A Study of 9-ING-41 in Patients with Advanced Cancers

Overview

About this study

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of 9-ING-41, a potent GSK-3β inhibitor, as a single agent and in combination with cytotoxic agents, in patients with refractory cancers.  GSK-3β is a potentially important therapeutic target in human malignancies.

Participation eligibility

Participant eligibility includes age, gender, type and stage of disease, and previous treatments or health concerns. Guidelines differ from study to study, and identify who can or cannot participate. There is no guarantee that every individual who qualifies and wants to participate in a trial will be enrolled. Contact the study team to discuss study eligibility and potential participation.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Patient -

1. Is able to understand and voluntarily sign a written informed consent and is
willing and able to comply with the protocol requirements including scheduled
visits, treatment plan, laboratory tests and other study procedures.

2. Is aged ≥ 18 years

3. Has pathologically confirmed advanced or metastatic malignancy characterized by
one or more of the following:

1. Patient is intolerant of existing therapy(ies) known to provide clinical
benefit for their condition

2. Malignancy is refractory to existing therapy(ies) known to potentially
provide clinical benefit

3. Malignancy has relapsed after standard therapy

4. Malignancy for which there is no standard therapy that improves survival by
at least 3 months

4. Has evaluable tumor(s) by standard radiological and/or laboratory assessments as
applicable to their malignancy - in Part 3, patients with solid tumors must have
least 1 measurable lesion per response evaluation criteria in solid tumors
(RECIST) v1.1 criteria, measured preferably by computed tomography (CT) scan or
magnetic resonance image (MRI). In the case of patients with glioblastoma
multiforme (GBM) or other central nervous system (CNS) tumors, the tumor must be
measurable, defined as a clearly enhancing tumor with at two perpendicular
diameters at entry equal or superior to 1cm.

5. Has laboratory function within specified parameters (may be repeated):

1. Adequate bone marrow function: absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 500/mL;
hemoglobin ≥ 8.5 g/dL, platelets ≥ 50,000/mL

2. Adequate liver function: transaminases (aspartate aminotransferase/ alanine
aminotransferase, AST/ALT) and alkaline phosphatase ≤ 3 (≤ 5 X the upper
limit of normal (ULN) in the setting of liver metastasis or infiltration
with malignant cells) x ULN; bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x ULN

3. Adequate renal function: creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min (Cockcroft and
Gault)

4. Adequate blood coagulation: international normalized ratio (INR) ≤ 2.3

5. Serum amylase and lipase ≤ 1.5 x ULN

6. Has adequate performance status (PS): Eastern Co-operative Oncology Group (ECOG)
PS 0-2

7. Has received the final dose of any of the following treatments/ procedures with
the specified minimum intervals before first dose of study drug (unless in the
opinion of the investigator and the study medical coordinator the treatments/
procedures will not compromise patient safety or interfere with study conduct and
with IDMC agreement):

- Chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or systemic radiation therapy - 14 days or ≥ 5
half-lives (whichever is shorter)

- Focal radiation therapy - 7 days

- Systemic and topical corticosteroids - 7 days

- Surgery with general anesthesia - 7 days

- Surgery with local anesthesia - 3 days

8. May continue endocrine therapies (e.g. for breast or prostate cancer) and/or
anti-human epidermal growth factor (Her2) therapies while on this study

9. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative baseline blood or urine
pregnancy test within 72 hours of first study therapy. Women may be neither
breastfeeding nor intending to become pregnant during study participation and
must agree to use effective contraceptive methods (hormonal or barrier method of
birth control, or true abstinence) for the duration of study participation and in
the following 90 days after discontinuation of study treatment

10. Male patients with partners of childbearing potential must take appropriate
precautions to avoid fathering a child from screening until 90 days after
discontinuation of study treatment and use appropriate barrier contraception or
true abstinence

11. Must not be receiving any other investigational medicinal product

Exclusion Criteria:

- Patient -

1. Is pregnant or lactating

2. Is known to be hypersensitive to any of the components of 9-ING-41 or to the
excipients used in its formulation

3. Has not recovered from clinically significant toxicities as a result of prior
anticancer therapy, except alopecia and infertility. Recovery is defined as ≤
Grade 2 CTCAE Version 4.03

