Edison S. Zuniga

New-generation taxoid SB-T-1214 inhibits stem cell-related gene expression in 3D cancer spheroids induced by purified colon tumor-initiating cells

BackgroundGrowing evidence suggests that the majority of tumors are organized hierarchically, comprising a population of tumor-initiating, or cancer stem cells (CSCs) responsible for tumor development, maintenance and resistance to drugs. Previously we have shown that the CD133high/CD44high fraction of colon cancer cells is different from their bulk counterparts at the functional, morphological and genomic levels. In contrast to the majority of colon cancer cells expressing moderate levels of CD133, CD44 and CD166, cells with a high combined expression of CD133 and CD44 possessed several characteristic stem cell features, including profound self-renewal capacity in vivo and in vitro, and the ability to give rise to different cell phenotypes. The present study was undertaken for two aims: a) to determine stem cell-related genomic characteristics of floating 3D multicellular spheroids induced by CD133high/CD44high colon cancer cells; and b) to evaluate CSC-specific alterations induced by new-generation taxoid SB-T-1214.ResultsSelected CSC phenotype was isolated from three independent invasive colon cancer cell lines, HCT116, HT29 and DLD-1. A stem cell-specific PCR array assay (SA Biosciences) revealed that colonospheres induced by purified CD133high/CD44high expressing cells display profound up-regulation of stem cell-related genes in comparison with their bulk counterparts. The FACS analysis has shown that the 3D colonospheres contained some minority cell populations with high levels of expression of Oct4, Sox2, Nanog and c-Myc, which are essential for stem cell pluripotency and self-renewal. Single administration of the SB-T-1214 at concentration 100 nM-1 μM for 48 hr not only induced growth inhibition and apoptotic cell death in these three types of colon cancer spheroids in 3D culture, but also mediated massive inhibition of the stem cell-related genes and significant down-regulation of the pluripotency gene expression. PCR array and FACS data were confirmed with western blotting. Importantly, viable cells that survived this treatment regimen were no longer able to induce secondary floating spheroids and exhibited significant morphological abnormalities.ConclusionsWe report here that a new-generation taxoid SB-T-1214 possesses significant activity against colon cancer spheroids induced by and enriched with drug resistant tumorigenic CD133high/CD44high cells and efficiently inhibited expression of the majority of stem cell-related genes. Our data indicates that the previously observed long-term efficacy of SB-T-1214 against drug resistant colon tumors in vivo may be explained by the down-regulation of multiple stem cell-related genes in the tumorigenic cell population, in addition to its known efficacy as a mitotic poison against proliferating cancer cells.

Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluations of Tumor-Targeting Dual-Warhead Conjugates for a Taxoid–Camptothecin Combination Chemotherapy

Novel tumor-targeting dual-warhead conjugates, 2 (DW-1) and 3 (DW-2), which consist of a next-generation taxoid, 1 (SB-T-1214), and camptothecin as two warheads, self-immolative disulfide linkers for drug release, biotin as the tumor-targeting moiety, and 1,3,5-triazine as the tripod splitter module, were designed and synthesized. The potency of 2 was evaluated against MX-1, MCF-7, ID8, L1210FR (BR+, biotin receptor overexpressed) and WI38 (BR–, normal) cell lines in the absence and presence of glutathione (GSH), which is an endogenous thiol that triggers drug release inside the cancer cells. With the GSH and resuspension protocol, 2 exhibited IC50 values of 3.22–9.80 nM against all BR+ cancer cell lines, and 705 nM against WI38. Thus, there was a two orders of magnitude higher selectivity to cancer cells. Also, a clear cooperative effect was observed for the taxoid–camptothecin combination when two drugs were delivered to the cancer cells specifically in the form of a dual-warhead conjugate.

