homoharringtonine and Lung-Neoplasms

Lung cancer has the highest rate of incidence and mortality among all cancers. Most chemotherapeutic drugs used to treat lung cancer cause serious side effects and are susceptible to drug resistance. Therefore, exploring novel therapeutic targets for lung cancer is important. In this study, we evaluated the potential of TMEM16A as a drug target for lung cancer. Homoharringtonine (HHT) was identified as a novel natural product inhibitor of TMEM16A. Patch-clamp experiments showed that HHT inhibited TMEM16A activity in a concentration-dependent manner. HHT significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of lung cancer cells with high TMEM16A expression but did not affect the growth of normal lung cells in the absence of TMEM16A expression. In vivo experiments showed that HHT inhibited the growth of lung tumors in mice and did not reduce their body weight. Finally, the molecular mechanism through which HHT inhibits lung cancer was explored by western blotting. The findings showed that HHT has the potential to regulate TMEM16A activity both in vitro and in vivo and could be a new lead compound for the development of anti-lung-cancer drugs.

Topics: Animals; Anoctamin-1; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Apoptosis; Binding Sites; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Movement; Cell Proliferation; Homoharringtonine; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Molecular Docking Simulation; Transplantation, Heterologous

Stimuli response or controlled release is a new research hotspot in nanomedicine; however, there is scarce research on organic nanomedicines with stimuli responses, which limits their practical biological applications. In addition, homoharringtonine (HHT) has been used as an effective anticancer agent, but reducing its toxicity and side effects is an urgent problem to be solved. Herein, an EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) aptamer-modified HHT-loaded PLGA-SS-PEG nanomedicine was developed. The nanomaterial possesses spherical morphology and admirable biocompatibility. After targeted endocytosis in tumour cells via the selective recognition between EGFR and its aptamer, the PLGA nanomedicine is triggered by a high GSH level and releases its cargo in lung cancer cells. The in vitro and in vivo results reveal that the PLGA nanomedicine not only inhibited the proliferation and promoted the apoptosis of lung cancer cells, but also possessed better therapeutic efficacy and less toxic side effects compared with the free anticancer agent. Consequently, this study provides a novel approach to construct a biodegradable nanomedicine with targeted recognition and stimuli response. Moreover, it inhibited the proliferation of lung cancer cells with high efficiency and low toxicity. Importantly, the PLGA nanomedicine demonstrates encouraging potential as a multifunctional nano-system applicable for cancer therapy.

Topics: Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Aptamers, Nucleotide; Cell Proliferation; Cell Survival; Cells, Cultured; Drug Delivery Systems; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; Glutathione; Homoharringtonine; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Materials Testing; Molecular Structure; Nanomedicine; Particle Size; Polyethylene Glycols; Polyglactin 910; Surface Properties

Homoharringtonine (HHT), an inhibitor of protein synthesis, has been used to treat leukemia. Its therapeutic effects on non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma carrying KRAS mutation and their immune system are less understood. The present study examined the therapeutic efficacy and the immune effects of HHT in two murine lung tumor models, xenograft and transgenic, carrying the Kras mutation G12D and G12C respectively. HHT exhibited efficient anticancer activity, significantly suppressing lung tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. The levels of 22 cytokines and chemokines in splenocytes of tumor-bearing mice were examined. Interleukin-12 expression was lower in splenocytes of HHT-treated mice when compared to the controls as demonstrated by a cytokine array and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression levels of CD80, CD86, and CD69 in B220

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Animals; Cell Line, Tumor; Disease Models, Animal; Genes, ras; Homoharringtonine; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Mice; Mutation

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are mostly used in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment. Unfortunately, treatment with Gefitinib for a period of time will result in drug resistance and cause treatment failure in clinic. Therefore, exploring novel compounds to overcome this resistance is urgently required. Here we investigated the antitumor effect of homoharringtonine (HHT), a natural compound extracted from Cephalotaxus harringtonia, on Gefitinib-resistant NSCLC cell lines in vitro and in vivo. NCI-H1975 cells with EGFR T790M mutation are more sensitive to HHT treatment compared with that of A549 cells with wild type EGFR. HHT inhibited cells growth, cell viability and colony formation, as well as induced cell apoptosis through mitochondria pathway. Furthermore, we explored the mechanism of HHT inhibition on NSCLC cells. Higher level of interleukin-6 (IL-6) existed in lung cancer patients and mutant EGFR and TGFβ signal requires the upregulation of IL-6 through the gp130/JAK pathway to overactive STAT3, an oncogenic protein which has been considered as a potential target for cancer therapy. HHT reversiblely inhibited IL-6-induced STAT3 Tyrosine 705 phosphorylation and reduced anti-apoptotic proteins expression. Gefitinib-resistant NSCLC xenograft tests also confirmed the antitumor effect of HHT in vivo. Consequently, HHT has the potential in Gefitinib-resistant NSCLC treatment.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Apoptosis; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival; Docetaxel; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Drug Synergism; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; ErbB Receptors; Gefitinib; Harringtonines; Homoharringtonine; Humans; Interleukin-6; Janus Kinase 1; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Mice; Mice, Nude; Mitochondria; Phosphorylation; Quinazolines; Signal Transduction; STAT3 Transcription Factor; Taxoids; Transplantation, Heterologous

