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Abo Qoura L, Balakin KV, Hoffman RM, Pokrovsky VS. The potential of methioninase for cancer treatment. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189122. [PMID: 38796027 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2024.189122] [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: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
Cancer cells are addicted to L-methionine (L-Met) and have a much greater requirement for L-Met than normal cells due to excess transmethylation, termed the Hoffman effect. By targeting this vulnerability through dietary restriction of L-Met, researchers have been able to achieve promising results in inhibiting tumor growth and eradicating cancer cells. Methioninase (EC 4.4.1.11; METase) catalyzes the transformation of L-Met into α-ketobutyrate, ammonia, and methanethiol. The use of METase was initially limited due to its poor stability in vivo, high immunogenicity, and enzyme-induced inactivating antibodies. These issues could be partially resolved by PEGylation, encapsulation in erythrocytes, and various site-directed mutagenesis. The big breakthrough came when it was discovered that METase is effectively administered orally. The enzyme L-asparaginase is approved by the FDA for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. METase has more potential as a therapeutic since addiction to L-Met is a general and fundamental hallmark of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louay Abo Qoura
- Research Institute of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, People's Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 117198 Moscow, Russia; N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology of Ministry of Health of Russian Federation, 115478 Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA 92111, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037-7400, USA
| | - Vadim S Pokrovsky
- Research Institute of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, People's Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 117198 Moscow, Russia; N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology of Ministry of Health of Russian Federation, 115478 Moscow, Russia.
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Sato M, Han Q, Mizuta K, Mori R, Kang BM, Morinaga S, Kobayashi N, Ichikawa Y, Nakajima A, Hoffman RM. Extensive Shrinkage and Long-term Stable Disease in a Teenage Female Patient With High-grade Glioma Treated With Temozolomide and Radiation in Combination With Oral Recombinant Methioninase and a Low-methionine Diet. In Vivo 2024; 38:1459-1464. [PMID: 38688589 PMCID: PMC11059867 DOI: 10.21873/invivo.13591] [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: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM Gliomas are the most common and recalcitrant malignant primary brain tumors. All cancer types are addicted to methionine, which is a fundamental and general hallmark of cancer known as the Hoffman effect. Particularly glioma cells exhibit methionine addiction. Because of methionine addiction, [11C]-methionine positron emission tomography (MET-PET) is widely used for glioma imaging in clinical practice, which can monitor the extent of methionine addiction. Methionine restriction including recombinant methioninase (rMETase) and a low-methionine diet, has shown high efficacy in preclinical models of gliomas, especially in combination with chemotherapy. The aim of the present study was to determine the efficacy of methionine restriction with oral rMETase (o-rMETase) and a low-methionine diet, combined with radiation and temozolomide (TMZ), on a teenage female patient with high-grade glioma. CASE REPORT A 16-year-old girl was diagnosed with high-grade glioma. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a left temporal-lobe tumor with compression to the left lateral ventricle and narrowing of sulci in the left temporal lobe. After the start of methionine restriction with o-rMETase and a low-methionine diet, along with TMZ combined with radiotherapy, the tumor size shrunk at least 60%, with improvement in the left lateral ventricle and sulci. The patient's condition remains stable for 19 months without severe adverse effects. CONCLUSION Methionine restriction consisting of o-rMETase and a low-methionine diet, in combination with radiation and TMZ as first-line chemotherapy, were highly effective in a patient with high-grade glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Motokazu Sato
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
- Department of Oncology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | | | - Kohei Mizuta
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | | | - Byung Mo Kang
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - Sei Morinaga
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - Noritoshi Kobayashi
- Department of Oncology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Yasushi Ichikawa
- Department of Oncology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Atsushi Nakajima
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A.;
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
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Raboni S, Faggiano S, Bettati S, Mozzarelli A. Methionine gamma lyase: Structure-activity relationships and therapeutic applications. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2024; 1872:140991. [PMID: 38147934 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2023.140991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Methionine gamma lyase (MGL) is a bacterial and plant enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of methionine in methanthiol, 2-oxobutanoate and ammonia. The enzyme belongs to fold type I of the pyridoxal 5'-dependent family. The catalytic mechanism and the structure of wild type MGL and variants were determined in the presence of the natural substrate as well as of many sulfur-containing derivatives. Structure-function relationship studies were pivotal for MGL exploitation in the treatment of cancer, bacterial infections, and other diseases. MGL administration to cancer cells leads to methionine starvation, thus decreasing cells viability and increasing their vulnerability towards other drugs. In antibiotic therapy, MGL acts by transforming prodrugs in powerful drugs. Numerous strategies have been pursued for the delivering of MGL in vivo to prolong its bioavailability and decrease its immunogenicity. These include conjugation with polyethylene glycol and encapsulation in synthetic or natural vesicles, eventually decorated with tumor targeting molecules, such as the natural phytoestrogens daidzein and genistein. The scientific achievements in studying MGL structure, function and perspective therapeutic applications came from the efforts of many talented scientists, among which late Tatyana Demidkina to whom we dedicate this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samanta Raboni
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parma, Italy; Institute of Biophysics, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Serena Faggiano
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parma, Italy; Institute of Biophysics, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - Stefano Bettati
- Institute of Biophysics, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy; National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems (INBB), Rome, Italy; Department of Medicine, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Andrea Mozzarelli
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parma, Italy; Institute of Biophysics, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
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Sato M, Mizuta K, Han Q, Morinaga S, Kang BM, Kubota Y, Mori R, Baranov A, Kobayashi K, Ardjmand D, Kobayashi N, Bouvet M, Ichikawa Y, Nakajima A, Hoffman RM. Targeting Methionine Addiction Combined With Low-dose Irinotecan Arrested Colon Cancer in Contrast to High-dose Irinotecan Alone, Which Was Ineffective, in a Nude-mouse Model. In Vivo 2024; 38:1058-1063. [PMID: 38688611 PMCID: PMC11059914 DOI: 10.21873/invivo.13539] [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: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third-leading cause of death in the world. Although the prognosis has improved due to improvement of chemotherapy, metastatic CRC is still a recalcitrant disease, with a 5-year survival of only 13%. Irinotecan (IRN) is used as first-line chemotherapy for patients with unresectable CRC. However, there are severe side effects, such as neutropenia and diarrhea, which are dose-limiting. We have previously shown that methionine restriction (MR), effected by recombinant methioninase (rMETase), lowered the effective dose of IRN of colon-cancer cells in vitro. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of the combination of low-dose IRN and MR on colon-cancer in nude mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS HCT-116 colon-cancer cells were cultured and subcutaneously injected into the flank of nude mice. After the tumor size reached approximately 100 mm3, 18 mice were randomized into three groups; Group 1: untreated control on a normal diet; Group 2: high-dose IRN on a normal diet (2 mg/kg, i.p.); Group 3: low-dose IRN (1 mg/kg i.p.) on MR effected by a methionine-depleted diet. RESULTS There was no significant difference between the control mice and the mice treated with high-dose IRN, without MR. However, low-dose IRN combined with MR was significantly more effective than the control and arrested colon-cancer growth (p=0.03). Body weight loss was reversible in the mice treated by low-dose IRN combined with MR. CONCLUSION The combination of low-dose IRN and MR acted synergistically in arresting HCT-116 colon-cancer grown in nude mice. The present study indicates the MR has the potential to reduce the effective dose of IRN in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Motokazu Sato
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
- Department of Oncology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Kohei Mizuta
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | | | - Sei Morinaga
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - Byung Mo Kang
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - Yutaro Kubota
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | | | | | | | | | - Noritoshi Kobayashi
- Department of Oncology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Michael Bouvet
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - Yasushi Ichikawa
- Department of Oncology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Atsushi Nakajima
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A.;
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
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Kubota Y, Aoki Y, Masaki N, Obara K, Hamada K, Han Q, Bouvet M, Tsunoda T, Hoffman RM. Methionine restriction of glioma does not induce MGMT and greatly improves temozolomide efficacy in an orthotopic nude-mouse model: A potential curable approach to a clinically-incurable disease. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 695:149418. [PMID: 38176171 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.149418] [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: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Glioma is a highly recalcitrant disease with a 5-year survival of 6.8 %. Temozolomide (TMZ), first-line therapy for glioma, is more effective in O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT)-negative gliomas than in MGMT-positive gliomas as MGMT confers resistance to TMZ. Methionine restriction is effective for many cancers in mouse models including glioma. The concern is that methionine restriction could induce MGMT by decreasing DNA methylation and confer resistance to TMZ. In the present study, we investigated the efficacy of combining methionine restriction with TMZ for the treatment of MGMT-negative glioma, and whether methionine restriction induced MGMT. Human MGMT-negative U87 glioma cells were used to determine the efficacy of TMZ combined with methionine restriction. Recombinant methioninase (rMETase) inhibited U87 glioma growth without induction of MGMT in vitro. The combination of rMETase and TMZ inhibited U87 cell proliferation more than either agent alone in vitro. In the orthotopic nude-mouse model, the combination of TMZ and a methionine-deficient diet was much more effective than TMZ alone: two mice out of five were cured of glioma by the combination. No mice died during the treatment period. Methionine restriction enhanced the efficacy of TMZ in MGMT-negative glioma without inducing MGMT, demonstrating potential clinical promise for improved outcome of a currently incurable disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutaro Kubota
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA; Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Medical Oncology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yusuke Aoki
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Noriyuki Masaki
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Koya Obara
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Kazuyuki Hamada
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Michael Bouvet
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Takuya Tsunoda
- Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Medical Oncology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
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Choobin BB, Kubota Y, Han Q, Ardjmand D, Morinaga S, Mizuta K, Bouvet M, Tsunoda T, Hoffman RM. Recombinant Methioninase Lowers the Effective Dose of Regorafenib Against Colon-Cancer Cells: A Strategy for Widespread Clinical Use of a Toxic Drug. CANCER DIAGNOSIS & PROGNOSIS 2023; 3:655-659. [PMID: 37927805 PMCID: PMC10619565 DOI: 10.21873/cdp.10268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Background/Aim Regorafenib is a multi-kinase inhibitor, targeting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 and other oncogenic kinases. Regorafenib has efficacy in metastatic colon cancer, but has severe dose-limiting toxicities which cause patients to stop taking the drug. The aim of the present study was to determine if recombinant methioninase (rMETase) could lower the effective concentration of regorafenib in vitro against a colorectal-cancer cell line. Materials and Methods Firstly, we examined the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of regorafenib alone and rMETase alone for the HCT-116 human colorectal-cancer cell line. After that, using the IC50 concentration of each drug, we investigated the efficacy of the combination of regorafenib and rMETase. Results While both methioninase alone (IC50=0.61 U/ml) and regorafenib alone (IC50=2.26 U/ml) inhibited the viability of HCT-116 cells, the combination of the two agents was more than twice as effective as either alone. Addition of rMETase at 0.61 U/ml lowered the IC50 of regorafenib from 2.26 μM to 1.46 μM. Conclusion rMETase and regorafenib are synergistic, giving rise to the possibility of lowering the effective dose of regorafenib in patients, thereby reducing its severe toxicity, allowing more cancer patients to be treated with regorafenib.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yutaro Kubota
