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Bopp L, Martinez ML, Schumacher C, Seitz R, Arana MH, Klapproth H, Lukas D, Oh JH, Neumayer D, Lackmann JW, Mueller S, von Stebut E, Brachvogel B, Brodesser S, Klein Geltink RI, Fabri M. Glutamine promotes human CD8 + T cells and counteracts imiquimod-induced T cell hyporesponsiveness. iScience 2024; 27:109767. [PMID: 38736545 PMCID: PMC11088342 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109767] [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: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
T cells protect tissues from cancer. Although investigations in mice showed that amino acids (AA) critically regulate T cell immunity, this remains poorly understood in humans. Here, we describe the AA composition of interstitial fluids in keratinocyte-derived skin cancers (KDSCs) and study the effect of AA on T cells using models of primary human cells and tissues. Gln contributed to ∼15% of interstitial AAs and promoted interferon gamma (IFN-γ), but not granzyme B (GzB) expression, in CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, the Toll-like receptor 7 agonist imiquimod (IMQ), a common treatment for KDSCs, down-regulated the metabolic gatekeepers c-MYC and mTORC1, as well as the AA transporter ASCT2 and intracellular Gln, Asn, Ala, and Asp in T cells. Reduced proliferation and IFN-γ expression, yet increased GzB, paralleled IMQ effects on AA. Finally, Gln was sufficient to promote IFN-γ-production in IMQ-treated T cells. Our findings indicate that Gln metabolism can be harnessed for treating KDSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Bopp
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Maria Lopéz Martinez
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Clara Schumacher
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Robert Seitz
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Manuel Huerta Arana
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Henning Klapproth
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Dominika Lukas
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ju Hee Oh
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Daniela Neumayer
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jan W. Lackmann
- CECAD Cluster of Excellence, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Stefan Mueller
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Esther von Stebut
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Bent Brachvogel
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Experimental Neonatology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Biochemistry, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Cluster of Excellence Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), Cologne, Germany
| | - Susanne Brodesser
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Cluster of Excellence Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), Cologne, Germany
| | - Ramon I. Klein Geltink
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mario Fabri
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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2
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Yu J, Tang R, Li J. Identification of pyroptosis-related lncRNA signature and AC005253.1 as a pyroptosis-related oncogene in prostate cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:991165. [PMID: 36248980 PMCID: PMC9556775 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.991165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Pyroptosis and prostate cancer (PCa) are closely related. The role of pyroptosis-related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) (PRLs) in PCa remains elusive. This study aimed to explore the relationship between PRL and PCa prognosis. Methods Gene expression and clinical signatures were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases. A PRL risk prediction model was established by survival random forest analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression. Functional enrichment, immune status, immune checkpoints, genetic mutations, and drug susceptibility analyses related to risk scores were performed by the single-sample gene set enrichment analysis, gene set variation analysis, and copy number variation analysis. PRL expression was verified in PCa cells. Cell Counting Kit-8, 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine, wound healing, transwell, and Western blotting assay were used to detect the proliferation, migration, invasion, and pyroptosis of PCa cells, respectively. Results Prognostic features based on six PRL (AC129507.1, AC005253.1, AC127502.2, AC068580.3, LIMD1-AS1, and LINC01852) were constructed, and patients in the high-score group had a worse prognosis than those in the low-score group. This feature was determined to be independent by Cox regression analysis, and the area under the curve of the 1-, 3-, and 5-year receiver operating characteristic curves in the testing cohort was 1, 0.93, and 0.92, respectively. Moreover, the external cohort validation confirmed the robustness of the PRL risk prediction model. There was a clear distinction between the immune status of the two groups. The expression of multiple immune checkpoints was also reduced in the high-score group. Gene mutation proportion in the high-score group increased, and the sensitivity to drugs increased significantly. Six PRLs were upregulated in PCa cells. Silencing of AC005253.1 inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in DU145 and PC-3 cells. Moreover, silencing of AC005253.1 promoted pyroptosis and inflammasome AIM2 expression. Conclusions Overall, we constructed a prognostic model of PCa with six PRLs and identified their expression in PCa cells. The experimental verification showed that AC005253.1 could affect the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of PCa cells. Meanwhile, AC005253.1 may play an important role in PCa by affecting pyroptosis through the AIM2 inflammasome. This result requires further research for verification.
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Affiliation(s)
- JiangFan Yu
- Department of Dermatology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Rui Tang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - JinYu Li
- Department of General Surgery, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- *Correspondence: JinYu Li,
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Rostamizadeh L, Molavi O, Rashid M, Ramazani F, Baradaran B, Lavasanaifar A, Lai R. Recent advances in cancer immunotherapy: Modulation of tumor microenvironment by Toll-like receptor ligands. BIOIMPACTS : BI 2022; 12:261-290. [PMID: 35677663 PMCID: PMC9124882 DOI: 10.34172/bi.2022.23896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
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Immunotherapy is considered a promising approach for cancer treatment. An important strategy for cancer immunotherapy is the use of cancer vaccines, which have been widely used for cancer treatment. Despite the great potential of cancer vaccines for cancer treatment, their therapeutic effects in clinical settings have been limited. The main reason behind the lack of significant therapeutic outcomes for cancer vaccines is believed to be the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). The TME counteracts the therapeutic effects of immunotherapy and provides a favorable environment for tumor growth and progression. Therefore, overcoming the immunosuppressive TME can potentially augment the therapeutic effects of cancer immunotherapy in general and therapeutic cancer vaccines in particular. Among the strategies developed for overcoming immunosuppression in TME, the use of toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists has been suggested as a promising approach to reverse immunosuppression. In this paper, we will review the application of the four most widely studied TLR agonists including agonists of TLR3, 4, 7, and 9 in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Rostamizadeh
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Medical Science, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Ommoleila Molavi
- Biotechnology Research Centre, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mohsen Rashid
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Medical Science, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Ramazani
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Medical Science, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Behzad Baradaran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Afsaneh Lavasanaifar
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Raymond Lai
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
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Pulukuri AJ, Burt AJ, Opp LK, McDowell CM, Davaritouchaee M, Nielsen AE, Mancini RJ. Acquired Drug Resistance Enhances Imidazoquinoline Efflux by P-Glycoprotein. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14121292. [PMID: 34959691 PMCID: PMC8705394 DOI: 10.3390/ph14121292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Multidrug-Resistant (MDR) cancers attenuate chemotherapeutic efficacy through drug efflux, a process that transports drugs from within a cell to the extracellular space via ABC (ATP-Binding Cassette) transporters, including P-glycoprotein 1 (P-gp or ABCB1/MDR1). Conversely, Toll-Like Receptor (TLR) agonist immunotherapies modulate activity of tumor-infiltrating immune cells in local proximity to cancer cells and could, therefore, benefit from the enhanced drug efflux in MDR cancers. However, the effect of acquired drug resistance on TLR agonist efflux is largely unknown. We begin to address this by investigating P-gp mediated efflux of TLR 7/8 agonists. First, we used functionalized liposomes to determine that imidazoquinoline TLR agonists Imiquimod, Resiquimod, and Gardiquimod are substrates for P-gp. Interestingly, the least potent imidazoquinoline (Imiquimod) was the best P-gp substrate. Next, we compared imidazoquinoline efflux in MDR cancer cell lines with enhanced P-gp expression relative to parent cancer cell lines. Using P-gp competitive substrates and inhibitors, we observed that imidazoquinoline efflux occurs through P-gp and, for Imiquimod, is enhanced as a consequence of acquired drug resistance. This suggests that enhancing efflux susceptibility could be an important consideration in the rational design of next generation immunotherapies that modulate activity of tumor-infiltrating immune cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anunay J. Pulukuri
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA; (A.J.P.); (A.J.B.); (L.K.O.); (M.D.); (A.E.N.)
