Abstract IA005: Discovery and development of LFA-9 for CRC prevention


 Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is a major public health issue with an estimated 980,000 deaths annually, worldwide. Current trends show an increase of CRC incidence and mortality worldwide. Colonic adenomas are very common in ages 50 and over. Though, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents like Aspirin, Naproxen and COX-2 inhibitor and Celecoxib are useful to prevent the polyp progression and reducing CRC burden, continuous/chronic usage of these drugs are limited by GI toxicity and unwanted side effects. Thus, the rationale to establish safer anti-inflammatory agents for CRC prevention is important. Mechanistic studies suggest that up-regulation of 15-PGDH, sparing COX-1/2 and prostaglandin (PG)I2 synthase and/or selectively targeting mPGES-1 and 5-LOX would reduce the cardiovascular side effects and may improve the chemopreventive efficacy. There are limited to no studies on targeting mPGES-1/5LOX and it is one of the unexplored areas in colorectal cancer chemoprevention towards safer drug development. To design and develop selective inhibitors of dual mPGES-1/5-LOX, we used in-silico small molecular docking simulation approaches, and identified LFA-9 as a novel duel mPGES-1/5-LOX inhibitor among >35 analogs. Azoxymethane (AOM)-induced rat colonic tumors were utilized as ex-vivo to assess pharmacodynamic inhibitory effects of LFA-9 on mPGES-1 and 5-LOX by Radio-HPLC. In a series of animal experiments, we established the dose-range of toxicity and optimal doses of LFA-9. Potential preventive efficacy of LFA-9 was assessed AOM-rat colon carcinogenesis (Aberrant Crypt Foci, (ACF) as surrogate marker in male F344 rats and intestinal tumor inhibition in APCMin/+ mice. Furthermore, we have shown the efficacy of LFA-9 administered in the diet at the adenoma stage significantly suppressed colonic adenocarcinoma formation in AOM-induced colon cancer (sporadic CRC model) and PIRC rat model (FAP model). Overall, the above results show that LFA-9, a novel dual mPGES-1/5-LOX inhibitor, is a safer agent and has potential for prevention of CRC in high-risk patients. {This work was supported by NCI-PREVENT Cancer Program, R01 CA213987 and VA Merit Awards}
 Citation Format: Chinthalapally V. Rao. Discovery and development of LFA-9 for CRC prevention [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second Biennial NCI Meeting: Translational Advances in Cancer Prevention Agent Development (TACPAD); 2022 Sep 7-9. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2022;15(12 Suppl_2): Abstract nr IA005.