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Modulation of autophagy by sorafenib: effects on treatment response

Abstract

The multikinase inhibitor sorafenib is, at present, the only drug approved for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most lethal types of cancer worldwide. However, the increase in the number of sorafenib tumor resistant cells reduces efficiency. A better knowledge of the intracellular mechanism of the drug leading to reduced cell survival could help to improve the benefits of sorafenib therapy. Autophagy is a bulk cellular degradation process activated in a broad range of stress situations, which allows cells to degrade misfolded proteins or dysfunctional organelles. This cellular route can induce survival or death, depending on cell status and media signals. Sorafenib, alone or in combination with other drugs is able to induce autophagy, but cell response to the drug depends on the complex integrative crosstalk of different intracellular signals. In cancerous cells, autophagy can be regulated by different cellular pathways (Akt-related mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibition, 5′ AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) induction, dissociation of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family proteins from Beclin-1), or effects of some miRNAs. Inhibition of mTOR signaling by sorafenib and diminished interaction between Beclin-1 and myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl-1) have been related to induction of autophagy in HCC. Furthermore, changes in some miRNAs, such as miR-30α, are able to modulate autophagy and modify sensitivity in sorafenib-resistant cells. However, although AMPK phosphorylation by sorafenib seems to play a role in the antiproliferative action of the drug, it does not relate with modulation of autophagy. In this review, we present an updated overview of the effects of sorafenib on autophagy and its related activation pathways, analyzing in detail the involvement of autophagy on sorafenib sensitivity and resistance.

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Modulation of autophagy by sorafenib: effects on treatment response

Author: Prieto-Domínguez, Nestor; Ordóñez, Raquel; Fernández, Anna; García-Palomo, Andres; Muntané Relat, Jordi; González-Gallego, Javier; Mauriz, José L.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Year: 2016
DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2016.00151
Source: https://idus.us.es/bitstreams/6a4bc7b1-cfbc-4157-92f5-0db92fb0b871/download
REVIEW
published: 08 June 2016
doi: 10.3389/ pha .2016.00151
F on ie s in Pha macology | www. on ie sin.o g 1June 2016 | Volume 7 | A icle 151
Edi ed by:
F ancois X. Cla e ,
The Uni e si y o Texas MD Ande son
Cance Cen e , USA
Re iewed by:
Amedeo Columbano,
Uni e si y o Caglia i, I aly
Nelson Shu-Sang Yee,
Penn S a e Mil on S. He shey Medical
Cen e , USA
Jae-Sung Kim,
Uni e si y o Flo ida, USA
*Co espondence:
José L. Mau iz
[email p o ec ed]
Special y sec ion:
This a icle was submi ed o
Cance Molecula Ta ge s and
The apeu ics,
a sec ion o he jou nal
F on ie s in Pha macology
Recei ed: 14 Ma ch 2016
Accep ed: 26 May 2016
Published: 08 June 2016
Ci a ion:
P ie o-Domínguez N, O dóñez R,
Fe nández A, Ga cía-Palomo A,
Mun ané J, González-Gallego J and
Mau iz JL (2016) Modula ion o
Au ophagy by So a enib: E ec s on
T ea men Response.
F on . Pha macol. 7:151.
doi: 10.3389/ pha .2016.00151
Modula ion o Au ophagy by
So a enib: E ec s on T ea men
Response
Nes o P ie o-Domínguez1, 2, Raquel O dóñez1, 2, Anna Fe nández1, 2,
And es Ga cía-Palomo3, Jo di Mun ané1, 4, Ja ie González-Gallego1, 2 and
José L. Mau iz1, 2*
1Cen o de In es igación Biomédica en Red de En e medades Hepá icas y Diges i as (CIBERehd), León, Spain, 2Ins i u e o
Biomedicine (IBIOMED), Uni e si y o León, León, Spain, 3Se ice o Clinical Oncology, Complejo Asis encial Uni e si a io de
León (Hospi al o León), León, Spain, 4Depa men o Gene al Su ge y, “Vi gen del Rocío”-“Vi gen Maca ena” Uni e si y
Hospi al/IBiS/CSIC/Uni e sidad de Se illa, Spain
The mul ikinase inhibi o so a enib is, a p esen , he only d ug app o ed o he ea men
o hepa ocellula ca cinoma (HCC), one o he mos le hal ypes o cance wo ldwide.
Howe e , he inc ease in he numbe o so a enib umo esis an cells educes e iciency.
A be e knowledge o he in acellula mechanism o he d ug leading o educed cell
su i al could help o imp o e he bene i s o so a enib he apy. Au ophagy is a bulk
cellula deg ada ion p ocess ac i a ed in a b oad ange o s ess si ua ions, which allows
cells o deg ade mis olded p o eins o dys unc ional o ganelles. This cellula ou e can
induce su i al o dea h, depending on cell s a us and media signals. So a enib, alone
o in combina ion wi h o he d ugs is able o induce au ophagy, bu cell esponse o he
d ug depends on he complex in eg a i e c oss alk o di e en in acellula signals. In
cance ous cells, au ophagy can be egula ed by di e en cellula pa hways (Ak - ela ed
mammalian a ge o apamycin (mTOR) inhibi ion, 5′AMP-ac i a ed p o ein kinase
(AMPK) induc ion, dissocia ion o B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) amily p o eins om Beclin-
1), o e ec s o some miRNAs. Inhibi ion o mTOR signaling by so a enib and diminished
in e ac ion be ween Beclin-1 and myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl-1) ha e been ela ed
o induc ion o au ophagy in HCC. Fu he mo e, changes in some miRNAs, such as
miR-30α, a e able o modula e au ophagy and modi y sensi i i y in so a enib- esis an
cells. Howe e , al hough AMPK phospho yla ion by so a enib seems o play a ole in he
an ip oli e a i e ac ion o he d ug, i does no ela e wi h modula ion o au ophagy. In
his e iew, we p esen an upda ed o e iew o he e ec s o so a enib on au ophagy
and i s ela ed ac i a ion pa hways, analyzing in de ail he in ol emen o au ophagy on
so a enib sensi i i y and esis ance.
Keywo ds: so a enib, au ophagy, hepa ocellula ca cinoma, cance he apeu ic, dug esis ance
INTRODUCTION
Hepa ocellula ca cinoma (HCC) is he mos common ype o li e cance and he second mos
equen cause o cance - ela ed dea h wo ldwide (Fe lay e al., 2015; To e e al., 2015). The
s aging and ecommended ea men o pa ien s wi h HCC is ela ed o he li e unc ion, size and
numbe o nodules, gene al s a us o he pa ien , ascula in asion, and he p esence o ex ahepa ic
P ie o-Domínguez e al. So a enib and Au ophagy
me as asis. Cu a i e ea men s such as su gical esec ion, li e
ansplan a ion, and adio equency abla ion may be use ul
in he ea ly s ages o he disease. Howe e , only pallia i e
ea men s a e a ailable in ad anced s ages, in which di e en
chemo he apeu ics ha e been assayed wi h a iable e ec i eness
(Rossi e al., 2010; Fo ne e al., 2012). The de elopmen o
new diagnos ic me hods which can de ec small li e umo s is
essen ial o allow mo e agg essi e in e en ions and o imp o e
pa ien su i al a es (Gonzalez, 2014).