| | - Anthony J. Burt
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA; (A.J.P.); (A.J.B.); (L.K.O.); (M.D.); (A.E.N.)
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Larissa K. Opp
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA; (A.J.P.); (A.J.B.); (L.K.O.); (M.D.); (A.E.N.)
| | - Colin M. McDowell
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA;
| | - Maryam Davaritouchaee
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA; (A.J.P.); (A.J.B.); (L.K.O.); (M.D.); (A.E.N.)
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- The Gene & Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Amy E. Nielsen
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA; (A.J.P.); (A.J.B.); (L.K.O.); (M.D.); (A.E.N.)
| | - Rock J. Mancini
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA; (A.J.P.); (A.J.B.); (L.K.O.); (M.D.); (A.E.N.)
- The Gene & Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
- Correspondence:
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5
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Cokan A, Pakiž M, Serdinšek T, Dovnik A, Kodrič T, Repše Fokter A, Kavalar R, But I. Comparison of Conservative Treatment of Cervical Intraepithelial Lesions with Imiquimod with Standard Excisional Technique Using LLETZ: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Clin Med 2021; 10:5777. [PMID: 34945073 PMCID: PMC8706260 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10245777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: There are limited data on the success of conservative treatment of high-grade cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) with imiquimod directly compared to standard of treatment with LLETZ. (2) Methods: Patients aged 18-40 with histological HSIL (with high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, CIN2p16+ and CIN3), were randomly assigned to treatment with imiquimod or LLETZ. The primary outcome was defined as the absence of HSIL after either treatment modality. The secondary outcomes were the occurrence of side effects. (3) Results: 52 patients were allocated in each group and were similar regarding baseline characteristics. In the imiquimod group, 82.7% of patients completed treatment, which was successful in 51.9%. All patients in the LLETZ group completed treatment, which was successful in 92.3% (p < 0.001). In the subgroup of CIN2p16+ patients, treatment with imiquimod was not inferior to LLETZ (73.9% vs. 84.2%, p = 0.477). During and after treatment, no cases of progression to cancer were observed. Side effects and severe side effects (local and systemic) were more prevalent in the imiquimod than in the LLETZ group (88.5% vs. 44.2% (p-value < 0.001) and 51.9% vs. 13.5% (p-value < 0.001), respectively). (4) Conclusion: Generally, in patients with HSIL, LLETZ remains the gold standard of treatment. However, in a subgroup analysis of patients with CIN2p16+, the success rate was comparable between the two treatment modalities. Due to the prevalence of side effects, the treatment compliance with imiquimod use may, however, present a clinically important issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrej Cokan
- Department for Gynaecological and Breast Oncology, University Medical Centre Maribor, Ljubljanska Ulica 5, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (M.P.); (A.D.); (T.K.)
| | - Maja Pakiž
- Department for Gynaecological and Breast Oncology, University Medical Centre Maribor, Ljubljanska Ulica 5, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (M.P.); (A.D.); (T.K.)
| | - Tamara Serdinšek
- Department for General Gynaecology and Urogynaecology, University Medical Centre Maribor, Ljubljanska Ulica 5, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (T.S.); (I.B.)
| | - Andraž Dovnik
- Department for Gynaecological and Breast Oncology, University Medical Centre Maribor, Ljubljanska Ulica 5, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (M.P.); (A.D.); (T.K.)
| | - Tatjana Kodrič
- Department for Gynaecological and Breast Oncology, University Medical Centre Maribor, Ljubljanska Ulica 5, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (M.P.); (A.D.); (T.K.)
| | - Alenka Repše Fokter
- Medical Faculty Maribor, Taborska Ulica 8, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia;
- General Hospital Celje, Oblakova Ulica 5, 3000 Celje, Slovenia
| | - Rajko Kavalar
- Department for Pathology, University Medical Centre Maribor, Ljubljanska Ulica 5, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia;
| | - Igor But
- Department for General Gynaecology and Urogynaecology, University Medical Centre Maribor, Ljubljanska Ulica 5, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (T.S.); (I.B.)
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GDF15 promotes glioma stem cell-like phenotype via regulation of ERK1/2-c-Fos-LIF signaling. Cell Death Discov 2021; 7:3. [PMID: 33431816 PMCID: PMC7801449 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-020-00395-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15), a member of the transforming growth factor β family, is associated with tumor progression, metastasis, and cell apoptosis. However, controversy persists regarding the role of GDF15 in different tumor types, and its function in glioma stem cells (GSCs) remains unknown. Here, we report that GDF15 promotes the GSC-like phenotype in GSC-like cells (GSCLCs) through the activation of leukemia inhibitor factor (LIF)–STAT3 signaling. Mechanistically, GDF15 was found to upregulate expression of the transcription factor c-Fos, which binds to the LIF promoter, leading to enhanced transcription of LIF in GSCLCs. Furthermore, GDF15 may activate the ERK1/2 signaling pathway in GSCLCs, and the upregulation of LIF expression and the GSC-like phenotype was dependent on ERK1/2 signaling. In addition, the small immunomodulator imiquimod induced GDF15 expression, which in turn activated the LIF–STAT3 pathway and subsequently promoted the GSC-like phenotype in GSCLCs. Thus, our results demonstrate that GDF15 can act as a proliferative and pro-stemness factor for GSCs, and therefore, it may represent a potential therapeutic target in glioma treatment.
