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Merjaneh N, Hajjar M, Lan YW, Kalinichenko VV, Kalin TV. The Promise of Combination Therapies with FOXM1 Inhibitors for Cancer Treatment. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:756. [PMID: 38398147 PMCID: PMC10886945 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16040756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) is a transcription factor in the forkhead (FOX) family, which is required for cellular proliferation in normal and neoplastic cells. FOXM1 is highly expressed in many different cancers, and its expression is associated with a higher tumor stage and worse patient-related outcomes. Abnormally high expression of FOXM1 in cancers compared to normal tissue makes FOXM1 an attractive target for pharmacological inhibition. FOXM1-inhibiting agents and specific FOXM1-targeted small-molecule inhibitors have been developed in the lab and some of them have shown promising efficacy and safety profiles in mouse models. While the future goal is to translate FOXM1 inhibitors to clinical trials, potential synergistic drug combinations can maximize anti-tumor efficacy while minimizing off-target side effects. Hence, we discuss the rationale and efficacy of all previously studied drug combinations with FOXM1 inhibitors for cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nawal Merjaneh
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Phoenix, AZ 85016, USA
- Department of Child Health, Division of Hematology and Oncology, The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
| | - Mona Hajjar
- The Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA;
| | - Ying-Wei Lan
- Phoenix Children’s Research Institute, The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA; (Y.-W.L.)
| | - Vladimir V. Kalinichenko
- Phoenix Children’s Research Institute, The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA; (Y.-W.L.)
- Division of Neonatology, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Phoenix, AZ 85016, USA
| | - Tanya V. Kalin
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Phoenix, AZ 85016, USA
- Department of Child Health, Division of Hematology and Oncology, The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
- Phoenix Children’s Research Institute, The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA; (Y.-W.L.)
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Donovan J, Deng Z, Bian F, Shukla S, Gomez-Arroyo J, Shi D, Kalinichenko VV, Kalin TV. Improving anti-tumor efficacy of low-dose Vincristine in rhabdomyosarcoma via the combination therapy with FOXM1 inhibitor RCM1. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1112859. [PMID: 36816948 PMCID: PMC9933126 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1112859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a highly metastatic soft-tissue sarcoma that often develops resistance to current therapies, including vincristine. Since the existing treatments have not significantly improved survival, there is a critical need for new therapeutic approaches for RMS patients. FOXM1, a known oncogene, is highly expressed in RMS, and is associated with the worst prognosis in RMS patients. In the present study, we found that the combination treatment with specific FOXM1 inhibitor RCM1 and low doses of vincristine is more effective in increasing apoptosis and decreasing RMS cell proliferation in vitro compared to single drugs alone. Since RCM1 is highly hydrophobic, we developed innovative nanoparticle delivery system containing poly-beta-amino-esters and folic acid (NPFA), which efficiently delivers RCM1 to mouse RMS tumors in vivo. The combination of low doses of vincristine together with intravenous administration of NPFA nanoparticles containing RCM1 effectively reduced RMS tumor volumes, increased tumor cell death and decreased tumor cell proliferation in RMS tumors compared to RCM1 or vincristine alone. The combination therapy was non-toxic as demonstrated by liver metabolic panels using peripheral blood serum. Using RNA-seq of dissected RMS tumors, we identified Chac1 as a uniquely downregulated gene after the combination treatment. Knockdown of Chac1 in RMS cells in vitro recapitulated the effects of the combination therapy. Altogether, combination treatment with low doses of vincristine and nanoparticle delivery of FOXM1 inhibitor RCM1 in a pre-clinical model of RMS has superior anti-tumor effects and decreases CHAC1 while reducing vincristine toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnny Donovan
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Zicheng Deng
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States,The Materials Science and Engineering Program, College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States,Center for Lung Regenerative Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Fenghua Bian
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Samriddhi Shukla
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Jose Gomez-Arroyo
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States,Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Donglu Shi
- The Materials Science and Engineering Program, College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Vladimir V. Kalinichenko
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States,Center for Lung Regenerative Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Tanya V. Kalin
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States,*Correspondence: Tanya V. Kalin,
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Donovan J, Deng Z, Bian F, Shukla S, Gomez-Arroyo J, Shi D, Kalinichenko VV, Kalin TV. Corrigendum: Improving anti-tumor efficacy of low-dose Vincristine in rhabdomyosarcoma via the combination therapy with FOXM1 inhibitor RCM1. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1163510. [PMID: 37124500 PMCID: PMC10135300 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1163510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1112859.].
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnny Donovan
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Zicheng Deng
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- The Materials Science and Engineering Program, College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Center for Lung Regenerative Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Fenghua Bian
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Samriddhi Shukla
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Jose Gomez-Arroyo
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Donglu Shi
- The Materials Science and Engineering Program, College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Vladimir V. Kalinichenko
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Center for Lung Regenerative Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Tanya V. Kalin
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- *Correspondence: Tanya V. Kalin,
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