So a enib (BAY 43-9006, Nexa a R
), which was de eloped
in 1995 (Gau hie and Ho, 2013), is he only chemo he apeu ic
d ug which has demons a ed o imp o e su i al a e in
pa ien s wi h HCC (Llo e e al., 2008; Abdel-Rahman and
Fouad, 2014). Recen s udies ha e also p o en ha so a enib
has he apeu ic e ec s in o he cance ypes, such as hy oid
cance , acu e myeloid leukemia, ad anced enal cell ca cinoma
o p os a e cance (Escudie e al., 2007; Gollob e al., 2007;
Chi e al., 2008; An a e al., 2014; Luo e al., 2014; Alonso-
Go doa e al., 2015; Yamamo o e al., 2015). So a enib a ge s
he RAF se ine/ h eonine kinases, a amily o h ee membe s
(A-RAF, B-RAF, and C-RAF/Ra -1) ha play a key ole in
he ansduc ion o mi ogenic and oncogenic signals h ough
he Ra /Mi ogen-ac i a ed p o ein (MAP)/ex acellula signal-
egula ed kinase (ERK) kinase (MEK)/ERK signaling pa hway,
esul ing in a lowe cyclin D1 exp ession and in cell cycle
a es (Wellb ock e al., 2004; Adnane e al., 2006; Liu e al.,
2006). So a enib also po en ly inhibi s y osine kinase ecep o s
such as ascula endo helial g ow h ac o ecep o (VEGFR) 2,
VEGFR 3, pla ele -de i ed g ow h ac o ecep o -β(PDGFR-
β), Fl 3, and c-Ki , which p omo e angiogenesis (Wilhelm
e al., 2004, 2008; Ce ello e al., 2012). The ep ession
blocks a b oad spec um o di e en p ocesses in ol ed in
p oli e a ion, angiogenesis o apop osis, causing a educ ion in
blood essel a ea in he umo and s a ing cance ous cells (E be
e al., 2004; Gau hie and Ho, 2013). Fu he mo e, so a enib
enhances TRAIL-induced cell dea h h ough SH2 domain-
con aining y osine phospha ase (SHP-1)-dependen educ ion
o signal ansduce s and ac i a o s o ansc ip ion ype 3
(STAT3) phospho yla ion (Ty 705STAT3) and ela ed p o eins
Mcl-1 (myeloid cell leukemia 1), su i in, and cyclin D1 in
hepa oma cells (Chen e al., 2010). So a enib is also able o ep ess
Mcl-1 ac i i y h ough a MAPK-independen mechanism, which
inc eases he apop osis in insic pa hway in umo cells (Yu e al.,
2005; Uli i e al., 2009). Mo eo e , ecen s udies ha e claimed
ha eIF4E (euka yo ic ansla ion ini ia ion ac o 4E) migh be
implica ed in so a enib-dependen Mcl-1 inhibi ion (Rahmani
e al., 2005).
Nowadays, so a enib is he only Food and D ug
Adminis a ion (FDA)-app o ed HCC sys emic he apy,
expanding pa ien mean su i al om 7.9 o 10.7 mon hs (Llo e
e al., 2008; Guan and He, 2011). Despi e ini ial esponse, mos
pa ien s de elop disease p og ession p obably as a consequence
o umo esis an cells which do no espond o his molecule,
mainly due o up egula ion o some su i al pa hways which
may co e up he dea h signals induced by so a enib. The e o e, a
be e knowledge o hose cellula ou es is equi ed o o e come
unwan ed umo esis ance and consequen ly imp o e he
bene icial e ec s o so a enib he apy (Knie el e al., 2014; Sakai
e al., 2015; Togashi and Nishio, 2015).
Mac oau ophagy (he ea e e e ed o as au ophagy) is a
bulk deg ada ion sys em which ecycles un olded, damaged,
o useless cellula componen s, like p o eins o o ganelles, o
he main enance o cellula homeos asis in o de o p omo e
adap a ion and cell su i al (San-Miguel e al., 2014, 2015;
Vallejo e al., 2014). Howe e , excessi ely s imula ion may lead
o p og ammed cell dea h ins ead o su i al (Tsujimo o and
Shimizu, 2005). In ac , i s de egula ion has been associa ed
wi h some diseases such as neu odegene a i e diso de s, diabe es,
cys ic ib osis, C ohn’s disease, di e se myopa hies, hepa i is,
α-1 ypsin de iciency, ca diac hype ophy, and umo igenesis
(Mizushima and Koma su, 2011). Au ophagy is ini ia ed wi h he
o ma ion o a small memb anous esicle named phagopho e
ha elonga es and engul s a speci ic o unspeci ic po ion o
he cy oplasm, o ming a doubled-memb anous s uc u e named
au ophagosome. A e wa ds, his o ganelle uses wi h a lysosome
and o ms a combined esicle o au ophagolysosome, leading
o he deg ada ion o he inne ma e ial by lysosomal enzymes,
eleasing subs ances ha become a disposal o he syn hesis o
newly mac omolecules o ma ion o ene gy p oduc ion (Tanida,
2011).
Au ophagic p ocess in ol es a highly conse ed g oup
o mac omolecules which we e disco e ed in yeas s and
named as au ophagy- ela ed genes (A g) (Tanida, 2011). In
mammals, i e g oups o p o eins a e in ol e in au ophagosome
o ma ion (Tanida, 2011). The i s is ULK1 (unc-51-like kinase)
complex, whose unc ions a e he ec ui men o dis inc A g
componen s and he main enance o phagopho e in eg i y
(Mizushima, 2010). Nex , Beclin1-Vps34 ( acuola p o ein
so ing 34) complex allows memb ane nuclea ion wi h o ma ion
o PI3P (phospha idylinosi ol 3-phospha e) (Yuan e al., 2013).
A e wa ds, A g9 and WIPI-1 (WD- epea p o ein in e ac ing
wi h phosphoinosi ides) sys em b ings o phagopho e some
lipids and p o eins which a e necessa y o i s elonga ion
(O si e al., 2010). Finally, wo ubiqui in-like sys ems, A g5-
A g12-A g16L and LC3 (mic o ubule-associa ed p o ein 1 ligh
chain 3), ha conjuga ing wi h PE (phospha idyle hanolamine)
cons i u es LC3-II ( an de Veen and Ploegh, 2012), a e bo h
equi ed o au ophagosome o ma ion. The i s sys em plays
an impo an ole in he ac i a ion o he second one, and
LC3 p o ein is implica ed in he elonga ion o au ophagosome
memb ane and in i s closu e (Sou e al., 2008).
