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Qiao X, Wu X, Chen S, Niu MM, Hua H, Zhang Y. Discovery of novel and potent dual-targeting AXL/HDAC2 inhibitors for colorectal cancer treatment via structure-based pharmacophore modelling, virtual screening, and molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation studies, and biological evaluation. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2024; 39:2295241. [PMID: 38134358 PMCID: PMC10763849 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2023.2295241] [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: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Nowadays, owing to the complex mechanism of tumorigenesis, simultaneous inhibition of multiple targets is an important anticancer strategy. Recent studies have demonstrated receptor tyrosine kinase AXL (AXL) and histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) are closely associated with colorectal cancer. Herein, we identified five hit compounds concurrently targeting AXL and HDAC2 using virtual screening. Inhibitory experiments revealed these hit compounds potently inhibited AXL and HDAC2 in the nanomolar range. Among them, Hit-3 showed the strongest inhibitory effects which were better than that of the positive control groups. Additionally, MD assays showed that Hit-3 could bind stably to the AXL and HDAC2 active pockets. Further MTT assays demonstrated that Hit-3 showed potent anti-proliferative activity. Most importantly, Hit-3 exhibited significant in vivo antitumor efficacy in xenograft models. Collectively, this study is the first discovery of dual-targeting AXL/HDAC2 inhibitors for colorectal cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Qiao
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Huaian Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Huaian, China
| | - Xiangyu Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Huaian Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Huaian, China
| | - Shutong Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Miao-Miao Niu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Huilian Hua
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Taizhou People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Taizhou People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou, China
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2
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Bruzzese A, Vigna E, Martino EA, Labanca C, Mendicino F, Lucia E, Olivito V, Stanzione G, Zimbo A, Lugli E, Neri A, Morabito F, Gentile M. The potential of triplet combination therapies for patients with FLT3-ITD -mutated acute myeloid leukemia. Expert Rev Hematol 2024; 17:241-253. [PMID: 38748404 DOI: 10.1080/17474086.2024.2356258] [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: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) encompasses a heterogeneous group of aggressive myeloid malignancies, where FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) mutations are prevalent, accounting for approximately 25-30% of adult patients. The presence of this mutation is related to a dismal prognosis and high relapse rates. In the lasts years many FLT3 inhibitors have been developed. AREAS COVERED This review provides a comprehensive overview of FLT3mut AML, summarizing the state of art of current treatment and available data about combination strategies including an FLT3 inhibitor. EXPERT OPINION In addition, the review discusses the emergence of drug resistance and the need for a nuanced approaches in treating patients who are ineligible for or resistant to intensive chemotherapy. Specifically, it explores the historical context of FLT3 inhibitors (FLT3Is) and their impact on treatment outcomes, emphasizing the pivotal role of midostaurin, as well as gilteritinib and quizartinib, and providing detailed insights into ongoing trials exploring the safety and efficacy of novel triplet combinations involving FLT3Is in different AML settings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ernesto Vigna
- Hematology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Annunziata, Cosenza, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Eugenio Lucia
- Hematology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Annunziata, Cosenza, Italy
| | | | - Gaia Stanzione
- Hematology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Annunziata, Cosenza, Italy
- Division of Hematology, Azienda Policlinico-S. Marco, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Annamaria Zimbo
- Hematology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Annunziata, Cosenza, Italy
- UOC Laboratorio Analisi Cliniche, Biomolecolari e Genetica, Azienda Ospedaliera Annunziata, Cosenza, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Lugli
- Ematologia Azienda USL-IRCSS Reggio Emilia, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
| | - Antonino Neri
- Scientific Directorate IRCCS of Reggio Emilia, Emilia-Romagna, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | | | - Massimo Gentile
- Hematology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Annunziata, Cosenza, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Science, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
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3
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De Rosa L, Di Stasi R, Fusco V, D'Andrea LD. AXL receptor as an emerging molecular target in colorectal cancer. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:104005. [PMID: 38685399 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.104005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (AXL) is a receptor tyrosine kinase whose aberrant expression has recently been associated with colorectal cancer (CRC), contributing to tumor growth, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), increased invasiveness, metastatic spreading, and the development of drug resistance. In this review we summarize preclinical data, the majority of which are limited to recent years, convincingly linking the AXL receptor to CRC. These findings support the value of targeting AXL with molecules in drug discovery, offering novel and advanced therapeutic or diagnostic tools for CRC management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia De Rosa
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini, CNR, via P. Castellino, 111 - 80131 Naples, Italy.
| | - Rossella Di Stasi
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini, CNR, via P. Castellino, 111 - 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Virginia Fusco
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini, CNR, via P. Castellino, 111 - 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Luca D D'Andrea
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche 'G. Natta', CNR, via M. Bianco, 9 - 20131 Milan, Italy.
