Cell-penetrating peptides containing the progesterone receptor polyproline domain inhibits EGF signaling and cell proliferation in lung cancer cells

PLoS One. 2022 Mar 2;17(3):e0264717. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264717. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for the majority (80-85%) of all lung cancers. All current available treatments have limited efficacy. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays a critical role in the development and progression of NSCLC, with high EGFR expression associated with increased cell proliferation and poor prognosis. Thus, interfering with EGFR signaling has been shown to effectively reduce cell proliferation and help in the treatment of NSCLC. We previously demonstrated that the progesterone receptor (PR) contains a polyproline domain (PPD) that directly interacts with Src homology 3 (SH3) domain-containing molecules and expression of PR-PPD peptides inhibits NSCLC cell proliferation. In this study, we investigated whether the introduction of PR-PPD by cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) could inhibit EGF-induced cell proliferation in NSCLC cells. PR-PPD was attached to a cancer-specific CPP, Buforin2 (BR2), to help deliver the PR-PPD into NSCLC cells. Interestingly, addition of BR2-2xPPD peptides containing two PR-PPD repeats was more effective in inhibiting NSCLC proliferation and significantly reduced EGF-induced phosphorylation of Erk1/2. BR2-2xPPD treatment induced cell cycle arrest by inhibiting the expression of cyclin D1 and CDK2 genes in EGFR-wild type A549 cells. Furthermore, the combination treatment of EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), including Gefitinib or Erlotinib, with BR2-2xPPD peptides further suppressed the growth of NSCLC PC9 cells harboring EGFR mutations as compared to EGFR-TKIs treatment alone. Importantly, BR2-2xPPD peptides mediated growth inhibition in acquired Gefitinib- and Erlotinib- resistant lung adenocarcinoma cells. Our data suggests that PR-PPD is the minimal protein domain sufficient to inhibit NSCLC cell growth and has the potential to be developed as a novel NSCLC therapeutic agent.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides* / pharmacology
  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides* / therapeutic use
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • Epidermal Growth Factor / pharmacology
  • Epidermal Growth Factor / therapeutic use
  • ErbB Receptors / genetics
  • Erlotinib Hydrochloride / therapeutic use
  • Gefitinib / pharmacology
  • Gefitinib / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Peptides
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Receptors, Progesterone

Substances

  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides
  • Peptides
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Receptors, Progesterone
  • polyproline
  • Epidermal Growth Factor
  • Erlotinib Hydrochloride
  • ErbB Receptors
  • Gefitinib

Grants and funding

This research was supported by funds from Ratchadaphiseksomphot Endowment Fund (GB-A_61_05_37_02) and from the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences Research Fund (AHS_CU58006) to V.B. and by the 100th Anniversary Chulalongkorn University for Doctoral Scholarship, the 90th Anniversary Chulalongkorn University Fund and the Overseas Research Experience Scholarship for Graduate Student to P.K. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.