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
- Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Medical Oncology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | | | - Sei Morinaga
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - Kohei Mizuta
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - Michael Bouvet
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - Takuya Tsunoda
- Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Medical Oncology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
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Inubushi S, Kunihisa T, Mizumoto S, Inoue S, Miki M, Suetsugu A, Tanino H, Hoffman RM. Methionine Restriction Increases Exosome Production and Secretion in Breast Cancer Cells. Cancer Genomics Proteomics 2023; 20:412-416. [PMID: 37643781 PMCID: PMC10464940 DOI: 10.21873/cgp.20393] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM Methionine addiction is the elevated requirement for exogenous methionine for growth and survival of cancer cells, termed the Hoffman effect. Methionine-addicted cancer cells synthesize normal or excess amounts of methionine but still need an external source of methionine. Methionine restriction (MR) by either a methionine-free medium or in vivo by a low-methionine diet or by methioninase, selectively arrests cancer cells in the late S/G2 cell cycle phase, but not normal cells. The present study focuses on the comparison of production and secretion of exosomes by cancer cells under MR and normal conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS MDA-MB-231 cells (triple-negative breast cancer), containing exosomes labeled with CD63-GFP (CD63-GFP exosomes), were visualized by fluorescence microscopy. MDA-MB-231 cells expressing exosome-specific CD63-GFP were cultured in methionine-containing (MET+) or in methionine-free (MET-) DMEM conditions. Exosomes were isolated from conditioned medium of cultured MDA-MD-231 cells by ultracentrifugation and characterized by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) and Western blotting. RESULTS When MDA-MB-231-CD63-GFP cells were cultured under MR conditions, they arrested their growth and CD63-GFP-expressing exosomes were strongly increased in the cells. MR resulted in approximately a 2-fold increase in exosome production and secretion per cell, even though cell growth was arrested. Methionine restriction thus resulted in elevated exosome production and secretion per surviving cell. CONCLUSION Exosome production and secretion in the cancer cells increased under MR, suggesting a relation between MR and exosome production and secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sachiko Inubushi
- Division of Breast Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan;
- AntiCancer Inc, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
- Department of Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, U.S.A
| | - Tomonari Kunihisa
- Division of Breast Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Sachiko Mizumoto
- Division of Breast Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Shotaro Inoue
- Division of Breast Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Mayuko Miki
- Division of Breast Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Suetsugu
- Department of Gastroenterology/Internal Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Tanino
- Department of Cardiovascular, Respiratory and Breast Surgery, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer Inc, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.;
- Department of Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, U.S.A
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Kubota Y, Han Q, Morinaga S, Tsunoda T, Hoffman RM. Rapid Reduction of CEA and Stable Metastasis in an NRAS-mutant Rectal-Cancer Patient Treated With FOLFIRI and Bevacizumab Combined With Oral Recombinant Methioninase and a Low-Methionine Diet Upon Metastatic Recurrence After FOLFIRI and Bevacizumab Treatment Alone. In Vivo 2023; 37:2134-2138. [PMID: 37652473 PMCID: PMC10500498 DOI: 10.21873/invivo.13310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM The choice of chemotherapy agents for RAS-mutant colorectal cancer is limited, and prognosis is poor compared to RAS-wild-type colorectal cancer. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of methionine restriction combined with chemotherapy in a patient with NRAS-mutant rectal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS A 59-year-old female was diagnosed with lung-metastatic recurrence of NRAS-mutant rectal cancer two and a half years after resection of the primary tumor. She started chemotherapy, which consisted of fluorouracil, irinotecan (FOLFIRI), and bevacizumab, in October 2020. Eight months later, stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) was performed to treat the lung metastases. She stopped chemotherapy at this point and had blood tests and computed tomography (CT) scans regularly. Her CEA level increased to 139.91 ng/ml and her lung metastasis became larger by September 2022. Therefore, she was reintroduced to FOLFIRI and bevacizumab in October 2022, and also started a low-methionine diet and oral recombinant methioninase (o-rMETase) as a supplement. RESULTS After starting the combination therapy with o-rMETase, a low-methionine diet, FOLFIRI, and bevacizumab, blood CEA levels very rapidly decreased and were almost within the normal limits five months later. CT findings showed the lung metastasis did not grow. CONCLUSION Methionine restriction comprising o-rMETase and a low-methionine diet combined with first-line chemotherapy was effective in a patient with NRAS-mutant rectal cancer in which metastasis had re-occurred after first-line chemotherapy alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutaro Kubota
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
- Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Medical Oncology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Sei Morinaga
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - Takuya Tsunoda
- Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Medical Oncology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A.;
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
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Miyake M, Miyake K, Han Q, Igarashi K, Kawaguchi K, Barangi M, Kiyuna T, Sugisawa N, Higuchi T, Oshiro H, Zhang Z, Razmjooei S, Bouvet M, Endo I, Hoffman RM. Synergy of oral recombinant methioninase (rMETase) and 5-fluorouracil on poorly differentiated gastric cancer. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 643:48-54. [PMID: 36586158 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.12.062] [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: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Gastric cancer is highly malignant and recalcitrant to first line chemotherapies that include 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Cancer cells are addicted to methionine for their proliferation and survival. Methionine addiction of cancer is known as the Hoffman effect. Methionine restriction with recombinant methioninase (rMETase) has been shown to selectively starve cancer cells and has shown synergy with cytotoxic chemotherapy including 5-FU. The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of rMETase alone and the combination with 5-FU on poorly differentiated human gastric cancer cell lines (MKN45, NUGC3, and NUGC4) in vitro and vivo. rMETase suppressed the tumor growth of 3 kinds of poorly differentiated gastric cancer cells in vitro. The fluorescence ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator (FUCCI) demonstrated cancer cells treated with rMETase were selectively trapped in the S/G2 phase of the cell cycle. In the present study, subcutaneous MKN45 gastric cancer models were randomized into four groups when the tumor volume reached 100 mm3: G1: untreated control; G2: 5-FU (i.p., 50 mg/kg, weekly, three weeks); G3: oral-rMETase (o-rMETase) (p.o., 100 units/body, daily, three weeks); G4: 5-FU with o-rMETase (5-FU; i.p., 50 mg/kg, weekly, three weeks o-rMETase; p.o., 100 units/body, daily, three weeks). All mice were sacrificed on day 22. Body weight and estimated tumor volume were measured twice a week. 5-FU and o-rMETase suppressed tumor growth as monotherapies on day 18 (p = 0.044 and p = 0.044). However, 5-FU combined with o-rMETase was significantly superior to each monotherapy (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively) and induced extensive necrosis compared to other groups. The combination of 5-FU and o-rMETase shows promise for transformative therapy for poorly differentiated gastric cancer in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masuyo Miyake
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Kentaro Miyake
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan.
| | | | - Kentaro Igarashi
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Kei Kawaguchi
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Tasuku Kiyuna
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Norihiko Sugisawa
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Takashi Higuchi
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Hiromichi Oshiro
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Zhiying Zhang
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Michael Bouvet
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Itaru Endo
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan.
| | - Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
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KUBOTA YUTARO, HAN QINGHONG, HAMADA KAZUYUKI, AOKI YUSUKE, MASAKI NORIYUKI, OBARA KOYA, BARANOV ANTON, BOUVET MICHAEL, TSUNODA TAKUYA, HOFFMAN ROBERTM. Oral Installation of Recombinant Methioninase-producing Escherichia coli into the Microbiome Inhibits Colon-cancer Growth in a Syngeneic Mouse Model. Cancer Genomics Proteomics 2022; 19:683-691. [PMID: 36316039 PMCID: PMC9620449 DOI: 10.21873/cgp.20351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM All cancer types so far tested are methionine-addicted. Targeting the methionine addiction of cancer with recombinant methioninase (rMETase) has shown great progress in vitro, in mouse models, and in the clinic. However, administration of rMETase requires multiple doses per day. In the present study, we determined if rMETase-producing Escherichia coli JM109 (E. coli JM109-rMETase) might be an effective anticancer agent when installed into the microbiome. MATERIALS AND METHODS E. coli JM109-rMETase was administered to a syngeneic model of MC38 colon cancer growing subcutaneously in C57BL/6 mice. JM109-rMETase was administered orally by gavage to the mice twice per day. Tumor size was measured with calipers. RESULTS The administration of E. coli JM109-rMETase twice a day significantly inhibited MC38 colon-cancer growth. E. coli JM109-rMETase was found in the stool of treated mice, indicating it had entered the microbiome. CONCLUSION The present study indicates the potential of microbiome-based treatment of cancer targeting methionine addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- YUTARO KUBOTA
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.,Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Medical Oncology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - KAZUYUKI HAMADA
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.,Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Medical Oncology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - YUSUKE AOKI
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - NORIYUKI MASAKI
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - KOYA OBARA
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | | | - MICHAEL BOUVET
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - TAKUYA TSUNODA
- Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Medical Oncology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - ROBERT M. HOFFMAN
- AntiCancer Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
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11
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Safrhansova L, Hlozkova K, Starkova J. Targeting amino acid metabolism in cancer. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 373:37-79. [PMID: 36283767 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2022.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic rewiring is a characteristic hallmark of cancer cells. This phenomenon sustains uncontrolled proliferation and resistance to apoptosis by increasing nutrients and energy supply. However, reprogramming comes together with vulnerabilities that can be used against tumor and can be applied in targeted therapy. In the last years, the genetic background of tumors has been identified thoroughly and new therapies targeting those mutations tested. Nevertheless, we propose that targeting the phenotype of cancer cells could be another way of treatment aiming to avoid drug resistance and non-responsiveness of cancer patients. Amino acid metabolism is part of the altered processes in cancer cells. Amino acids are building blocks and also sensors of signaling pathways regulating main biological processes. In this comprehensive review, we described four amino acids (asparagine, arginine, methionine, and cysteine) which have been actively investigated as potential targets for anti-tumor therapy. Asparagine depletion is successfully used for decades in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and there is a strong implication to apply it to other types of tumors. Arginine auxotrophic tumors are great candidates for arginine-starvation therapy. Higher requirement for essential amino acids such as methionine and cysteine point out promising targetable weaknesses of cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Safrhansova
- CLIP - Childhood Leukaemia Investigation Prague, Prague, Czech Republic; Dept. of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Katerina Hlozkova
- CLIP - Childhood Leukaemia Investigation Prague, Prague, Czech Republic; Dept. of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Julia Starkova
- CLIP - Childhood Leukaemia Investigation Prague, Prague, Czech Republic; Dept. of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic; University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic.