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Vandewalle N, Satilmis H, Verheye E, Fan R, Wang Y, De Groof TW, Bridoux J, Kerre T, De Beule N, De Becker A, De Bruyne E, Menu E, Vanderkerken K, Breckpot K, Devoogdt N, De Veirman K. AXL-specific single domain antibodies show diagnostic potential and anti-tumor activity in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Theranostics 2024; 14:2656-2674. [PMID: 38773967 PMCID: PMC11103505 DOI: 10.7150/thno.91456] [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: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Rationale: AXL expression has been identified as a prognostic factor in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and is detectable in approximately 50% of AML patients. In this study, we developed AXL-specific single domain antibodies (sdAbs), cross-reactive for both mouse and human AXL protein, to non-invasively image and treat AXL-expressing cancer cells. Methods: AXL-specific sdAbs were induced by immunizing an alpaca with mouse and human AXL proteins. SdAbs were characterized using ELISA, flow cytometry, surface plasmon resonance and the AlphaFold2 software. A lead compound was selected and labeled with 99mTc for evaluation as a diagnostic tool in mouse models of human (THP-1 cells) or mouse (C1498 cells) AML using SPECT/CT imaging. For therapeutic purposes, the lead compound was fused to a mouse IgG2a-Fc tail and in vitro functionality tests were performed including viability, apoptosis and proliferation assays in human AML cell lines and primary patient samples. Using these in vitro models, its anti-tumor effect was evaluated as a single agent, and in combination with standard of care agents venetoclax or cytarabine. Results: Based on its cell binding potential, cross-reactivity, nanomolar affinity and GAS6/AXL blocking capacity, we selected sdAb20 for further evaluation. Using SPECT/CT imaging, we observed tumor uptake of 99mTc-sdAb20 in mice with AXL-positive THP-1 or C1498 tumors. In THP-1 xenografts, an optimized protocol using pre-injection of cold sdAb20-Fc was required to maximize the tumor-to-background signal. Besides its diagnostic value, we observed a significant reduction in tumor cell proliferation and viability using sdAb20-Fc in vitro. Moreover, combining sdAb20-Fc and cytarabine synergistically induced apoptosis in human AML cell lines, while these effects were less clear when combined with venetoclax. Conclusions: Because of their diagnostic potential, sdAbs could be used to screen patients eligible for AXL-targeted therapy and to follow-up AXL expression during treatment and disease progression. When fused to an Fc-domain, sdAbs acquire additional therapeutic properties that can lead to a multidrug approach for the treatment of AXL-positive cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels Vandewalle
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), team Hematology and Immunology (HEIM), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Hatice Satilmis
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), team Hematology and Immunology (HEIM), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Emma Verheye
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), team Hematology and Immunology (HEIM), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Laboratory of Dendritic Cell Biology and Cancer Immunotherapy, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium
- Brussels Center of Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Rong Fan
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), team Hematology and Immunology (HEIM), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Yanmeng Wang
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), team Hematology and Immunology (HEIM), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Timo W.M. De Groof
- Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Therapy (MITH), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jessica Bridoux
- Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Therapy (MITH), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Tessa Kerre
- Department of Hematology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nathan De Beule
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), team Hematology and Immunology (HEIM), Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ann De Becker
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), team Hematology and Immunology (HEIM), Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Elke De Bruyne
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), team Hematology and Immunology (HEIM), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Eline Menu
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), team Hematology and Immunology (HEIM), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Karin Vanderkerken
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), team Hematology and Immunology (HEIM), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Karine Breckpot
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy (LMCT), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nick Devoogdt
- Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Therapy (MITH), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kim De Veirman
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), team Hematology and Immunology (HEIM), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), team Hematology and Immunology (HEIM), Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
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Zhuo L, Guo M, Zhang S, Wu J, Wang M, Shen Y, Peng X, Wang Z, Jiang W, Huang W. Structure-activity relationship study of 1,6-naphthyridinone derivatives as selective type II AXL inhibitors with potent antitumor efficacy. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 265:116090. [PMID: 38169272 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.116090] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The role of AXL in various oncogenic processes has made it an attractive target for cancer therapy. Currently, kinase selectivity profiles, especially circumventing MET inhibition, remain a scientific issue of great interest in the discovery of selective type II AXL inhibitors. Starting from a dual MET/AXL-targeted lead structure from our previous work, we optimized a 1,6-naphthyridinone series using molecular modeling-assisted compound design to improve AXL potency and selectivity over MET, resulting in the potent and selective type II AXL-targeted compound 25c. This showed excellent AXL inhibitory activity (IC50 = 1.1 nM) and 343-fold selectivity over the highly homologous kinase MET in biochemical assays. Moreover, compound 25c significantly inhibited AXL-driven cell proliferation, dose-dependently suppressed 4T1 cell migration and invasion, and induced apoptosis. Compound 25c also showed noticeable antitumor efficacy in a BaF3/TEL-AXL xenograft model at well-tolerated doses. Overall, this study presented a potent and selective type II AXL-targeted lead compound for further drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linsheng Zhuo
- Postdoctoral Station for Basic Medicine, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China; School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China.
| | - Mengqin Guo
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430071, China
| | - Siyi Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Junbo Wu
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Hengyang Central Hospital, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Mingshu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Yang Shen
- Postdoctoral Station for Basic Medicine, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Xue Peng
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Weifan Jiang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China.
| | - Wei Huang
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China.
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Bachmann C. New Achievements from Molecular Biology and Treatment Options for Refractory/Relapsed Ovarian Cancer-A Systematic Review. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5356. [PMID: 38001616 PMCID: PMC10669965 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15225356] [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: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OC) has a high rate of mortality and is the fifth most common cause of death in females all over the world. The etiology is still unclear. Numerous factors such as smoking, obesity, and unhealthy diet may affect the risk of OC. Having a family history of breast and OC is one of the main risks for developing OC. Mutations of BRCA1/2 are associated with OC risk as well. The histopathological classification of OC reveals the four most common types: serous, clear cell, endometrioid, and mucinous; these are epithelial OC types, and other types are rare. Furthermore, OC can be subdivided into types I and II. Type I tumors are most probably caused by atypical proliferative tumors. Type II tumors include high-grade carcinoma of the serous type, carcinosarcoma, and carcinoma, which are not differentiated and generally originate from tubal intraepithelial carcinoma of the serous type. Typically, type I tumors are present in early stages, usually with good prognosis. Type II tumors are classified as high-grade tumors and are most often diagnosed at advanced FIGO stages with poor prognosis. High-grade serous OC accounts for 90% of serous OC. Tumor heterogeneity aggravates OC treatment. The standard care for primary epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is cytoreductive surgery followed by platinum-based chemotherapy. