PI3Kδ and PI3Kγ regulate immune cell signaling. Selective PI3Kδ or PI3Kγ inhibitors and dual PI3Kδ/γ inhibitors have the potential for the treatment of immune cell-mediated diseases and hematological ...malignancies. Based on the quinazolinone pharmacophore, we used a pyrazolo3,4-dpyrimidin-4-amine portion as the hinge region binding moiety, an aromatic or a heteroaromatic substituent at the 3-position of the pyrazolo3,4-dpyrimidine core as the affinity element, and designed novel 2-tolyl and 2,6-dimethylphenyl quinazolinone derivatives as potential PI3Kδ inhibitors. Most of these compounds displayed high inhibitory rates (89–97%) against PI3Kδ at the concentration of 1 μM, with the IC50 values of 8.4 nM–106 nM. Among the 3-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)quinazolinone series, the introduction of an indol-5-yl substituent at the pyrazolo3,4-dpyrimidine 3-position led to a potent and selective PI3Kδ (IC50 = 8.6 nM) inhibitor 10d, that was more than 3630-fold, 390-fold and 40-fold selective for PI3Kδ over PI3Kα, β and γ, while the substitution with a 3,4-dimethoxyphenyl resulted in a potent and selective dual PI3Kδ/γ inhibitor 10e with IC50 values of 8.4 nM and 62 nM against PI3Kδ and PI3Kγ, respectively. Compound 10e was also more than 1400-fold, 820-fold selective for PI3Kδ over PI3Kα and PI3Kβ. In agreement with their remarkable PI3Kδ inhibitory activity, compounds 10d and 10e showed high antiproliferative activity against human B-cell SU-DHL-6 cells. Moreover, the dual PI3Kδ/γ inhibitor 10e had reasonable pharmacokinetic profiles with a good plasma exposure, low clearance, low volume distribution, and an acceptable oral bioavailability of 34.9%.
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•Novel quinazolinone derivatives were designed targeting PI3Kδ.•The indol-5-yl derivative 10d was a potent PI3Kδ inhibitor with excellent selectivity over PI3Kα and β.•The 3,4-dimethoxyphenyl derivative 10e was a potent and selective dual PI3Kδ/γ inhibitor.•Both compounds 10d and 10e displayed potent antiproliferative activities against SU-DHL-6 cell.•The dual PI3Kδ/γ inhibitor 10e exhibited reasonable pharmacokinetic profiles.
SOX4: The unappreciated oncogene Moreno, Carlos S.
Seminars in cancer biology,
12/2020, Letnik:
67, Številka:
Pt 1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
SOX4 is an essential developmental transcription factor that regulates stemness, differentiation, progenitor development, and multiple developmental pathways including PI3K, Wnt, and TGFβ signaling. ...The SOX4 gene is frequently amplified and overexpressed in over 20 types of malignancies, and multiple lines of evidence support that notion that SOX4 is an oncogene. Its overexpression is due to both gene amplification and to activation of PI3K, Wnt, and TGFβ pathways that SOX4 regulates. SOX4 interacts with multiple other transcription factors, rendering many of its impacts on gene expression context and tissue-specific. Nevertheless, there are common themes that run through many of the effects of SOX4 hyperactivity, such as the promotion of cell survival, stemness, the epithelial to mesenchymal transition, migration, and metastasis. Specific targeting of SOX4 remains a challenge for future cancer research and drug development.