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12
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A. Hassabo A, H.Selim M, M.Saad M, Abdelraof M. Optimization of l-methioninase and l-arginase production by newly isolated marine yeast using response surface methodology. BIOCATALYSIS AND AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcab.2022.102383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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13
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Yamamoto J, Inubushi S, Han Q, Tashiro Y, Sugisawa N, Hamada K, Aoki Y, Miyake K, Matsuyama R, Bouvet M, Clarke SG, Endo I, Hoffman RM. Linkage of methionine addiction, histone lysine hypermethylation, and malignancy. iScience 2022; 25:104162. [PMID: 35434545 PMCID: PMC9010622 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Methionine addiction, found in all types of cancer investigated, is because of the overuse of methionine by cancer cells for excess transmethylation reactions. In the present study, we compared the histone H3 lysine-methylation status and degree of malignancy between methionine-addicted cancer cells and their isogenic methionine-independent revertants, selected by their growth in low concentration of methionine. The methionine-independent revertans can grow on low levels of methionine or independently of exogenous methionine using methionine precursors, as do normal cells. In the methionine-independent revertants, the excess levels of trimethylated histone H3 lysine marks found in the methionine-addicted parental cancer cells were reduced or lost, and their tumorigenicity and experimental metastatic potential in nude mice were also highly reduced. Methionine addiction of cancer is linked with malignancy and hypermethylation of histone H3 lysines. The results of the present study thus provide a unique framework to further understand a fundamental basis of malignancy. Methionine(MET)-independent revertants were selected from MET-addicted cancer cells MET-independent revertants had greatly reduced malignancy MET-independent revertants have lost or reduced methylation of H3 lysine marks MET addiction, malignancy, and hypermethylated H3 lysine marks are linked
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Yamamoto
- AntiCancer Inc, 7917 Ostrow St, San Diego, CA 92111, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 9300 Campus Point Drive #7220, La Jolla, CA 92037-7220, USA.,Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-9 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan
| | - Sachiko Inubushi
- AntiCancer Inc, 7917 Ostrow St, San Diego, CA 92111, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 9300 Campus Point Drive #7220, La Jolla, CA 92037-7220, USA
| | - Qinghong Han
- AntiCancer Inc, 7917 Ostrow St, San Diego, CA 92111, USA
| | - Yoshihiko Tashiro
- AntiCancer Inc, 7917 Ostrow St, San Diego, CA 92111, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 9300 Campus Point Drive #7220, La Jolla, CA 92037-7220, USA
| | - Norihiko Sugisawa
- AntiCancer Inc, 7917 Ostrow St, San Diego, CA 92111, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 9300 Campus Point Drive #7220, La Jolla, CA 92037-7220, USA
| | - Kazuyuki Hamada
- AntiCancer Inc, 7917 Ostrow St, San Diego, CA 92111, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 9300 Campus Point Drive #7220, La Jolla, CA 92037-7220, USA
| | - Yusuke Aoki
- AntiCancer Inc, 7917 Ostrow St, San Diego, CA 92111, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 9300 Campus Point Drive #7220, La Jolla, CA 92037-7220, USA
| | - Kentaro Miyake
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-9 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan
| | - Ryusei Matsuyama
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-9 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan
| | - Michael Bouvet
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 9300 Campus Point Drive #7220, La Jolla, CA 92037-7220, USA
| | - Steven G Clarke
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569, USA
| | - Itaru Endo
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-9 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan
| | - Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer Inc, 7917 Ostrow St, San Diego, CA 92111, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 9300 Campus Point Drive #7220, La Jolla, CA 92037-7220, USA
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14
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Ma M, Kong P, Huang Y, Wang J, Liu X, Hu Y, Chen X, Du C, Yang H. Activation of MAT2A-ACSL3 pathway protects cells from ferroptosis in gastric cancer. Free Radic Biol Med 2022; 181:288-299. [PMID: 35182729 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2022.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ferroptosis, a unique form of nonapoptotic-regulated cell death caused by overwhelming lipid peroxidation, represents an emerging tumor suppression mechanism. Growing evidence has demonstrated that cell metabolism plays an important role in the regulation of ferroptosis. Specifically, the association between methionine metabolism and ferroptosis remains undefined. METHODS We performed in vitro and in vivo experiments to evaluate the influence of methionine metabolism on ferroptosis sensitivity. Pharmacological and genetic blockade of the methionine cycle was utilized and relevant molecular analyses were performed. RESULTS We identified MAT2A as a driver of ferroptosis resistance. Mechanistically, MAT2A mediates the production of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), which upregulates ACSL3 by increasing the trimethylation of lysine-4 on histone H3 (H3K4me3) at the promoter area, resulting in ferroptosis resistance. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, these results established a link between methionine cycle activity and ferroptosis vulnerability in gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingzhe Ma
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Central Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College (Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College), Wuhu, China; Key Laboratory of Non-coding RNA Transformation Research of Anhui Higher Education Institution, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Pengfei Kong
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Non-coding RNA Transformation Research of Anhui Higher Education Institution, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yakai Huang
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiangli Wang
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaocen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Non-coding RNA Transformation Research of Anhui Higher Education Institution, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China; Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College (Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College), Wuhu, China
| | - YiRen Hu
- Department of General Surgery, Wenzhou No.3 Clinical Institute of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou People's Hospital, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xingxing Chen
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
| | - Chunyan Du
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Hui Yang
- Department of Central Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College (Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College), Wuhu, China; Key Laboratory of Non-coding RNA Transformation Research of Anhui Higher Education Institution, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China.
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15
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Nacarelli T, Azar A, Potnis M, Johannes G, Mell J, Johnson FB, Brown-Borg H, Nogouchi E, Sell C. The methyltransferase enzymes, KMT2D, SETD1B, and ASH1L, are key mediators of both metabolic and epigenetic changes during cellular senescence. Mol Biol Cell 2022; 33:ar36. [PMID: 35196069 PMCID: PMC9282020 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e20-08-0523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular senescence is a terminal cell fate characterized by growth arrest and a metabolically active state characterized by high glycolytic activity. Human fibroblasts were placed in a unique metabolic state using a combination of methionine restriction (MetR) and rapamycin (Rapa). This combination induced a metabolic reprogramming that prevented the glycolytic shift associated with senescence. Surprisingly, cells treated in this manner did not undergo senescence but continued to divide at a slow rate even at high passage, in contrast with either Rapa treatment or MetR, both of which extended life span but eventually resulted in growth arrest. Transcriptome-wide analysis revealed a coordinated regulation of metabolic enzymes related to one-carbon metabolism including three methyltransferase enzymes (KMT2D, SETD1B, and ASH1L), key enzymes for both carnitine synthesis and histone modification. These enzymes appear to be involved in both the metabolic phenotype of senescent cells and the chromatin changes required for establishing the senescence arrest. Targeting one of these enzymes, ASH1L, produced both a glycolytic shift and senescence, providing proof of concept. These findings reveal a mechanistic link between a major metabolic hallmark of senescence and nuclear events required for senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Nacarelli
- Glaxosmithkline, Oncology Synthetic Lethal Research Unit, Collegeville PA
| | | | - Manali Potnis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | - Joshua Mell
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - F Brad Johnson
- Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Holly Brown-Borg
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND
| | - Eishi Nogouchi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Christian Sell
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
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16
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Han Q, Hoffman RM. Chronic Treatment of an Advanced Prostate-cancer Patient With Oral Methioninase Resulted in Long-term Stabilization of Rapidly Rising PSA Levels. In Vivo 2021; 35:2171-2176. [PMID: 34182494 DOI: 10.21873/invivo.12488] [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: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM Advanced prostate cancer is a recalcitrant disease with very limited treatment options. Our laboratory discovered methionine addiction, presumably a characteristic of all cancer types, including prostate cancer, which can be targeted by methionine restriction (MR), through treatment with oral recombinant methioninase (o-rMETase). PATIENTS AND METHODS o-rMETase was produced by fermentation of recombinant E. coli containing the Pseudomonas putida methioninase gene, and purified by column chromatography. An advanced prostate cancer patient received o-rMETase as a supplement, 500 units per day, divided into two oral doses of 250 units each. RESULTS Before treatment, the patient had a rapid rise in PSA levels, from 39 to 56 ng/ml, within 6 weeks. At the 15th week of o-rMETase administration, the PSA levels stabilized at 62 ng/ml. No overt side effects were observed. CONCLUSION o-rMETase single treatment can be beneficial for advanced prostate cancer patients.
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17
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Shirmanova MV, Gorbachev DA, Sarkisyan KS, Parnes AP, Gavrina AI, Polozova AV, Kovaleva TF, Snopova LB, Dudenkova VV, Zagaynova EV, Lukyanov KA. FUCCI-Red: a single-color cell cycle indicator for fluorescence lifetime imaging. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:3467-3476. [PMID: 33555392 PMCID: PMC11073227 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03712-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The phase of the cell cycle determines numerous aspects of cancer cell behaviour including invasiveness, ability to migrate and responsiveness to cytotoxic drugs. To non-invasively monitor progression of cell cycle in vivo, a family of genetically encoded fluorescent indicators, FUCCI (fluorescent ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator), has been developed. Existing versions of FUCCI are based on fluorescent proteins of two or more different colors fused to cell-cycle-dependent degradation motifs. Thus, FUCCI-expressing cells emit light of different colors in different phases providing a robust way to monitor cell cycle progression by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry but limiting the possibility to simultaneously visualize other markers. To overcome this limitation, we developed a single-color variant of FUCCI, called FUCCI-Red, which utilizes two red fluorescent proteins with distinct fluorescence lifetimes, mCherry and mKate2. Similarly to FUCCI, these proteins carry cell cycle-dependent degradation motifs to resolve G1 and S/G2/M phases. We showed utility of FUCCI-Red by visualizing cell cycle progression of cancer cells in 2D and 3D cultures and monitoring development of tumors in vivo by confocal and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). Single-channel registration and red-shifted spectra make FUCCI-Red sensor a promising instrument for multiparameter in vivo imaging applications, which was demonstrated by simultaneous detection of cellular metabolic state using endogenous fluorescence in the blue range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina V Shirmanova
- Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Minin and Pozharsky Sq. 10/1, 603005, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Dmitry A Gorbachev
- Center of Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Bolshoy Boulevard 30, bld. 1, 121205, Moscow, Russia
| | - Karen S Sarkisyan
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alina P Parnes
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alena I Gavrina
- Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Minin and Pozharsky Sq. 10/1, 603005, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Anastasia V Polozova
- Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Minin and Pozharsky Sq. 10/1, 603005, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Tatyana F Kovaleva
- Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Minin and Pozharsky Sq. 10/1, 603005, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Ludmila B Snopova
- Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Minin and Pozharsky Sq. 10/1, 603005, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Varvara V Dudenkova
- Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Minin and Pozharsky Sq. 10/1, 603005, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Elena V Zagaynova
- Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Minin and Pozharsky Sq. 10/1, 603005, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
- Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Gagarin Ave. 23, 603950, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Konstantin A Lukyanov
- Center of Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Bolshoy Boulevard 30, bld. 1, 121205, Moscow, Russia.
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18
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Sugisawa N, Higuchi T, Han Q, Hozumi C, Yamamoto J, Tashiro Y, Nishino H, Kawaguchi K, Bouvet M, Murata T, Unno M, Hoffman RM. Oral recombinant methioninase combined with paclitaxel arrests recalcitrant ovarian clear cell carcinoma growth in a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) nude-mouse model. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2021; 88:61-67. [PMID: 33768300 DOI: 10.1007/s00280-021-04261-x] [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: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Advanced ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) is a recalcitrant disease, often resistant to the first-line platinum-based therapy. Using a novel patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) nude-mouse model of OCCC, we tested whether oral-recombinant methioninase (o-rMETase) could enhance the efficacy of paclitaxel (PTX). METHODS The OCCC PDOX model was established and passaged in nude mice. The OCCC PDOX models were randomized into 5 groups. G1: untreated control; G2: paclitaxel (PTX) (20 mg/kg, intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection, weekly); G3: o-rMETase (100 units, oral, daily); G4: PTX (20 mg/kg, i.p. injection, weekly) + carboplatinum (CBDCA) (40 mg/kg, i.p. injection weekly); G5: PTX (20 mg/kg, i.p. injection, weekly) + o-rMETase (100 units, oral, daily). The treatment period was 2 weeks. RESULTS The combination of PTX and o-rMETase arrested OCCC tumor growth (relative tumor volume: 1.09 ± 0.63 (mean ± SD)) compared with the untreated control (relative tumor volume: 3.92 ± 1.04 (mean ± SD)) (p < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in relative tumor volume between PTX plus o-rMETase and PTX plus CBDCA (relative tumor volume: 1.39 ± 0.37 (mean ± SD)) (p = 0.93). CONCLUSION PTX plus o-rMETase arrested the OCCC tumor growth. o-rMETase is readily administered and can greatly enhance first-line therapy of a recalcitrant cancer. The novel and effective treatment strategy in the present report has future clinical potential for patients with OCCC, especially for patients who cannot well tolerate platinum-based therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norihiko Sugisawa
- AntiCancer, Inc, 7917 Ostrow Street, San Diego, 92111, CA, USA.
