A novel class of TMPRSS2 inhibitors potently block SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV viral entry and protect human epithelial lung cells.

The host cell serine protease TMPRSS2 is an attractive therapeutic target for COVID-19 drug discovery. This protease activates the Spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and of other coronaviruses and is essential for viral spread in the lung. Utilizing rational structure-based drug design (SBDD) coupled to substrate specificity screening of TMPRSS2, we have discovered covalent small-molecule ketobenzothiazole (kbt) TMPRSS2 inhibitors which are structurally distinct from and have significantly improved activity over the existing known inhibitors Camostat and Nafamostat. Lead compound MM3122 (4) has an IC50 (half-maximal inhibitory concentration) of 340 pM against recombinant full-length TMPRSS2 protein, an EC50 (half-maximal effective concentration) of 430 pM in blocking host cell entry into Calu-3 human lung epithelial cells of a newly developed VSV-SARS-CoV-2 chimeric virus, and an EC50 of 74 nM in inhibiting cytopathic effects induced by SARS-CoV-2 virus in Calu-3 cells. Further, MM3122 blocks Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cell entry with an EC50 of 870 pM. MM3122 has excellent metabolic stability, safety, and pharmacokinetics in mice, with a half-life of 8.6 h in plasma and 7.5 h in lung tissue, making it suitable for in vivo efficacy evaluation and a promising drug candidate for COVID-19 treatment.

Peptide-Functionalized Hydrogel Cubes for Active Tumor Cell Targeting.

Conjugation of bioactive targeting molecules to nano- or micrometer-sized drug carriers is a pivotal strategy to improve their therapeutic efficiency. Herein, we developed pH- and redox-sensitive hydrogel particles with a surface-conjugated cancer cell targeting ligand for specific tumor-targeting and controlled release of the anticancer drug doxorubicin. The poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) hydrogel cubes of 700 nm and 2 µm with a hepsin-targeting (IPLVVPL) surface peptide are produced through multilayer polymer assembly on sacrificial cubical mesoporous cores. Direct peptide conjugation to the disulfide-stabilized hydrogels through a thiol-amine reaction does not compromise the structural integrity, hydrophilicity, stability in serum, or pH/redox sensitivity but does affect internalization by cancer cells. The cell uptake kinetics and the ultimate extent of internalization are controlled by the cell type and hydrogel size. The peptide modification significantly promotes the uptake of the 700 nm hydrogels by hepsin-positive MCF-7 cells due to ligand-receptor recognition but has a negligible effect on the uptake of 2 µm PMAA hydrogels. The selectivity of 700 nm IPLVVPL-PMAA hydrogel cubes to hepsin-overexpressing tumor cells is further confirmed by a 3-10-fold higher particle internalization by hepsin-positive MCF-7 and SK-OV-3 compared to that of hepsin-negative PC-3 cells. This work provides a facile method to fabricate enhanced tumor-targeting carriers of submicrometer size and improves the general understanding of particle design parameters for targeted drug delivery.

Macrocyclic Inhibitors of HGF-Activating Serine Proteases Overcome Resistance to Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Block Lung Cancer Progression.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), the ligand for the MET receptor tyrosine kinase, is a tumor-promoting factor that is abundant in the tumor microenvironment. Proteolytic activation of inactive pro-HGF by one or more of the serine endopeptidases matriptase, hepsin, and HGF activator is the rate-limiting step in HGF/MET signaling. Herein, we have rationally designed a novel class of side chain cyclized macrocyclic peptide inhibitors. The new series of cyclic tripeptides has superior metabolic stability and significantly improved pharmacokinetics in mice relative to the corresponding linear peptides. We identified the lead compound VD2173 that potently inhibits matriptase and hepsin, which was tested in parallel alongside the acyclic inhibitor ZFH7116 using both in vitro and in vivo models of lung cancer. We demonstrated that both compounds block pro-HGF activation, abrogate HGF-mediated wound healing, and overcome resistance to EGFR- and MET-targeted therapy in lung cancer models. Furthermore, VD2173 inhibited HGF-dependent growth of lung cancer tumors in mice.

A novel class of TMPRSS2 inhibitors potently block SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV viral entry and protect human epithelial lung cells.

