Project description:Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI)-001 patient-derived organoids (PDOs) and HCI-002 PDOs obtained from Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah (Nat Med. 2011 Oct 23;17(11):1514-20). Purpose: The goals of this study is to identify molecular pathways and genes that are involved in the treatment responsiveness of breast cancer PDOs. Methods: mRNA profiles of HCI-001 and HCI-002 PDOs were generated by Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform for paired-end sequencing, 150-bp read length, for about 20 million raw reads per sample. RNA sequencing FASTQ files were processed with HISAT2 aligner in default mode with the Ensembl human transcriptome annotation (Build version GRCh38 and transcript annotation GRCh38.89). Differential gene expression analysis was performed using DESeq2 software. Enrichment analysis was performed using ClusterProfiler software. Results: We mapped about 20 million sequence reads per sample to the human genome (build HG38) in the RNAs of HCI-001 and HCI-002 PDOs treated with paclitaxel or vehicle. We used a minimum expression cut-off of 1 FPKM in order to exclude low-levels genes and the RNA-seq data confirmed the difference expression of 67 known apoptosis-regulatory genes in treatment-sensitive PDOs (HCI-002) compare to treatment-resistant PDOs (HCI-001). Conclusions: This study identified apoptosis-regulatory genes that are differentially induced or represeed in treatment-sensitive PDOs (HCI-002) or treatment-resistant PDOs (HCI-001).
Project description:To combat the growing threat of multidrug-resistant bacteria, we need to develop novel antibiotics with unique modes of action. This study investigates the antibacterial properties of BTP-001 towards Escherichia coli. BTP-001 is a β-clamp targeting antimicrobial peptide containing an AlkB homologu 2 PCNA-interacting motif (APIM) linked to a cell penetrating peptide composed of 11 arginine residues (R11). Our data indicates that R11 mediates energy-dependent transport of BTP-001 across the cell membrane, possibly via iron transport systems such as the TonB-system. The full-length BTP-001 peptide rapidly affects the bacterial membrane, inducing increased expression and activation of the Cpx, E and Rcs cell envelope stress responses, which trigger the production of reaction oxygen species (ROS). This contributes to a rapid bactericidal effect as evidenced by increased short-term survival by addition of a ROS scavenger. Furthermore, we show that BTP-001 reduces the development of resistance to ciprofloxacin likely by binding to the β-clamp via APIM, thereby inhibiting translesion synthesis. In addition, our multi-omics data suggests that the -clamp is part of ribosomal complexes, and that regulation of translation is targeted by BTP-001. In conclusion, BTP-001 exhibits a multifaceted mode of action which strengthens its potential as a novel therapeutic drug against antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Project description:We examined the effects of ICG-001 on gene expression in Mel202 uveal melanoma (UM) cells. ICG-001 exerted strong antiproliferative activity against UM cells, leading to cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and inhibition of migration. Global gene expression profiling revealed strong suppression of genes associated with cell cycle proliferation, DNA replication, and G1/S transition. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that ICG-001 suppressed Wnt, mTOR, and MAPK signaling. Strikingly, ICG-001 suppressed the expression of genes associated with UM aggressiveness, including CDH1, CITED1, EMP1, EMP3, SDCBP, and SPARC. Notably, the transcriptomic footprint of ICG-001, when applied to a UM patient dataset, was associated with better clinical outcome. Lastly, ICG-001 exerted anticancer activity against a UM tumor xenograft in mice.
