201
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Kim N, Shin I, Kim Y, Jeon E, Lee J, Lee C, Nam Y, Lee S, Ju E, Kim C, Son W, Ryu S, Ko M, Sim T. Novel Small Molecules Capable of Blocking mtRAS-Signaling Pathway. Front Oncol 2021; 11:768022. [PMID: 34956887 PMCID: PMC8695447 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.768022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
RAS mutants are involved in approximately 30% of all human cancers and have been regarded as undruggable targets owing to relatively smooth protein surface and obscure binding pockets. In our previous study, we have demonstrated that GNF-7, a multi-targeted kinase inhibitor, possesses potent anti-proliferative activity against Ba/F3 cells transformed with NRAS-G12D. Based on our further analysis using Ba/F3 cells transformed with mtRAS, we discovered a series of pyrimido[4,5-d]pyrimidin-2-one analogues as mtRAS-signaling pathway blockers. In addition, our efforts expanded the assessment to cancer cells with mtRAS, which revealed that these substances are also capable of strongly suppressing the proliferation of various cancer cells harboring KRAS-G12D (AsPC-1), KRAS-G12V (SW480, DU-145), KRAS-G12C (H358), KRAS-G13D (MDA-MB-231), KRAS-Q61L (HT-29), and NRAS-Q61L (OCI-AML3). We herein report novel and potent mtRAS-signaling pathway blockers, SIJ1795 and SIJ1772, possessing 2 to 10-fold increased anti-proliferative activities compared to those of GNF-7 on cancer cells harboring mtRAS as well as on Ba/F3 cells transformed with mtRAS. Both SIJ1795 and SIJ1772 attenuate phosphorylation of RAS downstream molecules (AKT and MEK) and induce apoptosis and G0/G1 cell cycle arrest on cancer cells with mtRAS. Moreover, both substances substantially suppress the migration, invasion, and colony formation of cancer cells harboring mtRAS. Taken together, this study led us to identification of SIJ1795 and SIJ1772 capable of strongly inhibiting mtRAS-signaling pathway on cancer cells harboring mtRAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Namkyoung Kim
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea.,Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Injae Shin
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea.,Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Younghoon Kim
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea.,Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Eunhye Jeon
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jiwon Lee
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Chaeyoung Lee
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yunju Nam
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea.,Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sumin Lee
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Eunhye Ju
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Chan Kim
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Woolim Son
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - SeongShick Ryu
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea.,Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Minjoo Ko
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Taebo Sim
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea.,Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
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202
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Drosten M, Barbacid M. Targeting KRAS mutant lung cancer: light at the end of the tunnel. Mol Oncol 2021; 16:1057-1071. [PMID: 34951114 PMCID: PMC8895444 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
For decades, KRAS mutant lung adenocarcinomas (LUAD) have been refractory to therapeutic strategies based on personalized medicine owing to the complexity of designing inhibitors to selectively target KRAS and downstream targets with acceptable toxicities. The recent development of selective KRASG12C inhibitors represents a landmark after 40 years of intense research efforts since the identification of KRAS as a human oncogene. Here, we discuss the mechanisms responsible for the rapid development of resistance to these inhibitors, as well as potential strategies to overcome this limitation. Other therapeutic strategies aimed at inhibiting KRAS oncogenic signaling by targeting either upstream activators or downstream effectors are also reviewed. Finally, we discuss the effect of targeting the mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, both based on the failure of MEK and ERK inhibitors in clinical trials, as well as on the recent identification of RAF1 as a potential target due to its MAPK‐independent activity. These new developments, taken together, are likely to open new avenues to effectively treat KRAS mutant LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Drosten
- Molecular Oncology Program, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mariano Barbacid
- Molecular Oncology Program, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
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203
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He Q, Qu M, Xu C, Shi W, Hussain M, Jin G, Zhu H, Zeng LH, Wu X. The emerging roles of nitric oxide in ferroptosis and pyroptosis of tumor cells. Life Sci 2021; 290:120257. [PMID: 34952041 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.120257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Tumor cells can develop resistance to cell death which is divided into necrosis and programmed cell death (PCD). PCD, including apoptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis. Ferroptosis and pyroptosis, two new forms of cell death, have gradually been of interest to researchers. Boosting ferroptosis and pyroptosis of tumor cells could be a potential cancer therapy. Nitric oxide (NO) is a ubiquitous, lipophilic, highly diffusible, free-radical signaling molecule that plays various roles in tumorigenesis. In addition, NO also has regulatory mechanisms through S-nitrosylation that do not depend on the classic NO/sGC/cGMP signaling. The current tumor treatment strategy for NO is to promote cell death through promoting S-nitrosylation-induced apoptosis while multiple drawbacks dampen this tumor therapy. However, numerous studies have suggested that suppression of NO is perceived to active ferroptosis and pyroptosis, which could be a better anti-tumor treatment. In this review, ferroptosis and pyroptosis are described in detail. We summarize that NO influences ferroptosis and pyroptosis and infer that S-nitrosylation mediates ferroptosis- and pyroptosis-related signaling pathways. It could be a potential cancer therapy different from NO-induced apoptosis of tumor cells. Finally, the information shows the drugs that manipulate endogenous production and exogenous delivery of NO to modulate the levels of S-nitrosylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiangqiang He
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou 310015, China
| | - Meiyu Qu
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou 310015, China
| | - Chengyun Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Wei Shi
- Department of Biology and Genetics, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Musaddique Hussain
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Guojian Jin
- Department of Internal Medicine, Shaoxing Central Hospital Anchang Branch, Shaoxing City 312080, China
| | - Haibin Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Ling-Hui Zeng
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou 310015, China.