The PI3K-Akt pathway is a major survival pathway activated in cancer. Efforts to develop targeted therapies have not been fully successful, mainly because of extensive internal intrapathway or ...external interpathway negative feedback loops or because of networking between pathway suppressors. The PTEN tumor suppressor is the major brake of the pathway and a common target for inactivation in somatic cancers. This review will highlight the networking of PTEN with other inhibitors of the pathway, relevant to cancer progression. PTEN constitutes the main node of the inhibitory network, and a series of convergences at different levels in the PI3K-Akt pathway, starting from those with growth factor receptors, will be described. As PTEN exerts enzymatic activity as a phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP(3)) phosphatase, thus opposing the activity of PI3K, the concerted actions to increase the availability of PIP(3) in cancer cells, relying either on other phosphoinositide enzymes or on the intrinsic regulation of PTEN activity by other molecules, will be discussed. In particular, the synergy between PTEN and the circle of its direct interacting proteins will be brought forth in an attempt to understand both the activation of the PI3K-Akt pathway and the connections with other parallel oncogenic pathways. The understanding of the interplay between the modulators of the PI3K-Akt pathway in cancer should eventually lead to the design of therapeutic approaches with increased efficacy in the clinic.
Sodium butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid, is predominantly produced by gut microbiota fermentation of dietary fiber and serves as an important neuromodulator in the central nervous system. Recent ...experimental evidence has suggested that sodium butyrate may be an endogenous ligand for two orphan G protein-coupled receptors, GPR41 and GP43, which regulate apoptosis and inflammation in ischemia-related pathologies, including stroke. In the present study, we evaluated the potential efficacy and mechanism of action of short-chain fatty acids in a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Fatty acids were intranasally administered 1 h post MCAO. Short-chain fatty acids, especially sodium butyrate, reduced infarct volume and improved neurological function at 24 and 72 h after MCAO. At 24 h, the effects of MCAO, increased apoptosis, were ameliorated after treatment with sodium butyrate, which increased the expressions of GPR41, PI3K and phosphorylated Akt. To confirm these mechanistic links and characterize the GPR active subunit, PC12 cells were subjected to oxygen–glucose deprivation and reoxygenation, and pharmacological and siRNA interventions were used to reverse efficacy. Taken together, intranasal administration of sodium butyrate activated PI3K/Akt via GPR41/Gβγ and attenuated neuronal apoptosis after MCAO.
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•PTTH treatment increased St1 and Treh1 gene expression levels in PGs.•Time-dependent stimulation of Treh enzyme activity was detected in PTTH-treated PGs.•PI3K and ERK signaling ...pathways appear to be related to PTTH-stimulated Treh activity.•Reducing Treh activity inhibited PTTH-stimulated ecdysteroidogenesis.•PTTH-stimulated sugar metabolism appears to be related to edysteroidogenesis.
The prothoracic gland (PG) is the source of ecdysteoids in larval insects. Although numerous studies have been conducted on signaling networks involved in prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH)-stimulated ecdysteroidogenesis in PGs, less is known about regulation of metabolism in PGs. In the present study, we investigated correlations between expressions of sugar transporter (St)/trehalase (Treh) genes and PTTH-stimulated ecdysteroidogenesis in Bombyx mori PGs. Our results showed that in vitro PTTH treatment stimulated expression of the St1 gene, but not other transporter genes. Expression of the Treh1 gene was also stimulated by PTTH treatment. An immunoblotting analysis showed that St1 protein levels in Bombyx PGs increased during the later stage of the last larval instar and were not affect by PTTH treatment. PTTH treatment enhanced Treh enzyme activity in a time-dependent manner. Blocking either extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling with U0126 or phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling with LY294002 decreased PTTH-stimulated Treh enzyme activity, indicating a link from the ERK and PI3K signaling pathways to Treh activity. Treatment with the Treh inhibitor, validamycin A, blocked PTTH-stimulated Treh enzyme activity and partially inhibited PTTH-stimulated ecdysteroidogenesis. Treatment with either a sugar transport inhibitor (cytochalasin B) or a specific glycolysis inhibitor (2-deoxy-D-glucose, 2-DG) partially inhibited PTTH-stimulated ecdysteroidogenesis. Taken together, these results indicate that increased expressions of St1/Treh1 and Treh activity, which lie downstream of PTTH signaling, are involved in PTTH stimulation in B. mori PGs.