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7
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Chakravarty D, Huang L, Kahn M, Tewari AK. Immunotherapy for Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Current and Emerging Treatment Options. Urol Clin North Am 2020; 47:487-510. [PMID: 33008499 DOI: 10.1016/j.ucl.2020.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The advent of immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment. Prostate cancer has an immunosuppressive microenvironment and a low tumor mutation burden, resulting in low neoantigen expression. The consensus was that immunotherapy would be less effective in prostate cancer. However, recent studies have reported that prostate cancer does have a high number of DNA damage and repair gene defects. Immunotherapies that have been tested in prostate cancer so far have been mainly vaccines and checkpoint inhibitors. A combination of genomically targeted therapies, with approaches to alleviate immune response and thereby make the tumor microenvironment immunologically hot, is promising.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimple Chakravarty
- Department of Urology and the Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
| | - Li Huang
- Department of Urology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA; Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Matthew Kahn
- Department of Urology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ashutosh K Tewari
- Department of Urology and the Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
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8
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Singh V, Bhoir S, Chikhale RV, Hussain J, Dwyer D, Bryce RA, Kirubakaran S, De Benedetti A. Generation of Phenothiazine with Potent Anti-TLK1 Activity for Prostate Cancer Therapy. iScience 2020; 23:101474. [PMID: 32905878 PMCID: PMC7486443 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Through in vitro kinase assays and docking studies, we report the synthesis and biological evaluation of a phenothiazine analog J54 with potent TLK1 inhibitory activity for prostate cancer (PCa) therapy. Most PCa deaths result from progressive failure in standard androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), leading to metastatic castration-resistant PCa. Treatments that can suppress the conversion to mCRPC have high potential to be rapidly implemented in the clinics. ADT results in increased expression of TLK1B, a key kinase upstream of NEK1 and ATR and mediating the DNA damage response that typically results in temporary cell-cycle arrest of androgen-responsive PCa cells, whereas its abrogation leads to apoptosis. We studied J54 as a potent inhibitor of this axis and as a mediator of apoptosis in vitro and in LNCaP xenografts, which has potential for clinical investigation in combination with ADT. J54 has low affinity for the dopamine receptor in modeling and competition studies and weak detrimental behavioral effects in mice and C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vibha Singh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, USA
| | - Siddhant Bhoir
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, India
| | - Rupesh V. Chikhale
- Division of Pharmacy & Optometry, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Javeena Hussain
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, India
| | - Donard Dwyer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, USA
| | - Richard A. Bryce
- Division of Pharmacy & Optometry, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Sivapriya Kirubakaran
- Department of Biological Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, India
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, India
| | - Arrigo De Benedetti
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, USA
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9
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Lee HJ, Kang SJ, Woo Y, Hahn TW, Ko HJ, Jung YJ. TLR7 Stimulation With Imiquimod Induces Selective Autophagy and Controls Mycobacterium tuberculosis Growth in Mouse Macrophages. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1684. [PMID: 32765474 PMCID: PMC7380068 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a lysosomal self-digestion pathway that maintains internal homeostasis inside cells and critical process by which the innate immune system eliminates intracellular bacteria. In this study, we showed that stimulation of toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) with imiquimod (IMQ) triggered autophagic cell death in macrophages by enhancing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via the p38- or MEK/ERK1/2-mediated signaling pathway in the early phase. IMQ significantly increased mitochondrial ROS and targeted autophagosomes to the mitochondria. Stimulation of TLR7 with IMQ enhanced the expression of BNIP3, which was localized to mitochondria and interacted with beclin-1, leading to mitophagy. In addition, IMQ substantially induced NO production through the GSK-3β-mediated signaling pathway, which led to autophagy in the late stage. We further examined whether the induction of autophagy by IMQ effectively eliminated intracellular microbes. Macrophages were infected with a virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) strain, H37Rv, and then treated with IMQ. IMQ suppressed intracellular Mtb growth by inducing autophagy in a dose-dependent manner and increased NO production. Inhibition of autophagy using 3-methyladenine (3-MA) prevented autophagosome formation and control of intracellular Mtb growth in macrophages. These findings revealed a novel mechanism by which IMQ induces selective autophagy to promote intracellular killing machinery against Mtb infection in macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyo-Ji Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, South Korea.,Institute of Life Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, South Korea
| | - Su-Jin Kang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, South Korea
| | - Yunseo Woo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, South Korea.,Institute of Life Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, South Korea
| | - Tae-Wook Hahn
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, South Korea
| | - Hyun-Jeong Ko
- College of Pharmacy, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, South Korea
| | - Yu-Jin Jung
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, South Korea.,Institute of Life Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, South Korea
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10
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Agrawal YO, Mahajan UB, Mahajan HS, Ojha S. Methotrexate-Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carrier Gel Alleviates Imiquimod-Induced Psoriasis by Moderating Inflammation: Formulation, Optimization, Characterization, In-Vitro and In-Vivo Studies. Int J Nanomedicine 2020; 15:4763-4778. [PMID: 32753865 PMCID: PMC7354956 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s247007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Methotrexate exhibits poor cutaneous bioavailability and systemic side effects on topical administration, so there is an unmet need for a novel carrier and its optimized therapy. Methotrexate-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (MTXNLCs) were formulated and characterized to determine in vitro drug release and evaluate the role of MTXNLC gel in the topical treatment of psoriasis. METHODS A solvent diffusion technique was employed to prepare MTXNLCs, which was optimized using 32 full factorial designs. The mean diameter and surface morphology of MTXNLCs was evaluated. The crystallinity of lyophilized MTXNLCs was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). MTXNLCs were integrated in 1% w/w Carbopol 934 P gel base, and in vitro skin deposition studies in human cadaver skin (HCS) were carried out. RESULTS The optimized MTXNLCs were rod-shaped, with an average particle size of 253 ± 8.65 nm, a zeta potential of -26.4±0.86 mV, and EE of 54.00±1.49%. DSC and XRD data confirmed the formation of NLCs. Significantly higher deposition of MTX was found in HCS from MTXNLC gel (71.52 ±1.13%) as compared to MTX plain gel (38.48±0.96%). In vivo studies demonstrated significant improvement in therapeutic response and reduction in local side effects with MTXNLCs-loaded gel in the topical treatment of psoriasis. Anti-psoriatic efficacy of MTXNLCs 100 ug/cm2 compared with plain MTX gel was evaluated using imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis in BALB/c mice. The topical application of MTXNLCs to the mouse ear resulted in a significant reduction of psoriatic area and severity index, oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines like TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 and IMQ-induced histopathological alterations in mouse ear samples. CONCLUSION Developed formulation of MTXNLC gel demonstrated better anti-psoriatic activity and also displayed prolonged and sustained release effect, which shows that it can be a promising alternative to existing MTX formulation for the treatment of psoriasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yogeeta O Agrawal
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Quality Assurance, R. C. Patel Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Shirpur, Maharashtra425405, India
| | - Umesh B Mahajan
- Department of Pharmacology, R. C. Patel Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Shirpur, Maharashtra425405, India
| | - Hitendra S Mahajan
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Quality Assurance, R. C. Patel Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Shirpur, Maharashtra425405, India
| | - Shreesh Ojha
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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Ryan AT, Pulukuri AJ, Davaritouchaee M, Abbasi A, Hendricksen AT, Opp LK, Burt AJ, Nielsen AE, Mancini RJ. Comparing the immunogenicity of glycosidase-directed resiquimod prodrugs mediated by cancer cell metabolism. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2020; 41:995-1004. [PMID: 32451412 PMCID: PMC7470892 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-020-0432-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We have recently developed an enzyme-directed immunostimulant (EDI) prodrug motif, which is metabolized to active immunostimulant by cancer cells and, following drug efflux, activates nearby immune cells, resulting in immunogenicity. In this study, we synthesized several EDI prodrugs featuring an imidazoquinoline immunostimulant resiquimod (a Toll-like receptor 7/8 agonist) covalently modified with glycosidase enzyme-directing groups selected from substrates of β-glucuronidase, α-mannosidase, or β-galactosidase. We compared the glycosidase-dependent immunogenicity elicited by each EDI in RAW-Blue macrophages following conversion to active immunostimulant by complementary glycosidase. At a cellular level, we examined EDI metabolism across three cancer cell lines (B16 melanoma, TC2 prostate, and 4T1 breast cancer). Comparing the relative immunogenicity elicited by each EDI/cancer cell combination, we found that B16 cells produced the highest EDI prodrug immunogenicity, achieving >95% of that elicited by unmodified resiquimod, followed by TC2 and 4T1 cells (40% and 30%, respectively). Immunogenicity elicited was comparable for a given cell type and independent of the glycosidase substrate in the EDIs or differences in functional glycosidase activity between cell lines. Measuring drug efflux of the immunostimulant payload and efflux protein expression revealed that EDI/cancer cell-mediated immunogenicity was governed by efflux potential of the cancer cells. We determined that, following EDI conversion, immunostimulant efflux occurred through both P-glycoprotein-dependent and P-glycoprotein-independent transport mechanisms. Overall, this study highlights the broad ability of EDIs to couple immunogenicity to the metabolism of many cancers that exhibit drug efflux and suggests that designing future generations of EDIs with immunostimulant payloads that are optimized for drug efflux could be particularly beneficial.