The host cell serine protease TMPRSS2 is an attractive therapeutic target for COVID-19 drug discovery. This protease activates the Spike protein of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and of other coronaviruses and is essential for viral spread in the lung. Utilizing rational structure-based drug design (SBDD) coupled to substrate specificity screening of TMPRSS2, we have discovered a novel class of small molecule ketobenzothiazole TMPRSS2 inhibitors with significantly improved activity over existing irreversible inhibitors Camostat and Nafamostat. Lead compound MM3122 ( 4 ) has an IC 50 of 340 pM against recombinant full-length TMPRSS2 protein, an EC 50 of 430 pM in blocking host cell entry into Calu-3 human lung epithelial cells of a newly developed VSV SARS-CoV-2 chimeric virus, and an EC 50 of 74 nM in inhibiting cytopathic effects induced by SARS-CoV-2 virus in Calu-3 cells. Further, MM3122 blocks Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cell entry with an EC 50 of 870 pM. MM3122 has excellent metabolic stability, safety, and pharmacokinetics in mice with a half-life of 8.6 hours in plasma and 7.5 h in lung tissue, making it suitable for in vivo efficacy evaluation and a promising drug candidate for COVID-19 treatment.

Histone deacetylase inhibitors induce cell death selectively in cells that harbor activated kRasV12: The role of signal transducers and activators of transcription 1 and p21.

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors (HDACi) show potent and selective antitumor activity despite the fact that they induce histone hyperacetylation in both normal and tumor cells. In this study, we showed that the inducible expression of kRasV12 in nontransformed intestinal epithelial cells significantly lowered the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and sensitized cells to HDACi-induced apoptosis. Consistent with our finding that colon cancer cell lines with mutant Ras have reduced expression of signal transducers and activators of transcription 1 (STAT1), we showed that inducible expression of mutant Ras markedly decreased both basal and inducible expression of STAT1, a transcription factor with tumor suppressor activity. To investigate whether reduced expression of STAT1 in cells that harbor mutant Ras contributes to their increased sensitivity to HDACi, we silenced the expression of STAT1 in HKe-3 cells with small interfering RNA. Despite the fact that silencing of STAT1 was not sufficient to alter the MMP, STAT1 deficiency, like Ras mutations, sensitized cells to apoptosis induced by HDACi. We showed that the induction of p21 by HDACi was significantly impaired in HKe-3 cells with silenced STAT1 expression and showed that the ability of butyrate to activate p21 transcription was diminished in STAT1-deficient HKe-3 cells. Finally, we used cells with targeted deletion of p21 to confirm that p21 protects cells from butyrate-induced apoptosis, strongly suggesting that in these cells STAT1 deficiency promotes butyrate-induced apoptosis through impaired induction of p21. Our data therefore establish that Ras mutations, and consequent reduction in the expression of STAT1, underlie the increased susceptibility of transformed cells to undergo apoptosis in response to treatment with inhibitors of HDAC activity.

The role of signal transducers and activators of transcription in colon cancer.

A family of latent cytoplasmic transcription factors, Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (STATs), convey signals from numerous cytokines and growth factors to the nucleus. Their expression and their activity have been shown to be perturbed in a variety of malignancies, including colorectal cancer. Among the STAT family members, oncogenic STAT3 has been shown to be constitutively activated or overexpressed in colon cancers. In contrast, the expression levels of STAT1 have been found to be reduced in transformed intestinal epithelial cells, consistent with tumor suppressor properties of STAT1. We showed that transformation of intestinal epithelial cells with KRasV12 is sufficient to downregulate the expression of STAT1. Because both STAT1 and STAT3 are important regulators of genes that are involved in cell survival (BCL-x, survivin, caspases) and cell proliferation (c-Myc, p21, cyclin D1), their deregulation significantly impacts the homeostasis of intestinal tissues. The critical role of STATs in oncogenesis and in inflammation merits further investigation of targeted inhibitors of STATs activity that could be used alone or in combination with conventional chemotherapy.

Signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs): Novel targets of chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic drugs.

A family of latent cytoplasmic transcription factors, signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs), mediates the responsiveness of cells to several cytokines and growth factors. Although mutations of STATs have not been described in human tumors, the activity of several members of the family, such as STAT1, STAT3 and STAT5, is deregulated in a variety of human tumors. STAT3 and STAT5 acquire oncogenic potential through constitutive phosphorylation on tyrosine, and their activity has been shown to be required to sustain a transformed phenotype. Disruption of STAT3 and STAT5 signaling in transformed cells therefore represents an excellent opportunity for targeted cancer therapy. In contrast to STAT3 and STAT5, STAT1 negatively regulates cell proliferation and angiogenesis and thereby inhibits tumor formation. Consistent with its tumor suppressive properties, STAT1 and its downstream targets have been shown to be reduced in a variety of human tumors and STAT1 deficient mice are highly susceptible to tumor formation. In recent years we have gained mechanistic understanding of the pathways whereby STATs convey signals from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. In addition, several endogenous regulators of the JAK/STAT pathway have been described - and their mechanism of action revealed - that profoundly affect signaling by STATs. Both should greatly facilitate the design of drugs with potential to modulate STAT signaling and to restore the homeostasis in tissues where STATs have gone awry.

