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Aim. PFKFB3 is glycolytic activators that is overexpressed in human lung cancer and plays a crucial role in multiple cellular functions including programmed cell death. Despite the many small molecules described as PFKFB3 inhibitors, some of them have shown disappointing results in vitro and in vivo. On the other hand KAN0438757, selective and potent, small molecule inhibitor has been developed. However, the effects of KAN0438757, in non-small cell lung carcinoma cells remain unknown. Herein, we sought to decipher the effect of KAN0438757 on proliferation, migration, DNA damage, and programmed cell death in non-small cell lung carcinoma cells. Methods. The effects of KAN0438757 on cell viability, proliferation, DNA damage, migration, apoptosis, and autophagy in in non-small cell lung carcinoma cells was tested by WST-1, real-time cell analysis, comet assay, wound-healing migration test, and MMP/JC-1 and AO/ER dual staining assays as well as western blot analysis. Results. Our results revealed that KAN0438757 significantly suppressed the viability and proliferation of A549 and H1299 cells and inhibited migration of A549 cells. More importantly, KAN0438757 caused DNA damage and triggered apoptosis and this was accompanied by the up-regulation of cleaved PARP in A549 cells. Furthermore, treatment with KAN0438757 resulted in increased LC3 II and Beclin1, which indicated that KAN0438757 stimulated autophagy. Conclusions. Overall, targeting PFKFB3 with KAN0438757 may be a promising effective treatment approach, requiring further in vitro and in vivo evaluation of KAN0438757 as a therapy in non-small cell lung carcinoma cells.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a non-infectious pancreatic enzyme-induced disorder, a life-threatening inflammatory condition that can cause multi-organ dysfunction, characterized by high morbidity and mortality. Several therapies have been employed to target this disorder; however, few happen to be effectively employable even in the early phase. PFKFB3(6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase-3) is a critical regulator of glycolysis and is upregulated under inflammatory, mitogenic, and hypoxia conditions. Essential information on the targeting of the inflammatory pathway will present the termination of the disorder and recovery. Herein we investigated the protective function of KAN0438757, a potent inhibitor of PFKFB3, and its mechanism of impeding AP induced in mice. KAN0438757 was confirmed to activate the Nrf2/HO-1 inflammatory signaling pathways in response to caerulein induced acute pancreatitis (CAE-AP) and fatty acid ethyl ester induced severe acute pancreatitis (FAEE-SAP). Additionally, KAN0438757 alleviated the inflammatory process in infiltrated macrophage via the Nrf2/HO-1 inflammatory signaling pathway and demonstrated a significant effect on the growth of mice with induced AP. And more importantly, KAN0438757 displayed negligible toxicity in vivo. Taken together our data suggest KAN0438757 directly suppresses the inflammatory role of PFKFB3 and induces a protective role via the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, which could prove as an excellent therapeutic platform for SAP amelioration. [Display omitted] • KAN0438757 alleviated the inflammatory process in infiltrated macrophages. • KAN0438757 demonstrates negligible toxicity in vivo. • KAN0438757 suppresses the inflammatory role of PFKFB3. • KAN0438757 induces a protective role via the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. PFKFB3 is glycolytic activator that overexpressed in human lung cancer and plays a crucial role in multiple cellular functions including programmed cell death. Despite the many small molecules described as PFKFB3 inhibitors, some of them have shown disappointing results in vitro and in vivo. On the other hand KAN0438757, selective and potent, small molecule inhibitor has been developed. However, the effects of KAN0438757, in non-small cell lung carcinoma cells remain unknown. Herein, we sought to decipher the effect of KAN0438757 on proliferation, migration, DNA damage, and programmed cell death in non-small cell lung carcinoma cells Methods. The effects of KAN0438757 on cell viability, proliferation, DNA damage, migration, apoptosis, and autophagy in non-small cell lung carcinoma cells were tested by WST-1, real-time cell analysis, comet assay, wound-healing migration test, and MMP/JC-1 and AO/ER dual staining assays as well as western blot analysis. Results. Our results revealed that KAN0438757 significantly suppressed the viability and proliferation of A549 and H1299 cells and inhibited migration of A549 cells. More importantly, KAN0438757 caused DNA damage and triggered apoptosis and this was accompanied by the up-regulation of cleaved PARP in A549 cells. Furthermore, treatment with KAN0438757 resulted in increased LC3 II and Beclin1, which indicated that KAN0438757 stimulated autophagy. Conclusions. Overall, targeting PFKFB3 with KAN0438757 may be a promising effective treatment approach, requiring further in vitro and in vivo evaluation of KAN0438757 as a therapy in non-small cell lung carcinoma cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: DNA-damaging chemotherapeutics, such as platinum drugs, are cornerstones in cancer treatment. The efficacy of such treatment is intimately linked to the DNA repair capacity of the cancer cells, as DNA damage above a tolerable threshold culminates in cell death. Cancer