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Kokcu A, Alper T, Ogur G, Akar OS, Kurtoglu Ozdes E, Altunkaynak BZ. Imiquimod Inhibits Proliferation of Serous Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Cells In Vitro: A Preliminary Study. INDIAN JOURNAL OF GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40944-020-00390-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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13
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Patinote C, Karroum NB, Moarbess G, Cirnat N, Kassab I, Bonnet PA, Deleuze-Masquéfa C. Agonist and antagonist ligands of toll-like receptors 7 and 8: Ingenious tools for therapeutic purposes. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 193:112238. [PMID: 32203790 PMCID: PMC7173040 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of the TLRs family and more precisely its functions opened a variety of gates to modulate immunological host responses. TLRs 7/8 are located in the endosomal compartment and activate a specific signaling pathway in a MyD88-dependant manner. According to their involvement into various autoimmune, inflammatory and malignant diseases, researchers have designed diverse TLRs 7/8 ligands able to boost or block the inherent signal transduction. These modulators are often small synthetic compounds and most act as agonists and to a much lesser extent as antagonists. Some of them have reached preclinical and clinical trials, and only one has been approved by the FDA and EMA, imiquimod. The key to the success of these modulators probably lies in their combination with other therapies as recently demonstrated. We gather in this review more than 360 scientific publications, reviews and patents, relating the extensive work carried out by researchers on the design of TLRs 7/8 modulators, which are classified firstly by their biological activities (agonist or antagonist) and then by their chemical structures, which total syntheses are not discussed here. This review also reports about 90 clinical cases, thereby showing the biological interest of these modulators in multiple pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Patinote
- IBMM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France.
| | - Nour Bou Karroum
- IBMM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France; Tumorigenèse et Pharmacologie Antitumorale, Lebanese University, EDST, BP 90656, Fanar Jdeideh, Lebanon
| | - Georges Moarbess
- Tumorigenèse et Pharmacologie Antitumorale, Lebanese University, EDST, BP 90656, Fanar Jdeideh, Lebanon
| | - Natalina Cirnat
- IBMM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France
| | - Issam Kassab
- Tumorigenèse et Pharmacologie Antitumorale, Lebanese University, EDST, BP 90656, Fanar Jdeideh, Lebanon
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Frank LA, Gazzi RP, Mello PA, Chaves P, Peña F, Beck RCR, Buffon A, Pohlmann AR, Guterres SS. Anti-HPV Nanoemulsified-Imiquimod: A New and Potent Formulation to Treat Cervical Cancer. AAPS PharmSciTech 2020; 21:54. [PMID: 31907712 DOI: 10.1208/s12249-019-1558-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer is associated with the human papilloma virus (HPV) and nowadays is the fourth most frequent cancer among women. One of the treatments for this disease is based on the application of imiquimod. In this study, we postulated that the use of imiquimod in nanoemulsion results in a better antitumoral effect than the drug administered in its nonencapsulated form for the treatment of cervical cancer. Permeability studies using vaginal mucosa, as membrane, and in vitro studies involving cervical cancer cells (viability, clonogenic assay, and cell death analysis) were performed. We showed that low amount of encapsulated imiquimod permeated the vaginal mucosa. However, a higher percentage of cells died after the treatment with low amount (3.0 μmol L-1) of the formulation compared to the free drug. In addition, the innovative formulation presented a combinatory mechanism of cell death involving autophagy and apoptosis. Our results demonstrate that the imiquimod-loaded nanoemulsioncan be an alternative product for the treatment of cervical cancer validating the hypothesis.
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Novel Thienopyrimidine Derivative, RP-010, Induces β-Catenin Fragmentation and Is Efficacious against Prostate Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11050711. [PMID: 31126091 PMCID: PMC6563099 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11050711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Thienopyrimidines containing a thiophene ring fused to pyrimidine are reported to have a wide-spectrum of anticancer efficacy in vitro. Here, we report for the first time that thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine-based compounds, also known as the RP series, have efficacy in prostate cancer cells. The compound RP-010 was efficacious against both PC-3 and DU145 prostate cancer (PC) cells (IC50 < 1 µM). The cytotoxicity of RP-010 was significantly lower in non-PC, CHO, and CRL-1459 cell lines. RP-010 (0.5, 1, 2, and 4 µM) arrested prostate cancer cells in G2 phase of the cell cycle, and induced mitotic catastrophe and apoptosis in both PC cell lines. Mechanistic studies suggested that RP-010 (1 and 2 µM) affected the wingless-type MMTV (Wnt)/β-catenin signaling pathway, in association with β-catenin fragmentation, while also downregulating important proteins in the pathway, including LRP-6, DVL3, and c-Myc. Interestingly, RP-010 (1 and 2 µM) induced nuclear translocation of the negative feedback proteins, Naked 1 and Naked 2, in the Wnt pathway. In addition, RP-010 (0.5, 1, 2 and 4 µM) significantly decreased the migration of PC cells in vitro. Finally, RP-010 did not produce significant toxic effects in zebrafish at concentrations of up to 6 µM. In conclusion, RP-010 may be an efficacious and relatively nontoxic anticancer compound for prostate cancer. Future mechanistic and in vivo efficacy studies are needed to optimize the hit compound RP-010 for lead optimization and clinical use.