The e a e a ious ex acellula s imuli, such as nu ien
dep i a ion, g ow h ac o wi hd awal o hypoxia, which ha e
he abili y o induce au ophagy (He and Klionsky, 2009). S ess
si ua ions, such as eac i e oxygen species (ROS) accumula ion
o endoplasmic e iculum (ER) s ess can also modi y his
cellula p ocess (He and Klionsky, 2009). The mos impo an
pa hways in ol ed in au ophagy modula ion a e mTORC1
(mammalian a ge o apamycin complex 1) and AMPK (5′
AMP-ac i a ed p o ein kinase). The i s one abolishes au ophagy
in p esence o nu ien s o g ow h ac o s, h ough ULK1
complex inhibi ion, while he second one p omo es au ophagy
when cellula ene ge ic s a us is low (Sengup a e al., 2010;
Manwani and McCullough, 2013). On he o he hand, some
F on ie s in Pha macology | www. on ie sin.o g 2June 2016 | Volume 7 | A icle 151
P ie o-Domínguez e al. So a enib and Au ophagy
sphingolipids a e also able o igge au ophagy (Li e al., 2014;
O doñez e al., 2015). Speci ically, ce amide induces au ophagy-
associa ed cell dea h, whe eas sphingosine-1-phospha e induces
au ophagy-associa ed su i al (Li e al., 2014). The in e ac ion
be ween Beclin-1 and Bcl-2 p o ein amily, as well as he pos -
ansc ip ional egula ion by miRNAs ha e been ela ed o
egula ion o au ophagy (Zhou e al., 2011; Sui e al., 2015).
Au ophagy ac s as a double-edged swo d in cance cells
because emo es newly mu a ed cells and damaged mi ochond ia
in he ea ly s age o he disease, bu induces su i al in
hypoxia and ischemia condi ions, as well as p omo es esis ance
agains some chemo he apeu ic d ugs and umo p og ession
a he la e phases (Eskelinen, 2011; Choi, 2012). In animal
models o hepa oca cinogenesis i has been desc ibed ha
au ophagy could play a p o ec ing ole du ing dysplas ic phase
in no mal hepa ocy es, bu p omo es umo cells g ow h du ing
he umo - o ming s age (Sun e al., 2013). Those appa en ly
con o e sial esul s can be ela ed wi h he abili y o au ophagy
o educe oxida i e s ess and main ain heal hy mi ochond ia
p e en ing he ini ia ion o hepa oca cinogenesis, while i blocks
he exp ession o p53 and o he umo supp esso s du ing
la e phases o p omo e he de elopmen o HCC (Tian e al.,
2015). Fu he mo e, some d ugs used in cance ea men induce
au ophagy- ela ed cell dea h in cance cells (Sca la i e al., 2004).
Thus, i is in e es ing o e iew he e ec s o his an i umo agen
on he au ophagy p ocess in HCC cells, and he in luence o
au ophagy on so a enib- ela ed cell esis ance gene a ion (Liu
e al., 2016). A be e knowledge o he so a enib au ophagy-
ela ed mechanisms could con ibu e o imp o e i s he apeu ic
e iciency, inc easing cance pa ien su i al a es.
AUTOPHAGY INDUCTION BY SORAFENIB
Au ophagy is usually de egula ed in umo cells whe eas has
been ela ed o cell su i al and d ug esis ance. So a enib and
o he chemo he apeu ic d ugs ha e been shown o modula e
au ophagy in di e en in i o and in i o expe imen al models
(Gau hie and Ho, 2013). So a enib egula es au ophagy in
a ious hepa ocellula cell lines (Table 1). In pa icula , di e en
s udies ha e shown he p esence o acid esicles which a e ypical
ea u es o au ophagosomes in so a enib- ea ed cells (Table 1;
Pa k e al., 2008; Chiou e al., 2010; Shi e al., 2011; Shimizu
e al., 2012; Eum e al., 2013; Honma and Ha ada, 2013; Tai
e al., 2013; Fische e al., 2014; S iuso e al., 2015). Mo eo e ,
so a enib can also p omo e LC3 lipida ion, an ob ious sign o
au ophagy induc ion (Tai e al., 2013; Yuan e al., 2014; Zhai
e al., 2014). Fo example, i has been obse ed ha LC3-II
o ma ion by so a enib is dose-dependen and ime-dependen
in HepG2, MHCC97-L, Huh7, HLF, and PLC/PRF/5 HCC cells
(Shi e al., 2011; Shimizu e al., 2012). In addi ion, so a enib
modula es he exp ession o mul iple au ophagy ma ke s. Thus,
he d ug s imula es Beclin1, A g5, and A g12 exp ession in
HCC cells in i o (Yuan e al., 2014), Beclin-1 exp ession is
inc eased by so a enib in a ime-dependen ashion in Hep3B
cells (Ca e al., 2013), so a enib can mildly induce Beclin1
and A g-5 exp ession whe eas dec eases p62 exp ession in a
signi ican manne in PLC-5 cells (Tai e al., 2013), o inc eases
A g5, Vps34 and Beclin-1, dec eases p62 and does no a ec
UVRAG exp ession in Huh7 and HepG2 cells (Zhai e al., 2014).
Mo eo e , au ophagy induced by so a enib eaches he lysosome
deg ada o y phase, as demons a ed by using a mRFP-GFP-
LC3 combined luo escen - ag (Shimizu e al., 2012). Se e al
disc epancies in au ophagy induc ion ha e been also obse ed
in so a enib- ea ed HCC cells (Chiou e al., 2010; Fische
e al., 2014). This appa en ly pa adoxical disc epancy and o he s,
abou he e ec s o so a enib in he au ophagic mechanisms,
a e included in he Table 2. So a enib also egula ed au ophagy
in non HCC cance cells (Table 3) such as mac ophages,
os eosa coma, mul iple myeloma, colo ec al ca cinoma cells,
p os a e, mamma y, hy oid, and enal cance cells, (Walke
e al., 2009; Ullen e al., 2010; Ba e o d e al., 2011a,b; P is e e
e al., 2011; Kha aziha e al., 2012, 2013; Lin e al., 2013; Zheng
e al., 2015) h ough di e en pa hways which a e summa ized in
he Table 3.
Some s udies connec so a enib adminis a ion and au ophagy
modula ion in expe imen al HCC models in i o (Tables 1, 3).
In all esea ch done un il now, so a enib can inc ease
au ophagosome o ma ion and modi y au ophagy ma ke s
exp ession in a simila way o models in i o (Shi e al., 2011;
Shimizu e al., 2012; Tai e al., 2013). The only s udy analyzing
he po en ial link be ween so a enib and au ophagy in pa ien s
has been pe o med in e ac o y o elapsed lymphop oli e a i e
disease, demons a ing ha LC3-II base le els a e lowe in non-
esponsible pa ien s compa ed o esponde s, and ha pa ien s
who espond o so a enib show a highe educ ion o LC3
exp ession a e 1 mon h o ea men (Guide i e al., 2012).
Rego a enib, a s uc u al analog o so a enib, induces
au ophagosome o ma ion in HCC cells simila ly han so a enib
(Ca e al., 2013; Ta allai e al., 2015). In ano he s udy, wo
di e en so a enib analogs, -MTUCB and AUCMB, caused
au ophagosome o ma ion and LC3 lipida ion in a ious HCC
cell lines (Wecksle e al., 2014). Finally, sc-59, a kinase-
independen de i a e o so a enib showed a highe au ophagy
induc ion cha ac e ized by an inc eased abili y o induce LC3-
lipida ion and acid esicles o ma ion (Tai e al., 2013).
