Tumor Necrosis Factor-related Apoptosis Research Articles

Rationale behind using valproic acid for Non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a biomolecular perspective.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is a hematological malignancy with a high rate of relapse and refractory cases. It is believed to be caused by resistance to standard treatment modalities. Valproic acid (VPA), previously used as a broad-spectrum anticonvulsant drug, has been proposed for NHL owing to its action of epigenetic modification by inhibiting histone deacetylase. However, VPA studies on NHL are limited. This review describes the rationale behind the use of VPA for NHL treatment, particularly focusing on its molecular mechanism of action. This is a narrative review. The literature search strategy for indexed Scopus articles was performed randomly using PubMed and MEDLINE as the primary sources. No specific term was used. Several mechanisms are responsible for NHL development. VPA can modulate these mechanisms via epigenetic and nonepigenetic modifications. It may also have an impact on the proteins responsible for treatment resistance. The mechanisms of action of VPA in NHL are as follows: the induction of cell cycle arrest via the upregulation of cyclin-dependent protein kinase inhibitors; induction of Apo2 ligand or tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand-induced apoptosis; inactivation of B-cell lymphoma 6; inhibition of Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt, and nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathways; upregulation of tumor antigen as the primary target of immunotherapy; and strengthening of tumor immunosurveillance. Based on its biomolecular mechanism of action, VPA appears to be a promising initial treatment before initiating the standard treatment in patients with NHL to overcome resistance.

Priming Death Receptor Mediated Apoptosis with Arginine Starvation Sensitises Arginine Auxotrophic B-ALL to CAR-T

BackgroundChimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has revolutionised the treatment of relapsed or refractory B-ALL in children and young adults with unprecedented response rates. However, primary resistance and relapse are unresolved challenges that limit long term benefit in a significant proportion of patients. Death receptor mediated extrinsic apoptosis is a key component of CAR-T cytotoxicity and impairment of this system, of which CAR-T derived TRAIL (tumour necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand) is a key initiator, is a principal driver of primary resistance. Arginine deprivation with the therapeutic enzyme ADI-PEG20 (pegylated arginine deiminase) sensitises cancers deficient in the enzyme argininosuccinate synthase (ASS1) to the apoptosis initiating activity of TRAIL through tumour cell surface upregulation of death receptors DR4 and DR5. Whether this effect could potentiate the TRAIL-DR activity in CAR-T therapy has not been explored.AimWe tested the hypothesis that ADI-PEG20 treatment can sensitise susceptible B-ALL to anti-CD19 CAR-T through priming of death receptor mediated apoptosis signalling.MethodsThe effect of ADI-PEG20 on cell survival and death receptor expression in B-ALL cell lines and primary samples was analysed by flow cytometry. Second generation anti-CD19 CAR-T cells with a CD28 costimulatory domain were generated by retroviral transduction of activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy donors. For CAR-T co-culture experiments, B-ALL cell lines were pre-treated with ADI-PEG20 before washing and re-suspending in arginine replete media prior to CAR-T cell addition.ResultsTo establish potential susceptibility of B-ALL to ADI-PEG20 we measured expression of ASS1, which inversely correlates with sensitivity to the drug, using combined in situ immunohistochemistry (n=6) and RT-qPCR (n=7). ASS1 deficiency was consistently seen in this series of primary samples suggesting the potential utility of ADI-PEG20 in B-ALL, with comparable expression levels to those seen in a cohort of primary AML samples proven to be sensitive to the drug (figure 1a).Next, to examine variation in ASS1 expression between genetically defined subtypes of B-ALL we re-analysed transcriptome data from a cohort of 215 patients treated on the ECOG E2993 trial, filtered into a network of 58 genes generated according to known or predicted interaction with ASS1. We found an enrichment of Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) and Philadelphia-like (Ph-L) samples in the cluster characterised by lowest ASS1 expression along with high HIF1A expression, matching a recurrent pattern reported in other ADI-PEG20 sensitive tumours. This therefore predicts that among B-ALL subtypes, Ph+ and Ph-L are likely to be most sensitive to therapeutic arginine deprivation.We then functionally confirmed, using in vitro cell line (n=3) and in vivo patient derived xenograft models of B-ALL (n=2), that ASS1 deficiency is required for ADI-PEG20 sensitivity. Using the ASS1-low, Ph-L cell line MUTZ-5, we established that ADI-PEG20 induced apoptosis accompanies cell surface upregulation of both DR4 and DR5 expression. Upregulation of DR4 was observed to follow an upwards trend after treated cells were washed and re-suspended in arginine replete media, suggesting that transient arginine starvation can commit ASS1-low B-ALL to a state of apoptotic priming (figure 1b).With confirmed engagement of arginine starvation and death receptor upregulation we tested the synergy potential of ADI-PEG20 pre-treatment of MUTZ-5 followed by CAR-T, utilising calculated combination drug indices (CDIs). Across independent PBMC donors (n=3) we observed greater potency killing of CD19 + leukaemia cells in the combination treated co-cultures when compared to the single agent treated conditions, with CDIs consistently less than 1 confirming a synergistic effect (figure 1c).ConclusionOur study proposes a synergistic interaction between the arginine depleting enzyme ADI-PEG20 and anti-CD19 CAR-T for the treatment of ASS1 deficient B-ALL, whereby priming of death receptor signalling may underlie enhanced CAR-T cytotoxicity against CD19 + tumour cells. These data support an emerging framework for CAR-T optimisation based on targeting of the death receptor mediated extrinsic apoptosis pathway and can inform future refinements in the development of cellular immunotherapy. [Display omitted] DisclosuresBomalaski: Polaris Pharmaceuticals Inc.: Current Employment. Maher: Leucid Bio: Other: Chief Scientific Officer. Gribben: Abbvie: Honoraria; AZ: Honoraria, Research Funding; BMS: Honoraria; Gilead/Kite: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Morphosys: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; TG Therapeutis: Honoraria.