| | - Ximei Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou 310015, China; Department of Pharmacology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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204
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KRAS Affects Adipogenic Differentiation by Regulating Autophagy and MAPK Activation in 3T3-L1 and C2C12 Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222413630. [PMID: 34948427 PMCID: PMC8707842 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Kirsten rat sarcoma 2 viral oncogene homolog (Kras) is a proto-oncogene that encodes the small GTPase transductor protein KRAS, which has previously been found to promote cytokine secretion, cell survival, and chemotaxis. However, its effects on preadipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation are unclear. In this study, the effects of KRAS inhibition on proliferation, autophagy, and adipogenic differentiation as well as its potential mechanisms were analyzed in the 3T3-L1 and C2C12 cell lines. The results showed that KRAS was localized mainly in the nuclei of 3T3-L1 and C2C12 cells. Inhibition of KRAS altered mammalian target of rapamycin (Mtor), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (Pcna), Myc, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta (C/ebp-β), diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1 (Dgat1), and stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase 1 (Scd1) expression, thereby reducing cell proliferation capacity while inducing autophagy, enhancing differentiation of 3T3-L1 and C2C12 cells into mature adipocytes, and increasing adipogenesis and the capacity to store lipids. Moreover, during differentiation, KRAS inhibition reduced the levels of extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38, and phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) activation. These results show that KRAS has unique regulatory effects on cell proliferation, autophagy, adipogenic differentiation, and lipid accumulation.
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205
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Lam KK, Tang CL, Tan E, Wong SH, Cheah PY. KRAS mutation-independent downregulation of MAPK/PI3K signaling in colorectal cancer. Mol Oncol 2021; 16:1171-1183. [PMID: 34919787 PMCID: PMC8895447 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
KRAS is a gatekeeper gene in human colorectal tumorigenesis. KRAS is ‘undruggable’; hence, efforts have been diverted to inhibit downstream RAF/MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt signaling. Nevertheless, none of these inhibitors has progressed to clinical use despite extensive trials. We examined levels of phospho‐ERK1/2(T202/Y204) and phospho‐Akt1/2/3(S473) in human colorectal tumor compared to matched mucosa with semi‐quantitative near‐infrared western blot and confocal fluorescence immunohistochemistry imaging. Surprisingly, 75.5% (25/33) of tumors had lower or equivalent phospho‐ERK1/2 and 96.9% (31/32) of tumors had lower phospho‐Akt1/2/3 compared to matched mucosa, irrespective of KRAS mutation status. In contrast, we discovered KRAS‐dependent SOX9 upregulation in 28 of the 31 (90.3%) tumors. These observations were substantiated by analysis of the public domain transcriptomics The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets and proteomics Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) dataset. These data suggest that RAF/MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt signaling are unlikely to be activated in most human colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuen Kuen Lam
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | - Choong Leong Tang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | - Emile Tan
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | | | - Peh Yean Cheah
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.,Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,Duke-NUS Medical School, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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206
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Zhang J, Zhang J, Liu Q, Fan XX, Leung ELH, Yao XJ, Liu L. Resistance looms for KRAS G12C inhibitors and rational tackling strategies. Pharmacol Ther 2021; 229:108050. [PMID: 34864132 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.108050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
KRAS mutations are one of the most frequent activating alterations in carcinoma. Recent efforts have witnessed a revolutionary strategy for KRAS G12C inhibitors with exhibiting conspicuous clinical responses across multiple tumor types, providing new impetus for renewed drug development and culminating in sotorasib with approximately 6-month median progression-free survival in KRAS G12C-driven lung cancer. However, diverse genomic and histological mechanisms conferring resistance to KRAS G12C inhibitors may limit their clinical efficacy. Herein, we first briefly discuss the recent resistance looms for KRAS G12C inhibitors, focusing on their clinical trials. We then comprehensively interrogate and underscore our current understanding of resistance mechanisms and the necessity of incorporating genomic analyses into the clinical investigation to further decipher resistance mechanisms. Finally, we highlight the future role of novel treatment strategies especially rational identification of targeted combinatorial approaches in tackling drug resistance, and propose our views on including the application of robust biomarkers to precisely guide combination medication regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junmin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau (SAR), China; School of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Juanhong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau (SAR), China; School of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; College of Life Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Qing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau (SAR), China
| | - Xing-Xing Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau (SAR), China
| | - Elaine Lai-Han Leung
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau (SAR), China.
| | - Xiao-Jun Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau (SAR), China.
| | - Liang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau (SAR), China.