Modulation of STAT1-Driven Transcriptional Activity by Histone Deacetylases.

The luciferase (LUC) reporter assay is commonly used to study gene expression at the transcriptional level. It is convenient, fast, sensitive, inexpensive, and provides quantitative data about small changes in transcription. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) is a transcription factor that plays a crucial role in signaling by interferons (IFNs). Here, we describe LUC reporter studies that address the role of histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity in STAT1-dependent gene activation. These experiments include overexpression of HDAC1, HDAC2, HDAC3, and HDAC4 as well as silencing of HDAC1, HDAC2, and HDAC3 through RNA interference in mammalian cancer cells.

Hepatocyte Growth Factor, a Key Tumor-Promoting Factor in the Tumor Microenvironment.

The tumor microenvironment plays a key role in tumor development and progression. Stromal cells secrete growth factors, cytokines and extracellular matrix proteins which promote growth, survival and metastatic spread of cancer cells. Fibroblasts are the predominant constituent of the tumor stroma and Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF), the specific ligand for the tyrosine kinase receptor c-MET, is a major component of their secretome. Indeed, cancer-associated fibroblasts have been shown to promote growth, survival and migration of cancer cells in an HGF-dependent manner. Fibroblasts also confer resistance to anti-cancer therapy through HGF-induced epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and activation of pro-survival signaling pathways such as ERK and AKT in tumor cells. Constitutive HGF/MET signaling in cancer cells is associated with increased tumor aggressiveness and predicts poor outcome in cancer patients. Due to its role in tumor progression and therapeutic resistance, both HGF and MET have emerged as valid therapeutic targets. Several inhibitors of MET and HGF are currently being tested in clinical trials. Preclinical data provide a strong indication that inhibitors of HGF/MET signaling overcome both primary and acquired resistance to EGFR, HER2, and BRAF targeting agents. These findings support the notion that co-targeting of cancer cells and stromal cells is required to prevent therapeutic resistance and to increase the overall survival rate of cancer patients. HGF dependence has emerged as a hallmark of therapeutic resistance, suggesting that inhibitors of biological activity of HGF should be included into therapeutic regimens of cancer patients.

Targeting the tumor-promoting microenvironment in MET-amplified NSCLC cells with a novel inhibitor of pro-HGF activation.

Targeted therapeutic agents, such as inhibitors of epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR), have transformed the management of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. MET-amplified NSCLC cells display resistance to EGFR-targeting agents, but are addicted to MET signaling for survival and proliferation and are sensitive to MET inhibition. However, responsive cancer cells invariably develop resistance to MET-targeted treatment. The tumor microenvironment plays a major role in resistance to anticancer therapy. We demonstrated that fibroblasts block the response of MET-amplified NSCLC cells to the MET kinase inhibitor, JNJ38877605 in an HGF-dependent manner. Thus, MET-amplified NSCLC cells become addicted to HGF upon pharmacological inhibition of MET. HGF restored phosphorylation of MET, EGFR and RON, and maintained pro-survival AKT and ERK signaling in MET-inhibited cells. We developed a small molecule inhibitor of pro-HGF activation, SRI31215, which acts as a triplex inhibitor of the pro-HGF activating proteases matriptase, hepsin and HGF activator (HGFA). SRI31215 blocked crosstalk between tumor cells and fibroblasts and overcame fibroblast-mediated resistance to MET inhibition by preventing fibroblast-mediated reactivation of AKT and ERK signaling. Structurally unrelated triplex inhibitors of matriptase, hepsin and HGFA that we developed in parallel showed similar biological activity. Our data suggest that simultaneous inhibition of HGF and MET is required to overcome resistance to MET inhibitors in MET-amplified NSCLC cells. This provides a rationale for the development of novel combination therapeutic strategies for the treatment of NSCLC patients with MET amplification.

Oncogenic Ras increases sensitivity of colon cancer cells to 5-FU-induced apoptosis.