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16
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Imiquimod-loaded nanocapsules improve cytotoxicity in cervical cancer cell line. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2019; 136:9-17. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2019.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Revised: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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17
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Guinn ZP, Petro TM. IFN-γ synergism with poly I:C reduces growth of murine and human cancer cells with simultaneous changes in cell cycle and immune checkpoint proteins. Cancer Lett 2018; 438:1-9. [PMID: 30205169 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2018.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Previously, we reported that IFN-γ and poly I:C, a TLR3 Pattern Recognition Receptor (PRR) agonist, reduces growth of and induces Cleaved-Caspase-3, ISG54 and p27Kip in B16 melanoma cells. Here, analysis of IFN-γ/PRR synergism was expanded with UM-SCC1 and UM-SCC38 human squamous carcinoma cells and other PRR agonists. As in B16 cells, poly I:C plus IFN-γ synergism reduced UM-SCC1 and UM-SCC38 growth, and no more than 24 h was needed for significant growth reduction. IFN-γ synergism to stem B16 growth also occurred with TLR7, TLR9, TLR4, and STING agonists, but not TLR2 agonist. IFN-γ synergized with TLR3 and TLR4 agonists reducing UM-SCC1 growth, and with TLR7 and TLR3 agonists reducing UM-SCC38 growth. IFN-γ plus poly I:C, which had the most pronounced effect, decreased cyclin-D1, increased G1 cell cycle arrest, and increased Cleaved caspase-3 in B16 cells, as well as RAW264.7, a virus-transformed murine macrophage cell line. Finally, IFN-γ plus poly I:C modulated total but not cell surface expression of immune checkpoint protein PD-L1, as well as cell cycle checkpoint proteins in B16 cells. Thus IFN-γ plus poly I:C, and other PRR agonists, may well be effective adjuvants to cancer immunotherapy against several tumor cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary P Guinn
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA
| | - Thomas M Petro
- Nebraska Center for Virology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA; Department of Oral Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA.
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Bocanegra Gondan AI, Ruiz-de-Angulo A, Zabaleta A, Gómez Blanco N, Cobaleda-Siles BM, García-Granda MJ, Padro D, Llop J, Arnaiz B, Gato M, Escors D, Mareque-Rivas JC. Effective cancer immunotherapy in mice by polyIC-imiquimod complexes and engineered magnetic nanoparticles. Biomaterials 2018; 170:95-115. [PMID: 29656235 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Encouraging results are emerging from systems that exploit Toll like receptor (TLR) signaling, nanotechnology, checkpoint inhibition and molecular imaging for cancer immunotherapy. A major remaining challenge is developing effective, durable and tumour-specific immune responses without systemic toxicity. Here, we report a simple and versatile system based on synergistic activation of immune responses and direct cancer cell killing by combined TLR ligation using polyIC as TLR3 and imiquimod (R837) as TLR7 agonist, in combination with the model antigen ovalbumin (OVA) and phospholipid micelles loaded with zinc-doped iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). The combination of TLR agonists triggered a strong innate immune response in the lymph nodes (LNs) without systemic release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The vaccines showed excellent efficacy against aggressive B16-F10 melanoma cells expressing OVA, which was improved with immune checkpoint abrogation of the immunosuppressive programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) at the level of the cancer cells. By magnetic resonance (MR) and nuclear imaging we could track the vaccine migration from the site of injection to LNs and tumour. Overall, we show this synergistic TLR agonists and their combination with MNPs and immune checkpoint blockade to have considerable potential for preclinical and clinical development of vaccines for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Daniel Padro
- CIC biomaGUNE, Paseo Miramón 182, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Jordi Llop
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Blanca Arnaiz
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011 Bilbao, Spain
| | - María Gato
- Department of Oncology, Navarrabiomed-Biomedical Research Centre, Fundación Miguel Servet, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - David Escors
- Department of Oncology, Navarrabiomed-Biomedical Research Centre, Fundación Miguel Servet, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Juan C Mareque-Rivas
- CIC biomaGUNE, Paseo Miramón 182, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain; IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011 Bilbao, Spain; Department of Chemistry and Centre for NanoHealth, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK.
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Villamón E, González-Fernández J, Such E, Cervera JV, Gozalbo D, Luisa Gil M. Imiquimod inhibits growth and induces differentiation of myeloid leukemia cell lines. Cancer Cell Int 2018; 18:15. [PMID: 29422777 PMCID: PMC5791367 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-018-0515-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The antitumoral effects of different Toll-like receptor (TLRs) agonists is mediated by activating immune responses to suppress tumors growth, although TLR ligands may also have a direct effect on tumoral cells. Given that TLR signaling induces hematopoietic cell differentiations this may serve as a novel differentiation therapeutic approach for AML. Methods We investigated the effects of agonists for the ten human TLRs on the proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle and differentiation of ten different types of myeloid leukemia cell lines (HL-60, U-937, KG-1, KG-1a, K-562, Kasumi-1, EOL-1, NB4, MOLM-13 and HEL). Proliferation was measured using the CellTiter 96® Aqueous One Solution Cell Proliferation Assay (Promega). Staining and analysis with a flow cytometer was used to identify cell cycle progression and apoptosis. Differentiation was measured by staining cells with the EuroFlow™ antibody panel for AML and analyzed by flow cytometry. FlowJo software was used to analyze the cytometric data. In all experiments, statistical significance was determined by a two-tailed t test. Results The activation of particular TLRs on some cell lines can induce growth inhibition and Imiquimod (a TLR 7 agonist) was the most effective agonist in all leukemic cell lines examined. Imiquimod was able to induce apoptosis, as well as to induce cell cycle alteration and upregulation of myeloid differentiation markers on some of the cell lines tested. Conclusions Our results, together with the known efficacy of Imiquimod against many tumor entities, suggest that Imiquimod can be a potential alternative therapy to AML. This drug has a direct cytotoxic effect on leukemic cells, has the potential to induce differentiation, and can also stimulate the activation of cellular immune responses anti-AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Villamón
- 1Department of Hematology, University Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Esperanza Such
- 1Department of Hematology, University Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Daniel Gozalbo
- 2Departamento de Microbiología y Ecología, Universitat de València, Burjasot, Spain.,3Estructura de Recerca Interdisciplinar en Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (ERI BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Burjasot, Spain
| | - M Luisa Gil
- 2Departamento de Microbiología y Ecología, Universitat de València, Burjasot, Spain.,3Estructura de Recerca Interdisciplinar en Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (ERI BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Burjasot, Spain
