Ronald A Lubet

Publications (113)515.41 Total impact

• Article: Discovery of the novel mTOR inhibitor and its antitumor activities in vitro and in vivo.

  Hua Xie, Mee-Hyun Lee, Feng Zhu, Kanamata Reddy, Zunnan Huang, Dong-Joon Kim, Yan Li, Cong Peng, Do Young Lim, Soouk Kang, Sung Keun Jung, Xiang Li, Haitao Li, Weiya Ma, Ronald A Lubet, Jian Ding, Ann M Bode, Zigang Dong
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  ABSTRACT: The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K)/Akt and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway plays a critical role in cell survival and proliferation and is often aberrantly activated in many types of cancer. The mTOR kinase protein, one of the key molecules in this pathway, has been shown to be an important target for cancer therapy. In the present study, a ligand docking method was used to screen for novel scaffold mTOR inhibitors. Sixty thousand compounds in the Natural Product Database (NPD) were screened against the mTOR homologous structure and 13 commercially available compounds listed in the top-ranked 100 compounds were selected for further examination. Compound (E)-3-(4-(benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-yl)-2-oxobut-3-en-1-yl)- 3-hydroxyindolin-2-one; designated herein as 3HOI-BA-01) was then selected for further study of its antitumor activity. An in vitro study demonstrated that 3HOI-BA-01 inhibited mTOR kinase activity in a dose-dependent manner by directly binding with mTOR. In a panel of NSCLC cells, the compound also attenuated mTOR downstream signaling, including the phosphorylation of p70S6K, S6, and Akt, resulting in G1 cell cycle arrest and growth inhibition. Results of an in vivo study demonstrated that i.p. injection of 3HOI-BA-01 in A549 lung tumor-bearing mice effectively suppressed cancer growth without affecting the body weight of the mice. The expression of downstream signaling molecules in the mTOR pathway in tumor tissues was also reduced after 3HOI-BA-01 treatment. Taken together, we identified 3HOI-BA-01 as a novel and effective mTOR inhibitor.
  Molecular Cancer Therapeutics 03/2013; · 5.23 Impact Factor
• Article: EFFECT OF INTERMITTENT DOSING REGIMENS OF ERLOTINIB ON METHYLNITROSOUREA-INDUCED MAMMARY CARCINOGENESIS.

  Ronald A Lubet, Eva Szabo, Kenneth Iwata, Stanley Gill, Chris Tucker, Ann M Bode, Vernon E Steele, M Margaret Juliana, Holly Nicastro, Clinton J Grubbs
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  ABSTRACT: EGFR inhibitors are employed in therapy of lung and pancreatic cancers, and effectively prevent cancers in multiple animal models. Although daily dosing with erlotinib is effective, weekly dosing may reduce toxicity and have advantages, particularly for prevention. We tested alternative dosing regimens for preventive/therapeutic efficacy in a rat mammary cancer model. For prevention, erlotinib was administered by gavage beginning 5 days after MNU. For therapy and biomarker studies, rats with palpable mammary cancers were treated for six weeks or for 6 days, respectively. Prevention. Experiment A. Erlotinib (6 mg/Kg BW/day, i.g.): daily (7x/week); one day on/one day off; and two days on/two days off. All regimens decreased tumor incidence, increased tumor latency, and decreased cancer multiplicity vs controls (P<.01). However, intermittent dosing was less effective than daily dosing (P<.05). Experiment B. Erlotinib (6 mg/kg BW/day) daily or two days on/two days off; or 1x/week at 42 mg/kg BW. All regimens reduced cancer incidence and multiplicity vs controls (P<.01). Interestingly, daily and weekly dosing were equally effective (P>0.5). Experiment C. Erlotinib administered at 42 or 21 mg/kg BW, 1x/week, decreased tumor incidence and multiplicity (P<.01). Pharmacokinetics. Erlotinib had a serum half-life of ≤8 hours, and weekly treatment yielded effective serum levels for <48 hours. Therapy. Daily or weekly treatment of cancer bearing rats reduced mammary tumor size 25-35%, while control cancers increased >250%. Biomarkers. Levels of phosphorylated ERK were strongly decreased in rats treated daily/weekly with erlotinib. Thus, altering the dosing of erlotinib retained most of its preventive and therapeutic efficacy.
  Cancer Prevention Research 03/2013; · 4.91 Impact Factor
• Article: Identification of an Aurora kinase inhibitor specific for the Aurora B isoform.

