The bis-benzylidine piperidone RA190 covalently binds to cysteine 88 of ubiquitin receptor RPN13 in the 19S regulatory particle and inhibits proteasome function, triggering rapid accumulation of polyubiquitinated proteins. Multiple myeloma (MM) lines, even those resistant to bortezomib, were sensitive to RA190 via endoplasmic reticulum stress-related apoptosis. RA190 stabilized targets of human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 oncoprotein, and preferentially killed HPV-transformed cells. After oral (p.o.) or intraperitoneal (i.p.) dosing of mice, RA190 distributed to plasma and major organs excepting brain, and inhibited proteasome function in skin and muscle. RA190 administration profoundly reduced growth of multiple myeloma and ovarian cancer xenografts, and oral RA190 treatment retarded HPV16+ syngeneic mouse tumor growth, without impacting spontaneous HPV-specific CD8+ T cell responses, suggesting its therapeutic potential.
Proteasome inhibitors have potential for the treatment of cervical cancer. We describe the synthesis and biological characterization of a new series of 1,3-diphenylpropen-1-one (chalcone)-based derivatives lacking the boronic acid moieties of the previously reported chalcone-based proteasome inhibitor 3,5-bis-(4-boronic acid-benzylidene)-1-methyl-piperidin- 4-one and bearing a variety of amino acid substitutions on the amino-group of the 4-piperidone. Our lead compound 2 (RA-1) inhibits proteasomal activity and has improved dose-dependent anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic properties in cervical cancer cells containing human papillomavirus. Further, it induces synergistic killing of cervical cancer cell lines when tested in combination with an FDA approved proteasome inhibitor. Exploration of the potential mechanism of proteasomal inhibition by our lead compound using in silico docking studies suggests that the carbonyl group of its oxopiperidine moiety is susceptible to nucleophilic attack by the γ-hydroxy threonine side chain within the catalytic sites of the proteasome.
Purpose Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of the gynecological malignancies. Carcinogenic progression is accompanied by up-regulation of ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation machinery as a mechanism to compensate with elevated endogenous proteotoxic stress. Recent studies support the notion that deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) are essential factors in proteolytic degradation and that their aberrant activity is linked to cancer progression and chemoresistance. Thus, DUBs are an attractive therapeutic target for ovarian cancer. Experimental Design The potency and selectivity of RA-9 inhibitor for proteasome-associated DUBs was determined in ovarian cancer cell lines and primary cells. The anticancer activity of RA-9 and its mechanism of action was evaluated in multiple cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo in immunodeficient mice bearing an intra-peritoneal ES-2 xenograft model of human ovarian cancer. Results Here we report the characterization of RA-9 as a small-molecule inhibitor of proteasome-associated DUBs. Treatment with RA-9 selectively induces onset of apoptosis, in ovarian cancer cell lines and primary cultures derived from donors. Loss of cell viability following RA-9 exposure is associated with an Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) as mechanism to compensate for unsustainable levels of proteotoxic stress. In vivo treatment with RA-9 retards tumor growth, increases overall survival and was well tolerated by the host. Conclusions Our preclinical studies support further evaluation of RA-9 as an ovarian cancer therapeutic.
In recent years, various dietary components that can potentially be used for the prevention and treatment of cancer have been identified. In this study, we demonstrate that extract (FE) from the seeds of the plant Trigonella foenum graecum, commonly called fenugreek, are cytotoxic in vitro to a panel of cancer but not normal cells. Treatment with 10-15 ug/mL of FE for 72h was growth inhibitory to breast, pancreatic and prostate cancer cell lines (PCa). When tested at higher doses (15-20 ug/mL), FE continued to be growth inhibitory to PCa cell lines but not to either primary prostate or htert-immortalized prostate cells. At least part of the growth inhibition is due to induction of cell death, as seen by incorporation of Ethidium Bromide III into cancer cells exposed to FE. Molecular changes induced in PCa cells are: in DU-145 cells: down regulation of mutant p53, and in PC-3 cells up regulation of p21 and inhibition of TGF-β induced phosphorylation of Akt. The surprising finding of our studies is that death of cancer cells occurs despite growth stimulatory pathways being simultaneously up regulated (phosphorylated) by FE. Thus, these studies add another biologically active agent to our armamentarium of naturally occurring agents with therapeutic potential.
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