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Chen P, Li Z, Li N. Establishment of a novel efferocytosis potential index predicts prognosis and immunotherapy response in cancers. Heliyon 2024; 10:e30337. [PMID: 38707349 PMCID: PMC11068824 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30337] [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: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The biological function and prognostic value of efferocytosis in cancer remains unclear. In this study, we systematically analysed the expression profiles and genetic variations of 50 efferocytosis-related regulator genes in 33 cancer types. Using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas, we established an efferocytosis potential index (EPI) model to represent the efferocytosis level in each cancer type. The relationship between the EPI and prognosis, immune-related molecules, specific pathways, and drug sensitivity was determined. We found that efferocytosis regulator genes were abnormally expressed in cancer tissue, perhaps owing to copy number variations, gene alterations, and DNA methylation. For the most part, the EPI was higher in tumour vs. normal tissues. In most of the 33 cancer types, it positively correlated with cell death- and immune-related pathway enrichment, the tumour microenvironment, immune infiltration, and drug sensitivity. For specific cancers, a high EPI may be a prognostic risk factor and, in patients treated receiving immune checkpoint therapy, a predictor of poor prognosis. Our study reveals the biological functions of efferocytosis-related regulator genes in distinct cancers and highlights the potential of efferocytosis intervention in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Chen
- Department of Orthopedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan Province, China
| | - Zhanzhan Li
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China
| | - Na Li
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China
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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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Domański P, Jarosińska J, Kruczyk B, Piętak M, Mydlak A, Demkow T, Kuncman Ł, Darewicz M, Sikora-Kupis B, Dumnicka P, Kucharz J. Activity of cabozantinib in further line treatment of metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Real-world experience in a single-center retrospective study. Contemp Oncol (Pozn) 2023; 27:190-197. [PMID: 38239858 PMCID: PMC10793615 DOI: 10.5114/wo.2023.133545] [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: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cabozantinib is an oral inhibitor of MET, AXL, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptors. It has an immunomodulatory effect and may influence the tumor's microenvironment and make mutated cells more sensitive to immune-mediated killing. These properties have made cabozantinib an effective drug for first-line or subsequent-line treatment after progression of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), even after immunotherapy. Material and methods Seventy-one patients with mRCC were treated with second or further lines of cabozantinib at the Department of Genitourinary Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology. This study retrospectively evaluated the effectiveness of cabozantinib in subsequent lines of treatment. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were the primary endpoints. The best overall response (BOR) to cabozantinib was the secondary endpoint. For this purpose, Cox's proportional hazard model was used. Results The median PFS was 11 months (5; 23) and the median OS was 16 months (10; 42) and differed significantly in the second and further lines of treatment. Progression in the second and further lines was observed in 28 (93%) and 27 (66%) patients, respectively (p = 0.006). Partial response as the BOR was observed in one patient (3%) in the second line and 13 patients (32%) in the further lines (p = 0.012). Conclusions Cabozantinib has antitumor effects in the second and further lines of treatment. In this study we observed high efficiency of cabozantinib in further lines of treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Domański
- Department of Uro-Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Experimental Immunotherapy, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jadwiga Jarosińska
- Department of Uro-Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Barbara Kruczyk
- Department of Uro-Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Mateusz Piętak
- Department of Uro-Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Mydlak
- Department of Experimental Immunotherapy, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tomasz Demkow
- Department of Uro-Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Łukasz Kuncman
- Department of Radiotherapy, Medical University of Łódź, Poland
- Department of External Beam Radiotherapy, Nicolaus Copernicus Multidisciplinary Center for Oncology and Traumatology, Łódź, Poland
| | - Marta Darewicz
- Department of Uro-Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Bożena Sikora-Kupis
- Department of Uro-Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Paulina Dumnicka
- Chair of Medical Biochemistry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Jakub Kucharz
- Department of Uro-Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