  Hua Xie, Mee-Hyun Lee, Feng Zhu, Kanamata Reddy, Cong Peng, Yan Li, Do Young Lim, Dong-Joon Kim, Xiang Li, Soouk Kang, Haitao Li, Wei-Ya Ma, Ronald A Lubet, Jian Ding, Ann M Bode, Zigang Dong
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  ABSTRACT: Aurora kinases play an important role in chromosome alignment, segregation, and cytokinesis during mitosis. In the present study, we used a ligand-docking method to explore the novel scaffold of potential Aurora B inhibitors. One thousand compounds from our in-house compound library were screened against the Aurora B structure and one compound, (E)-3-((E)-4-(benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-yl)-2-oxobut-3-en-1-ylidene)indolin-2-one (designated herein as HOI-07) was selected for further study. HOI-07 potently inhibited in vitro Aurora B kinase activity in a dose-dependent manner, without obvious inhibition of another 49 kinases, including Aurora A. This compound suppressed Aurora B kinase activity in lung cancer cells, evidenced by the inhibition of the phosphorylation of histone H3 on Ser10 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. This inhibition resulted in apoptosis induction, G2/M arrest, polyploidy cells, and attenuation of cancer cell anchorage-independent growth. Moreover, knocking down the expression of Aurora B effectively reduced the sensitivity of cancer cells to HOI-07. Results of an in vivo xenograft mouse study showed that HOI-07 treatment effectively suppressed the growth of A549 xenografts, without affecting the body weight of mice. The expression of phospho-histone H3, phospho-Aurora B, and Ki-67 was also suppressed in the HOI-07 treatment group. Taken together, we identified HOI-07 as a specific Aurora B inhibitor, which deserves further investigation.
  Cancer Research 11/2012; · 7.86 Impact Factor
• Article: Ceftriaxone, an FDA-approved cephalosporin antibiotic, suppresses lung cancer growth by targeting Aurora B.

  Xiang Li, Haitao Li, Shengqing Li, Feng Zhu, Dong Joon Kim, Hua Xie, Yan Li, Janos Nadas, Naomi Oi, Tatyana A Zykova, Dong Hoon Yu, Mee-Hyun Lee, Myoung Ok Kim, Lei Wang, Weiya Ma, Ronald A Lubet, Ann M Bode, Ziming Dong, Zigang Dong
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  ABSTRACT: Ceftriaxone, an FDA-approved third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic, has antimicrobial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative organisms. Generally, ceftriaxone is used for a variety of infections such as community-acquired pneumonia, meningitis and gonorrhea. Its primary molecular targets are the penicillin-binding proteins. However, other activities of ceftriaxone remain unknown. Herein, we report for the first time that ceftriaxone has antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo. Kinase profiling results predicted that Aurora B might be a potential 'off' target of ceftriaxone. Pull-down assay data confirmed that ceftriaxone could bind with Aurora B in vitro and in A549 cells. Furthermore, ceftriaxone (500 µM) suppressed anchorage-independent cell growth by targeting Aurora B in A549, H520 and H1650 lung cancer cells. Importantly, in vivo xenograft animal model results showed that ceftriaxone effectively suppressed A549 and H520 lung tumor growth by inhibiting Aurora B. These data suggest the anticancer efficacy of ceftriaxone for the treatment of lung cancers through its inhibition of Aurora B.
  Carcinogenesis 09/2012; · 5.70 Impact Factor
• Article: Taxifolin Suppresses UV-Induced Skin Carcinogenesis by Targeting EGFR and PI3K.

  Naomi Oi, Hanyong Chen, Myoung Ok Kim, Ronald A Lubet, Ann M Bode, Zigang Dong
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  ABSTRACT: Skin cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the United States. Taxifolin reportedly exerts multiple biologic effects, but the molecular mechanisms and direct target(s) of taxifolin in skin cancer chemoprevention are still unknown. In silico computer screening and kinase profiling results suggest that the EGF receptor (EGFR), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), and Src are potential targets for taxifolin. Pull-down assay results showed that EGFR, PI3K, and Src directly interacted with taxifolin in vitro, whereas taxifolin bound to EGFR and PI3K, but not to Src in cells. ATP competition and in vitro kinase assay data revealed that taxifolin interacted with EGFR and PI3K at the ATP-binding pocket and inhibited their kinase activities. Western blot analysis showed that taxifolin suppressed UVB-induced phosphorylation of EGFR and Akt, and subsequently suppressed their signaling pathways in JB6 P+ mouse skin epidermal cells. Expression levels and promoter activity of COX-2 and prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) generation induced by UVB were also attenuated by taxifolin. The effect of taxifolin on UVB-induced signaling pathways and PGE(2) generation was reduced in EGFR knockout murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) compared with EGFR wild-type MEFs. Taxifolin also inhibited EGF-induced cell transformation. Importantly, topical treatment of taxifolin to the dorsal skin significantly suppressed tumor incidence, volume, and multiplicity in a solar UV (SUV)-induced skin carcinogenesis mouse model. Further analysis showed that the taxifolin-treated group had a substantial reduction in SUV-induced phosphorylation of EGFR and Akt in mouse skin. These results suggest that taxifolin exerts chemopreventive activity against UV-induced skin carcinogenesis by targeting EGFR and PI3K. Cancer Prev Res; 5(9); 1103-14. ©2012 AACR.
  Cancer Prevention Research 07/2012; 5(9):1103-14. · 4.91 Impact Factor
• Article: Identification of mammalian target of rapamycin as a direct target of fenretinide both in vitro and in vivo.

