Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells activate Notch1 signaling to promote cell proliferation and facilitate their survival. It now emerges that endothelial Delta-like ligand 4 (Dll4) may mediate Notch1 activation and inhibit tumor cell growth.

Advances in the treatments for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) have been disappointing until recently. Conventional cytotoxic drugs fail in MPM in part because they do not address the cancer stem cell population or stem cell pathways that drive tumor resistance and resurgence following treatment. The Hippo stem cell pathway regulates cell contact inhibition with tumor suppressor genes such as NF2 (Neurofibromatosis 2) upstream controlling YAP (Yes-associated protein 1) oncogenes. NF2 is mutated in 40-50% of all MPM and downstream YAP is constitutively active in greater than 70% of MPM, making the downstream YAP/TEAD (transcriptional enhancer associate domain) complex the ultimate target. Novel small molecule YAP inhibitors are showing promising results in preclinical studies and may prove to be effective chemotherapy drugs in MPM.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway is a well-studied oncogenic pathway in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A subset of advanced NSCLC patients (15-55%) have EGFR-driven mutations and benefit from treatment with EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting the PD-1/PDL-1 axis are a new anti-cancer therapy for metastatic NSCLC. The anti-PD-1/PDL-1 ICIs showed promising efficacy (~30% response rate) and improved the survival of patients with metastatic NSCLC, but the role of anti-PD-1/PDL-1 ICIs for EGFR mutant NSCLC is not clear. YAP (yes-associated protein) is the main mediator of the Hippo pathway and has been identified as promoting cancer progression, drug resistance, and metastasis in NSCLC. Here, we review recent studies that examined the correlation between the EGFR, YAP pathways, and PD-L1 and demonstrate the mechanism by which EGFR and YAP regulate PD-L1 expression in human NSCLC. About 50% of EGFR mutant NSCLC patients acquire resistance to EGFR-TKIs without known targetable secondary mutations. Targeting YAP therapy is suggested as a potential treatment for NSCLC with acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs. Future work should focus on the efficacy of YAP inhibitors in combination with immune checkpoint PD-L1/PD-1 blockade in EGFR mutant NSCLC without targetable resistant mutations.

Background

Casein kinase 2 (CK2) is involved in various cellular events such as proliferation, apoptosis, and the cell cycle. CK2 overexpression is associated with multiple human cancers and may therefore be a promising target for cancer therapy. To identity novel classes of inhibitors for CK2, we screened a natural product library obtained from National Cancer Institute.

Methods

The quantitative luminescent kinase assay ADP-Glo™ was used to screen CK2 inhibitors from the natural product library. The same assay was used to determine cell-free dose-dependent response of CK2 inhibitors and conduct a kinetic study. Docking was performed to predict the binding patterns of selected CK2 inhibitors. Western blot analysis was used to evaluate Akt phosphorylation specific to CK2 and apoptosis effect. The cell viability assay CellTiter-Glo(®) was used to evaluate the inhibition effects of CK2 inhibitors on cancer cells.

Results

We identified coumestrol as a novel reversible ATP competitive CK2 inhibitor with an IC(50) value of 228 nM. Coumestrol is a plant-derived compound that belongs to the class of phytoestrogens, natural compounds that mimic the biological activity of estrogens. In our study, coumestrol showed high selectivity among 13 kinases. The hydrogen bonds formed between coumestrol and the amino acids in the ATP binding site were first reviewed by a molecular docking study that suggested a possible interaction of coumestrol with the hinge region of ATP site of CK2. In addition, coumestrol inhibited cancer cell growth partially through down-regulation of CK2-specific Akt phosphorylation. Finally, coumestrol exerted strong inhibition effects on the growth of three cancer cell lines.

Conclusion

Our study shows that coumestrol, a novel ATP competitive and cell permeable CK2 inhibitor with submicromolar IC(50), had inhibition effects on the growth of three cancer cell lines and may represent a promising class of CK2 inhibitors.

