VP3.15, a dual GSK-3β/PDE7 inhibitor, reduces glioblastoma tumor growth though changes in the tumor microenvironment in a PTEN wild-type context

Glioblastoma (GB) is an incurable cancer of the brain, and there is an urgent need to identify effective treatments. This may be achieved by either identifying new molecules or through drug repurposing. To ascertain the therapeutic potential of known GSK-3β and/or PDE7 inhibitors in GB, a drug scree...

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Main Authors: Maria Castello-Pons, Maria A. Ramirez-Gonzalez, Patricia Iglesias-Hernández, Nermina Logo Lendo, Carlos Rodriguez-Martín, Laura Quiralte, Juan-Manuel Sepúlveda-Sánchez, Olaya de Dios, Carmen Gil, Ana Martínez, Pilar Sánchez-Gómez, Sergio Casas-Tinto
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Neurotherapeutics
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878747925000546
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author Maria Castello-Pons
Maria A. Ramirez-Gonzalez
Patricia Iglesias-Hernández
Nermina Logo Lendo
Carlos Rodriguez-Martín
Laura Quiralte
Juan-Manuel Sepúlveda-Sánchez
Olaya de Dios
Carmen Gil
Ana Martínez
Pilar Sánchez-Gómez
Sergio Casas-Tinto
author_facet Maria Castello-Pons
Maria A. Ramirez-Gonzalez
Patricia Iglesias-Hernández
Nermina Logo Lendo
Carlos Rodriguez-Martín
Laura Quiralte
Juan-Manuel Sepúlveda-Sánchez
Olaya de Dios
Carmen Gil
Ana Martínez
Pilar Sánchez-Gómez
Sergio Casas-Tinto
author_sort Maria Castello-Pons
collection DOAJ
description Glioblastoma (GB) is an incurable cancer of the brain, and there is an urgent need to identify effective treatments. This may be achieved by either identifying new molecules or through drug repurposing. To ascertain the therapeutic potential of known GSK-3β and/or PDE7 inhibitors in GB, a drug screening was conducted using a Drosophila melanogaster glioma model. VP3.15, a dual inhibitor with anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective roles in multiple sclerosis, was selected for further investigation. VP3.15 demonstrated robust anti-tumor efficacy against a panel of human and mouse GB cells; however, its capacity to inhibit orthotopic growth was only observed in a wild-type PTEN cell line. The in vivo dependence on PTEN was further suggested with the results in fly gliomas. The analysis of the VP3.15-treated tissues revealed a notable reduction in the number of myeloid cells and in the degree of vascularization. Mechanistic studies indicate that VP3.15 diminishes the production of GAL9, a key molecule that stimulates pro-angiogenic macrophages. Our findings substantiate the pro-tumoral function of GSK-3β, which might depend on the PTEN genetic status. Furthermore, we have delineated the therapeutic potential of VP3.15, which acts through the inhibition of the supportive role of the GB microenvironment. This molecule could be safely and effectively utilized after PTEN characterization in GB patients.