Project description:Colorectal cancer is a common yet survivable malignancy, partly due to the addition of chemoradiation to treatment regimens. Many patients suffer treatment-related side effects such as pain, diarrhea, and myelosuppression, and increasing toleration of treatment has the potential to improve outcomes. BMX-001, a superoxide dismutase mimetic, is currently in clinical trials as a selective radioprotector for anal and rectal cancer; however, the mechanism by which BMX-001 exerts selective radioprotection of healthy tissue over cancer tissue, particularly when administered at physiologically achievable doses, is not well understood. BMX-001 was given before and during chemoradiation and did not interfere with chemoradiation-induced cancer cell killing in mouse models. In vitro, BMX-001 still induced cancer cell killing in the presence of exogenous catalase, suggesting that BMX-001’s anti-tumor activity is not solely reliant on hydrogen peroxide production. BMX-001 exerted robust acute radioprotection in radiation mouse models five and nine days post-radiation. To assess whether BMX-001’s protection is contingent on Nrf2 expression, we evaluated the effect of BMX-001 on 5-FU treated bone marrow, where Nrf2 is crucial to maintaining hematopoietic stem cell niches. Interestingly, BMX-001 could still exert some chemoprotection in mice without functional Nrf2. To assess whether BMX-001 had any functional effects on protein oxidation status, we performed mass spectrometry on sulfenylated proteins in bone marrow treated with 5-FU in wildtype mice and mice without Nrf2. We found that BMX-001 given before 5-FU treatment resulted in the sulfenylation of CRTC2 and CBP, two proteins involved in CREB signaling and known to enhance Nrf2 activity. We also found that BMX-001 with 5-FU treatment enhanced DPYD sulfenylation, a protein known to detoxify 5-FU, and ALDH7A1 sulfenylation, a protein known to detoxify aldehydes. Together, these results suggest that BMX-001 can protect against oxidative stress in normal tissue via Nrf2 dependent and independent mechanisms.
Project description:By screening a target-focused Wnt-sgnaling small compound library we identified the Wnt-modulator ICG-001 as inihibitory for activating the mitochondrial fission protein Drp1. To explore how ICG-001 might act we undertook gene expression profiling in iCG-001 treated primary macrophages.
Project description:To inhibitors for ADAR1 and a strong rationale for the development of ADAR1 p150 inhibitors for cancer immunotherapy Here, we describe AVA-ADR-001, a potential first-in-class small molecule inhibitor of ADAR1 p150 targeting the Z alpha domain. AVA-ADR-001 binds specifically to the Z alpha domain of ADAR1 p150 as confirmed by fluorescence spectroscopy and showed significant interferon induction in THP1 macrophages, which have high ADAR1 p150 expression compared with monocytes. Proteomics and transcriptomics analysis revealed significant upregulation of interferon signaling upon treatment with AVA-ADR -001. Interestingly, activation of interferon signaling resulted in AVA-ADR-001 induced cell killing in ADAR1-independent cell lines. In addition, treatment with AVA-ADR -001 resulted in significant activation of PKR, which may explain the decreased cell proliferation. Finally, AVA-ADR-001 showed superior anti-tumor efficacy compared to anti-PD1 in an in vivo tumor efficacy study and has a moderately synergistic effect when combined. Overall, this study reveals that ADAR1 p150 inhibition by AVA-ADR-001 exerts a multipronged impact on anti-tumor efficacy mediated by immune cells, accumulation of interferons and activation of PKR, resulting in protein translation inhibition and cell proliferation arrest.
Project description:Radiation provides excellent tumor control in prostate cancer yet unavoidably harms adjacent healthy tissue via the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Radiation-induced ROS is known to impact fibroblasts long after radiation, resulting in radiation-induced fibrosis (RIF), which can cause incontinence and other side effects that reduce patient quality of life. BMX-001, a manganese porphyrin designed to mimic superoxide dismutase, is in clinical trials as a selective radioprotector when given before and during radiation therapy. However, there have been no studies evaluating BMX-001 when given after radiation for its impacts on RIF. Mice were given pelvic radiation (7.5 Gy for 5 consecutive days) followed by BMX-001 three weeks after radiation. Fibroblasts and tissues were isolated two months following radiation. We found that BMX-001 returned radiation-induced alterations in fibroblast morphology to normal and reversed markers of fibroblast activation and senescence. BMX-001 also decreased collagen deposition six months after radiation. We found that overall, radiation resulted in reduced methylation two months after radiation, and BMX-001 administered three weeks after radiation modulated radiation-altered methylation patterns back to normal and restored normal expression of a fibrosis-associated gene CAMK2beta. BMX-001 also decreased radiation-induced DNA adduct 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), which is known to interfere with methylation. BMX-001 was able to prevent DNA oxidation and restore normal methylation patterns in an oligonucleotide model of DNA oxidation and methylation. This study reveals the feasibility of agents to reverse fibrosis in pelvic radiation and suggests that BMX-001 may be effective when given after radiation.
