scholarly journals Drug Repurposing of Asparaginase and Vitamin C Targeting Glutamine Synthetase Improves Anticancer Effect in Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhoulei Li ◽  
Wanqing Shen ◽  
Zhifeng Chen ◽  
Gang Yuan ◽  
Peng He ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Glutamine Synthetase ◽  
Vitamin C ◽  
Combined Therapy ◽  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer ◽  
Anticancer Effect ◽  
18F Fdg

Abstract Background: Although in North America or Europe early dignosis of prostate cancer could sucessfully improves the therapeutic outcome. However, about 70-80% of patients still suffer from metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), because of the disproportionate medical care in China. Lutetium-177 (Lu-177) or Radium-223 (Ra-223) has been suggested as the most effective therapy for mCRPC. Unfortunately, they are either not been approved in a few countries or too expensive for patients with the financial issue. Drug repurposing has been recognized as a cost-effective and relatively low-risk alternative, gains a lot interesting recently. In this study, we explored the combined treatment with asparaginase (ASNase) and/or vitamin Cas an alternative therapeutic option for mCRPC management.Methods: Prostate cancer cell lines PC3 and DU145 were used to observe the therapeutic effect of ASNase and/or vitamin C on mCRPC in vitro and in vivo. Change of cell proliferation, cell death as well as expression of glutamine synthetase eunder different treatment conditions were detected to analyzed anticancer effect of combined therapy with ASNase and vitamin C on mCRPC. Intracellular oxidation was also observed with NADPH and NADP+ assay. Male BALB/c nude mice bearing prostate carcinoma xenografts (PC3 or DU145) were used to assess treatment response to vitamin C with or without ASNase through tumor growth, small animal PET/CT scans as well as Immunohistochemistry in vivo.Results: Our in vitro studies demonstrate that ASNase synergizes with vitamin C targeting expression of glutamine synthetase enhances redox imbalance and induces anticancer effect in mCRPC cells through regulation the glutamine synthetase (GS) expression. In vivo, combination of ASnase and vitamin C could provide a significant better therapeutic outcome in comparison with controls or single treated mice. 18F-FDG PET imaging illustrated that the treatment with combined therapy could significantly reduce the 18F-FDG uptake in tumor.Conclusions: In this current study, we suggest that ASNase combined with vitamin C could be as a cost-effective strategy to manage mCRPC.18F-FDG PET/CT imaging could indicate the therapeutic response of treatment for mCRPC.

scholarly journals Drug Repurposing of Pantoprazole and Vitamin C Targeting Tumor Microenvironment Conditions Improves Anticancer Effect in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhoulei Li ◽  
Peng He ◽  
Yali Long ◽  
Gang Yuan ◽  
Wanqing Shen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Vitamin C ◽  
Tumor Growth ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Combined Treatment ◽  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer ◽  
Castration Resistant ◽  
18F Fdg

The effective and economical therapeutic strategy for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is still requested from patients, who are not available for Lu-177 or Ra-223 treatment. Drug repurposing as a cost-effective and time-saving alternative to traditional drug development has been increasingly discussed. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as pantroprazole, which are commonly used as antacids, have also been shown to be effective in cancer chemoprevention via induction of apoptosis in multiple cancer cell lines. Vitamin C is an essential micronutrient for human body, has been proposed as a potential anti-cancer agent. In this context, have we investigated the combination of vitamin C and pantoprazole for the management of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Six chosen human adenocarcinoma cell lines were used to investigate the influence of pantoprazole on the microenvironment of cancer cells (extracellular pH and production of exosomes). Tumor growth and tumor 18F-FDG uptake in PC3 xenografts were analyzed following varied treatment. Our in vitro Results have suggested that pantoprazole enhanced the cytotoxic activity of vitamin C by regulating pH values and production of exosomes in cancer cells. Moreover, the synergistic effect of pantoprazole and vitamin C was pH-dependent since pantoprazole was more effective at a slightly acidic pH. In vivo, the combined treatment using pantoprazole and vitamin C produced better therapeutic outcomes than treatment with vitamin C or pantoprazole alone, as demonstrated via tumor growth and uptake of 18F-FDG. Therefore, we suggest that pantoprazole combined with vitamin C could be as a possible strategy to manage mCRPC.

scholarly journals YAP1 overexpression contributes to the development of enzalutamide resistance by induction of cancer stemness and lipid metabolism in prostate cancer

