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PAK4 confers the malignance of cervical cancers and contributes to the cisplatin-resistance in cervical cancer cells via PI3K/AKT pathway. Diagn Pathol 2015; 10:177. [PMID: 26411419 PMCID: PMC4584462 DOI: 10.1186/s13000-015-0404-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Multiple protein or microRNA markers have been recognized to contribute to the progression and recurrence of cervical cancers. Particular those, which are associated with the chemo- or radio-resistance of cervical cancers, have been proposed to be promising and to facilitate the definition for cervical cancer treatment options. Methods This study was designed to explore the potential prognosis value of p21-activated kinase (PAK)-4 in cervical cancer, via the Kaplan–Meier analysis, log-rank test and Cox regression analysis, and then to investigate the regulatory role of PAK4 in the cisplatin resistance in cervical cancer cells, via the strategies of both PAK4 overexpression and PAK4 knockout. Results It was demonstrated that PAK4 was upregulated in cervical cancer tissues, in an association with the cancer’s malignance variables such as FIGO stage, lymph node or distant metastasis and the poor histological grade. The high PAK4 expression was also independently associated with poor prognosis to cervical cancer patients. Moreover, PAK4 confers cisplatin resistance in cervical cancer Hela or Caski cells. In addition, the PI3K/Akt pathway has been implicated in the PAK4-confered cisplatin resistance. And the PI3K/Akt inhibitor, LY294002, markedly deteriorated the cisplatin-mediated viability reduction of Hela or Caski cells, indicating the involvement of PI3K/Akt pathway in the cisplatin resistance in cervical cancer cells. Conclusion This study has confirmed the significant prognostic role of PAK4 level in cervical cancer patients and has recognized the regulatory role in cervical cancer progression. Moreover, our study has indicated that PAK4 also confers the chemoresistance of cervical cancer cells in a PI3K/Akt-dependent way. Thus, our study indicates PAK4 as a promising marker for cervical cancer treatment.
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52
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Li SQ, Wang ZH, Mi XG, Liu L, Tan Y. MiR-199a/b-3p suppresses migration and invasion of breast cancer cells by downregulating PAK4/MEK/ERK signaling pathway. IUBMB Life 2015; 67:768-77. [PMID: 26399456 DOI: 10.1002/iub.1433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2015] [Accepted: 09/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNA-199a/b-3p is downregulated in several types of aggressive cancer, and its decrement significantly correlates with poor survival. Here, we aim to investigate the biological function of miR-199a/b-3p and its regulation of target genes in breast cancer cells with highly metastatic potential. In addition, we found that miR-199a/b-3p expression was much lower in MDA-MB-231, CAL120, and HCC1395 breast cancer cells with highly metastatic potential. Functional assays showed that restored miR-199a/b-3p expression inhibited MDA-MB-231 cell growth, cell-cycle progression, migration, and invasion. In addition, we experimentally demonstrated that PAK4 was the direct target of miR-199a/b-3p, hypo-expression of PAK4 suppressed proliferation, migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells, and overexpression of PAK4 significantly rescued the inhibitory effect of miR-199a/b-3p on MDA-MB-231 cell growth, migration, and invasion. Further, we also observed that miR-199a/b-3p could inactivate the PAK4/MEK/ERK signaling pathway. Thus, miR-199a/b-3p functions as a tumor suppressor and has an important role in breast cancer metastasis through PAK4/MEK/ERK signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shou-Qing Li
- Laboratory Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Tumor Biotherapy Center, Jilin Province People's Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Zi-Hang Wang
- Medical College, Yanbian University, Yanbian, China
| | - Xu-Guang Mi
- Tumor Biotherapy Center, Jilin Province People's Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Tumor Biotherapy Center, Jilin Province People's Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Yan Tan
- Laboratory Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Tumor Biotherapy Center, Jilin Province People's Hospital, Changchun, China
