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Paudel KR, Singh M, De Rubis G, Kumbhar P, Mehndiratta S, Kokkinis S, El-Sherkawi T, Gupta G, Singh SK, Malik MZ, Mohammed Y, Oliver BG, Disouza J, Patravale V, Hansbro PM, Dua K. Computational and biological approaches in repurposing ribavirin for lung cancer treatment: Unveiling antitumorigenic strategies. Life Sci 2024; 352:122859. [PMID: 38925223 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122859] [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: 01/07/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Lung cancer is among leading causes of death worldwide. The five-year survival rate of this disease is extremely low (17.8 %), mainly due to difficult early diagnosis and to the limited efficacy of currently available chemotherapeutics. This underlines the necessity to develop innovative therapies for lung cancer. In this context, drug repurposing represents a viable approach, as it reduces the turnaround time of drug development removing costs associated to safety testing of new molecular entities. Ribavirin, an antiviral molecule used to treat hepatitis C virus infections, is particularly promising as repurposed drug for cancer treatment, having shown therapeutic activity against glioblastoma, acute myeloid leukemia, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In the present study, we thoroughly investigated the in vitro anticancer activity of ribavirin against A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells. From a functional standpoint, ribavirin significantly inhibits cancer hallmarks such as cell proliferation, migration, and colony formation. Mechanistically, ribavirin downregulates the expression of numerous proteins and genes regulating cell migration, proliferation, apoptosis, and cancer angiogenesis. The anticancer potential of ribavirin was further investigated in silico through gene ontology pathway enrichment and protein-protein interaction networks, identifying five putative molecular interactors of ribavirin (Erb-B2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinase 4 (Erb-B4); KRAS; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 (ICAM-1); amphiregulin (AREG); and neuregulin-1 (NRG1)). These interactions were characterized via molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulations. The results of this study highlight the potential of ribavirin as a repurposed chemotherapy against lung cancer, warranting further studies to ascertain the in vivo anticancer activity of this molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keshav Raj Paudel
- Centre of Inflammation, Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Life Sciences, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Manisha Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (JIIT), Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India; Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Gabriele De Rubis
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Popat Kumbhar
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Tatyasaheb Kore College of Pharmacy, Warananagar, Tal: Panhala, Dist: Kolhapur, Maharashtra 416113, India
| | - Samir Mehndiratta
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Sofia Kokkinis
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Tammam El-Sherkawi
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Gaurav Gupta
- Centre for Research Impact & Outcome, Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, 140401, Punjab, India; Centre of Medical and Bio-allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sachin Kumar Singh
- Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar-Delhi GT Road, Phagwara 144411, Punjab, India
| | - Md Zubbair Malik
- Department of Genetics and Bioinformatics, Dasman Diabetes Institute, Dasman, Kuwait city 15462, Kuwait
| | - Yousuf Mohammed
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Brian G Oliver
- Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - John Disouza
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Tatyasaheb Kore College of Pharmacy, Warananagar, Tal: Panhala, Dist: Kolhapur, Maharashtra 416113, India
| | - Vandana Patravale
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Nathalal Parekh Marg, Matunga, Mumbai 400019, Maharashtra, India
| | - Philip Michael Hansbro
- Centre of Inflammation, Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Life Sciences, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
| | - Kamal Dua
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.
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2
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Wang Y, Shi D, Zou W, Jiang Y, Wang T, Chen X, Ma C, Li W, Chen T, Burrows JF, Wang L, Zhou M. An Effective Modification Strategy to Build Multifunctional Peptides Based on a Trypsin Inhibitory Peptide of the Kunitz Family. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:597. [PMID: 38794259 PMCID: PMC11125039 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16050597] [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: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Peptides with antimicrobial activity or protease inhibitory activity are potential candidates to supplement traditional antibiotics or cancer chemotherapies. However, the potential of many peptides are limited by drawbacks such as cytotoxicity or susceptibility to hydrolysis. Therefore, strategies to modify the structure of promising peptides may represent an effective approach for developing more promising clinical candidates. In this study, the mature peptide OSTI-1949, a Kunitz-type inhibitor from Odorrana schmackeri, and four designed analogues were successfully synthesised. In contrast to the parent peptide, the analogues showed impressive multi-functionality including antimicrobial, anticancer, and trypsin inhibitory activities. In terms of safety, there were no obvious changes observed in the haemolytic activity at the highest tested concentration, and the analogue OSTI-2461 showed an increase in activity against cancer cell lines without cytotoxicity to normal cells (HaCaT). In summary, through structural modification of a natural Kunitz-type peptide, the biological activity of analogues was improved whilst retaining low cytotoxicity. The strategy of helicity enhancement by forming an artificial α-helix and ß-sheet structure provides a promising way to develop original bioactive peptides for clinical therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK; (Y.W.); (W.Z.); (Y.J.); (T.W.); (C.M.); (T.C.); (J.F.B.); (L.W.); (M.Z.)
| | - Daning Shi
- Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No.12 Zhongguancun South Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China;
| | - Wanchen Zou
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK; (Y.W.); (W.Z.); (Y.J.); (T.W.); (C.M.); (T.C.); (J.F.B.); (L.W.); (M.Z.)
- College of Chinese Medicinal Materials, Jilin Provincial International Joint Research Center for the Development and Utilization of Authentic Medicinal Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Yangyang Jiang
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK; (Y.W.); (W.Z.); (Y.J.); (T.W.); (C.M.); (T.C.); (J.F.B.); (L.W.); (M.Z.)
| | - Tao Wang
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK; (Y.W.); (W.Z.); (Y.J.); (T.W.); (C.M.); (T.C.); (J.F.B.); (L.W.); (M.Z.)
| | - Xiaoling Chen
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK; (Y.W.); (W.Z.); (Y.J.); (T.W.); (C.M.); (T.C.); (J.F.B.); (L.W.); (M.Z.)
| | - Chengbang Ma
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK; (Y.W.); (W.Z.); (Y.J.); (T.W.); (C.M.); (T.C.); (J.F.B.); (L.W.); (M.Z.)
| | - Wei Li
- College of Chinese Medicinal Materials, Jilin Provincial International Joint Research Center for the Development and Utilization of Authentic Medicinal Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Tianbao Chen
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK; (Y.W.); (W.Z.); (Y.J.); (T.W.); (C.M.); (T.C.); (J.F.B.); (L.W.); (M.Z.)
| | - James F. Burrows
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK; (Y.W.); (W.Z.); (Y.J.); (T.W.); (C.M.); (T.C.); (J.F.B.); (L.W.); (M.Z.)
| | - Lei Wang
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK; (Y.W.); (W.Z.); (Y.J.); (T.W.); (C.M.); (T.C.); (J.F.B.); (L.W.); (M.Z.)
| | - Mei Zhou
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK; (Y.W.); (W.Z.); (Y.J.); (T.W.); (C.M.); (T.C.); (J.F.B.); (L.W.); (M.Z.)
