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Massaro RR, Faião-Flores F, Rebecca VW, Sandri S, Alves-Fernandes DK, Pennacchi PC, Smalley KSM, Maria-Engler SS. Inhibition of proliferation and invasion in 2D and 3D models by 2-methoxyestradiol in human melanoma cells. Pharmacol Res 2017; 119:242-250. [PMID: 28212889 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2017.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Revised: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Despite the recent advances in the clinical management of melanoma, there remains a need for new pharmacological approaches to treat this cancer. 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME) is a metabolite of estrogen that has shown anti-tumor effects in many cancer types. In this study we show that 2ME treatment leads to growth inhibition in melanoma cells, an effect associated with entry into senescence, decreased pRb and Cyclin B1 expression, increased p21/Cip1 expression and G2/M cell cycle arrest. 2ME treatment also inhibits melanoma cell growth in colony formation assay, including cell lines with acquired resistance to BRAF and BRAF+MEK inhibitors. We further show that 2ME is effective against melanoma with different BRAF and NRAS mutational status. Moreover, 2ME induced the retraction of cytoplasmic projections in a 3D spheroid model and significantly decreased cell proliferation in a 3D skin reconstruct model. Together our studies bring new insights into the mechanism of action of 2ME allowing melanoma targeted therapy to be further refined. Continued progress in this area is expected to lead to improved anti-cancer treatments and the development of new and more effective clinical analogues.
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Affiliation(s)
- R R Massaro
- Department of Clinical Chemistry & Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - F Faião-Flores
- Department of Clinical Chemistry & Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - V W Rebecca
- The Department of Tumor Biology, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, USA
| | - S Sandri
- Department of Clinical Chemistry & Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - D K Alves-Fernandes
- Department of Clinical Chemistry & Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - P C Pennacchi
- Department of Clinical Chemistry & Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - K S M Smalley
- The Department of Tumor Biology, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, USA
| | - S S Maria-Engler
- Department of Clinical Chemistry & Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Faião-Flores F, Alves-Fernandes DK, Pennacchi PC, Sandri S, Vicente ALSA, Scapulatempo-Neto C, Vazquez VL, Reis RM, Chauhan J, Goding CR, Smalley KS, Maria-Engler SS. Targeting the hedgehog transcription factors GLI1 and GLI2 restores sensitivity to vemurafenib-resistant human melanoma cells. Oncogene 2016; 36:1849-1861. [PMID: 27748762 PMCID: PMC5378933 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2016.348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Revised: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BRAF inhibitor (BRAFi) therapy for melanoma patients harboring the V600E mutation is initially highly effective, but almost all patients relapse within a few months. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underpinning BRAFi-based therapy is therefore an important issue. Here we identified a previously unsuspected mechanism of BRAFi resistance driven by elevated Hedgehog (Hh) pathway activation that is observed in a cohort of melanoma patients after vemurafenib treatment. Specifically, we demonstrate that melanoma cell lines, with acquired in vitro-induced vemurafenib resistance, show increased levels of glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 and 2 (GLI1/GLI2) compared with naïve cells. We also observed these findings in clinical melanoma specimens. Moreover, the increased expression of the transcription factors GLI1/GLI2 was independent of canonical Hh signaling and was instead correlated with the noncanonical Hh pathway, involving TGFβ/SMAD (transforming growth factor-β/Sma- and Mad-related family) signaling. Knockdown of GLI1 and GLI2 restored sensitivity to vemurafenib-resistant cells, an effect associated with both growth arrest and senescence. Treatment of vemurafenib-resistant cells with the GLI1/GLI2 inhibitor Gant61 led to decreased invasion of the melanoma cells in a three-dimensional skin reconstruct model and was associated with a decrease in metalloproteinase (MMP2/MMP9) expression and microphthalmia transcription factor upregulation. Gant61 monotherapy did not alter the drug sensitivity of naïve cells, but could reverse the resistance of melanoma cells chronically treated with vemurafenib. We further noted that alternating dosing schedules of Gant61 and vemurafenib prevented the onset of BRAFi resistance, suggesting that this could be a potential therapeutic strategy for the prevention of therapeutic escape. Our results suggest that targeting the Hh pathway in BRAFi-resistant melanoma may represent a viable therapeutic strategy to restore vemurafenib sensitivity, reducing or even inhibiting the acquired chemoresistance in melanoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Faião-Flores
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Toxicological Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - D K Alves-Fernandes
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Toxicological Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - P C Pennacchi
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Toxicological Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - S Sandri
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Toxicological Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - A L S A Vicente
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Brazil
| | - C Scapulatempo-Neto
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Brazil.,Department of Pathology, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Brazil
| | - V L Vazquez
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Brazil.,Department of Surgery Melanoma/Sarcoma, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Brazil
| | - R M Reis
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Brazil.,Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - J Chauhan
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, UK
| | - C R Goding
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, UK
| | - K S Smalley
- The Department of Tumor Biology, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - S S Maria-Engler
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Toxicological Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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