New pharmacological findings linked to biphenyl DHPMs, kinesin Eg5 ligands: anticancer and antioxidant effects

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Itamar Luís Gonçalves ◽  
Liliana Rockenbach ◽  
Gabriela Göethel ◽  
Elisa Saüer ◽  
Luciano Porto Kagami ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Lines ◽  
Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship ◽  
Induce Cell Cycle Arrest ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Cycle Arrest ◽  
Bladder Cell ◽  
Kinesin Eg5 ◽  
Species Production ◽  
New Compounds

Background: Dihydropyrimidin-2-thiones (DHPMs) are a class of heterocyclic compound which have been intensively investigated mainly due to their anticancer activity as kinesin Eg5 inhibitors. Materials & methods: A library of N1 aryl substituted DHPMs were tested against glioma and bladder cancer cell lines. Quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) investigation was performed in order to identify key elements of DHPMs linked with their antiproliferative effect. The toxicity of most active compounds was investigated using Caenorhabditis elegans as the model. Results & conclusion: DHPMs 9, 13 and 17 have been identified as having improved activity against glioma and bladder cell lines as compared with monastrol. Flow cytometry investigations showed that the new compounds induce cell cycle arrest in phase G2/M and cell death by apoptosis. In addition, compound 13 was able to modulate the reactive oxygen species production in vivo in C. elegans. The biphenyl dihydropyrimidinthiones provided a safety profile in C. elegans.

scholarly journals The Anti-Tumor Activity of the NEDD8 Inhibitor Pevonedistat in Neuroblastoma

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 6565
Author(s):  
Jennifer H. Foster ◽  
Eveline Barbieri ◽  
Linna Zhang ◽  
Kathleen A. Scorsone ◽  
Myrthala Moreno-Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Neuroblastoma Cell ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Tumor Weight ◽  
Cycle Arrest ◽  
P53 Status ◽  
Neuroblastoma Cell Lines ◽  
Anti Tumor Activity

Pevonedistat is a neddylation inhibitor that blocks proteasomal degradation of cullin–RING ligase (CRL) proteins involved in the degradation of short-lived regulatory proteins, including those involved with cell-cycle regulation. We determined the sensitivity and mechanism of action of pevonedistat cytotoxicity in neuroblastoma. Pevonedistat cytotoxicity was assessed using cell viability assays and apoptosis. We examined mechanisms of action using flow cytometry, bromodeoxyuridine (BrDU) and immunoblots. Orthotopic mouse xenografts of human neuroblastoma were generated to assess in vivo anti-tumor activity. Neuroblastoma cell lines were very sensitive to pevonedistat (IC50 136–400 nM). The mechanism of pevonedistat cytotoxicity depended on p53 status. Neuroblastoma cells with mutant (p53MUT) or reduced levels of wild-type p53 (p53si-p53) underwent G2-M cell-cycle arrest with rereplication, whereas p53 wild-type (p53WT) cell lines underwent G0-G1 cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. In orthotopic neuroblastoma models, pevonedistat decreased tumor weight independent of p53 status. Control mice had an average tumor weight of 1.6 mg + 0.8 mg versus 0.5 mg + 0.4 mg (p < 0.05) in mice treated with pevonedistat. The mechanism of action of pevonedistat in neuroblastoma cell lines in vitro appears p53 dependent. However, in vivo studies using mouse neuroblastoma orthotopic models showed a significant decrease in tumor weight following pevonedistat treatment independent of the p53 status. Novel chemotherapy agents, such as the NEDD8-activating enzyme (NAE) inhibitor pevonedistat, deserve further study in the treatment of neuroblastoma.

scholarly journals Targeting DDX3X Helicase Activity with BA103 Shows Promising Therapeutic Effects in Preclinical Glioblastoma Models

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 5569
Author(s):  
Annalaura Brai ◽  
Valentina Riva ◽  
Letizia Clementi ◽  
Lucia Falsitta ◽  
Claudio Zamperini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Lines ◽  
Antitumoral Activity ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Helicase Activity ◽  
In Vivo Evaluation ◽  
Cancer Types ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Oncogenic Protein ◽  
New Compounds

