Autophagic flux modulation by Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibition in hepatocellular carcinoma

PLoS One. 2019 Feb 22;14(2):e0212538. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212538. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Autophagy targets cellular components for lysosomal-dependent degradation in which the products of degradation may be recycled for protein synthesis and utilized for energy production. Autophagy also plays a critical role in cell homeostasis and the regulation of many physiological and pathological processes and prompts this investigation of new agents to effect abnormal autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). 2,5-Dichloro-N-(2-methyl-4-nitrophenyl) benzenesulfonamide (FH535) is a synthetic inhibitor of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway that exhibits anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic effects on different types of cancer cells. The combination of FH535 with sorafenib promotes a synergistic inhibition of HCC and liver cancer stem cell proliferation, mediated in part by the simultaneous disruption of mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis. We demonstrated that FH535 decreased HCC tumor progression in a mouse xenograft model. For the first time, we showed the inhibitory effect of an FH535 derivative, FH535-N, alone and in combination with sorafenib on HCC cell proliferation. Our study revealed the contributing effect of Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibition by FH535 and its derivative (FH535-N) through disruption of the autophagic flux in HCC cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Autophagy / drug effects*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / drug therapy*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Female
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Liver Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / drug therapy
  • Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / metabolism
  • Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Sorafenib / administration & dosage
  • Sulfonamides / administration & dosage*
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway / drug effects
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
  • beta Catenin / antagonists & inhibitors
  • beta Catenin / genetics
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • CTNNB1 protein, human
  • FH535
  • Sulfonamides
  • beta Catenin
  • Sorafenib