cells often have deregulated DNA repair mechanisms, making them initially more sensitive to DNA-damaging chemotherapies. Unfortunately, over time, cancer cells often develop resistance to such treatments by rewiring their DNA damage response pathways. Here, we identify that targeting the recognized anti-cancer target 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6,-bisphophatase 3 (PFKFB3), commonly overexpressed in cancer, with the small molecule inhibitor KAN0438757, selectively sensitizes cancer cells to platinum drugs, including treatment-resistant cancer cells, while sparing normal cells. Mechanistically, PFKFB3 promotes tolerance to and the repair of platinum-induced DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) through modulation of the Fanconi anemia (FA) DNA repair pathway. Thus targeting PFKFB3 opens up therapeutic possibilities to improve the efficacy of ICL-inducing cancer treatments. Replicative repair of interstrand crosslinks (ICL) generated by platinum chemotherapeutics is orchestrated by the Fanconi anemia (FA) repair pathway to ensure resolution of stalled replication forks and the maintenance of genomic integrity. Here, we identify novel regulation of FA repair by the cancer-associated glycolytic enzyme PFKFB3 that has functional consequences for replication-associated ICL repair and cancer cell survival. Inhibition of PFKFB3 displays a cancer-specific synergy with platinum compounds in blocking cell viability and restores sensitivity in treatment-resistant models. Notably, the synergies are associated with DNA-damage-induced chromatin association of PFKFB3 upon cancer transformation, which further increases upon platinum resistance. FA pathway activation triggers the PFKFB3 assembly into nuclear foci in an ATR- and FANCM-dependent manner. Blocking PFKFB3 activity disrupts the assembly of key FA repair factors and consequently prevents fork restart. This results in an incapacity to replicate cells to progress through S-phase, an accumulation of DNA damage in replicating cells, and fork collapse. We further validate PFKFB3-dependent regulation of FA repair in ex vivo cultures from cancer patients. Collectively, targeting PFKFB3 opens up therapeutic possibilities to improve the efficacy of ICL-inducing cancer treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Glycolysis is one of the hallmarks of cancer. Therefore, the development of novel therapeutical strategies for colorectal cancer targeting glycolysis may improve treatment responses. PFKFB3 expression has been directly associated with enhanced glycolysis, not only in cancer cells but also within the tumor environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate PFKFB3 expression and its correlation with outcome in rectal and colon tumors and to assess the effects of the newly developed PFKFB3 inhibitor KAN0438757 on colorectal cancer cells and intestinal patient-derived organoids. Our results showed that KAN0438757 efficiently targets PFKFB3 expression and was able to affect cancer cell motility, invasion and survival. Additionally, a tumor specific cytotoxic-effect was observed in patient-derived organoids. In vivo, KAN0438757 showed to be well tolerated by mice without systemic toxicity. Our work re-enforces the concept that targeting of glycolysis may be a promising therapeutical approach for colorectal cancer. Background: Despite substantial progress made in the last decades in colorectal cancer (CRC) research, new treatment approaches are still needed to improve patients' long-term survival. To date, the promising strategy to target tumor angiogenesis metabolically together with a sensitization of CRC to chemo- and/or radiotherapy by PFKFB3 (6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase-3) inhibition has never been tested. Therefore, initial evaluation and validation of newly developed compounds such as KAN0438757 and their effects on CRC cells are crucial steps preceding to in vivo preclinical studies, which in turn may consolidate new therapeutic targets. Materials and Methods: The efficiency of KAN0438757 to block PFKFB3 expression and translation in human CRC cells was evaluated by immunoblotting and real-time PCR. Functional in vitro assays assessed the effects of KAN0438757 on cell viability, proliferation, survival, adhesion, migration and invasion. Additionally, we evaluated the effects of KAN0438757 on matched patient-derived normal and tumor organoids and its systemic toxicity in vivo in C57BL6/N mice. Results: High PFKFB3 expression is correlated with a worse survival in CRC patients. KAN0438757 reduces PFKFB3 protein expression without affecting its transcriptional regulation. Additionally, a concentration-dependent anti-proliferative effect was observed. The migration and invasion capacity of cancer cells were significantly reduced, independent of the anti-proliferative effect. When treating colonic patient-derived organoids with KAN0438757 an impressive effect on tumor organoids growth was apparent, surprisingly sparing normal colonic organoids. No high-grade toxicity was observed in vivo. Conclusion: The PFKFB3 inhibitor KAN0438757 significantly reduced CRC cell migration, invasion and survival. Moreover, on patient-derived cancer organoids KAN0438757 showed significant effects on growth, without being overly toxic in normal colon organoids and healthy mice. Our findings strongly encourage further translational studies to evaluate KAN0438757 in CRC therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]