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Franovic A, Elliott KC, Seguin L, Camargo MF, Weis SM, Cheresh DA. Glioblastomas require integrin αvβ3/PAK4 signaling to escape senescence. Cancer Res 2015; 75:4466-73. [PMID: 26297735 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-15-0988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2015] [Accepted: 07/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Integrin αvβ3 has been implicated as a driver of aggressive and metastatic disease, and is upregulated during glioblastoma progression. Here, we demonstrate that integrin αvβ3 allows glioblastoma cells to counteract senescence through a novel tissue-specific effector mechanism involving recruitment and activation of the cytoskeletal regulatory kinase PAK4. Mechanistically, targeting either αvβ3 or PAK4 led to emergence of a p21-dependent, p53-independent cell senescence phenotype. Notably, glioblastoma cells did not exhibit a similar requirement for either other integrins or additional PAK family members. Moreover, αvβ3/PAK4 dependence was not found to be critical in epithelial cancers. Taken together, our findings established that glioblastomas are selectively addicted to this pathway as a strategy to evade oncogene-induced senescence, with implications that inhibiting the αvβ3-PAK4 signaling axis may offer novel therapeutic opportunities to target this aggressive cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Franovic
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California. Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Kathryn C Elliott
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California. Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Laetitia Seguin
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California. Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - M Fernanda Camargo
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California. Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Sara M Weis
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California. Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - David A Cheresh
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California. Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California.
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Li D, Zhang Y, Li Z, Wang X, Qu X, Liu Y. Activated Pak4 expression correlates with poor prognosis in human gastric cancer patients. Tumour Biol 2015; 36:9431-6. [PMID: 26124003 DOI: 10.1007/s13277-015-3368-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2015] [Accepted: 03/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite considerable advances in gastrectomy and chemotherapy, the prognosis of gastric cancer (GC) has not noticeably improved due to lymph node or distant metastases. P21-activated serine/threonine kinase 4 (Pak4) plays an important role in cell morphology and cytoskeletal reorganization-both prerequisite steps for cell migration. However, it is still unclear if activated Pak4 (p-Pak4) is related to prognosis in GC patients. In our study, the level of p-Pak4 in 95 GC tissue specimens was examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). We observed significant correlation between the level of p-Pak4 and grosstype (advanced stage GC vs. early stage GC, P = 0.04). Moreover, GC patients with higher p-Pak4 levels had a poorer prognosis than those with lower p-Pak4 levels (17 vs. 38 months, P = 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that high phosphorylation level of Pak4, advanced stage GC, and lymph node metastasis were independent prognostic factors for GC patients (p-Pak4, P = 0.026; advanced stage GC, P = 0.030; lymph node metastasis, P = 0.016). In addition, in vitro assays indicated that knockdown of Pak4 accompanied with decreased p-Pak4, inhibited cell migration via downregulation of the traditional downstream signaling pathways of Pak4, LIMK1, and cofilin. In conclusion, this report reveals that high level of p-Pak4 correlates with poor prognosis in GC, thereby suggesting that p-Pak4 might be a potential prognostic marker for GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danni Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, No. 155, North Nanjing Street, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Ye Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, No. 155, North Nanjing Street, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, China.
| | - Zhi Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, No. 155, North Nanjing Street, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Ximing Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Infectious disease of Geriatrics, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Xiujuan Qu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, No. 155, North Nanjing Street, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Yunpeng Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, No. 155, North Nanjing Street, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, China.
