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Xu C, Wang Y, Tu Q, Zhang Z, Chen M, Mwangi J, Li Y, Jin Y, Zhao X, Lai R. Targeting surface nucleolin induces autophagy-dependent cell death in pancreatic cancer via AMPK activation. Oncogene 2019; 38:1832-1844. [PMID: 30356139 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-018-0556-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2018] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest human cancers despite current advances in conventional therapeutics including surgery and adjuvant therapies. Here, we showed that LZ1, a peptide derived from a snake venom cathelicidin, significantly inhibited growth of pancreatic cancer cells by inducing autophagy-dependent cell death both in vitro and in vivo. The LZ1-induced cell death was blocked by pharmacological or genetic inhibition of autophagy. In orthotopic model of pancreatic cancer, systemic administration of LZ1 (1-4 mg/kg) exhibited remarkable antitumor efficacy, significantly prolonged mice survival, and showed negligible adverse effects by comparison with gemcitabine (20 mg/kg). Mechanistic studies revealed that LZ1 acts through binding to nucleolin, whose expression on cell surface is frequently increased in pancreatic cancer cells. LZ1 binding triggers degradation of surface-expressed nucleolin. This leads to activation of 5'-AMP kinase which results in suppression of mTORC1 activity and induction of autophagic flux. These data suggest that LZ1, targeting nucleolin-AMPK-autophagy axis, is a promising lead for the development of therapeutic agents against pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Xu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650204, Yunnan, China
| | - Yunfei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650204, Yunnan, China
| | - Qiu Tu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
| | - Zhiye Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
| | - Mengrou Chen
- Life Sciences College of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, China
| | - James Mwangi
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650204, Yunnan, China
- Sino-African Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
| | - Yaxiong Li
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Yan'an Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650041, Yunnan, China
| | - Yang Jin
- Institute for Cancer Genetics and Informatics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Xudong Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China.
| | - Ren Lai
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China.
- Life Sciences College of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, China.
- Sino-African Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China.
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