Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a highly aggressive primary brain tumor that tends to be resistant to the ionizing radiotherapy used to treat it. Because TGF-β is a modifier of radiation responses, we conducted a preclinical study of the antitumor effects of the TGF-β receptor (TGFβR) I kinase inhibitor LY2109761 in combination with radiotherapy. LY2109761 reduced clonogenicity and increased radiosensitivity in GBM cell lines and cancer stem-like cells, augmenting the tumor growth delay produced by fractionated radiotherapy in a supra-additive manner in vivo. In an orthotopic intracranial model, LY2109761 significantly reduced tumor growth, prolonged survival, and extended the prolongation of survival induced by radiation treatment. Histologic analyses showed that LY2109761 inhibited tumor invasion promoted by radiation, reduced tumor microvessel density, and attenuated mesenchymal transition. Microarray-based gene expression analysis revealed signaling effects of the combinatorial treatments that supported an interpretation of their basis. Together, these results show that a selective inhibitor of the TGFβR-I kinase can potentiate radiation responses in glioblastoma by coordinately increasing apoptosis and cancer stem-like cells targeting while blocking DNA damage repair, invasion, mesenchymal transition, and angiogenesis. Our findings offer a sound rationale for positioning TGFβR kinase inhibitors as radiosensitizers to improve the treatment of glioblastoma.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Apoptosis / drug effects
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Apoptosis / radiation effects
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Brain Neoplasms / drug therapy*
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Brain Neoplasms / metabolism
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Brain Neoplasms / pathology
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Brain Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
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Cell Line, Tumor
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Cell Proliferation / drug effects
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Cell Proliferation / radiation effects
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DNA Damage
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DNA Repair
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Glioblastoma / drug therapy*
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Glioblastoma / metabolism
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Glioblastoma / pathology
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Glioblastoma / radiotherapy*
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Humans
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Mesenchymal Stem Cells / drug effects
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred BALB C
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Mice, SCID
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Microarray Analysis / methods
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Neoplasm Invasiveness
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Neoplastic Stem Cells / drug effects
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Neoplastic Stem Cells / metabolism
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Neoplastic Stem Cells / pathology
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Neoplastic Stem Cells / radiation effects
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Neovascularization, Pathologic / drug therapy
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Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
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Pyrazoles / pharmacology*
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Pyrroles / pharmacology*
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Radiation Tolerance / drug effects
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Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / pharmacology*
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Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I
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Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / antagonists & inhibitors
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Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / metabolism
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Signal Transduction / drug effects
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Signal Transduction / radiation effects
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Smad2 Protein / antagonists & inhibitors
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Smad2 Protein / metabolism
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Transforming Growth Factor beta / antagonists & inhibitors*
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Transforming Growth Factor beta / metabolism
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Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
Substances
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LY2109761
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Protein Kinase Inhibitors
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Pyrazoles
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Pyrroles
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Radiation-Sensitizing Agents
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Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta
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SMAD2 protein, human
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Smad2 Protein
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Transforming Growth Factor beta
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
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Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I