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Liu Y, Ouyang L, Jiang S, Liang L, Chen Y, Mao C, Jiang Y, Cong L. PPP2R1A silencing suppresses LUAD progression by sensitizing cells to nelfinavir-induced apoptosis and pyroptosis. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:145. [PMID: 38654331 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03321-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung adenocarcinoma is a major public health problem with the low 5-year survival rate (15%) among cancers. Aberrant alterations of meiotic genes, which have gained increased attention recently, might contribute to elevated tumor risks. However, systematic and comprehensive studies based on the relationship between meiotic genes and LUAD recurrence and treatment response are still lacking. In this manuscript, we first confirmed that the meiosis related prognostic model (MRPM) was strongly related to LUAD progression via LASSO-Cox regression analyses. Furthermore, we identified the role of PPP2R1A in LUAD, which showed more contributions to LUAD process compared with other meiotic genes in our prognostic model. Additionally, repression of PPP2R1A enhances cellular susceptibility to nelfinavir-induced apoptosis and pyroptosis. Collectively, our findings indicated that meiosis-related genes might be therapeutic targets in LUAD and provided crucial guidelines for LUAD clinical intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yating Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Lianlian Ouyang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China
- Research Unit of Key Technologies of Diagnosis and Treatment for Immune-Related Skin Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Changsha, 410011, China
| | - Shiyao Jiang
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animal and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, People's Republic of China
- School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Lu Liang
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animal and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, People's Republic of China
- School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanbing Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Chao Mao
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yiqun Jiang
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animal and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
- School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
| | - Li Cong
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animal and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
- School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
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4
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Sayin AZ, Abali Z, Senyuz S, Cankara F, Gursoy A, Keskin O. Conformational diversity and protein-protein interfaces in drug repurposing in Ras signaling pathway. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1239. [PMID: 38216592 PMCID: PMC10786864 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50913-8] [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: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
We focus on drug repurposing in the Ras signaling pathway, considering structural similarities of protein-protein interfaces. The interfaces formed by physically interacting proteins are found from PDB if available and via PRISM (PRotein Interaction by Structural Matching) otherwise. The structural coverage of these interactions has been increased from 21 to 92% using PRISM. Multiple conformations of each protein are used to include protein dynamics and diversity. Next, we find FDA-approved drugs bound to structurally similar protein-protein interfaces. The results suggest that HIV protease inhibitors tipranavir, indinavir, and saquinavir may bind to EGFR and ERBB3/HER3 interface. Tipranavir and indinavir may also bind to EGFR and ERBB2/HER2 interface. Additionally, a drug used in Alzheimer's disease can bind to RAF1 and BRAF interface. Hence, we propose a methodology to find drugs to be potentially used for cancer using a dataset of structurally similar protein-protein interface clusters rather than pockets in a systematic way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahenk Zeynep Sayin
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Koc University, Rumeli Feneri Yolu Sariyer, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Zeynep Abali
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Computational Sciences and Engineering, Koc University, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Simge Senyuz
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Computational Sciences and Engineering, Koc University, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Fatma Cankara
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Computational Sciences and Engineering, Koc University, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Attila Gursoy
- Department of Computer Engineering, Koc University, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ozlem Keskin
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Koc University, Rumeli Feneri Yolu Sariyer, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey.
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5
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Sharma S, Rana R, Prakash P, Ganguly NK. Drug target therapy and emerging clinical relevance of exosomes in meningeal tumors. Mol Cell Biochem 2024; 479:127-170. [PMID: 37016182 PMCID: PMC10072821 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-023-04715-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
Meningioma is the most common central nervous system (CNS) tumor. In recent decades, several efforts have been made to eradicate this disease. Surgery and radiotherapy remain the standard treatment options for these tumors. Drug therapy comes to play its role when both surgery and radiotherapy fail to treat the tumor. This mostly happens when the tumors are close to vital brain structures and are nonbenign. Although a wide variety of chemotherapeutic drugs and molecular targeted drugs such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors, alkylating agents, endocrine drugs, interferon, and targeted molecular pathway inhibitors have been studied, the roles of numerous drugs remain unexplored. Recent interest is growing toward studying and engineering exosomes for the treatment of different types of cancer including meningioma. The latest studies have shown the involvement of exosomes in the theragnostic of various cancers such as the lung and pancreas in the form of biomarkers, drug delivery vehicles, and vaccines. Proper attention to this new emerging technology can be a boon in finding the consistent treatment of meningioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swati Sharma
- Department of Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, 110060 India
| | - Rashmi Rana
- Department of Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, 110060 India
| | - Prem Prakash
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110062 India
