Effective inhibition of melanoma by BI-69A11 is mediated by dual targeting of the AKT and NF-κB pathways

In melanoma, the activation of pro-survival signaling pathways, such as the AKT and NF-κB pathways, are critical for tumor growth. We have recently reported that the AKT inhibitor BI-69A11 causes efficient inhibition of melanoma growth. Here, we show that in addition to its AKT inhibitory activity, BI-69A11 also targets the NF-κB pathway. In melanoma cell lines, BI-69A11 inhibited TNF-α-stimulated IKKα/β and IκB phosphorylation as well as NF-κB reporter gene expression. Furthermore, the effective inhibition of melanoma growth by BI-69A11 was attenuated upon NF-κB activation. Mechanistically, reduced NF-κB signaling by BI-69-A11 is mediated by the inhibition of sphingosine kinase 1, identified in a screen of 315 kinases. Significantly, we demonstrate that BI-69A11 is well-tolerated and orally active against UACC 903 and SW1 melanoma xenografts. Our results demonstrate that BI-69A11 inhibits both the AKT and NF-κB pathways and that the dual targeting of these pathways may be efficacious as a therapeutic strategy in melanoma. Significance Although B-RAF and MEK inhibitors have shown promise in the clinic against melanoma, the development of resistance to these singly targeted agents inevitably results. These observations underscore the plasticity of melanoma to chemotherapeutic agents and further emphasize the need to apply combinatorial targeting of signaling pathways as a strategy to maximize therapeutic response. The PI3K/AKT and NF-κB signaling pathways are altered in melanoma, presenting additional opportunities for target inhibition. Our studies demonstrate that the AKT inhibitor, BI-69A11, also inhibits the NF-κB pathway and that dual inhibition of both pathways is responsible for the anti-tumor efficacy of this molecule.