1
|
Chen L, Huang S, Wu X, He W, Song M. Serotonin signalling in cancer: Emerging mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities. Clin Transl Med 2024; 14:e1750. [PMID: 38943041 PMCID: PMC11213692 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) is a multifunctional bioamine serving as a neurotransmitter, peripheral hormone and mitogen in the vertebrate system. It has pleiotropic activities in central nervous system and gastrointestinal function via an orchestrated action of serotonergic elements, particularly serotonin receptor-mediated signalling cascades. The mitogenic properties of serotonin have garnered recognition for years and have been exploited for repurposing serotonergic-targeted drugs in cancer therapy. However, emerging conflicting findings necessitate a more comprehensive elucidation of serotonin's role in cancer pathogenesis. MAIN BODY AND CONCLUSION Here, we provide an overview of the biosynthesis, metabolism and action modes of serotonin. We summarise our current knowledge regarding the effects of the peripheral serotonergic system on tumourigenesis, with a specific emphasis on its immunomodulatory activities in human cancers. We also discuss the dual roles of serotonin in tumour pathogenesis and elucidate the potential of serotonergic drugs, some of which display favourable safety profiles and impressive efficacy in clinical trials, as a promising avenue in cancer treatment. KEY POINTS Primary synthesis and metabolic routes of peripheral 5-hydroxytryptamine in the gastrointestinal tract. Advanced research has established a strong association between the serotonergic components and carcinogenic mechanisms. The interplay between serotonergic signalling and the immune system within the tumour microenvironment orchestrates antitumour immune responses. Serotonergic-targeted drugs offer valuable clinical options for cancer therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‐Sen UniversitySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Institute of Precision MedicineThe First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‐Sen UniversitySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Shuting Huang
- School of Public HealthSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Xiaoxue Wu
- Department of Gastrointestinal SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‐Sen UniversitySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Weiling He
- Department of Gastrointestinal SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‐Sen UniversitySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Department of Gastrointestinal SurgeryXiang'an Hospital of Xiamen UniversitySchool of MedicineXiamen UniversityXiamenChina
| | - Mei Song
- Institute of Precision MedicineThe First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‐Sen UniversitySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kadasah SF, Alqahtani AMS, Alkhammash A, Radwan MO. Beyond Psychotropic: Potential Repurposing of Fluoxetine toward Cancer Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6314. [PMID: 38928021 PMCID: PMC11203592 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126314] [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: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Drug repurposing, rebranding an existing drug for a new therapeutic indication, is deemed a beneficial approach for a quick and cost-effective drug discovery process by skipping preclinical, Phase 1 trials and pharmacokinetic studies. Several psychotropic drugs, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), were studied for their potential application in different diseases, especially in cancer therapy. Fluoxetine (FLX) is one of the most prescribed psychotropic agents from the SSRIs class for the treatment of several neuropsychiatric disorders with a favorable safety profile. FLX exhibited different oncolytic effects via mechanisms distinct from its main serotonergic activity. Taking advantage of its ability to rapidly penetrate the blood-brain barrier, FLX could be particularly useful in brain tumors. This was proved by different in vitro and in vivo experiments using FLX as a monotherapy or combination with temozolomide (TMZ) or radiotherapy. In this review of the literature, we summarize the potential pleiotropic oncolytic roles of FLX against different cancers, highlighting the multifaceted activities of FLX and its ability to interrupt cancer proliferation via several molecular mechanisms and even surmount multidrug resistance (MDR). We elaborated on the successful synergistic combinations such as FXR/temozolomide and FXR/raloxifene for the treatment of glioblastoma and breast cancer, respectively. We showcased beneficial pharmaceutical trials to load FLX onto carriers to enhance its safety and efficacy on cancer cells. This is the first review article extensively summarizing all previous FLX repurposing studies for the management of cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sultan F. Kadasah
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Bisha, P.O. Box 551, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulaziz M. S. Alqahtani
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Bisha, P.O. Box 551, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah Alkhammash
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Shaqra University, Shaqra 11961, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed O. Radwan