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Paudel KR, Rajput R, De Rubis G, Raju Allam VSR, Williams KA, Singh SK, Gupta G, Salunke P, Hansbro PM, Gerlach J, Dua K. In vitro anti-cancer activity of a polyherbal preparation, VEDICINALS®9, against A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 250:154832. [PMID: 37774532 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite the availability of several treatment options, the five-year survival rate of NSCLC is extremely low (<20%). This underlines the necessity of more effective therapeutic alternatives. In this context, plant-derived extracts and bioactive molecules extracted from plants, known collectively as phytoceuticals, represent an extremely variegated source of bioactive compounds with potent anticancer potential. In the present study, we tested the in vitro anticancer activity of a polyherbal preparation, VEDICINALS®9, containing nine different bioactive principles extracted by medicinal plants. METHODS The anticancer activity of VEDICINALS®9 was investigated by measuring its impact on A549 human NSCLC cell proliferation (MTT assay and trypan blue staining), migration (wound healing assay and transwell chamber assay) and by measuring the impact on the expression of cancer-related proteins (Human XL Oncology Protein Array). RESULTS We show that VEDICINALS®9 at a concentration of 0.2% v/v has potent anticancer effect, significantly inhibiting A549 cell proliferation and migration. Mechanistically, this was achieved by downregulating the expression of proteins involved in cancer cell proliferation (Axl, FGF basic, enolase 2, progranulin, survivin) and migration (Dkk-1, cathepsins B and D, BCL-x, amphiregulin, CapG, u-plasminogen activator). Furthermore, treatment with VEDICINALS®9 resulted in increased expression of the oncosuppressor protein p53 and of the angiogenesis inhibitor endostatin. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our results provide proof of principle of the potent anticancer activity of the polyherbal preparation VEDICINALS®9, highlighting its enormous potential as an alternative or adjuvant therapy for lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keshav Raj Paudel
- Centre for Inflammation, Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Life Sciences, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Rashi Rajput
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Gabriele De Rubis
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Venkata Sita Rama Raju Allam
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Biomedical Centre (BMC), Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kylie Anne Williams
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Sachin Kumar Singh
- Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India
| | - Gaurav Gupta
- School of Pharmacy, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India; Centre for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India; School of Pharmacy, Graphic Era Hill University, Dehradun 248007, India
| | | | - Philip Michael Hansbro
- Centre for Inflammation, Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Life Sciences, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | | | - Kamal Dua
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.
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Sun X, Chen H, You S, Tian Z, Wang Z, Liu F, Hu W, Zhang H, Zhang G, Zhao H, Guo Q. AXL upregulates c‑Myc expression through AKT and ERK signaling pathways in breast cancers. Mol Clin Oncol 2023; 18:22. [PMID: 36844467 PMCID: PMC9944620 DOI: 10.3892/mco.2023.2618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is common worldwide. c-Myc and AXL are both overexpressed in BC, promoting its progression. The present study aimed to investigate the role of AXL in c-Myc expression in BC. Overexpression of AXL increased c-Myc expression while knockdown of AXL decreased c-Myc expression as determined by western blot analysis. Pharmaceutical inhibition of AXL also suppressed c-Myc expression. AKT and ERK inhibitor LY294002 and U0126 suppressed c-Myc expression, respectively. AXL overexpression which activates AKT and ERK signaling, upregulates c-Myc expression, while kinase-dead AXL which cannot activate AKT and ERK signaling, does not upregulate c-Myc expression, emphasizing the important role of these two signaling pathways in c-Myc upregulation. Finally, expression data of BC tissues from The Cancer Proteome Atlas displayed an association between AXL and c-Myc. Taken together, the present study revealed that AXL upregulates c-Myc expression through AKT and ERK signaling pathways in BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobai Sun
- Department of Pathology, Jinan Adicon Clinical Laboratory, Jinan, Shandong 250000, P.R. China
| | - Hong Chen
- Clinical Laboratory, The Third People's Hospital of Jinan, Jinan, Shandong 250132, P.R. China
| | - Shuling You
- Department of Pathology, Jinan Adicon Clinical Laboratory, Jinan, Shandong 250000, P.R. China
| | - Zhikang Tian
- College of Basic Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Zhaoyu Wang
- College of Basic Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Fulin Liu
- College of Basic Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Wenyi Hu
- College of Basic Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Hao Zhang
- College of Basic Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Guoan Zhang
- Institute of Forensic Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Jining Medical University, Forensic Science Center of Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Hongli Zhao
- Department of Digestive System, Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China,Correspondence to: Dr Hongli Zhao, Department of Digestive System, Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Qingwei Guo
- Department of Hematology, Jinan Children's Hospital, Jinan, Shandong 250132, P.R. China,Correspondence to: Dr Hongli Zhao, Department of Digestive System, Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
