Wnt/β-catenin Antagonists: Exploring New Avenues to Trigger Old Drugs in Alleviating Glioblastoma Multiforme

Background: Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is one of the most heterogeneous primary brain tumors with high mortality. In spite of the current therapeutic approaches, the survival rate remains poor, with death occurring within 12 to 15 months after the preliminary diagnosis. This warrants the need for an effective treatment modality. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is presumably the most noteworthy pathway upregulated in almost 80% of GBM cases, contributing to tumor initiation, progression, and survival. Therefore, therapeutic strategies targeting key components of the Wnt/β-catenin cascade using established genotoxic agents like temozolomide and pharmacological inhibitors would be an effective approach to modulate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Recently, drug repurposing by means of effective combination therapy has gained importance in various solid tumors, including GBM, by targeting two or more proteins in a single pathway, thereby possessing the ability to overcome the hurdle implicated by chemoresistance in GBM.

Objective: In this context, by employing computational tools, an attempt has been made to find out the novel combinations against the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway.

Methods: We have explored the binding interactions of three conventional drugs - namely temozolomide, metformin and chloroquine - along with three natural compounds, viz. epigallocatechin gallate, naringenin and phloroglucinol, on the major receptors of Wnt/β-catenin signalling.

Results: It was noted that all the experimental compounds showed profound interaction with two major receptors of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to characterize the combined interactions of the aforementioned drugs with the Wnt/β-catenin signalling in silico, and this will putatively open up new avenues for combination therapies in GBM treatment.