Abstract A55: Potent, dual cIAP1/XIAP antagonists induce apoptosis in a melanoma stem cell population.
Authors: Chessari Gianni , Ahn Maria , Hearn Keisha , Johnson Christopher N. , Lewis Jon , Thompson Neil , Ward George , Williams Pamela 
Published: August 2014

The inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAP) are key regulators of anti-apoptotic and pro-survival signaling pathways. Overexpression of IAPs occurs in various cancers and has been associated with tumor progression and resistance to treatment. IAP antagonists activate the E3 ligase function of cIAP1 and stimulate rapid autoubiquitylation and proteosomal degradation of both cIAP1 and cIAP2. Elimination of these proteins leads to a switch in TNFα signalling from being pro-survival to being pro-apoptotic. However, a strong pro-apoptotic effect from cIAP loss cannot be achieved without sustained antagonism of XIAP-mediated caspase inhibition. Therefore, a best in class profile for IAP antagonists requires potent dual antagonism of cIAP1 and XIAP. Astex has used fragment based-drug discovery to develop a second generation of IAP antagonists, which are non-peptidomimetic and do not contain an alanine as a warhead. This series has the ability not only to efficiently degrade cIAP1 but also to potently antagonize XIAP, delivering a dual cIAP1/XIAP inhibitory profile which is not apparent in the first generation of IAP antagonists based on an alanine warhead. Here, we report the structural understanding of the unique molecular profile of the series together with the enhanced activity of these compounds in melanoma cancer stem cells (CSC). CSC populations are more resistant to apoptosis than the bulk cell population and they have been associated with resistance to cancer therapy, relapse and cancer progressions. Blockade of the apoptotic pathway by up-regulation of anti-apoptotic factors has been implicated in conferring resistance in CSC fractions and increased XIAP expression has also been reported in these cells. We have analysed the CD133+ population of three melanoma cell lines (SK-MEL-2, SK-MEL-5 and SK-MEL-28) and measured activation of caspase-3 (NucView™ cell staining) after treatment with IAP antagonists in presence of TNFα. Our potent dual cIAP1/XIAP antagonists (XIAP EC50 &lt;= 5 nM in cells) have a significantly enhanced apoptosis-inducing capacity (p&lt;0.05), on the CSC fraction in all three cell lines, compared to alanine-containing cIAP1 selective antagonists, with reduced XIAP potency (XIAP EC50 &gt; 35 nM in cells). The enhanced XIAP potency of our compounds is overriding the resistance in CSC subpopulations, highlighting the importance of dual antagonism in promoting efficient induction of apoptosis.

Citation Information: Mol Cancer Ther 2013;12(11 Suppl):A55.

Citation Format: Gianni Chessari, Maria Ahn, Keisha Hearn, Christopher N. Johnson, Jon Lewis, Neil Thompson, George Ward, Pamela Williams. Potent, dual cIAP1/XIAP antagonists induce apoptosis in a melanoma stem cell population. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2013 Oct 19-23; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2013;12(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A55.