Combination of ONC201 and TLY012 induces selective, synergistic apoptosis in vitro and significantly delays PDAC xenograft growth in vivo

ABSTRACT The five-year survival rate for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has remained a dismal 9% for approximately 40 years with an urgent need for novel therapeutic interventions. ONC201 is the founding member of the imipridone class, comprised of orally bioavailable small molecules that have shown efficacy in multiple tumor types both in animal models and in Phase I/II clinical trials. ONC201 is a potent inducer of the tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) pathway. TRAIL is an innate immune mechanism which induces programmed cell death of cancer cells. We observed that PDAC cells upregulated ATF4, CHOP, and DR5 after treatment with ONC201. This occurred in cell lines that are susceptible to ONC201-induced apoptosis and in ones that are not. In response to ONC201, PDAC cells downregulated anti-apoptotic proteins including c-FLIP, BclXL, XIAP, cIAP1, and survivin. We hypothesized that TRAIL receptor agonists might induce selective, synergistic apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cell lines treated with ONC201. We screened 7 pancreatic cancer cell lines and found synergy with ONC201 and rhTRAIL or the novel TRAIL receptor agonist TLY012 in 6 of the 7 cell lines tested. In vivo experiments using BxPC3 and HPAFII xenograft models showed that the combination of ONC201 plus TLY012 significantly delays tumor growth as compared to controls. Immunohistochemical analysis of the tumors after three doses of the combination showed significantly increased cleavage of caspase 3 in vivo as compared to controls. Taken together, the preclinical efficacy of ONC201 and TLY012 represents a novel therapeutic option for further testing in pancreatic cancer patients. This combination showed marked efficacy in tumor cells that are both sensitive and resistant to the pro-apoptotic effects of ONC201, providing rationale to further investigate the combination of ONC201 plus TLY012 in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Improving Targeted Delivery and Antitumor Efficacy with Engineered Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis Ligand-Affibody Fusion Protein.

