A proteomics-based investigation on the anticancer activity of alisertib, an Aurora kinase A inhibitor, in hepatocellular carcinoma Hep3B cells

Qiaohua Zhu, Meihua Luo, Chengyu Zhou, Zhiwei Zhou, Zhixu He, Xinfa Yu, Shufeng Zhou

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Targeted therapy may provide survival benefit for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and Aurora A kinase (AURKA) represents a feasible target in cancer treatment. The purpose of this study is to investigate the anticancer activity of alisertib (ALS) on Hep3B cells based on a proteomic study conducted with the stable-isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC). The proteomic response to ALS was obtained with SILAC-based proteomic study. Cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were assessed using flow cytometry and autophagy was determined using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. ALS inhibited the proliferation of Hep3B cells, with IC50 values for 24- and 48-h exposure of 46.8 and 28.0 µM, respectively. Our SILAC study demonstrated that there were at least 565 proteins responding to ALS treatment, with 256 upregulated, 275 downregulated and 35 stable. Ninety-four signaling pathways, majority of which involved cell proliferation and survival, programmed cell death, and nutrition and energy metabolism, were regulated by ALS. ALS significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of AURKA at Thr288 in a concentration-dependent manner. Subsequent study showed that ALS remarkably arrested Hep3B cells in G2/M phase via regulating the expression of key cell cycle regulators, and induced a marked autophagy via the PI3K/Akt/ mTOR axis. Inhibition of autophagy enhanced the anticancer activity of ALS in Hep3B cells. Overall, ALS leads to comprehensive proteomic response, inhibits cellular proliferation, and induces cell cycle arrest and autophagy in Hep3B cells. Further studies are warranted to explore the role of ALS in the treatment of HCC.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)3558-3572
Number of pages15
JournalAmerican Journal of Translational Research
Volume9
Issue number8
StatePublished - 2017
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Alisertib
  • Apoptosis
  • Aurora kinase A
  • Autophagy
  • Cell cycle
  • Hep3B cells
  • Hepatocellular carcinoma
  • Proteomics
  • SILAC

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Medicine
  • Clinical Biochemistry
  • Cancer Research

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