title: Inhibition of Aurora A Kinase by Alisertib Induces Autophagy and Cell Cycle Arrest and Increases Chemosensitivity in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma HepG2 Cells.
abstract: Aurora A kinase represent a feasible target in cancer therapy.
  
  
  
  To evaluate the proteomic response of human liver carcinoma cells to alisertib (ALS) and identify the molecular targets of ALS, we examined the effects of ALS on the proliferation, cell cycle, autophagy, apoptosis, and chemosensitivity in HepG2 cells.
  
  
  
  The stable-isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) based quantitative proteomic study was performed to evaluate the proteomic response to ALS. Cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were assessed using flow cytometry and autophagy was determined using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy.
  
  
  
  Our SILAC proteomic study showed that ALS regulated the expression of 914 proteins, with 407 molecules being up-regulated and 507 molecules being down-regulated in HepG2 cells. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) and KEGG pathway analysis identified 146 and 32 signaling pathways were regulated by ALS, respectively, which were associated with cell survival, programmed cell death, and nutrition-energy metabolism. Subsequently, the verification experiments showed that ALS remarkably arrested HepG2 cells in G2/M phase and led to an accumulation of aneuploidy via regulating the expression of key cell cycle regulators. ALS induced a marked autophagy in a concentration- and time-dependent manner via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. Autophagy inhibition promoted the pro-apoptotic effect of ALS, indicating a cyto-protective role of ALS-induced autophagy. ALS increased the chemosensitivity of HepG2 cells to cisplatin and doxorubicin.
  
  
  
  Taken together, ALS induces autophagy and cell cycle arrest in HepG2 cells via PI3K/Akt/mTOR-mediated pathway. Autophagy inhibition may promote the anticancer effect of ALS and sensitize the chemotherapy in HepG2 cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL. United States.
authors.forename: Qiaohua
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Interventional Radiology, Shunde First People`s Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shunde, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Xinfa
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL. United States.
authors.forename: Zhi-Wei
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Interventional Radiology, Shunde First People`s Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shunde, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Chengyu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Shunde First People`s Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shunde, Guangdong 528300, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Wu
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering and Biotechnology, College of Chemical Engineering, 668 Jimei Blvd., Xiamen, Fujian 361021, China.
authors.forename: Shu-Feng
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D064096:Aurora Kinase A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects*; D001381:Azepines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D059447:Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects*; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D040901:Proteomics; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001381:Azepines; C550258:MLN 8237; D011743:Pyrimidines; D064096:Aurora Kinase A
keywords: HepG2 cells; Hepatocellular carcinoma; SILAC; alisertib; aurora kinase A; cell cycle; programmed cell death; proteomics