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy can be used in certain cases followed by cytoreductive surgery. The main prognostic factor is complete tumor resection. However, about 70% of patients relapse. Resistance to chemotherapeutic agents remains a major challenge in EOC treatment, in which many different factors are involved. In recent years, the examination of molecular parameters and their prognostic impact has become increasingly relevant in EOC, and furthermore, the use of immunotherapy has expanded the therapeutic range. As the clinical need is greatest for relapsed patients, this systematic review will focus on recent advances in molecular biology with prognostic and predictive markers and treatment options for recurrent/refractory OC. Inclusion criteria for the review: potential prospective or predictive biomarkers in preclinical or clinical use in relapsed and refractory OC, prognostic impact, clinical and preclinical trials, and immunotherapy. Exclusion criteria for the review: primary OC, no full text or abstract available, not the topic mentioned above, and text not available in English. Risk of bias: the included studies were evaluated descriptively for the topics mentioned above, and data were not compared with each other. The objective is to highlight the molecular mechanisms of the most promising targeted agents under clinical investigation to demonstrate their potential relevance in recurrent/refractory OC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Bachmann
- Department of Womens' Health, University Tübingen, 72070 Tübingen, Germany
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Breitenecker K, Hedrich V, Pupp F, Chen D, Řezníčková E, Ortmayr G, Huber H, Weber G, Balcar L, Pinter M, Mikulits W. Synergism of the receptor tyrosine kinase Axl with ErbB receptors mediates resistance to regorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1238883. [PMID: 37746265 PMCID: PMC10514905 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1238883] [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: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients at advanced stages receive immunotherapy or treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as Sorafenib (Sora) or Lenvatinib in frontline as well as Regorafenib (Rego) or Cabozantinib in second-line. A major hindrance of TKI therapies is the development of resistance, which renders drug treatment futile and results in HCC progression. Methods In this study, we addressed the impact of the receptor tyrosine kinase Axl binding to its ligand Gas6 in acquiring refractoriness to TKIs. The initial responses of Axl-positive and Axl-negative cell lines to different TKIs were assessed. Upon inducing resistance, RNA-Seq, gain- and loss-of-function studies were applied to understand and intervene with the molecular basis of refractoriness. Secretome analysis was performed to identify potential biomarkers of resistance. Results We show that HCC cells exhibiting a mesenchymal-like phenotype were less sensitive to drug treatment, linking TKI resistance to changes in epithelial plasticity. Gas6/Axl expression and activation were upregulated in Rego-resistant HCC cells together with the induction of ErbB receptors, whereas HCC cells lacking Axl failed to stimulate ErbBs. Treatment of Rego-insensitive HCC cells with the pan-ErbB family inhibitor Afatinib rather than with Erlotinib blocking ErbB1 reduced cell viability and clonogenicity. Genetic intervention with ErbB2-4 but not ErbB1 confirmed their crucial involvement in refractoriness to Rego. Furthermore, Rego-resistant HCC cells secreted basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) depending on Axl expression. HCC patients treated with Sora in first-line and with Rego in second-line displayed elevated serum levels of bFGF, emphasizing bFGF as a predictive biomarker of TKI treatment. Discussion Together, these data suggest that the inhibition of ErbBs is synthetic lethal with Rego in Axl-expressing HCC cells, showing a novel vulnerability of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Breitenecker
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Viola Hedrich
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Franziska Pupp
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Doris Chen
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Perutz Labs Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Řezníčková
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czechia
| | - Gregor Ortmayr
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Heidemarie Huber
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerhard Weber
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lorenz Balcar
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthias Pinter
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Mikulits
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Tang Y, Zang H, Wen Q, Fan S. AXL in cancer: a modulator of drug resistance and therapeutic target. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:148. [PMID: 37328828 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02726-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023] Open
Abstract
AXL is a member of the TAM (TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK) receptor tyrosine kinases family (RTKs), and its abnormal expression has been linked to clinicopathological features and poor prognosis of cancer patients. There is mounting evidence supporting AXL's role in the occurrence and progression of cancer, as well as drug resistance and treatment tolerance. Recent studies revealed that reducing AXL expression can weaken cancer cells' drug resistance, indicating that AXL may be a promising target for anti-cancer drug treatment. This review aims to summarize the AXL's structure, the mechanisms regulating and activating it, and its expression pattern, especially in drug-resistant cancers. Additionally, we will discuss the diverse functions of AXL in mediating cancer drug resistance and the potential of AXL inhibitors in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoxiang Tang
- Department of Pathology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Hongjing Zang
- Department of Pathology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Qiuyuan Wen
- Department of Pathology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China.
| | - Songqing Fan
- Department of Pathology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China.
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Reyes A, Pharaon R, Mohanty A, Massarelli E. Arising Novel Agents in Lung Cancer: Are Bispecifics and ADCs the New Paradigm? Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3162. [PMID: 37370772 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15123162] [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: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers with the highest mortality. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) contributes to around 85% of lung cancer diagnoses (vs. 15% for small cell lung cancer). The treatment of NSCLC has vastly changed in the last two decades since the development of immunotherapy and targeted therapy against driver mutations. As is the nature of malignancy, cancer cells have acquired resistance to these treatments prompting an investigation into novel treatments and new targets. Bispecific antibodies, capable of targeting multiple substrates at once, and antibody-drug conjugates that can preferentially deliver chemotherapy to tumor cells are examples of this innovation. From our initial evaluation, both treatment modalities appear promising.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Reyes
- Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 910102, USA
| | - Rebecca Pharaon
- Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 910102, USA
| | - Atish Mohanty
- Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 910102, USA
| | - Erminia Massarelli
- Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 910102, USA
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Chintala S, Dankoski MA, Anbarasu A, Ramaiah S, Miryala SK, Katzenellenbogen RA. NFX1-123: A potential therapeutic target in cervical cancer. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e28856. [PMID: 37288708 PMCID: PMC10264143 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28856] [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: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
NFX1-123 is a splice variant isoform of the NFX1 gene. It is highly expressed in cervical cancers caused by HPV, and NFX1-123 is a protein partner with the HPV oncoprotein E6. Together, NFX1-123 and E6 affect cellular growth, longevity, and differentiation. The expression status of NFX1-123 in cancers beyond cervical and head and neck cancers, and its potential as therapeutic target, have not been investigated. TSVdb of TCGA was used to quantify NFX1-123 expression in 24 cancers compared with normal tissues. The NFX1-123 protein structure was predicted and then submitted to retrieve suitable drug molecules. The top four compounds, found to bind in silico to NFX1-123, were tested experimentally to determine their effects on NFX1-123-related cellular growth, survival, and migration. 46% of cancers (11 of 24 had significant differences in NFX1-123 expression, with nine having had greater NFX1-123 expression, when compared with adjacent normal tissues. Bioinformatics and proteomic predictive analysis modeled the three-dimensional structure of NFX1-123, and drug libraries were screened for high-binding affinity compounds using this modeled structure. Seventeen drugs with binding energies ranging from -1.3 to -10 Kcal/mol were identified. The top four compounds were used to treat HPV- and HPV+ cervical cancer cell lines, three of which (Ropitoin, R428 and Ketoconazole) reduced NFX1-123 protein levels, inhibited cellular growth, survival, and migration, and enhanced the cytotoxicity of Cisplatin. These findings highlight cancers expressing high levels of NFX1-123, and drugs that target it, may reduce cellular growth, survival, and migration, making NFX1-123 a potential novel therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sreenivasulu Chintala