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Singh L, Nair L, Kumar D, Arora MK, Bajaj S, Gadewar M, Mishra SS, Rath SK, Dubey AK, Kaithwas G, Choudhary M, Singh M. Hypoxia induced lactate acidosis modulates tumor microenvironment and lipid reprogramming to sustain the cancer cell survival. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1034205. [PMID: 36761981 PMCID: PMC9906992 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1034205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well known that solid hypoxic tumour cells oxidise glucose through glycolysis, and the end product of this pathway is fermented into lactate which accumulates in the tumour microenvironment (TME). Initially, it was proclaimed that cancer cells cannot use lactate; therefore, they dump it into the TME and subsequently augment the acidity of the tumour milieu. Furthermore, the TME acts as a lactate sink with stope variable amount of lactate in different pathophysiological condition. Regardless of the amount of lactate pumped out within TME, it disappears immediately which still remains an unresolved puzzle. Recent findings have paved pathway in exploring the main role of lactate acidosis in TME. Cancer cells utilise lactate in the de novo fatty acid synthesis pathway to initiate angiogenesis and invasiveness, and lactate also plays a crucial role in the suppression of immunity. Furthermore, lactate re-programme the lipid biosynthetic pathway to develop a metabolic symbiosis in normoxic, moderately hypoxic and severely hypoxic cancer cells. For instance: severely hypoxic cancer cells enable to synthesizing poly unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in oxygen scarcity secretes excess of lactate in TME. Lactate from TME is taken up by the normoxic cancer cells whereas it is converted back to PUFAs after a sequence of reactions and then liberated in the TME to be utilized in the severely hypoxic cancer cells. Although much is known about the role of lactate in these biological processes, the exact molecular pathways that are involved remain unclear. This review attempts to understand the molecular pathways exploited by lactate to initiate angiogenesis, invasiveness, suppression of immunity and cause re-programming of lipid synthesis. This review will help the researchers to develop proper understanding of lactate associated bimodal regulations of TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lakhveer Singh
- School of Pharmaceutical & Population Health Informatics, DIT University, Dehradun, India
| | - Lakshmi Nair
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Assam University (A Central University), Silchar, Assam, India
| | - Dinesh Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central University of Haryana, Mahendergarh, Haryana, India
| | - Mandeep Kumar Arora
- School of Pharmaceutical & Population Health Informatics, DIT University, Dehradun, India
| | - Sakshi Bajaj
- Chaudhary Devi Lal College of Pharmacy, Yamuna Nagar, India
| | - Manoj Gadewar
- School of Medical and Allied Sciences, KR Mangalam University, Gurgaon, India
| | | | - Santosh Kumar Rath
- School of Pharmaceutical & Population Health Informatics, DIT University, Dehradun, India
| | - Amit Kumar Dubey
- School of Pharmaceutical & Population Health Informatics, DIT University, Dehradun, India
| | - Gaurav Kaithwas
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, India
| | - Manjusha Choudhary
- University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, India,*Correspondence: Manjusha Choudhary, ; Manjari Singh,
| | - Manjari Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Assam University (A Central University), Silchar, Assam, India,*Correspondence: Manjusha Choudhary, ; Manjari Singh,
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Evaluation of the Cytotoxic Activity and Anti-Migratory Effect of Berberine–Phytantriol Liquid Crystalline Nanoparticle Formulation on Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer In Vitro. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14061119. [PMID: 35745691 PMCID: PMC9228615 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14061119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common form of lung cancer, which is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid that is commercially available for use as a supplement for the treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. However, the therapeutic benefits of berberine are limited by its extremely low bioavailability and toxicity at higher doses. Increasing evidence suggests that the incorporation of drug compounds in liquid crystal nanoparticles provides a new platform for the safe, effective, stable, and controlled delivery of the drug molecules. This study aimed to formulate an optimized formulation of berberine–phytantriol-loaded liquid crystalline nanoparticles (BP-LCNs) and to investigate the in vitro anti-cancer activity in a human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cell line. The BP-LCN formulation possessing optimal characteristics that was used in this study had a favorable particle size and entrapment efficiency rate (75.31%) and a superior drug release profile. The potential mechanism of action of the formulation was determined by measuring the mRNA levels of the tumor-associated genes PTEN, P53, and KRT18 and the protein expression levels with a human oncology protein array. BP-LCNs decreased the proliferation, migration, and colony-forming activity of A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner by upregulating the mRNA expression of PTEN and P53 and downregulating the mRNA expression of KRT18. Similarly, BP-LCNs also decreased the expression of proteins related to cancer cell proliferation and migration. This study highlights the utility of phytantriol-based LCNs in incorporating drug molecules with low GI absorption and bioavailability to increase their pharmacological effectiveness and potency in NSCLC.