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Im CN, Yun HH, Yoo HJ, Park MJ, Lee JH. Enhancement of SOX-2 expression and ROS accumulation by culture of A172 glioblastoma cells under non-adherent culture conditions. Oncol Rep 2015; 34:920-8. [PMID: 26035068 DOI: 10.3892/or.2015.4021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2015] [Accepted: 05/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
More efficient isolation and identification of cancer stem cells (CSCs) would help in determining their fundamental roles in tumor biology. The classical tool for this purpose is anchorage-independent tumorsphere culture. We compared the effects of differently textured culture plates and serum deprivation on the acquisition of CSC properties of A172 glioblastoma cells. Cells were cultured on standard polystyrene-treated plates, ultra-low attachment, poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-coated plates, and 1% agar-coated plates with 10% serum or in serum-free glioblastoma sphere medium (GBM). Based on mitochondrial reductase activity and subG1 proportions, non-adherent conditions had a greater impact on A172 cell viability than serum deprivation. Among the stemness-related genes, SOX-2 expression was significantly upregulated by serum deprivation under non-adherent conditions, while several epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related genes were less dependent on serum. In addition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in A172 cells was significantly increased in GBM under non-adherent conditions. Despite the correlation between SOX-2 induction and ROS accumulation, treatment with the ROS scavenger N-acetyl-l-cysteine did not prevent SOX-2 expression, suggesting that ROS accumulation is not an essential requirement for induction of SOX-2. Our results suggested that cultivation of cancer cells under conditions of serum deprivation in an anchorage-independent manner may enrich SOX-2-expressing CSC-like cells in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Nim Im
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Hyeon Yun
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung Jae Yoo
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung-Jin Park
- Division of Radiation Cancer Research, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul 139-706, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Hwa Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701, Republic of Korea
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Cai S, Ye Z, Wang X, Pan Y, Weng Y, Lao S, Wei H, Li L. Overexpression of P21-activated kinase 4 is associated with poor prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer and promotes migration and invasion. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2015; 34:48. [PMID: 25975262 PMCID: PMC4443662 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-015-0165-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2015] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND P21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4), an effector of the Rho family protein Cdc42, is an important oncogene whose expression is increased in many human cancers and is generally positively correlated with advanced disease and decreased survival. However, little is known about the expression and biological function of PAK4 in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS PAK4 expression in NSCLC tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues were assessed by immunohistochemistry, real-time PCR, and western blotting. Prognostic value of PAK4 expression was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression. siRNA-mediated gene silencing and protein kinase assay was applied to demonstrate the role and the mechanism of PAK4 in lung cancer cell migration, invasion. RESULTS The results showed that PAK4 was overexpressed in NSCLC cell lines and human NSCLC tissues. PAK4 expression was detected both in the membranes and cytoplasm of NSCLC cancer cells in vivo. Moreover, increased expression of PAK4 was associated with metastasis, shorter overall survival, advanced stage of NSCLC. Furthermore, PAK4 expression was positively correlated with phosphorylation of LIMK1 expression levels. Knockdown of PAK4 in NSCLC cell lines led to reduce the phosphorylation of LIMK1, which resulted in decrease of the cell migration and invasion. In addition, PAK4 bound to LIMK1 directly and activated it via phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate that PAK4 mediated LIMK1 phosphorylation regulates the migration and invasion in NSCLC. Therefore, PAK4 might be a significant prognostic marker and potential therapeutic molecular target in NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songwang Cai
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Zhiqiang Ye
- Department of Emergency, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Xiaohong Wang
- Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Yuhang Pan
- Department of Pathylogy, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Yimin Weng
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Sen Lao
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Hongbo Wei
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Lian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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Celardo I, Antonov A, Amelio I, Annicchiarico-Petruzzelli M, Melino G. p63 transcriptionally regulates the expression of matrix metallopeptidase 13. Oncotarget 2015; 5:1279-89. [PMID: 24658133 PMCID: PMC4012734 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.1778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
