No abstract

Temozolomide (TMZ), as the first-line chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), often fails to improve the prognosis of GBM patients due to the quick development of resistance. The need for more effective management of GBM is urgent. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of combined therapy with TMZ and amlexanox, a selective inhibitor of IKBKE, for GBM. We found that the combined treatment resulted in significant induction of cellular apoptosis and the inhibition of cell viability, migration, and invasion in primary glioma cells and in the human glioma cell line, U87 MG. As expected, TMZ enhanced the expression of p-AMPK and amlexanox led to the reduction of IKBKE, with no impact on p-AMPK. Furthermore, we demonstrated that compared to other groups treated with each component alone, TMZ combined with amlexanox effectively reversed the TMZ-induced activation of Akt and inhibited the phosphorylation of mTOR. In addition, the combination treatment also clearly reduced in vivo tumor volume and prolonged median survival time in the xenograft mouse model. These results suggest that amlexanox sensitized the primary glioma cells and U87 MG cells to TMZ at least partially through the suppression of IKBKE activation and the attenuation of TMZ-induced Akt activation. Overall, combined treatment with TMZ and amlexanox may provide a promising possibility for improving the prognosis of glioblastoma patients in clinical practice.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most prevalent type of malignant cancer in the adult central nervous system; however, its mechanism remains unclear. Angiomotin-like 2 (AMOTL2) is a member of the motin family of angiostatin-binding proteins. It has been reported as an oncogene in cervical and breast cancer, but its association with glioma remains unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate AMOTL2-regulated processes in glioma cell lines using extensive in vitro assays and certain bioinformatics tools. These results revealed that AMOTL2 was downregulated in high-grade glioma cells and tissues, with patients with glioma exhibiting a high AMOTL2 expression having a higher survival rate. The results of the glioma cell phenotype experiment showed that AMOTL2 suppressed GBM proliferation, migration and invasion. In addition, immunoblotting, co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence assays demonstrated that AMOTL2 could directly bind to β-catenin protein, the key molecule of the Wnt signaling pathway, and regulate its downstream genes by regulating β-catenin nuclear translocation. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that AMOTL2 inhibited glioma proliferation, migration and invasion by regulating β-catenin nuclear localization. Thus, AMOTL2 may serve as a therapeutic target to further improve the prognosis and prolong survival time of patients with glioma.

Background: Temozolomide (TMZ), as the first-line chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), often fails to improve the prognosis of GBM patients due to the quick development of resistance. The need for more effective management of GBM is urgent. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of combined therapy with TMZ and amlexanox, a selective inhibitor of inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B kinase subunit epsilon (IKBKE), for GBM.Methods: in vitro, cell viability assay, apoptosis analysis, western blot, migration and invasion assay were used. In vivo, intracranial tumor models were constructed and the immunohistochemistry were used. Results: We found that combined treatment resulted in significant induction of cellular apoptosis and the inhibition of cell viability, migration and invasion in primary glioma cell and in the human glioma cell line, U87 MG. TMZ enhanced expression of phosphoration of adenosine 5‘-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK) and amlexanox led to reduction of IKBKE, with no impact on p-AMPK. Furthermore, we demonstrated that, compared to other groups treated with each component alone, TMZ combined with amlexanox effectively inhibited phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). In addition, the combination treatment also clearly reduced in vivo tumor volume and prolonged median survival time in the xenograft mouse model. Conclusion: These results suggest that amlexanox sensitized primary glioma cell and U87 MG cell to TMZ at least partially though the suppression of IKBKE activation and the attenuation of AKT activation. Overall, combined treatment with TMZ and amlexanox may provide a promising possibility for improving the prognosis of glioblastoma patients in clinical practice.