Iripallidal [(-) (6R,10S,11S,18R,22S)-26-Hydroxy-22-α-methylcycloirid-16-enal NSC 631939]- a bicyclic triterpenoid isolated from
Iris pallida belongs to the terpenoid family as Paclitaxel. Paclitaxel is an effective chemotherapy for several types of neoplasms [
1]. Iripallidal inhibited cell growth in a NCI 60 cell line screen [
2] and induced cytotoxicity in human tumor cell lines [
3]. Besides the fact that Iridals are ligands for phorbol ester receptors with modest selectivity for RasGRP3 [
2], not much is known regarding its mechanism of action.
Despite recent advances in understanding molecular mechanisms involved in GBM progression, the prognosis of the most malignant brain tumor continues to be dismal. Ras activation occurs in GBMs [
4] and this high level of active Ras has been a target for glioma therapy. RasGRP3- is an exchange factor that catalyzes the formation of the active GTP-bound form of Ras-like small GTPases [
5]. Importantly, Ras activation stimulates its downstream effector Akt that plays a major role in glioblastoma development as ~80% of GBM cases express high Akt levels [
6]. Akt activates mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which is deregulated in glioblastoma [
7]. mTOR phosphorylates p70 ribosomal S6 kinase (p70S6 kinase) that regulates translation of proteins involved in cellular proliferation and formation. Moreover, blocking mTOR signaling reduces glioma cell proliferation [
8]. Given the importance of Akt/mTOR signaling in glioma cell survival, significant efforts are being invested in identifying inhibitors that target this pathway [
8‐
10]. In addition to aberrant PI3K/Akt signaling; heightened STAT3 activation plays a critical role in glioblastoma and STAT3 inhibitors have shown promise as therapeutics for GBM [
11‐
13]. In addition to RasGRP3 Iripallidal also binds to PKCα [
2] which is known to induce cells ectopically expressing hyperactive Ras to undergo apoptosis [
14]. Not only is STAT3 essential for Ras transformation [
15] but constitutively activated STAT3 is negatively regulated by PKC-activated tyrosine phosphatase(s) [
16]. As Iridals interacts with PKCα and RasGRP3-molecules that regulate Akt and STAT3 signaling, and since inhibition of Akt/mTOR and STAT3 signaling are being targeted for GBM treatment we evaluated the effect of Iripallidal on glioma cell proliferation and these signaling pathways.