Despite the fact that objective response rates to 5-FU are as low as 20%, 5-FU remains the most commonly used drug for the treatment of colorectal cancer. The lack of understanding of resistance to 5-FU, therefore, remains a significant impediment in maximizing its efficacy. We used intestinal epithelial cells with an inducible K-RasV12 to demonstrate that expression of oncogenic Ras promotes cell death upon 5-FU treatment. Accordingly, transient expression of the mutant RasV12, but not the WT Ras, enhanced 5-FU-induced apoptosis in 293T cells. Consistent with these data, we showed that targeted deletion of the mutant Ras allele in the HCT116 colon cancer cell line protected cells from 5-FU-induced apoptosis. Using isogenic colon cancer cell lines that differ only by the presence of the mutant Ras allele, HCT116 and Hke-3 cells, we demonstrated that signaling by oncogenic Ras promotes both accumulation of p53 and its phosphorylation on serine15 in response to 5-FU, a situation that favors apoptosis over growth arrest. However, despite the differential induction of p53 in HCT116 and Hke-3 cells, the expression of Puma, a gene with an important role in p53-dependent apoptosis, was not affected by Ras signaling. In contrast, we showed that Ras interferes with 5-FU-induced expression of gelsolin, a protein with known antiapoptotic activity. We ascertained the role of gelsolin in 5-FU-induced apoptosis by demonstrating that silencing of gelsolin expression through RNAi sensitized cells to 5-FU-induced apoptosis and that re-expression of gelsolin in cells harboring mutant Ras protected cells from 5-FU-induced apoptosis. These data therefore demonstrate that Ras mutations increase sensitivity to 5-FU-induced apoptosis at least in part through the negative regulation of gelsolin expression. Our data indicate that Ras mutations promote apoptosis in response to 5-FU treatment and imply that tumors with Ras mutations and/or reduced expression of gelsolin may show enhanced apoptosis in response to 5-FU also in vivo.

α-Ketobenzothiazole Serine Protease Inhibitors of Aberrant HGF/c-MET and MSP/RON Kinase Pathway Signaling in Cancer.

Upregulation of the HGF and MSP growth-factor processing serine endopeptidases HGFA, matriptase and hepsin is correlated with increased metastasis in multiple tumor types driven by c-MET or RON kinase signaling. We rationally designed P1' α-ketobenzothiazole mechanism-based inhibitors of these proteases. Structure-activity studies are presented, which resulted in the identification of potent inhibitors with differential selectivity. The tetrapeptide inhibitors span the P1-P1' substrate cleavage site via a P1' amide linker off the benzothiazole, occupying the S3' pocket. Optimized inhibitors display sub-nanomolar enzyme inhibition against one, two, or all three of HGFA, matriptase, and hepsin. Several compounds also have good selectivity against the related trypsin-like proteases, thrombin and Factor Xa. Finally, we show that inhibitors block the fibroblast (HGF)-mediated migration of invasive DU145 prostate cancer cells. In addition to prostate cancer, breast, colon, lung, pancreas, gliomas, and multiple myeloma tumors all depend on HGF and MSP for tumor survival and progression. Therefore, these unique inhibitors have potential as new therapeutics for a diverse set of tumor types.

Inhibition of pro-HGF activation by SRI31215, a novel approach to block oncogenic HGF/MET signaling.

The binding of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) to its receptor MET activates a signaling cascade that promotes cell survival, proliferation, cell scattering, migration and invasion of malignant cells. HGF is secreted by cancer cells or by tumor-associated fibroblasts as pro-HGF, an inactive precursor. A key step in the regulation of HGF/MET signaling is proteolytic processing of pro-HGF to its active form by one of the three serine proteases, matriptase, hepsin or HGF activator (HGFA).We developed SRI 31215, a small molecule that acts as a triplex inhibitor of matriptase, hepsin and HGFA and mimics the activity of HAI-1/2, endogenous inhibitors of HGF activation. We demonstrated that SRI 31215 inhibits fibroblast-induced MET activation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and migration of cancer cells. SRI 31215 overcomes primary resistance to cetuximab and gefitinib in HGF-producing colon cancer cells and prevents fibroblast-mediated resistance to EGFR inhibitors. Thus, SRI 31215 blocks signaling between cancer cells and fibroblasts and inhibits the tumor-promoting activity of cancer-associated fibroblasts.Aberrant HGF/MET signaling supports cell survival, proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion and metastatic spread of cancer cells, establishing HGF and MET as valid therapeutic targets. Our data demonstrate that inhibitors of HGF activation, such as SRI 31215, merit investigation as potential therapeutics in tumors that are addicted to HGF/MET signaling. The findings reported here also indicate that inhibitors of HGF activation overcome primary and acquired resistance to anti-EGFR therapy, providing a rationale for concurrent inhibition of EGFR and HGF to prevent therapeutic resistance and to improve the outcome of cancer patients.