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202 USA
| | - Maura A. Dankoski
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202 USA
| | - Anand Anbarasu
- School of Bio-Sciences & Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, INDIA
| | - Sudha Ramaiah
- School of Bio-Sciences & Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, INDIA
| | - Sravan Kumar Miryala
- School of Bio-Sciences & Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, INDIA
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Riillo C, Polerà N, Di Martino MT, Juli G, Hokanson CA, Odineca T, Signorelli S, Grillone K, Ascrizzi S, Mancuso A, Staropoli N, Caparello B, Cerra M, Nisticò G, Tagliaferri P, Crea R, Caracciolo D, Tassone P. A Pronectin™ AXL-targeted first-in-class bispecific T cell engager (pAXLxCD3ε) for ovarian cancer. J Transl Med 2023; 21:301. [PMID: 37143061 PMCID: PMC10161629 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04101-x] [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: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pronectins™ are a new class of fibronectin-3-domain 14th-derived (14Fn3) antibody mimics that can be engineered as bispecific T cell engager (BTCE) to redirect immune effector cells against cancer. We describe here the in vitro and in vivo activity of a Pronectin™ AXL-targeted first-in-class bispecific T cell engager (pAXLxCD3ε) against Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC). METHODS pAXLxCD3ε T-cell mediated cytotoxicity was evaluated by flow cytometry and bioluminescence. pAXLxCD3ε mediated T-cell infiltration, activation and proliferation were assessed by immunofluorescence microscopy and by flow cytometry. Activity of pAXLxCD3ε was also investigated in combination with poly-ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi). In vivo antitumor activity of pAXLxCD3ε was evaluated in immunocompromised (NSG) mice bearing intraperitoneal or subcutaneous EOC xenografts and immunologically reconstituted with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). RESULTS pAXLxCD3ε induced dose-dependent cytotoxicity by activation of T lymphocytes against EOC cells, regardless of their histologic origin. The addition of PARPi to cell cultures enhanced pAXLxCD3ε cytotoxicity. Importantly, in vivo, pAXLxCD3ε was highly effective against EOC xenografts in two different NSG mouse models, by inhibiting the growth of tumor cells in ascites and subcutaneous xenografts. This effect translated into a significantly prolonged survival of treated animals. CONCLUSION pAXLxCD3ε is an active therapeutics against EOC cells providing a rational for its development as a novel agent in this still incurable disease. The preclinical validation of a first-in-class agent opens the way to the development of a new 14Fn3-based scaffold platform for the generation of innovative immune therapeutics against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Riillo
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Polerà
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | - Giada Juli
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | | | - Stefania Signorelli
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Katia Grillone
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Serena Ascrizzi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Antonia Mancuso
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Staropoli
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | - Maria Cerra
- Giovanni Paolo II General Hospital, Lamezia Terme, Italy
| | | | | | - Roberto Crea
- Protelica, Inc, Hayward, CA, USA.
- Renato Dulbecco Institute, Lamezia Terme, Italy.
| | - Daniele Caracciolo
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Pierfrancesco Tassone
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy.
- S.H.R.O., College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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12
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Ebrahimi N, Fardi E, Ghaderi H, Palizdar S, Khorram R, Vafadar R, Ghanaatian M, Rezaei-Tazangi F, Baziyar P, Ahmadi A, Hamblin MR, Aref AR. Receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors in cancer. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:104. [PMID: 36947256 PMCID: PMC11073124 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04729-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Targeted therapy is a new cancer treatment approach, involving drugs that particularly target specific proteins in cancer cells, such as receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) which are involved in promoting growth and proliferation, Therefore inhibiting these proteins could impede cancer progression. An understanding of RTKs and the relevant signaling cascades, has enabled the development of many targeted drug therapies employing RTK inhibitors (RTKIs) some of which have entered clinical application. Here we discuss RTK structures, activation mechanisms and functions. Moreover, we cover the potential effects of combination drug therapy (including chemotherapy or immunotherapy agents with one RTKI or multiple RTKIs) especially for drug resistant cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasim Ebrahimi
- Genetics Division, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Elmira Fardi
- Medical Branch, Islamic Azad University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hajarossadat Ghaderi
- Laboratory of Regenerative and Medical Innovation, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sahar Palizdar
- Division of Microbiology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Islamic Azad University of Tehran East Branch, Tehran, Iran
| | - Roya Khorram
- Bone and Joint Diseases Research Center, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Reza Vafadar
- Department of Orthopeadic Surgery, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Masoud Ghanaatian
- Master 1 Bio-Santé-Parcours Toulouse Graduate School of Cancer, Ageing and Rejuvenation (CARe), Université Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Fatemeh Rezaei-Tazangi
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Payam Baziyar
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Basic Science, Uinversity of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran
| | - Amirhossein Ahmadi
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, Faculty of Nano and Bio Science and Technology, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr, 75169, Iran.
| | - Michael R Hamblin
- Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Science, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, 2028, South Africa.
| | - Amir Reza Aref
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Translational Medicine Group, Xsphera Biosciences, 6 Tide Street, Boston, MA, 02210, USA.
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13
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The First-In-Class Anti-AXL×CD3ε Pronectin™-Based Bispecific T-Cell Engager Is Active in Preclinical Models of Human Soft Tissue and Bone Sarcomas. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15061647. [PMID: 36980534 PMCID: PMC10046451 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15061647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Sarcomas are heterogeneous malignancies with limited therapeutic options and a poor prognosis. We developed an innovative immunotherapeutic agent, a first-in-class Pronectin™-based Bispecific T-Cell Engager (pAXL×CD3ε), for the targeting of AXL, a TAM family tyrosine kinase receptor highly expressed in sarcomas. AXL expression was first analyzed by flow cytometry, qRT-PCR, and Western blot on a panel of sarcoma cell lines. The T-cell-mediated pAXL×CD3ε cytotoxicity against sarcoma cells was investigated by flow cytometry, luminescence assay, and fluorescent microscopy imaging. The activation and degranulation of T cells induced by pAXL×CD3ε were evaluated by flow cytometry. The antitumor activity induced by pAXL×CD3ε in combination with trabectedin was also investigated. In vivo activity studies of pAXL×CD3ε were performed in immunocompromised mice (NSG), engrafted with human sarcoma cells and reconstituted with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy donors. Most sarcoma cells showed high expression of AXL. pAXL×CD3ε triggered T-lymphocyte activation and induced dose-dependent T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity. The combination of pAXL×CD3ε with trabectedin increased cytotoxicity. pAXL×CD3ε inhibited the in vivo growth of human sarcoma xenografts, increasing the survival of treated mice. Our data demonstrate the antitumor efficacy of pAXL×CD3ε against sarcoma cells, providing a translational framework for the clinical development of pAXL×CD3ε in the treatment of human sarcomas, aggressive and still-incurable malignancies.
