A novel substrate mimetic inhibitor of PKB/Akt inhibits prostate cancer tumor growth in mice by blocking the PKB pathway.

We describe a novel, potent peptide substrate mimetic inhibitor of protein kinase B (PKB/Akt). The compound selectively kills prostate cancer cells, in which PKB is highly activated, but not normal cells, or cancer cells in which PKB is not activated. The inhibitor induces apoptosis and inhibits the phosphorylation of PKB substrates in prostate cancer cell lines and significantly increases the efficacy of chemotherapy agents to induce prostate cancer cell death, when given in combination. In vivo, the inhibitor exhibits a strong antitumor effect in two prostate cancer mouse models. Moreover, treated animals develop significantly less lung metastases compared to untreated ones, and the effect is accompanied by a significant decrease in blood PSA [prostate-specific antigen] levels in treated animals. This compound and its potential analogues may be developed into novel, potent, and safe anticancer agents, both as stand-alone treatment and in combination with other chemotherapy agents.

Assembly and cell surface expression of TAP-independent, chloroquine-sensitive and interferon-gamma-inducible class I MHC complexes in transformed fibroblast cell lines are regulated by tapasin.

Antigen processing and presentation by class I MHC molecules generally require assembly with peptide epitopes generated by the proteasome and transported into the ER by the transporters associated with antigen presentation (TAP). Recently, TAP-independent pathways supporting class I MHC-mediated presentation of exogenous antigens, as well as of endogenously synthesized viral antigens, were described. We now characterize a TAP-independent pathway that is operative in both TAP1- and TAP2-deficient Adenovirus (Ad)-transformed fibroblast cell lines. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the existence of such a pathway has been described in non-infected cells that do not belong to the hematopoietic lineage. We show that this pathway is proteasome-independent and chloroquine-sensitive. Cell surface expression of these TAP-independent class I complexes is modulated by tapasin levels and is enhanced by IFN-gamma. The data imply that IFN-gamma increases the relative level of TAP-independent high affinity class I complexes that exit the ER on their way to the cell surface and to vacuolar compartments where peptide cleavage/exchange might take place before recycling to the cell surface. Since both TAP and tapasin expression are altered in numerous tumors and in virus-infected cells, TAP-independent class I complexes may be a valuable target source for immune responses.