Multi-kinase inhibitor CT-707 targets liver cancer by interrupting the hypoxia-activated IGF-1R-YAP axis

Given that YAP signaling acts as a critical survival input for hypoxic cancer cells in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), disruption of YAP function and the maintenance of hypoxia is an attractive way to treat HCC. Utilizing a cell-based YAP-TEAD luciferase reporter assay and functional analyses, we identified CT-707, a China-FDA approved multi-kinase inhibitor under clinical trial with remarkable inhibitory activity against YAP function. CT-707 exhibited prominent cytotoxicity under hypoxia on HCC cells, which was attributable to the inhibition of YAP signaling. CT-707 arrested tumor growth in HepG2-, Bel-7402-, and HCC patient-derived xenografts. Mechanistically, the inhibitory activity of CT-707 on YAP signaling was due to the interruption of hypoxia-activated IGF-1R. Overall, these findings not only identify CT-707 as a promising hypoxia-targeting agent against HCC, but they also unveil IGF-1R as a new modulator specifically regulating hypoxia-activated YAP signaling.

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