Some wo ks ha e es ablished ha so a enib induces
au ophagy as a cellula su i al mechanism in HCC because
when his pa hway is ep essed by a chemical d ug (like
chlo oquine o ba ilomycin A1) o by a small in e e ing RNA
(siRNA) agains Beclin-1 o A g5, so a enib kills mo e cance ous
cells and i s an ip oli e a i e abili y imp o es, which means ha
au ophagy induced by ha an i umo agen wo ks as a p o ec i e
pa hway (Pa k e al., 2010; Yuan e al., 2014). Mo eo e , simila
e ec s ha e been also desc ibed in o he non HCC cance cells
(Tables 1, 3;Ma in e al., 2009; Walke e al., 2009; Kha aziha
e al., 2012; Zheng e al., 2015). Howe e , o he s udies ha e
obse ed opposi e esul s in HCC (Tables 1, 3;Eum e al.,
2013; Tai e al., 2013; Ta allai e al., 2015) and non-HCC cells
(Lian e al., 2012; Lin e al., 2012). Tumo cell esis ance o
so a enib can also be ela ed o swi ch om au ophagy- ela ed
dea h o au ophagy- ela ed HCC cell su i al (Zhai e al., 2014).
Mo eo e , ano he di e en way o gene a e so a enib esis ance
consis s in he abolishmen o au ophagy induc ion. In ac ,
F on ie s in Pha macology | www. on ie sin.o g 3June 2016 | Volume 7 | A icle 151
P ie o-Domínguez e al. So a enib and Au ophagy
TABLE 1 | E ec o so a enib on au ophagy ma ke s in HCC in i o o in i o models.
Re e ences Model E ec s on au ophagy
ma ke s
Global e ec s Role o au ophagy
Ca e al., 2013 Rego a enib in Hep3B,
PLC/PRF/5, HepG2
↑LC3-II
↑Beclin-1
Inc ease apop osis on umo cells (i
inc eases caspase 3, 8, and 9 ac i i y, Bax
exp ession, and dec eases Bcl-2 p o ein
le els)
No assessed
Eum e al., 2013 Mul id ug- esis an Ras-NIH
3T3/Md cells
↑LC3-posi i e esicles So a enib aises HCC cell dea h h ough
he ac i a ion o au ophagy pa hway and
he inhibi ion o mTOR ac i i y
Cell dea h
Fische e al., 2014 Hep3B, HuH7 ↑LC3 lipida ion only in HuH7, bu
wi h no e ec s in Hep3B cells
Those cell lines ha e di e en au ophagy
esponsi eness o so a enib and ha
migh be linked o gene a ion o so a enib
esis an cells
No assessed
Shi e al., 2011 MHCC97-L, PLC/PRF/5, HepG2 ↑Au ophagosome o ma ion
↑LC3 lipida ion
↑A g5
IRE-1αsignaling pa hway o ER s ess is
necessa y o au ophagy induc ion by
so a enib
Cell su i al
Shi e al., 2011 Nude mice o o hopically
implan ed wi h MHCC97-L
↑CHOP Au ophagy inhibi ion dec ease umo
olume in so a enib and so a enib +
clo oquine ea ed mice
Cell su i al
Shimizu e al., 2012 HuH7, HLF, PLC/PRF/5 ↑LC3 lipida ion
↓p62
↑Au ophagosome o ma ion
=A g5 and Beclin-1
Inhibi ion o au ophagy inc eases cell
sensi i i y o so a enib
Cell su i al
Shimizu e al., 2012 Xenog a umo s o HuH7 cells
in nude mice
↑LC3 lipida ion Au ophagy inhibi ion dec ease umo
olume in So a enib ea ed mice
Cell su i al
Tai e al., 2013 PLC/PRF/5, Hep3B, Sk-Hep-1,
HepG2
↑LC3 lipida ion
↓p62
↑Beclin-1 and A g5
So a enib induces au ophagy h ough he
dis up ion o Beclin-1-Mcl-1 complex
Cell dea h
Tai e al., 2013 Nude mice injec ed wi h PLC-5 Au ophagy induc ion So a enib induces au ophagy in i o
h ough p-STAT inhibi ion and abolishes
cance p oli e a ion
Cell dea h
Zhai e al., 2014 So a enib- esis an and sensi i e
HepG2 and HuH7 cells.
↑LC3-II. A g5, Vps34, Beclin1
↓p62 in bo h, esis an and
sensi i e cells al hough esis an
cells show lowe le els o ha
ma ke s
Lack o so a enib-induced au ophagy in
HCC cells leads o gene a ion o
so a enib- esis an cells
P o ec ion in pa en al
cells, bu p omo ion o
cell dea h in esis an
cell lines
Zhai e al., 2014 Mice injec ed wi h HuH7
esis an cells
Resul s in acco dance o in i o
assay
Au ophagy beha io swi ch is able o
modi y cell sensi i eness o so a enib.
Resul s in acco dance
o in i o assay
i has been demons a ed ha so a enib esis an cells show
lowe le els o au ophagy ma ke s such as LC3, A g5, Vps34, o
Beclin1 (Zhai e al., 2014). Fo all hese easons, no maliza ion o
au ophagy may be one o he key mechanisms o a oid cellula
esis ance o ha an ineoplas ic agen (Zhai e al., 2014; Liu e al.,
2016).
EFFECTS ON AUTOPHAGY OF SORAFENIB
COMBINATION WITH OTHER DRUGS
Some s udies ha e analyzed changes in au ophagy modula ion
in HCC cells ea ed wi h di e en so a enib-based d ug
combina ions (Table 4). The adminis a ion o an inhibi o
o his one deace ylases (HDAC), enzyme implica ed in he
egula ion o gene ansc ip ion ela ed o p omo ion o
p og ession o cance (Dokmano ic e al., 2007; Giannini e al.,
2012), has been shown o supp ess umo cell p oli e a ion. The
mos impo an membe o ha g oup is o inos a , he i s
HDACi o be app o ed o human clinical use (Giannini e al.,
2012). When o inos a is combined wi h so a enib in HCC
cul u ed cells, cell iabili y dec eases mo e han in cells ea ed
wi h so a enib o , o inos a alone (Pa k e al., 2008, 2010).
Fu he mo e, d ug combina ion can induce a highe Beclin-1,
A g5, o A g12 exp ession and LC3 lipida ion han ea men
wi h only one chemo he apeu ic agen (Pa k e al., 2008; Yuan
e al., 2014). When A g5 o Beclin-1 we e silenced wi h siRNA
in hose s udies, iabili y dec eased mo e in cance cells han
in con ol cells, being he d op highe in he d ug combina ion
ea ed g oup (Pa k e al., 2008; Yuan e al., 2014). This esul is
compa ible wi h he p osu i al p ope ies o au ophagy du ing
he an ip oli e a i e syne gis ic e ec o hose d ugs (Table 4;
Pa k e al., 2008; Ma in e al., 2009; Yuan e al., 2014).
The low e icacy o doxo ubicin, as a single agen in HCC, has
led o e alua e i s ac i i y in combined ea men wi h so a enib
(Mano e al., 2011). Doxo ubicin belongs o an h acyclines
g oup, a ype o an ibio ic which we e i s isola ed om soil
bac e ia (Yang e al., 2014), ha can gene a e simul aneously
F on ie s in Pha macology | www. on ie sin.o g 4June 2016 | Volume 7 | A icle 151
P ie o-Domínguez e al. So a enib and Au ophagy
TABLE 2 | Disc epancies exis en be ween di e en so a enib ei he in i o o in i o s udies.
Condi ion Fi s si ua ion Second si ua ion
LC3 ↑Le els in Huh7 cells, inducing mo e d ug esponse (Fische e al.,
2014)
Mode a e ↑le els in Hep3B cells, inducing less d ug esponse (Fische
e al., 2014).