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis ligand (TRAIL) is a promising protein candidate for selective apoptosis of a variety of cancer cells. However, the short half-life and a lack of targeted delivery are major obstacles for its application in cancer therapy. Here, we propose a simple strategy to solve the targeting problem by genetically fusing an anti-HER2 affibody to the C-terminus of the TRAIL. The fusion protein TRAIL-affibody was produced as a soluble form with high yield in recombinant Escherichia coli. In vitro studies proved that the affibody domain promoted the cellular uptake of the fusion protein in the HER2 overexpressed SKOV-3 cells and improved its apoptosis-inducing ability. In addition, the fusion protein exhibited higher accumulation at the tumor site and greater antitumor effect than those of TRAIL in vivo, indicating that the affibody promoted the tumor homing of the TRAIL and then improved the therapeutic efficacy. Importantly, repeated injection of high-dose TRAIL-affibody showed no obvious toxicity in mice. These results demonstrated that the engineered TRAIL-affibody is promising to be a highly tumor-specific and targeted cancer therapeutic agent.

Nanoscale biomimetic nano system for the co-delivery of SNS032 and tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand to enhance therapeutic efficacy in oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line SCC25

Tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) has been used extensively as an anticancer agent in vitro and clinical trials. However, due to poor pharmacokinetics and drug resistance, TRAIL only exert limited therapeutic effects on malignant tumor. SNS032 is a new and effective selective CDK inhibitor. SNS032 and TRAIL transfected MSC (MSCT) derived extracellular vesicles (MSCT-EXO) can both inhibit RNA synthesis and induce apoptosis of cancer cells. Previous studies have shown that SNS032 and TRAIL have a synergistic effect in the treatment of cancer. Objective: Construct a biomimetic nano system for synergistically deliver SNS032 and TRAIL to induce apoptosis of SCC25 cells. Methods: SNS032 loaded gelatin nanoparticles (G-SNS032) were prepared by single coacervation method, SNS032/TRAIL gelatin biomimetic exosomes cocarrier (MSCT-EXO/G-SNS032) were isolated and purified by ultracentrifugation and filtration. The expression of specific proteins was detected by BCA method to confirm the source of EXO. The in vitro release curve was drawn by a validated liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry assay. This study examines the antitumor effects at molecular and cellular levels in response to MSCT-EXO/G-SNS032 treatment in vitro. Results: MSCT-EXO/G-SNS032 granules were round and well dispersed with a diameter of 187±23 nm. At the same time, it has high drug loading and good release profile. SNS032, G-SNS032 and MSCT-EXO inhibited growth of SCC25 tumor cells with dose dependence manner. MSCT-EXO + SNS032 and MSCT-EXO + GSNS032 showed a satisfactory synergistic action in the ratio range of 200:1-20:1 (Combination index, CI < 1). At the ratio of 2000:1 to 20:1, the synergistic effect of MSCT-EXO/G-SNS032 was preferable to MSCT-EXO+GSNS032 group (P <0.05). MSCT-EXO/G-SNS032 could inhibit the expression of JAKs/STAT signaling pathway as well as the expression of related anti-apoptotic proteins, regulate p53 signaling pathway and its downstream pathway simultaneously. Conclusion: SNS032/TRAIL delivered by gelatin biomimetic exosomes, show a high inhibitory effect on oral squamous cell carcinoma cells though multiple signaling pathways, over which provides a new idea for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tumors.

The impact of isotretinoin on the pituitary-ovarian axis: An interpretative review of the literature

Isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid), a derivative of vitamin A, is used in the treatment of severe acne resulting in sebum suppression induced by sebocyte apoptosis. Isotretinoin treatment is associated with several adverse effects including teratogenicity, hepatotoxicity, and dyslipidemia. Isotretinoin’s effects on endocrine systems and its potential role as an endocrine disruptor are not yet adequately investigated. This review presents clinical, endocrine, and molecular evidence showing that isotretinoin treatment adversely affects the pituitary-ovarian axis and enhances the risk of granulosa cell apoptosis reducing follicular reserve. Isotretinoin is associated with pro-apoptotic signaling in sebaceous glands through upregulated expression of p53, forkhead box O transcription factors (FOXO1, FOXO3), and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL). Two literature searches including clinical and experimental studies respectively support the hypothesis that isotretinoin’s toxicological mode of action on the pituitary-ovarian axis might be caused by over-expressed p53/FOXO1 signaling resulting in gonadotropin suppression and granulosa cell apoptosis. The reduction of follicular reserve by isotretinoin treatment should be especially considered when this drug will be administered for the treatment of acne in post-adolescent women, in whom fertility may be adversely affected. In contrast, isotretinoin treatment may exert beneficial effects in states of hyperandrogenism, especially in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Dual mechanistic TRAIL nanocarrier based on PEGylated heparin taurocholate and protamine which exerts both pro-apoptotic and anti-angiogenic effects

