Chemical suppression of an oncogenic splicing variant of AIMP2 induces tumour regression

Biochem J. 2013 Sep 15;454(3):411-6. doi: 10.1042/BJ20130550.

Abstract

AIMP2 (aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase-interacting multifunctional protein 2) is a potent tumour suppressor that induces apoptosis in response to various oncogenic signals. AIMP2-DX2, an exon2-deleted splicing variant of AIMP2, is up-regulated in lung cancer and competitively suppresses the pro-apoptotic activity of AIMP2, resulting in tumorigenesis. In the present study we report that BC-DXI01, a synthetic compound, specifically reduces the cellular levels of AIMP2-DX2 through selective degradation of the AIMP2-DX2 mRNA transcript. We found that BC-DXI01-mediated cell death positively correlates with AIMP2-DX2 expression in the lung cancer cell lines tested. Administration of BC-DXI01 in a AIMP2-DX2-driven tumour xenograft mice model led to reduced tumour sizes and volumes of up to 60% in comparison with vehicle-treated mice group, consistent with decreases in AIMP2-DX2 transcript and protein levels. Taken together, our findings suggest that tumorigenic activity of AIMP2-DX2 can be controlled by the small chemical BC-DXI01, which can selectively suppress the AIMP2-DX2 mRNA transcript.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anilides / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Gene Expression / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Protein Isoforms / genetics
  • Protein Isoforms / metabolism
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Remission Induction
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
  • para-Aminobenzoates / pharmacology*

Substances

  • AIMP2 protein, human
  • Anilides
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • BC-DXI01
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Protein Isoforms
  • RNA, Messenger
  • para-Aminobenzoates