DDX3X is an ATP-dependent RNA helicase that has recently attracted interest for its involvement in viral replication and oncogenic progression. Starting from hit compounds previously identified by our group, we have designed and synthesized a new series of DDX3X inhibitors that effectively blocked its helicase activity. These new compounds were able to inhibit the proliferation of cell lines from different cancer types, also in DDX3X low-expressing cancer cell lines. According to the absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination properties, and antitumoral activity, compound BA103 was chosen to be further investigated in glioblastoma models. BA103 determined a significant reduction in the proliferation and migration of U87 and U251 cells, downregulating the oncogenic protein β-catenin. An in vivo evaluation demonstrated that BA103 was able to reach the brain and reduce the tumor growth in xenograft and orthotopic models without evident side effects. This study represents the first demonstration that DDX3X-targeted small molecules are feasible and promising drugs also in glioblastoma.

scholarly journals Therapeutic evaluation of palbociclib and its compatibility with other chemotherapies for primary and recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
zhichao xue ◽  
Vivian Wai Yan Lui ◽  
Yongshu Li ◽  
Jia Lin ◽  
Chanping You ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Chemotherapeutic Drugs ◽  
Induce Cell Cycle Arrest ◽  
Ki 67 ◽  
Concurrent Treatment ◽  
Xenograft Models

Abstract Background: Recent genomic analyses revealed that druggable molecule targets were detectable in approximately 6% of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, a dependency on dysregulated CDK4/6–cyclinD1 pathway signaling is an essential event in the pathogenesis of NPC. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of a specific CDK4/6 inhibitor, palbociclib, and its compatibility with other chemotherapeutic drugs for the treatment of NPC by using newly established xenograft models and cell lines derived from primary, recurrent, and metastatic NPC. Methods: We evaluated the efficacies of palbociclib monotherapy and concurrent treatment with palbociclib and cisplatin or suberanilohydroxamic acid (SAHA) in NPC cell lines and xenograft models. RNA sequencing was then used to profile the drug response–related pathways. Palbociclib-resistant NPC cell lines were established to determine the potential use of cisplatin as a second-line treatment after the development of palbociclib resistance. We further examined the efficacy of palbociclib treatment against cisplatin-resistant NPC cells. Results: In NPC cells, palbociclib monotherapy was confirmed to induce cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase in vitro . Palbociclib monotherapy also had significant inhibitory effects in all six tested NPC tumor models in vivo , as indicated by substantial reductions in the total tumor volumes and in Ki-67 proliferation marker expression. In NPC cells, concurrent palbociclib treatment mitigated the cytotoxic effect of cisplatin in vitro . Notably, concurrent treatment with palbociclib and SAHA synergistically promoted NPC cell death both in vitro and in vivo . This combination also further inhibited tumor growth by inducing autophagy-associated cell death. NPC cell lines with induced palbociclib or cisplatin resistance remained sensitive to treatment with cisplatin or palbociclib, respectively. Conclusions: Our study findings provide essential support for the use of palbociclib as an alternative therapy for NPC and increase awareness of the effective timing of palbociclib administration with other chemotherapeutic drugs. Our results provide a foundation for the design of first-in-human clinical trials of palbociclib regimens in patients with NPC.

scholarly journals Menadione reduces CDC25B expression and promotes tumor shrinkage in gastric cancer

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 175628481989543
Author(s):  
Amanda Braga Bona ◽  
Danielle Queiroz Calcagno ◽  
Helem Ferreira Ribeiro ◽  
José Augusto Pereira Carneiro Muniz ◽  
Giovanny Rebouças Pinto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gastric Cancer ◽  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Cell Cycle Arrest ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Specific Inhibitor ◽  
Gastric Carcinogenesis ◽  
In Vivo Experiments ◽  
Cycle Arrest