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Chang YS, Gills JJ, Kawabata S, Onozawa M, Della Gatta G, Ferrando AA, Aplan PD, Dennis PA. Inhibition of the NOTCH and mTOR pathways by nelfinavir as a novel treatment for T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Int J Oncol 2023; 63:128. [PMID: 37800623 PMCID: PMC10609462 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2023.5576] [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: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T‑ALL), a neoplasm derived from T cell lineage‑committed lymphoblasts, is characterized by genetic alterations that result in activation of oncogenic transcription factors and the NOTCH1 pathway activation. The NOTCH is a transmembrane receptor protein activated by γ‑secretase. γ‑secretase inhibitors (GSIs) are a NOTCH‑targeted therapy for T‑ALL. However, their clinical application has not been successful due to adverse events (primarily gastrointestinal toxicity), limited efficacy, and drug resistance caused by several mechanisms, including activation of the AKT/mTOR pathway. Nelfinavir is an human immunodeficiency virus 1 aspartic protease inhibitor and has been repurposed as an anticancer drug. It acts by inducing endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and inhibiting the AKT/mTOR pathway. Thus, it was hypothesized that nelfinavir might inhibit the NOTCH pathway via γ‑secretase inhibition and blockade of aspartic protease presenilin, which would make nelfinavir effective against NOTCH‑associated T‑ALL. The present study assessed the efficacy of nelfinavir against T‑ALL cells and investigated mechanisms of action in vitro and in preclinical treatment studies using a SCL‑LMO1 transgenic mouse model. Nelfinavir blocks presenilin 1 processing and inhibits γ‑secretase activity as well as the NOTCH1 pathway, thus suppressing T‑ALL cell viability. Additionally, microarray analysis of nelfinavir‑treated T‑ALL cells showed that nelfinavir upregulated mRNA levels of CHAC1 (glutathione‑specific γ‑glutamylcyclotransferase 1, a negative regulator of NOTCH) and sestrin 2 (SESN2; a negative regulator of mTOR). As both factors are upregulated by ER stress, this confirmed that nelfinavir induced ER stress in T‑ALL cells. Moreover, nelfinavir suppressed NOTCH1 mRNA expression in microarray analyses. These findings suggest that nelfinavir inhibited the NOTCH1 pathway by downregulating NOTCH1 mRNA expression, upregulating CHAC1 and suppressing γ‑secretase via presenilin 1 inhibition and the mTOR pathway by upregulating SESN2 via ER stress induction. Further, nelfinavir exhibited therapeutic efficacy against T‑ALL in an SCL‑LMO1 transgenic mouse model. Collectively, these findings highlight the potential of nelfinavir as a novel therapeutic candidate for treatment of patients with T‑ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoon Soo Chang
- Medical Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Joell J. Gills
- Medical Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Shigeru Kawabata
- Medical Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-8686, Japan
| | - Masahiro Onozawa
- Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Giusy Della Gatta
- Institute for Cancer Genetics and Joint Centers for Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Adolfo A. Ferrando
- Institute for Cancer Genetics and Joint Centers for Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Peter D. Aplan
- Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Phillip A. Dennis
- Medical Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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7
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Alaei M, Nazari SE, Pourali G, Asadnia A, Moetamani-Ahmadi M, Fiuji H, Tanzadehpanah H, Asgharzadeh F, Babaei F, Khojasteh-Leylakoohi F, Saeed Gataa I, Ali Kiani M, Ferns GA, Lam AKY, Hassanian SM, Khazaei M, Giovannetti E, Avan A. Therapeutic Potential of Targeting the Cytochrome P450 Enzymes Using Lopinavir/Ritonavir in Colorectal Cancer: A Study in Monolayers, Spheroids and In Vivo Models. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3939. [PMID: 37568755 PMCID: PMC10417395 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15153939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzyme has been shown to be expressed in colorectal cancer (CRC) and its dysregulation is linked to tumor progression and a poor prognosis. Here we investigated the therapeutic potential of targeting CYP450 using lopinavir/ritonavir in CRC. The integrative systems biology method and RNAseq were utilized to investigate the differential levels of genes associated with patients with colorectal cancer. The antiproliferative activity of lopinavir/ritonavir was evaluated in both monolayer and 3-dimensional (3D) models, followed by wound-healing assays. The effectiveness of targeting CYP450 was examined in a mouse model, followed by histopathological analysis, biochemical tests (MDA, SOD, thiol, and CAT), and RT-PCR. The data of dysregulation expressed genes (DEG) revealed 1268 upregulated and 1074 down-regulated genes in CRC. Among the top-score genes and dysregulated pathways, CYPs were detected and associated with poor prognosis of patients with CRC. Inhibition of CYP450 reduced cell proliferation via modulating survivin, Chop, CYP13a, and induction of cell death, as detected by AnnexinV/PI staining. This agent suppressed the migratory behaviors of cells by induction of E-cadherin. Moreover, lopinavir/ritonavir suppressed tumor growth and fibrosis, which correlated with a reduction in SOD/thiol levels and increased MDA levels. Our findings illustrated the therapeutic potential of targeting the CYP450 using lopinavir/ritonavir in colorectal cancer, supporting future investigations on this novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Alaei
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (M.A.); (S.M.H.)
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (S.E.N.); (G.P.); (A.A.); (M.M.-A.); (H.T.); (F.A.); (F.B.); (F.K.-L.); (M.K.)
- Basic Sciences Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (H.F.); (M.A.K.)
| | - Seyedeh Elnaz Nazari
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (S.E.N.); (G.P.); (A.A.); (M.M.-A.); (H.T.); (F.A.); (F.B.); (F.K.-L.); (M.K.)
| | - Ghazaleh Pourali
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (S.E.N.); (G.P.); (A.A.); (M.M.-A.); (H.T.); (F.A.); (F.B.); (F.K.-L.); (M.K.)
- Basic Sciences Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (H.F.); (M.A.K.)
| | - AliReza Asadnia
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (S.E.N.); (G.P.); (A.A.); (M.M.-A.); (H.T.); (F.A.); (F.B.); (F.K.-L.); (M.K.)
- Basic Sciences Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (H.F.); (M.A.K.)
| | - Mehrdad Moetamani-Ahmadi
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (S.E.N.); (G.P.); (A.A.); (M.M.-A.); (H.T.); (F.A.); (F.B.); (F.K.-L.); (M.K.)
| | - Hamid Fiuji
- Basic Sciences Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (H.F.); (M.A.K.)
| | - Hamid Tanzadehpanah
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (S.E.N.); (G.P.); (A.A.); (M.M.-A.); (H.T.); (F.A.); (F.B.); (F.K.-L.); (M.K.)
- Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 91779-49367, Iran
| | - Fereshteh Asgharzadeh
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (S.E.N.); (G.P.); (A.A.); (M.M.-A.); (H.T.); (F.A.); (F.B.); (F.K.-L.); (M.K.)
| | - Fatemeh Babaei
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (S.E.N.); (G.P.); (A.A.); (M.M.-A.); (H.T.); (F.A.); (F.B.); (F.K.-L.); (M.K.)
| | - Fatemeh Khojasteh-Leylakoohi
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (S.E.N.); (G.P.); (A.A.); (M.M.-A.); (H.T.); (F.A.); (F.B.); (F.K.-L.); (M.K.)
- Basic Sciences Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (H.F.); (M.A.K.)
| | | | - Mohammad Ali Kiani
- Basic Sciences Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (H.F.); (M.A.K.)
| | - Gordon A. Ferns
- Department of Medical Education, Brighton & Sussex Medical School, Falmer, Brighton, Sussex BN1 9PH, UK;
| | - Alfred King-yin Lam
- Pathology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia;
| | - Seyed Mahdi Hassanian
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (M.A.); (S.M.H.)
