Bufalin is a potent small-molecule inhibitor of the steroid receptor coactivators SRC-3 and SRC-1

Ying Wang, David M. Lonard, Yang Yu, Dar Chone Chow, Timothy G. Palzkill, Jin Wang, Ruogu Qi, Alexander J. Matzuk, Xianzhou Song, Franck Madoux, Peter Hodder, Peter Chase, Patrick R. Griffin, Suoling Zhou, Lan Liao, Jianming Xu, Bert W. O'malley

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

143 Scopus citations

Abstract

Virtually all transcription factors partner with coactivators that recruit chromatin remodeling factors and interact with the basal transcription machinery. Coactivators have been implicated in cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis, including the p160 steroid receptor coactivator (SRC) family composed of SRC-1 (NCOA1), SRC-2 (TIF2/GRIP1/NCOA2), and SRC-3 (AIB1/ACTR/NCOA3). Given their broad involvement in many cancers, they represent candidate molecular targets for new chemotherapeutics. Here, we report on the results of a high-throughput screening effort that identified the cardiac glycoside bufalin as a potent small-molecule inhibitor for SRC-3 and SRC-1. Bufalin strongly promoted SRC-3 protein degradation and was able to block cancer cell growth at nanomolar concentrations. When incorporated into a nanoparticle delivery system, bufalin was able to reduce tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model of breast cancer. Our work identifies bufalin as a potentially broad-spectrum small-molecule inhibitor for cancer.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1506-1517
Number of pages12
JournalCancer Research
Volume74
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1 2014
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research

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