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14
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Nasimian A, Al Ashiri L, Ahmed M, Duan H, Zhang X, Rönnstrand L, Kazi JU. A Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Sensitivity Prediction Model Identifies AXL Dependency in Leukemia. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043830. [PMID: 36835239 PMCID: PMC9959897 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite incredible progress in cancer treatment, therapy resistance remains the leading limiting factor for long-term survival. During drug treatment, several genes are transcriptionally upregulated to mediate drug tolerance. Using highly variable genes and pharmacogenomic data for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), we developed a drug sensitivity prediction model for the receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor sorafenib and achieved more than 80% prediction accuracy. Furthermore, by using Shapley additive explanations for determining leading features, we identified AXL as an important feature for drug resistance. Drug-resistant patient samples displayed enrichment of protein kinase C (PKC) signaling, which was also identified in sorafenib-treated FLT3-ITD-dependent AML cell lines by a peptide-based kinase profiling assay. Finally, we show that pharmacological inhibition of tyrosine kinase activity enhances AXL expression, phosphorylation of the PKC-substrate cyclic AMP response element binding (CREB) protein, and displays synergy with AXL and PKC inhibitors. Collectively, our data suggest an involvement of AXL in tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance and link PKC activation as a possible signaling mediator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Nasimian
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, 22381 Lund, Sweden
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden
| | - Lina Al Ashiri
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, 22381 Lund, Sweden
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden
| | - Mehreen Ahmed
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, 22381 Lund, Sweden
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden
| | - Hongzhi Duan
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, 22381 Lund, Sweden
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden
| | - Xiaoyue Zhang
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, 22381 Lund, Sweden
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden
| | - Lars Rönnstrand
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, 22381 Lund, Sweden
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Radiation Physics, Skåne University Hospital, 22185 Lund, Sweden
| | - Julhash U. Kazi
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, 22381 Lund, Sweden
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +46-462226407
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15
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The GSK3β/Mcl-1 axis is regulated by both FLT3-ITD and Axl and determines the apoptosis induction abilities of FLT3-ITD inhibitors. Cell Death Dis 2023; 9:44. [PMID: 36739272 PMCID: PMC9899255 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01317-0] [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: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with FLT3-ITD mutations are associated with poor prognosis. FLT3-ITD inhibitors are developed and result in transient disease remission, but generally resistance develops. We propose that resistance occurs due to apoptosis evasion. We compared the abilities of five clinically used FLT3-ITD inhibitors, namely, midostaurin, crenolanib, gilteritinib, quizartinib, and sorafenib, to induce apoptosis. These drugs inhibit FLT3-ITD and induce apoptosis. Apoptosis induction is associated with GSK3β activation, Mcl-1 downregulation, and Bim upregulation. Sorafenib-resistant MOLM-13/sor cells have the secondary D835Y mutation and increased Axl signaling pathway with cross-resistance to quizartinib. Gilteritinib and crenolanib inhibit both FLT3-ITD and Axl and induce apoptosis in MOLM-13/sor cells, in which they activate GSK3β and downregulate Mcl-1. Inactivation of GSK3β through phosphorylation and inhibitors blocks apoptosis and Mcl-1 reduction. The Axl/GSK3β/Mcl-1 axis works as a feedback mechanism to attenuate apoptosis of FLT3-ITD inhibition. Homoharringtonine decreases the protein levels of Mcl-1, FLT3-ITD, and Axl. Moreover, it synergistically induces apoptosis with gilteritinib in vitro and prolongs survival of MOLM-13/sor xenografts. The GSK3β/Mcl-1 axis works as the hub of FLT3-ITD inhibitors and plays a critical role in resistance against FLT3-ITD AML-targeted therapy.
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16
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Zhan Z, Ji Y, Su H, Fang C, Peng X, Liu Q, Dai Y, Lin D, Xu Y, Ai J, Duan W. Discovery of 10 H-Benzo[ b]pyrido[2,3- e][1,4]oxazine AXL Inhibitors via Structure-Based Drug Design Targeting c-Met Kinase. J Med Chem 2023; 66:220-234. [PMID: 36524812 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Receptor tyrosine kinase AXL exerts pivotal roles in cancer cell survival, metastasis, and drug resistance. Pharmacologic or genetic targeting of the aberrant AXL signaling has proven preferable antitumor efficacies in both preclinical and clinical studies, which highlights AXL as an attractive antitumor drug target. By conformational restriction of the anilinopyrimidine 10e and systematic structure-activity relationship (SAR) exploration, we discovered 10H-benzo[b]pyrido[2,3-e][1,4]oxazine 16j as a potent and orally bioavailable AXL inhibitor. As a type II AXL inhibitor, compound 16j displayed about 15-fold selectivity for AXL over its highly homologous kinase c-Met. And it significantly blocked cellular AXL signaling, inhibited AXL-mediated cell proliferation, and impaired growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6)/AXL-stimulated cell migration and invasion. Moreover, 16j exhibited significant antitumor efficacy in AXL-driven xenograft model at a well-tolerant dosage, causing tumor stasis or regression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengsheng Zhan
- Small-Molecule Drug Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Yinchun Ji
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Haixia Su
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research and Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Chen Fang
- Small-Molecule Drug Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China.,School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Xia Peng
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Qiufeng Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research and Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Yang Dai
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Dongze Lin
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Yechun Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research and Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China.,School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, P. R. China
| | - Jing Ai
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China.,Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study (UCAS), Hangzhou 310024, P. R. China
| | - Wenhu Duan
- Small-Molecule Drug Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China.,School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, P. R. China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
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17
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ACE2-Independent Alternative Receptors for SARS-CoV-2. Viruses 2022; 14:v14112535. [PMID: 36423144 PMCID: PMC9692829 DOI: 10.3390/v14112535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is highly contagious and remains a major public health challenge despite the availability of effective vaccines. SARS-CoV-2 enters cells through the binding of its spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor in concert with accessory receptors/molecules that facilitate viral attachment, internalization, and fusion. Although ACE2 plays a critical role in SARS-CoV-2 replication, its expression profiles are not completely associated with infection patterns, immune responses, and clinical manifestations. Additionally, SARS-CoV-2 infects cells that lack ACE2, and the infection is resistant to monoclonal antibodies against spike RBD in vitro, indicating that some human cells possess ACE2-independent alternative receptors, which can mediate SARS-CoV-2 entry. Here, we discuss these alternative receptors and their interactions with SARS-CoV-2 components for ACE2-independent viral entry. These receptors include CD147, AXL, CD209L/L-SIGN/CLEC4M, CD209/DC-SIGN/CLEC4L, CLEC4G/LSECtin, ASGR1/CLEC4H1, LDLRAD3, TMEM30A, and KREMEN1. Most of these receptors are known to be involved in the entry of other viruses and to modulate cellular functions and immune responses. The SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant exhibits altered cell tropism and an associated change in the cell entry pathway, indicating that emerging variants may use alternative receptors to escape the immune pressure against ACE2-dependent viral entry provided by vaccination against RBD. Understanding the role of ACE2-independent alternative receptors in SARS-CoV-2 viral entry and pathogenesis may provide avenues for the prevention of infection by SARS-CoV-2 variants and for the treatment of COVID-19.
