Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Publication
    Deciphering Combinations of PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway Drugs Augmenting Anti-Angiogenic Efficacy In Vivo
    (Public Library of Science, 2014-08-21) ;
    Ocular neovascularization is a common pathology associated with human eye diseases e.g. age-related macular degeneration and proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Blindness represents one of the most feared disabilities and remains a major burden to health-care systems. Current approaches to treat ocular neovascularisation include laser photocoagulation, photodynamic therapy and anti-VEGF therapies: Ranibizumab (Lucentis) and Aflibercept (Eylea). However, high clinical costs, frequent intraocular injections, and increased risk of infections are challenges related with these standards of care. Thus, there is a clinical need to develop more effective drugs that overcome these challenges. Here, we focus on an alternative approach by quantifying the in vivo anti-angiogenic efficacy of combinations of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway inhibitors. The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is a complex signalling pathway involved in crucial cellular functions such as cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis. RT-PCR confirms the expression of PI3K target genes (pik3ca, pik3r1, mtor and akt1) in zebrafish trunks from 6 hours post fertilisation (hpf) and in eyes from 2 days post fertilisation (dpf). Using both the zebrafish intersegmental vessel and hyaloid vessel assays to measure the in vivo anti-angiogenic efficacy of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway inhibitors, we identified 5 µM combinations of i) NVP-BEZ235 (dual PI3K-mTOR inhibitor) + PI-103 (dual PI3K-mTOR inhibitor); or ii) LY-294002 (pan-PI3K inhibitor) + NVP-BEZ235; or iii) NVP-BEZ235 + rapamycin (mTOR inhibitor); or iv) LY-294002 + rapamycin as the most anti-angiogenic. Treatment of developing larvae from 2–5 dpf with 5 µM NVP-BEZ235 plus PI-103 resulted in an essentially intact ocular morphology and visual behaviour, whereas other combinations severely disrupted the developing retinal morphology and visual function. In human ARPE19 retinal pigment epithelium cells, however, no significant difference in cell number was observed following treatment with the inhibitor combinations. Collectively, these results highlight the potential of combinations of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway inhibitors to safely and effectively treat ocular neovascularization.
      468Scopus© Citations 34
  • Publication
    Phenotype-based Discovery of 2-[(E)-2-(Quinolin-2-yl)vinyl]phenol as a Novel Regulator of Ocular Angiogenesis
    Retinal angiogenesis is tightly regulated to meet oxygenation and nutritional requirements. In diseases such as proliferative diabetic retinopathy and neovascular age-related macular degeneration, uncontrolled angiogenesis can lead to blindness. Our goal is to better understand the molecular processes controlling retinal angiogenesis and discover novel drugs that inhibit retinal neovascularization. Phenotype-based chemical screens were performed using the ChemBridge DiversetTM library and inhibition of hyaloid vessel angiogenesis in Tg(fli1:EGFP) zebrafish. 2-[(E)-2-(Quinolin-2-yl)vinyl]phenol, (quininib) robustly inhibits developmental angiogenesis at 4–10 μm in zebrafish and significantly inhibits angiogenic tubule formation in HMEC-1 cells, angiogenic sprouting in aortic ring explants, and retinal revascularization in oxygen-induced retinopathy mice. Quininib is well tolerated in zebrafish, human cell lines, and murine eyes. Profiling screens of 153 angiogenic and inflammatory targets revealed that quininib does not directly target VEGF receptors but antagonizes cysteinyl leukotriene receptors 1 and 2 (CysLT1–2) at micromolar IC50 values. In summary, quininib is a novel anti-angiogenic small-molecule CysLT receptor antagonist. Quininib inhibits angiogenesis in a range of cell and tissue systems, revealing novel physiological roles for CysLT signaling. Quininib has potential as a novel therapeutic agent to treat ocular neovascular pathologies and may complement current anti-VEGF biological agents.
    Scopus© Citations 31  509
  • Publication
    Structure-activity relationship of a novel family of cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonist quinoline compounds with anti-angiogenic activity
    Introduction: Previously, we identified quininib (2-[(E)-2-(quinolin-2-yl)vinyl]phenol), a cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonist with anti-angiogenic and anti-permeable activity (1,2). Here, we report a structure activity relationship study to more comprehensively characterise features which confer anti-angiogenic activity.
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