  Hua Xie, Feng Zhu, Zunnan Huang, Mee-Hyun Lee, Dong Joon Kim, Xiang Li, Do Young Lim, Sung Keun Jung, Soouk Kang, Haitao Li, Kanamata Reddy, Lei Wang, Weiya Ma, Ronald A Lubet, Ann M Bode, Zigang Dong
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  ABSTRACT: N-(4-hydroxyphenyl) retinamide (4HPR, fenretinide) is a synthetic retinoid that has been tested in clinical trials as a cancer therapeutic and chemopreventive agent. Although 4HPR has been shown to be cytotoxic to many kinds of cancer cells, the underlying molecular mechanisms are only partially understood. Until now, no direct cancer-related molecular target has been reported to be involved in the antitumor activities of 4HPR. Herein, we found that 4HPR inhibited mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase activity by directly binding with mTOR, which suppressed the activities of both the mTORC1 and the mTORC2 complexes. The predicted binding mode of 4HPR with mTOR was based on a homology computer model, which showed that 4HPR could bind in the ATP-binding pocket of the mTOR protein through hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. In vitro studies also showed that 4HPR attenuated mTOR downstream signaling in a panel of non-small-cell lung cancer cells, resulting in growth inhibition. Moreover, knockdown of mTOR in cancer cells decreased their sensitivity to 4HPR. Results of an in vivo study demonstrated that i.p. injection of 4HPR in A549 lung tumor-bearing mice effectively suppressed cancer growth. The expression of mTOR downstream signaling molecules in tumor tissues was also decreased after 4HPR treatment. Taken together, our results are the first to identify mTOR as a direct antitumor target of 4HPR both in vitro and in vivo, providing a valuable rationale for guiding the clinical uses of 4HPR.
  Carcinogenesis 07/2012; 33(9):1814-21. · 5.70 Impact Factor
• Article: Chemopreventive efficacy of Targretin in rodent models of urinary bladder, colon/intestine, head and neck and mammary cancers.

  Ronald A Lubet, Margie L Clapper, David L McCormick, Michael A Pereira, W-C L Chang, Vernon E Steele, Susan M Fischer, M Margaret Juliana, Clinton J Grubbs
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  ABSTRACT: The chemopreventive efficacy of Targretin was evaluated in various rodent cancer models. In the rat model of 4-hydroxybutyl(butyl)nitrosamine (OH-BBN)-induced urinary bladder cancer, it was found that Targretin administered in the diet (beginning one week after the last OH-BBN treatment) for 5.5 months increased the number and size of urinary bladder cancers. In the azoxymethane (AOM)-induced model of colon carcinogenesis (in which rats develop minimally invasive colonic cancers), Targretin was ineffective as a chemopreventive agent, decreasing neither tumor incidence nor multiplicity. Treatment of Min mice with Targretin for 45 days similarly failed to decrease the multiplicity of small intestinal tumors. Similarly, no preventive efficacy was noted for Targretin when the incidence of tumors in the head and neck model (squamous cell tongue tumors) induced by 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO) were examined. In contrast, use of even a suboptimal dose of Targretin (40 ppm) in a sensitive breast cancer model [methylnitrosourea (MNU)-induced ER+ mammary cancers] reduced cancer multiplicity by 60%. Finally, based on the hypothesis that Targretin may decrease the expression of COX‑2, the effects of Targretin and COX inhibitors were compared in these models. There was minimal overlap of efficacy. That is, models which were relatively susceptible to NSAIDs or COX-2 inhibitors tended not to be sensitive to Targretin and vice versa.
  Oncology Reports 05/2012; 27(5):1400-6. · 1.84 Impact Factor
• Article: Gene expression in extratumoral microenvironment predicts clinical outcome in breast cancer patients.