Design and Synthesis of Nonpeptide Inhibitors of Hepatocyte Growth Factor Activation.

In this letter we report first nonpeptide inhibitors of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) activation. These compounds inhibit the three proteases (matriptase, hepsin, and HGF activator) required for HGF maturation. We show that 6, 8a, 8b, and 8d block activation of fibroblast-derived pro-HGF, thus preventing fibroblast-induced scattering of DU145 prostate cancer cells. Compound 6 (SRI 31215) is very soluble (91 µM) and has excellent microsome stability (human t 1/2 = 162 min; mouse t 1/2 = 296 min). In mouse 6 has an in vivo t 1/2 = 5.8 h following IV administration. The high solubility of 6 and IV t 1/2 make this compound a suitable prototype "triplex inhibitor" for the study of the inhibition of HGF activation in vivo.

Inhibition of interferon gamma signaling by the short chain fatty acid butyrate.

The short chain fatty acid butyrate promotes proliferation and survival of normal epithelial cells, but induces G(1) or G(2)-M arrest in transformed cells, which is coupled to differentiation and apoptosis. Local administration of butyrate has been shown to ameliorate inflammation in ulcerative colitis; however, the precise mechanism of its anti-inflammatory activity is not known. IFN-gamma is one of the principle cytokines secreted by lamina propria cells in inflamed mucosa and elevated levels of the transcription factor required for IFN-gamma signaling, STAT1 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 1), are present in the colonic mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Here we report that butyrate is a strong inhibitor of signaling by IFN-gamma. We demonstrated that this short chain fatty acid inhibits IFN-gamma-induced tyrosine and serine phosphorylation of STAT1. IFN-gamma-induced JAK2 activation was inhibited by butyrate, implicating JAK2 as a target of butyrate action. Accordingly, STAT1 nuclear translocation and its DNA binding were completely inhibited in butyrate-treated cells. Transient transfection experiments using a reporter gene construct containing eight GAS sites (gamma-activated sites) revealed that butyrate inhibits IFN-gamma induced, STAT1-dependent, transcriptional activation. Proinflammatory cytokines, including IFN-gamma, play an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease, and abnormal activity of STAT1 is associated with human malignancies and intestinal inflammatory diseases. Thus, our data suggest that butyrate negatively regulates mucosal inflammation through the inhibition of IFN-gamma/STAT1 signaling.

K-Ras, intestinal homeostasis and colon cancer.

Activating Ras mutations, present in about 20% of human cancers, compromise the GTPase activity of Ras and therefore trigger accumulation of Ras in the GTP-bound state. Among the three family members, K-Ras, H-Ras and N-Ras, K-Ras is the most frequently mutated gene, with 30-50% of colon cancer patients harboring activating K-Ras mutations. Oncogenic mutations of K-Ras have been found at codons 12, 13, 61 and 146. Activation of Ras triggers constitutive activation of signaling pathways, including the MAPK and AKT pathways, which allows tumor cells to proliferate in the absence of growth factors and increases their survival. In addition, activated Ras triggers inflammation and thus promotes tumor progression in a cell non-autonomous manner. The presence of K-Ras mutations not only has prognostic value, but it also predicts the responsiveness of colon cancer patients to inhibitors of EGFR signaling.

Prognostic and Predictive Significance of Stromal Fibroblasts and Macrophages in Colon Cancer.

Colon cancer development and malignant progression are driven by genetic and epigenetic alterations in tumor cells and by factors from the tumor microenvironment. Cancer cells become reliant on the activity of specific oncogenes and on prosurvival and proliferative signals they receive from the abnormal environment they create and reside in. Accordingly, the response to anticancer therapy is determined by genetic and epigenetic changes that are intrinsic to tumor cells and by the factors present in the tumor microenvironment. Recent advances in the understanding of the involvement of the tumor microenvironment in tumor progression and therapeutic response are optimizing the application of prognostic and predictive factors in colon cancer. Moreover, new targets in the tumor microenvironment that are amenable to therapeutic intervention have been identified. Because stromal cells are with rare exceptions genetically stable, the tumor microenvironment has emerged as a preferred target for therapeutic drugs. In this review, we discuss the role of stromal fibroblasts and macrophages in colon cancer progression and in the response of colon cancer patients to therapy.