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spelling doaj-art-6737ccc35fe0418b8af414ba7b3e234a2025-08-20T03:36:39ZengElsevierNeurotherapeutics1878-74792025-07-01224e0057610.1016/j.neurot.2025.e00576VP3.15, a dual GSK-3β/PDE7 inhibitor, reduces glioblastoma tumor growth though changes in the tumor microenvironment in a PTEN wild-type contextMaria Castello-Pons0Maria A. Ramirez-Gonzalez1Patricia Iglesias-Hernández2Nermina Logo Lendo3Carlos Rodriguez-Martín4Laura Quiralte5Juan-Manuel Sepúlveda-Sánchez6Olaya de Dios7Carmen Gil8Ana Martínez9Pilar Sánchez-Gómez10Sergio Casas-Tinto11Neurooncology Unit, Instituto de Salud Carlos III-UFIEC, Madrid, Spain; PhD Programme on Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, UNED-ISCIII 28040 Madrid, SpainNeurooncology Unit, Instituto de Salud Carlos III-UFIEC, Madrid, SpainNeurooncology Unit, Instituto de Salud Carlos III-UFIEC, Madrid, Spain; PhD Programme on Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, UNED-ISCIII 28040 Madrid, SpainInstituto Cajal-CSIC, Avda. Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, SpainDrosophila Models of Human Disease Unit, Instituto de Salud Carlos III-IIER, Madrid, SpainInstituto Cajal-CSIC, Avda. Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, SpainInstituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas I+12, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, SpainNeurooncology Unit, Instituto de Salud Carlos III-UFIEC, Madrid, SpainCentro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas-CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5, 28029 Madrid, SpainCentro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas-CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5, 28029 Madrid, SpainNeurooncology Unit, Instituto de Salud Carlos III-UFIEC, Madrid, Spain; Corresponding authors.Instituto Cajal-CSIC, Avda. Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain; Drosophila Models of Human Disease Unit, Instituto de Salud Carlos III-IIER, Madrid, Spain; Corresponding authors.Glioblastoma (GB) is an incurable cancer of the brain, and there is an urgent need to identify effective treatments. This may be achieved by either identifying new molecules or through drug repurposing. To ascertain the therapeutic potential of known GSK-3β and/or PDE7 inhibitors in GB, a drug screening was conducted using a Drosophila melanogaster glioma model. VP3.15, a dual inhibitor with anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective roles in multiple sclerosis, was selected for further investigation. VP3.15 demonstrated robust anti-tumor efficacy against a panel of human and mouse GB cells; however, its capacity to inhibit orthotopic growth was only observed in a wild-type PTEN cell line. The in vivo dependence on PTEN was further suggested with the results in fly gliomas. The analysis of the VP3.15-treated tissues revealed a notable reduction in the number of myeloid cells and in the degree of vascularization. Mechanistic studies indicate that VP3.15 diminishes the production of GAL9, a key molecule that stimulates pro-angiogenic macrophages. Our findings substantiate the pro-tumoral function of GSK-3β, which might depend on the PTEN genetic status. Furthermore, we have delineated the therapeutic potential of VP3.15, which acts through the inhibition of the supportive role of the GB microenvironment. This molecule could be safely and effectively utilized after PTEN characterization in GB patients.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878747925000546GSK-3βPDE7APTENGAL9Tumor microenvironmentMacrophages
spellingShingle Maria Castello-Pons
Maria A. Ramirez-Gonzalez
Patricia Iglesias-Hernández
Nermina Logo Lendo
Carlos Rodriguez-Martín
Laura Quiralte
Juan-Manuel Sepúlveda-Sánchez
Olaya de Dios
Carmen Gil
Ana Martínez
Pilar Sánchez-Gómez
Sergio Casas-Tinto
VP3.15, a dual GSK-3β/PDE7 inhibitor, reduces glioblastoma tumor growth though changes in the tumor microenvironment in a PTEN wild-type context
Neurotherapeutics
GSK-3β
PDE7A
PTEN
GAL9
Tumor microenvironment
Macrophages
title VP3.15, a dual GSK-3β/PDE7 inhibitor, reduces glioblastoma tumor growth though changes in the tumor microenvironment in a PTEN wild-type context
title_full VP3.15, a dual GSK-3β/PDE7 inhibitor, reduces glioblastoma tumor growth though changes in the tumor microenvironment in a PTEN wild-type context
title_fullStr VP3.15, a dual GSK-3β/PDE7 inhibitor, reduces glioblastoma tumor growth though changes in the tumor microenvironment in a PTEN wild-type context
title_full_unstemmed VP3.15, a dual GSK-3β/PDE7 inhibitor, reduces glioblastoma tumor growth though changes in the tumor microenvironment in a PTEN wild-type context
title_short VP3.15, a dual GSK-3β/PDE7 inhibitor, reduces glioblastoma tumor growth though changes in the tumor microenvironment in a PTEN wild-type context
title_sort vp3 15 a dual gsk 3β pde7 inhibitor reduces glioblastoma tumor growth though changes in the tumor microenvironment in a pten wild type context
topic GSK-3β
PDE7A
PTEN
GAL9
Tumor microenvironment
Macrophages
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878747925000546
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