Potential inhibition of PDK1/Akt signaling by phenothiazines suppresses cancer cell proliferation and survival

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2008 Sep:1138:393-403. doi: 10.1196/annals.1414.041.

Abstract

3'-Phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 (PDK1) has been identified for its ability to phosphorylate and activate Akt. Accumulated studies have shown that the activation of the PDK1/Akt pathway plays a pivotal role in cell survival, proliferation, and tumorigenesis. Therefore, the PDK1/Akt pathway is believed to be a critical target for cancer intervention. In this paper, we report the discovery of a new function of phenothiazines, widely known as antipsychotics, inhibiting PDK1/Akt pathway. Upon epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulation, phenothiazines specifically suppressed the kinase activity of PDK1 and the phosphorylation level of Akt. The inhibition of PDK1/Akt kinase resulted in suppression of EGF-induced cell growth and induction of apoptosis in human ovary cancer cells. In particular, phenothiazines were highly selective for downstream targets of PDK1/Akt and did not inhibit the activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), EGFR, or extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2). In particular, phenothiazines effectively suppressed tumor growth in nude mice of human cancer cells. Taken together, these findings provide strong evidence for novel function of phenothiazines, pharmacologically targeting PDK1/Akt for anticancer drug discovery.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects*
  • Cell Survival / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Phenothiazines / pharmacology*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Acetyl-Transferring Kinase
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Transplantation, Heterologous

Substances

  • PDK1 protein, human
  • Pdk1 protein, mouse
  • Phenothiazines
  • Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Acetyl-Transferring Kinase
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt