Abstract A65: Combination of a thioxodihydroquinazolinone compound with cisplatin eliminates ovarian cancer stem cell-like cells (CSC-LCs) and shows preclinical potential

Abstract

Abstract Cancer stem cell-like cells (CSC-LCs) contribute to drug resistance and recurrence of ovarian cancer. Strategies that can eradicate CSC-LCs are expected to substantially improve the outcome of ovarian cancer treatments. We have previously identified a class of thioxodihydroquinazolinone small molecules, which have strong synergistic antitumor activity with platinum drugs, the standard chemotherapeutic agents for ovarian cancer treatment. In the current study, using the activity of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) as a marker of CSC-LCs, we demonstrated that the combination of thioxodihydroquinazolinone compound 19 with cisplatin is able to deplete ALDH-high CSC-LC population in both established platinum-resistant ovarian cancer cell lines and primary ovarian cancer cells from metastatic ascites of a cisplatin-resistant patient. Compound 19 enhanced the accumulation of intracellular cisplatin in ALDH-high ovarian cancer cells. The combination of compound 19 with cisplatin was also able to reduce the sphere-forming capability of cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells. Using a spheroid-based in vitro metastasis model of ovarian cancer, we demonstrated that the combination of compound 19 with cisplatin prevents spheroid ovarian cancer cells from attaching to substratum and spreading. In vivo, the treatment by the combination of compound 19 with cisplatin significantly reduced tumor burden in a cisplatin-resistant intraperitoneal ovarian cancer xenograft mouse model, as compared to cisplatin-alone treatment. Taken together, our study demonstrated that the thioxodihydroquinazolinone compounds are a new class of agents that in combination with cisplatin are capable of eliminating CSC-LCs in ovarian cancer. Further development of thioxodihydroquinazolinone small molecules may yield a more effective treatment for cisplatin-resistant metastatic ovarian cancer. Citation Format: Jing Ma, Joseph Salamoun, Peter Wipf, Robert Edwards, Bennett Van Houten, Wei Qian. Combination of a thioxodihydroquinazolinone compound with cisplatin eliminates ovarian cancer stem cell-like cells (CSC-LCs) and shows preclinical potential. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Conference: Addressing Critical Questions in Ovarian Cancer Research and Treatment; Oct 1-4, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2018;24(15_Suppl):Abstract nr A65.