Potential inhibition of PDK1/Akt signaling by phenothiazines suppresses cancer cell proliferation and survival.
3'-Phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 (PDK1) has been identified for its ability to phosphorylate and activate Akt. Accumulated studies have shown that the activation of the PDK1/Akt pathway plays a pivotal role in cell survival, proliferation, and tumorigenesis. Therefore, the PDK1/Akt pathway is believed to be a critical target for cancer intervention. In this paper, we report the discovery of a new function of phenothiazines, widely known as antipsychotics, inhibiting PDK1/Akt pathway. Upon epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulation, phenothiazines specifically suppressed the kinase activity of PDK1 and the phosphorylation level of Akt. The inhibition of PDK1/Akt kinase resulted in suppression of EGF-induced cell growth and induction of apoptosis in human ovary cancer cells. In particular, phenothiazines were highly selective for downstream targets of PDK1/Akt and did not inhibit the activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), EGFR, or extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2). In particular, phenothiazines effectively suppressed tumor growth in nude mice of human cancer cells. Taken together, these findings provide strong evidence for novel function of phenothiazines, pharmacologically targeting PDK1/Akt for anticancer drug discovery.
Department of Life Science, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Kyungbuk, Republic of Korea.
Jang Hyun
JH
Choi
Yong Ryoul
YR
Yang
Seul Ki
SK
Lee
Sun-Hee
SH
Kim
Yun-Hee
YH
Kim
Joo-Young
JY
Cha
Se-Woong
SW
Oh
Jong-Ryul
JR
Ha
Sung Ho
SH
Ryu
Pann-Ghill
PG
Suh
D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D010640:Phenothiazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000081382:Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Acetyl-Transferring Kinase; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
C000631429:PDK1 protein, human; C000631433:Pdk1 protein, mouse; D010640:Phenothiazines; D000081382:Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Acetyl-Transferring Kinase; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt