206, MEK-AS-703026, mTOR-everolimus and Torkinib, as well as dual PI3K and mTOR inhibitor-BEZ-235 and Omipalisib, and mTOR1/2-OSI-027 inhibitor in single-mode and their combinations with MEK1/2 kinase inhibitor AS-703026. The obtained results confirm the synergistic effect of nanomolar concentrations of mTOR inhibitors, especially the dual PI3K and mTOR inhibitors (Omipalisib, BEZ-235) in combination with the MAP kinase inhibitor (AS-703026) in the activation of caspase 3, induction of apoptosis, and inhibition of proliferation in melanoma cell lines. Our previous and current studies confirm the importance of the mTOR signal transduction pathway in the neoplastic transformation process. Melanoma is a case of a very heterogeneous neoplasm, which causes great difficulties in treating this neoplasm in an advanced stage, and the standard approach to this topic does not bring the expected results. There is a need for research on the search for new therapeutic strategies aimed at particular groups of patients. Effect of three generations of mTOR kinase inhibitors on caspase-3 activity, apoptosis and proliferation in melanoma cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Ciołczyk-Wierzbicka
- Chair of Medical Biochemistry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Ul. Kopernika 7, 31-034, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Agnieszka Krawczyk
- Chair of Medical Biochemistry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Ul. Kopernika 7, 31-034, Kraków, Poland
| | - Marta Zarzycka
- Chair of Medical Biochemistry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Ul. Kopernika 7, 31-034, Kraków, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Zemanek
- Chair of Medical Biochemistry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Ul. Kopernika 7, 31-034, Kraków, Poland
| | - Karol Wierzbicki
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery and Transplantology, Institute of Cardiology, Jagiellonian University, John Paul II Hospital, Ul. Prądnicka 80, 31-202, Kraków, Poland
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MYH9 is a novel cancer stem cell marker and prognostic indicator in esophageal cancer that promotes oncogenesis through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR axis. Cell Biol Int 2022; 46:2085-2094. [DOI: 10.1002/cbin.11894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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van Bavel JJA, Pham C, Beekman HDM, Houtman MJC, Bossu A, Sparidans RW, van der Heyden MAG, Vos MA. PI3K/mTOR inhibitor omipalisib prolongs cardiac repolarization along with a mild proarrhythmic outcome in the AV block dog model. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:956538. [PMID: 35990966 PMCID: PMC9381882 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.956538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway is an interesting target in cancer treatment. The awareness of the proarrhythmic risk of PI3K inhibitors was raised because PI3K is also involved in regulating signaling toward cardiac ion channels. Canine cardiomyocytes treated with PI3K inhibitors show an increased action potential duration and reduced cardiac repolarizing currents. Now, the potential proarrhythmic effect of chronic treatment of PI3K/mTOR inhibitor GSK2126458 (omipalisib) was investigated in the atrioventricular (AV) block dog model. Methods Purpose-bred Mongrel dogs received complete AV block by ablation of the bundle of His and their hearts were paced in the right ventricular apex at VDD-mode (RVA-VDD). In this way, sinus rhythm was maintained for 15 ± 1 days and thereby bradycardia-induced cardiac remodeling was prevented. Dogs received 1 mg/kg omipalisib once (n = 3) or twice (n = 10) a day via oral administration for 7 days. Under standardized conditions (anesthesia, bradycardia at 60 beats/min, and a dofetilide challenge), potential proarrhythmic effects of omipalisib were investigated. Results Twice daily dosing of omipalisib increased accumulative plasma levels compared to once daily dosing accompanied with adverse events. Omipalisib prolonged the QT interval at baseline and more strongly after the dofetilide challenge (490 ± 37 to 607 ± 48 ms). The arrhythmic outcome after omipalisib resulted in single ectopic beats in 30% of dogs perpetuating in multiple ectopic beats and TdP arrhythmia in 20% of dogs. Isolated ventricular cardiomyocytes from omipalisib-treated dogs showed a diminished IKs current density. Conclusion Chronic treatment of PI3K/mTOR inhibitor omipalisib prolonged the QT interval in a preclinical model under standardized proarrhythmic conditions. Furthermore, this study showed that electrical remodeling induced by omipalisib had a mild proarrhythmic outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. J. A. van Bavel
- Division of Heart and Lungs, Department of Medical Physiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - C. Pham
- Division of Heart and Lungs, Department of Medical Physiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - H. D. M. Beekman
- Division of Heart and Lungs, Department of Medical Physiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - M. J. C. Houtman
- Division of Heart and Lungs, Department of Medical Physiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - A. Bossu