Abstract Background Casein kinase 2 (CK2) is involved in various cellular events such as proliferation, apoptosis, and the cell cycle. CK2 overexpression is associated with multiple human cancers and may therefore be a promising target for cancer therapy. To identity novel classes of inhibitors for CK2, we screened a natural product library obtained from National Cancer Institute. Methods The quantitative luminescent kinase assay ADP-Glo™ was used to screen CK2 inhibitors from the natural product library. The same assay was used to determine cell-free dose-dependent response of CK2 inhibitors and conduct a kinetic study. Docking was performed to predict the binding patterns of selected CK2 inhibitors. Western blot analysis was used to evaluate Akt phosphorylation specific to CK2 and apoptosis effect. The cell viability assay CellTiter-Glo® was used to evaluate the inhibition effects of CK2 inhibitors on cancer cells. Results We identified coumestrol as a novel reversible ATP competitive CK2 inhibitor with an IC50 value of 228 nM. Coumestrol is a plant-derived compound that belongs to the class of phytoestrogens, natural compounds that mimic the biological activity of estrogens. In our study, coumestrol showed high selectivity among 13 kinases. The hydrogen bonds formed between coumestrol and the amino acids in the ATP binding site were first reviewed by a molecular docking study that suggested a possible interaction of coumestrol with the hinge region of ATP site of CK2. In addition, coumestrol inhibited cancer cell growth partially through down-regulation of CK2-specific Akt phosphorylation. Finally, coumestrol exerted strong inhibition effects on the growth of three cancer cell lines. Conclusion Our study shows that coumestrol, a novel ATP competitive and cell permeable CK2 inhibitor with submicromolar IC50, had inhibition effects on the growth of three cancer cell lines and may represent a promising class of CK2 inhibitors.

The advancement of new therapies, including targeted therapies and immunotherapies, has improved the survival of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in the last decade. Some NSCLC patients still do not benefit from therapies or encounter progressive disease during the course of treatment because they have intrinsic resistance, acquired resistance, or lack a targetable driver mutation. More investigations on the molecular biology of NSCLC are needed to find useful biomarkers for current therapies and to develop novel therapeutic strategies. Src is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase protein that interacts with cell surface growth factor receptors and the intracellular signaling pathway to maintain cell survival tumorigenesis in NSCLC. The Yes-associated protein (YAP) is one of the main effectors of the Hippo pathway and has been identified as a promoter of drug resistance, cancer progression, and metastasis in NSCLC. Here, we review studies that have investigated the activation of YAP as mediated by Src kinases and demonstrate that Src regulates YAP through three main mechanisms: (1) direct phosphorylation; (2) the activation of pathways repressing Hippo kinases; and (3) Hippo-independent mechanisms. Further work should focus on the efficacy of Src inhibitors in inhibiting YAP activity in NSCLC. In addition, future efforts toward developing potentially reasonable combinations of therapy targeting the Src-YAP axis using other therapies, including targeted therapies and/or immunotherapies, are warranted.

The programmed death-ligand 1(PD-L1)/PD-1 pathway is an immunological checkpoint in cancer cells. The binding of PD-L1 and PD-1 promotes T-cell tolerance and helps tumor cells escape from host immunity. Immunotherapy targeting the PD-L1/PD-1 axis has been developed as an anti-cancer therapy and used in treating advanced human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a key mediator of the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway, and plays important roles in promoting cancer development, drug resistance and metastasis in human NSCLC and MPM. YAP has been suggested as a new therapeutic target in NSCLC and MPM. The role of YAP in regulating tumor immunity such as PD-L1 expression has just begun to be explored, and the correlation between YAP-induced tumorigenesis and host anti-tumor immune responses is not well known. Here, we review recent studies investigating the correlation between YAP and PD-L1 and demonstrating the mechanism by which YAP regulates PD-L1 expression in human NSCLC and MPM. Future work should focus on the interactions between Hippo/YAP signaling pathways and the immune checkpoint PD-L1/PD-1 pathway. The development of new synergistic drugs for immune checkpoint PD-L1/PD-1 blockade in NSCLC and MPM is warranted.