The selective cytotoxicity of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) to cancer cells but not to normal cells makes it an attractive candidate for cancer therapeutics. However, the disadvantages of TRAIL such as physicochemical instability and short half-life limit its further clinical applications. In this study, TRAIL was encapsulated into a novel anti-angiogenic nanocomplex for both improved drug distribution at the tumor site and enhanced anti-tumor efficacy. A nanocomplex was prepared firstly by entrapping TRAIL into PEG-low molecular weight heparin-taurocholate conjugate (LHT7), which is previously known as a potent angiogenesis inhibitor. Then, protamine was added to make a stable form of nanocomplex (PEG-LHT7/TRAIL/Protamine) by exerting electrostatic interactions. We found that entrapping TRAIL into the nanocomplex significantly improved both pharmacokinetic properties and tumor accumulation rate without affecting the tumor selective cytotoxicity of TRAIL. Furthermore, the anti-tumor efficacy of nanocomplex was highly augmented (73.77±4.86%) compared to treating with only TRAIL (18.49 ± 19.75%), PEG-LHT7/Protamine (47.84 ± 14.20%) and co-injection of TRAIL and PEG-LHT7/Protamine (56.26 ± 9.98%). Histological analysis revealed that treatment with the nanocomplex showed both anti-angiogenic efficacy and homogenously induced cancer cell apoptosis, which suggests that accumulated TRAIL and LHT7 in tumor tissue exerted their anti-tumor effects synergistically. Based on this study, we suggest that PEG-LHT7/Protamine complex is an effective nanocarrier of TRAIL for enhancing drug distribution as well as improving anti-tumor efficacy by exploiting the synergistic mechanism of anti-angiogenesis.

Immunoediting role for major vault protein in apoptotic signaling induced by bacterial N-acyl homoserine lactones

The major vault protein (MVP) mediates diverse cellular responses, including cancer cell resistance to chemotherapy and protection against inflammatory responses to Pseudomonas aeruginosa Here, we report the use of photoactive probes to identify MVP as a target of the N-(3-oxo-dodecanoyl) homoserine lactone (C12), a quorum sensing signal of certain proteobacteria including P. aeruginosa. A treatment of normal and cancer cells with C12 or other N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) results in rapid translocation of MVP into lipid raft (LR) membrane fractions. Like AHLs, inflammatory stimuli also induce LR-localization of MVP, but the C12 stimulation reprograms (functionalizes) bioactivity of the plasma membrane by recruiting death receptors, their apoptotic adaptors, and caspase-8 into LR. These functionalized membranes control AHL-induced signaling processes, in that MVP adjusts the protein kinase p38 pathway to attenuate programmed cell death. Since MVP is the structural core of large particles termed vaults, our findings suggest a mechanism in which MVP vaults act as sentinels that fine-tune inflammation-activated processes such as apoptotic signaling mediated by immunosurveillance cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL).

Cyclopamine sensitizes multiple myeloma cells to circularly permuted TRAIL-induced apoptosis.

Tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a promising anti-myeloma drug prototype. The aim of the present study was to investigate the synergistic effects of cyclopamine and circularly permuted TRAIL (CPT) on the proliferation and apoptosis of multiple myeloma cells. The results showed that the inhibitory effects of cyclopamine on the proliferation of human myeloma RPMI-8226 and SKO-007 cells were weak. RPMI-8226 cells were sensitive to CPT; however, the proliferation of SKO-007 cells was not effectively inhibited by CPT. SKO-007 cells were thus considered resistant to cyclopamine and CPT and used for subsequent experiments. Treatment with a combination of cyclopamine and CPT significantly inhibited cell proliferation. Moreover, the Q value showed that cyclopamine combined with CPT could synergistically inhibit the proliferation of SKO-007 cells. Cyclopamine increased CPT-induced apoptosis in the SKO-007 cells and exhibited a synergistic induction of apoptosis when combined with CPT. Moreover, the combination of cyclopamine and CPT decreased the ratio of myeloma stem cells. Quantitative PCR showed that cyclopamine decreased the mRNA expression levels of GLI1/GLI2/GLI3 and increased the expression levels of death receptor 4. In conclusion, the present study showed that a combination of cyclopamine and CPT exhibited synergistic effects on the inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis in myeloma cells.