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Fatima M, Kakar SJ, Adnan F, Khan K, Mian AA, Khan D. AXL receptor tyrosine kinase: a possible therapeutic target in acute promyelocytic leukemia. BMC Cancer 2021; 21:713. [PMID: 34140003 PMCID: PMC8210361 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-021-08450-y] [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: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a subset of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) which is characterized by the fusion of promyelocytic leukemia PML and retinoic acid receptor- alpha (RAR-alpha) genes. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and/or arsenic trioxide (ATO) have resulted in durable cytogenetic and molecular remissions in most APL patients and have altered the natural history of the disease. Most APL patients treated with ATRA and/or ATO are now anticipated to have a nearly normal life expectancy. Unfortunately, relapse and resistance to the current treatment occur in APL patients and the outcome remains dismal in these refractory patients. AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (AXL-RTK) has been shown to increase tumour burden, provide resistance to therapy and is critical to maintain cancer stem cells (CSCs) in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) by stabilizing β-catenin in the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway. However, the role of AXL-RTK has not been explored in PML/RARα-positive APL. This study aimed to explore the role of AXL-RTK receptor in PML/RARα-positive APL. METHODS AND RESULTS By using biochemical and pharmacological approaches, here we report that targeting of AXL-RTK is related to the down-regulation of β-catenin target genes including c-myc (p < 0.001), AXIN2 (p < 0.001), and HIF1α (p < 0.01) and induction of apoptosis in PML/RARα-positive APL cell line. Resistance to all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) was also overcomed by targeting AXL-RTK with R428 in APL (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Our results provide clear evidence of the involvement of AXL-RTK in leukemogenic potential of PML/RARα-positive APL and suggest targeting of AXL-RTK in the treatment of therapy resistant APL patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam Fatima
- grid.412117.00000 0001 2234 2376Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, H-12, Campus, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Salik Javed Kakar
- grid.412117.00000 0001 2234 2376Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, H-12, Campus, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Fazal Adnan
- grid.412117.00000 0001 2234 2376Department of Industrial Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Khalid Khan
- grid.258164.c0000 0004 1790 3548Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Postdoctoral Research Station, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Afsar Ali Mian
- grid.7147.50000 0001 0633 6224Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Dilawar Khan
- grid.412117.00000 0001 2234 2376Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, H-12, Campus, Islamabad, Pakistan
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9
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Xu D, Sun D, Wang W, Peng X, Zhan Z, Ji Y, Shen Y, Geng M, Ai J, Duan W. Discovery of pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives as potent Axl inhibitors: Design, synthesis and biological evaluation. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 220:113497. [PMID: 33957388 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Axl has emerged as an attractive target for cancer therapy due to its strong correlation with tumor growth, metastasis, poor survival, and drug resistance. Herein, we report the design, synthesis and structure-activity relationship (SAR) investigation of a series of pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives as new Axl inhibitors. Among them, the most promising compound 13b showed high enzymatic and cellular Axl potencies. Furthermore, 13b possessed preferable pharmacokinetic properties and displayed promising therapeutic effect in BaF3/TEL-Axl xenograft tumor model. Compound 13b may serve as a lead compound for new antitumor drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Xu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Deqiao Sun
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China; School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xia Peng
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Zhengsheng Zhan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yinchun Ji
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yanyan Shen
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Meiyu Geng
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China; School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Jing Ai
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China; Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Xiangshan Branch Lane, Xihu District, Hangzhou, 330106, China.
| | - Wenhu Duan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China.
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10
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Rios-Doria J, Favata M, Lasky K, Feldman P, Lo Y, Yang G, Stevens C, Wen X, Sehra S, Katiyar K, Liu K, Wynn R, Harris JJ, Ye M, Spitz S, Wang X, He C, Li YL, Yao W, Covington M, Scherle P, Koblish H. A Potent and Selective Dual Inhibitor of AXL and MERTK Possesses Both Immunomodulatory and Tumor-Targeted Activity. Front Oncol 2020; 10:598477. [PMID: 33425754 PMCID: PMC7793849 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.598477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK constitute the TAM family of receptor tyrosine kinases, which play important roles in tumor growth, survival, cell adhesion, as well as innate immunity, phagocytosis, and immune-suppressive activity. Therefore, targeting both AXL and MERTK kinases may directly impact tumor growth and relieve immunosuppression. We describe here the discovery of INCB081776, a potent and selective dual inhibitor of AXL and MERTK that is currently in phase 1 clinical trials. In cellular assays, INCB081776 effectively blocked autophosphorylation of AXL or MERTK with low nanomolar half maximal inhibitory concentration values in tumor cells and Ba/F3 cells transfected with constitutively active AXL or MERTK. INCB081776 inhibited activation of MERTK in primary human macrophages and partially reversed M2 macrophage–mediated suppression of T-cell proliferation, which was associated with increased interferon-γ production. In vivo, the antitumor activity of INCB081776 was enhanced in combination with checkpoint blockade in syngeneic models, and resulted in increased proliferation of intratumoral CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Finally, antitumor activity of INCB081776 was observed in a subset of sarcoma patient–derived xenograft models, which was linked with inhibition of phospho-AKT. These data support the potential therapeutic utility of INCB081776 as an immunotherapeutic agent capable of both enhancing tumor immune surveillance and blocking tumor cell survival mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kerri Lasky
- Incyte Research Institute, Wilmington, DE, United States
| | | | - Yvonne Lo
- Incyte Research Institute, Wilmington, DE, United States
| | - Gengjie Yang
- Incyte Research Institute, Wilmington, DE, United States
