Validation of an anti-sphingosine-1-phosphate antibody as a potential therapeutic in reducing growth, invasion, and angiogenesis in multiple tumor lineages.

S1P has been proposed to contribute to cancer progression by regulating tumor proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis. We developed a biospecific monoclonal antibody to S1P to investigate its role in tumorigenesis. The anti-S1P mAb substantially reduced tumor progression and in some cases eliminated measurable tumors in murine xenograft and allograft models. Tumor growth inhibition was attributed to antiangiogenic and antitumorigenic effects of the antibody. The anti-S1P mAb blocked EC migration and resulting capillary formation, inhibited blood vessel formation induced by VEGF and bFGF, and arrested tumor-associated angiogenesis. The anti-S1P mAb also neutralized S1P-induced proliferation, release of proangiogenic cytokines, and the ability of S1P to protect tumor cells from apoptosis in several tumor cell lines, validating S1P as a target for therapy.

Anti-tumor effects of an ID antagonist with no observed acquired resistance.

ID proteins are helix-loop-helix (HLH) transcriptional regulators frequently overexpressed in cancer. ID proteins inhibit basic-HLH transcription factors often blocking differentiation and sustaining proliferation. A small-molecule, AGX51, targets ID proteins for degradation and impairs ocular neovascularization in mouse models. Here we show that AGX51 treatment of cancer cell lines impairs cell growth and viability that results from an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production upon ID degradation. In mouse models, AGX51 treatment suppresses breast cancer colonization in the lung, regresses the growth of paclitaxel-resistant breast tumors when combined with paclitaxel and reduces tumor burden in sporadic colorectal neoplasia. Furthermore, in cells and mice, we fail to observe acquired resistance to AGX51 likely the result of the inability to mutate the binding pocket without loss of ID function and efficient degradation of the ID proteins. Thus, AGX51 is a first-in-class compound that antagonizes ID proteins, shows strong anti-tumor effects and may be further developed for the management of multiple cancers.

A Small-Molecule Pan-Id Antagonist Inhibits Pathologic Ocular Neovascularization.

Id helix-loop-helix (HLH) proteins (Id1-4) bind E protein bHLH transcription factors, preventing them from forming active transcription complexes that drive changes in cell states. Id proteins are primarily expressed during development to inhibit differentiation, but they become re-expressed in adult tissues in diseases of the vasculature and cancer. We show that the genetic loss of Id1/Id3 reduces ocular neovascularization in mouse models of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). An in silico screen identifies AGX51, a small-molecule Id antagonist. AGX51 inhibits the Id1-E47 interaction, leading to ubiquitin-mediated degradation of Ids, cell growth arrest, and reduced viability. AGX51 is well-tolerated in mice and phenocopies the genetic loss of Id expression in AMD and ROP models by inhibiting retinal neovascularization. Thus, AGX51 is a first-in-class compound that antagonizes an interaction formerly considered undruggable and that may have utility in the management of multiple diseases.