Prostate Cancer Stem Cell-Targeted Efficacy of a New-Generation Taxoid, SBT-1214 and Novel Polyenolic Zinc-Binding Curcuminoid, CMC2.24

Background Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among men. Multiple evidence suggests that a population of tumor-initiating, or cancer stem cells (CSCs) is responsible for cancer development and exceptional drug resistance, representing a highly important therapeutic target. The present study evaluated CSC-specific alterations induced by new-generation taxoid SBT-1214 and a novel polyenolic zinc-binding curcuminoid, CMC2.24, in prostate CSCs. Principal Findings The CD133high/CD44high phenotype was isolated from spontaneously immortalized patient-derived PPT2 cells and highly metastatic PC3MM2 cells. Weekly treatment of the NOD/SCID mice bearing PPT2- and PC3MM3-induced tumors with the SBT-1214 led to dramatic suppression of tumor growth. Four of six PPT2 and 3 of 6 PC3MM2 tumors have shown the absence of viable cells in residual tumors. In vitro, SBT-1214 (100nM-1µM; for 72 hr) induced about 60% cell death in CD133high/CD44+/high cells cultured on collagen I in stem cell medium (in contrast, the same doses of paclitaxel increased proliferation of these cells). The cytotoxic effects were increased when SBT-1214 was combined with the CMC2.24. A stem cell-specific PCR array assay revealed that this drug combination mediated massive inhibition of multiple constitutively up-regulated stem cell-related genes, including key pluripotency transcription factors. Importantly, this drug combination induced expression of p21 and p53, which were absent in CD133high/CD44high cells. Viable cells that survived this treatment regimen were no longer able to induce secondary spheroids, exhibited significant morphological abnormalities and died in 2-5 days. Conclusions We report here that the SBT-1214 alone, or in combination with CMC2.24, possesses significant activity against prostate CD133high/CD44+/high tumor-initiating cells. This drug combination efficiently inhibits expression of the majority of stem cell-related genes and pluripotency transcription factors. In addition, it induces a previously absent expression of p21 and p53 (“gene wake-up”), which can potentially reverse drug resistance by increasing sensitivity to anti-cancer drugs.

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of theranostic vitamin-linker-taxoid conjugates.

Novel tumor-targeting theranostic conjugates 1 and 2, bearing either a fluorine-labeled prosthetic as a potential (18)F-PET radiotracer (1) or a fluorescence probe (2) for internalization studies in vitro, were designed and synthesized. We confirmed efficient internalization of 2 in biotin-receptor positive (BR+) cancer cells via receptor-mediated endocytosis (RME) based on flow cytometry and confocal fluorescence microscopy (CFM) analyses, which exhibited very high specificity to BR+ cancer cells. The potency and cancer-cell selectivity of 1 were evaluated against MX-1, L1210FR and ID8 cancer cells (BR+) as well as L1210 cells and WI38 normal human lung fibroblast cells (biotin-receptor negative: BR-). In particular, we designed and performed an assay in the presence of glutathione ethyl ester (GSH-OEt) wherein only 1 molecules internalized into cells via RME in the first 24 h period exert cytotoxic effect. The observed selectivity of 1 was remarkable, with 2 orders of magnitude difference in IC50 values between BR+ cancer cells and WI38 cells, demonstrating a salient feature of this tumor-targeted drug delivery system.

Targeted and armed oncolytic adenovirus via chemoselective modification.

Oncolytic adenoviruses (Ads) are an emerging alternative therapy for cancer; however, clinical trial have not yet demonstrated sufficient efficacy. When oncolytic Ads are used in combination with taxoids a synergistic increase in both cytotoxicity and viral replication is observed. In order to generate a next generation oncolytic adenovirus, virion were physically conjugated to a highly potent taxoid, SB-T-1214, and a folate targeting motif. Conjugation was enabled via the metabolic incorporation of non-canonical monosaccharides (O-GlcNAz) and amino acids (homopropargylglycine), which served as sites for chemoselective modification.

Synthesis and Evaluation of the 2-Aminothiazoles as Anti-Tubercular Agents.

The 2-aminothiazole series has anti-bacterial activity against the important global pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We explored the nature of the activity by designing and synthesizing a large number of analogs and testing these for activity against M. tuberculosis, as well as eukaryotic cells. We determined that the C-2 position of the thiazole can accommodate a range of lipophilic substitutions, while both the C-4 position and the thiazole core are sensitive to change. The series has good activity against M. tuberculosis growth with sub-micromolar minimum inhibitory concentrations being achieved. A representative analog was selective for mycobacterial species over other bacteria and was rapidly bactericidal against replicating M. tuberculosis. The mode of action does not appear to involve iron chelation. We conclude that this series has potential for further development as novel anti-tubercular agents.