Au ophagy ↑Le els, p o ec ing cance ous cells om cell dea h bo h in i o an
in i o models (Shimizu e al., 2012)
↑Le els, p omo ing p og ammed cellula dea h in cance ous cells bo h
in i o an in i o models (Tai e al., 2013)
Au ophagy ↓Le els in d ug combina ion, educing side e ec s o bo h d ugs
(Mano e al., 2011)
↑Le els in d ug combina ion, leading o enhance d ug syne gism (Yuan
e al., 2014)
mTORC1 ↓Phospho yla ion, leading o au ophagy induc ion and cell dea h (Zhai
e al., 2014; Zhang e al., 2015)
No changes in phospho yla ion associa ed wi h so a enib cell esis ance
(Ramak ishnan e al., 2012)
mTORC1 ↓Phospho yla ion by some o he analogs o so a enib associa ed wi h
au ophagy (Ta allai e al., 2015)
No changes in phospho yla ion by some o he analogs o so a enib, no
being au ophagy induc ion dependen on ha pa hway (Wecksle e al.,
2014)
Ak ↓Exp ession associa ed wi h inc emen s in cellula dea h bo h in i o
and in i o expe imen s (Euli e al., 2010)
↑Le els bo h in i o and in i o models, leading o induc ion o su i al
au ophagy, su i al pa hways, and inc easing so a enib cell esis ance (Zhai
e al., 2014)
AMPK ↑Phospho yla ion due o he gene a ion o a educ ion o ATP cellula
le els (Teso i e al., 2015)
↑Phospho yla ion due o he elease o ROS om mi ochond ia (Pignochino
e al., 2015)
AMPK ↑Phospho yla ion wi hou au ophagy associa ed (Teso i e al., 2015) No changes in AMPK ac i a ion and no au ophagy associa ed (S i ipa e al.,
2013)
ER s ess ↑IRE-1αexp ession, leading o au ophagy induc ion (Shi e al., 2011)↑PERK exp ession, bu non-au ophagy induc ion associa ed (Shi e al.,
2011)
Sphingolipids ↑Ce amide o ma ion a in i o models, leading o induc ion o
au ophagy and p og ammed cell dea h (Pa k e al., 2010)
↓Sligh ly S1P le els a in i o models (Beljanski e al., 2011)
TABLE 3 | E ec o so a enib on au ophagy ma ke s in o he in i o o in i o cance ous models dis inc o HCC.
Re e ences Model E ec s on au ophagy
ma ke s
Global e ec s Role o
au ophagy
Lin e al., 2013 Human mac ophages ↑Au ophagic acuoles
↑LC3 lipida ion
So a enib s imula es au ophagy bu i inhibi s
phagocy osis and sec e ion o IL-10
No assessed
Kha aziha e al., 2012 Myeloma cell lines LP1, RPMI-8226 ↑LC3 lipida ion
↓p62
↑LC3-posi i e esicles
So a enib induces au ophagy which p o ec
agains caspase-dependen and
independen cell dea h
Cell su i al
Kha aziha e al., 2012 Myeloma pa ien samples ↑LC3 lipida ion I induces cell dea h and au ophagy Cell dea h
Kha aziha e al., 2012 Myeloma mice models ↑LC3 lipida ion So a enib inc eases mice su i al, educes
umo de elopmen and induces au ophagy
pa hway
Cell dea h
Walke e al., 2009 So a enib plus o inos a ea men in
a colo ec al cance cell line, HCT116
↑LC3
lipida ion ↑A g5
So a enib ea men induces a sligh ly
amoun o au ophagy which is cy op o ec i e
and is s imula ed by o inos a co ea men
Cell su i al
Ullen e al., 2010 P os a e ca cinoma cell lines DU145
and PC3
↑Au ophagosome o ma ion So a enib al e s mi ochond ial po en ial and
induces apop osis and au ophagy
No assessed
Ba e o d e al., 2011b Ful es an - esis an and sensi i e
MCF7 cell line (o igina ing om b eas
adenoca cinoma)
↑Au ophagosome o ma ion,
↑Beclin-1 ↑A g5-A g12
↑LC3-II
↓p62
So a enib induces au ophagy pa hway alone
o in combina ion wi h pe me exed, and ha
induc ion sensi izes ha cells o cell dea h
Cell dea h
P is e e e al., 2011 Human os eosa coma cell line U2OS ↑WIPI
↑Au ophagosome o ma ion
So a enib induces au ophagy in no mal and
s a ed cells and ha is induced by calcium
ion elease o cy oplasm
No assessed
Lin e al., 2012 Medulla y hy oid cance cell lines
MTG-1 and TT
↑LC3-II ↑A g5 So a enib induces bo h au ophagy and
apop osis in ha in i o model
Cell dea h
Zheng e al., 2015 Di e se enal ca cinoma cell lines like
786-0, A498 and SK-RC-44
↑Beclin-1
↑A g5
↓p62
↑LC3-II and LC3-II/I a io
So a enib induces a cy op o ec i e o m o
au ophagy in enal ca cinoma cells
Cell su i al
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P ie o-Domínguez e al. So a enib and Au ophagy
TABLE 4 | E ec o so a enib combined ea men wi h ano he d ug on au ophagy in HCC and o he cance ypes.
Re e ence Pa hophysiological
condi ion
Model D ug combined
wi h so a enib
So a enib alone
e ec s
D ug combina ion
e ec s
Global e ec o bo h
d ugs ea men
Yuan e al., 2014 Hepa ocellula
ca cinoma
In i o Vo inos a ↑Beclin-1
↑A g5
↑A g7
↑LC3-II
↑↑Beclin-1 ↑↑A g5
↑↑A g7
↑↑LC3-II
D ug combina ion enhances
Beclin-1-dependan
p o ec i e o m o
au ophagy
Mano e al., 2011 Hepa ocellula
ca cinoma
In i o Doxo ubicin ↑LC3-II ↓LC3-II So a enib ac s as an
an agonis o doxo ubicin
Ta allai e al., 2015 Hepa ocellula
ca cinoma
In i o Sildena il ↑Au ophagic acuoles
=LC3 =p62
↑↑Au ophagic
acuoles
↑LC3
↓p62
Sidena il p omo es so a enib
e ec s on au ophagy and
s imula e au ophagic cell
dea h
Lam e al., 2015 Hepa ocellula
ca cinoma
In i o PHY906 ↑LC3 ↓ULK1 ↑↑LC3
↑ULK1
PHY906 s imula e
so a enib- ela ed au ophagy
Ba e o d e al.,
2011b
B eas
adenoca cinoma
In i o Peme exed ↑Beclin-1
↑A g5-A g12
↑LC3-II
↓p62
↑↑Beclin-1
↑↑A g5-A g12
↓sligh ly LC3-II
↓p62
Pe me exed p omo es
so a enib- ela ed au ophagy
induc ion
Hamed e al.,
2015
Glioblas oma In i o Lapa inib ↑Au ophagic acuoles
=p62
↑Beclin-1
↑LC3-II/I
↓LAMP2
↑↑au ophagic
acuoles
↓p62 =Beclin-1
↓LC3-II/I
↓LAMP2
Lapa inib p omo es
so a enib cellula dea h
h ough au ophagy pa hway
Jakubowicz-Gil
e al., 2014
Glioblas oma
mul i o me and
anaplas ic as ocy oma
In i o Que ce in ↑Au ophagic esicles,
Beclin-1 and LC3-I/II
only in
glioblas omamul i o me
cell line.
