PI3K/mTORC1/2 inhibitor PQR309 inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in human glioblastoma cells

Yang,Kun; Tang,Xiang‑Jun; Xu,Feng‑Fei; Liu,Jun‑Hui; Tan,Yin‑Qiu; Gao,Lun; Sun,Qian; Ding,Xiang; Liu,Bao‑Hui; Chen,Qian‑Xue

doi:10.3892/or.2020.7472

PI3K/mTORC1/2 inhibitor PQR309 inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in human glioblastoma cells

Authors:
- Kun Yang
- Xiang‑Jun Tang
- Feng‑Fei Xu
- Jun‑Hui Liu
- Yin‑Qiu Tan
- Lun Gao
- Qian Sun
- Xiang Ding
- Bao‑Hui Liu
- Qian‑Xue Chen
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Affiliations: Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China, Department of Neurosurgery, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, P.R. China
Published online on: January 20, 2020 https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2020.7472
Pages: 773-782
Copyright: © Yang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common type of primary central nervous system tumor in adults, which has high mortality and morbidity rates, and short survival time, namely <15 months after the diagnosis and application of standard therapy, which includes surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy; thus, novel therapeutic strategies are imperative. The activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway plays an important role in GBM. In the present study, U87 and U251 GBM cells were treated with the PI3K/mTORC1/2 inhibitor PQR309, and its effect on glioma cells was investigated. Cell Counting Kit‑8 assay, 5‑ethynyl‑2'‑deoxyuridine and colony formation assays revealed dose‑ and time‑dependent cytotoxicity in glioma cells that were treated with PQR309. Flow cytometry and western blotting revealed that PQR309 can significantly induce tumor cell apoptosis and arrest the cell cycle in the G1 phase. Furthermore, the expression levels of AKT, phosphorylated (p)‑AKT, Bcl‑2, Bcl‑xL, Bad, Bax, cyclin D1, cleaved caspase‑3, MMP‑9 and MMP‑2 were altered. In addition, the migration and invasion of glioma cells, as detected by wound healing, migration and Transwell invasion assays, exhibited a marked suppression after treating the cells with PQR309. These results indicated that PQR309 exerts an antitumor effect by inhibiting proliferation, inducing apoptosis, inducing G1 cell cycle arrest, and inhibiting invasion and migration in human glioma cells. The present study provides evidence supportive of further development of PQR309 for adjuvant therapy of GBM.

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