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Courbet A, Bec N, Constant C, Larroque C, Pugniere M, El Messaoudi S, Zghaib Z, Khier S, Deleuze-Masquefa C, Gattacceca F. Imidazoquinoxaline anticancer derivatives and imiquimod interact with tubulin: Characterization of molecular microtubule inhibiting mechanisms in correlation with cytotoxicity. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0182022. [PMID: 28797090 PMCID: PMC5552358 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Displaying a strong antiproliferative activity on a wide variety of cancer cells, EAPB0203 and EAPB0503 belong to the imidazo[1,2-a]quinoxalines family of imiquimod structural analogues. EAPB0503 has been shown to inhibit tubulin polymerization. The aim of the present study is to characterize the interaction of EAPB0203 and EAPB0503 with tubulin. We combine experimental approaches at the cellular and the molecular level both in vitro and in silico in order to evaluate the interaction of EAPB0203 and EAPB0503 with tubulin. We examine the influence of EAPB0203 and EAPB0503 on the cell cycle and fate, explore the binding interaction with purified tubulin, and use a computational molecular docking model to determine the binding modes to the microtubule. We then use a drug combination study with other anti-microtubule agents to compare the binding site of EAPB0203 and EAPB0503 to known potent tubulin inhibitors. We demonstrate that EAPB0203 and EAPB0503 are capable of blocking human melanoma cells in G2 and M phases and inducing cell death and apoptosis. Second, we show that EAPB0203 and EAPB0503, but also unexpectedly imiquimod, bind directly to purified tubulin and inhibit tubulin polymerization. As suggested by molecular docking and binding competition studies, we identify the colchicine binding site on β-tubulin as the interaction pocket. Furthermore, we find that EAPB0203, EAPB0503 and imiquimod display antagonistic cytotoxic effect when combined with colchicine, and disrupt tubulin network in human melanoma cells. We conclude that EAPB0203, EAPB0503, as well as imiquimod, interact with tubulin through the colchicine binding site, and that the cytotoxic activity of EAPB0203, EAPB0503 and imiquimod is correlated to their tubulin inhibiting effect. These compounds appear as interesting anticancer drug candidates as suggested by their activity and mechanism of action, and deserve further investigation for their use in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Courbet
- University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Department of Biochemistry & Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Nicole Bec
- University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Caroline Constant
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
| | - Christian Larroque
- University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Martine Pugniere
- University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Safia El Messaoudi
- University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Zahraa Zghaib
- IBMM, Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, UMR 5247, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Sonia Khier
- University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Carine Deleuze-Masquefa
- IBMM, Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, UMR 5247, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Florence Gattacceca
- University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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Turbocharging vaccines: emerging adjuvants for dendritic cell based therapeutic cancer vaccines. Curr Opin Immunol 2017; 47:35-43. [PMID: 28732279 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2017.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Development of therapeutic cancer vaccines has been hindered by the many pro-tumorigenic mechanisms at play in cancer patients that serve to suppress both antigen presenting cells and T cells. In face of these obstacles, cancer vaccines are most likely to promote anti-tumorigenic immune responses only when formulated with strong adjuvants, and in combination with new immune interventions designed to reverse immune suppression and exhaustion of T cells in the tumor microenvironment. Dendritic cells (DCs) are often termed 'nature's adjuvant' due to their exceptional capacity for initiating both innate and adaptive immune responses. Hence, the past decade has witnessed a flurry of activity in testing DC based immunotherapies for cancer intervention. In this review we will discuss advances in conventional adjuvants and provide insight into new adjuvants as they pertain to DC cancer therapy.
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Chi H, Li C, Zhao FS, Zhang L, Ng TB, Jin G, Sha O. Anti-tumor Activity of Toll-Like Receptor 7 Agonists. Front Pharmacol 2017; 8:304. [PMID: 28620298 PMCID: PMC5450331 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a class of pattern recognition receptors that play a bridging role in innate immunity and adaptive immunity. The activated TLRs not only induce inflammatory responses, but also elicit the development of antigen specific immunity. TLR7, a member of TLR family, is an intracellular receptor expressed on the membrane of endosomes. TLR7 can be triggered not only by ssRNA during viral infections, but also by immune modifiers that share a similar structure to nucleosides. Its powerful immune stimulatory action can be potentially used in the anti-tumor therapy. This article reviewed the anti-tumor activity and mechanism of TLR7 agonists that are frequently applied in preclinical and clinical investigations, and mainly focused on small synthetic molecules, including imiquimod, resiquimod, gardiquimod, and 852A, etc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huju Chi
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shenzhen University Health Science CentreShenzhen, China
| | - Chunman Li
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shenzhen University Health Science CentreShenzhen, China
| | - Flora Sha Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Physiology and Neurology, University of ConnecticutStorrs, CT, United States
| | - Tzi Bun Ng
- Departmet of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, The Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Guangyi Jin
- Department of Pharmacy, Shenzhen University Health Science CentreShenzhen, China
| | - Ou Sha
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shenzhen University Health Science CentreShenzhen, China
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Yothaisong S, Dokduang H, Anzai N, Hayashi K, Namwat N, Yongvanit P, Sangkhamanon S, Jutabha P, Endou H, Loilome W. Inhibition of l-type amino acid transporter 1 activity as a new therapeutic target for cholangiocarcinoma treatment. Tumour Biol 2017; 39:1010428317694545. [PMID: 28347255 DOI: 10.1177/1010428317694545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Unlike normal cells, cancer cells undergo unlimited growth and multiplication, causing them to require massive amounts of amino acid to support their continuous metabolism. Among the amino acid transporters expressed on the plasma membrane, l-type amino acid transporter-1, a Na+-independent neutral amino acid transporter, is highly expressed in many types of human cancer including cholangiocarcinoma. Our previous study reported that l-type amino acid transporter-1 and its co-functional protein CD98 were highly expressed and implicated in cholangiocarcinoma progression and carcinogenesis. Therefore, this study determined the effect of JPH203, a selective inhibitor of l-type amino acid transporter-1 activity, on cholangiocarcinoma cell inhibition both in vitro and in vivo. JPH203 dramatically suppressed [14C]l-leucine uptake as well as cell growth in cholangiocarcinoma cell lines along with altering the expression of l-type amino acid transporter-1 and CD98 in response to amino acid depletion. We also demonstrated that JPH203 induced both G2/M and G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, as well as reduced the S phase accompanied by altered expression of the proteins in cell cycle progression: cyclin D1, CDK4, and CDK6. There was also cell cycle arrest of the related proteins, P21 and P27, in KKU-055 and KKU-213 cholangiocarcinoma cells. Apoptosis induction, detected by an increase in trypan blue-stained cells along with a cleaved caspase-3/caspase-3 ratio, occurred in JPH203-treated cholangiocarcinoma cells at the highest concentration tested (100 µM). As expected, daily intravenous administration of JPH203 (12.5 and 25 mg/kg) significantly inhibited tumor growth in KKU-213 cholangiocarcinoma cell xenografts in the nude mice model in a dose-dependent manner with no statistically significant change in the animal's body weight and with no differences in the histology and appearance of the internal organs compared with the control group. Our study demonstrates that suppression of l-type amino acid transporter-1 activity using JPH203 might be used as a new therapeutic strategy for cholangiocarcinoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Supak Yothaisong
- 1 Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.,2 Liver Fluke and Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.,3 Cholangiocarcinoma Screening and Care Program (CASCAP), Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Hasaya Dokduang