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (S.E.N.); (G.P.); (A.A.); (M.M.-A.); (H.T.); (F.A.); (F.B.); (F.K.-L.); (M.K.)
- Basic Sciences Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (H.F.); (M.A.K.)
| | - Majid Khazaei
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (S.E.N.); (G.P.); (A.A.); (M.M.-A.); (H.T.); (F.A.); (F.B.); (F.K.-L.); (M.K.)
- Basic Sciences Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (H.F.); (M.A.K.)
| | - Elisa Giovannetti
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam U.M.C., VU. University Medical Center (VUMC), 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Cancer Pharmacology Lab, AIRC Start Up Unit, Fondazione Pisana per La Scienza, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Amir Avan
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 13944-91388, Iran; (S.E.N.); (G.P.); (A.A.); (M.M.-A.); (H.T.); (F.A.); (F.B.); (F.K.-L.); (M.K.)
- College of Medicine, University of Warith Al-Anbiyaa, Karbala 56001, Iraq;
- Faculty of Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia
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8
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Koistinen H, Kovanen RM, Hollenberg MD, Dufour A, Radisky ES, Stenman UH, Batra J, Clements J, Hooper JD, Diamandis E, Schilling O, Rannikko A, Mirtti T. The roles of proteases in prostate cancer. IUBMB Life 2023; 75:493-513. [PMID: 36598826 PMCID: PMC10159896 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Since the proposition of the pro-invasive activity of proteolytic enzymes over 70 years ago, several roles for proteases in cancer progression have been established. About half of the 473 active human proteases are expressed in the prostate and many of the most well-characterized members of this enzyme family are regulated by androgens, hormones essential for development of prostate cancer. Most notably, several kallikrein-related peptidases, including KLK3 (prostate-specific antigen, PSA), the most well-known prostate cancer marker, and type II transmembrane serine proteases, such as TMPRSS2 and matriptase, have been extensively studied and found to promote prostate cancer progression. Recent findings also suggest a critical role for proteases in the development of advanced and aggressive castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Perhaps the most intriguing evidence for this role comes from studies showing that the protease-activated transmembrane proteins, Notch and CDCP1, are associated with the development of CRPC. Here, we review the roles of proteases in prostate cancer, with a special focus on their regulation by androgens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannu Koistinen
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Haematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland
| | - Ruusu-Maaria Kovanen
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Haematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Pathology, HUS Diagnostic Centre, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Morley D Hollenberg
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology and Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Antoine Dufour
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology and Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Evette S. Radisky
- Department of Cancer Biology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.A
| | - Ulf-Håkan Stenman
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Haematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland
| | - Jyotsna Batra
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
- Translational Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Judith Clements
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
- Translational Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - John D. Hooper
- Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Eleftherios Diamandis
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Oliver Schilling
- Institute for Surgical Pathology, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Antti Rannikko
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Urology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tuomas Mirtti
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Pathology, HUS Diagnostic Centre, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
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9
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Gunder LC, Johnson HR, Yao E, Moyer TH, Green HA, Sherer N, Zhang W, Carchman EH. Topical Protease Inhibitor Decreases Anal Carcinogenesis in a Transgenic Mouse Model of HPV Anal Disease. Viruses 2023; 15:v15041013. [PMID: 37112993 PMCID: PMC10146494 DOI: 10.3390/v15041013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Anal cancer is a major health problem. This study seeks to determine if the topical protease inhibitor Saquinavir (SQV), is effective at the prevention of anal cancer in transgenic mice with established anal dysplasia. K14E6/E7 mice were entered into the study when the majority spontaneously developed high-grade anal dysplasia. To ensure carcinoma development, a subset of the mice was treated with a topical carcinogen: 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA). Treatment groups included: no treatment, DMBA only, and topical SQV with/without DMBA. After 20 weeks of treatment, anal tissue was harvested and evaluated histologically. SQV was quantified in the blood and anal tissue, and tissue samples underwent analysis for E6, E7, p53, and pRb. There was minimal systemic absorption of SQV in the sera despite high tissue concentrations. There were no differences in tumor-free survival between SQV-treated and respective control groups but there was a lower grade of histological disease in the mice treated with SQV compared to those untreated. Changes in E6 and E7 levels with SQV treatment suggest that SQV may function independently of E6 and E7. Topical SQV decreased histological disease progression in HPV transgenic mice with or without DMBA treatment without local side effects or significant systemic absorption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C Gunder
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792, USA
| | - Hillary R Johnson
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792, USA
| | - Evan Yao
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792, USA
| | - Tyra H Moyer
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792, USA
| | - Heather A Green
- Carbone Cancer Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Nathan Sherer
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research and Institute for Molecular Virology, University of Wisconsin, 1111 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, 3170 UW Medical Foundation Centennial Building (MFCB), 1685 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA
- William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, 2500 Overlook Terrace, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Evie H Carchman
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792, USA
- Carbone Cancer Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA
- William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, 2500 Overlook Terrace, Madison, WI 53705, USA
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10