  Erick Román-Pérez, Patricia Casbas-Hernández, Jason R Pirone, Jessica Rein, Lisa A Carey, Ronald A Lubet, Sendurai A Mani, Keith D Amos, Melissa A Troester
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  ABSTRACT: A gene expression signature indicative of activated wound responses is common to more than 90% of non-neoplastic tissues adjacent to breast cancer, but these tissues also exhibit substantial heterogeneity. We hypothesized that gene expression subtypes of breast cancer microenvironment can be defined and that these microenvironment subtypes have clinical relevance. Gene expression was evaluated in 72 patient-derived breast tissue samples adjacent to invasive breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ. Unsupervised clustering identified two distinct gene expression subgroups that differed in expression of genes involved in activation of fibrosis, cellular movement, cell adhesion and cell-cell contact. We evaluated the prognostic relevance of extratumoral subtype (comparing the Active group, defined by high expression of fibrosis and cellular movement genes, to the Inactive group, defined by high expression of claudins and other cellular adhesion and cell-cell contact genes) using clinical data. To establish the biological characteristics of these subtypes, gene expression profiles were compared against published and novel tumor and tumor stroma-derived signatures (Twist-related protein 1 (TWIST1) overexpression, transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β)-induced fibroblast activation, breast fibrosis, claudin-low tumor subtype and estrogen response). Histological and immunohistochemical analyses of tissues representing each microenvironment subtype were performed to evaluate protein expression and compositional differences between microenvironment subtypes. Extratumoral Active versus Inactive subtypes were not significantly associated with overall survival among all patients (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.4, 95% CI 0.6 to 2.8, P = 0.337), but there was a strong association with overall survival among estrogen receptor (ER) positive patients (HR = 2.5, 95% CI 0.9 to 6.7, P = 0.062) and hormone-treated patients (HR = 2.6, 95% CI 1.0 to 7.0, P = 0.045). The Active subtype of breast microenvironment is correlated with TWIST-overexpression signatures and shares features of claudin-low breast cancers. The Active subtype was also associated with expression of TGF-β induced fibroblast activation signatures, but there was no significant association between Active/Inactive microenvironment and desmoid type fibrosis or estrogen response gene expression signatures. Consistent with the RNA expression profiles, Active cancer-adjacent tissues exhibited higher density of TWIST nuclear staining, predominantly in epithelium, and no evidence of increased fibrosis. These results document the presence of two distinct subtypes of microenvironment, with Active versus Inactive cancer-adjacent extratumoral microenvironment influencing the aggressiveness and outcome of ER-positive human breast cancers.
  Breast cancer research: BCR 03/2012; 14(2):R51. · 5.24 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: Qi Zhang

  Article: Aerosolized 3-bromopyruvate inhibits lung tumorigenesis without causing liver toxicity.

  Qi Zhang, Jing Pan, Paula E North, Shoua Yang, Ronald A Lubet, Yian Wang, Ming You
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  ABSTRACT: 3-Bromopyruvate, an alkylating agent and a well-known inhibitor of energy metabolism, has been proposed as a specific anticancer agent. However, the chemopreventive effect of 3-bromopyruvate in lung tumorigenesis has not been tested. In this study, we investigated the chemopreventive activity of 3-bromopyruvate in a mouse lung tumor model. Benzo(a)pyrene was used to induce lung tumors, and 3-bromopyruvate was administered by oral gavage to female A/J mice. We found that 3-bromopyruvate significantly decreased tumor multiplicity and tumor load by 58% and 83%, respectively, at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight by gavage. Due to the known liver toxicity of 3-bromopyruvate in animal models given large doses of 3-bromopyruvate, confirmed in this study, we decided to test the chemopreventive activity of aerosolized 3-bromopyruvate in the same lung tumor model. As expected, aerosolized 3-bromopyruvate similarly significantly decreased tumor multiplicity and tumor load by 49% and 80%, respectively, at a dose of 10 mg/mL by inhalation. Interestingly, the efficacy of aerosolized 3-bromopyruvate did not accompany any liver toxicity indicating that it is a safer route of administering this compound. Treatment with 3-bromopyruvate increased immunohistochemical staining for cleaved caspase-3, suggesting that the lung tumor inhibitory effects of 3-bromopyruvate were through induction of apoptosis. 3-Bromopyruvate also dissociated hexokinase II from mitochondria, reduced hexokinase activity, and blocked energy metabolism in cancer cells, finally triggered cancer cell death and induced apoptosis through caspase-3, and PARP in human lung cancer cell line. The ability of 3-bromopyruvate to inhibit mouse lung tumorigenesis, in part through induction of apoptosis, merits further investigation of this compound as a chemopreventive agent for human lung cancer.
  Cancer Prevention Research 03/2012; 5(5):717-25. · 4.91 Impact Factor
• Article: Modulation of gene expression and cell-cycle signaling pathways by the EGFR inhibitor gefitinib (Iressa) in rat urinary bladder cancer.