4. Has significant cardiovascular impairment: history of congestive heart failure
greater than New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II, unstable angina, or
stroke within 6 months of the first dose of 9-ING-41, or cardiac arrhythmia
requiring medical treatment detected at screening

5. Has had a myocardial infarction within 12 weeks of the first dose of 9-ING-41 or
has electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities that are deemed medically relevant by
the investigator or study medical coordinator

6. Has known symptomatic rapidly progressive brain metastases or leptomeningeal
involvement as assessed by CT scan or MRI. Patients with stable asymptomatic
brain metastases or leptomeningeal disease or slowly progressive disease are
eligible provided that they have not required new treatments for this disease in
a 28-day period before the first dose of study drug, and anticonvulsants and
steroids are at a stable dose for a period of 14 days prior to the first dose of
study drug

7. Has had major surgery (not including placement of central lines) within 7 days
prior to study entry or is planned to have major surgery during the course of the
study (major surgery may be defined as any invasive operative procedure in which
an extensive resection is performed, e.g. a body cavity is entered, organs are
removed, or normal anatomy is altered. In general, if a mesenchymal barrier is
opened (pleural cavity, peritoneum, meninges), the surgery is considered major)

8. Has any medical and/or social condition which, in the opinion of the investigator
or study medical coordinator would preclude study participation

9. Has received an investigational anti-cancer drug in the 14-day period before the
first dose of study drug (or within 5 half-lives if longer) or is currently
participating in another interventional clinical trial

10. Has a current active malignancy other than the target cancer

11. Is considered to be a member of a vulnerable population (for example, prisoners)

Part 3 ARMB Inclusion Criteria: Patient -

1. Is able to understand and voluntarily sign a written informed consent and is willing
and able to comply with the protocol requirements including scheduled visits,
treatment plan, laboratory tests and other study procedures

2. Is aged ≥ 18 years

3. Has pathologically confirmed metastatic pancreatic cancer AND is previously untreated
with systemic agents in the recurrence/metastatic setting.

4. Must have at least 1 measurable lesion per RECIST v1.1, measured preferably by
computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance image (MRI)

5. Has laboratory function within specified parameters (may be repeated):

e. Adequate bone marrow function: absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 500/mL; hemoglobin
≥ 8.5 g/dL, platelets ≥ 75,000/mL f. Adequate liver function: transaminases (aspartate
aminotransferase/ alanine aminotransferase, AST/ALT) and alkaline phosphatase ≤ 3 (≤
10 X the upper limit of normal (ULN) in the setting of liver metastasis or
infiltration with malignant cells) x ULN; bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x ULN Adequate renal
function: creatinine clearance ≥ 30 mL/min (Cockcroft and Gault)

6. Has Eastern Co-operative Oncology Group (ECOG) PS 0 or 1

7. Has received the final dose of any of the following treatments/ procedures with the
specified minimum intervals before first dose of study drug:

- Focal radiation therapy - 7 days

- Surgery with general anesthesia - 7 days

- Surgery with local anesthesia - 3 days

8. May have received treatment with fluorouracil or gemcitabine as a radiation sensitizer
in the adjuvant setting if the treatment was received at least 6 months before study
enrollment

9. May have received neoadjuvant chemotherapy with FOLFIRINOX if last dose given at least
6 months before study enrollment

10. May have received prior cytotoxic doses of systemic chemotherapy in the adjuvant
setting if last dose given at least 6 months before study enrollment

11. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative baseline blood or urine pregnancy
test within 72 hours of first study therapy. Women may be neither breastfeeding nor
intending to become pregnant during study participation and must agree to use
effective contraceptive methods (hormonal or barrier method of birth control, or true
abstinence) for the duration of study participation and in the following 90 days after
discontinuation of study treatment

12. Male patients with partners of childbearing potential must take appropriate
precautions to avoid fathering a child from screening until 90 days after
discontinuation of study treatment and use appropriate barrier contraception or true
abstinence

13. Must not be receiving any other investigational medicinal product

Patient who meets ANY of the following criteria is not eligible for this Part 3 study Arm
B:

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Is pregnant or lactating

2. Is known to be hypersensitive to any of the components of 9-ING-41 or to the
excipients used in its formulation

3. Has endocrine or acinar pancreatic carcinoma

4. Has not recovered from clinically significant toxicities as a result of prior
anticancer therapy, except alopecia and/or infertility. Recovery is defined as ≤ Grade
2 severity per CTCAE, v5.0

