Tumor recurrence following treatment remains a major clinical challenge. Evidence from xenograft models and human trials indicates selective enrichment of cancer-initiating cells (CICs) in tumors that survive therapy. Together with recent reports showing that CIC gene signatures influence patient survival, these studies predict that targeting self-renewal, the key 'stemness' property unique to CICs, may represent a new paradigm in cancer therapy. Here we demonstrate that tumor formation and, more specifically, human colorectal CIC function are dependent on the canonical self-renewal regulator BMI-1. Downregulation of BMI-1 inhibits the ability of colorectal CICs to self-renew, resulting in the abrogation of their tumorigenic potential. Treatment of primary colorectal cancer xenografts with a small-molecule BMI-1 inhibitor resulted in colorectal CIC loss with long-term and irreversible impairment of tumor growth. Targeting the BMI-1-related self-renewal machinery provides the basis for a new therapeutic approach in the treatment of colorectal cancer.

BMI-1, also known as a stem cell factor, is frequently upregulated in several malignancies. Elevated expression of BMI-1 correlates with poor prognosis and is therefore considered a viable therapeutic target in a number of malignancies including ovarian cancer. Realizing the immense pathologic significance of BMI-1, small-molecule inhibitors against BMI-1 are recently being developed. In this study, we functionally characterize PTC-028, an orally bioavailable compound that decreases BMI-1 levels by posttranslational modification. We report that PTC-028 treatment selectively inhibits cancer cells in clonal growth and viability assays, whereas normal cells remain unaffected. Mechanistically, hyperphosphorylation-mediated depletion of cellular BMI-1 by PTC-028 coupled with a concurrent temporal decrease in ATP and a compromised mitochondrial redox balance potentiates caspase-dependent apoptosis. , orally administered PTC-028, as a single agent, exhibits significant antitumor activity comparable with the standard cisplatin/paclitaxel therapy in an orthotopic mouse model of ovarian cancer. Thus, PTC-028 has the potential to be used as an effective therapeutic agent in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, where treatment options are limited..

Nonsense mutations resulting in a premature stop codon in an open reading frame occur in critical tumor suppressor genes in a large number of the most common forms of cancers and are known to cause or contribute to the progression of disease. Low molecular weight compounds that induce readthrough of nonsense mutations offer a new means of treating patients with genetic disorders or cancers resulting from nonsense mutations. We have identified the nucleoside analog clitocine as a potent and efficacious suppressor of nonsense mutations. We determined that incorporation of clitocine into RNA during transcription is a prerequisite for its readthrough activity; the presence of clitocine in the third position of a premature stop codon directly induces readthrough. We demonstrate that clitocine can induce the production of p53 protein in cells harboring p53 nonsense-mutated alleles. In these cells, clitocine restored production of full-length and functional p53 as evidenced by induced transcriptional activation of downstream p53 target genes, progression of cells into apoptosis, and impeded growth of nonsense-containing human ovarian cancer tumors in xenograft tumor models. Thus, clitocine induces readthrough of nonsense mutations by a previously undescribed mechanism and represents a novel therapeutic modality to treat cancers and genetic diseases caused by nonsense mutations.

Nonsense mutations, resulting in a premature stop codon in the open reading frame of mRNAs are responsible for thousands of inherited diseases. Readthrough of premature stop codons by small molecule drugs has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach to treat disorders resulting from premature termination of translation. The aminoglycoside antibiotics are a class of molecule known to promote readthrough at premature termination codons. Gentamicin consists of a mixture of major and minor aminoglycoside components. Here, we investigated the readthrough activities of the individual components and show that each of the four major gentamicin complex components representing 92–99% of the complex each had similar potency and activity to that of the complex itself. In contrast, a minor component (gentamicin X2) was found to be the most potent and active readthrough component in the gentamicin complex. The known oto- and nephrotoxicity associated with aminoglycosides preclude long-term use as readthrough agents. Thus, we evaluated the components of the gentamicin complex as well as the so-called “designer” aminoglycoside, NB124, for in vitro and in vivo safety. In cells, we observed that gentamicin X2 had a safety/readthrough ratio (cytotoxicity/readthrough potency) superior to that of gentamicin, G418 or NB124. In rodents, we observed that gentamicin X2 showed a safety profile that was superior to G418 overall including reduced nephrotoxicity. These results support further investigation of gentamicin X2 as a therapeutic readthrough agent.

[reaction: see text] Two model studies in support of a total synthesis of the complex polycyclic alkaloid daphnilactone B have been completed. The objectives of the models studies were to demonstrate the use of a tandem double-intramolecular [4+2]/[3+2] nitroalkene cycloaddition for the stereocontrolled construction of four of the rings in the core of the natural product. The first model study established the ability to create a pyrrolidine ring corresponding to ring A of daphnilactone B through a modification of the dipolarophile and subsequent functional group manipulations. The second model study required the modification of the dienophile in the [4+2] cycloaddition to accommodate the formation of a piperidine ring (ring B of daphnilactone B). Nitroalkene 26 containing a diene as the dienophile served well in the tandem cycloaddition to afford the nitroso acetal 38a in 77% yield. Subsequent functional group manipulations allowed for the high-yielding conversion to the core of daphnilactone B.

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An asymmetric synthesis of the ABCD ring system of daphnilactone B is described. The synthesis features a tandem, double intramolecular, [4+2]/[3+2] cycloaddition of a highly functionalized, enantiomerically enriched nitroalkene to generate a pentacyclic nitroso acetal. The cycloaddition establishes six contiguous stereogenic centers including the critical CD ring junction that bears two quaternary stereogenic centers. Hydrogenolysis of the nitroso acetal followed by amide reduction and cyclization provided the AB rings. The methyl substituent on the A ring was installed in the correct configuration via hydrogenation of an exocyclic olefin in the final step.

The Polycomb group (PcG) transcription repressor BMI1 is highly expressed in human cancers and is required for the clonogenic self-renewal and tumorigenesis of human cancer cells including those in hematological cancer and neuroblastoma. PTC596 is efficacious in vivo across a range of xenograft tumor models, including models of glioblastoma, fibrosarcoma and leukemia as well as orthotopic models of GBM. With EC50 values of 30-200 nM in a variety of tumor cell lines, PTC596 selectively reduces the level of functional BMI1 protein resulting in the depletion of the tumor stem cell fraction. PTC596 induces the hyper-phosphorylation of BMI1 leading to its degradation and the reduction of polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) activity. Mechanistic studies suggest that PTC596 inhibits APC/CCDC20 activity resulting in the persistent activation of CDK1 and CDK2 which mediate the hyperphosphorylation of BMI1. Studies are ongoing to elucidate the mechanism of PTC596 inhibition of APC/CCDC20 and its preferential depletion of the tumor stem cell fraction. Citation Format: Min Jung Kim, Liangxian Cao, Josephine Sheedy, Nicole Risher, Melissa Dumble, Chang-Sun Lee, Nadiya Sydorenko, Ramil Baiazitov, Wu Du, Young-Choon Moon, Marla L. Weetall, Joseph Colacino, Thomas W. Davis. PTC596-induced Bmi1 hyper-phosphorylation via Cdk1/2 activation resulting in tumor stem cell depletion. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 5517. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-5517