- Medicinal and Biological Chemistry Science Farm Joint Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ha Y, Ma HR, Wu F, Weiss A, Duncker K, Xu HZ, Lu J, Golovsky M, Reker D, You L. Data-driven learning of structure augments quantitative prediction of biological responses. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1012185. [PMID: 38829926 PMCID: PMC11233023 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Multi-factor screenings are commonly used in diverse applications in medicine and bioengineering, including optimizing combination drug treatments and microbiome engineering. Despite the advances in high-throughput technologies, large-scale experiments typically remain prohibitively expensive. Here we introduce a machine learning platform, structure-augmented regression (SAR), that exploits the intrinsic structure of each biological system to learn a high-accuracy model with minimal data requirement. Under different environmental perturbations, each biological system exhibits a unique, structured phenotypic response. This structure can be learned based on limited data and once learned, can constrain subsequent quantitative predictions. We demonstrate that SAR requires significantly fewer data comparing to other existing machine-learning methods to achieve a high prediction accuracy, first on simulated data, then on experimental data of various systems and input dimensions. We then show how a learned structure can guide effective design of new experiments. Our approach has implications for predictive control of biological systems and an integration of machine learning prediction and experimental design.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuanchi Ha
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Helena R. Ma
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Feilun Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Andrea Weiss
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Katherine Duncker
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Helen Z. Xu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Jia Lu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Max Golovsky
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Daniel Reker
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Lingchong You
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Li J, Sun Y, Li G, Cheng C, Sui X, Wu Q. The Extraction, Determination, and Bioactivity of Curcumenol: A Comprehensive Review. Molecules 2024; 29:656. [PMID: 38338400 PMCID: PMC10856406 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29030656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Curcuma wenyujin is a member of the Curcuma zedoaria (zedoary, Zingiberaceae) family, which has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) due to its abundant biologically active constituents. Curcumenol, a component of Curcuma wenyujin, has several biological activities. At present, despite different pharmacological activities being reported, the clinical usage of curcumenol remains under investigation. To further determine the characteristics of curcumenol, the extraction, determination, and bioactivity of the compound are summarized in this review. Existing research has reported that curcumenol exerts different pharmacological effects in regard to a variety of diseases, including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-bactericidal, anti-diabetic, and anti-cancer activity, and also ameliorates osteoporosis. This review of curcumenol provides a theoretical basis for further research and clinical applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicines, Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau 999078, China; (J.L.)
- College of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Zhaoqing University, Zhaoqing 526061, China
| | - Yitian Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicines, Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau 999078, China; (J.L.)
- College of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Guohua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicines, Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau 999078, China; (J.L.)
- College of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Chunsong Cheng
- Lushan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jiujiang 332900, China
| | - Xinbing Sui
- College of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Qibiao Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicines, Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau 999078, China; (J.L.)
- Zhuhai M.U.S.T. Science and Technology Research Institute, Zhuhai 519031, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Lin X, Zhou W, Liu Z, Cao W, Lin C. Targeting cellular metabolism in head and neck cancer precision medicine era: A promising strategy to overcome therapy resistance. Oral Dis 2023; 29:3101-3120. [PMID: 36263514 DOI: 10.1111/odi.14411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is among the most prevalent cancer worldwide, with the most severe impact on quality of life of patients. Despite the development of multimodal therapeutic approaches, the clinical outcomes of HNSCC are still unsatisfactory, mainly caused by relatively low responsiveness to treatment and severe drug resistance. Metabolic reprogramming is currently considered to play a pivotal role in anticancer therapeutic resistance. This review aimed to define the specific metabolic programs and adaptations in HNSCC therapy resistance. An extensive literature review of HNSCC was conducted via the PubMed including metabolic reprogramming, chemo- or immune-therapy resistance. Glucose metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism are closely related to the malignant biological characteristics of cancer, anti-tumor drug resistance, and adverse clinical results. For HNSCC, pyruvate, lactate and almost all lipid categories are related to the occurrence and maintenance of drug resistance, and targeting amino acid metabolism can prevent tumor development and enhance the response of drug-resistant tumors to anticancer therapy. This review will provide a better understanding of the altered metabolism in therapy resistance of HNSCC and promote the development of new therapeutic strategies against HNSCC, thereby contribute to a more efficacious precision medicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohu Lin
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenkai Zhou
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Zheqi Liu