5. Has significant cardiovascular impairment: history of congestive heart failure greater
than New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II, unstable angina, or stroke within 6
months of the first dose of study therapy, or uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia

6. Has had a myocardial infarction within 12 weeks of the first dose of study therapy or
has electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities that are deemed medically relevant by the
investigator

7. Has symptomatic rapidly progressive brain metastases or leptomeningeal involvement as
assessed by CT scan or MRI. Patients with stable brain metastases or leptomeningeal
disease or slowly progressive disease are eligible provided that they have not
required new treatments for this disease in a 28-day period before the first dose of
study drug, and anticonvulsants and steroids are at a stable dose for a period of 14
days prior to the first dose of study drug

8. Has had major surgery (not including placement of central lines) within 7 days prior
to study entry or is planned to have major surgery during the course of the study
(major surgery may be defined as any invasive operative procedure in which an
extensive resection is performed, e.g., a body cavity is entered, organs are removed,
or normal anatomy is altered. In general, if a mesenchymal barrier is opened (pleural
cavity, peritoneum, meninges), the surgery is considered major)

9. Has any medical and/or social condition which, in the opinion of the investigator or
study medical coordinator would preclude study participation.

10. Has received an investigational anti-cancer drug in the 14-day period before the first
dose of study drug (or within 5 half-lives if longer) or is currently participating in
another interventional clinical trial.

11. Has a current active malignancy other than pancreatic cancer

12. Is considered to be a member of a vulnerable population (for example, prisoners).

Note: Other protocol defined Inclusion/Exclusion criteria may apply.

Eligibility last updated 5/30/23. Questions regarding updates should be directed to the study team contact.

Participating Mayo Clinic locations

Study statuses change often. Please contact the study team for the most up-to-date information regarding possible participation.

Mayo Clinic Location Status Contact

Rochester, Minn.

Mayo Clinic principal investigator

Ryan Carr, M.D., Ph.D.

Closed for enrollment

Contact information:

Cancer Center Clinical Trials Referral Office

(855) 776-0015

Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz.

Mayo Clinic principal investigator

Tanios Bekaii-Saab, M.D.

Closed for enrollment

Contact information:

Cancer Center Clinical Trials Referral Office

(855) 776-0015

More information

Publications

  • Glycogen synthase kinase‑3 (GSK‑3), a serine/threonine kinase, is involved in a broad range of pathological processes including cancer. GSK‑3 has two isoforms, GSK‑3α and GSK‑3β, and GSK‑3β has been recognized as a therapeutic target for the development of new anticancer drugs. The present study aimed to investigate the antitumor effects of 9‑ING‑41, which is a maleimide‑based ATP‑competitive small molecule GSK‑3β inhibitor active in patients with advanced cancer. In renal cancer cell lines, treatment with 9‑ING‑41 alone induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and autophagy inhibitors increased the antitumor effects of 9‑ING‑41 when used in combination. Treatment with 9‑ING‑41 potentiated the antitumor effects of targeted therapeutics and increased the cytotoxic effects of cytokine‑activated immune cells on renal cancer cell lines. These results provided a compelling rationale for the inclusion of patients with renal cancer in studies of 9‑ING‑41, both as a single agent and in combination with current standard therapies. Read More on PubMed
  • Glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3β), a serine/threonine kinase, has been identified as a potential therapeutic target in human bladder cancer. In the present study, we investigated the antitumor effect of a small molecule GSK-3β inhibitor, 9-ING-41, currently in clinical studies in patients with advanced cancer, in bladder cancer cell lines. We found that treatment with 9-ING-41 leads to cell cycle arrest, autophagy and apoptosis in bladder cancer cells. The autophagy inhibitor chloroquine potentiated the antitumor effects of 9-ING-41 when tested in combination studies. Our findings also demonstrate that 9-ING-41 enhanced the growth inhibitory effects of gemcitabine or cisplatin when used in combination in bladder cancer cells. Finally, we found that 9-ING-41 sensitized bladder cancer cells to the cytotoxic effects of human immune effector cells. Our results provide a rationale for the inclusion of patients with advanced bladder cancer in clinical studies of 9-ING-41. Read More on PubMed
  • Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive interstitial lung disease with a median survival of 3 years after diagnosis. Although the etiology of IPF is unknown, it is characterized by extensive alveolar epithelial cell apoptosis and proliferation of myofibroblasts in the lungs. While the origins of these myofibroblast appear to be diverse, fibroblast differentiation contributes to expansion of myofibroblasts and to disease progression. We found that agents that contribute to neomatrix formation and remodeling in pulmonary fibrosis (PF); TGF-β, Factor Xa, thrombin, plasmin and uPA all induced fibroblast/myofibroblast differentiation. These same mediators enhanced GSK-3β activation via phosphorylation of tyrosine-216 (p-Y216). Inhibition of GSK-3β signaling with the novel inhibitor 9-ING-41 blocked the induction of myofibroblast markers; α-SMA and Col-1 and reduced morphological changes of myofibroblast differentiation. In in vivo studies, the progression of TGF-β and bleomycin mediated PF was significantly attenuated by 9-ING-41 administered at 7 and 14 days respectively after the establishment of injury. Specifically, 9-ING-41 treatment significantly improved lung function (compliance and lung volumes; p < 0.05) of TGF-β adenovirus treated mice compared to controls. Similar results were found in mice with bleomycin-induced PF. These studies clearly show that activation of the GSK-3β signaling pathway is critical for the induction of myofibroblast differentiation in lung fibroblasts ex vivo and pulmonary fibrosis in vivo. The results offer a strong premise supporting the continued investigation of the GSK-3β signaling pathway in the control of fibroblast-myofibroblast differentiation and fibrosing lung injury. These data provide a strong rationale for extension of clinical trials of 9-ING-41 to patients with IPF. Read More on PubMed
  • Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a predominantly fatal common malignancy with inadequate treatment options. Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) is an emerging target in human malignancies including PDAC. Pancreatic cancer cell lines and patient-derived xenografts were treated with a novel GSK-3 inhibitor 9-ING-41 alone or in combination with chemotherapy. Activation of the DNA damage response pathway and S-phase arrest induced by gemcitabine were assessed in pancreatic tumor cells with pharmacologic inhibition or siRNA depletion of GSK-3 kinases by immunoblotting, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence. Read More on PubMed
  • Targeting the B-cell receptor and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/mTOR signaling pathways has shown meaningful, but incomplete, antitumor activity in lymphoma. Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) α and β are 2 homologous and functionally overlapping serine/threonine kinases that phosphorylate multiple protein substrates in several key signaling pathways. To date, no agent targeting GSK3 has been approved for lymphoma therapy. We show that lymphoma cells abundantly express GSK3α and GSK3β compared with normal B and T lymphocytes at the messenger RNA and protein levels. Utilizing a new GSK3 inhibitor 9-ING-41 and by genetic deletion of GSK3α and GSK3β genes using CRISPR/CAS9 knockout, GSK3 was demonstrated to be functionally important to lymphoma cell growth and proliferation. GSK3β binds to centrosomes and microtubules, and lymphoma cells treated with 9-ING-41 become arrested in mitotic prophase, supporting the notion that GSK3β is necessary for the progression of mitosis. By analyzing recently published RNA sequencing data on 234 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients, we found that higher expression of GSK3α or GSK3β correlates well with shorter overall survival. These data provide rationale for testing GSK3 inhibitors in lymphoma patient trials. Read More on PubMed