Abstract Background Oncogenic mutations in the RAS gene are associated with uncontrolled cell growth, a hallmark feature contributing to tumorigenesis. While diverse therapeutic strategies have been ...diligently applied to treat RAS-mutant cancers, successful targeting of the RAS gene remains a persistent challenge in the field of cancer therapy. In our study, we discover a promising avenue for addressing this challenge. Methods In this study, we tested the viability of several cell lines carrying oncogenic NRAS, KRAS, and HRAS mutations upon treatment with IkappaBalpha (IκBα) inhibitor BAY 11-7082. We performed both cell culture-based viability assay and in vivo subcutaneous xenograft-based assay to confirm the growth inhibitory effect of BAY 11-7082. We also performed large RNA sequencing analysis to identify differentially regulated genes and pathways in the context of oncogenic NRAS, KRAS, and HRAS mutations upon treatment with BAY 11-7082. Results We demonstrate that oncogenic NRAS, KRAS, and HRAS activate the expression of IκBα kinase. BAY 11-7082, an inhibitor of IκBα kinase, attenuates the growth of NRAS, KRAS, and HRAS mutant cancer cells in cell culture and in mouse model. Mechanistically, BAY 11-7082 inhibitor treatment leads to suppression of the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway and activation of apoptosis in all RAS mutant cell lines. Additionally, we find that BAY 11-7082 treatment results in the downregulation of different biological pathways depending upon the type of RAS protein that may also contribute to tumor growth inhibition. Conclusion Our study identifies BAY 11-7082 to be an efficacious inhibitor for treating RAS oncogene (HRAS, KRAS, and NRAS) mutant cancer cells. This finding provides new therapeutic opportunity for effective treatment of RAS-mutant cancers.
Cancer is a severe public health issue that is a leading cause of mortality globally. It is also an impediment to improving life expectancy worldwide. Furthermore, the global burden of cancer ...incidence and death is continuously growing. Current therapeutic options are insufficient for patients, and tumor complexity and heterogeneity necessitate customized medicine or targeted therapy. It is critical to identify potential cancer therapeutic targets. Aberrant activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway has a significant role in carcinogenesis. This review summarized oncogenic PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway alterations in cancer and various cancer hallmarks associated with the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, such as cell proliferation, autophagy, apoptosis, angiogenesis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and chemoresistance. Importantly, this review provided recent advances in PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitor research. Overall, an in-depth understanding of the association between the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and tumorigenesis and the development of therapies targeting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway will help make clinical decisions.
Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers and has a high mortality rate. Due to its high incidence, the clinical management of the disease remains a major challenge. Several reports have ...documented a relationship between the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/ protein kinase B (AKT)/ mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway and lung cancer. The recognition of this pathway as a notable therapeutic target in lung cancer is mainly due to its central involvement in the initiation and progression of the disease. Interest in using natural and synthetic medications to target these signaling pathways has increased in recent years, with promising results in vitro, in vivo, and in clinical trials. In this review, we focus on the current understanding of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in tumor development. In addition to the signaling pathway, we highlighted the therapeutic potential of recently developed PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors based on preclinical and clinical trials.
Glioblastoma, formerly known as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is a malignant nervous system tumor with high morbidity, recurrence rate, and mortality. Treating glioblastoma is difficult due to ...complicating factors, and novel therapeutic strategies are required to overcome resistance. In this study, we investigate the glioblastoma inhibitory activity of 10,11-dehydrocurvularin (DCV), a polyketide compound with broad biological activities, despite the fact that its anti-glioma properties and related mechanisms have yet to be studied. We look at how DCV affects glioblastoma cell lines U251 and U87 versus HEB cells. We discover that DCV inhibits glioblastoma cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion, as well as causing cell apoptosis. DCV treatment inhibits AKT phosphorylation and decreases the level of the PI3K/AKT pathway downstream protein MMP2. Our findings suggest that DCV could be a candidate for developing more potent glioblastoma chemotherapeutic drugs.