Oncogene ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hsiu-Chi Lee ◽  
Chien-Hui Ou ◽  
Yun-Chen Huang ◽  
Pei-Chi Hou ◽  
Chad J. Creighton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Lipid Metabolism ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer ◽  
Cancer Stemness ◽  
New Treatment ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Transcriptional Complex

AbstractMetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is a malignant and lethal disease caused by relapse after androgen-deprivation (ADT) therapy. Since enzalutamide is innovated and approved by US FDA as a new treatment option for mCRPC patients, drug resistance for enzalutamide is a critical issue during clinical usage. Although several underlying mechanisms causing enzalutamide resistance were previously identified, most of them revealed that drug resistant cells are still highly addicted to androgen and AR functions. Due to the numerous physical functions of AR in men, innovated AR-independent therapy might alleviate enzalutamide resistance and prevent production of adverse side effects. Here, we have identified that yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) is overexpressed in enzalutamide-resistant (EnzaR) cells. Furthermore, enzalutamide-induced YAP1 expression is mediated through the function of chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription factor 2 (COUP-TFII) at the transcriptional and the post-transcriptional levels. Functional analyses reveal that YAP1 positively regulates numerous genes related to cancer stemness and lipid metabolism and interacts with COUP-TFII to form a transcriptional complex. More importantly, YAP1 inhibitor attenuates the growth and cancer stemness of EnzaR cells in vitro and in vivo. Finally, YAP1, COUP-TFII, and miR-21 are detected in the extracellular vesicles (EVs) isolated from EnzaR cells and sera of patients. In addition, treatment with EnzaR-EVs induces the abilities of cancer stemness, lipid metabolism and enzalutamide resistance in its parental cells. Taken together, these results suggest that YAP1 might be a crucial factor involved in the development of enzalutamide resistance and can be an alternative therapeutic target in prostate cancer.

scholarly journals MicroRNA-1205 Regulation of FRYL in Prostate Cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Naidoo ◽  
Fayola Levine ◽  
Tamara Gillot ◽  
Akintunde T. Orunmuyi ◽  
E. Oluwabunmi Olapade-Olaopa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Neuroendocrine Differentiation ◽  
Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer ◽  
Chromosomal Locus ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Castration Resistant ◽  
Dendritic Branching ◽  
Very High

High mortality rates of prostate cancer (PCa) are associated with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) due to the maintenance of androgen receptor (AR) signaling despite androgen deprivation therapies (ADTs). The 8q24 chromosomal locus is a region of very high PCa susceptibility that carries genetic variants associated with high risk of PCa incidence. This region also carries frequent amplifications of the PVT1 gene, a non-protein coding gene that encodes a cluster of microRNAs including, microRNA-1205 (miR-1205), which are largely understudied. Herein, we demonstrate that miR-1205 is underexpressed in PCa cells and tissues and suppresses CRPC tumors in vivo. To characterize the molecular pathway, we identified and validated fry-like (FRYL) as a direct molecular target of miR-1205 and observed its overexpression in PCa cells and tissues. FRYL is predicted to regulate dendritic branching, which led to the investigation of FRYL in neuroendocrine PCa (NEPC). Resistance toward ADT leads to the progression of treatment related NEPC often characterized by PCa neuroendocrine differentiation (NED), however, this mechanism is poorly understood. Underexpression of miR-1205 is observed when NED is induced in vitro and inhibition of miR-1205 leads to increased expression of NED markers. However, while FRYL is overexpressed during NED, FRYL knockdown did not reduce NED, therefore revealing that miR-1205 induces NED independently of FRYL.

scholarly journals Crosstalk Between Nuclear MET and SOX9/β-Catenin Correlates with Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (10) ◽  
pp. 1629-1639 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingqiu Xie ◽  
Wenfu Lu ◽  
Shenji Liu ◽  
Qing Yang ◽  
Brett S. Carver ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Combined Treatment ◽  
Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer ◽  
Ablation Therapy ◽  
Androgen Ablation ◽  
Castration Resistant ◽  
Activate Cell ◽  
Androgen Ablation Therapy