| | | | - Xiaoming Wen
- Incyte Research Institute, Wilmington, DE, United States
| | - Sarita Sehra
- Incyte Research Institute, Wilmington, DE, United States
| | - Kamna Katiyar
- Incyte Research Institute, Wilmington, DE, United States
| | - Ke Liu
- Incyte Research Institute, Wilmington, DE, United States
| | - Richard Wynn
- Incyte Research Institute, Wilmington, DE, United States
| | | | - Min Ye
- Incyte Research Institute, Wilmington, DE, United States
| | - Susan Spitz
- Incyte Research Institute, Wilmington, DE, United States
| | - Xiaozhao Wang
- Incyte Research Institute, Wilmington, DE, United States
| | - Chunhong He
- Incyte Research Institute, Wilmington, DE, United States
| | - Yun-Long Li
- Incyte Research Institute, Wilmington, DE, United States
| | - Wenqing Yao
- Incyte Research Institute, Wilmington, DE, United States
| | | | - Peggy Scherle
- Incyte Research Institute, Wilmington, DE, United States
| | - Holly Koblish
- Incyte Research Institute, Wilmington, DE, United States
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11
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Han S, Wang Y, Ge C, Gao M, Wang X, Wang F, Sun L, Li S, Dong T, Dang Z, Cui W, Zhang G, Liu N. Pharmaceutical inhibition of AXL suppresses tumor growth and invasion of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Exp Ther Med 2020; 20:41. [PMID: 32952632 PMCID: PMC7480165 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2020.9169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a common type of cancer in a number of regions of the world, including East Asia, South Africa and Iran. It is often associated with poor prognosis rates. Tyrosine-protein kinase receptor UFO (AXL) is overexpressed in a subset of ESCC tumors, therefore the present study aimed to determine the effect of R428, a selective inhibitor of AXL, on ESCC tumor cells. TE1 and KYSE150 cell lines were used as models to investigate the effects of R428 treatment. The proliferative rate of the tumor cells was analyzed using MTT and colony formation assays. In addition, cell migration and invasion rates were analyzed using wound healing and Matrigel assays, respectively. The expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2 and MMP9, and the activation of protein kinase B (AKT), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and AXL signaling were analyzed using gelatin zymography and western blotting. The results revealed that R428 inhibited the proliferative and invasive abilities of both cell lines. Furthermore, AXL, AKT and ERK signaling were all decreased in response to R428 treatment, alongside the expression levels of MMP2 and MMP9. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggested that R428 treatment may suppress ESCC tumor cell proliferation and invasion, representing a potential therapeutic target for ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sha Han
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Birth Defect Research and Transformation of Shandong Province, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Yequan Wang
- Institute of Forensic Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Forensic Science Center of Jining, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Chengyan Ge
- The Second Medical College, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Mingtao Gao
- The Second Medical College, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Xintong Wang
- The Second Medical College, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Feiyu Wang
- The Second Medical College, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Lei Sun
- The Second Medical College, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Sheng Li
- Institute of Forensic Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Forensic Science Center of Jining, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Tingting Dong
- Institute of Forensic Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Forensic Science Center of Jining, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Zhen Dang
- Institute of Forensic Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Forensic Science Center of Jining, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Wen Cui
- Institute of Forensic Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Forensic Science Center of Jining, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Guoan Zhang
- Institute of Forensic Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Forensic Science Center of Jining, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Ning Liu
- Information Technology Centre, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
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12
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Dannenfelser R, Allen GM, VanderSluis B, Koegel AK, Levinson S, Stark SR, Yao V, Tadych A, Troyanskaya OG, Lim WA. Discriminatory Power of Combinatorial Antigen Recognition in Cancer T Cell Therapies. Cell Syst 2020; 11:215-228.e5. [PMID: 32916097 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2020.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Precise discrimination of tumor from normal tissues remains a major roadblock for therapeutic efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. Here, we perform a comprehensive in silico screen to identify multi-antigen signatures that improve tumor discrimination by CAR T cells engineered to integrate multiple antigen inputs via Boolean logic, e.g., AND and NOT. We screen >2.5 million dual antigens and ∼60 million triple antigens across 33 tumor types and 34 normal tissues. We find that dual antigens significantly outperform the best single clinically investigated CAR targets and confirm key predictions experimentally. Further, we identify antigen triplets that are predicted to show close to ideal tumor-versus-normal tissue discrimination for several tumor types. This work demonstrates the potential of 2- to 3-antigen Boolean logic gates for improving tumor discrimination by CAR T cell therapies. Our predictions are available on an interactive web server resource (antigen.princeton.edu).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Dannenfelser
- Department of Computer Science, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA; Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Gregory M Allen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Cell Design Institute and Center for Synthetic Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | - Ashley K Koegel
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Cell Design Institute and Center for Synthetic Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Division of Pediatric Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Sarah Levinson
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Sierra R Stark
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Cell Design Institute and Center for Synthetic Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Vicky Yao
- Department of Computer Science, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA; Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Department of Computer Science, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Alicja Tadych
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Olga G Troyanskaya
- Department of Computer Science, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA; Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Center for Computational Biology, Flatiron Institute, New York, NY 10010, USA.