  Yan Lu, Pengyuan Liu, Francoise Van den Bergh, Victoria Zellmer, Michael James, Weidong Wen, Clinton J Grubbs, Ronald A Lubet, Ming You
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  ABSTRACT: The epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor Iressa has shown strong preventive efficacy in the N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)-nitrosamine (OH-BBN) model of bladder cancer in the rat. To explore its antitumor mechanism, we implemented a systems biology approach to characterize gene expression and signaling pathways in rat urinary bladder cancers treated with Iressa. Eleven bladder tumors from control rats, seven tumors from rats treated with Iressa, and seven normal bladder epithelia were profiled by the Affymetrix Rat Exon 1.0 ST Arrays. We identified 713 downregulated and 641 upregulated genes in comparing bladder tumors versus normal bladder epithelia. In addition, 178 genes were downregulated and 96 genes were upregulated when comparing control tumors versus Iressa-treated tumors. Two coexpression modules that were significantly correlated with tumor status and treatment status were identified [r = 0.70, P = 2.80 × 10(-15) (bladder tumor vs. normal bladder epithelium) and r = 0.63, P = 2.00 × 10(-42) (Iressa-treated tumor vs. control tumor), respectively]. Both tumor module and treatment module were enriched for genes involved in cell-cycle processes. Twenty-four and twenty-one highly connected hub genes likely to be key drivers in cell cycle were identified in the tumor module and treatment module, respectively. Analysis of microRNA genes on the array chips showed that tumor module and treatment module were significantly associated with expression levels of let-7c (r = 0.54, P = 3.70 × 10(-8) and r = 0.73, P = 1.50 × 10(-65), respectively). These results suggest that let-7c downregulation and its regulated cell-cycle pathway may play an integral role in governing bladder tumor suppression or collaborative oncogenesis and that Iressa exhibits its preventive efficacy on bladder tumorigenesis by upregulating let-7 and inhibiting the cell cycle. Cell culture study confirmed that the increased expression of let-7c decreases Iressa-treated bladder tumor cell growth. The identified hub genes may also serve as pharmacodynamic or efficacy biomarkers in clinical trials of chemoprevention in human bladder cancer.
  Cancer Prevention Research 02/2012; 5(2):248-59. · 4.91 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: PubMed Central

  Article: Prediction of molecular targets of cancer preventing flavonoid compounds using computational methods.

  Hanyong Chen, Ke Yao, Janos Nadas, Ann M Bode, Margarita Malakhova, Naomi Oi, Haitao Li, Ronald A Lubet, Zigang Dong
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  ABSTRACT: Plant-based polyphenols (i.e., phytochemicals) have been used as treatments for human ailments for centuries. The mechanisms of action of these plant-derived compounds are now a major area of investigation. Thousands of phytochemicals have been isolated, and a large number of them have shown protective activities or effects in different disease models. Using conventional approaches to select the best single or group of best chemicals for studying the effectiveness in treating or preventing disease is extremely challenging. We have developed and used computational-based methodologies that provide efficient and inexpensive tools to gain further understanding of the anticancer and therapeutic effects exerted by phytochemicals. Computational methods involving virtual screening, shape and pharmacophore analysis and molecular docking have been used to select chemicals that target a particular protein or enzyme and to determine potential protein targets for well-characterized as well as for novel phytochemicals.
  PLoS ONE 01/2012; 7(5):e38261. · 4.09 Impact Factor
• Article: Chemoprevention of mouse lung and colon tumors by suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid and atorvastatin.

  Michael A Pereira, Blake M Warner, Thomas J Knobloch, Christopher M Weghorst, Ronald A Lubet, Vernon E Steele, Bruce C Casto
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  ABSTRACT: Atorvastatin and suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) were evaluated for chemoprevention of mouse lung tumors. In Experiment 1, lung tumors were induced by vinyl carbamate in strain A/J mice followed by 500 mg/kg SAHA, 60 or 180 mg/kg atorvastatin, and combinations containing SAHA and atorvastatin administered in their diet. SAHA and both combinations, but not atorvastatin, decreased the multiplicity of lung tumors, including large adenomas and adenocarcinomas with the combinations demonstrating the greatest efficacy. In Experiment 2, lung tumors were induced by 4-(methylnitrosoamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol in strain A/J mice followed by 180 mg/kg atorvastatin, 500 mg/kg SAHA, or both drugs administered in the diet. SAHA and the combination of both drugs, but not atorvastatin alone, decreased the multiplicity of lung tumors and large tumors, with the combination demonstrating greater efficacy. In Experiment 3, lung tumors were induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine in Swiss-Webster mice followed by 160 mg/kg atorvastatin, 400 mg/kg SAHA, or a combination of both drugs administered in the diet. SAHA and the combination, but not atorvastatin, decreased the multiplicity of lung tumors with the combination demonstrating greater efficacy. The multiplicity of colon tumors was decreased by SAHA, atorvastatin, and the combination, without any significant difference in their efficacy. mRNA expression analysis of lung tumor bearing mice suggested that the enhanced chemopreventive activity of the combination is related to atorvastatin modulation of DNA repair, SAHA modulation of angiogenesis, and both drugs modulating invasion and metastasis pathways. Atorvastatin demonstrated chemoprevention activity as indicated by the enhancement of the efficacy of SAHA to prevent mouse lung tumors.
  International Journal of Cancer 12/2011; 131(6):1277-86. · 5.44 Impact Factor
• Article: Chemopreventive effect of a mixture of Chinese Herbs (antitumor B) on chemically induced oral carcinogenesis.

