Focal adhesion kinase inhibitor PF573228 and death receptor 5 agonist lexatumumab synergistically induce apoptosis in pancreatic carcinoma

Pancreatic cancer has one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers. The mechanism underlying chemo-resistance of pancreatic cancer is not well understood. Our previous article reported that small molecule YM155 induced apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells via activation of death receptor 5. In th...

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Main Authors: Xiangxuan Zhao, Wei Sun, William M Puszyk, Shannon Wallet, Steve Hochwald, Keith Robertson, Chen Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2017-04-01
Series:Tumor Biology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/1010428317699120
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author Xiangxuan Zhao
Wei Sun
William M Puszyk
Shannon Wallet
Steve Hochwald
Keith Robertson
Chen Liu
author_facet Xiangxuan Zhao
Wei Sun
William M Puszyk
Shannon Wallet
Steve Hochwald
Keith Robertson
Chen Liu
author_sort Xiangxuan Zhao
collection DOAJ
description Pancreatic cancer has one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers. The mechanism underlying chemo-resistance of pancreatic cancer is not well understood. Our previous article reported that small molecule YM155 induced apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells via activation of death receptor 5. In this study, we aim to continuously address death receptor 5–mediated apoptosis in chemo-resistant pancreatic carcinoma. We found that in comparison to paired pancreatic cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues, five of the six cancer tissues had downregulated death receptor 5 and upregulated Bcl-xL. Mono treatment with lexatumumab was not sufficient to induce apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells, whereas focal adhesion kinase inhibitor PF573228 significantly sensitized lexatumumab-induced apoptosis. Western blotting analysis revealed that lexatumumab and PF573228 combination treatment increased death receptor 5 but decreased Bcl-xL expression. Interestingly, pre-treatment with Bcl-xL inhibitor ABT263 reversed the insensitivity of panc-1 cells to lexatumumab or PF573228-induced apoptosis. Specific small interfering RNA-mediated gene silencing of Bcl-xL effectively sensitized pancreatic cancer cells to lexatumumab or PF573228-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, lexatumumab and PF573228 combination was shown to exhibit significant xenograft pancreatic tumor growth inhibition in SCID mice. Our data provide fundamental evidence to support the notion that lexatumumab and PF573228 co-treatment could be a potentially effective regime for patients with pancreatic cancer.
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spelling doaj-art-fe1759df0bdd468ea8052420f5b417e52025-08-20T03:22:26ZengSAGE PublishingTumor Biology1423-03802017-04-013910.1177/1010428317699120Focal adhesion kinase inhibitor PF573228 and death receptor 5 agonist lexatumumab synergistically induce apoptosis in pancreatic carcinomaXiangxuan Zhao0Wei Sun1William M Puszyk2Shannon Wallet3Steve Hochwald4Keith Robertson5Chen Liu6Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USADepartment of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, ChinaDepartment of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USADepartment of Periodontology, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USADepartment of Surgical Oncology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USADepartments of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USADepartment of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USAPancreatic cancer has one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers. The mechanism underlying chemo-resistance of pancreatic cancer is not well understood. Our previous article reported that small molecule YM155 induced apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells via activation of death receptor 5. In this study, we aim to continuously address death receptor 5–mediated apoptosis in chemo-resistant pancreatic carcinoma. We found that in comparison to paired pancreatic cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues, five of the six cancer tissues had downregulated death receptor 5 and upregulated Bcl-xL. Mono treatment with lexatumumab was not sufficient to induce apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells, whereas focal adhesion kinase inhibitor PF573228 significantly sensitized lexatumumab-induced apoptosis. Western blotting analysis revealed that lexatumumab and PF573228 combination treatment increased death receptor 5 but decreased Bcl-xL expression. Interestingly, pre-treatment with Bcl-xL inhibitor ABT263 reversed the insensitivity of panc-1 cells to lexatumumab or PF573228-induced apoptosis. Specific small interfering RNA-mediated gene silencing of Bcl-xL effectively sensitized pancreatic cancer cells to lexatumumab or PF573228-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, lexatumumab and PF573228 combination was shown to exhibit significant xenograft pancreatic tumor growth inhibition in SCID mice. Our data provide fundamental evidence to support the notion that lexatumumab and PF573228 co-treatment could be a potentially effective regime for patients with pancreatic cancer.https://doi.org/10.1177/1010428317699120
spellingShingle Xiangxuan Zhao
Wei Sun
William M Puszyk
Shannon Wallet
Steve Hochwald
Keith Robertson
Chen Liu
Focal adhesion kinase inhibitor PF573228 and death receptor 5 agonist lexatumumab synergistically induce apoptosis in pancreatic carcinoma
Tumor Biology
title Focal adhesion kinase inhibitor PF573228 and death receptor 5 agonist lexatumumab synergistically induce apoptosis in pancreatic carcinoma
title_full Focal adhesion kinase inhibitor PF573228 and death receptor 5 agonist lexatumumab synergistically induce apoptosis in pancreatic carcinoma
title_fullStr Focal adhesion kinase inhibitor PF573228 and death receptor 5 agonist lexatumumab synergistically induce apoptosis in pancreatic carcinoma
title_full_unstemmed Focal adhesion kinase inhibitor PF573228 and death receptor 5 agonist lexatumumab synergistically induce apoptosis in pancreatic carcinoma
title_short Focal adhesion kinase inhibitor PF573228 and death receptor 5 agonist lexatumumab synergistically induce apoptosis in pancreatic carcinoma
title_sort focal adhesion kinase inhibitor pf573228 and death receptor 5 agonist lexatumumab synergistically induce apoptosis in pancreatic carcinoma
url https://doi.org/10.1177/1010428317699120
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