| | - Wendell A Lim
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Cell Design Institute and Center for Synthetic Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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13
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An B, Pan T, Hu J, Pang Y, Huang L, Chan AS, Li X, Yan J. The discovery of a potent and selective third-generation EGFR kinase inhibitor as a therapy for EGFR L858R/T790M double mutant non-small cell lung cancer. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 183:111709. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.111709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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14
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Liu Y, Tsai M, Wu S, Chang T, Tsai T, Gow C, Chang Y, Shih J. Acquired resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors is mediated by the reactivation of STC2/JUN/AXL signaling in lung cancer. Int J Cancer 2019; 145:1609-1624. [DOI: 10.1002/ijc.32487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2018] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yi‐Nan Liu
- Department of Internal MedicineNational Taiwan University Hospital Taipei Taiwan
| | - Meng‐Feng Tsai
- Department of Molecular BiotechnologyDa‐Yeh University Changhua Taiwan
| | - Shang‐Gin Wu
- Department of Internal MedicineNational Taiwan University Hospital Taipei Taiwan
- Department of Internal MedicineNational Taiwan University Cancer Center Taipei Taiwan
| | - Tzu‐Hua Chang
- Department of Internal MedicineNational Taiwan University Hospital Taipei Taiwan
| | - Tzu‐Hsiu Tsai
- Department of Internal MedicineNational Taiwan University Hospital Taipei Taiwan
| | - Chien‐Hung Gow
- Department of Internal MedicineFar Eastern Memorial Hospital New Taipei City Taiwan
| | - Yih‐Leong Chang
- Department of PathologyNational Taiwan University Hospital Taipei Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Pathology, College of MedicineNational Taiwan University Taipei Taiwan
| | - Jin‐Yuan Shih
- Department of Internal MedicineNational Taiwan University Hospital Taipei Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of MedicineNational Taiwan University Taipei Taiwan
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15
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Nuzzo S, Catuogno S, Capuozzo M, Fiorelli A, Swiderski P, Boccella S, de Nigris F, Esposito CL. Axl-Targeted Delivery of the Oncosuppressor miR-137 in Non-small-Cell Lung Cancer. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2019; 17:256-263. [PMID: 31276956 PMCID: PMC6609832 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2019.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 85%–90% of all cases of lung cancer that is the most deadly type of cancer. Despite advances in chemotherapy and radiotherapy, severe side effects and frequent drug resistance limit the success of the treatments, and the identification of new therapeutic options still represents a crucial challenge. Here, we provide the evidence for the therapeutic potential of an aptamer-microRNA (miR) complex (AmiC) composed by an aptamer (GL21.T), able to bind and antagonize the oncogenic receptor Axl, and the miR-137, downregulated in lung cancer and involved in cell survival and proliferation. We found that, when applied to Axl-expressing NSCLC cancer cells, the complex is effectively internalized, increasing miR cellular levels and downregulating miR targets. Most importantly, the complex combines the inhibitory function of the GL21.T aptamer and miR-137, leading to a negative impact on NSCLC migration and growth. The described AmiC thus represents a promising tool for the development of new therapeutic approaches for NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Silvia Catuogno
- Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Capuozzo
- Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Naples, Italy
| | - Alfonso Fiorelli
- Thoracic Surgery Unit, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," Naples, Italy
| | - Piotr Swiderski
- DNA/RNA Synthesis Laboratory, Beckman Research Institute of City the of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Serena Boccella
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," Naples, Italy
| | - Filomena de Nigris
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," Naples, Italy; Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Carla Lucia Esposito
- Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Naples, Italy.
