CXCR4 antagonism sensitizes cancer cells to novel indole-based MDM2/4 inhibitors in glioblastoma multiforme

Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is a highly invasive primary brain tumour characterized by chemo- and radio-resistance and poor overall survival. GBM can present an aberrant functionality of p53, caused by the overexpression of the murine double minute 2 protein (MDM2) and its analogue MDM4, which may influence the response to conventional therapies. Moreover, tumour resistance/invasiveness has been recently attributed to an overexpression of the chemokine receptor CXCR4, identified as a pivotal mediator of glioma neovascularization. Notably, CXCR4 and MDM2-4 cooperate in promoting tumour invasion and progression. Although CXCR4 actively promotes MDM2 activation leading to p53 inactivation, MDM2-4 knockdown induces the downregulation of CXCR4 gene transcription. Our study aimed to assess if the CXCR4 signal blockade could enhance glioma cells’ sensitivity to the inhibition of the p53-MDMs axis. Rationally designed inhibitors of MDM2/4 were combined with the CXCR4 antagonist, AMD3100, in human GBM cells and GBM stem-like cells (neurospheres), which are crucial for tumour recurrence and chemotherapy resistance. The dual MDM2/4 inhibitor RS3594 and the CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100 reduced GBM cell invasiveness and migration in single-agent treatment and mainly in combination. AMD3100 sensitized GBM cells to the antiproliferative activity of RS3594. It is noteworthy that these two compounds present synergic effects on cancer stem components: RS3594 inhibited the growth and formation of neurospheres, AMD3100 induced differentiation of neurospheres while enhancing RS3594 effectiveness preventing their proliferation/clonogenicity. These results confirm that blocking CXCR4/MDM2/4 represents a valuable strategy to reduce GBM proliferation and invasiveness, acting on the stem cell component too.