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Cao
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Nursing, Shanghai, China
| | - Chengzhong Lin
- National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
- The 2nd Dental Center, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Abreu S, Vale N, Soares OSGP. Combination of CNTs with Classical Drugs for Treatment in Human Colorectal Adenocarcinoma (HT-29) Cell Line. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:1933. [PMID: 37446448 DOI: 10.3390/nano13131933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Due to the increase in new types of cancer cells and resistance to drugs, conventional cancer treatments are sometimes insufficient. Therefore, an alternative is to apply nanotechnology to biomedical areas, minimizing side effects and drug resistance and improving treatment efficacy. This work aims to find a promising cancer treatment in the human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line (HT-29) to minimize the viability of cells (IC50) by using carbon nanotubes (CNTs) combined with different drugs (5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and two repurposing drugs-tacrine (TAC) and ethionamide (ETA). Several CNT samples with different functional groups (-O, -N, -S) and textural properties were prepared and characterized by elemental and thermogravimetry analysis, size distribution, and textural and temperature programmed desorption. The samples that interacted most with the drugs and contributed to improving HT-29 cell treatment were samples doped with nitrogen and sulfur groups (CNT-BM-N and CNT-H2SO4-BM) with IC50 1.98 and 2.50 µmol∙dm-3 from 5-FU and 15.32 and 15.81 µmol∙dm-3 from TAC. On the other hand, ETA had no activity, even combined with the CNTs. These results allow us to conclude that the activity was improved for both 5-FU and TAC when combined with CNTs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Abreu
- Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering-Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials (LSRE-LCM), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Dr. Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno Vale
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Dr. Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
- CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- Department of Community Medicine, Health Information and Decision (MEDCIDS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
| | - Olívia Salomé G P Soares
- Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering-Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials (LSRE-LCM), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Atorvastatin and Nitrofurantoin Repurposed in the Context of Breast Cancer and Neuroblastoma Cells. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11030903. [PMID: 36979882 PMCID: PMC10046192 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11030903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy still plays a central role in the treatment of cancer. However, it is often accompanied by off-target effects that result in severe side-effects and development of drug resistance. The aim of this work was to study the efficacy of different repurposed drugs on the viability of MCF-7 and SH-SY5Y breast cancer and neuroblastoma cells, respectively. In addition, combinations of these repurposed drugs with a classical chemotherapeutic drug (doxorubicin) were also carried out. The cytotoxic effects of the repurposed drugs were evaluated individually and in combination in both cancer cell lines, assessed by MTT assays and morphological evaluation of the cells. The results demonstrated that atorvastatin reduced the viability of both cell lines. However, nitrofurantoin was able to induce cytotoxic effects in MCF-7 cells, but not in SH-SY5Y cells. The combinations of the repurposed drugs with doxorubicin induced a higher inhibition on cell viability than the repurposed drugs individually. The combination of the two repurposed drugs demonstrated that they potentiate each other. Synergism studies revealed that the combination of doxorubicin with the two repurposed drugs was more effective in SH-SY5Y cells, compared to MCF-7 cells. Taken together, our preliminary study highlights the potential use of atorvastatin and nitrofurantoin in the context of breast cancer and neuroblastoma.
Collapse
|
8
|
Repurposing Benztropine, Natamycin, and Nitazoxanide Using Drug Combination and Characterization of Gastric Cancer Cell Lines. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11030799. [PMID: 36979779 PMCID: PMC10044866 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11030799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) ranked as the fifth most incident cancer in 2020 and the third leading cause of cancer mortality. Surgical prevention and radio/chemotherapy are the main approaches used in GC treatment, and there is an urgent need to explore and discover innovative and effective drugs to better treat this disease. A new strategy arises with the use of repurposed drugs. Drug repurposing coupled with drug combination schemes has been gaining interest in the scientific community. The main objective of this project was to evaluate the therapeutic effects of alternative drugs in GC. For that, three GC cell lines (AGS, MKN28, and MKN45) were used and characterized. Cell viability assays were performed with the reference drug 5-fluororacil (5-FU) and three repurposed drugs: natamycin, nitazoxanide, and benztropine. Nitazoxanide displayed the best results, being active in all GC cells. Further, 5-FU and nitazoxanide in combination were tested in MKN28 GC cells, and the results obtained showed that nitazoxanide alone was the most promising drug for GC therapy. This work demonstrated that the repurposing of drugs as single agents has the ability to decrease GC cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner.