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16
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Lee YJ, Kim SY, Lee C. Axl is a novel target of celastrol that inhibits cell proliferation and migration, and increases the cytotoxicity of gefitinib in EGFR mutant non‑small cell lung cancer cells. Mol Med Rep 2019; 19:3230-3236. [PMID: 30816529 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2019.9957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Gefitinib, an epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR‑TKI) is an excellent therapeutic agent to treat EGFR mutation‑positive non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the initial response decreases as chemoresistance develops. In the present study, gefitinib‑resistant EGFR mutant NSCLC PC‑9/GR cells were established to examine the characteristics and mechanisms associated with chemoresistance. Axl expression in PC‑9/GR cells was transcriptionally upregulated, since Axl protein and mRNA expression levels were identified to be increased according to western blot analysis and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction results. The inhibitory effect of celastrol on Axl protein expression level, cell viability and clonogenicity were identified in parental and gefitinib‑resistant PC‑9 cells. In addition, treatment of PC‑9/GR cells with celastrol and gefitinib in combination was demonstrated to synergistically suppress Axl protein expression level, cell proliferation and migration. Taken together, upregulation of Axl expression seems to be associated with chemoresistance of PC‑9/GR cells. Furthermore, celastrol targets Axl to exert its anticancer effects in order to increase the susceptibility of PC‑9/GR cells to gefitinib and overcome chemoresistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youn Ju Lee
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu, Daegu 42472, Republic of Korea
| | - So-Young Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Dongguk University, Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk 38066, Republic of Korea
| | - Chuhee Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu 42415, Republic of Korea
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17
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Exosomal miRNAs species in the blood of small cell and non-small cell lung cancer patients. Oncotarget 2018; 9:19793-19806. [PMID: 29731983 PMCID: PMC5929426 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.24857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is a devastating disease with overall bleak prognosis. Current methods to diagnose lung cancer are rather invasive and are inadequate to detect the disease at an early stage when treatment is likely to be most effective. In this study, a shotgun sequencing approach was used to study the microRNA (miRNA) cargo of serum-derived exosomes of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) (n=9) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (n=11) patients, and healthy controls (n=10). The study has identified 17 miRNA species that are differentially expressed in cancer patients and control subjects. Furthermore, within the patient groups, a set of miRNAs were differentially expressed in exosomal samples obtained before and after chemotherapy treatment. This manuscript demonstrates the potential of exosomal miRNAs for developing noninvasive tests for disease differentiation and treatment monitoring in lung cancer patients.
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18
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Zhang G, Kong X, Wang M, Zhao H, Han S, Hu R, Huang J, Cui W. AXL is a marker for epithelial-mesenchymal transition in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Oncol Lett 2017; 15:1900-1906. [PMID: 29434888 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2017.7443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a common cancer in China and certain other parts of the world with a dismal prognosis for affected patients. AXL is a member of the TYRO3-AXL-MER family of receptor tyrosine kinases, and has been revealed to be an important mediator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in several types of cancer. However, to the best of our knowledge, its function in EMT in ESCC cells has not yet been examined. The present study employed two independent ESCC mRNA profile datasets and revealed that AXL is associated with several EMT markers. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis indicated that EMT occurs more in ESCC with high AXL expression. Analysis on another dataset demonstrated further that increased expression of AXL in ESCC is associated with increased migratory ability. Collectively, the results of the present study provide evidence that AXL is a marker for EMT in ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoan Zhang
- Cancer Pathology Research Institute, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Xia Kong
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Jining No. 1 People's Hospital, Jining, Shandong 27211, P.R. China
| | - Meng Wang
- Department of Oncology, Shandong Jining No. 1 People's Hospital, Jining, Shandong 27211, P.R. China
| | - Hongli Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shandong Control Center for Digestive Diseases, Jining, Shandong 272033, P.R. China
| | - Sha Han
- Life Science Experimental Center, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Ronghang Hu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272029, P.R. China
| | - Jian Huang
- Central Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272029, P.R. China
| | - Wen Cui
- Cancer Pathology Research Institute, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
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19
