Synthetic lethal interaction between PI3K/Akt/mTOR and Ras/MEK/ERK pathway inhibition in rhabdomyosarcoma

Cancer Lett. 2013 Sep 1;337(2):200-9. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2013.05.010. Epub 2013 May 16.

Abstract

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) frequently exhibits concomitant activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and the Ras/MEK/ERK pathways. Therefore, we investigated whether pharmacological cotargeting of these two key survival pathways suppresses RMS growth. Here, we identify a synthetic lethal interaction between PI3K/Akt/mTOR and Ras/MEK/ERK pathway inhibition in RMS. The dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor PI103 and the MEK inhibitor UO126 synergize to trigger apoptosis in several RMS cell lines in a highly synergistic manner (combination index <0.1), whereas either agent alone induces minimal cell death. Similarly, genetic knockdown of p110α and MEK1/2 cooperates to induce apoptosis. Molecular studies reveal that cotreatment with PI103/UO126 cooperates to suppress PI3K/Akt/mTOR and Ras/MEK/ERK signaling, whereas either compound alone is not only less effective to inhibit signaling, but even cross-activates the other pathway. Accordingly, PI103 alone increases ERK phosphorylation, while UO126 enhances Akt phosphorylation, consistent with negative crosstalks between these two signaling pathways. Furthermore, PI103/UO126 cotreatment causes downregulation of several antiapoptotic proteins such as XIAP, Bcl-xL and Mcl-1 as well as increased expression and decreased phosphorylation of the proapoptotic protein BimEL, thus shifting the balance towards apoptosis. Consistently, PI103/UO126 cotreatment cooperates to trigger Bax activation, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, caspase activation and caspase-dependent apoptosis. This identification of a synthetic lethal interaction between PI3K/mTOR and MEK inhibitors has important implications for the development of novel treatment strategies in RMS.

Keywords: Apoptosis; MAPK; PI3K; Rhabdomyosarcoma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / metabolism
  • Butadienes / pharmacology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Synergism
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / metabolism
  • Furans / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 1 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 1 / metabolism
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 2 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 2 / metabolism
  • Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / drug effects
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy
  • Nitriles / pharmacology
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / genetics
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism
  • Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Pyridines / pharmacology
  • Pyrimidines / pharmacology
  • RNA Interference
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma / enzymology*
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma / genetics
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma / pathology
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • Time Factors
  • Transfection
  • ras Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • ras Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Butadienes
  • Furans
  • Nitriles
  • PI103
  • Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Pyridines
  • Pyrimidines
  • U 0126
  • MAP2K2 protein, human
  • MTOR protein, human
  • Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
  • PIK3CA protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 1
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 2
  • MAP2K1 protein, human
  • ras Proteins