Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) is a tumor highly resistant to chemo- and radiotherapy. Drug resistance can be induced by epigenetic changes such as aberrant DNA methylation. To overcome drug resistance, we explored a promising approach based on the use of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (AZA), a demethylating agent, in combination with the mTOR inhibitor everolimus in MTC cells (MZ-CRC-1 and TT). This combined treatment showed a strong synergistic antiproliferative activity through the induction of apoptosis. The effect of everolimus and/or AZA on genome-wide expression profiling was evaluated by Illumina BeadChip in MZ-CRC-1 cells. An innovative bioinformatic pipeline identified four potential molecular pathways implicated in the synergy between AZA and everolimus: PI3K-Akt signaling, the neurotrophin pathway, ECM-receptor interaction and focal adhesion. Among these, the neurotrophin signaling pathway was most directly involved in apoptosis, through the overexpression of NGFR and Bax genes. The increased expression of genes involved in the NGFR-MAPK10-TP53-Bax/Bcl2 pathway during incubation with AZA plus everolimus was validated by western blotting in MZ-CRC-1 cells. Interestingly, addition of a neutralizing anti-NGFR antibody abolished the synergistic cytotoxic activity between AZA and everolimus. These results open a new therapeutic scenario for MTC and potentially other neuroendocrine tumors, where therapy with mTOR inhibitors is currently approved.

Synergistic activity of everolimus and 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine in medullary thyroid carcinoma cell lines / G. Vitale, A. Dicitore, D. Pepe, D. Gentilini, E.S. Grassi, M.O. Borghi, G. Gelmini, M.C. Cantone, G. Gaudenzi, G. Misso, A.M. Di Blasio, L.J. Hofland, M. Caraglia, L. Persani. - In: MOLECULAR ONCOLOGY. - ISSN 1574-7891. - 11:8(2017 Aug 28), pp. 1007-1022. [10.1002/1878-0261.12070]

Synergistic activity of everolimus and 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine in medullary thyroid carcinoma cell lines

G. Vitale
Primo
;
D. Gentilini;E.S. Grassi;M.O. Borghi;G. Gelmini;G. Gaudenzi;L. Persani
Ultimo
2017

Abstract

Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) is a tumor highly resistant to chemo- and radiotherapy. Drug resistance can be induced by epigenetic changes such as aberrant DNA methylation. To overcome drug resistance, we explored a promising approach based on the use of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (AZA), a demethylating agent, in combination with the mTOR inhibitor everolimus in MTC cells (MZ-CRC-1 and TT). This combined treatment showed a strong synergistic antiproliferative activity through the induction of apoptosis. The effect of everolimus and/or AZA on genome-wide expression profiling was evaluated by Illumina BeadChip in MZ-CRC-1 cells. An innovative bioinformatic pipeline identified four potential molecular pathways implicated in the synergy between AZA and everolimus: PI3K-Akt signaling, the neurotrophin pathway, ECM-receptor interaction and focal adhesion. Among these, the neurotrophin signaling pathway was most directly involved in apoptosis, through the overexpression of NGFR and Bax genes. The increased expression of genes involved in the NGFR-MAPK10-TP53-Bax/Bcl2 pathway during incubation with AZA plus everolimus was validated by western blotting in MZ-CRC-1 cells. Interestingly, addition of a neutralizing anti-NGFR antibody abolished the synergistic cytotoxic activity between AZA and everolimus. These results open a new therapeutic scenario for MTC and potentially other neuroendocrine tumors, where therapy with mTOR inhibitors is currently approved.
mTOR; 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine; Medullary thyroid cancer; NGFR; everolimus; neurotrophin pathway
Settore MED/13 - Endocrinologia
   Piattaforme tecnologiche avanzate per la definizione di nuovi biomarkers e bersagli molecolari in vettori nano tecnologici per la diagnosi e terapia di neoplasie umane
   MINISTERO DELL'ISTRUZIONE E DEL MERITO
   RBAP11884M_002
28-ago-2017
28-apr-2017
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/501134
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