  Yian Wang, Ruisheng Yao, Song Gao, Weidong Wen, Yinqiu Du, Eva Szabo, Ming Hu, Ronald A Lubet, Ming You
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  ABSTRACT: In this study, we evaluated chemopreventive efficacy of Antitumor B, a Chinese herbal mixture of six plants (Sophora tonkinensis, Polygonum bistorta, Prunella vulgaris, Sonchus arvensis L., Dictamnus dasycarpus, and Dioscorea bulbifera) on the development of 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO) induced oral squamous cell carcinomas in A/J mice. Antitumor B, delivered through diet, inhibited 4NQO-induced oral cancer development by 59.19%. The reduction of cell proliferation appears to be associated with efficacy of Antitumor B against 4NQO-induced oral cancer in A/J mice. The expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and phosphorylated EGFR (Tyr1173) were down-regulated by Antitumor B. Tissue distribution of Antitumor B was determined using obacunone, matrine, and maackiain as marker chemicals. We found significant amounts of obacunone, matrine, and maackiain in the blood after 1-wk treatment. The concentrations of these three compounds did not increase further at 18 wk, suggesting that plasma concentrations had reached a steady-state level at 1 wk. There was no significant body weight loss and there was no other obvious sign of toxicity in Antitumor B-treated mice. These results suggest that Antitumor B is a promising agent for human oral cancer chemoprevention. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
  Molecular Carcinogenesis 11/2011; · 3.16 Impact Factor
• Article: Quercetin-3-methyl ether inhibits lapatinib-sensitive and -resistant breast cancer cell growth by inducing G(2) /M arrest and apoptosis.

  Jixia Li, Feng Zhu, Ronald A Lubet, Antonella De Luca, Clinton Grubbs, Marna E Ericson, Amelia D'Alessio, Nicola Normanno, Zigang Dong, Ann M Bode
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  ABSTRACT: Lapatinib, an oral, small-molecule, reversible inhibitor of both EGFR and HER2, is highly active in HER2 positive breast cancer as a single agent and in combination with other therapeutics. However, resistance against lapatinib is an unresolved problem in clinical oncology. Recently, interest in the use of natural compounds to prevent or treat cancers has gained increasing interest because of presumed low toxicity. Quercetin-3-methyl ether, a naturally occurring compound present in various plants, has potent anticancer activity. Here, we found that quercetin-3-methyl ether caused a significant growth inhibition of lapatinib-sensitive and -resistant breast cancer cells. Western blot data showed that quercetin-3-methyl ether had no effect on Akt or ERKs signaling in resistant cells. However, quercetin-3-methyl ether caused a pronounced G(2) /M block mainly through the Chk1-Cdc25c-cyclin B1/Cdk1 pathway in lapatinib-sensitive and -resistant cells. In contrast, lapatinib produced an accumulation of cells in the G(1) phase mediated through cyclin D1, but only in lapatinib-sensitive cells. Moreover, quercetin-3-methyl ether induced significant apoptosis, accompanied with increased levels of cleaved caspase 3, caspase 7, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in both cell lines. Overall, these results suggested that quercetin-3-methyl ether might be a novel and promising therapeutic agent in lapatinib-sensitive or -resistant breast cancer patients. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
  Molecular Carcinogenesis 11/2011; · 3.16 Impact Factor
• Article: Discovery of novel checkpoint kinase 1 inhibitors by virtual screening based on multiple crystal structures.

  Yan Li, Dong Joon Kim, Weiya Ma, Ronald A Lubet, Ann M Bode, Zigang Dong
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  ABSTRACT: Incorporating receptor flexibility is considered crucial for improvement of docking-based virtual screening. With an abundance of crystallographic structures freely available, docking with multiple crystal structures is believed to be a practical approach to cope with protein flexibility. Here we describe a successful application of the docking of multiple structures to discover novel and potent Chk1 inhibitors. Forty-six Chk1 structures were first compared in single structure docking by predicting the binding mode and recovering known ligands. Combinations of different protein structures were then compared by recovery of known ligands and an optimal ensemble of Chk1 structures were selected. The chosen structures were used in the virtual screening of over 60 000 diverse compounds for Chk1 inhibitors. Six novel compounds ranked at the top of the hits list were tested experimentally, and two of these compounds inhibited Chk1 activity-the best with an IC(50) value of 9.6 μM. Further study indicated that achieving a better enrichment and identifying more diverse compounds was more likely using multiple structures than using only a single structure even when protein structures were randomly selected. Taking into account conformational energy difference did not help to improve enrichment in the top ranked list.
  Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling 09/2011; 51(11):2904-14. · 4.68 Impact Factor
• Article: (3-Chloroacetyl)-indole, a novel allosteric AKT inhibitor, suppresses colon cancer growth in vitro and in vivo.