  • As a kinase at the crossroads of numerous metabolic and cell growth signaling pathways, glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3β) is a highly desirable therapeutic target in cancer. Despite its involvement in pathways associated with the pathogenesis of several malignancies, no selective GSK-3β inhibitor has been approved for the treatment of cancer. The regulatory role of GSK-3β in apoptosis, cell cycle, DNA repair, tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis reflects the therapeutic relevance of this target and provides the rationale for drug combinations. Emerging data on GSK-3β as a mediator of anticancer immune response also highlight the potential clinical applications of novel selective GSK-3β inhibitors that are entering clinical studies. This manuscript reviews the preclinical and early clinical results with GSK-3β inhibitors and delineates the developmental therapeutics landscape for this potentially important target in cancer therapy. Read More on PubMed
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β (GSK-3β), a serine/threonine protein kinase, has been implicated as a potential therapeutic target in human cancer. The objective of the present study was to evaluate aberrant expression of GSK-3β as a potential biomarker in human breast and head and neck cancers. Nuclear/cytosolic fractionation, immunoblotting and immunohistochemical staining was used to study the expression of GSK-3β in human breast and head and neck cancer. Aberrant nuclear accumulation of GSK-3β in five human breast cancer cell lines was demonstrated and in 89/128 (70%) human breast carcinomas, whereas no detectable expression of GSK-3β was found in benign breast tissue. Nuclear GSK-3β expression was associated with HER-2 positive tumors (P=0.02) and non-triple negative breast carcinomas (P=0.0001), although nuclear GSK-3β was observed in some samples across all breast cancer subtypes. Aberrant nuclear expression of GSK-3β was found in 11/15 (73%) squamous cell head and neck carcinomas, whereas weak or no detectable expression of GSK-3β was found in benign salivary gland and other benign head and neck tissues. These results support the hypothesis that aberrant nuclear GSK-3β may represent a potential target for the clinical treatment of human breast and squamous cell carcinoma. Read More on PubMed
  • Advanced stage neuroblastoma is a very aggressive pediatric cancer with limited treatment options and a high mortality rate. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) is a potential therapeutic target in neuroblastoma. Using immunohistochemical staining, we observed positive GSK-3β expression in 67% of human neuroblastomas (34 of 51 cases). Chemically distinct GSK-3 inhibitors (AR-A014418, TDZD-8, and 9-ING-41) suppressed the growth of neuroblastoma cells, whereas 9-ING-41, a clinically relevant small-molecule GSK-3β inhibitor with broad-spectrum preclinical antitumor activity, being the most potent. Inhibition of GSK-3 resulted in a decreased expression of the antiapoptotic molecule XIAP and an increase in neuroblastoma cell apoptosis. Mouse xenograft studies showed that the combination of clinically relevant doses of CPT-11 and 9-ING-41 led to greater antitumor effect than was observed with either agent alone. These data support the inclusion of patients with advanced neuroblastoma in clinical studies of 9-ING-41, especially in combination with CPT-11. Read More on PubMed
  • The complexities of GSK-3β function and interactions with PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling, cell cycling, and apoptotic pathways are poorly understood in the context of lymphomagenesis and cancer therapeutics. In this study, we explored the anti-tumor effects of the GSK-3β inhibitor, 9-ING-41, in lymphoma cell lines as a single agent and in combination with novel agents comprising BCL-2 inhibitor (Venetoclax), CDK-9 inhibitor (BAY-1143572) and p110δ-PI3K inhibitor (Idelalisib). Treatment of Daudi, SUDHL-4, Karpas 422, KPUM-UH1, and TMD8 lymphoma cell lines with 1 μM 9-ING-41 reduced cell viability by 40-70% (p<0.05) and halted proliferation. Luminex analysis of apoptotic pathways revealed a significant increase in active caspase 3 in all lymphoma cell lines (p<0.001) except TMD8 cells. Co-treating SUDHL-4 and KPUM-UH1 lymphoma cells with 0.5 μM 9-ING-41 showed 8-and 2-fold reduction in IC values of Venetoclax, respectively. No significant benefit for this combination was seen in other lymphoma cells tested. The combination of BAY-1143572 with 0.5 μM 9-ING-41 showed an 8-fold reduction in the IC value of the former in SUDHL-4 lymphoma cells alone. No significant changes in IC values of Idelalisib were measured across all cell lines for the combination of 9-ING-41 and Idelalisib. Further, signaling analysis via Western blot in the double-hit lymphoma cell line, KPUM-UH1, suggests that phospho-c-MYC is modified with 9-ING-41 treatment. Altogether, our data show that 9-ING-41 results in increased apoptosis and decreased proliferation in aggressive B-cell lymphoma cells and enhances the antitumor effects of BCL-2 and CDK-9 antagonists. Read More on PubMed