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive 0987, La Jolla, 92093, CA, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan.
| | - Takashi Higuchi
- AntiCancer, Inc, 7917 Ostrow Street, San Diego, 92111, CA, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive 0987, La Jolla, 92093, CA, USA
| | - Qinghong Han
- AntiCancer, Inc, 7917 Ostrow Street, San Diego, 92111, CA, USA
| | - Chihiro Hozumi
- AntiCancer Japan, Inc, 2-23-5 Ryukakujidai, Sakae-cho, Imba-gun, Chiba, 270-1505, Japan
| | - Jun Yamamoto
- AntiCancer, Inc, 7917 Ostrow Street, San Diego, 92111, CA, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive 0987, La Jolla, 92093, CA, USA
| | - Yoshihiko Tashiro
- AntiCancer, Inc, 7917 Ostrow Street, San Diego, 92111, CA, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive 0987, La Jolla, 92093, CA, USA
| | - Hiroto Nishino
- AntiCancer, Inc, 7917 Ostrow Street, San Diego, 92111, CA, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive 0987, La Jolla, 92093, CA, USA
| | - Kei Kawaguchi
- Department of Surgery, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan
| | - Michael Bouvet
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive 0987, La Jolla, 92093, CA, USA
| | - Takuya Murata
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki, 701-0192, Japan
| | - Michiaki Unno
- Department of Surgery, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan.
| | - Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer, Inc, 7917 Ostrow Street, San Diego, 92111, CA, USA.
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive 0987, La Jolla, 92093, CA, USA.
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19
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Higuchi T, Han Q, Sugisawa N, Yamamoto J, Yamamoto N, Hayashi K, Kimura H, Miwa S, Igarashi K, Bouvet M, Singh SR, Tsuchiya H, Hoffman RM. Combination Methionine-methylation-axis Blockade: A Novel Approach to Target the Methionine Addiction of Cancer. Cancer Genomics Proteomics 2021; 18:113-120. [PMID: 33608308 DOI: 10.21873/cgp.20246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Revised: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM Cancers are selectively sensitive to methionine (MET) restriction (MR) due to their addiction to MET which is overused for elevated methylation reactions. MET addiction of cancer was discovered by us 45 years ago. MR of cancer results in depletion of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) for transmethylation reactions, resulting in selective cancer-growth arrest in the late S/G2-phase of the cell cycle. The aim of the present study was to determine if blockade of the MET-methylation axis is a highly-effective strategy for cancer chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS In the present study, we demonstrated the efficacy of MET-methylation-axis blockade using MR by oral-recombinant methioninase (o-rMETase) combined with decitabine (DAC), an inhibitor of DNA methylation, and an inhibitor of SAM synthesis, cycloleucine (CL). We determined a proof-of-concept of the efficacy of the MET-methylation-axis blockade on a recalcitrant undifferentiated/unclassified soft-tissue sarcoma (USTS) patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) mouse model. RESULTS The o-rMETase-CL-DAC combination regressed the USTS PDOX with extensive cancer necrosis. CONCLUSION The new concept of combination MET-methylation-axis blockade is effective and can now be tested on many types of recalcitrant cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Higuchi
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.,Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | | | - Norihiko Sugisawa
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - Jun Yamamoto
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - Norio Yamamoto
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Katsuhiro Hayashi
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Kimura
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Shinji Miwa
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Kentaro Igarashi
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Michael Bouvet
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - Shree Ram Singh
- Basic Research Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.
| | - Hiroyuki Tsuchiya
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan;
| | - Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, U.S.A.; .,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
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20
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Sugisawa N, Yamamoto J, Han Q, Tan Y, Tashiro Y, Nishino H, Inubushi S, Hamada K, Kawaguchi K, Unno M, Bouvet M, Hoffman RM. Triple-Methyl Blockade With Recombinant Methioninase, Cycloleucine, and Azacitidine Arrests a Pancreatic Cancer Patient-Derived Orthotopic Xenograft Model. Pancreas 2021; 50:93-98. [PMID: 33370029 DOI: 10.1097/mpa.0000000000001709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Methionine addiction is a fundamental and general hallmark of cancer caused by enhanced methyl flux. In the present study, we effected a novel methionine-methylation blockade to target a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft model of pancreatic cancer. METHODS The pancreatic cancer patient-derived orthotopic xenograft mouse models were randomized into 6 groups of 8 mice each and treated for 2 weeks: untreated control; azacitidine; oral recombinant methioninase (o-rMETase); o-rMETase plus cycloleucine; o-rMETase plus cycloleucine plus azacitidine (triple-methyl blockade therapy); and gemcitabine (positive control). RESULTS Triple-methyl blockade therapy arrested tumor growth (mean relative tumor volume, 1.03 [standard deviation, 0.36]) and was significantly more effective compared with azacitidine (P = 0.0001); o-rMETase (P = 0.007); or o-rMETase plus cycloleucine (P = 0.04). Gemcitabine alone also inhibited but did not arrest tumor growth (mean relative tumor volume, 1.50 [standard deviation, 0.30]). The percentage of cancer cells that were negative for 5-methylcytosine staining in immunohistochemistry, indicating reduction of DNA methylation, increased with triple-methyl blockade therapy (37.5%), compared with gemcitabine (1.8%); o-rMETase (2.8%); azacitidine (9.0%); or o-rMETase plus cycloleucine (10.6%). CONCLUSIONS This new concept of triple-methyl blockade therapy has clinical potential for pancreatic cancer, which is currently a recalcitrant disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Kei Kawaguchi
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Michiaki Unno
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
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21
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Yamamoto J, Han Q, Inubushi S, Sugisawa N, Hamada K, Nishino H, Miyake K, Kumamoto T, Matsuyama R, Bouvet M, Endo I, Hoffman RM. Histone methylation status of H3K4me3 and H3K9me3 under methionine restriction is unstable in methionine-addicted cancer cells, but stable in normal cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 533:1034-1038. [PMID: 33019978 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.09.108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Methionine addiction is a fundamental and general hallmark of cancer. Methionine addiction prevents cancer cells, but not normal cells from proliferation under methionine restriction (MR). Previous studies reported that MR altered the histone methylation levels in methionine-addicted cancer cells. However, no study has yet compared the status of histone methylation status, under MR, between cancer cells and normal cells. In the present study, we compared the histone methylation status between cancer cells and normal fibroblasts of H3K4me3 and H3K9me3, using recombinant methioninase (rMETase) to effect MR. Human lung and colon cancer cell lines and human normal foreskin fibroblasts were cultured in control medium or medium with rMETase. The viability of foreskin fibroblasts was approximately 10 times more resistant to rMETase than the cancer cells in vitro. Proliferation only of the cancer cells ceased under MR. The histone methylation status of H3K4me3 and H3K9me3 under MR was evaluated by immunoblotting. The levels of the H3K4me3 and H3K9me3 were strongly decreased by MR in the cancer cells. In contrast, the levels of H3K4me3 and H3K9me3 were not altered by MR in normal fibroblasts. The present results suggest that histone methylation status of H3K4me3 and H3K9me3 under MR was unstable in cancer cells but stable in normal cells and the instability of histone methylation status under MR may determine the high methionine dependency of cancer cells to survive and proliferate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Yamamoto
- AntiCancer Inc, 7917 Ostrow St, San Diego, CA, 92111, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 9300 Campus Point Drive #7220, La Jolla, CA, 92037-7220, USA; Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-9 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, 236-0004, Japan
| | - Qinghong Han
- AntiCancer Inc, 7917 Ostrow St, San Diego, CA, 92111, USA
| | - Sachiko Inubushi
- AntiCancer Inc, 7917 Ostrow St, San Diego, CA, 92111, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 9300 Campus Point Drive #7220, La Jolla, CA, 92037-7220, USA
| | - Norihiko Sugisawa
- AntiCancer Inc, 7917 Ostrow St, San Diego, CA, 92111, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 9300 Campus Point Drive #7220, La Jolla, CA, 92037-7220, USA
| | - Kazuyuki Hamada
- AntiCancer Inc, 7917 Ostrow St, San Diego, CA, 92111, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 9300 Campus Point Drive #7220, La Jolla, CA, 92037-7220, USA
| | - Hiroto Nishino
- AntiCancer Inc, 7917 Ostrow St, San Diego, CA, 92111, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 9300 Campus Point Drive #7220, La Jolla, CA, 92037-7220, USA
| | - Kentaro Miyake
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-9 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, 236-0004, Japan
| | - Takafumi Kumamoto
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-9 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, 236-0004, Japan
| | - Ryusei Matsuyama
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-9 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, 236-0004, Japan
| | - Michael Bouvet
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 9300 Campus Point Drive #7220, La Jolla, CA, 92037-7220, USA
| | - Itaru Endo
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-9 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, 236-0004, Japan.
| | - Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer Inc, 7917 Ostrow St, San Diego, CA, 92111, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 9300 Campus Point Drive #7220, La Jolla, CA, 92037-7220, USA.
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22
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Yano S, Tazawa H, Kagawa S, Fujiwara T, Hoffman RM. FUCCI Real-Time Cell-Cycle Imaging as a Guide for Designing Improved Cancer Therapy: A Review of Innovative Strategies to Target Quiescent Chemo-Resistant Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12092655. [PMID: 32957652 PMCID: PMC7563319 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12092655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Chemotherapy of solid tumors has made very slow progress over many decades. A major problem has been that solid tumors very often contain non-dividing cells due to lack of oxygen deep in the tumor and these non-dividing cells resist most currently-used chemotherapy which usually only targets dividing cells. The present review demonstrates how a unique imaging system, FUCCI, which color codes cells depending on whether they are in a dividing or non-dividing phase, is being used to design very novel therapy that targets non-dividing cancer cells which can greatly improve the efficacy of cancer chemotherapy. Abstract Progress in chemotherapy of solid cancer has been tragically slow due, in large part, to the chemoresistance of quiescent cancer cells in tumors. The fluorescence ubiquitination cell-cycle indicator (FUCCI) was developed in 2008 by Miyawaki et al., which color-codes the phases of the cell cycle in real-time. FUCCI utilizes genes linked to different color fluorescent reporters that are only expressed in specific phases of the cell cycle and can, thereby, image the phases of the cell cycle in real-time. Intravital real-time FUCCI imaging within tumors has demonstrated that an established tumor comprises a majority of quiescent cancer cells and a minor population of cycling cancer cells located at the tumor surface or in proximity to tumor blood vessels. In contrast to most cycling cancer cells, quiescent cancer cells are resistant to cytotoxic chemotherapy, most of which target cells in S/G2/M phases. The quiescent cancer cells can re-enter the cell cycle after surviving treatment, which suggests the reason why most cytotoxic chemotherapy is often ineffective for solid cancers. Thus, quiescent cancer cells are a major impediment to effective cancer therapy. FUCCI imaging can be used to effectively target quiescent cancer cells within tumors. For example, we review how FUCCI imaging can help to identify cell-cycle-specific therapeutics that comprise decoy of quiescent cancer cells from G1 phase to cycling phases, trapping the cancer cells in S/G2 phase where cancer cells are mostly sensitive to cytotoxic chemotherapy and eradicating the cancer cells with cytotoxic chemotherapy most active against S/G2 phase cells. FUCCI can readily image cell-cycle dynamics at the single cell level in real-time in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, visualizing cell cycle dynamics within tumors with FUCCI can provide a guide for many strategies to improve cell-cycle targeting therapy for solid cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuya Yano
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama 700-8558, Japan; (H.T.); (S.K.); (T.F.)
- Center for Graduate Medical Education, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-86-235-7257; Fax: +81-86-221-8775
| | - Hiroshi Tazawa
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama 700-8558, Japan; (H.T.); (S.K.); (T.F.)
- Center of Innovative Clinical Medicine, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Kagawa
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama 700-8558, Japan; (H.T.); (S.K.); (T.F.)