Core 2 β1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferases accelerate the escape of choriocarcinoma from natural killer cell immunity

Hyperglycosylated human chorionic gonadotropin (H-hCG) is secreted from choriocarcinoma and contains a core2 O-glycan formed by core2 β1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyl transferase (C2GnT). Choriocarcinoma is considered immunogenic as it is gestational and contains paternal chromosomal components. Here we examined the function of C2GnT in the evasion of choriocarcinoma cells from natural killer (NK) cell-mediating killing. We determined that C2GnT is highly expressed in malignant gestational trophoblastic neoplasms. C2GnT KO downregulates core2 O-glycan expression in choriocarcinoma cells, which are more efficiently killed by NK cells than control cells. C2GnT KO cell containing tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand have lower viability than control cells. Additionally, poly-N-acetyllactosamine in core2 branched oligosaccharides on MHC class I-related chain A (MICA) and mucin1 (MUC1) is significantly reduced in C2GnT KO cells. Meanwhile, the cumulative survival rate of nude mice inoculated with C2GnT KO tumors was higher than that of the control group. These findings suggest that choriocarcinoma cells may escape NK cell-mediated killing via glycosylation of MICA and MUC1.

Trichostatin A and Zebularine along with E-cadherin re-expression enhance tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-mediated cell cycle arrest in human breast adenocarcinoma cells

Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women in which its definite cure remains uncovered. Tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a potential anti-cancer agent due to its selective killing towards cancer cells while sparing the healthy cells. However, it is limited by the development of TRAIL resistance. With the attempt to overcome TRAIL resistance, this research embarked to study the effect of epigenetic drugs, Trichostatin A (TSA) and Zebularine (Zeb) along with E-cadherin re-expression on anti-cancer effect in human breast adenocarcinoma cells. The MDA-MB-231 re-expressed with E-cadherin (231-EGFP) was treated with TSA and Zeb before being treated with TRAIL (TZT) to compare the effect on MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7. The cell viability, cell cycle and migration assays were conducted on these cells, prior to reverse-transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) targeted on proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9). TZT induced a significant increase in G0/G1-arrested cell population and reduction in cell viability in 231-EGFP. These were verified by the suppression of PCNA and CDK2 mRNA expression. However, there was a negligible effect to reduce the cell migration of the invasive MDA-MB-231 and 231-EGFP cells in accordance with the lack of down-regulation of MMP9. In conclusion, this research shows that TSA and Zeb have sensitized breast cancer towards TRAIL treatment in 231-EGFP cells, validating the potentiality of E-cadherin as a biomarker of TRAIL treatment efficacy in the invasive breast cancer.

BRD4 inhibition promotes TRAIL-induced apoptosis by suppressing the transcriptional activity of NF-κB in NSCLC.

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) and agonistic antibodies against TRAIL death receptors (DR) can induce apoptosis preferentially in tumor cells while causing virtually no damage to normal cells. However, their therapeutic potential is limited by occurring resistance in tumor cells, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Thus, elucidation of the molecular targets and signaling pathways responsible for TRAIL resistance is imperative for devising effective therapeutic strategies for TRAIL resistant cancers. In the present study, we demonstrated that inhibition of Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) or genetic knock-down of BRD4, an epigenetic reader and master transcription coactivator, can sensitize lung cancer cells to TRAIL. This sensitization is in a caspase-dependent manner. Inhibition of BRD4 by small molecule inhibitor (+)-JQ-1 and genetic knock-down of BRD4 can both recruit the FADD and activate caspases. The sensitization did not regulate the death receptors DR4 and DR5. Moreover, BRD4 inhibition can block TRAIL-induced IKK activation by suppressing the transcriptional activity of NF-κB. These findings indicate that targeting combination therapy with TRAIL and BRD4 inhibitors can be a promising strategy to overcome TRAIL resistance in NSCLC.

