Sensitivity to an inhibitor of translation elongation in solid and hematologic cancers

Abstract Inhibitors of protein synthesis hold promise for cancer therapy because many cancer driver proteins are unstable and blocking synthesis leads to their depletion. We described previously SVC112, a small molecule inhibitor of translation elongation that inactivates Head and Neck Squamous Cell...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Nathan Gomes, Barbara Frederick, John Tentler, Tin Tin Su
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-06273-6
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849768853617246208
author Nathan Gomes
Barbara Frederick
John Tentler
Tin Tin Su
author_facet Nathan Gomes
Barbara Frederick
John Tentler
Tin Tin Su
author_sort Nathan Gomes
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Inhibitors of protein synthesis hold promise for cancer therapy because many cancer driver proteins are unstable and blocking synthesis leads to their depletion. We described previously SVC112, a small molecule inhibitor of translation elongation that inactivates Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) stem cells in vitro and prevents the regrowth of HNSCC tumor xenografts in mice after radiation treatment. Here we report that SVC112 also shows activity on its own (without radiation) but with a 1600-fold range in growth inhibition among cancer cell lines of various origins. Our efforts to define molecular correlates of SVC112 sensitivity found that basal expression of apoptosis/survival factors correlates with SVC112-induced apoptosis in hematologic cancer cell lines, while phosphorylation of c-Myc correlates with sensitivity to SVC112 in colorectal cancer cell lines. Apoptosis induction by SVC112 predicts tumor growth control and survival benefit in mouse xenograft models. We suggest a paradigm wherein utility of translation inhibitors is defined by (1) inherent dependence of cancer cells on specific survival factors and (2) post-translational modifications that affect the stability of oncogenic driver proteins.
format Article
id doaj-art-e9bf1afdfa6c40bc8c007eedd33f25e2
institution DOAJ
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-e9bf1afdfa6c40bc8c007eedd33f25e22025-08-20T03:03:40ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111310.1038/s41598-025-06273-6Sensitivity to an inhibitor of translation elongation in solid and hematologic cancersNathan Gomes0Barbara Frederick1John Tentler2Tin Tin Su3Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of ColoradoDepartment of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of ColoradoDivision of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical CampusDepartment of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of ColoradoAbstract Inhibitors of protein synthesis hold promise for cancer therapy because many cancer driver proteins are unstable and blocking synthesis leads to their depletion. We described previously SVC112, a small molecule inhibitor of translation elongation that inactivates Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) stem cells in vitro and prevents the regrowth of HNSCC tumor xenografts in mice after radiation treatment. Here we report that SVC112 also shows activity on its own (without radiation) but with a 1600-fold range in growth inhibition among cancer cell lines of various origins. Our efforts to define molecular correlates of SVC112 sensitivity found that basal expression of apoptosis/survival factors correlates with SVC112-induced apoptosis in hematologic cancer cell lines, while phosphorylation of c-Myc correlates with sensitivity to SVC112 in colorectal cancer cell lines. Apoptosis induction by SVC112 predicts tumor growth control and survival benefit in mouse xenograft models. We suggest a paradigm wherein utility of translation inhibitors is defined by (1) inherent dependence of cancer cells on specific survival factors and (2) post-translational modifications that affect the stability of oncogenic driver proteins.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-06273-6Protein synthesisTranslationElongation factor 2AMLMyelomaColorectal cancer
spellingShingle Nathan Gomes
Barbara Frederick
John Tentler
Tin Tin Su
Sensitivity to an inhibitor of translation elongation in solid and hematologic cancers
Scientific Reports
Protein synthesis
Translation
Elongation factor 2
AML
Myeloma
Colorectal cancer
title Sensitivity to an inhibitor of translation elongation in solid and hematologic cancers
title_full Sensitivity to an inhibitor of translation elongation in solid and hematologic cancers
title_fullStr Sensitivity to an inhibitor of translation elongation in solid and hematologic cancers
title_full_unstemmed Sensitivity to an inhibitor of translation elongation in solid and hematologic cancers
title_short Sensitivity to an inhibitor of translation elongation in solid and hematologic cancers
title_sort sensitivity to an inhibitor of translation elongation in solid and hematologic cancers
topic Protein synthesis
Translation
Elongation factor 2
AML
Myeloma
Colorectal cancer
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-06273-6
work_keys_str_mv AT nathangomes sensitivitytoaninhibitoroftranslationelongationinsolidandhematologiccancers
AT barbarafrederick sensitivitytoaninhibitoroftranslationelongationinsolidandhematologiccancers
AT johntentler sensitivitytoaninhibitoroftranslationelongationinsolidandhematologiccancers
AT tintinsu sensitivitytoaninhibitoroftranslationelongationinsolidandhematologiccancers