- 2 Liver Fluke and Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.,3 Cholangiocarcinoma Screening and Care Program (CASCAP), Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Naohiko Anzai
- 4 Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Keitaro Hayashi
- 5 Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Japan
| | - Nisana Namwat
- 1 Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.,2 Liver Fluke and Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.,3 Cholangiocarcinoma Screening and Care Program (CASCAP), Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Puangrat Yongvanit
- 1 Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.,2 Liver Fluke and Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.,3 Cholangiocarcinoma Screening and Care Program (CASCAP), Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Sakkarn Sangkhamanon
- 6 Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Promsuk Jutabha
- 5 Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Japan
| | | | - Watcharin Loilome
- 1 Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.,2 Liver Fluke and Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.,3 Cholangiocarcinoma Screening and Care Program (CASCAP), Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
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24
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Teng SE, Dion GR, Sin DN, Hiwatashi N, Benedict PA, Amin MR, Branski RC. Imiquimod Injection to Rabbit Vocal Folds: A Preliminary, Preclinical Investigation. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2017; 156:702-705. [PMID: 28171734 DOI: 10.1177/0194599816689585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Objective Given the recalcitrant nature of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, targeted therapies to reduce disease burden are fundamental to improved patient care paradigms. We seek to demonstrate the safety of imiquimod injection into vocal fold mucosa by evaluating the degree of laryngeal edema, histopathologic changes to vocal fold structure, and serologic interferon α (IFNα) levels following injection. Study Design Preclinical. Setting Academic institution. Subjects and Methods Six New Zealand White rabbits underwent unilateral injection of 100 µg of sterile imiquimod (1 µg/µL), with 100 µL of normal saline injected into the contralateral vocal fold. Direct laryngoscopy was performed on days 3, 7, and 30 following injection. Larynges from 3 rabbits were harvested on postinjection day 7 for histologic analysis. The remaining 3 rabbit larynges were harvested on day 30. Serial serum samples were drawn for IFNα quantification via immunoassay. Results No signs of respiratory distress were observed at any point. Vocal fold appearance was not clinically divergent between imiquimod and control conditions via serial direct laryngoscopic evaluation. No inflammatory lesions or scarring were identified following injection. Histology showed no signs of acute inflammatory processes or changes in the control or imiquimod injection groups. Serum IFNα increased at days 3 and 7 following imiquimod injection ( P < .0001 and P = .0368, respectively), before returning to baseline by day 14. Conclusions Vocal fold imiquimod injection did not result in notable morbidity in this preclinical model. However, serum IFNα concentrations increased transiently. These data are critical to advance the therapeutic utility of this compound, particularly in the setting of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie E Teng
- 1 NYU Voice Center, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Gregory R Dion
- 1 NYU Voice Center, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Danielle N Sin
- 1 NYU Voice Center, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Nao Hiwatashi
- 1 NYU Voice Center, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Peter A Benedict
- 1 NYU Voice Center, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Milan R Amin
- 1 NYU Voice Center, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ryan C Branski
- 1 NYU Voice Center, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, New York, USA
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25
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The Immunomodulatory Small Molecule Imiquimod Induces Apoptosis in Devil Facial Tumour Cell Lines. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0168068. [PMID: 27936237 PMCID: PMC5148113 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The survival of the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) is threatened by devil facial tumour disease (DFTD). This transmissible cancer is usually fatal, and no successful treatments have been developed. In human studies, the small immunomodulatory molecule imiquimod is a successful immunotherapy, activating anti-tumour immunity via stimulation of toll-like receptor-7 (TLR7) signaling pathways. In addition, imiquimod is a potent inducer of apoptosis in human tumour cell lines via TLR7 independent mechanisms. Here we investigate the potential of imiquimod as a DFTD therapy through analysis of treated DFTD cell lines and Tasmanian devil fibroblasts. WST-8 proliferation assays and annexin V apoptosis assays were performed to monitor apoptosis, and changes to the expression of pro- and anti-apoptotic genes were analysed using qRT-PCR. Our results show that DFTD cell lines, but not Tasmanian devil fibroblasts, are sensitive to imiquimod-induced apoptosis in a time and concentration dependent manner. Induction of apoptosis was accompanied by down-regulation of the anti-apoptotic BCL2 and BCLXL genes, and up-regulation of the pro-apoptotic BIM gene. Continuous imiquimod treatment was required for these effects to occur. These results demonstrate that imiquimod can deregulate DFTD cell growth and survival in direct and targeted manner. In vivo, this may increase DFTD vulnerability to imiquimod-induced TLR7-mediated immune responses. Our findings have improved the current knowledge of imiquimod action in tumour cells for application to both DFTD and human cancer therapy.
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Almomen A, Jarboe EA, Dodson MK, Peterson CM, Owen SC, Janát-Amsbury MM. Imiquimod Induces Apoptosis in Human Endometrial Cancer Cells In vitro and Prevents Tumor Progression In vivo. Pharm Res 2016; 33:2209-17. [PMID: 27245465 PMCID: PMC4967407 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-016-1957-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The increasing incidence of endometrial cancer (EC), in younger age at diagnosis, calls for new tissue-sparing treatment options. This work aims to evaluate the potential of imiquimod (IQ) in the treatment of low-grade EC. METHODS Effects of IQ on the viabilities of Ishikawa and HEC-1A cells were evaluated using MTT assay. The ability of IQ to induce apoptosis was evaluated by testing changes in caspase 3/7 levels and expression of cleaved caspase-3, using luminescence assay and western blot. Apoptosis was confirmed by flow cytometry and the expression of cleaved PARP. Western blot was used to evaluate the effect of IQ on expression levels of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, and BAX. Finally, the in vivo efficacy of IQ was tested in an EC mouse model. RESULTS There was a decrease in EC cell viability following IQ treatment as well as increased caspase 3/7 activities, cleaved caspase-3 expression, and Annexin-V/ 7AAD positive cell population. Western blot results showed the ability of IQ in cleaving PARP, decreasing Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL expressions, but not affecting BAX expression. In vivo study demonstrated IQ's ability to inhibit EC tumor growth and progression without significant toxicity. CONCLUSIONS IQ induces apoptosis in low-grade EC cells in vitro, probably through its direct effect on Bcl-2 family protein expression. In, vivo, IQ attenuates EC tumor growth and progression, without an obvious toxicity. Our study provides the first building block for the potential role of IQ in the non-surgical management of low-grades EC and encouraging further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliyah Almomen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Elke A Jarboe
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Mark K Dodson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA
| | - C Matthew Peterson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA
| | - Shawn C Owen
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Margit M Janát-Amsbury
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA.
