A Family of PIKFYVE Inhibitors with Therapeutic Potential Against Autophagy-Dependent Cancer Cells Disrupt Multiple Events in Lysosome Homeostasis.

A Family of PIKFYVE Inhibitors with Therapeutic Potential Against Autophagy-Dependent Cancer Cells Disrupt Multiple Events in Lysosome Homeostasis. Autophagy. 2019 Feb 26;: Authors: Sharma G, Guardia CM, Roy A, Vassilev A, Saric A, Griner LN, Marugan J, Ferrer M, Bonifacino JS, DePamphilis ML Abstract High-throughput screening identified 5 chemical analogs (termed the WX8-family) that disrupted 3 events in lysosome homeostasis: (1) lysosome fission via tubulation without preventing homotypic lysosome fusion; (2) trafficking of molecules into lysosomes without altering lysosomal acidity, and (3) heterotypic fusion between lysosomes and autophagosomes. Remarkably, these compounds did not prevent homotypic fusion between lysosomes, despite the fact that homotypic fusion required some of the same machinery essential for heterotypic fusion. These effects varied 400-fold among WX8-family members, were time and concentration dependent, reversible, and resulted primarily from their ability to bind specifically to the PIKFYVE phosphoinositide kinase. The ability of the WX8-family to prevent lysosomes from participating in macroautophagy/autophagy suggested they have therapeutic potential in treating autophagy-dependent diseases. In fact, the most potent family member (WX8) was 100-times more lethal to 'autophagy-addicted' melanoma A375 cells than the lysosomal inhibitors hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine. In contrast, cells that were insensi...
Source: Autophagy - Category: Cytology Authors: Tags: Autophagy Source Type: research