More than 1/3rd of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients either have or develop metastatic-RCC (mRCC) despite nephrectomy and adjuvant treatments. Survival of mRCC patients at 5-years is < 10%. The major goal of this project is to develop a dietary supplement-based prevention and treatment strategy against mRCC. Nexavar? (SF) is an FDA approved oral angiogenesis inhibitor which improves overall survival by 12- 18%, causes disease stabilization for about 8-weeks and has a high failure rate. Although the cause of SF failure is unknown, its glucuronidation by UDP-Glucuronyltransferase-1A9 (A9) is a plausible one, because glucuronidation inactivates SF. Preliminary results presented in this application show for the first time that when compared to the SF-responders, A9 levels and SF-glucuronidation are significantly higher in tumors from those patients who fail SF treatment. Furthermore, a non-toxic dietary supplement Hymecromone (HC), consumed extensively in Asia and Europe, inhibits SF glucuronidation by downregulating A9 expression. In RCC and endothelial cells, the combination of HC and SF inhibited viability, motility, invasion and capillary formation. By inhibiting novel molecular targets in RCC and stromal cells, including A9, the combination abrogated signaling pathways that drive RCC cell survival, metastasis and angiogenesis. At concentrations less than ten-fold of those used for consumption, HC when combined with SF completely eliminated tumor growth in a SF-resistant RCC model, without toxicity. Tissue and plasma levels of SF and HC were well above the doses needed for the activity of HC+SF. The central hypothesis is that by inhibiting novel targets, HC+SF combination abrogates RCC and endothelial cell functions leading to the prevention and elimination of RCC growth, angiogenesis and metastasis. To test this hypothesis, the molecular basis of HC+SF activity will be examined in RCC and stromal cell co-cultures. Next the bioavailability and toxicity of HC+SF will be evaluated, along with the analysis of the molecular targets of HC and SF, as biomarkers, to predict RCC metastasis and response to SF. Finally, the efficacy of the HC+SF combination, to prevent tumor growth and metastasis, will be examined in spontaneously metastatic-orthotopic RCC models. Impact: This study should lead to an effective strategy for the prevention and control of mRCC that combines HC, a non-toxic dietary supplement, with SF. Evaluation of activity, bioavailability and toxicity in pre-clinical models and prediction of response may advance this dietary combination for clinical application.

Public Health Relevance

This study is designed for developing an effective and non-toxic dietary supplement based strategy for prevention and control of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), which remains incurable. The strategy is to combine Hymecromone, a non-toxic dietary supplement with Nexavar, which is used for treating mRCC but has modest efficacy. Since both are oral agents and already in use, investigation into the molecular basis of activity, bioavailability, toxicity and biomarkers of response, could aid in the clinical applicatin of this dietary supplement-based strategy.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01CA176691-06
Application #
9605727
Study Section
Chemo/Dietary Prevention Study Section (CDP)
Program Officer
Kumar, Amit
Project Start
2013-12-01
Project End
2020-11-30
Budget Start
2018-12-01
Budget End
2020-11-30
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
2019
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Augusta University
Department
Biochemistry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
City
Augusta
State
GA
Country
United States
Zip Code
30912
Lokeshwar, Soum D; Talukder, Asif; Yates, Travis J et al. (2018) Molecular Characterization of Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Potential Three-MicroRNA Prognostic Signature. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 27:464-472
Jordan, Andre R; Lokeshwar, Soum D; Lopez, Luis E et al. (2017) Antitumor activity of sulfated hyaluronic acid fragments in pre-clinical models of bladder cancer. Oncotarget 8:24262-24274
Morera, Daley S; Hennig, Martin S; Talukder, Asif et al. (2017) Hyaluronic acid family in bladder cancer: potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Br J Cancer 117:1507-1517
Jordan, Andre R; Racine, Ronny R; Hennig, Martin J P et al. (2015) The Role of CD44 in Disease Pathophysiology and Targeted Treatment. Front Immunol 6:182
Yates, Travis J; Lopez, Luis E; Lokeshwar, Soum D et al. (2015) Dietary supplement 4-methylumbelliferone: an effective chemopreventive and therapeutic agent for prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 107:
Gosalbez, Miguel; Hupe, Marie C; Lokeshwar, Soum D et al. (2014) Differential expression of SDF-1 isoforms in bladder cancer. J Urol 191:1899-1905
Lokeshwar, Vinata B; Mirza, Summan; Jordan, Andre (2014) Targeting hyaluronic acid family for cancer chemoprevention and therapy. Adv Cancer Res 123:35-65
Garcia-Roig, Michael; Ortiz, Nicolas; Lokeshwar, Vinata (2014) Molecular marker for predicting treatment response in advanced renal cell carcinoma: does the promise fulfill clinical need? Curr Urol Rep 15:375
Benitez, Anaid; Yates, Travis J; Shamaldevi, N et al. (2013) Dietary supplement hymecromone and sorafenib: a novel combination for the control of renal cell carcinoma. J Urol 190:285-90