Oxidative Cyclization-Induced Activation of a Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase Inhibitor for Enhanced Selectivity of Cancer Chemotherapeutics

In this work, we designed a prodrug that reacts with cellular oxidative equivalents leading to ether cleavage and cyclization to release an active phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor. We show that the compound reduces affinity for PI3KA relative to the PI3K inhibitor, is slow to intercellularly oxidize, and is resistant to liver microsomes. We observed modest activity in untreated acute myeloid leukemia cells and 14-fold selectivity relative to non-cancerous cells. The cellular activity of the compound can be modulated by the addition of antioxidants or oxidants, indicating the compound activity is sensitive to cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) state. Co-treatment with cytosine arabinoside or doxorubicin was used to activate the compound inside cells. We observed strong synergistic activity specifically in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cancer cells with an increase in selective anticancer activity of up to 90-fold. Thus, these new self-cyclizing compounds can be used to increase the selectivity of anticancer agents.     

Apoptosis as Driver of Therapy-Induced Cancer Repopulation and Acquired Cell-Resistance (CRAC): A Simple In Vitro Model of Phoenix Rising in Prostate Cancer

Apoptotic cells stimulate compensatory proliferation through the caspase-3-cPLA-2-COX-2-PGE-2-STAT3 Phoenix Rising pathway as a healing process in normal tissues. Phoenix Rising is however usurped in cancer, potentially nullifying pro-apoptotic therapies. Cytotoxic therapies also promote cancer cell plasticity through epigenetic reprogramming, leading to epithelial-to-mesenchymal-transition (EMT), chemo-resistance and tumor progression. We explored the relationship between such scenarios, setting-up an innovative, straightforward one-pot in vitro model of therapy-induced prostate cancer repopulation. Cancer (castration-resistant PC3 and androgen-sensitive LNCaP), or normal (RWPE-1) prostate cells, are treated with etoposide and left recovering for 18 days. After a robust apoptotic phase, PC3 setup a coordinate tissue-like response, repopulating and acquiring EMT and chemo-resistance; repopulation occurs via Phoenix Rising, being dependent on high PGE-2 levels achieved through caspase-3-promoted signaling; epigenetic inhibitors interrupt Phoenix Rising after PGE-2, preventing repopulation. Instead, RWPE-1 repopulate via Phoenix Rising without reprogramming, EMT or chemo-resistance, indicating that only cancer cells require reprogramming to complete Phoenix Rising. Intriguingly, LNCaP stop Phoenix-Rising after PGE-2, failing repopulating, suggesting that the propensity to engage/complete Phoenix Rising may influence the outcome of pro-apoptotic therapies. Concluding, we established a reliable system where to study prostate cancer repopulation, showing that epigenetic reprogramming assists Phoenix Rising to promote post-therapy cancer repopulation and acquired cell-resistance (CRAC).     

AK-I-190, a New Catalytic Inhibitor of Topoisomerase II with Anti-Proliferative and Pro-Apoptotic Activity on Androgen-Negative Prostate Cancer Cells

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is a clinical challenge in treatment because of its aggressive nature and resistance to androgen deprivation therapy. Topoisomerase II catalytic inhibitors have been suggested as a strategy to overcome these issues. We previously reported AK-I-190 as a novel topoisomerase II inhibitor. In this study, the mechanism of AK-I-190 was clarified using various types of spectroscopic and biological evaluations. AK-I-190 showed potent topoisomerase II inhibitory activity through intercalating into DNA without stabilizing the DNA-enzyme cleavage complex, resulting in significantly less DNA toxicity than etoposide, a clinically used topoisomerase II poison. AK-I-190 induced G1 arrest and effectively inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation in combination with paclitaxel in an androgen receptor–negative CRPC cell line. Our results confirmed that topoisomerase II catalytic inhibition inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis of AR-independently growing prostate cancer cells. These findings indicate the clinical relevance of topoisomerase II catalytic inhibitors in androgen receptor-negative prostate cancer.     

