Pharmacological inhibition of Peroxisome Proliferation-Activated Receptor Delta (PPARδ) imparts selective leukemia cell death

Abstract Background Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a devastating hematological malignancy with limited therapeutic options and poor survival outcomes. Therefore, the development of novel and selective anti-AML therapies is needed. 6-methoxydihydroavicine (6ME), a benzophenanthridine alkaloid, impar...

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Main Authors: Yingying Yang, Ekaterina Parfenova, Nikolina Vrdoljak, Mark Minden, Jessica Luc, Andrew C. Doxey, Paul A. Spagnuolo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-07-01
Series:Cancer & Metabolism
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40170-025-00402-5
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author Yingying Yang
Ekaterina Parfenova
Nikolina Vrdoljak
Mark Minden
Jessica Luc
Andrew C. Doxey
Paul A. Spagnuolo
author_facet Yingying Yang
Ekaterina Parfenova
Nikolina Vrdoljak
Mark Minden
Jessica Luc
Andrew C. Doxey
Paul A. Spagnuolo
author_sort Yingying Yang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a devastating hematological malignancy with limited therapeutic options and poor survival outcomes. Therefore, the development of novel and selective anti-AML therapies is needed. 6-methoxydihydroavicine (6ME), a benzophenanthridine alkaloid, imparted selective AML cell death in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, 6ME inhibited fatty acid oxidation (FAO) by binding to and decreasing the activity of PPARδ, a transcription factor involved in FAO. Methods AML cell lines and patient-derived cells were used to assess the activity of 6ME in vitro and in vivo. Computational methods, immunoblotting, and co-IP-HPLC analysis assessed the molecular target, and cellular consequence of 6ME activity. Results 6ME induced cytotoxicity of AML cell lines (IC50: 1.0 ± 0.13 μM) and patient-derived cells while sparing normal hematopoietic cells. Mouse engraftment studies showed that 6ME (5 mg/kg, three times/week for 4 weeks) selectively reduced patient-derived AML cell engraftment without affecting hematopoietic cell engraftment or imparting toxicity. Mechanistically, 6ME bound to and inhibited PPARδ leading to downregulated FAO gene expression (i.e., CD36 and CPT2) and reduced fatty acid cellular uptake resulting in FAO inhibition. Conclusion Pharmacological inhibition of PPARδ with 6ME is a novel approach to inducing selective death in AML.
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spelling doaj-art-d27d74ecd1a14ad081fad70e2b546da42025-08-20T03:46:21ZengBMCCancer & Metabolism2049-30022025-07-0113111810.1186/s40170-025-00402-5Pharmacological inhibition of Peroxisome Proliferation-Activated Receptor Delta (PPARδ) imparts selective leukemia cell deathYingying Yang0Ekaterina Parfenova1Nikolina Vrdoljak2Mark Minden3Jessica Luc4Andrew C. Doxey5Paul A. Spagnuolo6Department of Food Science, University of GuelphDepartment of Food Science, University of GuelphDepartment of Food Science, University of GuelphPrincess Margaret Cancer Center, Ontario Cancer InstituteUniversity of WaterlooUniversity of WaterlooDepartment of Food Science, University of GuelphAbstract Background Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a devastating hematological malignancy with limited therapeutic options and poor survival outcomes. Therefore, the development of novel and selective anti-AML therapies is needed. 6-methoxydihydroavicine (6ME), a benzophenanthridine alkaloid, imparted selective AML cell death in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, 6ME inhibited fatty acid oxidation (FAO) by binding to and decreasing the activity of PPARδ, a transcription factor involved in FAO. Methods AML cell lines and patient-derived cells were used to assess the activity of 6ME in vitro and in vivo. Computational methods, immunoblotting, and co-IP-HPLC analysis assessed the molecular target, and cellular consequence of 6ME activity. Results 6ME induced cytotoxicity of AML cell lines (IC50: 1.0 ± 0.13 μM) and patient-derived cells while sparing normal hematopoietic cells. Mouse engraftment studies showed that 6ME (5 mg/kg, three times/week for 4 weeks) selectively reduced patient-derived AML cell engraftment without affecting hematopoietic cell engraftment or imparting toxicity. Mechanistically, 6ME bound to and inhibited PPARδ leading to downregulated FAO gene expression (i.e., CD36 and CPT2) and reduced fatty acid cellular uptake resulting in FAO inhibition. Conclusion Pharmacological inhibition of PPARδ with 6ME is a novel approach to inducing selective death in AML.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40170-025-00402-56-methoxydihydroavicineAcute myeloid leukemiaPPARFatty acid oxidation
spellingShingle Yingying Yang
Ekaterina Parfenova
Nikolina Vrdoljak
Mark Minden
Jessica Luc
Andrew C. Doxey
Paul A. Spagnuolo
Pharmacological inhibition of Peroxisome Proliferation-Activated Receptor Delta (PPARδ) imparts selective leukemia cell death
Cancer & Metabolism
6-methoxydihydroavicine
Acute myeloid leukemia
PPAR
Fatty acid oxidation
title Pharmacological inhibition of Peroxisome Proliferation-Activated Receptor Delta (PPARδ) imparts selective leukemia cell death
title_full Pharmacological inhibition of Peroxisome Proliferation-Activated Receptor Delta (PPARδ) imparts selective leukemia cell death
title_fullStr Pharmacological inhibition of Peroxisome Proliferation-Activated Receptor Delta (PPARδ) imparts selective leukemia cell death
title_full_unstemmed Pharmacological inhibition of Peroxisome Proliferation-Activated Receptor Delta (PPARδ) imparts selective leukemia cell death
title_short Pharmacological inhibition of Peroxisome Proliferation-Activated Receptor Delta (PPARδ) imparts selective leukemia cell death
title_sort pharmacological inhibition of peroxisome proliferation activated receptor delta pparδ imparts selective leukemia cell death
topic 6-methoxydihydroavicine
Acute myeloid leukemia
PPAR
Fatty acid oxidation
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40170-025-00402-5
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