The alkylphospholipid perifosine induces apoptosis of human lung cancer cells requiring inhibition of Akt and activation of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway.

Abstract

The Akt inhibitor, perifosine, is an alkylphospholipid exhibiting antitumor properties and is currently in phase II clinical trials for various types of cancer. The mechanisms by which perifosine exerts its antitumor effects, including the induction of apoptosis, are not well understood. The current study focused on the effects of perifosine on the induction of apoptosis and its underlying mechanisms in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Perifosine, at clinically achievable concentration ranges of 10 to 15 micromol/L, effectively inhibited the growth and induced apoptosis of NSCLC cells. Perifosine inhibited Akt phosphorylation and reduced the levels of total Akt. Importantly, enforced activation of Akt attenuated perifosine-induced apoptosis. These results indicate that Akt inhibition is necessary for perifosine-induced apoptosis. Despite the activation of both caspase-8 and caspase-9, perifosine strikingly induced the expression of the tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) receptor, death receptor 5, and down-regulated cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein (c-FLIP), an endogenous inhibitor of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway, with limited modulatory effects on the expression of other genes including Bcl-2, Bcl-X(L), PUMA, and survivin. Silencing of either caspase-8 or death receptor 5 attenuated perifosine-induced apoptosis. Consistently, further down-regulation of c-FLIP expression with c-FLIP small interfering RNA sensitized cells to perifosine-induced apoptosis, whereas enforced overexpression of ectopic c-FLIP conferred resistance to perifosine. Collectively, these data indicate that activation of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway plays a critical role in perifosine-induced apoptosis. Moreover, perifosine cooperates with TRAIL to enhance the induction of apoptosis in human NSCLC cells, thus warranting future in vivo and clinical evaluation of perifosine in combination with TRAIL in the treatment of NSCLC.

• Authors: Heath A Elrod, Yi-Dan Lin, Ping Yue, Xuerong Wang, Sagar Lonial, Fadlo R Khuri, Shi-Yong Sun
• Journal: Molecular cancer therapeutics (Mol Cancer Ther) Vol. 6 Issue 7 Pg. 2029-38 (Jul 2007) ISSN: 1535-7163 [Print] United States
• PMID: 17604333 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• CASP8 and FADD-Like Apoptosis Regulating Protein
• Receptors, TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand
• TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand
• Phosphorylcholine
• perifosine
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
• Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
• JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
• Caspase 8

Topics

• Antineoplastic Agents (pharmacology)
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• CASP8 and FADD-Like Apoptosis Regulating Protein (metabolism)
• Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung (enzymology, pathology)
• Caspase 8 (metabolism)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Survival (drug effects)
• DNA Fragmentation (drug effects)
• Enzyme Activation (drug effects)
• Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases (metabolism)
• Gene Silencing
• Humans
• JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (metabolism)
• Lung Neoplasms (enzymology, pathology)
• MAP Kinase Signaling System (drug effects)
• Phosphorylation (drug effects)
• Phosphorylcholine (analogs & derivatives, pharmacology)
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt (antagonists & inhibitors)
• Receptors, TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (metabolism)
• TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (pharmacology)
• Up-Regulation (drug effects)