Activation of PKC supports the anticancer activity of tigilanol tiglate and related epoxytiglianes

Jason K. Cullen, Glen M. Boyle*, Pei Yi Yap, Stefan Elmlinger, Jacinta L. Simmons, Natasa Broit, Jenny Johns, Blake Ferguson, Lidia A. Maslovskaya, Andrei I. Savchenko, Paul Malek Mirzayans, Achim Porzelle, Paul V. Bernhardt, Victoria A. Gordon, Paul W. Reddell, Alberto Pagani, Giovanni Appendino, Peter G. Parsons, Craig M. Williams

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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Abstract

The long-standing perception of Protein Kinase C (PKC) as a family of oncoproteins has increasingly been challenged by evidence that some PKC isoforms may act as tumor suppressors. To explore the hypothesis that activation, rather than inhibition, of these isoforms is critical for anticancer activity, we isolated and characterized a family of 16 novel phorboids closely-related to tigilanol tiglate (EBC-46), a PKC-activating epoxytigliane showing promising clinical safety and efficacy for intratumoral treatment of cancers. While alkyl branching features of the C12-ester influenced potency, the 6,7-epoxide structural motif and position was critical to PKC activation in vitro. A subset of the 6,7-epoxytiglianes were efficacious against established tumors in mice; which generally correlated with in vitro activation of PKC. Importantly, epoxytiglianes without evidence of PKC activation showed limited antitumor efficacy. Taken together, these findings provide a strong rationale to reassess the role of PKC isoforms in cancer, and suggest in some situations their activation can be a promising strategy for anticancer drug discovery.

Original languageEnglish
Article number207
Number of pages14
JournalScientific Reports
Volume11
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 8 Jan 2021
Externally publishedYes

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Copyright the Author(s) 2021. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

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