Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B
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2026, 16(7): 4083-4102
• Original articles •
Engineering selective PI3Kγ inhibitors with antitumor and immunomodulatory potentials
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Yi Zuo1,2, Yiru Pu1, Jianan Liu1,3, Hongyu Chen1,2, Yao Chen1, Xinlan Li1, Yan Wang1, Tingting Zhang1, Hongbin Cheng4, Jin Liu5, Yun Deng1, Zhaotong Cong2, Maolin Wang3,6, Jun Lu1, Shilin Chen2
Affiliations
1 State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China;
2 Institute of Herbgenomics, Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China;
3 Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China;
4 Department of Dermatology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, China;
5 Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone & Joint Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China;
6 Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518037, China
doi: 10.1016/j.apsb.2025.11.011
Outline
PI3Kγ represents a promising therapeutic target for its pivotal role in macrophage recruitment and polarization and its significant association with tumor invasion and metastasis. In this study, a series of novel indole-based PI3Kγ selective inhibitors were generated by machine learning combined with molecular hybridization. Intriguingly, the representative IHA-5f displayed picomolar-level potency and highly selective inhibition to PI3Kγ relative to PI3Kα/β/δ. Moreover, IHA-5f manifested prominent anti-melanoma activity in vitro and in vivo with no detectable visceral toxicity. Mechanistically, IHA-5f efficiently suppressed tumor cell proliferation and migration, and induced apoptosis by suppressing the PI3Kγ/AKT/NF-κB signaling axis. Concurrently, it restrained the M2 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages, thereby augmenting the antitumor immune response. This study underscores the potential for PI3Kγ inhibitors as immunomodulators and direct antitumor agents.
PI3Kγ-targeted inhibitor
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Machine learning
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Molecular hybridization
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Indole-hybrid aromatic ring
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PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling axis
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Tumor-associated macrophage reprograming
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Immunomodulation
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Melanoma treatment
Yi Zuo, Yiru Pu, Jianan Liu, Hongyu Chen, Yao Chen, Xinlan Li, Yan Wang, Tingting Zhang, Hongbin Cheng, Jin Liu, Yun Deng, Zhaotong Cong, Maolin Wang, Jun Lu, Shilin Chen.
Engineering selective PI3Kγ inhibitors with antitumor and immunomodulatory potentials[J].
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B,
2026
, 16
(7)
: 4083
-4102
.
DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2025.11.011
Year 2026 volume 16 Issue 7
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Article Info
doi: 10.1016/j.apsb.2025.11.011
- Receive Date:2025-07-04
- Online Date:2026-09-17