Background: Gastric cancer is one of the most incident types of cancer worldwide and presents high mortality rates and poor prognosis. MYC oncogene overexpression is a key event in gastric carcinogenesis and it is known that its protein positively regulates CDC25B expression which, in turn, plays an essential role in the cell division cycle progression. Menadione is a synthetic form of vitamin K that acts as a specific inhibitor of the CDC25 family of phosphatases. Methods: To better understand the menadione mechanism of action in gastric cancer, we evaluated its molecular and cellular effects in cell lines and in Sapajus apella, nonhuman primates from the new world which had gastric carcinogenesis induced by N-Methyl-N-nitrosourea. We tested CDC25B expression by western blot and RT-qPCR. In-vitro assays include proliferation, migration, invasion and flow cytometry to analyze cell cycle arrest. In in-vivo experiments, in addition to the expression analyses, we followed the preneoplastic lesions and the tumor progression by ultrasonography, endoscopy, biopsies, histopathology and immunohistochemistry. Results: Our tests demonstrated menadione reducing CDC25B expression in vivo and in vitro. It was able to reduce migration, invasion and proliferation rates, and induce cell cycle arrest in gastric cancer cell lines. Moreover, our in-vivo experiments demonstrated menadione inhibiting tumor development and progression. Conclusions: We suggest this compound may be an important ally of chemotherapeutics in the treatment of gastric cancer. In addition, CDC25B has proven to be an effective target for investigation and development of new therapeutic strategies for this malignancy.

scholarly journals Cyperus articulatus L. (Cyperaceae) Rhizome Essential Oil Causes Cell Cycle Arrest in the G2/M Phase and Cell Death in HepG2 Cells and Inhibits the Development of Tumors in a Xenograft Model

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (11) ◽  
pp. 2687
Author(s):  
Mateus L. Nogueira ◽  
Emilly J. S. P. de Lima ◽  
Asenate A. X. Adrião ◽  
Sheila S. Fontes ◽  
Valdenizia R. Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Gas Chromatography ◽  
Cell Death ◽  
Liver Cancer ◽  
Essential Oil ◽  
Cell Cycle Arrest ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Hepg2 Cells ◽  
Cycle Arrest

Cyperus articulatus L. (Cyperaceae), popularly known in Brazil as “priprioca” or “piriprioca”, is a tropical and subtropical plant used in popular medical practices to treat many diseases, including cancer. In this study, C. articulatus rhizome essential oil (EO), collected from the Brazilian Amazon rainforest, was addressed in relation to its chemical composition, induction of cell death in vitro and inhibition of tumor development in vivo, using human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells as a cell model. EO was obtained by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus and characterized qualitatively and quantitatively by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID), respectively. The cytotoxic activity of EO was examined against five cancer cell lines (HepG2, HCT116, MCF-7, HL-60 and B16-F10) and one non-cancerous one (MRC-5) using the Alamar blue assay. Cell cycle distribution and cell death were investigated using flow cytometry in HepG2 cells treated with EO after 24, 48 and 72 h of incubation. The cells were also stained with May–Grunwald–Giemsa to analyze the morphological changes. The anti-liver-cancer activity of EO in vivo was evaluated in C.B-17 severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice with HepG2 cell xenografts. The main representative substances of this EO sample were muskatone (11.6%), cyclocolorenone (10.3%), α-pinene (8.26%), pogostol (6.36%), α-copaene (4.83%) and caryophyllene oxide (4.82%). EO showed IC50 values for cancer cell lines ranging from 28.5 µg/mL for HepG2 to >50 µg/mL for HCT116, and an IC50 value for non-cancerous of 46.0 µg/mL (MRC-5), showing selectivity indices below 2-fold for all cancer cells tested. HepG2 cells treated with EO showed cell cycle arrest at G2/M along with internucleosomal DNA fragmentation. The morphological alterations included cell shrinkage and chromatin condensation. Treatment with EO also increased the percentage of apoptotic-like cells. The in vivo tumor mass inhibition rates of EO were 46.5–50.0%. The results obtained indicate the anti-liver-cancer potential of C. articulatus rhizome EO.

scholarly journals Developing new ceramide analogs and identifying novel sphingolipid-controlled genes against a virus-associated lymphoma