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Remodelling of tumour microenvironment by microwave ablation potentiates immunotherapy of AXL-specific CAR T cells against non-small cell lung cancer. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6203. [PMID: 36261437 PMCID: PMC9581911 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33968-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The complex immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment (TME) and lack of tumour-specific targets hinder the application of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in the treatment of solid tumours. Combining local treatment with CAR T cell immunotherapy may regulate the TME and enhance the killing potency of CAR T cells in solid tumours. Here, we show that AXL, which is highly expressed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) but not in normal tissues, might be a target for CAR T cell therapy. AXL-CAR T cells alone cause moderate tumour regression in subcutaneous and pulmonary metastatic lung cancer cell-derived xenograft models. Combination of microwave ablation (MWA) and AXL-CAR T cells have superior antitumour efficacy. MWA enhances the activation, infiltration, persistence and tumour suppressive properties of AXL-CAR T cells in AXL-positive NSCLC patient-derived xenograft tumours via TME remodelling. The combination therapy increases the mitochondrial oxidative metabolism of tumour-infiltrating CAR T cells. Combination treatment induces significant tumour suppression without observed toxicities in humanized immunocompetent mice. The synergistic therapeutic effect of MWA and AXL-CAR T cells may be valuable for NSCLC treatment.
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19
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Wu S, Liao M, Li M, Sun M, Xi N, Zeng Y. Structure-based discovery of potent inhibitors of Axl: design, synthesis, and biological evaluation. RSC Med Chem 2022; 13:1246-1264. [PMID: 36325401 PMCID: PMC9579923 DOI: 10.1039/d2md00153e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Commonly overexpressed in many cancers and associated with tumor growth, metastasis, drug resistance, and poor overall survival, Axl has emerged as a promising target for cancer therapy. However, the availability of new chemical forms for Axl inhibition is limited. Herein, we present the development and characterization of novel Axl inhibitors, including the design, synthesis, and structure-activity relationships (SARs) of a series of diphenylpyrimidine-diamine derivatives. Most of these compounds exhibited remarkable activity against the Axl kinase. In particular, the promising compound m16 showed the highest enzymatic inhibitory potency (IC50 = 5 nM) and blocked multiple tumor cells' proliferation potencies (the CC50 of 4 out of 42 cancer cell lines <100 nM). Furthermore, compound m16 also possessed preferable pharmacokinetic profiles and liver microsome stability. All these favorable results make m16 a good leading therapeutic candidate for further development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Wu
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Traditional Chinese Medicine Research (Ministry of Education of China), Hunan Normal University Changsha 410081 PR China
- Ningbo University School of Medicine 818 Fenghua Road Ningbo Zhejiang 315211 China
- Sunshine Lake Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd Dongyangguang Hi-tech Park Dongguan Guangdong 523871 China
| | - Min Liao
- Sunshine Lake Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd Dongyangguang Hi-tech Park Dongguan Guangdong 523871 China
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University Nanning 530004 China
| | - Minxiong Li
- Sunshine Lake Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd Dongyangguang Hi-tech Park Dongguan Guangdong 523871 China
| | - Mingming Sun
- Ningbo University School of Medicine 818 Fenghua Road Ningbo Zhejiang 315211 China
- Sunshine Lake Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd Dongyangguang Hi-tech Park Dongguan Guangdong 523871 China
| | - Ning Xi
- Ningbo University School of Medicine 818 Fenghua Road Ningbo Zhejiang 315211 China
- Sunshine Lake Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd Dongyangguang Hi-tech Park Dongguan Guangdong 523871 China
| | - Youlin Zeng
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Traditional Chinese Medicine Research (Ministry of Education of China), Hunan Normal University Changsha 410081 PR China
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20
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Zhou K, Zhao J, Xu H, Yan X, Liu W, Jiang X, Ren C. Function of AXL and molecular mechanisms in regulation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. ZHONG NAN DA XUE XUE BAO. YI XUE BAN = JOURNAL OF CENTRAL SOUTH UNIVERSITY. MEDICAL SCIENCES 2022; 47:685-697. [PMID: 35837768 PMCID: PMC10930019 DOI: 10.11817/j.issn.1672-7347.2022.210786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a highly invasive epithelial malignant tumor with unique geographical and ethnic distribution characteristics. NPC is mostly found in south China and Southeast Asia, and its treatment mainly depends on radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, NPC is usually found in the late stage, and local recurrence and distant metastasis are common, leading to poor prognosis. The receptor tyrosine kinase AXL is up-regulated in various tumors and it is involved in tumor proliferation, migration, invasion, and other processes, which are associated with poor prognosis of tumors. This study aims to detect the expression of AXL in NPC cell lines and tissues, and to investigate its biological function of AXL and the underlying molecular mechanisms in regulation of NPC. METHODS The expression levels of AXL in normal nasopharyngeal epithelial tissues and NPC tissues were analyzed by GSE68799, GSE12452, and GSE53819 data sets based on Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to analyze the relationship between AXL and prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC). The indicators of prognosis included overall survival (OS), disease-free interval (DFI), disease-specific survival (DSS), and progression-free interval (PFI). Western blotting assay was used to detect the AXL protein expression levels in normal nasopharyngeal epithelial cell line and NPC cell lines. Immunohistochemical method was used to detect AXL expression levels in normal nasopharyngeal epithelial tissues and NPC tissues. Cell lines with stable AXL knockdown were established by infecting 5-8F and Fadu cells with lentivirus interference vector, and cell lines with stable AXL overexpression were established by infecting C666-1 and HK-1 cells with lentivirus expression vector. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the efficiency of knockdown and overexpression in stable cell lines. The effects of AXL knockdown or overexpression on proliferation, migration, and invasion of NPC cells were detected by CCK-8, plate colony formation, and Transwell assays, and the effect of AXL knockdown on tumor growth in nude mice was detected by subcutaneous tumor formation assay. The sequence of AXL upstream 2.0 kb promoter region was obtained by UCSC online database. The PROMO online database was used to predict AXL transcription factors with 0% fault tolerance, and the JASPAR online database was used to predict the binding sites of ETS1 to AXL. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the effect of ETS1 on AXL protein and mRNA expression. The AXL upstream 2.0 kb promoter region was divided into 8 fragments, each of which was 250 bp in length. Primers were designed for 8 fragments. The binding of ETS1 to AXL promoter region was detected by chromatin immuno-precipitation (ChIP) assay to determine the direct regulatory relationship between ETS1 and AXL. Rescue assay was used to determine whether ETS1 affected the proliferation, migration, and invasion of NPC cells through AXL. RESULTS Bioinformatics analysis showed that AXL was highly expressed in NPC tissues (P<0.05), and AXL expression was positively correlated with OS, DFI, DSS, and PFI in HNSC patients. Western blotting and immunohistochemical results showed that AXL was highly expressed in NPC cell lines and tissues compared with the normal nasopharyngeal epithelial cell line and tissues. Real-time PCR and Western blotting results showed that knockdown and overexpression efficiency in the stable cell lines met the requirements of subsequent experiments. The results of CCK-8, plate colony formation, Transwell assays and subcutaneous tumor formation in nude mice showed that down-regulation of AXL significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion of NPC cells and tumor growth (all P<0.05), and the up-regulation of AXL significantly promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of NPC cells (all P<0.05).As predicted by PROMO and JASPAR online databases, ETS1 was a transcription factor of AXL and had multiple binding sites in the AXL promoter region. Real-time PCR and Western blotting results showed that knockdown or overexpression of ETS1 down-regulated or up-regulated AXL protein and mRNA expression levels. ChIP assay result showed that ETS1 bound to AXL promoter region and directly regulate AXL expression. Rescue assay showed that AXL rescued the effects of ETS1 on proliferation, migration and invasion of NPC cells (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS AXL is highly expressed in NPC cell lines and tissues, which can promote the malignant progression of NPC, and its expression is regulated by transcription factor ETS1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kefan Zhou
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410078.
