title: Pharmacological evaluation of a series of smoothened antagonists in signaling pathways and after topical application in a depilated mouse model.
abstract: The Hedgehog (HH) pathway has been linked to the formation of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), medulloblastoma, and other cancers. The recently approved orally active drugs vismodegib (GDC-0449) and sonidegib (LDE-225) were not only efficacious for the treatment of advanced or metastatic BCC by antagonizing the smoothened (SMO) receptor, but also produced important side effects, limiting their use for less invasive BCC. Herein, we compared a large series of SMO antagonists, including GDC-0449 and LDE-225, the clinically tested BMS-833923, CUR-61414, cyclopamine, IPI-926 (saridegib), itraconazole, LEQ-506, LY-2940680 (taladegib), PF-04449913 (glasdegib), and TAK-441 as well as preclinical candidates (PF-5274857, MRT-83) in two SMO-dependent cellular assays and for G-protein activation. We report marked differences in inhibitor potencies between compounds as well as a notable disparity between the G-protein assay and the cellular tests, suggesting that classification of drugs is assay dependent. Furthermore, we explored topical efficacies of SMO antagonists on depilated mice using Gli1 and Ptch1 mRNA quantification in skin as biomarkers of the HH signaling inhibition. This topical model rapidly discriminated drugs in terms of efficacies and potencies for inhibition of both biomarkers. SMO antagonists showed also a large variation in their blood and skin partition, suggesting that some drugs are more favorable for topical application. Overall, our data suggested that in vitro and in vivo efficacious drugs such as LEQ-506 and TAK-441 may be of interest for topical treatment of less invasive BCC with minimal side effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology Pierre Fabre Research Centre 17, avenue Jean Moulin F-81106 Castres Cedex France.
authors.forename: Emilie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lauressergues
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology Pierre Fabre Research Centre 17, avenue Jean Moulin F-81106 Castres Cedex France.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heusler
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology Pierre Fabre Research Centre 17, avenue Jean Moulin F-81106 Castres Cedex France.
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lestienne
authors.affiliation: Department of Developability Pierre Fabre Research Centre Castres France.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Troulier
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology Pierre Fabre Research Centre 17, avenue Jean Moulin F-81106 Castres Cedex France.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rauly-Lestienne
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology Pierre Fabre Research Centre 17, avenue Jean Moulin F-81106 Castres Cedex France.
authors.forename: Amélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tourette
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology Pierre Fabre Research Centre 17, avenue Jean Moulin F-81106 Castres Cedex France.
authors.forename: Marie-Christine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ailhaud
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology Pierre Fabre Research Centre 17, avenue Jean Moulin F-81106 Castres Cedex France.
authors.forename: Claudie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cathala
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology Pierre Fabre Research Centre 17, avenue Jean Moulin F-81106 Castres Cedex France.
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tardif
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Resources Pierre Fabre Research Centre Castres France.
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Denais-Laliève
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Resources Pierre Fabre Research Centre Castres France.
authors.forename: Marie-Thérèse
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Calmettes
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Resources Pierre Fabre Research Centre Castres France.
authors.forename: Anne-Dominique
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Degryse
authors.affiliation: Department of Developability Pierre Fabre Research Centre Castres France.
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dumoulin
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology Pierre Fabre Research Centre 17, avenue Jean Moulin F-81106 Castres Cedex France.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Vries
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology Pierre Fabre Research Centre 17, avenue Jean Moulin F-81106 Castres Cedex France.
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cussac
keywords: Hedgehog pathway; basal cell carcinoma; smoothened inhibitor; smoothened receptor; sonidegib; topical application; vismodegib