%0 Journal Article
%T The Notch inhibitor, FLI-06, increases the chemosensitivity of head and neck Squamous cell carcinoma cells to taxanes-based treatment.
%A Czerwonka A
%A Kałafut J
%A Wang S
%A Anameric A
%A Przybyszewska-Podstawka A
%A Toriseva M
%A Nees M
%J Biomed Pharmacother
%V 177
%N 0
%D 2024 Jun 20
%M 38906029
%F 7.419
%R 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116822
%X Aberration of Notch signaling is one of the key events involved in the development and progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The Notch pathway controls the tissue-specific differentiation of normal squamous epithelial cells and is frequently altered in squamous carcinomas, thus affecting their proliferation, growth, survival, and chemosensitivity or resistance against anti-cancer agents. In this study, we show that the use of novel, small-molecule inhibitors of Notch signaling, such as FLI-06, can have a beneficial effect on increasing the chemosensitivity of HNSCC to taxane-based chemotherapy. Inhibition of Notch signaling by FLI-06 alone virtually blocks the proliferation and growth of HNSCC cells in both 2D and 3D cultures and the zebrafish model, which is accompanied by down-regulation of key Notch target genes and proteins. Mechanistically, FLI-06 treatment causes cell cycle arrest in the G1-phase and induction of apoptosis in HNSCC, which is accompanied by increased c-JunS63 phosphorylation. Combining FLI-06 with Docetaxel shows a synergistic effect and partially blocks the cell growth of aggressive HNSCC cells via enhanced apoptosis and modification of c-JunS243 phosphorylation via GSK-3β inhibition. In conclusion, inhibition of Notch signaling in HNSCC cells that retain active Notch signaling significantly supports taxane-based anticancer activities via modulation of both the GSK-3β and the c-Jun.