Zika Virus Induces Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis Inducing Ligand (TRAIL)-Mediated Apoptosis in Human Neural Progenitor Cells.

Zika virus (ZIKV) remains as a public health threat due to the congenital birth defects the virus causes following infection of pregnant women. Congenital microcephaly is among the neurodevelopmental disorders the virus can cause in newborns, and this defect has been associated with ZIKV-mediated cytopathic effects in human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs). In this study, we investigated the cellular changes that occur in hNPCs in response to ZIKV (African and Asian lineages)-induced cytopathic effects. Transmission electron microscopy showed the progress of cell death as well as the formation of numerous vacuoles in the cytoplasm of ZIKV-infected hNPCs. Infection with both African and Asian lineages of ZIKV induced apoptosis, as demonstrated by the increased activation of caspase 3/7, 8, and 9. Increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines (IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β) were also detected in ZIKV-infected hNPCs, while z-VAD-fmk-induced inhibition of cell death suppressed ZIKV-mediated cytokine production in a dose-dependent manner. ZIKV-infected hNPCs also displayed significantly elevated gene expression levels of the pro-apoptotic Bcl2-mediated family, in particular, tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). Furthermore, TRAIL signaling led to augmented ZIKV-mediated cell death and the knockdown of TRAIL-mediated signaling adaptor, FADD, resulted in enhanced ZIKV replication. In conclusion, our findings provide cellular insights into the cytopathic effects induced by ZIKV infection of hNPCs.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Combined With IFNγ Induce Apoptosis of Breast Cancer Cells Partially Through TRAIL.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have gained remarkable attention because of their ability to dualistically regulate tumor growth. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the apoptotic effects of human bone marrow-derived (hBM) MSCs in combination with interferon gamma (IFN-γ) on MCF-7 breast cancer cells, and to determine the cytokines involved in the apoptotic process. hBM-MSCs were co-cultured with MCF-7 cells either directly and indirectly for 72 h in-vitro. Levels of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), apoptosis and cytokines were analyzed. hBM-MSCs increased the apoptosis of MCF-7 cells partially through TRAIL in vitro. IFN-γ enhanced the apoptotic effect of hBM-MSCs (p<0.001). hBM-MSCs in combination with IFN-γ might be a suitable therapy for breast cancer.

The recombinant Newcastle disease virus Anhinga strain expressing human TRAIL exhibit antitumor effects on a glioma nude mice model.

Oncolytic virus therapy is perhaps the next major breakthrough in cancer treatment following the success in immunotherapy using immune checkpoint inhibitors. However, the potential oncolytic ability of the recombinant newcastle disease virus (NDV) Anhinga strain carried with tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) has not been fully explored at present. In the present study, the recombinant NDV/Anh-TRAIL that secretes soluble TRAIL was constructed and the experiment results suggested NDV/Anh-TRAIL as a promising candidate for glioma therapy. Growth kinetic and TRAIL secreted quantity of recombinant NDV/Anh-TRAIL virus were measured. Cytotoxic and cell apoptosis were analyzed for its anti-glioma therapy in vitro. Nude mice were used for the in vivo evaluation. Both tumor volume and mice behavior after injection were observed. The recombinant virus replicated with the same kinetics as the parental virus and the highest expression of TRAIL (77.8 ng/L) was found at 48 hours. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, a tetrazole and flow cytometry data revealed that the recombinant NDV/Anh-TRAIL (56.1 ± 8.2%) virus could induce a more severe apoptosis rate, when compared with the NDV wild type (37.2 ± 7.0%) and mock (7.0 ± 1.8%) groups (P < .01), in U251 cells. Furthermore, in the present animal study, the average tumor volume was smaller in the NDV/Anh-TRAIL group (97.21 mm3 ), when compared with the NDV wild type (205.03 mm3 , P < .05) and PBS (310.30 mm3 , P < .01) groups.

