Combined inhibition of the PI3K/mTOR/MEK pathway induces Bim/Mcl-2-regulated apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells
Author(s)
Burmi, Rajpal
Maginn, E
Gabra, Hani
Stronach, Euan
Wasan, Harpreet
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) progression and chemotherapy insensitivity have been associated with aberrant PI3K/mTOR/MEK signalling. However, cell death responses activated by inhibitors of these pathways can differ – contextually varying with tumour genetic background. Here, we demonstrate that combining the dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor PF5212384 (PF384) and MEK inhibitor PD325901 (PD901) more effectively induces apoptosis compared with either agent alone, independent of KRAS mutational status in PDAC cell lines. Additionally, a non-caspase dependent decrease in cell viability upon PF384 treatment was observed, and may be attributed to autophagy and G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. Using reverse phase protein arrays, we identify key molecular events associated with the conversion of cytostatic responses (elicited by single inhibitor treatments) into a complete cell death response when PF384 and PD901 are combined. This response was also independent of KRAS mutation, occurring in both BxPC3 (KRAS wildtype) and MIA-PaCa-2 (KRASG12C mutated) cells. In both cell lines, Bim expression increased in response to PF384/PD901 treatment (by 60% and 48%, respectively), while siRNA-mediated silencing of Bim attenuated the apoptosis induced by combination treatment. In parallel, Mcl-1 levels decreased by 36% in BxPC3, and 30% in MIA-PaCa-2 cells. This is consistent with a functional role for Mcl-1, and siRNA-mediated silencing enhanced apoptosis in PF384/PD901-treated MIA-PaCa-2 cells, whilst Mcl-1 overexpression decreased apoptosis induction by 24%. Moreover, a novel role was identified for PDCD4 loss in driving the apoptotic response to PF384/PD901 in BxPC3 and MIA-PaCa-2 cell lines. Overall, our data indicates PF384/PD901 co-treatment activates the same apoptotic mechanism in wild-type or KRAS mutant PDAC cells.
Date Issued
2019-01-01
Date Acceptance
2018-07-23
Citation
Cancer Biology and Therapy, 2019, 20 (1), pp.21-30
ISSN
1555-8576
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Start Page
21
End Page
30
Journal / Book Title
Cancer Biology and Therapy
Volume
20
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© 2018 The Author(s). Taylor & Francis Group, LLC This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way.
Sponsor
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Grant Number
FR340
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Oncology
pancreatic cancer
PI3K
mTOR
MEK
combination chemotherapy
Bim
Mcl-1
PDCD4
ORAL MEK INHIBITOR
PHASE-II
TUMOR-SUPPRESSOR
IN-VITRO
GENOMIC ANALYSES
DUAL INHIBITOR
SMALL-MOLECULE
CYCLE ARREST
LUNG-CANCER
OPEN-LABEL
1112 Oncology And Carcinogenesis
Oncology & Carcinogenesis
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2018-09-27