Project description:Radiation provides excellent tumor control in prostate cancer yet unavoidably harms adjacent healthy tissue via the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Radiation-induced ROS is known to impact fibroblasts long after radiation, resulting in radiation-induced fibrosis (RIF), which can cause incontinence and other side effects that reduce patient quality of life. BMX-001, a manganese porphyrin designed to mimic superoxide dismutase, is in clinical trials as a selective radioprotector when given before and during radiation therapy. However, there have been no studies evaluating BMX-001 when given after radiation for its impacts on RIF. Mice were given pelvic radiation (7.5 Gy for 5 consecutive days) followed by BMX-001 three weeks after radiation. Fibroblasts and tissues were isolated two months following radiation. We found that BMX-001 returned radiation-induced alterations in fibroblast morphology to normal and reversed markers of fibroblast activation and senescence. BMX-001 also decreased collagen deposition six months after radiation. We found that overall, radiation resulted in reduced methylation two months after radiation, and BMX-001 administered three weeks after radiation modulated radiation-altered methylation patterns back to normal and restored normal expression of a fibrosis-associated gene CAMK2beta. BMX-001 also decreased radiation-induced DNA adduct 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), which is known to interfere with methylation. BMX-001 was able to prevent DNA oxidation and restore normal methylation patterns in an oligonucleotide model of DNA oxidation and methylation. This study reveals the feasibility of agents to reverse fibrosis in pelvic radiation and suggests that BMX-001 may be effective when given after radiation.
Project description:RRx-001 (also known as ABDNAZ, 1-bromoacetyl-3,3-dinitroazetidine) is a novel aerospace-derived compound currently under investigation in several ongoing Phase II studies. In a Phase I trial, it demonstrated anti-cancer activity and evidence of resensitization to formerly effective therapies in heavily pre-treated patients with relapsed/refractory solid tumors. With a pharmacologically unprecedented dinitroazetidine scaffold, RRx-001 generates reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) and nitric oxide (NO), elicits changes in intracellular redox status, modulates tumor blood flow, hypoxia and vascular function and triggers apoptosis in cancer cells. Here, the effect of RRx-001 on the epigenome of SCC VII cancer cells was investigated. RRx-001 at 0.5 and 2 μM significantly decreased global DNA methylation, i.e., 5-methylcytosine levels, in SCC VII cells determined by analysis with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Consistently, 0.5-5 μM RRx-001 significantly decreased Dnmt1 and Dnmt3a protein expression determined using Western blot in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In addition, global methylation profiling identified differentially methylated genes in SCC VII cells treated with 0.5, 2, and 5 μM RRx-001 compared to control cells. Twenty-three target sites were hypomethylated and 22 hypermethylated by >10% in the presence of at least two different concentrations of RRx-001. Moreover, RRx-001 at 2 μM significantly increased global acetylated histone H3 and H4 levels in SCC VII cells after 24 hour treatment determined by a fluorometric assay, suggesting that RRx-001 regulates global acetylation in cancer cells. These results demonstrate that, in contrast to the traditional “one drug one target” paradigm, RRx-001 has multi(epi)target features, which contribute to its anti-cancer activity and may rationalize the resensitization to previously effective therapies observed in clinical trials and serve as a unifying mechanism for its anticancer activity.