Blood ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 136 (19) ◽  
pp. 2175-2187
Author(s):  
Jungang Chen ◽  
Navneet Goyal ◽  
Lu Dai ◽  
Zhen Lin ◽  
Luis Del Valle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Effusion Lymphoma ◽  
Specific Treatment ◽  
Kaposi Sarcoma ◽  
Sphingolipid Metabolism ◽  
Oncogenic Viruses ◽  
Cycle Arrest ◽  
Cellular Genes ◽  
Associated Malignancy ◽  
New Compounds

Abstract Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is an aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis even under chemotherapy. Kaposi sarcoma–associated herpesvirus (KSHV), one of the human oncogenic viruses, is the principal causative agent. Currently, there is no specific treatment for PEL; therefore, developing new therapies is of great importance. Sphingolipid metabolism plays an important role in determining the fate of tumor cells. Our previous studies have demonstrated that there is a correlation between sphingolipid metabolism and KSHV+ tumor cell survival. To further develop sphingolipid metabolism-targeted therapy, after screening a series of newly synthesized ceramide analogs, here, we have identified compounds with effective anti-PEL activity. These compounds induce significant PEL apoptosis, cell-cycle arrest, and intracellular ceramide production through regulation of ceramide synthesizing or ceramide metabolizing enzymes and dramatically suppress tumor progression without visible toxicity in vivo. These new compounds also increase viral lytic gene expression in PEL cells. Our comparative transcriptomic analysis revealed their mechanisms of action for inducing PEL cell death and identified a subset of novel cellular genes, including AURKA and CDCA3, controlled by sphingolipid metabolism, and required for PEL survival with functional validation. These data provide the framework for the development of promising sphingolipid-based therapies against this virus-associated malignancy.

scholarly journals Epigenetic silencing of UBXN8 contributes to leukemogenesis in t(8;21) acute myeloid leukemia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erna Yang ◽  
Wei Guan ◽  
Desheng Gong ◽  
Jieying Li ◽  
Caixia Han ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acute Myeloid Leukemia ◽  
Fusion Protein ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Promoter Region ◽  
Myeloid Leukemia ◽  
Specific Inhibitor ◽  
Epigenetic Silencing ◽  
Cycle Arrest ◽  
Acute Myeloid

AbstractThe formation of the RUNX1-RUNX1T1 fusion protein, resulting from the t(8;21) translocation, is considered to be one of the initiating events of t(8;21) acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, the mechanisms of the oncogenic mechanism of RUNX1-RUNX1T1 remain unclear. In this study, we found that RUNX1-RUNX1T1 triggers the heterochromatic silencing of UBXN8 by recognizing the RUNX1-binding sites and recruiting chromatin-remodeling enzymes to the UBXN8 promoter region. Decitabine, a specific inhibitor of DNA methylation, upregulated the expression of UBXN8 in RUNX1-RUNX1T1+ AML cell lines. Overexpression of UBXN8 inhibited the proliferation and colony-forming ability of and promoted cell cycle arrest in t(8;21) AML cell lines. Enhancing UBXN8 levels can significantly inhibit tumor proliferation and promote the differentiation of RUNX1-RUNX1T1+ cells in vivo. In conclusion, our results indicated that epigenetic silencing of UBXN8 via methylation of its promoter region mediated by the RUNX1-RUNX1T1 fusion protein contributes to the leukemogenesis of t(8;21) AML and that UBXN8 targeting may be a potential therapeutic strategy for t(8;21) AML.

Sensory acceptable equivalent doses of β-phenylethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) induce cell cycle arrest and retard the growth of p53 mutated oral cancer in vitro and in vivo

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 3640-3656 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aroonwan Lam-ubol ◽  
Alison Lea Fitzgerald ◽  
Arnat Ritdej ◽  
Tawaree Phonyiam ◽  
Hui Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Oral Cancer ◽  
Cell Cycle Arrest ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Induce Cell Cycle Arrest ◽  
Cycle Arrest ◽  
Oral Cancer Cells ◽  
Phenylethyl Isothiocyanate

Sensory acceptable doses of PEITC are selectively toxic to oral cancer cells via ROS-mediated cell cycle arrest.

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