- Minimally Invasive Therapy Center, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Toshiyoshi Fujiwara
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama 700-8558, Japan; (H.T.); (S.K.); (T.F.)
| | - Robert M. Hoffman
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA 92111, USA;
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
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23
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Lim HI, Hamada K, Yamamoto J, Han Q, Tan Y, Choi HJ, Nam SJ, Bouvet M, Hoffman RM. Oral Methioninase Inhibits Recurrence in a PDOX Mouse Model of Aggressive Triple-negative Breast Cancer. In Vivo 2020; 34:2281-2286. [PMID: 32871751 DOI: 10.21873/invivo.12039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM The aim of the study was to use a triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) model to examine the efficacy of oral recombinant methioninase (o-rMETase) against this recalcitrant disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS The TNBC tumor from a patient was implanted in the right 4th inguinal mammary fat pad of nude mice. Two weeks later, the mice underwent tumorectomy with grossly-negative surgical margins. Two days after tumorectomy the mice were divided in two groups: one control and one treated with o-rMETase. RESULTS Tumors recurred in all mice. On day 11, the mean recurrent tumor volumes were 936.7 mm3 in the control group and 450.9 mm3 in the o-rMETase group (p<0.05). On day 15, the mean recurrent tumor volumes were 3392.5 mm3 in the control group and 1603.5 mm3 in the o-rMETase group. The mean recurrent tumor weights were 2.1 g in the control group and 1.1 g in the o-rMETase group on day 15. CONCLUSION o-rMETase is an effective adjuvant treatment for aggressive TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye In Lim
- AntiCancer Inc, San Diego, CA, U.S.A. .,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.,Department of Surgery, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Changwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kazuyuki Hamada
- AntiCancer Inc, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - Jun Yamamoto
- AntiCancer Inc, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | | | | | - Hee Jun Choi
- Department of Surgery, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Changwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok Jin Nam
- Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Michael Bouvet
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer Inc, San Diego, CA, U.S.A. .,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
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24
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Yamamoto J, Miyake K, Han Q, Tan Y, Inubushi S, Sugisawa N, Higuchi T, Tashiro Y, Nishino H, Homma Y, Matsuyama R, Chawla SP, Bouvet M, Singh SR, Endo I, Hoffman RM. Oral recombinant methioninase increases TRAIL receptor-2 expression to regress pancreatic cancer in combination with agonist tigatuzumab in an orthotopic mouse model. Cancer Lett 2020; 492:174-184. [PMID: 32739322 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.07.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Methionine addiction is a fundamental and general hallmark of cancer. Gene expression analysis showed that methionine restriction (MR) of methionine-addicted cancer cells increases TNF-related apoptosis-induced ligand receptor-2 (TRAIL-R2) expression. Here, we determined the effects of MR on TRAIL-R2 targeted therapy in pancreatic cancer by the TRAIL-R2 agonist tigatuzumab. Human pancreatic cancer cell lines were cultured in control or methionine-free medium. The effects of MR on TRAIL-R2 expression and sensitivity to tigatuzumab were evaluated in vitro. An orthotopic pancreatic cancer mouse model was established to evaluate the efficacy of MR using oral recombinant methioninase (o-rMETase), and the efficacy of tigatuzumab and their combination. MR enabled tigatuzumab-induced apoptosis, by increasing TRAIL-R2 expression in pancreatic cancer cells in vitro. The protein expression level of the melanoma-associated antigen MAGED2, which reduces TRAIL-R2 expression, was decreased by MR. In the orthotopic pancreatic cancer mouse model, o-rMETase increased TRAIL-R2 expression level in the tumors and enabled the antitumor efficacy of tigatuzumab. MR, effected by o-rMETase, enabled the efficacy of the TRAIL-R2 agonist tigatuzumab by increasing TRAIL-R2 expression in pancreatic cancer. Our results suggest that o-rMETase has clinical potential for treating pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Yamamoto
- AntiCancer Inc, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Kentaro Miyake
- AntiCancer Inc, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | | | | | - Sachiko Inubushi
- AntiCancer Inc, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Norihiko Sugisawa
- AntiCancer Inc, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Takashi Higuchi
- AntiCancer Inc, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Yoshihiko Tashiro
- AntiCancer Inc, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Hiroto Nishino
- AntiCancer Inc, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Yuki Homma
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Ryusei Matsuyama
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | | | - Michael Bouvet
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Shree Ram Singh
- Basic Research Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA.
| | - Itaru Endo
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan.
| | - Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer Inc, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
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25
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Abid MA, Abid MB. Commentary: Dietary methionine influences therapy in mouse cancer models and alters human metabolism. Front Oncol 2020; 10:1071. [PMID: 32733800 PMCID: PMC7357428 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.01071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Abbas Abid
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Muhammad Bilal Abid
- Divisions of Hematology/Oncology & Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
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26
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Higuchi T, Han Q, Miyake K, Oshiro H, Sugisawa N, Tan Y, Yamamoto N, Hayashi K, Kimura H, Miwa S, Igarashi K, Bouvet M, Singh SR, Tsuchiya H, Hoffman RM. Combination of oral recombinant methioninase and decitabine arrests a chemotherapy-resistant undifferentiated soft-tissue sarcoma patient-derived orthotopic xenograft mouse model. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 523:135-139. [PMID: 31839218 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cancer cells are methionine (MET) and methylation addicted and are highly sensitive to MET restriction. The present study determined the efficacy of oral-recombinant methioninase (o-rMETase) and the DNA methylation inhibitor, decitabine (DAC) on restricting MET in an undifferentiated-soft tissue sarcoma (USTS) patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) nude-mouse model. The USTS PDOX models were randomized into five treatment groups of six mice: Control; doxorubicin (DOX) alone; DAC alone; o-rMETase alone; and o-rMETase-DAC combination. Tumor size and body weight were measured during the 14 days of treatment. Tumor growth was arrested only in the o-rMETase-DAC condition. Tumors treated with the o-rMETase-DAC combination exhibited tumor necrosis with degenerative changes. This study demonstrates that the o-rMETase-DAC combination could arrest the USTS PDOX tumor suggesting clinical promise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Higuchi
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | | | - Kentaro Miyake
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Hiromichi Oshiro
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Norihiko Sugisawa
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Norio Yamamoto
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Katsuhiro Hayashi
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Kimura
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Shinji Miwa
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Kentaro Igarashi
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Michael Bouvet
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Shree Ram Singh
- Basic Research Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA.
| | - Hiroyuki Tsuchiya
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.
| | - Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
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27
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Higuchi T, Sugisawa N, Yamamoto J, Oshiro H, Han Q, Yamamoto N, Hayashi K, Kimura H, Miwa S, Igarashi K, Tan Y, Kuchipudi S, Bouvet M, Singh SR, Tsuchiya H, Hoffman RM. The combination of oral-recombinant methioninase and azacitidine arrests a chemotherapy-resistant osteosarcoma patient-derived orthotopic xenograft mouse model. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2019; 85:285-291. [PMID: 31705268 DOI: 10.1007/s00280-019-03986-0] [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: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cancers are methionine (MET) and methylation addicted, causing them to be highly sensitive to MET restriction. The present study determined the efficacy of restricting MET with oral-recombinant methioninase (o-rMETase) and the DNA methylation inhibitor, azacitidine (AZA) on a chemotherapy-resistant osteosarcoma patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) mouse model. METHODS The osteosarcoma PDOX models were randomized into five treatment groups of six mice: control; doxorubicin (DOX) alone; AZA alone; o-rMETase alone; o-rMETase-AZA combination. Tumor size and body weight were measured during the 14 days of treatment. RESULTS We found that tumor growth was arrested only by the o-rMETase-AZA combination treatment, as tumors with this treatment exhibited tumor necrosis with degenerative change. CONCLUSION This study suggests that o-rMETase-AZA combination has clinical potential for patients with chemoresistant osteosarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Higuchi
- AntiCancer, Inc, 7917 Ostrow Street, San Diego, CA, 92111, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.,Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, 920-8641, Japan
| | - Norihiko Sugisawa
- AntiCancer, Inc, 7917 Ostrow Street, San Diego, CA, 92111, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Jun Yamamoto
- AntiCancer, Inc, 7917 Ostrow Street, San Diego, CA, 92111, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Hiromichi Oshiro
- AntiCancer, Inc, 7917 Ostrow Street, San Diego, CA, 92111, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Qinghong Han
- AntiCancer, Inc, 7917 Ostrow Street, San Diego, CA, 92111, USA
| | - Norio Yamamoto
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, 920-8641, Japan
| | - Katsuhiro Hayashi
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, 920-8641, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Kimura
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, 920-8641, Japan
| | - Shinji Miwa
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, 920-8641, Japan
| | - Kentaro Igarashi
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, 920-8641, Japan
| | - Yuying Tan
- AntiCancer, Inc, 7917 Ostrow Street, San Diego, CA, 92111, USA
| | - Shreya Kuchipudi
- Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Michael Bouvet
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Shree Ram Singh
- Basic Research Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA.
| | - Hiroyuki Tsuchiya
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, 920-8641, Japan.
| | - Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer, Inc, 7917 Ostrow Street, San Diego, CA, 92111, USA. .,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
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28
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Park JH, Zhao M, Han Q, Sun Y, Higuchi T, Sugisawa N, Yamamoto J, Singh SR, Clary B, Bouvet M, Hoffman RM. Efficacy of oral recombinant methioninase combined with oxaliplatinum and 5-fluorouracil on primary colon cancer in a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft mouse model. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 518:306-310. [PMID: 31421825 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.08.051] [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: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of oral recombinant methioninase (o-rMETase) on a colon cancer primary tumor using a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) nude mouse model. Forty colon cancer primary tumor PDOX mouse models were divided into 4 groups of 10 mice each (total 40 mice) by measuring the tumor size. The groups were as follows: untreated control; 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) (50 mg/kg, once a week for two weeks, N = 10 mice) and oxaliplatinum (OXA) (6 mg/kg, once a week for two weeks, N = 10 mice); o-rMETase (100 units/day, oral 14 consecutive days, N = 10 mice); combination of 5-FU + OXA and o-rMETase (N = 10 mice). All treatments inhibited tumor growth compared to the untreated control. The combination of 5-FU + OXA and o-rMETase was significantly more efficacious than other treatments. The present study demonstrates the efficacy of o-rMETase combination therapy on a PDOX colon cancer primary tumor, suggesting potential clinical development of o-rMETase in recalcitrant cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Ho Park
- AntiCancer Inc, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | | | | | - Yu Sun
- AntiCancer Inc, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Takashi Higuchi
- AntiCancer Inc, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Norihiko Sugisawa
- AntiCancer Inc, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Jun Yamamoto
- AntiCancer Inc, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Shree Ram Singh
- Basic Research Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA.
| | - Bryan Clary
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Michael Bouvet
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer Inc, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
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29
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Hoffman RM. Is the Hoffman Effect for Methionine Overuse Analogous to the Warburg Effect for Glucose Overuse in Cancer? Methods Mol Biol 2019; 1866:273-278. [PMID: 30725423 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8796-2_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
The general cancer-specific metabolic defect of methionine (MET) dependence is due to MET overuse for aberrant transmethylation reactions. The excess use of MET for aberrant transmethylation reactions apparently diverts methyl groups from DNA. The resulting global DNA hypomethylation is also a general phenomenon in cancer and leads to unstable genomes and aneuploid karyotypes. The excessive and aberrant use of MET in cancer is readily observed in [11C]-MET-PET imaging, where high uptake of [11C]-MET results in a very strong and selective tumor signal compared to normal tissue background for brain cancer and possibly other cancers. [11C]-MET is superior to [18C]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) for PET imaging, suggesting that MET overuse in cancer ("Hoffman effect") is greater than glucose overuse in cancer ("Warburg effect").
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA.