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Žigrayová D, Mikušová V, Mikuš P. Advances in Antiviral Delivery Systems and Chitosan-Based Polymeric and Nanoparticulate Antivirals and Antiviral Carriers. Viruses 2023; 15:v15030647. [PMID: 36992356 PMCID: PMC10054433 DOI: 10.3390/v15030647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Current antiviral therapy research is focused on developing dosage forms that enable highly effective drug delivery, providing a selective effect in the organism, lower risk of adverse effects, a lower dose of active pharmaceutical ingredients, and minimal toxicity. In this article, antiviral drugs and the mechanisms of their action are summarized at the beginning as a prerequisite background to develop relevant drug delivery/carrier systems for them, classified and briefly discussed subsequently. Many of the recent studies aim at different types of synthetic, semisynthetic, and natural polymers serving as a favorable matrix for the antiviral drug carrier. Besides a wider view of different antiviral delivery systems, this review focuses on advances in antiviral drug delivery systems based on chitosan (CS) and derivatized CS carriers. CS and its derivatives are evaluated concerning methods of their preparation, their basic characteristics and properties, approaches to the incorporation of an antiviral drug in the CS polymer as well as CS nanoparticulate systems, and their recent biomedical applications in the context of actual antiviral therapy. The degree of development (i.e., research study, in vitro/ex vivo/in vivo preclinical testing), as well as benefits and limitations of CS polymer and CS nanoparticulate drug delivery systems, are reported for particular viral diseases and corresponding antivirotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Žigrayová
- Department of Galenic Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University Bratislava, Odbojárov 10, 83232 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Veronika Mikušová
- Department of Galenic Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University Bratislava, Odbojárov 10, 83232 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Peter Mikuš
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis and Nuclear Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University Bratislava, Odbojárov 10, 83232 Bratislava, Slovakia
- Toxicological and Antidoping Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University Bratislava, Odbojárov 10, 83232 Bratislava, Slovakia
- Correspondence:
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11
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Bihani SC, Gupta GD, Hosur MV. Molecular basis for reduced cleavage activity and drug resistance in D30N HIV-1 protease. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:13127-13135. [PMID: 34609269 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1982007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Nelfinavir is one of the FDA-approved HIV-1 protease inhibitors and a part of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) for the treatment of HIV-AIDS. Nelfinavir was the first HIV-1 protease inhibitor to be approved as a paediatric formulation. The application of HAART had resulted in significant improvement in the lives of AIDS patients. However, the emergence of drug resistance in HIV-1 protease has limited the use of many of these drugs including nelfinavir. A unique mutation observed frequently in patients treated with nelfinavir is D30N as it is selected exclusively by nelfinavir. The D30N mutation imparts very high resistance to nelfinavir but unlike other primary mutations does not give cross-resistance to the majority of other drugs. D30N mutation also significantly reduces cleavage activity of HIV-1 protease and affects viral fitness. Here, we have determined crystal structures of D30N HIV-1 protease in unliganded form and in complex with nelfinavir. These structures provide the rationale for reduced cleavage activity and the molecular basis of drug resistance induced by D30N mutation. The loss of coulombic interaction part of a crucial hydrogen bond between the drug and the protease is likely to play a major role in reduced affinity and resistance towards nelfinavir. The decreased catalytic activity of D30N HIV-1 protease due to altered interaction with the substrates and reduced stability of folding core may be the reason for the reduced replicative capacity of the virus harboring mutant HIV-1 protease.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhash C Bihani
- Protein Crystallography Section, Radiation Biology & Health Sciences Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai,India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Gagan Deep Gupta
- Protein Crystallography Section, Radiation Biology & Health Sciences Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai,India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Madhusoodan V Hosur
- School of Natural Sciences and Engineering, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bengaluru, India
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12
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Andrysik Z, Sullivan KD, Kieft JS, Espinosa JM. PPM1D suppresses p53-dependent transactivation and cell death by inhibiting the Integrated Stress Response. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7400. [PMID: 36456590 PMCID: PMC9715646 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35089-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The p53 transcription factor is a master regulator of cellular stress responses inhibited by repressors such as MDM2 and the phosphatase PPM1D. Activation of p53 with pharmacological inhibitors of its repressors is being tested in clinical trials for cancer therapy, but efficacy has been limited by poor induction of tumor cell death. We demonstrate that dual inhibition of MDM2 and PPM1D induces apoptosis in multiple cancer cell types via amplification of the p53 transcriptional program through the eIF2α-ATF4 pathway. PPM1D inhibition induces phosphorylation of eIF2α, ATF4 accumulation, and ATF4-dependent enhancement of p53-dependent transactivation upon MDM2 inhibition. Dual inhibition of p53 repressors depletes heme and induces HRI-dependent eIF2α phosphorylation. Pharmacological induction of eIF2α phosphorylation synergizes with MDM2 inhibition to induce cell death and halt tumor growth in mice. These results demonstrate that PPM1D inhibits both the p53 network and the integrated stress response controlled by eIF2α-ATF4, with clear therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zdenek Andrysik
- Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
| | - Kelly D Sullivan
- Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Kieft
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics and RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Joaquin M Espinosa
- Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
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13
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Viral proteases as therapeutic targets. Mol Aspects Med 2022; 88:101159. [PMID: 36459838 PMCID: PMC9706241 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2022.101159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Some medically important viruses-including retroviruses, flaviviruses, coronaviruses, and herpesviruses-code for a protease, which is indispensable for viral maturation and pathogenesis. Viral protease inhibitors have become an important class of antiviral drugs. Development of the first-in-class viral protease inhibitor saquinavir, which targets HIV protease, started a new era in the treatment of chronic viral diseases. Combining several drugs that target different steps of the viral life cycle enables use of lower doses of individual drugs (and thereby reduction of potential side effects, which frequently occur during long term therapy) and reduces drug-resistance development. Currently, several HIV and HCV protease inhibitors are routinely used in clinical practice. In addition, a drug including an inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 main protease, nirmatrelvir (co-administered with a pharmacokinetic booster ritonavir as Paxlovid®), was recently authorized for emergency use. This review summarizes the basic features of the proteases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and SARS-CoV-2 and discusses the properties of their inhibitors in clinical use, as well as development of compounds in the pipeline.