The homeodomain-interacting protein kinase (HIPK) family is comprised of four nuclear protein kinases, HIPK1-4. HIPK proteins phosphorylate a diverse range of transcription factors involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. HIPK2, thus far the best-characterized member of this largely understudied family of protein kinases, plays a role in the activation of p53 in response to DNA damage. Despite this tumor-suppressor function, HIPK2 is also found overexpressed in several cancers, and its hyperactivation causes chronic fibrosis. There are currently no structures of HIPK2 or of any other HIPK kinase. Here, we report the crystal structure of HIPK2's kinase domain bound to CX-4945, a casein kinase 2α (CK2α) inhibitor currently in clinical trials against several cancers. The structure, determined at 2.2 Å resolution, revealed that CX-4945 engages the HIPK2 active site in a hybrid binding mode between that seen in structures of CK2α and Pim1 kinases. The HIPK2 kinase domain crystallized in the active conformation, which was stabilized by phosphorylation of the activation loop. We noted that the overall kinase domain fold of HIPK2 closely resembles that of evolutionarily related dual-specificity tyrosine-regulated kinases (DYRKs). Most significant structural differences between HIPK2 and DYRKs included an absence of the regulatory N-terminal domain and a unique conformation of the CMGC-insert region and of a newly defined insert segment in the αC-β4 loop. This first crystal structure of HIPK2 paves the way for characterizing the understudied members of the HIPK family and for developing HIPK2-directed therapies for managing cancer and fibrosis.

Abstract Background Wnt-2 plays an oncogenic role in cancer, but which Frizzled receptor(s) mediates the Wnt-2 signaling pathway in lung cancer remains unclear. We sought to (1) identify and evaluate the activation of Wnt-2 signaling through Frizzled-8 in non-small cell lung cancer, and (2) test whether a novel expression construct dominant negative Wnt-2 (dnhWnt-2) reduces tumor growth in a colony formation assay and in a xenograft mouse model. Methods Semi-quantitative RT-PCR was used to identify the expression of Wnt-2 and Frizzled-8 in 50 lung cancer tissues from patients. The TCF reporter assay (TOP/FOP) was used to detect the activation of the Wnt canonical pathway in vitro. A novel dnhWnt-2 construct was designed and used to inhibit activation of Wnt-2 signaling through Frizzled-8 in 293T, 293, A549 and A427 cells and in a xenograft mouse model. Statistical comparisons were made using Student’s t-test. Results Among the 50 lung cancer samples, we identified a 91% correlation between the transcriptional increase of Wnt-2 and Frizzled-8 (p<0.05). The Wnt canonical pathway was activated when both Wnt-2 and Frizzled-8 were co-expressed in 293T, 293, A549 and A427 cells. The dnhWnt-2 construct we used inhibited the activation of Wnt-2 signaling in 293T, 293, A549 and A427 cells, and reduced the colony formation of NSCLC cells when β-catenin was present (p<0.05). Inhibition of Wnt-2 activation by the dnhWnt-2 construct further reduced the size and mass of tumors in the xenograft mouse model (p<0.05). The inhibition also decreased the expression of target genes of Wnt signaling in these tumors. Conclusions We demonstrated an activation of Wnt-2 signaling via the Frizzled-8 receptor in NSCLC cells. A novel dnhWnt-2 construct significantly inhibits Wnt-2 signaling, reduces colony formation of NSCLC cells in vitro and tumor growth in a xenograft mouse model. The dnhWnt-2 construct may provide a new therapeutic avenue for targeting the Wnt pathway in lung cancer.

Background

Maintenance of genomic integrity is essential to ensure normal organismal development and to prevent diseases such as cancer. PR-Set7 (also known as Set8) is a cell cycle regulated enzyme that catalyses monomethylation of histone 4 at Lys20 (H4K20me1) to promote chromosome condensation and prevent DNA damage. Recent studies show that CRL4CDT2-mediated ubiquitylation of PR-Set7 leads to its degradation during S phase and after DNA damage. This might occur to ensure appropriate changes in chromosome structure during the cell cycle or to preserve genome integrity after DNA damage.

Methods

We developed a new model of lung tumor development in mice harboring a conditionally expressed allele of Cul4A. We have therefore used a mouse model to demonstrate for the first time that Cul4A is oncogenic in vivo. With this model, staining of PR-Set7 in the preneoplastic and tumor lesions in AdenoCre-induced mouse lungs was performed. Meanwhile we identified higher protein level changes of γ-tubulin and pericentrin by IHC.

Results

The level of PR-Set7 down-regulated in the preneoplastic and adenocarcinomous lesions following over-expression of Cul4A. We also identified higher levels of the proteins pericentrin and γ-tubulin in Cul4A mouse lungs induced by AdenoCre.

Conclusions

PR-Set7 is a direct target of Cul4A for degradation and involved in the formation of lung tumors in the conditional Cul4A transgenic mouse model.