Cytochalasins from an endophytic fungus Phoma multirostrata XJ-2-1 with cell cycle arrest and TRAIL-resistance-overcoming activities

Nine new (1–9) and four known (10–13) [13]cytochalasins, along with three known 24-oxa[14]cytochalasins (14–16), were isolated from the culture of Phoma multirostrata XJ-2-1, an endophytic fungus obtained from the fibrous root of Parasenecio albus. Their structures were elucidated by interpretation of the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (HRESIMS). The absolute configurations were assigned by single-crystal X-ray crystallography, modified Mosher′s method, and by analysis of their experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Compound 6 could induce cell cycle arrest at G2-phase in CT26 and A549 cells, and displayed moderate cytotoxicity against CT26 and A549 cell lines with IC50 values of 6.03 and 5.04 μM, respectively. Co-treatment of 7–9, 13 and 16 with tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) could significantly decrease the cell viability of A549, which revealed that cytochalasins could possibly be a new group of TRAIL sensitizers in lung cancer therapy.

Abstract 6225: Addition of TRAIL receptor agonists after treatment with ONC201 or ONC212 converts pancreatic cancer cells from anti-proliferative to apoptotic in vitro

Abstract The 7% five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer patients has remained unchanged for decades; the need for novel therapeutic interventions is imminent. ONC201 is the founding member of the impridone class, a class of orally bioavailable small molecules which show efficacy in multiple tumor types. ONC201 and ONC212, a fluorinated imipridone, have been shown to be potent inducers of the tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) pathway. Both compounds are currently in clinical trials. In the context of pancreatic cancer, ONC201 and ONC212 induce either apoptotic or anti-proliferative effects. Additionally, both compounds activate the integrated stress response leading to DR5 upregulation in various cell types. We hypothesized that exogenous addition of TRAIL receptor agonists after pre-treatment with ONC201 or ONC212 could convert cells from anti-proliferative to apoptotic. Here, we examined both rhTRAIL and TLY012, a novel TRAIL receptor agonist with a substantially improved half-life. Pancreatic cancer cell lines were screened for synergy when treated with ONC201 or ONC212 for 72 hours followed by either rhTRAIL or TLY012 for 4 hours. Four cell lines (AsPC-1, BxPC3, Capan-1, and PANC-1) showed potent synergy with both rhTRAIL and TLY012. Growth inhibition was assessed through both Cell-Titer Glo and colony assays. Apoptotic synergy was determined using Cell-Titer Glo, western blots for PARP cleavage, and sub-G1 flow cytometric assays. Further analysis showed that ONC201 activates the integrated stress response and primes pancreatic cancer cells for TRAIL-induced apoptosis through regulation of key proteins. Upregulation of the integrated stress response and downregulation of XIAP, c-FLIP, and Bcl-XL was observed after treatment with ONC201 in BxPC3 and PANC-1 cell lines. The combination of ONC201 and TRAIL receptor agonists was non-toxic to human foreskin fibroblasts. Future experiments aim to examine G1 arrest after treatment with ONC201 and ONC212 via western blot and flow cytometry, to confirm surface expression of TRAIL and DR5 via flow cytometry, and to determine efficacy in pancreatic cancer xenografts. Taken together, these data indicate a novel therapeutic strategy for treatment of patients with ONC201 and ONC212 resistant pancreatic tumors. Citation Format: Aakash V. Jhaveri, Lanlan Zhou, Isacco Ferarrini, Young Lee, Wafik S. El-Deiry. Addition of TRAIL receptor agonists after treatment with ONC201 or ONC212 converts pancreatic cancer cells from anti-proliferative to apoptotic in vitro [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 6225.

Abstract 2401: Oncogenic H-Ras is a key regulator of death receptor-induced apoptosis

