Identification of a chemical inhibitor of the oncogenic transcription factor forkhead box M1

Cancer Res. 2006 Oct 1;66(19):9731-5. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-06-1576.

Abstract

The oncogenic transcription factor forkhead box M1 (FoxM1) is overexpressed in a number of different carcinomas, whereas its expression is turned off in terminally differentiated cells. For this reason, FoxM1 is an attractive target for therapeutic intervention in cancer treatment. As a first step toward realizing this goal, in this study, using a high-throughput, cell-based assay system, we screened for and isolated the antibiotic thiazole compound Siomycin A as an inhibitor of FoxM1. Interestingly, we observed that Siomycin A was able to down-regulate the transcriptional activity as well as the protein and mRNA abundance of FoxM1. Consequently, we found that the downstream target genes of FoxM1, such as Cdc25B, Survivin, and CENPB, were repressed. Also, we observed that consistent with earlier reports of FoxM1 inhibition, Siomycin A was able to reduce anchorage-independent growth of cells in soft agar. Furthermore, we found that Siomycin A was able to induce apoptosis selectively in transformed but not normal cells of the same origin. Taken together, our data suggest that FoxM1 inhibitor Siomycin A could represent a useful starting point for the development of anticancer therapeutics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Bone Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor / drug effects
  • Forkhead Box Protein M1
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Humans
  • Luciferases, Renilla / analysis
  • Luciferases, Renilla / genetics
  • Mice
  • Osteosarcoma / pathology
  • Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational / drug effects
  • RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Transcription, Genetic / drug effects

Substances

  • Forkhead Box Protein M1
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Foxm1 protein, mouse
  • Peptides
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • siomycin A
  • Luciferases, Renilla