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
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30
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Wang Z, Yip LY, Lee JHJ, Wu Z, Chew HY, Chong PKW, Teo CC, Ang HYK, Peh KLE, Yuan J, Ma S, Choo LSK, Basri N, Jiang X, Yu Q, Hillmer AM, Lim WT, Lim TKH, Takano A, Tan EH, Tan DSW, Ho YS, Lim B, Tam WL. Methionine is a metabolic dependency of tumor-initiating cells. Nat Med 2019; 25:825-837. [PMID: 31061538 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-019-0423-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Understanding cellular metabolism holds immense potential for developing new classes of therapeutics that target metabolic pathways in cancer. Metabolic pathways are altered in bulk neoplastic cells in comparison to normal tissues. However, carcinoma cells within tumors are heterogeneous, and tumor-initiating cells (TICs) are important therapeutic targets that have remained metabolically uncharacterized. To understand their metabolic alterations, we performed metabolomics and metabolite tracing analyses, which revealed that TICs have highly elevated methionine cycle activity and transmethylation rates that are driven by MAT2A. High methionine cycle activity causes methionine consumption to far outstrip its regeneration, leading to addiction to exogenous methionine. Pharmacological inhibition of the methionine cycle, even transiently, is sufficient to cripple the tumor-initiating capability of these cells. Methionine cycle flux specifically influences the epigenetic state of cancer cells and drives tumor initiation. Methionine cycle enzymes are also enriched in other tumor types, and MAT2A expression impinges upon the sensitivity of certain cancer cells to therapeutic inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenxun Wang
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Lian Yee Yip
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jia Hui Jane Lee
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore.,School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zhengwei Wu
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore.,Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hui Yi Chew
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Pooi Kiat William Chong
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Chin Chye Teo
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Heather Yin-Kuan Ang
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kai Lay Esther Peh
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ju Yuan
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Siming Ma
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Li Shi Kimberly Choo
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nurhidayah Basri
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Xia Jiang
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Qiang Yu
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Axel M Hillmer
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Wan Teck Lim
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore.,Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Tony Kiat Hon Lim
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Angela Takano
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Eng Huat Tan
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Daniel Shao Weng Tan
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore.,Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ying Swan Ho
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Bing Lim
- Merck Sharp and Dohme Translational Medicine Research Centre, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Wai Leong Tam
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore. .,School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore. .,Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore. .,Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
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31
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Efficacy of Recombinant Methioninase (rMETase) on Recalcitrant Cancer Patient-Derived Orthotopic Xenograft (PDOX) Mouse Models: A Review. Cells 2019; 8:cells8050410. [PMID: 31052611 PMCID: PMC6562625 DOI: 10.3390/cells8050410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 04/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
An excessive requirement for methionine (MET), termed MET dependence, appears to be a general metabolic defect in cancer and has been shown to be a very effective therapeutic target. MET restriction (MR) has inhibited the growth of all major cancer types by selectively arresting cancer cells in the late-S/G2 phase, when they also become highly sensitive to cytotoxic agents. Recombinant methioninase (rMETase) has been developed to effect MR. The present review describes the efficacy of rMETase on patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) models of recalcitrant cancer, including the surprising result that rMETase administrated orally can be highly effective.
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32
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Shemsi AM, Khanday FA, Qurashi A, Khalil A, Guerriero G, Siddiqui KS. Site-directed chemically-modified magnetic enzymes: fabrication, improvements, biotechnological applications and future prospects. Biotechnol Adv 2019; 37:357-381. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2019.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 01/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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33
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Methioninase Cell-Cycle Trap Cancer Chemotherapy. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 1866:133-148. [PMID: 30725413 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8796-2_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Cancer cells are methionine (MET) dependent compared to normal cells as they have an elevated requirement for MET in order to proliferate. MET restriction selectively traps cancer cells in the S/G2 phase of the cell cycle. The cell cycle phase can be visualized by color coding with the fluorescence ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator (FUCCI). Recombinant methioninase (rMETase) is an enzyme that effectively degrades MET. rMETase induces S/G2-phase blockage of cancer cells which is identified by the cancer cells' green fluorescence with FUCCI imaging. Cancer cells in G1/G0 are the majority of the cells in solid tumors and are resistant to the chemotherapy. Treatment of cancer cells with standard chemotherapy drugs only led to the majority of the cancer cell population being arrested in G0/G1 phase, identified by the cancer cells' red fluorescence in the FUCCI system. The G0/G1-phase cancer cells are chemo-resistant. Tumor targeting Salmonella typhimurium A1-R (S. typhimurium A1-R) was used to decoy quiescent G0/G1 stomach cancer cells growing in nude mice to cycle, with subsequent rMETase treatment to selectively trap the decoyed cancer cells in S/G2 phase, which made them highly sensitive to chemotherapy. Subsequent cisplatinum (CDDP) or paclitaxel (PTX) chemotherapy was then administered to kill the decoyed and trapped cancer cells, which completely prevented or regressed tumor growth. In a subsequent experiment, a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) model of recurrent CDDP-resistant metastatic osteosarcoma was eradicated by the combination of Salmonella typhimurium A1-R decoy, rMETase S/G2-phase cell cycle trap, and CDDP cell kill. Salmonella typhimurium A1-R and rMETase pre-treatment thereby overcame CDDP resistance. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the new chemotherapy paradigm of "decoy, trap, and kill" chemotherapy.
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34
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Hoffman RM, Murakami T, Kawaguchi K, Igarashi K, Tan Y, Li S, Han Q. High Efficacy of Recombinant Methioninase on Patient-Derived Orthotopic Xenograft (PDOX) Mouse Models of Cancer. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 1866:149-161. [PMID: 30725414 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8796-2_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA.
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - Takashi Murakami
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Kei Kawaguchi
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Kentaro Igarashi
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
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35
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Hoffman RM, Han Q, Kawaguchi K, Li S, Tan Y. Afterword: Oral Methioninase-Answer to Cancer and Fountain of Youth? Methods Mol Biol 2019; 1866:311-322. [PMID: 30725426 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8796-2_24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The elevated methionine (MET) requirement of cancer cells is termed MET dependence and is possibly the only known general metabolic defect in cancer. Targeting MET by recombinant methioninase (rMETase) can arrest the growth of cancer cells in vitro and in vivo due to their elevated requirement for MET. rMETase can also potentiate chemotherapy drugs active in S phase due to the selective arrest of cancer cells in S/G2 phase during MET restriction (MR). We previously reported that rMETase, administrated by intraperitoneal injection (ip-rMETase), could inhibit tumor growth in mouse models of cancer including patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) mouse models. We subsequently compared ip-rMETase and oral rMETase (o-rMETase) on a melanoma PDOX mouse model. o-rMETase was significantly more effective than ip-rMETase to inhibit tumor growth without overt toxicity. The combination of o-rMETase+ip-rMETase was significantly more effective than either monotherapy and completely arrested tumor growth. Thus, o-rMETase is effective as an anticancer agent with the potential of clinical development for chronic cancer therapy as well as for cancer prevention. o-rMETase may also have potential as an antiaging agent for healthy people, since MR has been shown to extend the life span of a variety of different organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA. .,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | | | - Kei Kawaguchi
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
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36
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Abstract
Methionine (MET) restriction (MR) has been shown to arrest cancer growth and sensitizes tumors to chemotherapy. MR total parenteral nutrition (MR TPN) with a chemotherapy-containing amino acid solution ("AO-90") (lacking both MET and L-cysteine[CYS]) showed synergistic effects with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in tumor-bearing rats and in a Phase I clinical trial with gastrointestinal tract cancers compared to 5-FU in a MET-containing TPN. All gastric cancer patients underwent gastrectomy. Resected tumors in the AO-90 group showed significant reduction of cancer histologically, while almost no effect was seen in the control group. A Phase II clinical trial of dietary MR combined with cystemustine treatment for melanoma or glioma was carried out. Twenty-two patients (20 with metastatic melanoma and 2 with recurrent gloma) received a median of four cycles of the combination of a 1-day MR diet with cystemustine (60 mg/m2) every 2 weeks. This combination was well tolerated (toxicity and nutritional status). The median disease-free survival was 1.8 months and the median survival was 4.6 months, with two long-duration stabilizations. MET depletion in plasma was 40%. In another study, eight patients with a variety of metastatic solid tumors were enrolled in a Phase I clinical trial of a commercially available MR medical food. Participants remained on the experimental diet for an average of 17.3 weeks. Plasma methionine levels fell from 21.6 to 9 μm within 2 weeks, a 58% decline. The only side effect was weight loss of approximately 0.5 kg per week. A feasibility study combining dietary MR with a FOLFOX regimen in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer was carried out. The plasma MET concentration was reduced by dietary MR by 58% on the first day of the MR diet. Among the four patients evaluable for response, three experienced a partial response and one patient had disease stabilization. The results of the above-described clinical trials indicate the clinical potential of MR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA.
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
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37
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Hoffman RM, Yano S. Tumor-Specific S/G 2-Phase Cell Cycle Arrest of Cancer Cells by Methionine Restriction. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 1866:49-60. [PMID: 30725407 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8796-2_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Cancer cells require elevated amounts of methionine (MET) and arrest their growth under conditions of MET restriction (MR). This phenomenon is termed MET dependence. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) first indicated that the MET-dependent SV40-transformed cancer cells were arrested in the S and G2 phases of the cell cycle when under MR. This is in contrast to a G1-phase accumulation of cells, which occurs only in MET-supplemented medium at very high cell densities and which is similar to the G1 cell-cycle block which occurs in cultures of normal fibroblasts at high density. When the human PC-3 prostate carcinoma cell line was cultured in MET-free, homocysteine-containing (MET-HCY+) medium, there was an extreme increment in DNA content without cell division indicating that the cells were blocked in S phase. Recombinant methioninase (rMETase) treatment of cancer cells also selectively trapped cancer cells in S/G2: The cell cycle phase of the cancer cells was visualized with the fluorescence ubiquitination cell cycle indicator (FUCCI). At the time of rMETase-induced S/G2-phase trap, identified by the cancer cells' green fluorescence by FUCCI imaging, the cancer cells were administered S-phase-dependent chemotherapy drugs, which interact with DNA or block DNA synthesis such as doxorubicin, cisplatin, or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and which were highly effective in killing the cancer cells. In contrast, treatment of cancer cells with drugs in the presence of MET, only led to the majority of the cancer cell population being blocked in G0/G1 phase, identified by the cancer cells becoming red fluorescent in the FUCCI system. The G0/G1 blocked cells were resistant to the chemotherapy. MR has the potential for highly effective cell-cycle-based treatment strategy for cancer in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA.
