NVP-BEZ235, a novel dual phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor, elicits multifaceted antitumor activities in human gliomas.
Aberrant genetic alternations in human gliomas, such as amplification of epidermal growth factor receptor, mutation and/or deletion of tumor suppressor gene PTEN, and mutations of PIK3CA, contribute to constitutive activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. We investigated the potential antitumor activity of NVP-BEZ235, which is a novel dual PI3K/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor in gliomas. The compound suppressed glioma cell proliferation with IC(50) values in the low nanomolar range by specifically inhibiting the activity of target proteins including Akt, S6K1, S6, and 4EBP1 in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. NVP-BEZ235 treatment of glioma cell lines led to G(1) cell cycle arrest and induced autophagy. Furthermore, expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is an important angiogenic modulator in glioma cells, was significantly decreased, suggesting that NVP-BEZ235 may also exert an antiangiogenic effect. Preclinical testing of the therapeutic efficacy of NVP-BEZ235 showed that it significantly prolonged the survival of tumor-bearing animals without causing any obvious toxicity. Tumor extracts harvested from animals after treatment showed that the compound inhibited the activity of target proteins in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR cascade. Immunohistochemical analyses also showed a significant reduction in staining for VEGF von Willebrand factor (factor VIII) in NVP-BEZ235-treated tumor sections compared with controls, further confirming that NVP-BEZ235 has an antiangiogenic effect in vivo. We conclude from these findings that NVP-BEZ235 antagonizes PI3K and mTOR signaling and induces cell cycle arrest, down-regulation of VEGF, and autophagy. These results warrant further development of NVP-BEZ235 for clinical trials for human gliomas or other advanced cancers with altered PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling.
Liu
Ta-Jen
TJ
Department of Neuro-Oncology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Unit 431, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030. wyung@mdanderson.org.
Koul
Dimpy
D
LaFortune
Tiffany
T
Tiao
Ningyi
N
Shen
Rui Jun
RJ
Maira
Sauveur-Michel
SM
Garcia-Echevrria
Carlos
C
Yung
W K Alfred
WK
D002453:Cell Cycle; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005910:Glioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011804:Quinolines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007093:Imidazoles; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011494:Protein Kinases; D011804:Quinolines; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; C546842:MTOR protein, human; C531198:dactolisib