title: Motexafin gadolinium modulates levels of phosphorylated Akt and synergizes with inhibitors of Akt phosphorylation.
abstract: Motexafin gadolinium (MGd, Xcytrin) is a tumor-selective expanded porphyrin that targets oxidative stress-related proteins. MGd treatment of the follicular lymphoma-derived cell line HF-1 resulted in growth suppression and apoptosis whereas MGd treatment of the Burkitt's lymphoma-derived cell line Ramos resulted in growth suppression but not apoptosis. Because phosphorylation status of Akt/protein kinase B is regulated by oxidative stress, we monitored total and phosphorylated Akt (pAkt) in MGd-treated HF-1 and Ramos cells. Levels of pAkt increased within 30 minutes after MGd treatment of HF-1 but after 4 hours began to show a progressive decline to below baseline levels before cells underwent apoptosis. In MGd-treated Ramos cells, pAkt increased approximately 2-fold within 4 hours and remained persistently elevated. Because pAkt activates survival pathways, we determined if MGd-induced cell death could be enhanced by inhibiting phosphorylation of Akt. The addition of specific inhibitors of Akt phosphorylation (Akt inhibitor 1 or SH-5) reduced pAkt levels in MGd-treated HF-1 and Ramos cells and synergistically enhanced MGd-induced cell death. MGd was also evaluated in combination with celecoxib, an inhibitor of Akt phosphorylation, or docetaxel, a microtubule inhibitor that can decrease Akt phosphorylation. The combination of MGd/celecoxib or MGd/docetaxel resulted in decreased Akt phosphorylation and in synergistic cytotoxicity compared with either agent alone. These data point to a potential protective role for pAkt in MGd-induced apoptosis and suggest that MGd activity may be enhanced by combining it with agents that inhibit Akt phosphorylation.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacyclics, Inc., 995 Arques Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94085, USA.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Mint
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sirisawad
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Louie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Naumovski
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D000068579:Celecoxib; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004357:Drug Synergism; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000378:metabolism; D008665:Metalloporphyrins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D043823:Taxoids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D008665:Metalloporphyrins; D011720:Pyrazoles; D013449:Sulfonamides; D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; C437683:motexafin gadolinium; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D000068579:Celecoxib