  • Resistance to chemotherapy remains a major challenge in the treatment of human glioblastoma (GBM). Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), a positive regulator of NF-κB-mediated survival and chemoresistance of cancer cells, has been identified as a potential therapeutic target in human GBM. Our objective was to determine the antitumor effect of GSK-3 inhibitor 9-ING-41 in combination with chemotherapy in patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of human GBM. We utilized chemoresistant PDX models of GBM, GBM6 and GBM12, to study the effect of 9-ING-41 used alone and in combination with chemotherapy on tumor progression and survival. GBM6 and GBM12 were transfected by reporter constructs to enable bioluminescence imaging, which was used to stage animals prior to treatment and to follow intracranial GBM tumor growth. Immunohistochemical staining, apoptosis assay, and immunoblotting were used to assess the expression of GSK-3β and the effects of treatment in these models. We found that 9-ING-41 significantly enhanced 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea (CCNU) antitumor activity in staged orthotopic GBM12 (no response to CCNU) and GBM6 (partial response to CCNU) PDX models, as indicated by a decrease in tumor bioluminescence in mouse brain and a significant increase in overall survival. Treatment with the combination of CCNU and 9-ING-41 resulted in histologically confirmed cures in these studies. Our results demonstrate that the GSK-3 inhibitor 9-ING-41, a clinical candidate currently in Investigational New Drug (IND)-enabling development, significantly enhances the efficacy of CCNU therapy for human GBM and warrants consideration for clinical evaluation in this difficult-to-treat patient population. Read More on PubMed
  • Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), a serine/threonine protein kinase, is a complex regulator of numerous cellular functions. GSK-3β is a unique kinase which is constitutively active in resting and nonstimulated cells. GSK-3β has been implicated in a wide range of diseases including neurodegeneration, inflammation and fibrosis, noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and cancer. It is a regulator of NF-κB-mediated survival of cancer cells, which provided a rationale for the development of GSK-3 inhibitors targeting malignant tumors. Recent studies, many of them reported over the past decade, have identified GSK-3β as a potential therapeutic target in more than 15 different types of cancer. Whereas only active GSK-3β is expressed in cancer cell nucleus, aberrant nuclear accumulation of GSK-3β has been identified as a hallmark of cancer cells in malignant tumors of different origin. This review focuses on the preclinical and clinical development of GSK-3 inhibitors and the potential therapeutic impact of targeting GSK-3β in human cancer. . Read More on PubMed
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β (GSK-3β), a serine/threonine protein kinase, is an emerging therapeutic target in the treatment of human breast cancer. In this study, we demonstrate that the pharmacological inhibition of GSK-3 by two novel small molecule GSK-3 inhibitors, 9-ING-41 and 9-ING-87, reduced the viability of breast cancer cells but had little effect on non-tumorigenic cell growth. Moreover, treatment with 9-ING-41 enhanced the antitumor effect of irinotecan (CPT-11) against breast cancer cells in vitro. We next established two patient-derived xenograft tumor models (BC-1 and BC-2) from metastatic pleural effusions obtained from patients with progressive, chemorefractory breast cancer and demonstrated that 9-ING-41 also potentiated the effect of the chemotherapeutic drug CPT-11 in vivo, leading to regression of established BC-1 and BC-2 tumors in mice. Our results suggest that the inhibition of GSK-3 is a promising therapeutic approach to overcome chemoresistance in human breast cancer, and identify the GSK-3 inhibitor 9-ING-41 as a candidate targeted agent for metastatic breast cancer therapy. Read More on PubMed
  • Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3), a constitutively active serine/threonine kinase, is a key regulator of numerous cellular processes ranging from glycogen metabolism to cell-cycle regulation and proliferation. Consistent with its involvement in many pathways, it has also been implicated in the pathogenesis of various human diseases, including type II diabetes, Alzheimer disease, bipolar disorder, inflammation, and cancer. Consequently, it is recognized as an attractive target for the development of new drugs. In the present study, we investigated the effect of both pharmacologic and genetic inhibition of GSK-3 in two different renal cancer cell lines. We have shown potent antiproliferative activity of 9-ING-41, a maleimide-based GSK-3 inhibitor. The antiproliferative activity is most likely caused by G(0)-G(1) and G(2)-M phase arrest as evident from cell-cycle analysis. We have established that inhibition of GSK-3 imparted a differentiated phenotype in renal cancer cells. We have also shown that GSK-3 inhibition induced autophagy, likely as a result of imbalanced energy homeostasis caused by impaired glucose metabolism. In addition, we have demonstrated the antitumor activity of 9-ING-41 in two different subcutaneous xenograft renal cell carcinoma tumor models. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing autophagy induction due to GSK-3 inhibition in renal cancer cells. Read More on PubMed
.
CLS-20456372

Mayo Clinic Footer