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (PCa) (CRPC) is relapse after various forms of androgen ablation therapy and causes a major mortality in PCa patients, yet the mechanism remains poorly understood. Here, we report the nuclear form of mesenchymal epithelial transition factor (nMET) is essential for CRPC. Specifically, nMET is remarkably increased in human CRPC samples compared with naïve samples. Androgen deprivation induces endogenous nMET and promotes cell proliferation and stem-like cell self-renewal in androgen-nonresponsive PCa cells. Mechanistically, nMET activates SRY (sex determining region Y)-box9, β-catenin, and Nanog homeobox and promotes sphere formation in the absence of androgen stimulus. Combined treatment of MET and β-catenin enhances the inhibition of PCa cell growth. Importantly, MET accumulation is detected in nucleus of recurrent prostate tumors of castrated Pten/Trp53 null mice, whereas MET elevation is predominantly found in membrane of naïve tumors. Our findings reveal for the first time an essential role of nMET association with SOX9/β-catenin in CRPC in vitro and in vivo, highlighting that nuclear RTK activate cell reprogramming to drive recurrence, and targeting nMET would be a new avenue to treat recurrent cancers.

scholarly journals Inhibition of LOXL2 Enhances the Radiosensitivity of Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Cells Associated with the Reversal of the EMT Process

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Xie ◽  
Hongliang Yu ◽  
Feijiang Wang ◽  
Feng Yan ◽  
Xia He
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Cell Apoptosis ◽  
Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer ◽  
Prostate Cancer Cells ◽  
Castration Resistant ◽  
Du145 Cells ◽  
Androgen Independent

Introduction. Radiotherapy is the mainstay in the treatment of prostate cancer. However, significant radioresistance of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) cells constitutes a main obstacle in the treatment of this disease. By using bioinformatic data mining methods, LOXL2 was found to be upregulated in both androgen-independent prostate cancer cell lines and radioresistant tumor samples collected from patients with prostate cancer. We speculate that LOXL2 may play an important role in the radioresistance of CRPC cells. Methods. The effect of LOXL2 knockdown on the radiosensitivity of androgen-independent prostate cancer cells lines was measured by the clonogenic assay and xenograft tumor experiments under in vitro and in vivo conditions, respectively. In studies on the mechanism, we focused on the EMT phenotype changes and cell apoptosis changes induced by LOXL2 knockdown in DU145 cells. The protein levels of three EMT biomarkers, namely, E-cadherin, vimentin, and N-cadherin, were measured by western blotting and immunohistochemical staining. Cell apoptosis after irradiation was measured by flow cytometry and caspase-3 activity assay. Salvage experiment was also conducted to confirm the possible role of EMT in the radiosensitization effect of LOXL2 knockdown in CRPC cells. Results. LOXL2 knockdown in CRPC cells enhanced cellular radiosensitivity under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. A significant reversal of EMT was observed in LOXL2-silenced DU145 cells. Cell apoptosis after irradiation was significantly enhanced by LOXL2 knockdown in DU145 cells. Results from the salvage experiment confirmed the key role of EMT process reversal in the radiosensitization effect of LOXL2 knockdown in DU145 cells. Conclusions. LOXL2 plays an important role in the development of cellular radioresistance in CRPC cells. Targeting LOXL2 may be a rational avenue to overcome radioresistance in CRPC cells. A LOXL2-targeting strategy for CRPC treatment warrants detailed investigation in the future.

scholarly journals Arginine vasopressin receptor 1a is a therapeutic target for castration-resistant prostate cancer

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (498) ◽  
pp. eaaw4636 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ning Zhao ◽  
Stephanie O. Peacock ◽  
Chen Hao Lo ◽  
Laine M. Heidman ◽  
Meghan A. Rice ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Arginine Vasopressin ◽  
Ectopic Expression ◽  
Vasopressin Receptor ◽  
Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer ◽  
Castration Resistance ◽  
Castration Resistant ◽  
Promising Therapeutic Approach

