Drug-like small molecule HSP27 functional inhibitor sensitizes lung cancer cells to gefitinib or cisplatin by inducing altered cross-linked Hsp27 dimers

Hawon Yoo, Seul Ki Choi, Jaeok Lee, So Hyeon Park, You Na Park, Soo Yeon Hwang, Jae Ho Shin, Younghwa Na, Youngjoo Kwon, Hwa Jeong Lee, Yun Sil Lee

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Relationships between heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) and cancer aggressiveness, metastasis, drug resistance, and poor patient outcomes in various cancer types including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were reported, and inhibition of HSP27 expression is suggested to be a possible strategy for cancer therapy. Unlike HSP90 or HSP70, HSP27 does not have an ATP-binding pocket, and no effective HSP27 inhibitors have been identified. Previously, NSCLC cancer cells were sensitized to radiation and chemotherapy when co-treated with small molecule HSP27 functional inhibitors such as zerumbone (ZER), SW15, and J2 that can induce abnormal cross-linked HSP27 dimer. In this study, cancer inhibition effects of NA49, a chromenone compound with better solubility, longer circulation time, and less toxicity than J2, were examined in combination with anticancer drugs such as cisplatin and gefitinib in NSCLC cell lines. When the cytotoxic drug cisplatin was treated in combination with NA49 in epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs) WT cell lines, sensitization was induced in an HSP27 expression-dependent manner. With gefitinib treatment, NA49 showed increased combination effects in both EGFR WT and Mut cell lines, also with HSP27 expression-dependent patterns. Moreover, NA49 induced sensitization in EGFR Mut cells with a secondary mutation of T790M when combined with gefitinib. Augmented tumor growth inhibition was shown with the combination of cisplatin or gefitinib and NA49 in nude mouse xenograft models. These results suggest the combination of HSP27 inhibitor NA49 and anticancer agents as a candidate for overcoming HSP27-mediated drug resistance in NSCLC patients.

Original languageEnglish
Article number630
JournalPharmaceutics
Volume13
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by the authors.

Keywords

  • Combination therapy
  • Drug resistance
  • EGFR
  • HSP27
  • HSP27 inhibitor
  • Heat shock protein
  • NA49
  • NSCLC

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Drug-like small molecule HSP27 functional inhibitor sensitizes lung cancer cells to gefitinib or cisplatin by inducing altered cross-linked Hsp27 dimers'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this