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA.
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Linhardt A, König M, Schöfberger W, Brüggemann O, Andrianov AK, Teasdale I. Biodegradable Polyphosphazene Based Peptide-Polymer Hybrids. Polymers (Basel) 2016; 8:polym8040161. [PMID: 30979252 PMCID: PMC6432119 DOI: 10.3390/polym8040161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2016] [Revised: 04/13/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A novel series of peptide based hybrid polymers designed to undergo enzymatic degradation is presented, via macrosubstitution of a polyphosphazene backbone with the tetrapeptide Gly-Phe-Leu-Gly. Further co-substitution of the hybrid polymers with hydrophilic polyalkylene oxide Jeffamine M-1000 leads to water soluble and biodegradable hybrid polymers. Detailed degradation studies, via 31P NMR spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering and field flow fractionation show the polymers degrade via a combination of enzymatic, as well as hydrolytic pathways. The peptide sequence was chosen due to its known property to undergo lysosomal degradation; hence, these degradable, water soluble polymers could be of significant interest for the use as polymer therapeutics. In this context, we investigated conjugation of the immune response modifier imiquimod to the polymers via the tetrapeptide and report the self-assembly behavior of the conjugate, as well as its enzymatically triggered drug release behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Linhardt
- Institute of Polymer Chemistry, Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU), Altenberger Straße 69, A-4040 Linz, Austria.
| | - Michael König
- Institute of Polymer Chemistry, Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU), Altenberger Straße 69, A-4040 Linz, Austria.
| | - Wolfgang Schöfberger
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU), Altenberger Straße 69, A-4040 Linz, Austria.
| | - Oliver Brüggemann
- Institute of Polymer Chemistry, Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU), Altenberger Straße 69, A-4040 Linz, Austria.
| | - Alexander K Andrianov
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, 9600 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA.
| | - Ian Teasdale
- Institute of Polymer Chemistry, Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU), Altenberger Straße 69, A-4040 Linz, Austria.
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28
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Jiang J, Dong L, Shi HT, Guo XY, Qin B, Wang Y, Li H. Imiquimod inhibits the growth of SGC‑7901 cells in vitro through induction of autophagy and apoptosis. Mol Med Rep 2015; 13:393-7. [PMID: 26549648 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2015.4524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2014] [Accepted: 09/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Imiquimod, the most prominent Toll‑like receptor 7 agonist, has direct anti‑tumor activity and can induce autophagy and apoptosis in various types of human cancer. The aim of the present study was to examine the anti‑tumor effects of imiquimod and their underlying mechanisms in SGC‑7901 cells. Imiquimod exerted an inhibitory effect on cell proliferation in a dose‑ and time‑dependent manner as indicated by an MTT assay. Imiquimod induced autophagy as well as apoptosis, while simultaneous treatment with 3‑methyladenine (3-MA), an autophagy inhibitor, decreased the toxicity of imiquimod. Furthermore, blocking of autophagy by 3‑MA exerted an inhibitory effect on imiquimod-induced apoptosis, which indicated that autophagy can function as a mechanism which, upon activation, directly leads to apoptosis and cell death of SGC‑7901 cells. The results of the present study suggested that imiquimod has potent direct activity against gastric cancer cells by inducing autophagy and apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiong Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710003, P.R. China
| | - Lei Dong
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710003, P.R. China
| | - Hai-Tao Shi
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710003, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Yan Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710003, P.R. China
| | - Bin Qin
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710003, P.R. China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710003, P.R. China
| | - Hong Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710003, P.R. China
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29
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Zhao S, Zhang Y, Zhang Q, Wang F, Zhang D. Toll-like receptors and prostate cancer. Front Immunol 2014; 5:352. [PMID: 25101092 PMCID: PMC4107957 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2014.00352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2014] [Accepted: 07/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in men after lung cancer. Immune responses clearly play a critical role in the tumorigenesis and in the efficacy of radiation therapy and chemotherapy in prostate cancer; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still poorly understood. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a well-known family of pattern recognition receptors that play a key role in host immune system. Recent studies demonstrate that there are links between TLRs and cancer; however, the function and biological importance of TLRs in prostate cancer seems complex. To elucidate the role of TLRs and innate immunity in prostate cancer might provide us with a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of this disease. Moreover, utilizing the agonists or antagonists of TLRs might represent a promising new strategy against prostate cancer. In this review, we summarize recent advances on the studies of association between TLR signaling and prostate cancer, TLR polymorphisms and prostate cancer risk, and provide some insights about TLRs as potential targets for prostate cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Zhao
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center , Houston, TX , USA ; Department of Medical Oncology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Harbin Medical University , Harbin , China
| | - Yifan Zhang
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center , Houston, TX , USA
| | - Qingyuan Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Harbin Medical University , Harbin , China
| | - Fen Wang
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center , Houston, TX , USA
| | - Dekai Zhang
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center , Houston, TX , USA
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30
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Yu X, Wang Y, Zhao W, Zhou H, Yang W, Guan X. Toll-like receptor 7 promotes the apoptosis of THP-1-derived macrophages through the CHOP-dependent pathway. Int J Mol Med 2014; 34:886-93. [PMID: 24994112 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2014.1833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2013] [Accepted: 06/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Macrophage apoptosis is a prominent characteristic of advanced atherosclerotic plaques and leads to plaque destabilization. Certain studies have confirmed that influenza virus A (IVA) infection is related to acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, it remains unknown as to whether this phenomenon is associated with Toll-like receptor (TLR)7, since single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) of IVA is a natural ligand of TLR7. Thus, in the present study, THP-1‑derived macrophages were infected with IVA or treated with imiquimod (IMQ) in the presence or absence of pre-treatment with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL). The macrophages were pre-treated with oxLDL (5 µg/ml) for 24 h to mimic high lipid conditions. Cell viability and apoptosis were detected by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-y-1)‑2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Our results revealed that TLR7 played an important role in macrophage apoptosis and cytokine secretion. Both IVA infection and IMQ treatment increased TLR7 expression, as well as the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines [interleukin (IL)-6, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1] and apoptosis. However, this increase in cytokine secretion occurred independently of cell apoptosis. oxLDL had potential synergistic pro-apoptotic effects combined with TLR7 activation. To determine whether endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays a role in cell apoptosis, the mRNA and protein expression of known markers of ER stress [glucose-regulated protein (GRP)78 and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP)] was detected by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR), quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot analysis. Our results revealed that apoptosis aggravated ER stress, as shown by the overexpression of the pro-apoptotic sensor, CHOP. In conclusion, our study demonstrates the converging role of oxLDL pre-treatment, IVA infection and IMQ in ER stress-induced cell apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaochen Yu
- Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, P.R. China
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, P.R. China
| | - Wenhui Zhao
- Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, P.R. China
| | - Haizhou Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, P.R. China
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, P.R. China
| | - Xiuru Guan
- Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, P.R. China
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