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14
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Leming AB, Johnston AL, Krempl GA, Fowle EJ, Morton DJ, Henson CE. Pathologic complete response following low-dose radiation for advanced oral cavity cancer in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus. J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2022; 51:37. [PMID: 36192808 PMCID: PMC9531370 DOI: 10.1186/s40463-022-00586-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Advanced squamous cell carcinoma (SCCa) of the oral cavity is often not amenable to curative-intent therapy due to tumor location, tumor size, or comorbidities. CASE PRESENTATION A 51-year-old male patient with human immunodeficiency virus and on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) presented with a cT4aN2c SCCa of the tongue. He received a preoperative single course of Quad-Shot radiation therapy to 14 Gy in 4 fractions followed by surgical resection. Patient had no residual carcinoma on surgical pathology and no evidence of disease on subsequent clinical and radiological exams. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first case of pathologic complete response for a patient on HAART following a single cycle of the Quad-Shot regimen for advanced oral cavity SCCa. Protease inhibitors in HAART can induce spontaneous tumor regression via inhibition of proteasome function and activation of apoptosis, and thus act as a cancer therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy B. Leming
- grid.266902.90000 0001 2179 3618College of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK USA ,grid.267308.80000 0000 9206 2401Present Address: Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX USA
| | - Andrea L. Johnston
- grid.266902.90000 0001 2179 3618Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 800 NE 10th Street, L100, Oklahoma City, OK 73104 USA
| | - Greg A. Krempl
- grid.266902.90000 0001 2179 3618Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK USA ,grid.266902.90000 0001 2179 3618Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK USA
| | - Evan J. Fowle
- grid.266902.90000 0001 2179 3618Department of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK USA
| | - Daniel J. Morton
- grid.266902.90000 0001 2179 3618Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK USA ,grid.266902.90000 0001 2179 3618Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK USA
| | - Christina E. Henson
- grid.266902.90000 0001 2179 3618Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 800 NE 10th Street, L100, Oklahoma City, OK 73104 USA ,grid.266902.90000 0001 2179 3618Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK USA
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15
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Yao J, Yin W, Chen Y, Chen X, Jiang Y, Wang T, Ma C, Zhou M, Chen T, Shaw C, Wang L. Conjugation of a Cationic Cell-Penetrating Peptide with a Novel Kunitzin-like Trypsin Inhibitor: New Insights for Enhancement of Peptide Bioactivities. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14091805. [PMID: 36145553 PMCID: PMC9501525 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14091805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cationic cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), such as transactivator of transcription (TAT) peptide, have been proposed as effective drug carriers to improve intracellular delivery of biological macromolecules. Amphibian skin-derived Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitors (KTIs), short counterparts of KTIs from plant sources, were found to possess potent serine protease inhibitory activity. However, poor transmembrane permeability of these molecules has largely hindered the study of the full spectrum of their biological actions. As a result, this study aimed to extend the biological activities of amphibian KTIs by their conjugation to cationic CPPs. Herein, a novel peptide (kunitzin-OV2) and its phenylalanine-substituted analogue F9-kunitzin-OV2 (F9-KOV2) were evaluated for inhibition of trypsin/chymotrypsin and showed weak antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli). As expected, the conjugation to TAT peptide did not increase membrane lysis compared with the original kunitzin-OV2, but effectively assisted this complex to enter cells. TAT-kunitzin-OV2 (TAT-KOV2) exhibited a 32-fold increase in antibacterial activity and an enhanced bactericidal rate against E. coli. In addition, the conjugation enabled the parent peptides to exhibit antiproliferative activity against cancer cells. Interestingly, TAT-F9-kunitzin-OV2 (TAT-F9-KOV2) showed stronger antiproliferative activity against human breast cancer (MCF-7) and human glioblastoma (U251MG) cell lines, which TAT-KOV2 did not possess. Moreover, TAT-F9-KOV2 showed a 20–25-fold increase in antiproliferative capacity against human lung cancer (H157, H460) cell lines compared with TAT-KOV2. Therefore, the conjugation of CPPs effectively solves the problem of cell penetration that short KTIs lack and provides evidence for new potential applications for their subsequent development as new antibacterial and anticancer agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junting Yao
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Weining Yin
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Yuqing Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Xiaoling Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
- Correspondence: (X.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Yangyang Jiang
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Tao Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Chengbang Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Mei Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Tianbao Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Chris Shaw
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Lei Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
- Correspondence: (X.C.); (L.W.)
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16
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Liu Z, Guo X, Guo A, Zhang S, Zou Y, Wang Y, Li X, He W, Pu L, Zhang S, Zeng Q, Cai X, Wang S. HIV protease inhibitor nelfinavir is a potent drug candidate against echinococcosis by targeting Ddi1-like protein. EBioMedicine 2022; 82:104177. [PMID: 35843171 PMCID: PMC9294487 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Alveolar echinococcosis (AE), which is caused by larval Echinococcus multilocularis, is one of the world's most dangerous neglected diseases. Currently, no fully effective treatments are available to cure this disease. Methods In vitro protoscolicidal assay along with in vivo murine models was applied in repurposing drugs against AE. Genome-wide identification and homology-based modeling were used for predicting drug targets. RNAi, enzyme assay, and RNA-Seq analyses were utilized for investigating the roles in parasite survival and validations for the drug target. Findings We identified nelfinavir as the most effective HIV protease inhibitor against larval E. multilocularis. Once-daily oral administration of nelfinavir for 28 days resulted in a remarkable reduction in parasite infection in either immune-competent or immunocompromised mice. E. multilocularis DNA damage-inducible 1 protein (EmuDdi1) is predicted as a target candidate for nelfinavir. We proved that EmuDdi1 is essential for parasite survival and protein excretion and acts as a functionally active protease for this helminth. We found nelfinavir is able to inhibit the proteolytic activity of recombinant EmuDdi1 and block the EmuDdi1-related pathways for protein export. With other evidence of drug efficacy comparison, our results suggest that inhibition of EmuDdi1 is a mechanism by which this HIV proteinase inhibitor mediates its antiparasitic action on echinococcosis. Interpretation This study demonstrates that nelfinavir is a promising candidate for treating echinococcosis. This drug repurposing study proves that the widely prescribed drug for AIDS treatment is potent in combating E. multilocularis infection and thus provides valuable insights into the development of single-drug therapy for highly prevalent co-infection between HIV and helminth diseases. Funding This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31802179), the Natural Science Foundation of Gansu Province, China (No. 21JR7RA027), and the State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology (No. SKLVEB2021YQRC01).
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17
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De S, Dan AK, Sahu R, Das D. Asymmetric Synthesis of Halocyclized Products by Using Various Catalysts: A State‐of‐the‐Art Review. European J Org Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.202200817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Soumik De
- NIT Silchar: National Institute of Technology Silchar Department of Chemistry QQ5R+3WM, NIT Road, Fakiratilla 788010 Silchar INDIA
| | - Aritra Kumar Dan
- KIIT School of Biotechnology Department of Biotechnology School Of Biotechnology, KIIT ,Campus 11, Patia 751024 Bhubaneswar INDIA
| | - Raghaba Sahu
- Seoul National University College of Pharmacy College of Pharmacy 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu 08826 KOREA, REPUBLIC OF
| | - Debadutta Das
- RITE: Radhakrishna Institute of Technology and Engineering Chemistry Barunai Temple Rd, IDCO-01, IDCO Industrial Estate, Barunei 752057 Khordha INDIA
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18
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The Burden of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and Human Immunodeficiency Viruses in Ovarian Cancer Patients in Nairobi, Kenya. Infect Dis Rep 2022; 14:433-445. [PMID: 35735757 PMCID: PMC9222280 DOI: 10.3390/idr14030047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OC) is a gynecological malignancy characterized by high morbidity and mortalities due to late-stage diagnosis because accurate early diagnostic biomarkers are lacking. Testing of Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), and Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in OC patients is pertinent in light of the emerging evidence of their contribution to poor prognosis. We, for the first time, investigated the prevalence of HBV, HCV, and HIV infections in a Kenyan cohort of OC to inform optimal management. We recruited a cohort of women above 18 years of age, comprising 86 OC patients and 50 healthy controls. Participants’ blood samples were serologically screened for HBV, HCV, and HIV. We found seroprevalence rates of 29.1%, 26.7%, and 1.2% for HBV, HIV, and HCV, respectively, in OC patients. The healthy control group had HBV and HIV seroprevalence rates of 3.9% for each with no positive HCV case. HBV/HIV coinfection was noted only in the OC group with a positivity rate of 17.4%. In summary, we found higher HBV and HIV seroprevalence in Kenyan OC patients compared to the healthy control group, whereas HCV prevalence was reflective of the general population. Hence, we recommend screening for HBV and HIV among OC patients destined for anticancer treatment.