Collapse
|
9
|
Ribeiro E, Costa B, Vasques-Nóvoa F, Vale N. In Vitro Drug Repurposing: Focus on Vasodilators. Cells 2023; 12:cells12040671. [PMID: 36831338 PMCID: PMC9954697 DOI: 10.3390/cells12040671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug repurposing aims to identify new therapeutic uses for drugs that have already been approved for other conditions. This approach can save time and resources compared to traditional drug development, as the safety and efficacy of the repurposed drug have already been established. In the context of cancer, drug repurposing can lead to the discovery of new treatments that can target specific cancer cell lines and improve patient outcomes. Vasodilators are a class of drugs that have been shown to have the potential to influence various types of cancer. These medications work by relaxing the smooth muscle of blood vessels, increasing blood flow to tumors, and improving the delivery of chemotherapy drugs. Additionally, vasodilators have been found to have antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects on cancer cells, making them a promising target for drug repurposing. Research on vasodilators for cancer treatment has already shown promising results in preclinical and clinical studies. However, additionally research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms of action of vasodilators in cancer and determine the optimal dosing and combination therapy for patients. In this review, we aim to explore the molecular mechanisms of action of vasodilators in cancer cell lines and the current state of research on their repurposing as a treatment option. With the goal of minimizing the effort and resources required for traditional drug development, we hope to shed light on the potential of vasodilators as a viable therapeutic strategy for cancer patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eduarda Ribeiro
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
- CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Bárbara Costa
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
- CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
| | - Francisco Vasques-Nóvoa
- Cardiovascular R&D Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
- Department of Surgery and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno Vale
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
- CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- Department of Community Medicine, Information and Health Decision Sciences (MEDCIDS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +351-220426537
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Repurposing Antidepressants and Phenothiazine Antipsychotics as Efflux Pump Inhibitors in Cancer and Infectious Diseases. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12010137. [PMID: 36671340 PMCID: PMC9855052 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12010137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major obstacle in the therapy of infectious diseases and cancer. One of the major mechanisms of MDR is the overexpression of efflux pumps (EPs) that are responsible for extruding antimicrobial and anticancer agents. EPs have additional roles of detoxification that may aid the development of bacterial infection and the progression of cancer. Therefore, targeting EPs may be an attractive strategy to treat bacterial infections and cancer. The development and discovery of a new drug require a long timeline and may come with high development costs. A potential alternative to reduce the time and costs of drug development is to repurpose already existing drugs. Antidepressants and antipsychotic agents are widely used in clinical practice in the treatment of psychiatric disorders and some somatic diseases. Antidepressants and antipsychotics have demonstrated various beneficial activities that may be utilized in the treatment of infections and cancer. This review aims to provide a brief overview of antibacterial and anticancer effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and phenothiazine antipsychotics, while focusing on EPs. However, it should be noted that the antimicrobial activity of a traditionally non-antibiotic drug may have clinical implications regarding dysbiosis and bacterial MDR.
Collapse
|
11
|
Investigation of the Anticancer and Drug Combination Potential of Brominated Coelenteramines toward Breast and Prostate Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232213981. [PMID: 36430460 PMCID: PMC9699044 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232213981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a very challenging disease to treat, both in terms of therapeutic efficiency and harmful side effects, which continues to motivate the pursuit for novel molecules with potential anticancer activity. Herein, we have designed, synthesized, and evaluated the cytotoxicity of different brominated coelenteramines, which are metabolic products and synthesis precursors of the chemi-/bioluminescent system of marine coelenterazine. The evaluation of the anticancer potential of these molecules was carried out for both prostate and breast cancer, while also exploring their potential for use in combination therapy. Our results provided further insight into the structure-activity relationship of this type of molecule, such as their high structural specificity, as well highlighting the 4-bromophenyl moiety as essential for the anticancer activity. The obtained data also indicated that, despite their similarity, the anticancer activity displayed by both brominated coelenteramines and coelenterazines should arise from independent mechanisms of action. Finally, one of the studied coelenteramines was able to improve the profile of a known chemotherapeutic agent, even at concentrations in which its anticancer activity was not relevant. Thus, our work showed the potential of different components of marine chemi-/bioluminescent systems as novel anticancer molecules, while providing useful information for future optimizations.
