Novel FOXM1 inhibitor STL001 sensitizes human cancers to a broad-spectrum of cancer therapies

Abstract

Abstract Forkhead box protein M1 (FOXM1) is often overexpressed in human cancers and strongly associated with therapy-resistance and less good patient survival. The chemotherapy options for patients with the most aggressive types of solid cancers remain very limited because of the acquired drug-resistance, making the therapy less effective. Pharmacological inhibition of FOXM1 could be a promising approach to sensitize therapy-resistant cancers. Here, we explore a novel FOXM1 inhibitor STL001, a first-generation modification drug of our previously reported FOXM1 inhibitor STL427944. STL001 preserves the mode of action of the STL427944; however, STL001 is up to 50 times more efficient in reducing FOXM1 activity in a variety of solid cancers. The most conventional cancer therapies studied here observed with reduced toxicity due to the induction of FOXM1 expression in solid cancers. Interestingly, STL001 demonstrated suppression of FOXM1 activity and exhibited increased sensitivity of cancer cells to the cytotoxic effects of these drugs. Notably, STL001 does not provide further sensitization to FOXM1-KD cancer cells, suggesting that the sensitization effect is conveyed specifically through FOXM1 suppression. RNA-seq and gene set enrichment studies revealed prominent suppression of FOXM1-dependent pathways and gene ontologies. Also, gene regulation by STL001 showed extensive overlap with FOXM1-KD, suggesting a high selectivity of STL001 toward the FOXM1 regulatory network. A completely new activity of FOXM1, mediated through steroid/cholesterol biosynthetic process and protein secretion in cancer cells was also detected. Collectively, STL001 offers intriguing translational opportunities as combination therapies targeting FOXM1 activity in a variety of human cancers driven by FOXM1.