- Division of Heart and Lungs, Department of Medical Physiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - R. W. Sparidans
- Division Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - M. A. G. van der Heyden
- Division of Heart and Lungs, Department of Medical Physiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: M. A. G. van der Heyden
| | - M. A. Vos
- Division of Heart and Lungs, Department of Medical Physiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
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Chen F, Gong E, Ma J, Lin J, Wu C, Chen S, Hu S. Prognostic score model based on six m6A-related autophagy genes for predicting survival in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. J Clin Lab Anal 2022; 36:e24507. [PMID: 35611939 PMCID: PMC9279981 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.24507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prognostic signatures based on autophagy genes have been proposed for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Autophagy genes are closely associated with m6A genes. Our purpose is to identify m6A-related autophagy genes in ESCC and develop a survival prediction model. METHODS Differential expression analyses for m6A genes and autophagy genes were performed based on TCGA and HADd databases followed by constructing a co-expression network. Uni-variable Cox regression analysis was performed for m6A-related autophagy genes. Using the optimal combination of feature genes by LASSO Cox regression model, a prognostic score (PS) model was developed and subsequently validated in an independent dataset. RESULTS The differential expression of 13 m6A genes and 107 autophagy genes was observed between ESCC and normal samples. The co-expression network contained 13 m6A genes and 96 autophagy genes. Of the 12 m6A-related autophagy genes that were significantly related to survival, DAPK2, DIRAS3, EIF2AK3, ITPR1, MAP1LC3C, and TP53 were used to construct a PS model, which split the training set into two risk groups with significant different survival ratios (p = 0.015, 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year AUC = 0.873, 0.840, and 0.829). Consistent results of GSE53625 dataset confirmed predictive ability of the model (p = 0.024, 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year AUC = 0.793, 0.751, and 0.744). The six-gene PS score was an independent prognostic factor from clinical factors (HR, 2.362; 95% CI, 1.390-7.064; p-value = 0.012). CONCLUSION Our study recommends 6 m6A-related autophagy genes as promising prognostic biomarkers and develops a PS model to predict survival in ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Funan Chen
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Longyan First Hospital, Longyan City, China
| | - Erxiu Gong
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Longyan First Hospital, Longyan City, China
| | - Jun Ma
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Longyan First Hospital, Longyan City, China
| | - Jiehuan Lin
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Longyan First Hospital, Longyan City, China
| | - Canxing Wu
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Longyan First Hospital, Longyan City, China
| | - Shanshan Chen
- Priority Ward, Longyan First Hospital, Longyan City, China
| | - Shuqiao Hu
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Longyan First Hospital, Longyan City, China
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Weidle UH, Sela T, Brinkmann U, Niewoehner J. Circular RNAs With Efficacy in Preclinical In Vitro and In Vivo Models of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cancer Genomics Proteomics 2022; 19:283-298. [PMID: 35430563 DOI: 10.21873/cgp.20320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Esophageal cancer is associated with a dismal prognosis. The armamentarium of approved drugs is focused on chemotherapy with modest therapeutic benefit. Recently, checkpoint inhibitory monoclonal antibody Pembrolizumab was approved. In order to identify new targets and modalities for the treatment of esophagus squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) we searched the literature for circRNAs involved in the pathogenesis of ESCC. We identified two down-regulated and 17 up-regulated circRNAs as well as a synthetic circRNA with efficacy in preclinical in vivo systems. Down-regulated circRNAs sponge microRNAs directed against tumor suppressor genes. Up-regulated circRNAs sponge microRNAs directed against mRNAs, which encode proteins with pro-tumoral functions. We discuss issues such as reconstitution of down-regulated circRNAs and inhibition of up-regulated circRNAs with short interfering RNA (siRNA)- related entities. Also, we address druggability issues of the identified targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich H Weidle
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Penzberg, Germany
| | - Tatjana Sela
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Penzberg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Brinkmann
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Penzberg, Germany
| | - Jens Niewoehner
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Penzberg, Germany
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