p63 is a transcriptional factor belonging to p53 family of genes. Beside the role in cancer, partially shared with p53 and the other member p73, p63 also plays exclusive roles in development and homeostasis of ectodermal/epidermal-related organs. Here we show that p63 transcriptionally controls the expression of the matrix metallopeptidase 13 (MMP13). p63 binds a p53-like responsive element in the human promoter of MMP13, thus promoting the activation of its transcription. The catalytic activity of MMP13 is required in high invasion capacity of metastatic cancer cells, however, although p63 and MMP13 expression correlates in cancer patients, their co-expression does not predict cancer patient survival. Our results demonstrate that p63 directly controls MMP13 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Celardo
- Medical Research Council, Toxicology Unit, Leicester University, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
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Yi KW, Kim SH, Ihm HJ, Oh YS, Chae HD, Kim CH, Kang BM. Increased expression of p21-activated kinase 4 in adenomyosis and its regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 in endometrial cells. Fertil Steril 2015; 103:1089-1097.e2. [PMID: 25637478 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2014.12.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2014] [Revised: 12/18/2014] [Accepted: 12/30/2014] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the expression of p21-activated kinase 4 (Pak4) in both adenomyotic foci and the eutopic endometrium of women with adenomyosis, and whether the activities of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)-2 and -9 are regulated by Pak4 in endometrial cells. DESIGN Experimental study using human samples and cell lines. SETTING University hospital. PATIENT(S) Thirty-nine patients with histologic evidence of adenomyosis, and 34 patients with carcinoma in situ of the uterine cervix without adenomyosis or endometriosis. INTERVENTION(S) Immunohistochemistry, zymography after transfection with Pak4 small interfering RNA (siRNA), and western blot analyses after nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-кB) inhibitor treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) The Pak4 immunoreactivity of women with vs. without adenomyosis was compared semiquantitatively. The activities of MMP-2 and -9 were analyzed in eutopic endometrial stromal cells and Ishikawa cells after transfection with Pak4 siRNA. The Pak4 expression was evaluated in endometrial cells after treatment with NF-кB inhibitor. RESULT(S) Pak4 immunoreactivity was increased in adenomyotic foci and in the eutopic endometrium of women with adenomyosis. Transfection of endometrial cells with Pak4 siRNA led to significant decreases of MMP-2 and -9 activities. In vitro treatment of endometrial cells with tumor necrosis factor-alpha caused a significant increase of NF-кB activation and Pak4 expression, which was obviously decreased by the NF-кB inhibitor pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate. CONCLUSION(S) Our results suggest that Pak4 is regulated by NF-кB and that increased Pak4 expression can lead to development of adenomyosis by enhancing the invasiveness of endometrial cells through regulation of MMP-2 and -9 activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyong Wook Yi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Hoon Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hyo Jin Ihm
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Sang Oh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Dong Chae
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chung-Hoon Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung Moon Kang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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MicroRNA-433 inhibits cell proliferation in hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting p21 activated kinase (PAK4). Mol Cell Biochem 2014; 399:77-86. [PMID: 25410752 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-014-2234-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2014] [Accepted: 09/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. P21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4) has been identified as an oncogenic protein in a variety of cancers. However, the contribution and regulation of PAK4 in HCC remain poorly understood. In the present study, we found that inhibition of PAK4 expression by specific shRNA significantly attenuated HCC cell proliferation. Moreover, we show that microRNA-433 (miRNA-433) could directly target PAK4 through the miRNA-433 binding sequence at the 3'-UTR of PAK4 mRNA, and inhibit PAK4 protein expression. We further show that miRNA-433 expression was downregulated in HCC tissues and cell culture as well, which inversely correlated with PAK4 expression levels. Overexpression of miRNA-433 significantly suppressed the proliferation of HepG2 cells, while this effect was partially rescued by forced expression of PAK4 through restoring PI3K/AKT signaling in HepG2 cells. These findings will shed light on the roles and mechanisms of miRNA-433 in regulating HCC proliferation, and may benefit future development of therapeutics targeting miRNA-433 and PAK4 in HCC.