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - Shuya Yano
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
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38
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Hoffman RM, Yang Z, Tan Y, Han Q, Li S, Yagi S. Safety and Toxicity of Recombinant Methioninase and Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Recombinant Methioninase in Primates. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 1866:211-229. [PMID: 30725418 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8796-2_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Methionine (MET) is a general metabolic therapeutic target in cancer, whereby cancer cells have an elevated requirement for MET, termed MET dependence. We have developed recombinant L-methionine α-deamino-γ-mercaptomethane lyase (recombinant methioninase [rMETase, EC 4.4.1.11]) as targeted therapy of all cancer types. Pharmacokinetics, MET depletion, antigenicity, and toxicity of rMETase were examined in macaque monkeys. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed that rMETase was eliminated with a T1/2 of 2.49 h. A 2-week i.v. administration of 4000 units/kg every 8 h/day for 2 weeks resulted in a steady-state depletion of plasma MET to less than 2 μM. The only manifest toxicity was decreased food intake and slight weight loss. Serum albumin and red-cell values declined transiently during treatment. Rechallenge on day 28 resulted in anaphylactic shock and death in one animal. Pretreatment with hydrocortisone prevented the anaphylactic reaction. Anti-rMETase antibodies (at 10-3) were found after the first challenge, increased to 10-6 after the fourth challenge, and decreased to 10-2 by 2 months post-therapy. Therefore, the therapeutic potential of rMETase is limited by its short plasma half-life and immunologic effects, including high antibody production in mice and anaphylactic reactions in monkeys. To overcome these limits, rMETase has been coupled to methoxypolyethylene glycol succinimidyl glutarate polyethylene glycol (MEGC-PEG-5000). The pharmacokinetics, antigenicity, and toxicity of MEGC-PEG-rMETase in macaque monkeys were evaluated using an escalating-dose strategy. In pharmacokinetic studies, a single 4000 units/kg dose showed that MEGC-PEG-rMETase holoenzyme activity was eliminated with a biological half-life of 1.3 h, and the MEGC-PEG-rMETase apoenzyme was eliminated with a biological half-life of 90 h, a 36-fold increase compared with non-PEGylated rMETase. The disparity in the T½ of the apoenzyme and the holoenzyme reflects the loss of co-factor pyridoxal-L-phosphate of the circulating MEGC-PEG-rMETase. A 7-day i.v. administration of 4000 units/kg every 12 h resulted in a steady-state depletion of plasma MET to <5 μmol/L. The only manifest toxicity was decreased food intake and slight weight loss. Red cell values and hemoglobin declined transiently. Subsequent challenges did not result in any immunologic reactions. Anti-MEGC-PEG-rMETase antibodies were 100- to 1000-fold less than antibodies elicited by naked rMETase, thereby suggesting clinical potential of MEGC-PEG-rMETase as a broad anticancer agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA.
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
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39
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Yang W, Zhang H, Xin L. A novel design of HA-coated nanoparticles co-encapsulating plasmid METase and 5-Fu shows enhanced application in targeting gastric cancer stem cells. Biol Chem 2018; 399:293-303. [PMID: 29016350 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2017-0208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Nanoparticles (NPs) are recognized as an attractive vehicles for cancer treatment due to their targeted drug release. Gastric cancer is an important killer disease, and its therapy methods still need improvement. The NPs were prepared using a precipitation method, and were evaluated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). MTT and Transwell assays were used to determine cell viability and apoptosis. In vivo experiments were performed to validate the effects of NPs on tumor growth. Methioninase (METase)/5-Fu co-encaspulated NPs showed highest ζ size and lowest ζ potential than other NPs. The migration and tumorsphere formation ability of CD44(+) was stronger than CD44(-). The effects of METase/5-Fu co-encaspulated NPs on inhibition cell growth was stronger than that of 5-Fu encaspulated NPs, while HA coated NPs showed significant target ability than that NPs without HA. METase supplementation promoted the inhibition effect of 5-Fu on thymidylate synthetase (TS), as well as cell apoptosis. The in vivo experiments demonstrated that HA coated NPs significantly inhibited tumor growth. It was concluded that HA-coated NPs enhance the target ability, while METase/5-Fu co-encaspulated NPs promote the inhibition effects on tumor growth in gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weifeng Yang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No.1 Minde Road, Donghu District, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Houting Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No.1 Minde Road, Donghu District, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Lin Xin
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No.1 Minde Road, Donghu District, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China
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Metabolic targeting with recombinant methioninase combined with palbociclib regresses a doxorubicin-resistant dedifferentiated liposarcoma. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 506:912-917. [PMID: 30392912 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.10.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Liposarcoma is the most common type of soft tissue sarcoma. Among the subtypes of liposarcoma, dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS) is recalcitrant and has the lowest survival rate. The aim of the present study is to determine the efficacy of metabolic targeting with recombinant methioninase (rMETase) combined with palbociclib (PAL) against a doxorubicin (DOX)-resistant DDLPS in a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) model. A resected tumor from a patient with recurrent high-grade DDLPS in the right retroperitoneum was grown orthotopically in the right retroperitoneum of nude mice to establish a PDOX model. The PDOX models were randomized into the following groups when tumor volume reached 100 mm3: G1, control without treatment; G2, DOX; G3, PAL; G4, recombinant methioninase (rMETase); G5, PAL combined with rMETase. Tumor length and width were measured both pre- and post-treatment. On day 14 after initiation, all treatments significantly inhibited tumor growth compared to the untreated control except DOX. PAL combined with rMETase was significantly more effective than both DOX, rMETase alone, and PAL alone. Combining PAL and rMETase significantly regressed tumor volume on day 14 after initiation of treatment and was the only treatment to do so. The relative body weight on day 14 compared with day 0 did not significantly differ between each treatment group. The results of the present study indicate the powerful combination of rMETase and PAL should be tested clinically against DDLPS in the near future.
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41
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Real-Time Determination of the Cell-Cycle Position of Individual Cells within Live Tumors Using FUCCI Cell-Cycle Imaging. Cells 2018; 7:cells7100168. [PMID: 30322204 PMCID: PMC6210921 DOI: 10.3390/cells7100168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Most cytotoxic agents have limited efficacy for solid cancers. Cell-cycle phase analysis at the single-cell level in solid tumors has shown that the majority of cancer cells in tumors is not cycling and is therefore resistant to cytotoxic chemotherapy. Intravital cell-cycle imaging within tumors demonstrated the cell-cycle position and distribution of cancer cells within a tumor, and cell-cycle dynamics during chemotherapy. Understanding cell-cycle dynamics within tumors should provide important insights into novel treatment strategies.
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42
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Raboni S, Revtovich S, Demitri N, Giabbai B, Storici P, Cocconcelli C, Faggiano S, Rosini E, Pollegioni L, Galati S, Buschini A, Morozova E, Kulikova V, Nikulin A, Gabellieri E, Cioni P, Demidkina T, Mozzarelli A. Engineering methionine γ-lyase from Citrobacter freundii for anticancer activity. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2018; 1866:1260-1270. [PMID: 30268810 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2018.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Revised: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Methionine deprivation of cancer cells, which are deficient in methionine biosynthesis, has been envisioned as a therapeutic strategy to reduce cancer cell viability. Methionine γ-lyase (MGL), an enzyme that degrades methionine, has been exploited to selectively remove the amino acid from cancer cell environment. In order to increase MGL catalytic activity, we performed sequence and structure conservation analysis of MGLs from various microorganisms. Whereas most of the residues in the active site and at the dimer interface were found to be conserved, residues located in the C-terminal flexible loop, forming a wall of the active site entry channel, were found to be variable. Therefore, we carried out site-saturation mutagenesis at four independent positions of the C-terminal flexible loop, P357, V358, P360 and A366 of MGL from Citrobacter freundii, generating libraries that were screened for activity. Among the active variants, V358Y exhibits a 1.9-fold increase in the catalytic rate and a 3-fold increase in KM, resulting in a catalytic efficiency similar to wild type MGL. V358Y cytotoxic activity was assessed towards a panel of cancer and nonmalignant cell lines and found to exhibit IC50 lower than the wild type. The comparison of the 3D-structure of V358Y MGL with other MGL available structures indicates that the C-terminal loop is either in an open or closed conformation that does not depend on the amino acid at position 358. Nevertheless, mutations at this position allosterically affects catalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samanta Raboni
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parma, Italy; Institute of Biophysics, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - Svetlana Revtovich
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | | | | | | | | | - Serena Faggiano
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parma, Italy; Institute of Biophysics, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - Elena Rosini
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Loredano Pollegioni
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Serena Galati
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Annamaria Buschini
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Elena Morozova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vitalia Kulikova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey Nikulin
- Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russia
| | - Edi Gabellieri
- Institute of Biophysics, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - Patrizia Cioni
- Institute of Biophysics, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - Tatyana Demidkina
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Andrea Mozzarelli
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parma, Italy; Institute of Biophysics, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy; National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems, Rome, Italy.
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43
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Kawaguchi K, Higuchi T, Li S, Han Q, Tan Y, Igarashi K, Zhao M, Miyake K, Kiyuna T, Miyake M, Ohshiro H, Sugisawa N, Zhang Z, Razmjooei S, Wangsiricharoen S, Chmielowski B, Nelson SD, Russell TA, Dry SM, Li Y, Eckardt MA, Singh AS, Singh SR, Eilber FC, Unno M, Hoffman RM. Combination therapy of tumor-targeting Salmonella typhimurium A1-R and oral recombinant methioninase regresses a BRAF-V600E-negative melanoma. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 503:3086-3092. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.08.097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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44
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Kawaguchi K, Miyake K, Han Q, Li S, Tan Y, Igarashi K, Kiyuna T, Miyake M, Higuchi T, Oshiro H, Zhang Z, Razmjooei S, Wangsiricharoen S, Bouvet M, Singh SR, Unno M, Hoffman RM. Oral recombinant methioninase (o-rMETase) is superior to injectable rMETase and overcomes acquired gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer. Cancer Lett 2018; 432:251-259. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2018.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Revised: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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45
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Matuszewski DJ, Wählby C, Krona C, Nelander S, Sintorn IM. Image-Based Detection of Patient-Specific Drug-Induced Cell-Cycle Effects in Glioblastoma. SLAS DISCOVERY 2018; 23:1030-1039. [PMID: 30074852 DOI: 10.1177/2472555218791414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Image-based analysis is an increasingly important tool to characterize the effect of drugs in large-scale chemical screens. Herein, we present image and data analysis methods to investigate population cell-cycle dynamics in patient-derived brain tumor cells. Images of glioblastoma cells grown in multiwell plates were used to extract per-cell descriptors, including nuclear DNA content. We reduced the DNA content data from per-cell descriptors to per-well frequency distributions, which were used to identify compounds affecting cell-cycle phase distribution. We analyzed cells from 15 patient cases representing multiple subtypes of glioblastoma and searched for clusters of cell-cycle phase distributions characterizing similarities in response to 249 compounds at 11 doses. We show that this approach applied in a blind analysis with unlabeled substances identified drugs that are commonly used for treating solid tumors as well as other compounds that are well known for inducing cell-cycle arrest. Redistribution of nuclear DNA content signals is thus a robust metric of cell-cycle arrest in patient-derived glioblastoma cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damian J Matuszewski
- 1 Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,2 Centre for Image Analysis, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Carolina Wählby
- 1 Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,2 Centre for Image Analysis, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Cecilia Krona
- 3 Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Sven Nelander
- 1 Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,3 Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Sweden
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46