Vitamin D and colon cancer.

Calcitriol, 1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25 (OH)2D3), the most active form of vitamin D, is a pleotropic hormone with a wide range of biological activities. Due to its ability to regulate calcium and phosphate metabolism, 1,25D3 plays a major role in bone health. In addition, 1,25D3 binds to the vitamin D receptor and thereby regulates the expression of a number of genes which control growth, differentiation and survival of cancer cells. In agreement, the levels of vitamin D3 appear to be an essential determinant for the development and progression of colon cancer and supplementation with vitamin D3 is effective in suppressing intestinal tumorigenesis in animal models. Vitamin D3 has been estimated to lower the incidence of colorectal cancer by 50%, which is consistent with the inverse correlation between dietary vitamin D3 intake or sunlight exposure and human colorectal cancer. Several studies confirmed that increasing vitamin D3 lowers colon cancer incidence, reduces polyp recurrence, and that sufficient levels of vitamin D3 are associated with better overall survival of colon cancer patients. Vitamin D regulates the homeostasis of intestinal epithelium by modulating the oncogenic Wnt signaling pathway and by inhibiting tumor-promoting inflammation. Both activities contribute to the ability of 1,25D3 to prevent the development and progression of colon cancer.

The Role of STAT1 for Crosstalk between Fibroblasts and Colon Cancer Cells.

Signaling between tumor cells and the associated stroma has an important impact on cancer initiation and progression. The tumor microenvironment has a paradoxical role in tumor progression and fibroblasts, a major component of the tumor stroma, have been shown to either inhibit or promote cancer development. In this study, we established that normal intestinal fibroblasts activate STAT1 signaling in colon cancer cells and, in contrast to cancer-associated fibroblasts, inhibit growth of tumor cells. Treatment of 18Co fibroblasts with the proinflammatory cytokine TNFα interfered with their ability to trigger STAT1 signaling in cancer cells. Accordingly, intestinal myofibroblasts isolated from patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, which are activated and produce high levels of TNFα, failed to stimulate STAT1 signaling in tumor cells, demonstrating that activated myofibroblasts lose the ability to trigger growth-inhibitory STAT1 signaling in tumor cells. Finally, we confirmed that silencing of STAT1 in tumor cells alters the crosstalk between tumor cells and fibroblasts, suggesting STAT1 as a novel link between intestinal inflammation and colon cancer. We demonstrated that normal fibroblasts restrain the growth of carcinoma cells, at least in part, through the induction of STAT1 signaling in cancer cells and showed that changes in the microenvironment, as they occur in inflammatory bowel disease, alter the crosstalk between carcinoma cells and fibroblasts, perturb the homeostasis of intestinal tissue, and thereby contribute to tumor progression.

Oncolytic reovirus preferentially induces apoptosis in KRAS mutant colorectal cancer cells, and synergizes with irinotecan.

Reovirus is a double stranded RNA virus, with an intrinsic preference for replication in KRAS mutant cells. As 45% of human colorectal cancers (CRC) harbor KRAS mutations, we sought to investigate its efficacy in KRAS mutant CRC cells, and examine its impact in combination with the topoisimerase-1 inhibitor, irinotecan. Reovirus efficacy was examined in the KRAS mutant HCT116, and the isogenic KRAS WT Hke3 cell line, and in the non-malignant rat intestinal epithelial cell line. Apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry and TUNEL staining. Combination treatment with reovirus and irintoecan was investigated in 15 CRC cell lines, including the HCT116 p21 isogenic cell lines. Reovirus preferentially induced apoptosis in KRAS mutant HCT116 cells compared to its isogenic KRAS WT derivative, and in KRAS mutant IEC cells. Reovirus showed a greater degree of caspase 3 activation with PARP 1 cleavage, and preferential inhibition of p21 protein expression in KRAS mutant cells. Reovirus synergistically induced growth inhibition when combined with irinotecan. This synergy was lost upon p21 gene knock out. Reovirus preferentially induces apoptosis in KRAS mutant colon cancer cells. Reovirus and irinotecan combination therapy is synergistic, p21 mediated, and represents a novel potential treatment for patients with CRC.