Nelfinavir induces the unfolded protein response in ovarian cancer cells, resulting in ER vacuolization, cell cycle retardation and apoptosis

摘要

Proteasome inhibitors and protease inhibitors are currendy being discussed to be useful to sensitize drug-resistant cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents or to act independently as single agents on drug-resistant cancer cells. We tested the effect of the clinically applied HIV protease inhibitor nelfinavir on ovarian cancer cells. Nelfinavir efficiently induced cell death in carbo-platin-sensitive (SKOV3, OV-GH-5) and carboplatin-resistant (OVCAR3, OV-GH-1) ovarian cancer cell lines as well as in cancer biopsies and ascites samples from patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. Nelfinavir significandy changed the morphology of ovarian cancer cells, resulting in formation of large ER-derived vacuoles and induced upregulation of the hsp70 heat shock family member BiP (GRP78) which accumulated within swollen ER membranes. Upregulation of BiP and phosphorylation of eIF2alpha indicated induction of the unfolded protein response, which can cause cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Correspondingly, we observed downregulation of cell cycle regulatory proteins after nelfinavir treatment, especially that of cyclin D3, and induction of apoptosis as confirmed by annexin binding. Because nelfinavir represents an already approved drug for use in humans with HIV infection, it could rapidly be tested in clinical studies as a potential treatment strategy against drug-resistant ovarian cancer.