Total cellular iron as a marker of cancer stem cells and uses thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11573241-B2
Application number	US-201716082970-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2017
Priority date	Mar 9, 2016
Publication date	Feb 7, 2023
Grant date	Feb 7, 2023

Abstract

The present invention relates to a novel use of total cellular iron, preferably under the form of ferrous iron (Fe2+), as a marker of cancer stem cells (CSCs). The invention also relates to methods using said iron marker, in particular for metastatic cancer diagnosis or treatment, for screening for compounds of interest, as well as for killing CSCs.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for selectively killing CSCs in a mammal, comprising administering to said mammal an iron-chelating pharmaceutical composition, comprising at least one component selected from 20-alkyl-amino derivatives of salinomycin of formula (I′)

wherein:
X is selected from the group consisting of OH and ═O,
Y is selected from the group consisting of —NR 1 R 2 ; —NR 3 —(CH 2 ) n —NR 4 R 5 ; —O—(CH 2 ) n —NR 4 R 5 ; —NR 3 —(CH 2 ) n —N + R 6 R 7 R 8 ; and —O—(CH 2 ) n —N + R 6 R 7 R 8 ; and
R 1 and R 2 , identical or different, are selected from the group consisting of H; (C 1 -C 16 )-alkyl; (C 3 -C 16 )-alkenyl; (C 3 -C 16 )-alkynyl; aryl; heteroaryl; (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl-aryl; (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl-heteroaryl; or R 1 represents H and R 2 represents OR 9 , where R 9 is H, (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl, aryl and (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl-aryl;
R 3 is selected from the group consisting of H; (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl; (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl-aryl;
R 4 and R 5 , identical or different, are selected from the group consisting of H; (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl; aryl; (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl-aryl;
R 6 , R 7 and R 8 , identical or different, are selected from the group consisting of (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl; aryl; (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl-aryl;
n=2, 3, 4, 5 or 6,

Z is a functional group capable of chelating iron salts such as OH: NHNR 9 R 10 (hydrazine), NHOC(O)R 11 (O-Acyl hydroxylamine), N(OH)—C(O)R 11 (N-acyl hydroxylamine), OOH, SR 12 ; 2-aminopyridine; 3-aminopyridine; —NR 3 —(CH 2 ) n —NR 4 R 5 ; —NR 3 —(CH 2 ) n —OH; where:
R 9 and R 10 , identical or different, are selected from the group consisting of H, (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl, aryl and (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl-aryl;
R 11 is selected from the group consisting of H; (C 1 -C 16 )-alkyl; (C 3 -C 16 )-alkenyl; (C 3 -C 16 )-alkynyl; aryl; heteroaryl; (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl-aryl; (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl-heteroaryl;
R 12 is selected from the group consisting of H; (C 1 -C 16 )-alkyl; (C 3 -C 16 )-alkenyl; (C 3 -C 16 )-alkynyl; aryl; heteroaryl; (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl-aryl; (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl-heteroaryl,
n=0, 2, 3 or 4, AM5, AM23, AM23S, and combinations thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said iron-chelating pharmaceutical composition binds total cellular iron under the form of ferrous (Fe 2+ ) and ferric (Fe 3+ ) iron in said mammal, thereby inducing ferritinophagy and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production responsible for specific and/or selective CSC death in said mammal.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said iron-chelating pharmaceutical composition binds total cellular iron under the form of ferrous (Fe 2+ ) and ferric (Fe 3+ ) iron in said mammal while preventing drug-resistance in said mammal by selectively targeting CSCs.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said iron-chelating pharmaceutical composition binds total cellular iron under the form of ferrous (Fe 2+ ) and ferric (Fe 3+ ) iron in said mammal while preventing drug-resistance in said mammal by selectively targeting CSCs.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the mammal having CSCs is selected according to an in vitro method for diagnosing cancer having a high risk of recurrence, a high risk of metastasis, and/or a cancer with resistance to therapy, in a subject, comprising at least:
a) measuring the amount of total cellular iron, preferably under the form of ferrous iron (Fe 2+ ), in a biological sample from a subject; and
b) comparing said amount measured in step a) to a reference value range for total cellular iron,

wherein an amount of total cellular iron as measured in step a) is higher than said reference value range is indicative of the presence of CSCs, thereby indicating that said subject has a cancer.

6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein the amount of total cellular iron as measured in step a) of the in vitro method, which is indicative of the presence of CSCs, is superior or equal to 0.05 pg/cell, preferably superior to 0.06 pg/cell, preferably superior to 0.07 pg/cell, preferably superior to 0.08 pg/cell, preferably superior to 0.09 pg/cell, preferably superior to 0.10 pg/cell, preferably superior to 0.11 pg/cell, preferably superior to 0.12 pg/cell, preferably superior to 0.13 pg/cell, preferably superior to 0.14 pg/cell, preferably superior to 0.20 pg/cell, preferably superior to 0.24 pg/cell, more preferably higher than 0.30 pg/cell.

7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said composition is co-administered with radiation therapy or chemotherapy.

8. A method according to claim 1 , for selectively killing breast CSCs in a mammal.

Assignees

• Inst Nat Sante Rech Med
• Centre Nat Rech Scient
• Univ Paris Descartes
• Institute National De La Sante Et De La Rech Medicale Inserm
• Univ Paris

Inventors

• Mehrpour Maryam
• Rodriguez Raphael
• Hamai Ahmed
• Mai Trang

Classifications

• G01N33/57595

  involving intracellular compounds · CPC title

• G01N33/57515

  of the breast · CPC title

• A61K31/7048

  having oxygen as a ring hetero atom, e.g. leucoglucosan, hesperidin, erythromycin, nystatin {, digitoxin or digoxin} · CPC title

• G01N2800/52

  Predicting or monitoring the response to treatment, e.g. for selection of therapy based on assay results in personalised medicine; Prognosis · CPC title

• G01N33/84 Primary

  involving inorganic compounds or pH · CPC title