| | - Jin Zhao
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410078.
| | - Hongjuan Xu
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410078
| | - Xuejun Yan
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410078
| | - Weidong Liu
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410078
| | - Xingjun Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Caiping Ren
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410078.
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21
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Engelsen AST, Lotsberg ML, Abou Khouzam R, Thiery JP, Lorens JB, Chouaib S, Terry S. Dissecting the Role of AXL in Cancer Immune Escape and Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Inhibition. Front Immunol 2022; 13:869676. [PMID: 35572601 PMCID: PMC9092944 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.869676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The development and implementation of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICI) in clinical oncology have significantly improved the survival of a subset of cancer patients with metastatic disease previously considered uniformly lethal. However, the low response rates and the low number of patients with durable clinical responses remain major concerns and underscore the limited understanding of mechanisms regulating anti-tumor immunity and tumor immune resistance. There is an urgent unmet need for novel approaches to enhance the efficacy of ICI in the clinic, and for predictive tools that can accurately predict ICI responders based on the composition of their tumor microenvironment. The receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) AXL has been associated with poor prognosis in numerous malignancies and the emergence of therapy resistance. AXL is a member of the TYRO3-AXL-MERTK (TAM) kinase family. Upon binding to its ligand GAS6, AXL regulates cell signaling cascades and cellular communication between various components of the tumor microenvironment, including cancer cells, endothelial cells, and immune cells. Converging evidence points to AXL as an attractive molecular target to overcome therapy resistance and immunosuppression, supported by the potential of AXL inhibitors to improve ICI efficacy. Here, we review the current literature on the prominent role of AXL in regulating cancer progression, with particular attention to its effects on anti-tumor immune response and resistance to ICI. We discuss future directions with the aim to understand better the complex role of AXL and TAM receptors in cancer and the potential value of this knowledge and targeted inhibition for the benefit of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnete S. T. Engelsen
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers and Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Maria L. Lotsberg
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers and Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Raefa Abou Khouzam
- Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Jean-Paul Thiery
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers and Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, China
- Inserm, UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Villejuif, France
| | - James B. Lorens
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers and Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Salem Chouaib
- Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
- Inserm, UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Villejuif, France
- Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- Faculty of Medicine, University Paris Sud, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Stéphane Terry
- Inserm, UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Villejuif, France
- Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- Faculty of Medicine, University Paris Sud, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
- Research Department, Inovarion, Paris, France
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22
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Tissue Microarray Analyses Suggest Axl as a Predictive Biomarker in HPV-Negative Head and Neck Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14071829. [PMID: 35406601 PMCID: PMC8997923 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14071829] [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: 02/26/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Despite many efforts, no predictive biomarkers that could guide clinical decision making and personalized treatment have been established for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. We propose that high expression of the tyrosine kinase receptor Axl identifies patients as being at enhanced risk for treatment failure under surgery alone and, hence, should be treated by primary or adjuvant radiotherapy. Abstract The receptor tyrosine kinase Axl is described to promote migration, metastasis and resistance against molecular targeting, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy in various tumor entities, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Since clinical data on Axl and its ligand Gas6 in HNSCC are sparse, we assessed the association of Axl and Gas6 expression with patient survival in a single center retrospective cohort in a tissue microarray format. Expression was evaluated manually using an established algorithm and correlated with clinicopathological parameters and patient survival. A number of 362 samples yielded interpretable staining, which did not correlate with T- and N-stage. Protein expression levels were not associated with the survival of patients with p16-positive oropharyngeal SCC. In HPV-negative tumors, Axl expression did not impact patients treated with primary or adjuvant radio(chemo)therapy, but was significantly associated with inferior overall and recurrence-free survival in patients treated with surgery alone. Gas6 was a positive predictor of survival in patients whose treatment included radiotherapy. Associations remained significant in multivariable analysis. Our data question a meaningful contribution of the Axl/Gas6 pathway to radio-resistance in HNSCC and instead suggest that strong Axl expression identifies tumors requiring adjuvant radio(chemo)therapy after surgery.
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23
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Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer Drug Resistance: Emerging Biomarkers and Promising Targets to Overcome Tumor Progression. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14071614. [PMID: 35406386 PMCID: PMC8997078 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14071614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer still represents a major global burden, being the second leading cause of death worldwide [...].
