Background: Cyclin-dependent kinases 2/4/6 (CDK2/4/6) play critical roles in cell cycle progression, and their deregulations are hallmarks of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Methods: We used the combination of computational and experimental approaches to discover a CDK2/4/6 triple-inhibitor from FDA approved small-molecule drugs for the treatment of HCC.
Results: We identified vanoxerine dihydrochloride as a new CDK2/4/6 inhibitor, and a strong cytotoxic drug in human HCC QGY7703 and Huh7 cells (IC50: 3.79μM for QGY7703and 4.04μM for Huh7 cells). In QGY7703 and Huh7 cells, vanoxerine dihydrochloride treatment caused G1‑arrest, induced apoptosis, and reduced the expressions of CDK2/4/6, cyclin D/E, retinoblastoma protein (Rb), as well as the phosphorylation of CDK2/4/6 and Rb. Drug combination study indicated that vanoxerine dihydrochloride and 5-Fu produced synergistic cytotoxicity in vitro in Huh7 cells. Finally, in vivo study in BALB/C nude mice subcutaneously xenografted with Huh7 cells, vanoxerine dihydrochloride (40mg/kg, i.p.) injection for 21 days produced significant anti‑tumor activity (p<0.05), which was comparable to that achieved by 5-Fu (10mg/kg, i.p.), with the combination treatment resulted in synergistic effect. Immunohistochemistry staining of the tumor tissues also revealed significantly reduced expressions of Rb and CDK2/4/6in vanoxerine dihydrochloride treatment group.
Conclusions: The present study is the first report identifying a new CDK2/4/6 triple inhibitor vanoxerine dihydrochloride, and demonstrated that this drug represents a novel therapeutic strategy for HCC treatment.

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Posted 06 Jan, 2021
On 17 Dec, 2020
On 17 Dec, 2020
On 17 Dec, 2020
On 17 Dec, 2020
Received 22 Nov, 2020
On 22 Nov, 2020
Received 13 Nov, 2020
On 13 Nov, 2020
Received 13 Nov, 2020
On 11 Nov, 2020
On 12 Oct, 2020
Invitations sent on 07 Oct, 2020
On 14 Sep, 2020
On 13 Sep, 2020
On 13 Sep, 2020
On 28 Jun, 2020
Received 27 Jun, 2020
On 17 Jun, 2020
On 16 Jun, 2020
Received 06 Jun, 2020
On 28 May, 2020
On 28 May, 2020
Invitations sent on 28 May, 2020
On 28 May, 2020
On 20 May, 2020
On 14 May, 2020
Posted 06 Jan, 2021
On 17 Dec, 2020
On 17 Dec, 2020
On 17 Dec, 2020
On 17 Dec, 2020
Received 22 Nov, 2020
On 22 Nov, 2020
Received 13 Nov, 2020
On 13 Nov, 2020
Received 13 Nov, 2020
On 11 Nov, 2020
On 12 Oct, 2020
Invitations sent on 07 Oct, 2020
On 14 Sep, 2020
On 13 Sep, 2020
On 13 Sep, 2020
On 28 Jun, 2020
Received 27 Jun, 2020
On 17 Jun, 2020
On 16 Jun, 2020
Received 06 Jun, 2020
On 28 May, 2020
On 28 May, 2020
Invitations sent on 28 May, 2020
On 28 May, 2020
On 20 May, 2020
On 14 May, 2020
Background: Cyclin-dependent kinases 2/4/6 (CDK2/4/6) play critical roles in cell cycle progression, and their deregulations are hallmarks of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Methods: We used the combination of computational and experimental approaches to discover a CDK2/4/6 triple-inhibitor from FDA approved small-molecule drugs for the treatment of HCC.
Results: We identified vanoxerine dihydrochloride as a new CDK2/4/6 inhibitor, and a strong cytotoxic drug in human HCC QGY7703 and Huh7 cells (IC50: 3.79μM for QGY7703and 4.04μM for Huh7 cells). In QGY7703 and Huh7 cells, vanoxerine dihydrochloride treatment caused G1‑arrest, induced apoptosis, and reduced the expressions of CDK2/4/6, cyclin D/E, retinoblastoma protein (Rb), as well as the phosphorylation of CDK2/4/6 and Rb. Drug combination study indicated that vanoxerine dihydrochloride and 5-Fu produced synergistic cytotoxicity in vitro in Huh7 cells. Finally, in vivo study in BALB/C nude mice subcutaneously xenografted with Huh7 cells, vanoxerine dihydrochloride (40mg/kg, i.p.) injection for 21 days produced significant anti‑tumor activity (p<0.05), which was comparable to that achieved by 5-Fu (10mg/kg, i.p.), with the combination treatment resulted in synergistic effect. Immunohistochemistry staining of the tumor tissues also revealed significantly reduced expressions of Rb and CDK2/4/6in vanoxerine dihydrochloride treatment group.
Conclusions: The present study is the first report identifying a new CDK2/4/6 triple inhibitor vanoxerine dihydrochloride, and demonstrated that this drug represents a novel therapeutic strategy for HCC treatment.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8
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