Cited by 70Wnt/β-catenin signaling in development and cancerOvarian cancer diagnosis and treatmentCancer Cells and Metastasis

Targeting of Wnt/β-Catenin by Anthelmintic Drug Pyrvinium Enhances Sensitivity of Ovarian Cancer Cells to Chemotherapy

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Zhang, Chongyuan, Zhang, Zhenge, Zhang, Shuirong, Wang, Wenrong, Hu, Ping·2017·Medical Science Monitor

Abstract

BACKGROUND Aberrant activation of Wnt/β-catenin has been shown to promote ovarian cancer proliferation and chemoresistance. Pyrvinium, an FDA-approved anthelmintic drug, has been identified as a potent Wnt inhibitor. Pyrvinium may sensitize ovarian cancer cells to chemotherapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS The effect of pyrvinium alone and its combination with paclitaxel in ovarian cancer was investigated using an in vitro culture system and in vivo xenograft models. The mechanisms of its action were also analyzed, focusing on the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. RESULTS Pyrvinium inhibited growth and induced apoptosis of paclitaxel- and cisplatin-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines A2278/PTX and SK-OV-3. Its combination with paclitaxel was synergistic in targeting ovarian cancer cells in vitro. In 3 independent ovarian xenograft mouse models, pyrvinium alone inhibited tumor growth. More importantly, we observed significant inhibition of tumor growth throughout the treatment when using pyrvinium and paclitaxel combined. Mechanistically, pyrvinium increased the Wnt-negative regulator axin and decreased the b-catenin levels in ovarian cancer cells. In addition, pyrvinium suppressed Wnt/b-catenin-mediated transcription, as shown by the decreased mRNA levels of MYC, cyclin D, and BCL-9. In contrast, the inhibitory effects of pyrvinium were reversed by β-catenin stabilization or overexpression, demonstrating that pyrvinium acted on ovarian cancer cells via targeting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that the anthelmintic drug pyrvinium targets ovarian cancer cells through suppressing Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Our work highlights the therapeutic value of inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin in ovarian cancer.

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Authors
Zhang, C., Zhang, Z., Zhang, S., Wang, W., & Hu, P.
Affiliations
  • Yangtze University (CN)
  • Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Jingzhou Third People’s Hospital, Jingzhou, Hubei, China (mainland)
Corresponding author
Hu, Ping
Venue
Medical Science Monitor
Published
2017-01-16
Volume
23
Pages
266-275
ISSN
  • 1234-1010 (ISSN-L)
  • 1643-3750
OpenAlex
W2574659094
Cited by
70
References
27
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 3
FWCI
4.25
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by-nc-nd
Locations
  • Medical Science Monitor (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Yangtze University
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Wnt/β-catenin signaling in development and cancer
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Ovarian cancer diagnosis and treatment
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Cells and Metastasis
Keywords
pyrvinium, Wnt/β-catenin signaling, ovarian cancer, chemosensitivity, paclitaxel, chemoresistance, Axin, β-catenin stabilization, c-Myc, cyclin D, apoptosis, xenograft tumor growth
MeSH terms
Animals, Anthelmintics, Antineoplastic Agents, Drug Synergism, Female, Humans, Ovarian Neoplasms, Pyrvinium Compounds, Mice, SCID, Apoptosis, Paclitaxel, Lithium Chloride, Drug Resistance, Neoplasm, Cell Line, Tumor, Cell Proliferation, beta Catenin, Wnt Signaling Pathway

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