  Dong Joon Kim, Kanamata Reddy, Myoung Ok Kim, Yan Li, Janos Nadas, Yong-Yeon Cho, Jong-Eun Kim, Jung-Hyun Shim, Nu Ry Song, Andria Carper, Ronald A Lubet, Ann M Bode, Zigang Dong
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  ABSTRACT: Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) is produced in Brassica vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage and has been shown to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in various cancer cells, including breast, prostate, colon, and leukemia. However, only high doses of I3C were shown to inhibit cell proliferation (IC(50) = 200-300 μmol/L). Our goal here was to develop a more potent antitumor agent by modifying the structure of I3C. We created I3C derivatives and found that (3-chloroacetyl)-indole (3CAI) more strongly inhibited colon cancer cell growth than I3C. In addition, by screening 85 kinases in a competitive kinase assay, we found that 3CAI was a specific AKT inhibitor. AKT is a serine/threonine kinase that plays a pivotal role in promoting transformation and chemoresistance by inducing proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis. Therefore, AKT is regarded as a critical target for cancer therapy. 3ICA, a derivative of I3C, is a potent and specific AKT inhibitor. This compound showed significant inhibition of AKT in an in vitro kinase assay and suppressed expression of AKT direct downstream targets such as mTOR and GSK3β as well as induced growth inhibition and apoptosis in colon cancer cells. In addition, oral administration of this potent AKT inhibitor suppressed cancer cell growth in an in vivo xenograft mouse model.
  Cancer Prevention Research 09/2011; 4(11):1842-51. · 4.91 Impact Factor
• Article: Lapatinib, a preventive/therapeutic agent against mammary cancer, suppresses RTK-mediated signaling through multiple signaling pathways.

  Jixia Li, Yeon-Yong Cho, Alyssa Langfald, Andria Carper, Ronald A Lubet, Clinton J Grubbs, Marna E Ericson, Ann M Bode
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  ABSTRACT: Activation of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) plays a key role in the prognosis of mammary cancer. Lapatinib is a small molecule dual RTK inhibitor that targets epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Identifying the protein targets involved in the effects of lapatinib and other RTK inhibitors might help determine why preventive efficacy varies. In this study, female Sprague-Dawley rats were given methylnitrosourea (MNU) by intravenous injection resulting in the development of multiple estrogen receptor-positive tumors. Treatment with lapatinib beginning 5 days after MNU was highly effective in preventing cancer development. In addition, we treated rats with palpable mammary tumors with lapatinib daily. In these tumor-bearing animals, treatment continued for 42 days and therapeutic results were obtained. Some rats bearing cancers were treated for 5 days, and the resulting lesions were examined for biomarker modulation. Lapatinib effectively suppressed the abundance of HER2, phosphorylated HER2 (Tyr1221/1222), and phosphorylated EGFR (Tyr1173, Tyr1110) compared with tumors from untreated rats. Protein array analyses allowed parallel determination of the effect of lapatinib on the relative levels of protein phosphorylation and proteins associated with apoptosis. These results combined with immunoreactivity data indicated that, in addition to EGFR and HER2, lapatinib treatment was associated with changes in a number of other signaling molecules, including IGF-1R, Akt, and downstream targets such as GSK3, p27, p53, and cyclin D1 presumably leading to impaired proliferation, apoptosis, or cell-cycle arrest.
  Cancer Prevention Research 08/2011; 4(8):1190-7. · 4.91 Impact Factor
• Article: Coxibs and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in animal models of cancer chemoprevention.

  Susan M Fischer, Ernest T Hawk, Ronald A Lubet
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  ABSTRACT: Coxibs, including celecoxib, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), including aspirin, are among the most promising cancer chemopreventive agents in development today. This article examines the data on the efficacy of these agents in animal model studies of cancer prevention carried out by the authors. The studies evaluated here are restricted to our rodent models of colon/intestinal, bladder, and nonmelanoma skin cancer, in which celecoxib and other NSAIDs were administered as either cancer preventive or therapeutic agents. These studies may shed light on several questions. Is celecoxib unique compared with other NSAIDs, and if so, what implications would this have for human use? Are standard NSAIDs (which inhibit both COX-1 and COX-2) as effective as celecoxib in animal studies? Is the efficacy of celecoxib in particular or NSAIDs in general due to their off-target effects or to their effects on COX-1 and COX-2? What is the likely efficacy of low-dose aspirin? Some questions raised by human trials and epidemiology are discussed and related to our observations in animal model studies. We also discuss the problem of cardiovascular (CV) events associated with coxibs and certain other NSAIDs and whether results in animal models are predictive of efficacy in humans. On the basis of epidemiologic studies and its CV profile, aspirin seems to be the most promising NSAID for preventing human colorectal, bladder, and skin cancer, although the animal data for aspirin are less clear. A comprehensive understanding of the results of coxibs and other NSAIDs in animal studies may help inform and shape human trials of these commonly employed, relatively inexpensive, and highly effective compounds.
  Cancer Prevention Research 07/2011; 4(11):1728-35. · 4.91 Impact Factor
• Article: Effects of 5,6-benzoflavone, indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and diindolylmethane (DIM) on chemically-induced mammary carcinogenesis: is DIM a substitute for I3C?