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Marcus JM, Burke RT, Doak AE, Park S, Orth JD. Loss of p53 expression in cancer cells alters cell cycle response after inhibition of exportin-1 but does not prevent cell death. Cell Cycle 2018; 17:1329-1344. [PMID: 30037299 PMCID: PMC6110605 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2018.1480224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor suppressor protein p53 is central to the cellular stress response and may be a predictive biomarker for cancer treatments. Upon stress, wildtype p53 accumulates in the nucleus where it enforces cellular responses, including cell cycle arrest and cell death. p53 is so dominant in its effects, that p53 enforcement - or - restoration therapy is being studied for anti-cancer therapy. Two mechanistically distinct small molecules that act via p53 are the selective inhibitor of nuclear export, selinexor, and MDM2 inhibitor, nutlin-3a. Here, individual cells are studied to define cell cycle response signatures, which captures the variability of responses and includes the impact of loss of p53 expression on cell fates. The individual responses are then used to build the population level response. Matched cell lines with and without p53 expression indicate that while loss-of-function results in altered cell cycle signatures to selinexor treatment, it does not diminish overall cell loss. On the contrary, response to single-agent nutlin-3a shows a strong p53-dependence. Upon treatment with both selinexor and nutlin-3a there are combination effects in at least some cell lines - even when p53 is absent. Collectively, the findings indicate that p53 does act downstream of selinexor and nutlin-3a, and that p53 expression is dispensable for selinexor to cause cell death, but nutlin-3a response is more p53-dependent. Thus, TP53 disruption and lack of expression may not predict poor cell response to selinexor, and selinexor's mechanism of action potentially provides for strong efficacy regardless of p53 function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M. Marcus
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Russell T. Burke
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Andrea E. Doak
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Soyeon Park
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - James D. Orth
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
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47
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Kawaguchi K, Miyake K, Han Q, Li S, Tan Y, Igarashi K, Lwin TM, Higuchi T, Kiyuna T, Miyake M, Oshiro H, Bouvet M, Unno M, Hoffman RM. Targeting altered cancer methionine metabolism with recombinant methioninase (rMETase) overcomes partial gemcitabine-resistance and regresses a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) nude mouse model of pancreatic cancer. Cell Cycle 2018; 17:868-873. [PMID: 29623758 PMCID: PMC6056209 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2018.1445907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a recalcitrant disease. Gemcitabine (GEM) is the most widely-used first-line therapy for pancreatic cancer, but most patients eventually fail. Transformative therapy is necessary to significantly improve the outcome of pancreatic cancer patients. Tumors have an elevated requirement for methionine and are susceptible to methionine restriction. The present study used a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) nude mouse model of pancreatic cancer to determine the efficacy of recombinant methioninase (rMETase) to effect methionine restriction and thereby overcome GEM-resistance. A pancreatic cancer obtained from a patient was grown orthotopically in the pancreatic tail of nude mice to establish the PDOX model. Five weeks after implantation, 40 pancreatic cancer PDOX mouse models were randomized into four groups of 10 mice each: untreated control (n = 10); GEM (100 mg/kg, i.p., once a week for 5 weeks, n = 10); rMETase (100 units, i.p., 14 consecutive days, n = 10); GEM+rMETase (GEM: 100 mg/kg, i.p., once a week for 5 weeks, rMETase: 100 units, i.p., 14 consecutive days, n = 10). Although GEM partially inhibited PDOX tumor growth, combination therapy (GEM+rMETase) was significantly more effective than mono therapy (GEM: p = 0.0025, rMETase: p = 0.0010). The present study is the first demonstrating the efficacy of rMETase combination therapy in a pancreatic cancer PDOX model to overcome first-line therapy resistance in this recalcitrant disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kei Kawaguchi
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Kentaro Miyake
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA
| | | | | | | | - Kentaro Igarashi
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA
| | | | - Takashi Higuchi
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA
| | - Tasuku Kiyuna
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA
| | - Masuyo Miyake
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA
| | - Hiromichi Oshiro
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA
| | - Michael Bouvet
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA
| | - Michiaki Unno
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Robert M. Hoffman
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA
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48
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Igarashi K, Kawaguchi K, Li S, Han Q, Tan Y, Gainor E, Kiyuna T, Miyake K, Miyake M, Higuchi T, Oshiro H, Singh AS, Eckardt MA, Nelson SD, Russell TA, Dry SM, Li Y, Yamamoto N, Hayashi K, Kimura H, Miwa S, Tsuchiya H, Eilber FC, Hoffman RM. Recombinant methioninase combined with doxorubicin (DOX) regresses a DOX-resistant synovial sarcoma in a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) mouse model. Oncotarget 2018; 9:19263-19272. [PMID: 29721200 PMCID: PMC5922394 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.24996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Synovial sarcoma (SS) is a recalcitrant subgroup of soft tissue sarcoma (STS). A tumor from a patient with high grade SS from a lower extremity was grown orthotopically in the right biceps femoris muscle of nude mice to establish a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) mouse model. The PDOX mice were randomized into the following groups when tumor volume reached approximately 100 mm3: G1, control without treatment; G2, doxorubicin (DOX) (3 mg/kg, intraperitoneal [i.p.] injection, weekly, for 2 weeks; G3, rMETase (100 unit/mouse, i.p., daily, for 2 weeks); G4 DOX (3mg/kg), i.p. weekly, for 2 weeks) combined with rMETase (100 unit/mouse, i.p., daily, for 2 weeks). On day 14 after treatment initiation, all therapies significantly inhibited tumor growth compared to untreated control, except DOX: (DOX: p = 0.48; rMETase: p < 0.005; DOX combined with rMETase < 0.0001). DOX combined with rMETase was significantly more effective than both DOX alone (p < 0.001) and rMETase alone (p < 0.05). The relative body weight on day 14 compared with day 0 did not significantly differ between any treatment group or untreated control. The results indicate that r-METase can overcome DOX-resistance in this recalcitrant disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kentaro Igarashi
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, California, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, California, USA.,Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Kei Kawaguchi
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, California, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Shukuan Li
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, California, USA
| | | | - Yuying Tan
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, California, USA
| | | | - Tasuku Kiyuna
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, California, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Kentaro Miyake
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, California, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Masuyo Miyake
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, California, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Takashi Higuchi
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, California, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Hiromichi Oshiro
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, California, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Arun S Singh
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mark A Eckardt
- Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Scott D Nelson
- Department of Pathology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Tara A Russell
- Division of Surgical Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sarah M Dry
- Department of Pathology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yunfeng Li
- Department of Pathology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Norio Yamamoto
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Katsuhiro Hayashi
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Kimura
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Shinji Miwa
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Tsuchiya
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Fritz C Eilber
- Division of Surgical Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, California, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, California, USA
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49
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Igarashi K, Kawaguchi K, Kiyuna T, Miyake K, Miyake M, Li S, Han Q, Tan Y, Zhao M, Li Y, Nelson SD, Dry SM, Singh AS, Elliott IA, Russell TA, Eckardt MA, Yamamoto N, Hayashi K, Kimura H, Miwa S, Tsuchiya H, Eilber FC, Hoffman RM. Tumor-targeting Salmonella typhimurium A1-R combined with recombinant methioninase and cisplatinum eradicates an osteosarcoma cisplatinum-resistant lung metastasis in a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) mouse model: decoy, trap and kill chemotherapy moves toward the clinic. Cell Cycle 2018; 17:801-809. [PMID: 29374999 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2018.1431596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In the present study, a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) model of recurrent cisplatinum (CDDP)-resistant metastatic osteosarcoma was treated with Salmonella typhimurium A1-R (S. typhimurium A1-R), which decoys chemoresistant quiescent cancer cells to cycle, and recombinant methioninase (rMETase), which selectively traps cancer cells in late S/G2, and chemotherapy. The PDOX models were randomized into the following groups 14 days after implantation: G1, control without treatment; G2, CDDP (6 mg/kg, intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection, weekly, for 2 weeks); G3, rMETase (100 unit/mouse, i.p., daily, for 2 weeks). G4, S. typhimurium A1-R (5 × 107 CFU/100 μl, i.v., weekly, for 2 weeks); G5, S. typhimurium A1-R (5 × 107 CFU/100 μl, i.v., weekly, for 2 weeks) combined with rMETase (100 unit/mouse, i.p., daily, for 2 weeks); G6, S. typhimurium A1-R (5 × 107 CFU/100 μl, i.v., weekly, for 2 weeks) combined with rMETase (100 unit/mouse, i.p., daily, for 2 weeks) and CDDP (6 mg/kg, i.p. injection, weekly, for 2 weeks). On day 14 after initiation, all treatments except CDDP alone, significantly inhibited tumor growth compared to untreated control: (CDDP: p = 0.586; rMETase: p = 0.002; S. typhimurium A1-R: p = 0.002; S. typhimurium A1-R combined with rMETase: p = 0.0004; rMETase combined with both S. typhimurium A1-R and CDDP: p = 0.0001). The decoy, trap and kill combination of S. typhimurium A1-R, rMETase and CDDP was the most effective of all therapies and was able to eradicate the metastatic osteosarcoma PDOX.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kentaro Igarashi
- a AntiCancer, Inc. , San Diego , CA, USA.,b Department of Surgery , University of California , San Diego , CA, USA.,c Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Kanazawa University , Kanazawa , Japan
| | - Kei Kawaguchi
- a AntiCancer, Inc. , San Diego , CA, USA.,b Department of Surgery , University of California , San Diego , CA, USA
| | - Tasuku Kiyuna
- a AntiCancer, Inc. , San Diego , CA, USA.,b Department of Surgery , University of California , San Diego , CA, USA
| | - Kentaro Miyake
- a AntiCancer, Inc. , San Diego , CA, USA.,b Department of Surgery , University of California , San Diego , CA, USA
| | - Masuyo Miyake
- a AntiCancer, Inc. , San Diego , CA, USA.,b Department of Surgery , University of California , San Diego , CA, USA
| | - Shukuan Li
- a AntiCancer, Inc. , San Diego , CA, USA
| | | | - Yuying Tan
- a AntiCancer, Inc. , San Diego , CA, USA
| | - Ming Zhao
- a AntiCancer, Inc. , San Diego , CA, USA
| | - Yunfeng Li
- d Dept. of Pathology , University of California , Los Angeles , CA , USA
| | - Scott D Nelson
- d Dept. of Pathology , University of California , Los Angeles , CA , USA
| | - Sarah M Dry
- d Dept. of Pathology , University of California , Los Angeles , CA , USA
| | - Arun S Singh
- e Division of Hematology-Oncology , University of California , Los Angeles , CA , USA
| | - Irmina A Elliott
- f Division of Surgical Oncology , University of California , Los Angeles , CA , USA
| | - Tara A Russell
- f Division of Surgical Oncology , University of California , Los Angeles , CA , USA
| | - Mark A Eckardt
- g Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine , New Haven , CT, USA
| | - Norio Yamamoto
- c Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Kanazawa University , Kanazawa , Japan
| | - Katsuhiro Hayashi
- c Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Kanazawa University , Kanazawa , Japan
| | - Hiroaki Kimura
- c Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Kanazawa University , Kanazawa , Japan
| | - Shinji Miwa
- c Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Kanazawa University , Kanazawa , Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Tsuchiya
- c Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Kanazawa University , Kanazawa , Japan
| | - Fritz C Eilber
- f Division of Surgical Oncology , University of California , Los Angeles , CA , USA
| | - Robert M Hoffman
- a AntiCancer, Inc. , San Diego , CA, USA.,b Department of Surgery , University of California , San Diego , CA, USA
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50
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Recombinant methioninase effectively targets a Ewing's sarcoma in a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) nude-mouse model. Oncotarget 2018; 8:35630-35638. [PMID: 28404944 PMCID: PMC5482604 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.15823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 01/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Methionine dependence is due to the overuse of methionine for aberrant transmethylation reactions in cancer. Methionine dependence may be the only general metabolic defect in cancer. In order to exploit methionine dependence for therapy, our laboratory previously cloned L-methionine α-deamino-γ-mercaptomethane lyase [EC 4.4.1.11]). The cloned methioninase, termed recombinant methioninase, or rMETase, has been tested in mouse models of human cancer cell lines. Ewing's sarcoma is recalcitrant disease even though development of multimodal therapy has improved patients'outcome. Here we report efficacy of rMETase against Ewing's sarcoma in a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) model. The Ewing's sarcoma was implanted in the right chest wall of nude mice to establish a PDOX model. Eight Ewing's sarcoma PDOX mice were randomized into untreated control group (n = 4) and rMETase treatment group (n = 4). rMETase (100 units) was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) every 24 hours for 14 consecutive days. All mice were sacrificed on day-15, 24 hours after the last rMETase administration. rMETase effectively reduced tumor growth compared to untreated control. The methionine level both of plasma and supernatants derived from sonicated tumors was lower in the rMETase group. Body weight did not significantly differ at any time points between the 2 groups. The present study is the first demonstrating rMETase efficacy in a PDOX model, suggesting potential clinical development, especially in recalcitrant cancers such as Ewing's sarcoma.
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