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Makgoo L, Mosebi S, Mbita Z. Molecular Mechanisms of HIV Protease Inhibitors Against HPV-Associated Cervical Cancer: Restoration of TP53 Tumour Suppressor Activities. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:875208. [PMID: 35620479 PMCID: PMC9127998 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.875208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer is a Human Papilloma virus-related disease, which is on the rise in a number of countries, globally. Two essential oncogenes, E6 and E7, drive cell transformation and cancer development. These two oncoproteins target two of the most important tumour suppressors, p53 and pRB, for degradation through the ubiquitin ligase pathway, thus, blocking apoptosis activation and deregulation of cell cycle. This pathway can be exploited for anticancer therapeutic interventions, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Protease Inhibitors (HIV-PIs) have attracted a lot of attention for this anticancer drug development. HIV-PIs have proven effective in treating HPV-positive cervical cancers and shown to restore impaired or deregulated p53 in HPV-associated cervical cancers by inhibiting the 26S proteasome. This review will evaluate the role players, such as HPV oncoproteins involved cervical cancer development and how they are targeted in HIV protease inhibitors-induced p53 restoration in cervical cancer. This review also covers the therapeutic potential of HIV protease inhibitors and molecular mechanisms behind the HIV protease inhibitors-induced p53-dependent anticancer activities against cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilian Makgoo
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Limpopo, Sovenga, South Africa
| | - Salerwe Mosebi
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Florida, South Africa
| | - Zukile Mbita
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Limpopo, Sovenga, South Africa
- *Correspondence: Zukile Mbita,
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Gynecological radiotherapy in people living with human immunodeficiency virus: a semi-systematic literature review. Int J Gynecol Cancer 2022; 32:429-435. [DOI: 10.1136/ijgc-2021-002533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Appropriate diagnosis and treatment of gynecological cancers in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a clinical challenge given rapid changes in both HIV and cancer management and a lack of prospective clinical trial data inclusive of the HIV population. A semi-systematic literature review was performed to identify published studies addressing risk factors, screening, treatment efficacy, treatment toxicity, and prognosis for people living with HIV diagnosed with gynecological malignancies, with a focus on radiotherapy and cervical cancer, given the relative paucity of literature on uterine, ovarian, and vulvovaginal cancers in people living with HIV. People living with HIV are more likely to be co-infected with human papilloma virus and more likely to develop human papilloma virus-associated malignancies. People living with HIV are less likely to receive cancer treatment compared with HIV-uninfected cancer patients, even after adjusting for differences in clinical features and sociodemographic variables. The literature on cervical cancer outcomes is mixed, with some studies demonstrating that people living with HIV have inferior treatment tolerability, response rates, and survival following chemoradiotherapy, and others showing no difference in these outcomes, particularly in patients receiving antiretroviral therapy. Importantly, even in the series showing inferior outcomes in people living with HIV, there were long-term survivors after administration of curative therapy. Consistent with published cancer management guidelines, people living with HIV diagnosed with gynecological cancers should be treated with standard cancer therapy. Co-management with the patient’s HIV specialist is critical to avoid overlapping toxicities and provide optimal supportive care. The morbidity and mortality caused by gynecologic cancers in this population can be mitigated by early diagnosis, appropriate treatment delivery including inclusion of people with HIV in cancer clinical trials, and diligent HIV management.
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Pre-Exposure to Stress-Inducing Agents Increase the Anticancer Efficacy of Focused Ultrasound against Aggressive Prostate Cancer Cells. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11020341. [PMID: 35204223 PMCID: PMC8868501 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11020341] [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] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the initial success in treatment of localized prostate cancer (PCa) using surgery, radiation or hormonal therapy, recurrence of aggressive tumors dictates morbidity and mortality. Focused ultrasound (FUS) is being tested as a targeted, noninvasive approach to eliminate the localized PCa foci, and strategies to enhance the anticancer potential of FUS have a high translational value. Since aggressive cancer cells utilize oxidative stress (Ox-stress) and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER-stress) pathways for their survival and recurrence, we hypothesized that pre-treatment with drugs that disrupt stress-signaling pathways in tumor cells may increase FUS efficacy. Using four different PCa cell lines, i.e., LNCaP, C4-2B, 22Rv1 and DU145, we tested the in vitro effects of FUS, alone and in combination with two clinically tested drugs that increase Ox-stress (i.e., CDDO-me) or ER-stress (i.e., nelfinavir). As compared to standalone FUS, significant (p < 0.05) suppressions in both survival and recurrence of PCa cells were observed following pre-sensitization with low-dose CDDO-me (100 nM) and/or nelfinavir (2 µM). In drug pre-sensitized cells, significant anticancer effects were evident at a FUS intensity of as low as 0.7 kW/cm2. This combined mechanochemical disruption (MCD) approach decreased cell proliferation, migration and clonogenic ability and increased apoptosis/necrosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Furthermore, although activated in cells that survived standalone FUS, pre-sensitization with CDDO-me and/or nelfinavir suppressed both total and activated (phosphorylated) NF-κB and Akt protein levels. Thus, a combined MCD therapy may be a safe and effective approach towards the targeted elimination of aggressive PCa cells.