↑↑Au ophagic
esicles, Beclin-1 and
LC3-I/II only in he
same cell line as
so a enib alone
Que ce in p omo es
so a enib cell dea h in bo h
cell lines bu only induces
au ophagy in one o hem
Lian e al., 2012 And ogen-independen
p os a e cance
In i o and
in i o
(–) gossypol ↑Au ophagic esicles
↑LC3-I/II
↓p62
↑↑Au ophagic
esicles
↑↑LC3-I/II
↓↓p62 P e e en ially
in one o he cell lines
es ed
(–) gossypol agonis s
so a enib au ophagy and
induces cellula dea h
opoisome ase II poisoning, DNA adduc o ma ion, ce amide
o e p oduc ion and oxida i e s ess (Yang e al., 2014). One
o he main p oblems o he use o doxo ubicin alone in
he apy is he high numbe o side e ec s (Yang e al.,
2014). In e es ingly, so a enib dec eases doxo ubicin- ela ed
au ophagy, wi h a educ ion o he exp ession o LC3 and i s
lipida ion (Table 4;Mano e al., 2011).
Sildena il is ano he agen which has been combined wi h
so a enib in HCC (Table 4;Ta allai e al., 2015). This d ug
is able o inhibi phosphodies e ase 5, an enzyme which
ans o ms cyclic GMP (cGMP) in o his inac i e o m (Das
e al., 2015). Sildena il is used mainly in he ea men o
e ec ile dys unc ion and o some ca dio ascula diseases because
i p oduces asodila a ion (Das e al., 2015). I has also been
pos ula ed ha sildena il is able o induce he in insic pa hway o
apop osis in colo ec al ca cinoma cells and lympha ic leukemia
cells (Boo h e al., 2014; Das e al., 2015). Sildena il inc eases
he an ip oli e a i e p ope ies o so a enib and ego a enib
(Table 4;Ta allai e al., 2015). The combined ea men inc eases
au ophagosome o ma ion ollowed by he accumula ion o
ed luo escence a 24 h in o GFP-RFP-LC3- ans ec ed HCC
cells. Mo eo e , he educ ion o cell dea h by ego a enib and
sildena il in cells ea ed wi h A g5, Beclin-1, o ULK1 siRNA
sugges s ha au ophagy may ac as a p o-dea h mechanism in
his se ing (Ta allai e al., 2015).
So a enib has also been combined wi h PHY906, an
he bal mix u e which consis s o ou dis inc componen s:
Glycy hiza u alensis,Paeonia lac i lo a,Scu ella ia baicalensis
oo s, and Ziziphus jujuba ui . This plan mix u e is based
on an old Chinese o mula ion used o he ea men
o a ious gas oin es inal diseases, like dia hea, e e , o
omi ing (Liu and Cheng, 2012; Rockwell e al., 2013).
Recen s udies ha e shown he e icacy o PHY906 as a
chemo he apeu ical adju an (Kumma e al., 2011). When
his he bal mix u e is combined wi h so a enib, exp ession o
au ophagy ma ke s inc eases. Paeonia lac i lo a and Scu ella ia
baicalensis a e he c i ical componen s o ha mix u e in ela ion
o au ophagy induc ion, because ollowing supp ession o hose
plan s om he he bal blend, LC3 is no lipida ed (Table 4;
Lam e al., 2015).
Simila ly, di e en combina ions o so a enib wi h o he
d ugs and an ioxidan s o he bal mix u es seem o be
able o modula e au ophagy in non-li e cance cells (see
Table 4).
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P ie o-Domínguez e al. So a enib and Au ophagy
AUTOPHAGY-RELATED CELLULAR
PATHWAYS AND SORAFENIB TREATMENT
The e a e some p o eins and cellula pa hways in umo cells
ha can be in ol ed in he egula ion o au ophagy by so a enib.
Those egula o y ou es ha e a changing e ec , because hey a e
dependen on he cell s a e, i s o igin o some medium ea u es.
The mos impo an a e desc ibed in de ail in he ollowing
sec ions (Figu e 1).
mTOR Pa hway
The mTOR pa hway is one o he main egula o s o cellula
me abolism in esponse o oxida i e s ess, un olded p o ein
esponse, hypoxia, nu ien s dep i a ion o g ow h ac o
de iciency (Neu eld, 2010; Yang and Ming, 2012; Sa ka , 2013).
The inhibi ion o mTOR signaling by so a enib is ela ed
o induc ion o au ophagy (Table 5,Figu e 1). Mos s udies
ha e shown ha so a enib is able o dec ease mTORC1
phospho yla ion, exp ession, and ac i i y bo h in cul u ed cells
in i o and in xenog a umo implan a ion in mice (Liu
e al., 2012; Zhai e al., 2014). In HCC in i o models, i has
been desc ibed ha so a enib inhibi s mTORC1 phospho yla ion
du ing pe iods om 24 o 48 h (Zhai e al., 2014; Zhang e al.,
2015). Fu he mo e, so a enib is able o dephospho yla e p70S6K
and 4E-BP1, which a e wo ob ious e idences o mTORC1
ac i i y inhibi ion in HCC cells (Liu e al., 2012) and o he
cance s (Euli e al., 2010; Gulha i e al., 2012; Kha aziha e al.,
2012; Tang e al., 2012; Eum e al., 2013; Hamed e al., 2015).
Howe e , i has been shown ha so a enib is no able o al e
phospho yla ion s a us o mTORC1 bu educes p70S6K and
4EBP1 phospho yla ion in cul u ed non-Hodgkin lymphoma cell
lines (Ramak ishnan e al., 2012). O he in i o s udies also
sugges ha so a enib is able o educe mTORC1 ac i i y in
HCC xenog a models ollowed by a dec eased phospho yla ion
o i s downs eam p o eins, p70S6K, 4E-BP1, and eIF-4E (Liu
e al., 2012; Zhai e al., 2014). I has been shown ha so a enib
educes in i o and in i o mTORC1 signaling and p70S6K
phospho yla ion, bu inc eases mTORC2 h ough inc easing
Se 2481mTOR, being his la e e ec abolished by e e olimus
co- ea men in os e osa coma p eclinical models (Figu e 1;
Pignochino e al., 2013).
Some esea che s ha e assessed i he induc ion o au ophagy
by so a enib is due o ep ession o mTOR signaling pa hway in
HCC (Shimizu e al., 2012; Zhai e al., 2015) and o he cance s
(Ba e o d e al., 2011a,b; Kha aziha e al., 2012; Eum e al., 2013).
Due o dual ole o au ophagy in cellula dea h, mTOR inhibi ion
migh lead o dea h o su i al o cance cells, depending on
whe he au ophagy ep essed by his p o ein wo ks, espec i ely,
as a cell dea h induce , o as a su i al mechanism in bo h
HCC and non-HCC cells (Kha aziha e al., 2012; Shimizu e al.,
2012; Ta allai e al., 2015). So a enib analogs ha e a di e en
abili y o abolish mTOR in cul u ed cell lines in i o. Some
o hem, such as ego a enib o SK-01105, a e able o induce
mTOR dephospho yla ion simila ly o so a enib, whe eas o he
compounds, like -AUCMB o -MTUCB, canno inhibi mTOR
ac i i y, so au ophagy induc ion media ed by hose so a enib
analogs is no modula ed by mTORC1 ac i i y (Wecksle e al.,
2014; Ta allai e al., 2015).
