Combination of eribulin plus AKT inhibitor evokes synergistic cytotoxicity in soft tissue sarcoma cells

Sci Rep. 2019 Apr 8;9(1):5759. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-42300-z.

Abstract

An activated AKT pathway underlies the pathogenesis of soft tissue sarcoma (STS), with over-expressed phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT) correlating with a poor prognosis in a subset of STS cases. Recently, eribulin, a microtubule dynamics inhibitor, has demonstrated efficacy and is approved in patients with advanced/metastatic liposarcoma and breast cancer. However, mechanisms of eribulin resistance and/or insensitivity remain largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that an increased p-AKT level was associated with eribulin resistance in STS cells. We found a combination of eribulin with the AKT inhibitor, MK-2206, synergistically inhibited STS cell growth in vivo as well as in vitro. Mechanistically, eribulin plus MK-2206 induced G1 or G2/M arrest by down-regulating cyclin-dependent kinases, cyclins and cdc2, followed by caspase-dependent apoptosis in STS cells. Our findings demonstrate the significance of p-AKT signaling for eribulin-resistance in STS cells and provide a rationale for the development of an AKT inhibitor in combination with eribulin to treat patients with STS.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / toxicity*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / genetics
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / metabolism
  • Cyclins / genetics
  • Cyclins / metabolism
  • Drug Synergism
  • Furans / toxicity*
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring / toxicity*
  • Humans
  • Ketones / toxicity*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / toxicity*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Sarcoma / metabolism*
  • Soft Tissue Neoplasms / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Cyclins
  • Furans
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring
  • Ketones
  • MK 2206
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinases
  • eribulin