Collapse
|
12
|
Duarte D, Guerreiro I, Vale N. Novel Strategies for Cancer Combat: Drug Combination Using Repurposed Drugs Induces Synergistic Growth Inhibition of MCF-7 Breast and HT-29 Colon Cancer Cells. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2022; 44:4930-4949. [PMID: 36286050 PMCID: PMC9601176 DOI: 10.3390/cimb44100335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Our group developed a new model of drug combination consisting of the use of antineoplastic drugs and different repurposed drugs, having demonstrated that antimalarial and central nervous system (CNS) drugs have a promising anticancer profile as standalone agents, as well as in combined regimens. Here, we evaluated the anticancer profiles of two different CNS drugs (edaravone and quetiapine), both alone and in combination with antineoplastic agents for breast and colon cancer, to explore whether these repurposed drugs could synergistically enhance the anticancer potential of chemotherapeutic drugs. We also developed a new model of combination using two repurposed drugs, to explore whether this model of combination could also be suitable for application in breast and colon cancer therapy. MCF-7 and HT-29 cancer cells were incubated for 48 h with each individual drug (0.01–100 µM) to determine their IC50. Cells were then treated with the IC50 value for doxorubicin or paclitaxel (MCF-7) or 5-fluorouracil (HT-29) and combined with increasing concentrations of edaravone or quetiapine for 48 h. Both cell lines were also treated with a combination of two antimalarial drugs (mefloquine and pyronaridine) or two CNS drugs (fluphenazine and sertraline) for 48 h. We found that the use of quetiapine in combined therapies seems to synergistically enhance the anticancer activity of doxorubicin for the management of breast cancer. Both CNS drugs significantly improved the cytotoxic potential of 5-fluorouracil in HT-29 cells, with quetiapine synergistically interacting with the antineoplastic drug in this drug combination. Regarding the combination of repurposed drugs, only found one synergic combination regimen (sertraline IC50 plus variable concentrations of fluphenazine) with anticancer potential against HT-29 colon cancer cells was found. Taken together, these results suggest that quetiapine and edaravone can be used as adjuvant agents in chemotherapy for colon cancer. It was also found that the combination of repurposed drugs, specifically the CNS drugs sertraline and fluphenazine, may have an interesting profile for application in colon cancer novel therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Duarte
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
| | - Inês Guerreiro
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno Vale
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
- CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- Department of Community Medicine, Health Information and Decision (MEDCIDS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +351-220426537
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Duarte D, Nunes M, Ricardo S, Vale N. Combination of Antimalarial and CNS Drugs with Antineoplastic Agents in MCF-7 Breast and HT-29 Colon Cancer Cells: Biosafety Evaluation and Mechanism of Action. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12101490. [PMID: 36291699 PMCID: PMC9599492 DOI: 10.3390/biom12101490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug combination and drug repurposing are two strategies that allow to find novel oncological therapies, in a faster and more economical process. In our previous studies, we developed a novel model of drug combination using antineoplastic and different repurposed drugs. We demonstrated the combinations of doxorubicin (DOX) + artesunate, DOX + chloroquine, paclitaxel (PTX) + fluoxetine, PTX + fluphenazine, and PTX + benztropine induce significant cytotoxicity in Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7) breast cancer cells. Furthermore, it was found that 5-FU + thioridazine and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) + sertraline can synergistically induce a reduction in the viability of human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line (HT-29). In this study, we aim to (1) evaluate the biosafety profile of these drug combinations for non-tumoral cells and (2) determine their mechanism of action in cancer cells. To do so, human fetal lung fibroblast cells (MRC-5) fibroblast cells were incubated for 48 h with all drugs, alone and in combination in concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 times their half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50). Cell morphology and viability were evaluated. Next, we designed and constructed a cell microarray to perform immunohistochemistry studies for the evaluation of palmitoyl-protein thioesterase 1 (PPT1), Ki67, cleaved-poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (cleaved-PARP), multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (MRP2), P-glycoprotein (P-gp), and nuclear factor-kappa-B (NF-kB) p65 expression. We demonstrate that these combinations are cytotoxic for cancer cells and safe for non-tumoral cells at lower concentrations. Furthermore, it is also demonstrated that PPT1 may have an important role in the mechanism of action of these combinations, as demonstrated by their ability to decrease PPT1 expression. These results support the use of antimalarial and central nervous system (CNS) drugs in combination regimens with chemotherapeutic agents; nevertheless, additional studies are recommended to further explore their complete mechanisms of action.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Duarte