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Zhang J, Wu LY, Zhang XS, Zhang S. Discovery of co-occurring driver pathways in cancer. BMC Bioinformatics 2014; 15:271. [PMID: 25106096 PMCID: PMC4133618 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2105-15-271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2014] [Accepted: 08/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background It has been widely realized that pathways rather than individual genes govern the course of carcinogenesis. Therefore, discovering driver pathways is becoming an important step to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer and design efficient treatments for cancer patients. Previous studies have focused mainly on observation of the alterations in cancer genomes at the individual gene or single pathway level. However, a great deal of evidence has indicated that multiple pathways often function cooperatively in carcinogenesis and other key biological processes. Results In this study, an exact mathematical programming method was proposed to de novo identify co-occurring mutated driver pathways (CoMDP) in carcinogenesis without any prior information beyond mutation profiles. Two possible properties of mutations that occurred in cooperative pathways were exploited to achieve this: (1) each individual pathway has high coverage and high exclusivity; and (2) the mutations between the pair of pathways showed statistically significant co-occurrence. The efficiency of CoMDP was validated first by testing on simulated data and comparing it with a previous method. Then CoMDP was applied to several real biological data including glioblastoma, lung adenocarcinoma, and ovarian carcinoma datasets. The discovered co-occurring driver pathways were here found to be involved in several key biological processes, such as cell survival and protein synthesis. Moreover, CoMDP was modified to (1) identify an extra pathway co-occurring with a known pathway and (2) detect multiple significant co-occurring driver pathways for carcinogenesis. Conclusions The present method can be used to identify gene sets with more biological relevance than the ones currently used for the discovery of single driver pathways. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2105-15-271) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhua Zhang
- National Center for Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
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Liu QR, Liu JM, Chen Y, Xie XQ, Xiong XX, Qiu XY, Pan F, Liu D, Yu SB, Chen XQ. Piperlongumine inhibits migration of glioblastoma cells via activation of ROS-dependent p38 and JNK signaling pathways. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2014; 2014:653732. [PMID: 24967005 PMCID: PMC4055624 DOI: 10.1155/2014/653732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2014] [Revised: 04/21/2014] [Accepted: 04/25/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Piperlongumine (PL) is recently found to kill cancer cells selectively and effectively via targeting reactive oxygen species (ROS) responses. To further explore the therapeutic effects of PL in cancers, we investigated the role and mechanisms of PL in cancer cell migration. PL effectively inhibited the migration of human glioma (LN229 or U87 MG) cells but not normal astrocytes in the scratch-wound culture model. PL did not alter EdU(+)-cells and cdc2, cdc25c, or cyclin D1 expression in our model. PL increased ROS (measured by DCFH-DA), reduced glutathione, activated p38 and JNK, increased IκBα, and suppressed NFκB in LN229 cells after scratching. All the biological effects of PL in scratched LN229 cells were completely abolished by the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC). Pharmacological administration of specific p38 (SB203580) or JNK (SP600125) inhibitors significantly reduced the inhibitory effects of PL on LN229 cell migration and NF κ B activity in scratch-wound and/or transwell models. PL prevented the deformation of migrated LN229 cells while NAC, SB203580, or SP600125 reversed PL-induced morphological changes of migrated cells. These results suggest potential therapeutic effects of PL in the treatment and prevention of highly malignant tumors such as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) in the brain by suppressing tumor invasion and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Rong Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Ministry of Education and Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Ju Mei Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Ministry of Education and Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Yong Chen
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Ministry of Education and Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xiao Qiang Xie
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Ministry of Education and Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xin Xin Xiong
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Ministry of Education and Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xin Yao Qiu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Ministry of Education and Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Feng Pan
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Ministry of Education and Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Di Liu
- Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Shang Bin Yu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Ministry of Education and Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xiao Qian Chen
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Ministry of Education and Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
