Targeting Phosphatidylinositol 4-Kinase IIIα for Radiosensitization: A Potential Model of Drug Repositioning Using an Anti-Hepatitis C Viral Agent

Purpose: To investigate which isotype of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase (PI4K) may affect radiosensitivity and examine whether anti-hepatitis C viral (HCV) agents, some of which have been shown to inhibit PI4K IIIα activity, could be repositioned as a radiosensitizer in human Cancer cells.

Methods and materials: U251, BT474, and HepG2 cell lines and normal human astrocyte were used. Ribonucleic acid interference, clonogenic assays, Western blotting, immunofluorescence, annexin V assay, lysotracker staining, and β-galactosidase assay were performed.

Results: Of the 4 PI4K isotypes, specific inhibition of IIIα increased radiosensitivity. For pharmacologic inhibition of PI4K IIIα, we screened 9 anti-HCV agents by half-maximal inhibitory concentration assay. Simeprevir was selected, and its inhibition of PI4K IIIα activity was confirmed. Combination of simeprevir treatment and radiation significantly attenuated expression of phospho-phospho-PKC and phospho-Akt and increased radiation-induced cell death in tested cell lines. Pretreatment with simeprevir prolonged γH2AX foci formation and down-regulation of phospho-DNA-PKcs, indicating impairment of nonhomologous end-joining repair. Cells pretreated with simeprevir exhibited mixed modes of cell death, including Apoptosis and Autophagy.

Conclusion: These data demonstrate that targeting PI4K IIIα using an anti-HCV agent is a viable approach to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of radiation therapy in various human cancers, such as glioma, breast, and hepatocellular carcinoma.