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Nelfinavir Induces Cytotoxicity towards High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer Cells, Involving Induction of the Unfolded Protein Response, Modulation of Protein Synthesis, DNA Damage, Lysosomal Impairment, and Potentiation of Toxicity Caused by Proteasome Inhibition. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 14:cancers14010099. [PMID: 35008264 PMCID: PMC8750028 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14010099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) accounts for 70% of all ovarian-cancer-related deaths. Mainstay treatment with platinum-based drugs following surgery results in favorable outcomes in the majority of patients; however, in >80% of cases, the disease relapses with eventual drug resistance. As such, urgent development of improved alternative therapies is necessary for HGSOC patients with lower life expectancy. Rapid repurposing of market available drugs for cancer therapy is a cost-effective alternative to bypass the decade-long traditional drug development pipeline. Among potential drug-repurposing candidates, nelfinavir (NFV)—an anti-infective agent to treat acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)—has shown anti-cancer effects against diverse cancers; however, its remedial benefits against HGSOC are unknown. In this study, we explored how NFV targets HGSOC cells obtained from patients at platinum-sensitive and -resistant stages. We observed beneficial efficacy elicited by NFV against HGSOC in both disease conditions through multiple mechanistic avenues, suggesting positive drug-repurposing prospects. Abstract High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is a significant cause of mortality among women worldwide. Traditional treatment consists of platinum-based therapy; however, rapid development of platinum resistance contributes to lower life expectancy, warranting newer therapies to supplement the current platinum-based protocol. Repurposing market-available drugs as cancer therapeutics is a cost- and time-effective way to avail new therapies to drug-resistant patients. The anti-HIV agent nelfinavir (NFV) has shown promising toxicity against various cancers; however, its role against HGSOC is unknown. Here, we studied the effect of NFV against HGSOC cells obtained from patients along disease progression and carrying different sensitivities to platinum. NFV triggered, independently of platinum sensitivity, a dose-dependent reduction in the HGSOC cell number and viability, and a parallel increase in hypo-diploid DNA content. Moreover, a dose-dependent reduction in clonogenic survival of cells escaping the acute toxicity was indicative of long-term residual damage. In addition, dose- and time-dependent phosphorylation of H2AX indicated NFV-mediated DNA damage, which was associated with decreased survival and proliferation signals driven by the AKT and ERK pathways. NFV also mediated a dose-dependent increase in endoplasmic reticulum stress-related molecules associated with long-term inhibition of protein synthesis and concurrent cell death; such events were accompanied by a proapoptotic environment, signaled by increased phospho-eIF2α, ATF4, and CHOP, increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and cleaved executer caspase-7. Finally, we show that NFV potentiates the short-term cell cycle arrest and long-term toxicity caused by the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib. Overall, our in vitro study demonstrates that NFV can therapeutically target HGSOC cells of differential platinum sensitivities via several mechanisms, suggesting its prospective repurposing benefit considering its good safety profile.
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Bu F, Zhang J, Shuai W, Liu J, Sun Q, Ouyang L. Repurposing drugs in autophagy for the treatment of cancer: From bench to bedside. Drug Discov Today 2021; 27:1815-1831. [PMID: 34808390 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2021.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy is a multistep degradation pathway involving the lysosome, which supports nutrient reuse and metabolic balance, and has been implicated as a process that regulates cancer genesis and development. Targeting tumors by regulating autophagy has become a therapeutic strategy of interest. Drugs with other indications can have antitumor activity by modulating autophagy, providing a shortcut to developing novel antitumor drugs (i.e., drug repurposing/repositioning), as successfully performed for chloroquine (CQ); an increasing number of repurposed drugs have since advanced into clinical trials. In this review, we describe the application of different drug-repurposing approaches in autophagy for the treatment of cancer and focus on repurposing drugs that target autophagy to treat malignant neoplasms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faqian Bu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jifa Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Wen Shuai
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Qiu Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Liang Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
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Off-Target-Based Design of Selective HIV-1 PROTEASE Inhibitors. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22116070. [PMID: 34199858 PMCID: PMC8200130 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22116070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The approval of the first HIV-1 protease inhibitors (HIV-1 PRIs) marked a fundamental step in the control of AIDS, and this class of agents still represents the mainstay therapy for this illness. Despite the undisputed benefits, the necessary lifelong treatment led to numerous severe side-effects (metabolic syndrome, hepatotoxicity, diabetes, etc.). The HIV-1 PRIs are capable of interacting with "secondary" targets (off-targets) characterized by different biological activities from that of HIV-1 protease. In this scenario, the in-silico techniques undoubtedly contributed to the design of new small molecules with well-fitting selectivity against the main target, analyzing possible undesirable interactions that are already in the early stages of the research process. The present work is focused on a new mixed-hierarchical, ligand-structure-based protocol, which is centered on an on/off-target approach, to identify the new selective inhibitors of HIV-1 PR. The use of the well-established, ligand-based tools available in the DRUDIT web platform, in combination with a conventional, structure-based molecular docking process, permitted to fast screen a large database of active molecules and to select a set of structure with optimal on/off-target profiles. Therefore, the method exposed herein, could represent a reliable help in the research of new selective targeted small molecules, permitting to design new agents without undesirable interactions.
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Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Metformin in Cervical Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13112545. [PMID: 34067321 PMCID: PMC8196882 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13112545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The potential effects of metformin in terms of cancer prevention and therapy have been widely studied, and a number of studies have indicated its potential role in cancer treatment. Metformin exerts anticancer effects, alone or in combination with other agents, on cervical cancer in vitro and in vivo. Metformin might thus serve as an adjunct therapeutic agent for cervical cancer. Abstract Cervical cancer is one of the major gynecologic malignancies worldwide. Treatment options include chemotherapy, surgical resection, radiotherapy, or a combination of these treatments; however, relapse and recurrence may occur, and the outcome may not be favorable. Metformin is an established, safe, well-tolerated drug used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes; it can be safely combined with other antidiabetic agents. Diabetes, possibly associated with an increased site-specific cancer risk, may relate to the progression or initiation of specific types of cancer. The potential effects of metformin in terms of cancer prevention and therapy have been widely studied, and a number of studies have indicated its potential role in cancer treatment. The most frequently proposed mechanism underlying the diabetes–cancer association is insulin resistance, which leads to secondary hyperinsulinemia; furthermore, insulin may exert mitogenic effects through the insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) receptor, and hyperglycemia may worsen carcinogenesis through the induction of oxidative stress. Evidence has suggested clinical benefits of metformin in the treatment of gynecologic cancers. Combining current anticancer drugs with metformin may increase their efficacy and diminish adverse drug reactions. Accumulating evidence is indicating that metformin exerts anticancer effects alone or in combination with other agents in cervical cancer in vitro and in vivo. Metformin might thus serve as an adjunct therapeutic agent for cervical cancer. Here, we reviewed the potential anticancer effects of metformin against cervical cancer and discussed possible underlying mechanisms.
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