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Liu J, Liu Y, Ren Y, Kang L, Zhang L. Transmembrane protein with unknown function 16A overexpression promotes glioma formation through the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway. Mol Med Rep 2014; 9:1068-74. [PMID: 24401903 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2014.1888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2013] [Accepted: 01/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Ion channels have been suggested to be important in the development and progression of tumors, however, chloride channels have rarely been analyzed in tumorigenesis. More recently, transmembrane protein with unknown function 16A (TMEM16A), hypothesized to be a candidate calcium‑activated Cl‑ channel, has been found to be overexpressed in a number of tumor types. Although several studies have implicated the overexpression of TMEM16A in certain tumor types, the exact role of TMEM16A in gliomas and the underlying mechanisms in tumorigenesis, remain poorly understood. In the present study, the role of TMEM16A in gliomas and the potential underlying mechanisms were analyzed. TMEM16A was highly abundant in various grades of gliomas and cultured glioma cells. Knockdown of TMEM16A suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Furthermore, nuclear factor‑κB (NF‑κB) was activated by overexpression of TMEM16A. In addition, TMEM16A regulated the expression of NF‑κB‑mediated genes, including cyclin D1, cyclin E and c‑myc, involved in cell proliferation, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)‑2 and MMP‑9, which are associated with the migration and invasion of glioma cells. Collectively, results of the present study provide evidence for the involvement of TMEM16A in gliomas and the potential mechanism through which TMEM16A promotes glioma formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Liu
- Department of Geriatrics, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710038, P.R. China
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Neurology, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710038, P.R. China
| | - Yingang Ren
- Department of Geriatrics, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710038, P.R. China
| | - Li Kang
- Department of Geriatrics, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710038, P.R. China
| | - Lihua Zhang
- Department of Geriatrics, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710038, P.R. China
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Abstract
p21-Activated kinases (PAKs) are positioned at the nexus of several oncogenic signalling pathways. Overexpression or mutational activation of PAK isoforms frequently occurs in various human tumours, and recent data suggest that excessive PAK activity drives many of the cellular processes that are the hallmarks of cancer. In this Review, we discuss the mechanisms of PAK activation in cancer, the key substrates that mediate the developmental and oncogenic effects of this family of kinases, and how small-molecule inhibitors of these enzymes might be best developed and deployed for the treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Radu
- Cancer Biology Program; Fox Chase Cancer Center; Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Galina Semenova
- Cancer Biology Program; Fox Chase Cancer Center; Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rachelle Kosoff
- Cancer Biology Program; Fox Chase Cancer Center; Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Cancer Biology program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jonathan Chernoff
- Cancer Biology Program; Fox Chase Cancer Center; Philadelphia, PA, USA
- To whom correspondence should be addressed: Jonathan Chernoff, Cancer Biology Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, 333 Cottman Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA, Tel.: (215) 728 5319; Fax: (215) 728 3616;
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64
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Role of p-21-activated kinases in cancer progression. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 309:347-87. [PMID: 24529727 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-800255-1.00007-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The p-21-activated kinases (PAKs) are downstream effectors of Rho GTPases Rac and Cdc42. The PAK family consists of six members which are segregated into two subgroups (Group I and Group II) based on sequence homology. Group I PAKs (PAK1-3) are the most extensively studied but there is increasing interest in the functionality of Group II PAKs (PAK4-6). The PAK family proteins are thought to play an important role in many different cellular processes, some of which have particular significance in the context of cancer progression. This review explores established and more recent data, linking the PAK family kinases to cancer progression including expression profiles, evasion of apoptosis, promotion of cell survival, and regulation of cell invasion. Finally, we discuss attempts to therapeutically target the PAK family and outline the major obstacles that still need to be overcome.
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65
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Vehlow A, Cordes N. Invasion as target for therapy of glioblastoma multiforme. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2013; 1836:236-44. [PMID: 23891970 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2013.