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
| | - Mariana Nunes
- Differentiation and Cancer Group, Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto/Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Sara Ricardo
- Differentiation and Cancer Group, Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto/Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Toxicology Research Unit (TOXRUN), University Institute of Health Sciences, Polytechnic and University Cooperative (CESPU), Rua Central de Gandra, 1317, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal
| | - Nuno Vale
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
- CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- Department of Community Medicine, Health Information and Decision (MEDCIDS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +351-220426537
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Duarte D, Vale N. Evaluation of synergism in drug combinations and reference models for future orientations in oncology. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PHARMACOLOGY AND DRUG DISCOVERY 2022; 3:100110. [PMID: 35620200 PMCID: PMC9127325 DOI: 10.1016/j.crphar.2022.100110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Duarte
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Dr. Plácido da Costa, 4200-450, Porto, Portugal
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno Vale
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Dr. Plácido da Costa, 4200-450, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Community Medicine, Information and Health Decision Sciences (MEDCIDS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal
- CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200, 319, Porto, Portugal
- Corresponding author. OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Dr. Plácido da Costa, 4200-450, Porto, Portugal.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Rodrigues R, Duarte D, Vale N. Drug Repurposing in Cancer Therapy: Influence of Patient’s Genetic Background in Breast Cancer Treatment. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23084280. [PMID: 35457144 PMCID: PMC9028365 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23084280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is among the leading causes of death worldwide and it is estimated that in 2040 more than 29 million people will be diagnosed with some type of cancer. The most prevalent type of cancer in women, worldwide, is breast cancer, a type of cancer associated with a huge death rate. This high mortality is mainly a consequence of the development of drug resistance, which is one of the major challenges to overcome in breast cancer treatment. As a result, research has been focused on finding novel therapeutical weapons, specifically ones that allow for a personalized treatment, based on patients’ characteristics. Although the scientific community has been concerned about guaranteeing the quality of life of cancer patients, researchers are also aware of the increasing costs related to cancer treatment, and efforts have been made to find alternatives to the development of new drugs. The development of new drugs presents some disadvantages as it is a multistep process that is time- and money-consuming, involving clinical trials that commonly fail in the initial phases. A strategy to overcome these disadvantages is drug repurposing. In this review, we focused on describing potential repurposed drugs in the therapy of breast cancer, considering their pharmacogenomic profile, to assess the relationship between patients’ genetic variations and their response to a certain therapy. This review supports the need for the development of further fundamental studies in this area, in order to investigate and expand the knowledge of the currently used and novel potential drugs to treat breast cancer. Future clinical trials should focus on developing strategies to group cancer patients according to their clinical and biological similarities and to discover new potential targets, to enable cancer therapy to be more effective and personalized.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rafaela Rodrigues
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Dr. Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal; (R.R.); (D.D.)
| | - Diana Duarte
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Dr. Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal; (R.R.); (D.D.)
- Faculty of Pharmacy of University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno Vale
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Dr. Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal; (R.R.); (D.D.)
- Department of Community Medicine, Health Information and Decision (MEDCIDS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory RISE–Health Research Network, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +351-220426537
| |
Collapse
|