{"title":"A polo-like kinase 1 inhibitor enhances erastin sensitivity in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells in vitro.","authors":"Xiangping Wu, Jing Wu","doi":"10.1007/s00280-024-04654-8","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is a critical therapeutic target in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The objective of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of the combination of BI 2536, a PLK1 inhibitor, and erastin, a ferroptosis inducer, in HNSCC.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The proliferation, invasion, and migration abilities of Tu177 and FaDu cells upon exposure to BI 2536 and erastin, used in combination or alone, were tested. Fe<sup>2+</sup>, glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) detection kits were used to determine whether the addition of BI 2536 enhanced the accumulation of Fe<sup>2+</sup> and MDA, along with the depletion of GSH. Quantitative real-time PCR, western blot analyses were performed to investigate whether BI 2536 further altered the mRNA and expression level of ferroptosis genes. Furthermore, si PLK1 was used to investigate whether targeting PLK1 gene promoted erastin-induced ferroptosis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The combination of BI 2536 and erastin exerted a stronger cytotoxicity than treatment with a single agent. Compared with erastin treatment alone, the combination of BI 2536 and erastin lowered the ability of tumor cells to self-clone, invade, and migrate. BI 2536 enhanced the accumulation of Fe<sup>2+</sup> and MDA, and the depletion of GSH. BI 2536 increased erastin-induced changes in ferroptosis-related gene mRNA and expression. Importantly, targeting PKL1 enhanced the anti-cancer effect of erastin.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>BI 2536 enhanced the sensitivity of HNSCC cells to erastin, which provides a new perspective for cancer treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":9556,"journal":{"name":"Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.7000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11390781/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00280-024-04654-8","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2024/3/27 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ONCOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is a critical therapeutic target in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The objective of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of the combination of BI 2536, a PLK1 inhibitor, and erastin, a ferroptosis inducer, in HNSCC.
Methods: The proliferation, invasion, and migration abilities of Tu177 and FaDu cells upon exposure to BI 2536 and erastin, used in combination or alone, were tested. Fe2+, glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) detection kits were used to determine whether the addition of BI 2536 enhanced the accumulation of Fe2+ and MDA, along with the depletion of GSH. Quantitative real-time PCR, western blot analyses were performed to investigate whether BI 2536 further altered the mRNA and expression level of ferroptosis genes. Furthermore, si PLK1 was used to investigate whether targeting PLK1 gene promoted erastin-induced ferroptosis.
Results: The combination of BI 2536 and erastin exerted a stronger cytotoxicity than treatment with a single agent. Compared with erastin treatment alone, the combination of BI 2536 and erastin lowered the ability of tumor cells to self-clone, invade, and migrate. BI 2536 enhanced the accumulation of Fe2+ and MDA, and the depletion of GSH. BI 2536 increased erastin-induced changes in ferroptosis-related gene mRNA and expression. Importantly, targeting PKL1 enhanced the anti-cancer effect of erastin.
Conclusion: BI 2536 enhanced the sensitivity of HNSCC cells to erastin, which provides a new perspective for cancer treatment.
期刊介绍:
Addressing a wide range of pharmacologic and oncologic concerns on both experimental and clinical levels, Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology is an eminent journal in the field. The primary focus in this rapid publication medium is on new anticancer agents, their experimental screening, preclinical toxicology and pharmacology, single and combined drug administration modalities, and clinical phase I, II and III trials. It is essential reading for pharmacologists and oncologists giving results recorded in the following areas: clinical toxicology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, drug interactions, and indications for chemotherapy in cancer treatment strategy.