The majo ups eam induce o mTORC1 pa hways is
PI3K/Ak signaling (Sa ka , 2013). In so a enib- esis an cells,
Ak exp ession is usually o e -s imula ed, and ea men
wi h some speci ic ep esso s is able o inc ease so a enib-
ela ed cell dea h, which means ha combined ea men wi h
so a enib and an Ak inhibi o may be use ul because i
migh imp o e so a enib sensi i i y (Zhai e al., 2015). Di e en
epo s ha e shown ha so a enib inhibi s Ak ac i i y and
i s phospho yla ion in HCC and enal ca cinoma cells (RCC)
(Table 5;Euli e al., 2010; Gulha i e al., 2012; Se o a e al., 2013;
Hamed e al., 2015; Zhang e al., 2015). Howe e , o he s udies
ound ha so a enib induces Ak phospho yla ion, which will
TABLE 5 | E ec o so a enib on mTOR/Ak pa hway in umo cells.
Re e ences Cell lines Pa hophysiological condi ion E ec on ma ke s o mTOR/Ak
pa hway
Global e ec
Hamed e al., 2015 GBM12 Glioblas oma mul i o me ↓p-Ak
↓p-mTOR ↓p-p70
So a enib induces Ak /mTOR
pa hway inhibi ion when ha e passed
only 6 h o ea men
Liu e al., 2012 PLC/PRF/5, HepG2
and Hep3B
Hepa ocellula ca cinoma ↓p-mTOR ↓p-p70S6K ↓p-4E-BP1
↑p-Ak
Two hou s o ea men wi h so a enib
is able o down egula e mTOR and all
i s ela ed pa hways
Ramak ishnan e al., 2012 Dohh2 Non-Hodgkin lymphoma ↓p-p70 ↓p-4E-BP1 =p-mTOR So a enib ails in inac i a e mTOR
phospho yla ion a 8 h o ea men
Tang e al., 2012 GBM15 Glioblas oma mul i o me ↓p-p70 =p-mTOR Twen y-Fou hou s o ea men wi h
so a enib educes sligh ly mTOR
pa hway induc ion
Zhai e al., 2014 Huh7 and HepG2 Hepa ocellula ca cinoma ↓p-mTOR ↓p-p70S6K ↓p-4E-BP1
↑p-Ak
So a enib inhibi s mTOR pa hway
ac i i y and ha inac i a ion
s imula es au ophagy esponse
Zhang e al., 2015 SMMC-772l Hepa ocellula ca cinoma ↓Ak , PI3K and mTOR a 8 h o
ea men , a e wa ds hei le els
inc eases
So a enib induces a ansi o y
inac i a ion o Ak /mTOR pa hway
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P ie o-Domínguez e al. So a enib and Au ophagy
FIGURE 1 | So a enib induces au ophagy esponse h ough modula ion o he main downs eam ac o s and pa hways. In his scheme, some o he
media o s o au ophagy induc ion by so a enib in umo cells a e ep esen ed. So a enib may induce AMPK pa hway because i educes ATP le els and inc eases
ROS, which leads o inhibi ion o mTORC1 signaling pa hway. So a enib can also s imula e ER s ess, speci ically IRE-1αb anch and all i s downs eam genes, and
elease calcium ion o cy osol, which induces au ophagosome o ma ion. I may also dis up Beclin-1 and Bcl-2 complex, wi h Beclin-1 elease. O he non-p o ein
media o s which may be in ol ed in so a enib e ec s a e miRNA30αand sphingolipids, because he d ug can educe miRNA30αsignaling, which is a Beclin-1
ep esso , induce ce amide o ma ion, and educe S1P le els, leading o au ophagosome o ma ion.
lead o gene a e esis ance agains ha chemo he apeu ic agen
(Table 5;Liu e al., 2012; Zhai e al., 2015). Finally, a hi d g oup
o wo ks ha e epo ed ha so a enib has no in luence in he
phospho yla ion s a us o Ak (Gedaly e al., 2010).
In summa y, so a enib appea s o inac i a e mTORC1 ac i i y,
which would con ibu e o au ophagy induc ion. The mechanism
esponsible o hose e ec s emains unclea , bu , in some cases,
could in ol e he PI3K/Ak pa hway.
AMPK Pa hway
AMPK is a he e o ime ic complex ac ing as a senso o ene gy
s a us in euka yo ic cells (G ahame Ha die, 2014; No iko a
e al., 2015). AMPK ac i a o s may be used as adju an s in
a ious cance he apies, because i s s imula ion can induce
au ophagy o cell cycle s op in umo cell (Mo oshima e al.,
2006; Donadon e al., 2010; Rehman e al., 2014). So a enib
ac i a es AMPK being his e ec po en ially ele an du ing
induc ion o au ophagy in cance cells (Figu e 1;Eum e al.,
2013; Fische e al., 2014; Teso i e al., 2015). So a enib is able
o induce AMPK phospho yla ion in a ime-dependen ashion
and in a dose-dependen manne in expe imen al models in
i o, speci ically in cul u ed cells coming om di e en ypes
o human umo s (Eum e al., 2013; Fuma ola e al., 2013;
Pignochino e al., 2013, 2015; Fische e al., 2014; G oenendijk
e al., 2015; Teso i e al., 2015). I has been demons a ed ha he
incuba ion wi h 5 µM o so a enib in mul id ug esis an cells
cul u ed in i o can s imula e AMPK phospho yla ion in a ime-
dependen manne , s a ing a 0.5 h a e ea men (Eum e al.,
2013). So a enib also induces AMPK phospho yla ion (48 h) in
lung adenoca cinoma o non-small cell lung cance (G oenendijk
e al., 2015). The d ug is also able o induce AMPK ac i a ion
in a ious b eas cance cell lines (Fuma ola e al., 2013). On
he o he hand, he e a e some expe imen al models in which
so a enib is no able o induce AMPK phospho yla ion due o
he use o low concen a ions o he an i umo agen (S i ipa
e al., 2013). Cu iously, some di e ences in AMPK modula ion
by so a enib ha e been desc ibed be ween Huh7 and Hep3B
HCC cell lines, showing inc eases only in Huh7 cells bu wi hou
changes in Hep3B (Fische e al., 2014).
The e a e wo p incipal hypo heses which explain he
mechanism by which so a enib induces AMPK phospho yla ion
(Figu e 1). The i s one is ha so a enib gene a es a educ ion
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P ie o-Domínguez e al. So a enib and Au ophagy
in cellula ATP le els ha inc ease AMP/ATP a io and
AMPK ac i a ion (Fuma ola e al., 2013; Teso i e al., 2015).