Abstract Ras oncogenes, including H-Ras, K-Ras and N-Ras, are widely implicated in tumorigenesis. Oncogenic K-Ras mutations are found in about 30% of human tumors rendering constitutive activation of Ras-dependent pathways to promote cell proliferation, survival, and transformation. By contrast, H-Ras mutations are rarely detected; however, its expression levels are often elevated in cancer cells. This study aims to identify the molecular pathways by which H-Ras exerts its oncogenic activity. Our previous data drew a link between H-Ras and apoptosis via death receptors (DRs), particularly DR4 and DR5 that are known to induce apoptosis upon ligation of their cognate ligand namely Tumor Necrosis Factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL). We showed that wild-type H-Ras was overexpressed in several human cancer cell lines that were resistant to TRAIL (Chen et al, Oncotarget, 2014). In this study, we tested H-Ras expression and its relationship with cellular susceptibility to TRAIL in a large panel of human cancer cell lines and xenograft tumor models. This included the use of stable cell lines that were developed via transfection of doxycycline-inducible sh-RNA against H-Ras transcript. These cancer cell lines were used to detect surface expression of DR4 and DR5 as well as TRAIL-induced apoptosis. A xenograft mouse model was developed by injecting the TRAIL-resistant H-Ras mutant cells into athymic mice. The mice were fed with water containing doxycycline, which effectively induced sh-RNA mediated reduction of H-Ras protein in the xenografts, and were subjected to intratumor injection with TRAIL, and immunohistochemistry analysis. Our results show that wild-type H-Ras GTPase is upregulated in TRAIL-resistant cells compared to TRAIL-sensitive cells. The elevated H-Ras expression correlated with a loss of DR4 and DR5 receptor expression on the plasma membrane in TRAIL-resistant cells. Knockdown of H-Ras in TRAIL-resistant cells restored the surface expression of DR4 and DR5, and subsequently increased apoptosis in response to TRAIL treatment. The xenograft mice developed tumors upon injection of the H-Ras mutant cells. Knockdown of H-Ras and TRAIL injection showed an increase of apoptotic markers in the tumor. This study confirms our previous report that high expression levels of H-Ras, while is found in its wild-type state, protect cancer cells from TRAIL induced apoptosis. As a TNF-related cytokine, TRAIL has been implicated in tumor immune surveillance by inducing apoptosis in target cells. H-Ras appears to suppress surface expression of DR4 and DR5, thereby promoting cancer cell survival through evasion from the immune surveillance mechanisms. These data have potential implications in identifying novel therapeutic targets for the development of effective cancer therapy. Citation Format: Su-Ryun Kim, Ancy D. Nalli, Baolin Zhang. Oncogenic H-Ras is a key regulator of death receptor-induced apoptosis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 2401.

YM155 sensitizes HeLa cells to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis via cFLIP and survivin downregulation.

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL)-mediated apoptosis is a safe method for the treatment of various types of cancer. However, TRAIL therapy is less effective in certain types of cancer, including cervical cancer. To address this problem, a combinatorial approach was employed to sensitize cervical cancer at low dosages. YM155, a survivin inhibitor, was used at low dosages along with TRAIL to induce apoptosis in HeLa cells. The effects of the individual treatment with TRAIL and YM155 on apoptosis were assessed by propidium iodide assay. In addition, to validate the DNA damage exhibited by the combination treatment, the phosphorylation status of γH2A histone family member X was investigated by immunofluorescence and western blot analysis. TRAIL or YM155 alone had no significant effect on DNA damage and apoptosis. However, the TRAIL/YM155 combination triggered a synergistic pro-apoptotic stimulus in HeLa cells. The mRNA and protein levels of CASP8- and FADD-like apoptosis regulator (cFLIP), death receptor 5 (DR5) and survivin were monitored using RT-PCR and western blot analysis, respectively. This combinatorial approach downregulated both mRNA and protein expression levels of cFLIP and survivin. Further experimental results suggested that the combination treatment significantly reduced cell viability, invasion and migration of HeLa cells. Overall, the present findings indicated that the low dosage of YM155 sensitized HeLa cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis via a mechanism involving downregulation of cFLIP and survivin. The results indicated the importance of combination drug treatment and reveal an effective therapeutic alternative for TRAIL therapy in human cervical cancer.

Expression of Concern: Notch1 signaling sensitizes tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand-induced apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells by inhibiting Akt/Hdm2-mediated p53 degradation and up-regulating p53-dependent DR5 expression.

Expression of Concern: Notch1 signaling sensitizes tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand-induced apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells by inhibiting Akt/Hdm2-mediated p53 degradation and up-regulating p53-dependent DR5 expression.