Advances in the Use of Enantiopure β-Lactams for the Synthesis of Biologically Active Compounds of Medicinal Interests

β-Lactams play a significant role in organic synthesis in addition to its importance as the core structure of β-lactam antibiotics. The “β-lactam synthon method” introduced in late 1970s has greatly advanced the use of β-lactams as key intermediates for the synthesis of biologically active compounds such as nonprotein amino acids, peptides, peptidomimetics, and complex natural products and congeners. This chapter describes the advances in the synthesis of β-lactams with excellent enantiopurity, useful patterns of β-lactam ring cleavage, ring-opening coupling, and applications of the β-lactam synthon method to the synthesis of biologically active compounds of medicinal interests. In addition, novel β-lactams, exhibiting potent activities, not as antibacterials but as anticancer and cholesterol-controlling agents, are described.

Identification of Enolase as the Target of 2-Aminothiazoles in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a massive global burden and Mycobacterium tuberculosis is increasingly resistant to first- and second-line drugs. There is an acute need for new anti-mycobacterial drugs with novel targets. We previously evaluated a series of 2-aminothiazoles with activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In this study, we identify the glycolytic enzyme enolase as the target of these molecules using pull down studies. We demonstrate that modulation of the level of enolase expression affects sensitivity to 2-aminothiazoles; increased expression leads to resistance while decreased protein levels increase sensitivity. Exposure to 2-aminothiazoles results in increased levels of metabolites preceding the action of enolase in the glycolytic pathway and decreased ATP levels. We demonstrate that 2-aminothiazoles inhibit the activity of the human α-enolase, which could also account for the cytotoxicity of some of those molecules. If selectivity for the bacterial enzyme over the human enzyme could be achieved, enolase would represent an attractive target for M. tuberculosis drug discovery and development efforts.

Abstract 3331: New-generation taxoid SB-T-1214 inhibits stem cell-related gene expression in colon and prostate CSCs

In vast majority of human cancers, malignant stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for tumor development, maintenance and resistance to drugs. Previously we have shown that colon and prostate CSCs are not only functionally and morphologically different from their bulk counterparts, but themselves may represent heterogeneous phenotypic populations. In contrast to the major (bulk) colon and prostate cancer cells expressing low levels of CD133 and CD44, cells with a high combined expression of these markers, as well as colon cancer cells lacking CD133, possessed several characteristic stem cell features, including high tumor initiating potential, profound self-renewal capacity, and an ability to give rise to different cell phenotypes. The present study was undertaken for two aims: a) to determine stem cell-related genomic characteristics of floating multicellular spheroids induced by candidate phenotypic cell populations; and b) to evaluate CSC-specific alterations induced by new-generation taxoid SB-T-1214 in 3D culture. Experimental: Selected CSC phenotypes were isolated from highly invasive colon cancer HCT116 cells and prostate cancer PC3MM2 cells. A stem cell-specific PCR array (SABiosciences) revealed that 3D spheroids induced by either colon CD133 high /CD44 high or CD133 neg cells, as well as by CD133 high /CD44 high prostate cancer cells expressed profound up-regulation of stem cell-related genes compared to their differentiated counterparts (68%, 56% and 61%, correspondently). The FACS analysis has shown that both colon and prostate spheroids contained minority cell populations with high levels of expression of Oct4, Sox2, c-Myc and Nanog, which are essential for stem cell pluripotency and self-renewal. Single administration of the SB-T-1214 at concentration 0.01-0.1 μg/ml for 48 hr not only induced growth inhibition and apoptotic cell death in these two types of cancer spheroids in 3D culture, but also mediated massive inhibition of the stem cell-related genes and significant down-regulation of the pluripotency gene expression. PCR array and FACS data were confirmed with western blotting. Importantly, viable cells that survived this treatment regimen were no longer able to induce secondary floating spheroids and exhibited significant morphological abnormalities. Summay: We report here that a new-generation taxoid SB-T-1214 possesses significant activity against colon and prostate cancer spheroids induced by and enriched with drug resistant tumorigenic cell populations and efficiently inhibited expression of the majority of stem cell-related genes. Conclusion: Our data indicates that the long-term efficacy of the SB-T-1214 against several drug resistant tumors in vivo may be explained by down-regulation of multiple stem cell-related genes in the tumorigenic cell population, in addition to its known efficacy as a mitotic poison against proliferating cancer cells. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3331.