Activation of β₂-adrenergic receptor (β₂AR) and deorphanized GPR55 has been shown to modulate cancer growth in diverse tumor types in vitro and in xenograft models in vivo. (R,R’)-4′-methoxy-1-naphthylfenoterol [(R,R’)-MNF] is a bivalent compound that agonizes β₂AR but inhibits GPR55-mediated pro-oncogenic responses. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-tumorigenic effects of concurrent β₂AR activation and GPR55 blockade in C6 glioma cells using (R,R’)-MNF as a marker ligand. Our data show that (R,R’)-MNF elicited G1-phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, reduced serum-inducible cell motility, promoted the phosphorylation of PKA target proteins, and inhibited constitutive activation of ERK and AKT in the low nanomolar range, whereas high nanomolar levels of (R,R’)-MNF were required to block GPR55-mediated cell motility. siRNA knockdown and pharmacological inhibition of β₂AR activity were accompanied by significant upregulation of AKT and ERK phosphorylation, and selective alteration in (R,R’)-MNF responsiveness. The effects of agonist stimulation of GPR55 on various readouts, including cell motility assays, were suppressed by (R,R’)-MNF. Lastly, a significant increase in phosphorylation-mediated inactivation of β-catenin occurred with (R,R’)-MNF, and we provided new evidence of (R,R’)-MNF-mediated inhibition of oncogenic β-catenin signaling in a C6 xenograft tumor model. Thus, simultaneous activation of β₂AR and blockade of GPR55 may represent a novel therapeutic approach to combat the progression of glioblastoma cancer.

Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.