A COMBINATION OF RAPAMYCIN, ω3−PUFA DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID AND EPIGALLOCATECHIN–3–GALLATE FOR THE SIMULTANEOUS SUPPRESSION OF PI3K/MTOR PATHWAY AND WNT/β–CATENIN SIGNALING IN APC–DRIVEN COLORECTAL CARCINOGENESIS

Background. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling is frequently deregulated in colorectal cancer (CRC). Germ-line (as for familial adenomatous polyposis – FAP) or somatic loss of function of APC gene are crucial events in CRC onset (1). The mTOR pathway is frequently impaired in CRC progression (2) and closely involved in a fine cross-talk together with Wnt/β-catenin signaling, which often leads to the acquisition of resistance to common single-inhibitors against the two pathways (3).
Aim. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of a combination (RDE) of Rapamycin (R), ω3-PUFA Docosahexaenoic Acid (D) and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (E) on PI3K/mTOR and Wnt/β-catenin pathways to define an effective combinatorial approach against APC-driven CRC onset and progression.
Methods. RDE was tested in 2D and 3D models representative of different settings: APC-mutated-pre-cancerous settings consisting of intestinal organoids (PDOs) derived from FAP patients normal-appearing mucosa (NM) and adenomas (A); APC-mutated-cancerous settings comprising sporadic-CRC-cancer (K)-PDOs and the cell lines SW480/HT-29; non-APC-mutated-CRC setting (HCT116 cell line). Cells/organoids viability, intestinal stemness (LGR5), differentiation (KRT20), target genes and effector proteins expression of Wnt and mTOR were evaluated. CHI99021 was used as Wnt-active positive control; CTRL (vehicles) and non-treated cells/organoids (NC) as negative controls.
Results. RDE significantly inhibited the mTOR pathway by downregulating phosphorylated-S6R (p-S6R) in a background-independent manner (Fig.1A-2A), and reduced cells and organoids viability (~20%) (Fig.1B-2B). In APC-mutated-pre-cancerous settings RDE enhanced the Wnt signaling activation but significantly suppressed LGR5, promoting a shift towards differentiation (upregulation of KRT20) (Fig.1C-D). In contrast, the hyperactivation of Wnt induced by RDE in CRC-settings (APC/non-APC mutated) promoted β-catenin protein degradation in a GSK3β/AXIN1-independent manner and suppressed the LGR5 expression (Fig.2C-D).
Conclusion. Taken together our results suggests that RDE represents a potential therapeutic approach for both preventive and therapeutic strategies against CRC.
References
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