An expe imen al s udy which co obo a es ha hypo hesis
demons a ed ha ATP le el in so a enib- ea ed lung
adenoca cinoma cells dec eases mo e han 50% compa ed
o he con ol g oup (Teso i e al., 2015). On he o he hand, he
con i ma ion o he ole o ROS bu s du ing so a enib-induced
AMP ac i a ion comes om a s udy in which AMPK- ela ed
apop osis was p e en ed by he ea men wi h a ROS sca enge
(Pignochino e al., 2013, 2015). The ac i a ion o ups eam
kinases, LKB1 and CAMKKβ, is in ol ed on so a enib-
ela ed AMPK ac i a ion in NSCLC cells in i o and in i o
(G oenendijk e al., 2015). Ne e heless, i seems ha he AMPK
pa hway could be no in ol ed in au ophagy-induc ion by
so a enib, because LC3II exp ession inc eases sha ply when
AMPK is inhibi ed in HCC cul u ed cells ea ed wi h so a enib.
Whe eby, i is possible ha AMPK modula ion by so a enib
pa icipa es in o he cellula p ocesses, di e en o au ophagy,
which can also ake pa in o i s an ip oli e a i e ac ion, such as
apop osis o glucose me abolism de egula ion (Pignochino e al.,
2013; Teso i e al., 2015).
Endoplasmic Re iculum S ess
Endoplasmic e iculum is he main cellula o ganelle whe e
p o ein syn hesis, modi ica ion, and olding a e ca ied ou
and whe e calcium is s o ed. In he p esence o di e en
s esses caused by physiological o pa hological changes, non-
olding o un olding p o eins accumula e in o he o ganelle,
gene a ing a new condi ion inside he cell called ER s ess.
ER s ess is nega i ely in e e ing wi h p o ein syn hesis and
a ec s o he unc ions o ha o ganelle, such as calcium
homeos asis, which inally may cause p og ammed cell dea h
(Tuñón e al., 2013; Kania e al., 2015). This si ua ion leads
o he ac i a ion o he un olded p o ein esponse (UPR),
which ies o eco e he ini ial si ua ion (Jheng e al., 2014).
Some o he s a egies ha his esponse uses o alle ia e ER
s ess a e educ ion o p o ein ansla ion, exp ession o di e se
chape ones, induc ion o p o ein deg ada ion p ocesses, such
as ubiqui in-p o easome sys em, and deg ada ion o po ions
o he endoplasmic e iculum h ough he au ophagy pa hway
(Ve aillie e al., 2010). The h ee essen ial p o eins in UPR
induc ion a e inosi ol equi ing enzyme 1α(IRE1α), p o ein
kinase R-like ER kinase (PERK) and ac i a ing ansc ip ion
ac o (ATF6) (C espo e al., 2012). These mac omolecules a e
loca ed in basal condi ions in o he ER memb ane and hey
a e inhibi ed by he chape one binding immunoglobulin p o ein
(BiP). In s ess si ua ions, BiP disassembles o hese molecules,
causing hei ac i a ion and he s imula ion o h ee di e en
p o ein cascades which p omo e he UPR (Malhi and Kau man,
2011).
So a enib igge s he UPR esponse in di e en expe imen al
in i o models, which may con ibu e o he so a enib- ela ed
induc ion o au ophagy and o i s an ip oli e a i e e ec s
(Table 6,Figu e 1). So a enib-induced UPR is un ela ed o
MAPK inhibi ion because ERK ep ession canno s imula e ER
s ess (Rahmani e al., 2007; Shi e al., 2011). Mo e in de ail,
so a enib is able o ac i a e wo o he h ee b anches implica ed
in he esponse agains ER s ess (Rahmani e al., 2007; Yi e al.,
2012). Speci ically, his d ug induces he exp ession o IRE1α
and PERK, whe eas ATF6 exp ession emains cons an wi hou
changes in he exp ession on downs eam p o eins such as BiP
(Table 6;Rahmani e al., 2007; Yi e al., 2012). In ac , i has
been pos ula ed ha he e ec i eness o ATF6 is consequence
o he p o ound al e a ion o he sec e o y pa hway induced by
so a enib (Yi e al., 2012). O he expe imen s ha e claimed ha
so a enib educes di ec ly BiP exp ession, chape one ela ed wi h
he induc ion o UPR media ed by his chemo he apeu ic agen
(Table 6;Rahmani e al., 2007; Jiang e al., 2014).
Di e en esea ch has demons a ed ha so a enib induces a
p onounced inc ease in he exp ession o PERK (Table 6), which
modi ies he ac i i y o all i s downs eam p o eins (Rahmani
e al., 2007; Pa k e al., 2008; Shi e al., 2011; Yi e al., 2012; Holz
e al., 2013). One o he mos impo an is eIF2α(euka yo ic
ansla ion ini ia ion ac o 2α), is a ipa i e p o ein complex
ha binds and hyd olyzes GTP du ing i s ole in ec ui ing
he ini ia o me hionyl- RNA o he 40S ibosome o begin
mRNA ansla ion in euka yo ic cells (Ve aillie e al., 2010).
Some s udies ha e shown ha so a enib is able o induce eIF2α
phospho yla ion on Se 51 when i has passed 2 h since he s a
o he ea men (Rahmani e al., 2007; Yi e al., 2012; Dixon
e al., 2014). The phospho yla ion o eIF2αp e en s binding o
GTP and consequen ly educes p o ein ansla ion in cance cells
(Rahmani e al., 2007; Yi e al., 2012).
The las o he UPR b anches which is modi ied by so a enib
is he IRE1αpa hway. Some s udies ha e sugges ed ha
his an i umo al agen is able o s imula e IRE1αexp ession,
inducing i s ac i a ion and changing he exp ession o di e en
downs eam ac o s (Table 6,Figu e 1;Rahmani e al., 2007; Shi
e al., 2011; Yi e al., 2012). In his way, IRE1αhas a key ole
in he splicing and subsequen ly ansla ion o xbp1 (Malhi and
Kau man, 2011), and so a enib s imula es he splicing o his gene
simila ly o he incuba ion wi h di e se ER s ess induc o s, such
as unicamycin o hapsiga gin (Yi e al., 2012). Cu iously, when
IRE1αo xbp1 a e knocked down, cell sensibili y o so a enib
inc eases (Rahmani e al., 2007).
The endoplasmic e iculum is he main ese oi o calcium
ion (Ca2+) (Kania e al., 2015). So a enib is able o dis up
e iculum homeos asis because i discha ges all he Ca2+
ion p esen in ha o ganelle and induces i s accumula ion
in o he cy osol (Rahmani e al., 2007). This educ ion o
Ca2+endoplasmic e iculum s o ages inc eases ROS p oduc ion,
inducing oxida i e s ess, and may con ibu e o he cance ous
cell dea h induced by so a enib (Figu e 1;Rahmani e al., 2007).
I ER s ess is p olonged o e ime, UPR migh be
o e whelmed because ha o ganelle may be ull o un olded
and useless p o eins, and ha si ua ion would gene a e
p og ammed cell dea h h ough CHOP (C/EBP homologous
p o ein) media o , which is a ansc ip ion ac o in ol ed in
he inc ease o he exp ession o a lo o genes ela ed wi h
apop osis pa hway (Ve aillie e al., 2010; Malhi and Kau man,
2011). So a enib is able o induce he exp ession o CHOP and
o some p o eases ela ed wi h ER s ess p og ammed cell dea h,
such as caspase-2 o -4 (Table 6). IRE1αhas also been shown
o induce caspase-12 oligome iza ion h ough associa ion wi h
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