title: Selective inhibitors of aurora kinases inhibit proliferation, reduce cell viability and impair cell cycle progression in papillary thyroid carcinoma cells.
abstract: The three members of the Aurora kinase family, Aurora-A, -B and -C, regulate several aspects of the mitotic process, and their aberrant expression and/or function causes mitotic abnormalities leading either to cell death or aneuploidy. They are found overexpressed in several human malignancies, including the papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). In the present study, we sought to establish whether Aurora kinase inhibition could be of any therapeutic value in the treatment of aggressive forms of PTC, enduring to radioactive iodide (RAI) ablation. To this end, the effects of selective inhibitors of Aurora-A (MLN8237) and Aurora-B (AZD1152) were analyzed on 3 human PTC cell lines expressing either wild-type (K1 and TPC1) or mutant p53 (BCPAP). The two inhibitors were capable of reducing cell proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manner, with IC₅₀ comprised between 65.4 and 114.9 nM for MLN8237, and between 26.6 and 484.6 nM for AZD1152. Immunofluorescence experiments confirmed that AZD1152 inhibited Aurora-B phosphorylation of histone H3 on Ser10, however, it did not affect Aurora-A autophosphorylation. MLN8237 inhibited Aurora-A autophosphorylation as expected, but at concentrations required to achieve the maximum antiproliferative effects it also abolished H3 (Ser10) phosphorylation. Time-lapse videomicroscopy evidenced that both inhibitors prevented the completion of cytokinesis, and cytofluorimetric analysis showed accumulation of cells in G2/M phase and/or polyploidy. Apoptosis was induced in all the cells by both inhibitors independently from the p53 status. In conclusion, in the present preclinical study MLN8237 and AZD1152 have emerged as promising drug candidates for RAI-insensitive PTC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baldini
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tuccilli
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Prinzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sorrenti
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antonelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fallahi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mian
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barollo
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Catania
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morrone
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tartaglia
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mascagni
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Coccaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pepe
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Filippini
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Armiento
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ulisse
mesh_terms: D064127:Aurora Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D001381:Azepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D010755:Organophosphates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: C520647:2-((3-((4-((5-(2-((3-fluorophenyl)amino)-2-oxoethyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)amino)quinazolin-7-yl)oxy)propyl)(ethyl)amino)ethyl dihydrogen phosphate; D001381:Azepines; C550258:MLN 8237; D010755:Organophosphates; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011743:Pyrimidines; D011799:Quinazolines; D064127:Aurora Kinases