In Silico/In Vitro Hit-to-Lead Methodology Yields SMYD3 Inhibitor That Eliminates Unrestrained Proliferation of Breast Carcinoma Cells

SMYD3 is a lysine methyltransferase that regulates the expression of over 80 genes and is required for the uncontrolled proliferation of most breast, colorectal, and hepatocellular carcinomas. The elimination of SMYD3 restores normal expression patterns of these genes and halts aberrant cell proliferation, making it a promising target for small molecule inhibition. In this study, we sought to establish a proof of concept for our in silico/in vitro hit-to-lead enzyme inhibitor development platform and to identify a lead small molecule candidate for SMYD3 inhibition. We used Schrodinger^® software to screen libraries of small molecules in silico and the five compounds with the greatest predicted binding affinity within the SMYD3 binding pocket were purchased and assessed in vitro in direct binding assays and in breast cancer cell lines. We have confirmed the ability of one of these inhibitors, Inhibitor-4, to restore normal rates of cell proliferation, arrest the cell cycle, and induce apoptosis in breast cancer cells without affecting wildtype cell behavior. Our results provide a proof of concept for this fast and affordable small molecule hit-to-lead methodology as well as a promising candidate small molecule SMYD3 inhibitor for the treatment of human cancer.     

3株新城疫病毒体外对人喉癌Hep-2细胞杀伤效应的比较

目的比较新城疫病毒(NDV)强毒株D817、弱毒株7793和La Sota疫苗株对人喉癌Hep-2细胞的杀伤效应。方法3株病毒经扩增、噬斑纯化后,分别感染Hep-2细胞和喉正常组织细胞,一定时间后,显微镜下观察细胞形态变化,MTT比色法检测病毒对细胞的杀伤效应。结果3株病毒均能在Hep-2细胞中增殖并杀伤细胞,杀伤效应以D817株最高,La Sota株其次,7793株最低,且差异均无统计学意义。杀伤效应与病毒剂量和作用时间呈正相关,显微镜下可见明显的细胞病变。而对喉正常组织细胞的杀伤效应不明显。结论NDV D817株和7793株对喉癌细胞的杀伤效应与La Sota疫苗株相似,而对喉正常组织细胞的杀伤效应不明显,有望成为喉癌生物学治疗新的候选病毒株。     

Pharmacological Effects of Guava (Psidium guajava L.) Seed Polysaccharides: GSF3 Inhibits PC-3 Prostate Cancer Cell Growth through Immunotherapy In Vitro

The inhibitory effects of purified fractions isolated from guava seed polysaccharides (GSPS) including guava seed polysaccharide fraction 1 (GSF1), GSF2, and GSF3 on prostate cancer cells remain unclear. To clarify the anti-prostate cancer potential, GSPS, GSF1, GSF2, and GSF3 were isolated using Sepharose 6B gel filtration chromatography to assay their inhibitory effects on prostate PC-3 cell growth with direct action or indirect immunotherapy using either splenocyte conditioned media (SCM) or macrophage conditioned media (MCM). Correlations between cytokine profiles in the conditioned media and pro-apoptotic gene expression levels in the corresponding treated PC-3 cells were analyzed. Results showed that GSPS, GSF1, GSF2, and GSF3, particularly GSF3, through either direct action or indirect treatments using SCM or MCM, significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited PC-3 cell growth. GSF3 direct treatments increased pro-apoptotic Bax/anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 mRNA expression ratios in corresponding treated PC-3 cells. Either SCM or MCM cultured with GSF3 increased Fas mRNA expression levels in corresponding treated PC-3 cells. Both Th2-polarized and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 either secreted in SCM or MCM were positively correlated with Fas mRNA expression levels in corresponding treated PC-3 cells. Our results suggest that GSF3 is a potent biological response modifier to decrease PC-3 cell growth through inducing apoptosis.     

Kozak序列对TIMP1基因在人乳腺癌细胞MCF-7中表达的影响

目的探讨Kozak序列对基质金属蛋白酶抑制剂1(TIMP1)基因在人乳腺癌细胞MCF-7中表达的影响。方法构建pcDNA3.1-TIMP1和pcDNA3.1-TIMP1-K(含有Kozak序列)重组真核表达质粒,用FugeneHD转染试剂将重组表达质粒转染MCF-7细胞,采用荧光定量PCR和Western blot检测pcDNA3.1-TIMP1和pcDNA3.1-TIMP1-K在MCF-7细胞中表达的差异。结果重组真核表达质粒经PCR、双酶切及测序鉴定,证明构建正确。质粒pcDNA3.1-TIMP1-K转染细胞比空白对照细胞TIMP1基因mRNA表达量高约0.95倍,蛋白表达量高0.43倍;而质粒pcDNA3.1-TIMP1转染细胞比空白对照细胞mRNA表达量高0.37倍,蛋白表达量高0.25倍。结论质粒pcDNA3.1-TIMP1-K与pcDNA3.1-TIMP1在MCF-7细胞中mRNA和蛋白表达水平均存在差异,Kozak序列提高了TIMP1基因的表达。