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) recurs after androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and is incurable. Reactivation of androgen receptor (AR) signaling in the low androgen environment of ADT drives CRPC. This AR activity occurs through a variety of mechanisms, including up-regulation of AR coactivators such as VAV3 and expression of constitutively active AR variants such as the clinically relevant AR-V7. AR-V7 lacks a ligand-binding domain and is linked to poor prognosis. We previously showed that VAV3 enhances AR-V7 activity to drive CRPC progression. Gene expression profiling after depletion of either VAV3 or AR-V7 in CRPC cells revealed arginine vasopressin receptor 1a (AVPR1A) as the most commonly down-regulated gene, indicating that this G protein–coupled receptor may be critical for CRPC. Analysis of publicly available human PC datasets showed thatAVPR1Ahas a higher copy number and increased amounts of mRNA in advanced PC. Depletion of AVPR1A in CRPC cells resulted in decreased cell proliferation and reduced cyclin A. In contrast, androgen-dependent PC, AR-negative PC, or nontumorigenic prostate epithelial cells, which have undetectableAVPR1AmRNA, were minimally affected by AVPR1A depletion. Ectopic expression of AVPR1A in androgen-dependent PC cells conferred castration resistance in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, treatment of CRPC cells with the AVPR1A ligand, arginine vasopressin (AVP), activated ERK and CREB, known promoters of PC progression. A clinically safe and selective AVPR1A antagonist, relcovaptan, prevented CRPC emergence and decreased CRPC orthotopic and bone metastatic growth in mouse models. Based on these preclinical findings, repurposing AVPR1A antagonists is a promising therapeutic approach for CRPC.

The in vitro and in vivo Antitumor Activity of Vitamin C: K3 Combinations Against Prostate Cancer

ChemInform ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 37 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
James M. Jamison ◽  
Jacques Gilloteaux ◽  
Henryk S. Taper ◽  
Pedro Buc Calderon ◽  
Laszlo Perlaky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Antitumor Activity ◽  
Vitamin C ◽  
In Vivo Antitumor Activity

A randomized phase II study of OGX-427 plus prednisone (P) versus P alone in patients (pts) with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 4514-4514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim N. Chi ◽  
Sebastien J. Hotte ◽  
Susan Ellard ◽  
Joel Roger Gingerich ◽  
Anthony Michael Joshua ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Single Agent ◽  
Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer ◽  
Disease Response ◽  
Measurable Disease ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Ecog Ps

4514 Background: Heat Shock Protein 27 (Hsp27) is a multi-functional chaperone protein that regulates cell signaling and survival pathways implicated in cancer progression. In prostate cancer models, Hsp27 complexes with androgen receptor (AR) and enhances transactivation of AR-regulated genes. OGX-427 is a 2nd generation antisense oligonucleotide that inhibits Hsp27 expression with in vitro and in vivo efficacy and was well tolerated with single agent activity in phase I studies. Methods: Chemotherapy-naïve pts with no/minimal symptoms were randomized to receive OGX-427 600 mg IV x 3 loading doses then 1000 mg IV weekly with P 5 mg PO BID or P only. Primary endpoint was the proportion of pts progression free (PPF) at 12 weeks (PCWG2 criteria). A 2-stage MinMax design (H0 = 5%, HA >20%, α=0.1, β=0.1) with 32 pts/arm provides 70% power to detect the difference at 0.10 1-sided significance. Secondary endpoints include PSA decline, measurable disease response, and circulating tumour cell (CTC) enumeration. Results: 38 pts have been enrolled; 1st stage of accrual completed with 2nd stage accruing. In the 1st 32 pts randomized (17 to OGX-427+P, 15 to P), baseline median age was 71 years (53-89), ECOG PS 0 or 1 in 66% and 34% of pts, median PSA 66 (6-606), metastases in bone/lymph nodes/liver or lung was 75/56/9%, 31% had prior P treatment, and 93% had ≥5 CTC/7.5 ml. Predominantly grade 1/2 infusion reactions (chills, diarrhea, flushing, nausea, vomiting) occurred in 47% of pts receiving OGX-427+P. One pt on OGX-427+P developed hemolytic uremic syndrome. A PSA decline of ≥50% occurred in 41% of pts on OGX-427+P, and 20% of pts treated with P. A measurable disease partial response was seen in 3/8 (38%) evaluable pts on OGX-427+P and 0/9 pts on P. CTC conversion from ≥5 to <5/7.5 ml occurred in 50% of pts on OGX-427+P and 31% treated with P. Thus far, in 26 evaluable pts the PPF at 12 weeks was 71% (95% CI: 42-92) in OGX-427+P treated pts and 33% (95% CI: 10-65) in pts on P. Conclusions: These data provide clinical evidence for the role of Hsp27 as a therapeutic target in prostate cancer and support continued evaluation of OGX-427 for pts with CRPC. Funded by a grant from the Terry Fox Research Institute.

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