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Zucca LE, Morini Matushita MA, da Silva Oliveira RJ, Scapulatempo-Neto C, de Lima MA, Ribeiro GG, Viana CR, Cárcano FM, Reis RM. Expression of tyrosine kinase receptor AXL is associated with worse outcome of metastatic renal cell carcinomas treated with sunitinib. Urol Oncol 2017; 36:11.e13-11.e21. [PMID: 28986088 DOI: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2017.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Revised: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) represents 2%-3% of all cancers of the Western countries. Currently, sunitinib, a receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, particularly of PDGF and VEGF receptors, is the first-line therapy for metastatic RCC (mRCC), with significant improvement in clinical outcome. However, there is a lack of predictive biomarkers of sunitinib response. Recently, others and our group suggested that the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL may modify the response to sunitinib. OBJECTIVE To study the expression of AXL in a series patients with of mRCC treated with sunitinib and to correlate it with patient's clinic-pathological features and therapeutic response. MATERIAL AND METHODS Sixty-four patients with mRCC (51 clear cell carcinomas (CCCs) and 13 non-CCCs) were evaluated for AXL expression by immunohistochemistry in the primary tumor. RESULTS AXL positivity was observed in 47% (30/64) of cases, namely in 43% (22/51) of CCCs and 61% (8/13) of non-CCC. Considering only the clear cell subtype, the univariate analysis showed that AXL expression was statistically associated with a poor prognosis, with a median overall survival of 13 months vs. 43 months in patients with negative AXL. In this subtype, along with the AXL positivity, other prognostic factors were absence of nephrectomy, Karnofsky performance status, more than 1 site of metastasis and liver metastasis. Moreover, AXL expression was associated with shorter progression to sunitinib. Overall, the multivariate survival analysis showed that absence of nephrectomy (HR = 4.85, P = 0.001), more than 1 site of metastasis (HR = 2.99, P = 0.002), bone metastasis (HR = 2.95, P = 0.001), together with AXL expression (HR = 2.01, P = 0.048) were independent poor prognostic factor in patients with mRCC. CONCLUSION AXL expression was associated with worse clinical outcome and may be an important prognostic biomarker in sunitinib-treated patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Eduardo Zucca
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Medical Oncology, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Cristovam Scapulatempo-Neto
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Pathology, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcos Alves de Lima
- Nucleous of Epidemiology and Statistics, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Flavio Mavignier Cárcano
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Medical Oncology, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil; Barretos School of Health Sciences, Dr. Paulo Prata-FACISB, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rui Manuel Reis
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil; Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), Health Sciences School, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
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20
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Morgillo F, Amendola G, Della Corte CM, Giacomelli C, Botta L, Di Maro S, Messere A, Ciaramella V, Taliani S, Marinelli L, Trincavelli ML, Martini C, Novellino E, Ciardiello F, Cosconati S. Dual MET and SMO Negative Modulators Overcome Resistance to EGFR Inhibitors in Human Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer. J Med Chem 2017; 60:7447-7458. [PMID: 28787156 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b00794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) of the EGF receptor (EGFR) have provided a significant improvement in the disease outcome of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Unfortunately, resistance to these agents frequently occurs, and it is often related to the activation of the Hedgehog (Hh) and MET signaling cascades driving the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Because the concomitant inhibition of both Hh and MET pathways restores the sensitivity to anti-EGFR drugs, here we aimed at discovering the first compounds that block simultaneously MET and SMO. By using an "in silico drug repurposing" approach and by validating our predictions both in vitro and in vivo, we identified a set of compounds with the desired dual inhibitory activity and enhanced antiproliferative activity on EGFR TKI-resistant NSCLC. The identification of the known MET TKIs, glesatinib and foretinib, as negative modulators of the Hh pathway, widens their application in the context of NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Floriana Morgillo
- Oncologia Medica, Dipartimento Medico-Chirurgico di Internistica Clinica e Sperimentale "F. Magrassi e A. Lanzara", Università della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" , Via Pansini 6, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Giorgio Amendola
- DiSTABiF, Università della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" , Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Carminia Maria Della Corte
- Oncologia Medica, Dipartimento Medico-Chirurgico di Internistica Clinica e Sperimentale "F. Magrassi e A. Lanzara", Università della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" , Via Pansini 6, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Chiara Giacomelli
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Pisa , Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Botta
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Napoli "Federico II" , Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Salvatore Di Maro
- DiSTABiF, Università della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" , Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Anna Messere
- DiSTABiF, Università della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" , Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Vincenza Ciaramella
- Oncologia Medica, Dipartimento Medico-Chirurgico di Internistica Clinica e Sperimentale "F. Magrassi e A. Lanzara", Università della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" , Via Pansini 6, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Sabrina Taliani
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Pisa , Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Luciana Marinelli
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Napoli "Federico II" , Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | | | - Claudia Martini
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Pisa , Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Ettore Novellino
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Napoli "Federico II" , Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Fortunato Ciardiello
- Oncologia Medica, Dipartimento Medico-Chirurgico di Internistica Clinica e Sperimentale "F. Magrassi e A. Lanzara", Università della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" , Via Pansini 6, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Sandro Cosconati
- DiSTABiF, Università della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" , Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
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