title: The activity of mTOR inhibitor RAD001 (everolimus) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and cisplatin-resistant cell lines.
abstract: Phosphorylated (pi-) protein kinase B (AKT) is commonly expressed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell lines and tissues, suggesting the involvement of AKT-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling in NPC carcinogenesis. This study evaluated the activity of an mTOR inhibitor, RAD001 (Everolimus, Novartis Pharma AG, Switzerland), in 5 NPC cell lines (HK1, HONE-1, CNE-1, CNE-2, C666-1), 2 cisplatin-resistant NPC cell lines and their respective parental cell lines (HK1-LMP1, HONE-1-EBV). RAD001 inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner at nanomolar concentrations in all cell lines. HONE-1 was most sensitive to RAD001 (IC(50) = 0.63 nM, 60% maximal inhibition), while Het-1A (a normal esophageal epithelial cell line) was relatively resistant. No consistent relationship between sensitivity to RAD001 and basal expression of pi-mTOR and pi-p70S6 Kinase-1 (p70S6K) was found. Exposure to RAD001 at picomolar concentrations for 48 h resulted in reduction of pi-mTOR and pi-p70S6K1 expression, but increase in pi-AKT (Ser473) expression in HONE-1 and CNE-1 cell lines. RAD001 significantly induced apoptosis in HONE-1 cells, but has no effect on cell cycle progression. RAD001 exerted an additive to synergistic effect on cisplatin-induced growth inhibition in CNE-1 and HONE-1 cells, and could inhibit the growth of both cisplatin-resistant and cisplatin-sensitive NPC cell lines. In summary, combination of RAD001 and cisplatin maybe a useful therapeutic strategy in NPC. AKT upregulation following RAD001 treatment suggests the presence of a feedback loop on AKT signaling in NPC which warrants further investigation.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory in Oncology in South China, Sir Y.K. Pao Centre for Cancer, Department of Clinical Oncology, Cancer Drug Testing Unit, Hong Kong Cancer Institute, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong. brigette@clo.cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: Brigette B Y
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Vivian W Y
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Lui
authors.forename: Edwin P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Cecilia P Y
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Kakiu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Margaret H L
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Sai-Wah
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.forename: Anthony T C
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects*; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor / Q000379:methods; D004357:Drug Synergism; D000068338:Everolimus; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D038762:Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDa / Q000378:metabolism; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
chemical_list: D002945:Cisplatin; D000068338:Everolimus; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D038762:Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDa; D020123:Sirolimus; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; C546842:MTOR protein, human