Project description:Human HCC cell line, MHCC-97L, was subcutaneously injected to BALB/c nude mice. Two weeks post injection, mice were randomised to receive vehicle or PIM447 (60mg/kg) by oral gavage three times a week for two weeks. Total RNA was extracted from the tumor xenograft (Vehicle, n=2; PIM447, n=2) and subjected to RNA sequencing. Expression profiling of the tumors between vehicle control and PIM447 treated groups was compared.
Project description:PIM kinases have important pro-tumorigenic roles and mediate several oncogenic traits, including cell proliferation, survival, and chemotherapeutic resistance. As a result, multiple PIM inhibitors have been pursued as investigational new drugs in cancer; however, response to PIM inhibitors in solid tumors has fallen short of expectations. We found that inhibition of PIM kinase activity stabilizes protein levels of all three PIM isoforms (PIM1/2/3), and this can promote resistance to PIM inhibitors and chemotherapy. To overcome this effect, we designed PIM proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) to target PIM for degradation. PIM PROTACs effectively downmodulated PIM levels through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Importantly, degradation of PIM kinases was more potent than inhibition of catalytic activity in inducing apoptosis in prostate cancer cell line models. In conclusion, we provide evidence of the advantages of degrading PIM kinases versus inhibiting their catalytic activity to target the oncogenic functions of PIM kinases.