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24
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Intrinsic and Extrinsic Control of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by TAM Receptors. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13215448. [PMID: 34771611 PMCID: PMC8582520 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13215448] [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: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Tyro3, Axl, and MerTK are receptor tyrosine kinases of the TAM family, which are activated by their ligands Gas6 and Protein S. TAM receptors have large physiological implications, including the removal of dead cells, activation of immune cells, and prevention of bleeding. In the last decade, TAM receptors have been suggested to play a relevant role in liver fibrogenesis and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. The understanding of TAM receptor functions in tumor cells and their cellular microenvironment is of utmost importance to advances in novel therapeutic strategies that conquer chronic liver disease including hepatocellular carcinoma. Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the major subtype of liver cancer, showing high mortality of patients due to limited therapeutic options at advanced stages of disease. The receptor tyrosine kinases Tyro3, Axl and MerTK—belonging to the TAM family—exert a large impact on various aspects of cancer biology. Binding of the ligands Gas6 or Protein S activates TAM receptors causing homophilic dimerization and heterophilic interactions with other receptors to modulate effector functions. In this context, TAM receptors are major regulators of anti-inflammatory responses and vessel integrity, including platelet aggregation as well as resistance to chemotherapy. In this review, we discuss the relevance of TAM receptors in the intrinsic control of HCC progression by modulating epithelial cell plasticity and by promoting metastatic traits of neoplastic hepatocytes. Depending on different etiologies of HCC, we further describe the overt role of TAM receptors in the extrinsic control of HCC progression by focusing on immune cell infiltration and fibrogenesis. Additionally, we assess TAM receptor functions in the chemoresistance against clinically used tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint blockade in HCC progression. We finally address the question of whether inhibition of TAM receptors can be envisaged for novel therapeutic strategies in HCC.
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25
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Sun LW, Kao SH, Yang SF, Jhang SW, Lin YC, Chen CM, Hsieh YH. Corosolic Acid Attenuates the Invasiveness of Glioblastoma Cells by Promoting CHIP-Mediated AXL Degradation and Inhibiting GAS6/AXL/JAK Axis. Cells 2021; 10:cells10112919. [PMID: 34831142 PMCID: PMC8616539 DOI: 10.3390/cells10112919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Revised: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Corosolic acid (CA), a bioactive compound obtained from Actinidia chinensis, has potential anti-cancer activities. Glioblastoma (GBM) is a malignant brain tumor and whether CA exerts anti-cancer activity on GBM remains unclear. This study was aimed to explore the anticancer activity and its underlying mechanism of CA in GBM cells. Our findings showed that CA ≤ 20 μM did not affect cell viability and cell proliferative rate of normal astrocyte and four GBM cells. Notably, 10 or 20 μM CA significantly inhibited cell migration and invasion of three GBM cells, decreased the protein level of F-actin and disrupted F-actin polymerization in these GBM cells. Further investigation revealed that CA decreased AXL level by promoting ubiquitin-mediated proteasome degradation and upregulating the carboxyl terminus of Hsc70-interacting protein (CHIP), an inducer of AXL polyubiquitination. CHIP knock-down restored the CA-reduced AXL and invasiveness of GBM cells. Additionally, we observed that CA-reduced Growth arrest-specific protein 6 (GAS6) and inhibited JAK2/MEK/ERK activation, and GAS6 pre-treatment restored attenuated JAK2/MEK/ERK activation and invasiveness of GBM cells. Furthermore, molecular docking analysis revealed that CA might bind to GAS6 and AXL. These findings collectively indicate that CA attenuates the invasiveness of GBM cells, attributing to CHIP upregulation and binding to GAS6 and AXL and subsequently promoting AXL degradation and downregulating GAS6-mediated JAK2/MEK/ERK cascade. Conclusively, this suggests that CA has potential anti-metastatic activity on GBM cells by targeting the CHIP/GAS6/AXL axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Wei Sun
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan; (L.-W.S.); (S.-H.K.); (S.-F.Y.); (Y.-C.L.)
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 50006, Taiwan;
| | - Shao-Hsuan Kao
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan; (L.-W.S.); (S.-H.K.); (S.-F.Y.); (Y.-C.L.)
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
| | - Shun-Fa Yang
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan; (L.-W.S.); (S.-H.K.); (S.-F.Y.); (Y.-C.L.)
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
| | - Shang-Wun Jhang
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 50006, Taiwan;
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chen Lin
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan; (L.-W.S.); (S.-H.K.); (S.-F.Y.); (Y.-C.L.)
| | - Chien-Min Chen
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 50006, Taiwan;
- School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Dayeh University, Changhua 51591, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (C.-M.C.); (Y.-H.H.)
| | - Yi-Hsien Hsieh
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan; (L.-W.S.); (S.-H.K.); (S.-F.Y.); (Y.-C.L.)
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (C.-M.C.); (Y.-H.H.)
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26
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AXL Receptor in Cancer Metastasis and Drug Resistance: When Normal Functions Go Askew. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13194864. [PMID: 34638349 PMCID: PMC8507788 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13194864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary AXL is a member of the TAM (TYRO3, AXL, MER) family of receptor tyrosine kinases. In normal physiological conditions, AXL is involved in removing dead cells and their remains, and limiting the duration of immune responses. Both functions are utilized by cancers in the course of tumour progression. Cancer cells use the AXL pathway to detect toxic environments and to activate molecular mechanisms, thereby ensuring their survival or escape from the toxic zone. AXL is instrumental in controlling genetic programs of epithelial-mesenchymal and mesenchymal-epithelial transitions, enabling cancer cells to metastasize. Additionally, AXL signaling suppresses immune responses in tumour microenvironment and thereby helps cancer cells to evade immune surveillance. The broad role of AXL in tumour biology is the reason why its inhibition sensitizes tumours to a broad spectrum of anti-cancer drugs. In this review, we outline molecular mechanisms underlying AXL function in normal tissues, and discuss how these mechanisms are adopted by cancers to become metastatic and drug-resistant. Abstract The TAM proteins TYRO3, AXL, and MER are receptor tyrosine kinases implicated in the clearance of apoptotic debris and negative regulation of innate immune responses. AXL contributes to immunosuppression by terminating the Toll-like receptor signaling in dendritic cells, and suppressing natural killer cell activity. In recent years, AXL has been intensively studied in the context of cancer. Both molecules, the receptor, and its ligand GAS6, are commonly expressed in cancer cells, as well as stromal and infiltrating immune cells. In cancer cells, the activation of AXL signaling stimulates cell survival and increases migratory and invasive potential. In cells of the tumour microenvironment, AXL pathway potentiates immune evasion. AXL has been broadly implicated in the epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity of cancer cells, a key factor in drug resistance and metastasis. Several antibody-based and small molecule AXL inhibitors have been developed and used in preclinical studies. AXL inhibition in various mouse cancer models reduced metastatic spread and improved the survival of the animals. AXL inhibitors are currently being tested in several clinical trials as monotherapy or in combination with other drugs. Here, we give a brief overview of AXL structure and regulation and discuss the normal physiological functions of TAM receptors, focusing on AXL. We present a theory of how epithelial cancers exploit AXL signaling to resist cytotoxic insults, in order to disseminate and relapse.
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