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2013] [Revised: 07/09/2013] [Accepted: 07/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The survival of cancer patients suffering from glioblastoma multiforme is limited to just a few months even after treatment with the most advanced techniques. The indefinable borders of glioblastoma cell infiltration into the surrounding healthy tissue prevent complete surgical removal. In addition, genetic mutations, epigenetic modifications and microenvironmental heterogeneity cause resistance to radio- and chemotherapy altogether resulting in a hardly to overcome therapeutic scenario. Therefore, the development of efficient therapeutic strategies to combat these tumors requires a better knowledge of genetic and proteomic alterations as well as the infiltrative behavior of glioblastoma cells and how this can be targeted. Among many cell surface receptors, members of the integrin family are known to regulate glioblastoma cell invasion in concert with extracellular matrix degrading proteases. While preclinical and early clinical trials suggested specific integrin targeting as a promising therapeutic approach, clinical trials failed to deliver improved cure rates up to now. Little is known about glioblastoma cell motility, but switches in invasion modes and adaption to specific microenvironmental cues as a consequence of treatment may maintain tumor cell resistance to therapy. Thus, understanding the molecular basis of integrin and protease function for glioblastoma cell invasion in the context of radiochemotherapy is a pressing issue and may be beneficial for the design of efficient therapeutic approaches. This review article summarizes the latest findings on integrins and extracellular matrix in glioblastoma and adds some perspective thoughts on how this knowledge might be exploited for optimized multimodal therapy approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Vehlow
- OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden University of Technology, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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66
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Dart AE, Wells CM. P21-activated kinase 4--not just one of the PAK. Eur J Cell Biol 2013; 92:129-38. [PMID: 23642861 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2013.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2013] [Revised: 03/24/2013] [Accepted: 03/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
P21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4) is a member of the p21-activated kinase (PAK) family. Historically much of the attention has been directed towards founding family member PAK1 but the focus is now shifting towards PAK4. It is a pluripotent serine/threonine kinase traditionally recognised as a downstream effector of the Rho-family GTPases. However, emerging research over the last few years has revealed that this kinase is much more than that. New findings have shed light on the molecular mechanism of PAK4 activation and how this kinase is critical for early development. Moreover, the number of PAK4 substrates and binding partners is rapidly expanding highlighting the increasing amount of cellular functions controlled by PAK4. We propose that PAK4 should be considered a signalling integrator regulating numerous fundamental cellular processes, including actin cytoskeletal dynamics, cell morphology and motility, cell survival, embryonic development, immune defence and oncogenic transformation. This review will outline our current understanding of PAK4 biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna E Dart
- Division of Cancer Studies, New Hunts House, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
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67
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Maddirela DR, Kesanakurti D, Gujrati M, Rao JS. MMP-2 suppression abrogates irradiation-induced microtubule formation in endothelial cells by inhibiting αvβ3-mediated SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling. Int J Oncol 2013; 42:1279-88. [PMID: 23381805 PMCID: PMC3586295 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2013.1806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2012] [Accepted: 12/28/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The majority of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumors recur after radiation (IR) treatment due to increased angiogenesis and IR-induced signaling events in endothelial cells (ECs) that are involved in tumor neovascularization; however, these signaling events have yet to be well characterized. In the present study, we observed that IR (8 Gy) significantly elevated MMP-2 expression and gelatinolytic activity in 4910 and 5310 human GBM xenograft cells. In addition, ECs treated with tumor-conditioned media (CM) obtained from IR-treated 4910 and 5310 cells showed increased microtubule formation. In view of this finding, we investigated the possible anti-angiogenic effects of MMP-2 downregulation using siRNA (pM.si) in IR-treated cells. We also determined the effect of CM obtained from mock, pSV (scrambled vector) and pMMP-2.si on endothelial cell growth and vessel formation. pM.si-CM-treated ECs showed inhibited IR-CM-induced SDF-1, CXCR4, phospho-PI3K and phospho-AKT and αvβ3 expression levels. In vitro angiogenesis assays also showed that the pM.si+IR decreased IR-induced vessel formation in ECs. Immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation experiments indicated the abrogation of αvβ3-SDF-1 interaction in pM.si-CM-treated ECs when compared to mock or pSV treatments. External supplementation of either rhMMP-2 or rhSDF-1 counteracted and noticeably reversed pM.si-inhibited SDF-1, CXCR4, phospho-PI3K and phospho-AKT expression levels and angiogenesis, thereby confirming the role of MMP-2 in the regulation of αvβ3-mediated SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling. In addition to the in vitro results, the in vivo mouse dorsal air sac model also showed reduced angiogenesis after injection of pM.si alone or in combination with IR-treated xenograft cells. In contrast, injection of mock or pSV-treated cells resulted in robust formation of characteristic neovascularization. Collectively, our data demonstrate the role of MMP-2 in the regulation of SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling-mediated angiogenesis in ECs and show the anti-angiogenic efficacy of combining MMP-2 downregulation and IR when treating patients with GBM in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilip Rajasekhar Maddirela
- Department of Cancer Biology and Pharmacology, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, Peoria, IL 61605, USA
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