Silva Valdenizia R, Santos Luciano de S, de Castro Maria V L, Dias Rosane B, Valverde Ludmila de F, Rocha Clarissa A G, Soares Milena B P, Quadros Claudio A, Correa Rodrigo S, Batista Alzir A, Bezerra Daniel P
Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IGM-FIOCRUZ/BA), Salvador, Bahia, 40296-710, Brazil.
Department of Propedeutics, School of Dentistry of the Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, 40110-909, Brazil.
Cell Death Discov. 2023 Dec 16;9(1):460. doi: 10.1038/s41420-023-01759-6.
[Ru(5-FU)(PPh)(bipy)]PF (Ru/5-FU) is a novel ruthenium complex with 5-fluorouracil with promising potential against colorectal cancer (CRC). In the present study, we investigated the molecular mechanism of Ru/5-FU action in HCT116 CRC cells. Ru/5-FU exhibited potent cytotoxicity on a panel of cancer cell lines and on primary cancer cells and induced apoptosis in HCT116 CRC cells. Ru/5-FU reduced AKT1 gene transcripts, as well as the expression of Akt1 and Akt (pS473) and downstream Akt proteins mTOR (pS2448), S6 (pS235/pS236), 4EBP1 (pT36/pT45), GSK-3β (pS9) and NF-κB p65 (pS529), but not Akt upstream proteins Hsp90 and PI3K p85/p55 (pT458/pT199), indicating an inhibitory action of Akt/mTOR signaling. Ru/5-FU increased LC3B expression and reduced p62/SQSTM1 levels, indicating autophagy induction. Curiously, the autophagy inhibitors 3-methyladenine and chloroquine increased Ru/5-FU-induced cell death, indicating an induction of cytoprotective autophagy by this compound. Ru/5-FU also reduced clonogenic survival, as well as the percentage of CD133+ cells and colonosphere formation, indicating that Ru/5-FU can suppress stem cells in HCT116 cells. Ru/5-FU inhibited cell migration and invasion in wound healing assays and Transwell cell invasion assays, along with a reduction in vimentin expression and an increase in E-cadherin levels, indicating that Ru/5-FU can interfere with epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Ru/5-FU also inhibited in vivo HCT116 cell development and experimental lung metastases in mouse xenograft models. Altogether, these results indicate that Ru/5-FU is an anti-CRC chemotherapy drug candidate with the ability to suppress stemness in CRC cells by inhibiting Akt/mTOR signaling.
[Ru(5-氟尿嘧啶)(三苯基膦)(联吡啶)]六氟磷酸根(Ru/5-氟尿嘧啶)是一种新型的钌配合物,与5-氟尿嘧啶结合,对结直肠癌(CRC)具有潜在的治疗潜力。在本研究中,我们探究了Ru/5-氟尿嘧啶在HCT116结直肠癌细胞中的作用分子机制。Ru/5-氟尿嘧啶对一组癌细胞系和原代癌细胞表现出强大的细胞毒性,并诱导HCT116结直肠癌细胞凋亡。Ru/5-氟尿嘧啶降低了AKT1基因转录本,以及Akt1和Akt(pS473)的表达以及下游Akt蛋白mTOR(pS2448)、S6(pS235/pS236)、4EBP1(pT36/pT45)、GSK-3β(pS9)和NF-κB p65(pS529)的表达,但不影响Akt上游蛋白Hsp90和PI3K p85/p55(pT458/pT199),表明其对Akt/mTOR信号通路具有抑制作用。Ru/5-氟尿嘧啶增加了LC3B的表达并降低了p62/SQSTM1水平,表明其诱导了自噬。奇怪的是,自噬抑制剂3-甲基腺嘌呤和氯喹增加了Ru/5-氟尿嘧啶诱导的细胞死亡,表明该化合物诱导了细胞保护性自噬。Ru/5-氟尿嘧啶还降低了克隆形成存活率,以及CD133+细胞的百分比和结肠球形成,表明Ru/5-氟尿嘧啶可以抑制HCT116细胞中的干细胞。在伤口愈合试验和Transwell细胞侵袭试验中,Ru/5-氟尿嘧啶抑制了细胞迁移和侵袭,同时波形蛋白表达降低,E-钙黏蛋白水平升高,表明Ru/5-氟尿嘧啶可以干扰上皮-间质转化。Ru/5-氟尿嘧啶还在小鼠异种移植模型中抑制了体内HCT116细胞的生长和实验性肺转移。总之,这些结果表明Ru/5-氟尿嘧啶是一种抗结直肠癌化疗药物候选物,具有通过抑制Akt/mTOR信号通路来抑制结直肠癌细胞干性的能力。