Journal
CANCER RESEARCH
Volume 70, Issue 1, Pages 266-276Publisher
AMER ASSOC CANCER RESEARCH
DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-09-0578
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Funding
- Swedish Children's Cancer Foundation
- Swedish Cancer Society
- Swedish Research Council
- Marta and Gunnar V Philipson Foundation
- Mary Beve Foundation
- Damman Foundation
- Norwegian Cancer Society
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Activation of the beta-catenin and receptor kinase pathways occurs often in medulloblastoma, the most common pediatric malignant brain tumor. In this study, we show that molecular cross-talk between the beta-catenin and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathways is crucial to sustain medulloblastoma pathophysiology. Constitutive activation of phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1), Akt, and glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK-3 beta) was detected by immunohistochemistry in all primary medulloblastomas examined (n = 41). Small-molecule inhibitors targeting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway affected beta-catenin signaling by inhibition of GSK-3 beta activity, resulting in cytoplasmic retention of beta-catenin and reduced expression of its target genes cyclin D1 and c-Myc. The PDK1 inhibitor OSU03012 induced mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis of medulloblastoma cells and enhanced the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapeutic drugs in a synergistic or additive manner. In vivo, OSU03012 inhibited the growth of established medulloblastoma xenograft tumors in a dose-dependent manner and augmented the antitumor effects of mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor CCI-779. These findings demonstrate the importance of cross-talk between the PI3K/Akt and beta-catenin pathways in medulloblastoma and rationalize the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway as a therapeutic target in treatment of this disease. Cancer Res; 70(1); 266-76. (C) 2010 AACR.
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