Multidrug resistance (MDR), caused by overexpression of either P-glycoprotein or the multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP), is characterized by a decreased cellular drug accumulation due to an enhanced drug efflux. Many studies on cells overexpressing MRP and/or Pgp, have shown a concentration of the drug inside cytoplasmic acidic vesicles followed by an exocytotic process. In this study, we examined the effects of 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole or NBD (a H+-ATPase pump inhibitor), buthionine sulphoximine or BSO (an inhibitor of glutathione (GSH) biosynthesis) and verapamil or VPL (a calcium channel blocker) on the subcellular distribution of daunorubicin or DNR in K562 cells overexpressing MRP (K-H30) and Pgp (K-H300) and A549 cells overexpressing spontaneously MRP. Nucleo-cytoplasmic distribution of DNR was carried out using scanning confocal microspectrofluorometry. This technique allows determination of nuclear accumulation of anthracyclines. Our results show that nuclear accumulation of DNR in K-H30 and A549 cells was increased by NBD, BSO and VPL while in K-H300 cells, only VPL was able to increase nuclear accumulation of DNR. Similarly, NBD, BSO and VPL could reverse DNR resistance in K-H30 cells whereas, in K-H300 cells, only VPL increased the sensitivity of these cells. These data suggest a requirement for GSH in MRP-mediated resistance and suggest that even if vesicular sequestration can happen in cells overexpressing MRP and Pgp proteins, probably only the MRP protein is able to extrude the drug through intracellular vesicles and efflux. Finally, NBD and BSO might be a useful agents in facilitating discrimination between Pgp and MRP phenotypes and prognosis in patients.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Antineoplastic Agents; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; Buthionine Sulfoximine; Cell Survival; Daunorubicin; Drug Resistance, Multiple; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Harringtonines; Homoharringtonine; Humans; K562 Cells; Kinetics; Lung Neoplasms; Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins; Neoplasm Proteins; Proton-Translocating ATPases; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Human colon (HCT116/VP48) and lung (A549B/VP29) adenocarcinoma cell lines selected for resistance to etoposide exhibited modified patterns of multi-drug resistance (MDR) that included a differential sensitivity to other DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors and to the plant alkaloids homoharringtonine, vinblastine, and vincristine. The resistance and cross-resistance drug phenotype of the A549B/VP29 cell line was different from that of the HCT116/VP48 cell line. The HCT116/VP48 cell line was 50-fold resistant to etoposide and 30-fold resistant to teniposide. The degree of resistance to other DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors was of a lower magnitude: Adriamycin, 9-fold; daunomycin, 3-fold; 4'-[(9-acridinyl)-amino]-methanesulfone-m-anisidide (m-AMSA), 3-fold; and actinomycin D, 6-fold. The HCT 116/VP48 cell line exhibited a 7-fold resistance to vincristine and a 2-fold resistance to vinblastine but was sensitive to homo-harringtonine. The A549B/VP29 cell line was 5-fold resistant to etoposide and 2-fold resistant to teniposide. The A549B/VP29 cell line exhibited a 2-fold resistance to Adriamycin but was sensitive to daunomycin and showed a 3-fold resistance to m-AMSA. This cell line was sensitive to actinomycin D. The A549B/VP29 cell line was 2-fold resistant to vinblastine and sensitive to homoharringtonine. Both cell lines (HCT116/VP48 and A549/VP29) exhibited no amplification of the human mdr1 DNA sequence, the 4.3-kb P-glycoprotein transcript, or the membrane P-glycoprotein. The sensitivity of cells exhibiting an MDR phenotype not mediated by P-glycoprotein suggests a potential use for homoharringtonine in treating tumors with this type of drug resistance.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Antineoplastic Agents; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Colonic Neoplasms; Drug Resistance; Etoposide; Harringtonines; Homoharringtonine; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Topics: Alkaloids; Animals; Female; Harringtonines; Homoharringtonine; Lung Neoplasms; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Rats; Sarcoma 180; Tissue Distribution