Department of Basic Medical, Xingtai Medical College.
Department of Vascular Intervention, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xingtai Medical College.
Tohoku J Exp Med. 2024 Mar 15;262(3):173-180. doi: 10.1620/tjem.2023.J100. Epub 2023 Dec 21.
SKI-349 is a novel sphingosine kinases (SPHK) inhibitor with anti-tumor effects. This study aimed to assess the effect of SKI-349 on cell biological behaviors, downstream pathways, and its synergistic effect with sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC cell lines (Huh7 and Hep3B) were treated with SKI-349 at concentrations of 1, 2, 4, or 8 μM. Then, SPHK1/2 activity, cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and protein expressions of phosphorylated-protein kinase B (p-AKT), AKT, phosphorylated-mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) and mTOR were detected. Combination index values of SKI-349 (0, 1, 2, 4, or 8 μM) and sorafenib (0, 2.5, 5, 10, or 20 μM) were calculated. SKI-349 decreased the relative SPHK1 and SPHK2 activity compared with blank control in a dose-dependent manner in the Huh7 and Hep3B cell lines. Meanwhile, SKI-349 reduced cell viability, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) positive cells, and invasive cells, while it increased apoptotic cells compared to blank control in a dose-dependent manner in Huh7 and Hep3B cell lines. Based on the western blot assay, SKI-349 decreased the ratio of p-AKT to AKT and that of p-mTOR to mTOR compared with blank control in a dose-dependent manner in the Huh7 and Hep3B cell lines. Additionally, SKI-349 combined with sorafenib declined cell viability with concentration gradient effects compared to SKI-349 sole treatment, and they had synergistic cytotoxic effects in Huh7 and Hep3B cell lines. SKI-349 suppresses SPHK1 and SPHK2 activity, cell viability, invasion, and AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, as well as exhibits a synergistic cytotoxic effect with sorafenib in HCC.
SKI-349 是一种新型的鞘氨醇激酶(SPHK)抑制剂,具有抗肿瘤作用。本研究旨在评估 SKI-349 对肝癌细胞(HCC)的细胞生物学行为、下游通路的影响及其与索拉非尼的协同作用。用浓度为 1、2、4 或 8 μM 的 SKI-349 处理 HCC 细胞系(Huh7 和 Hep3B)。然后,检测 SPHK1/2 活性、细胞活力、增殖、凋亡、侵袭以及磷酸化蛋白激酶 B(p-AKT)、AKT、磷酸化哺乳动物雷帕霉素靶蛋白(p-mTOR)和 mTOR 的蛋白表达。计算 SKI-349(0、1、2、4 或 8 μM)和索拉非尼(0、2.5、5、10 或 20 μM)联合指数值。与空白对照组相比,SKI-349 在 Huh7 和 Hep3B 细胞系中呈剂量依赖性降低相对 SPHK1 和 SPHK2 活性。同时,SKI-349 呈剂量依赖性降低细胞活力、5-乙炔基-2'-脱氧尿苷(EdU)阳性细胞和侵袭细胞,同时增加凋亡细胞与空白对照组相比,Huh7 和 Hep3B 细胞系。基于 Western blot 检测,与空白对照组相比,SKI-349 在 Huh7 和 Hep3B 细胞系中呈剂量依赖性降低 p-AKT/AKT 和 p-mTOR/mTOR 的比值。此外,与 SKI-349 单独治疗相比,SKI-349 与索拉非尼联合降低细胞活力呈浓度梯度效应,在 Huh7 和 Hep3B 细胞系中具有协同细胞毒性作用。SKI-349 抑制 SPHK1 和 SPHK2 活性、细胞活力、侵袭以及 AKT/mTOR 信号通路,并与索拉非尼在 HCC 中具有协同细胞毒性作用。