  Ronald A Lubet, Brandy M Heckman, Silvio L De Flora, Vernon E Steele, James A Crowell, M Margaret Juliana, Clinton J Grubbs
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  ABSTRACT: The abilities of 5,6-benzoflavone (5,6-BF, a synthetic flavonoid), indole-3-carbinol (I3C, a plant derived product) or diindolylmethane (DIM, a condensation product of I3C) to alter the induction of mammary cancers induced by the carcinogens 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA) or N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) were evaluated. Interestingly, the first two agents act as aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists, while DIM does not. The agents were initially examined for their ability to inhibit DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis. Agents were administered for 14 days starting 7 days prior to a single dose of the carcinogen. Evaluated over an extensive range of doses (165, 550 and 1650 ppm in the diet), 5,6-BF caused a dose-dependent decrease of mammary cancers. In addition, 5,6-BF at doses of 1650 and 165 ppm in the diet blocked the induction of DMBA-induced DNA adducts in the mammary gland by approximately 85% and 45%, respectively. In contrast, DIM (180 or 20 mg/kg BW/day) failed to block induction of DMBA tumors. The effect of these agents on the promotion/progression phase of carcinogenesis using the MNU mammary cancer model was also determined. 5,6-BF (1650 or 165 ppm in the diet), I3C (180 or 60 mg/kg BW/day administered by gavage), or DIM (180 or 60 mg/kg BW/day by gavage) were initiated 5 days after the administration of MNU, and continually thereafter. 5,6-BF decreased MNU- induced mammary tumor multiplicity by 40-60%. I3C reduced tumor multiplicity at the high dose, while DIM at either dose had minimal effects on tumor multiplicity. Thus, 5,6-BF and I3C were highly effective against initiation of DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis, and were also effective against MNU-induced tumors during the promotion/progression phase of carcinogenesis. In contrast, DIM had minimal effects in either model; arguing that administration of DIM is not analogous to administration of I3C.
  Oncology Reports 05/2011; 26(3):731-6. · 1.84 Impact Factor
• Article: Efficacy of the EGFr inhibitor Iressa on development of chemically-induced urinary bladder cancers: dose dependency and modulation of biomarkers.

  Ronald A Lubet, Yan Lu, Ann M Bode, Ming You, Zoe M Verney, Vernon E Steele, Reid Townsend, M Margaret Juliana, Clinton J Grubbs
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  ABSTRACT: The effects of the EGFr inhibitor Iressa on development of urinary bladder cancers induced by hydroxybutyl(butyl)nitrosamine (OH-BBN) in rats were examined. Iressa treatment (4.5 or 1.5 mg/kg BW/day) beginning one week after the last dose of OH-BBN decreased the occurrence of large (>200 mg) bladder cancers at termination of the study by 75 and 52%, respectively. Treatment with Iressa (10 mg/kg BW/day) beginning one week or three months (delayed initiation) after the last dose of OH-BBN also significantly increased tumor latency and decreased the incidence of palpable bladder cancers. In the delayed initiation study, microscopic cancers already existed when treatment was initiated; implying that the effects of Iressa occur late in tumor progression. Potential pharmacodynamics and/or efficacy biomarkers modulated by short-term exposure (5 day) to Iressa (10 mg/kg BW/day) were determined in palpable bladder lesions by using three different approaches: i) direct immunohistochemical examination of EGFr related proteins; which showed that phosphorylated EGFr, AKT and ERK were significantly decreased; ii) measurement of protein expression by two dimensional gel electrophoresis and tandem mass spectrometry. This showed that the Annexin A2, MAP kinase kinase and nucleolin (all proteins associated with the VEGF pathway) were decreased in treated tumors; and iii) measurement of gene expression determined in gene microarrays demonstrated that numerous pathways were markedly altered by Iressa treatment. In particular, cell cycle genes related to the anaphase protein complex (APC) pathway, including CDC 20, cyclin B1, BUB1 and both of the Aurora kinases, were significantly decreased.
  Oncology Reports 03/2011; 25(5):1389-97. · 1.84 Impact Factor