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207
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Cyclodextrin Dispersion of Mebendazole and Flubendazole Improves In Vitro Antiproliferative Activity. Processes (Basel) 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/pr9122185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mebendazole and flubendazole are antihelmintic drugs that have re-entered the research spotlight due to their exhibited anticancer effects, thus making them strong candidates as repurposed drugs. However, these benzimidazole derivatives exhibit poor solubility in water and various organic solvents, which limits their bioavailability. With the aim of obtaining an improved drug solubility and increased biological effect, mebendazole and flubendazole were complexed with 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPBCD). The binary 1:1 conjugates were physicochemically evaluated by X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, and FTIR spectroscopy, revealing the formation of physical mixtures. The increased aqueous solubility of the binary 1:1 conjugates vs. pure benzimidazole compounds was demonstrated by performing dissolution tests. The in vitro antiproliferative activity of mebendazole and flubendazole, as well as their combination with HPBCD, was tested on two cancer cell lines, human melanoma—A375 and pulmonary adenocarcinoma—A549 by the MTT assay. The cytotoxic activity manifested in a dose-dependent manner while the presence of HPBCD increased the antiproliferative activity against the targeted cells. Treatment of A375 and A549 cell lines with the binary conjugates induced a significant inhibition of mitochondrial respiration, as revealed by high-resolution respirometry studies. Molecular docking analysis showed that one of the mechanisms related to MEB and FLU cytotoxic activity may be due to the inhibition of MEK/ERK proteins.
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208
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Li F, Yang H, Cao Y, Li D, Ma J, Liu P. DOX-loaded silver nanotriangles and photothermal therapy exert a synergistic antibreast cancer effect via ROS/ERK1/2 signaling pathway. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2021; 33:075101. [PMID: 34749347 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/ac378c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The combination of multiple therapies has been proved to be more effective than a single therapy for many cancers. This study aimed to investigate the synergistic antibreast cancer effect of doxorubicin-loaded silver nanotriangles (DOX-AgNTs) combined with near-infrared (NIR) irradiation and explore the underlying mechanism. AgNTs were prepared by a chemical method and DOX was loaded via electrostatic adsorption. Characterization was performed by transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering. The viability of MDA-MB-231 cells was detected by using MTT assay to evaluate the synergistic anticancer effect of DOX-AgNTs combined with NIR irradiation. The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and cell apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was measured with fluorescence microscopy. The mechanism was further investigated with ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine and specific inhibitors of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), C-jun N-terminal kinase and p38 pathways. Characterization results revealed that the prepared AgNTs were mostly triangular and the mean edge length was about 126 nm. The combination of DOX-AgNTs and NIR exhibited a superior synergistic anticancer effect over single DOX-AgNTs or photothermal therapy (PTT). N-acetylcysteine and ERK1/2 inhibitor U0126 were found to significantly rescue the decreased cell viability, declined MMP and increased apoptosis induced by the combined treatment. Our results suggested that DOX-AgNTs combined with PTT performed a synergistic antibreast cancer effect. The synergy might be closely associated with the excessive production of ROS, changed MMP and the activation of ERK1/2 signaling pathway. These findings might provide a new perspective for the development of breast cancer treatments with excellent efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Li
- School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Huiquan Yang
- School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuyu Cao
- School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Dongdong Li
- School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Ma
- School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Peidang Liu
- School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biomaterials and Devices, Southeast University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
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209
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KRAS-G12C covalent inhibitors: A game changer in the scene of cancer therapies. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2021; 168:103524. [PMID: 34800654 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2021.103524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
RAS is the most frequently mutated oncogene in human cancer. Scientists attempted for decades to target this protein or its pathways, however, all the attempts failed and RAS was labeled as "undruggable". With KRAS-G12C covalent inhibitors entering clinical trials, the myth of this "undruggable" RAS is fading away. In 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of Sotorasib (Lumakras) for the treatment of adult patients with KRAS-G12C mutated locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC, following at least one prior systemic therapy. However, and as every other drug, KRAS-G12C inhibitors are facing intrinsic and acquired resistances. In order to overcome these resistances, researchers are now working on combination strategies. Furthermore, studies are currently ongoing to better elucidate the status of KRAS-G12C as a predictive and prognostic tool and to strengthen its role in the field of personalized medicine.
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210
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Bao S, Ji Z, Shi M, Liu X. EPB41L5 promotes EMT through the ERK/p38 MAPK signaling pathway in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Pathol Res Pract 2021; 228:153682. [PMID: 34784520 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2021.153682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide and is characterized by activation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). EPB41L5 is regarded as a key factor in the progression of EMT and metastasis in various kinds of cancers, although the role and mechanism of EPB41L5 in ESCC have not yet been elucidated. In addition, tumor cells can acquire enhanced aggressiveness and a mesenchymal phenotype through phosphorylation of MAPK signaling pathway components. Here, we intend to explore whether EPB41L5 can regulate the EMT process in ESCC and reveal whether the MAPK signaling pathway is involved. METHODS We compared the expression level of EPB41L5 with the prognostic characteristics of 100 ESCC patients to hypothesize the role of EPB41L5 in the progression of ESCC. Furthermore, in vivo and in vitro experiments were conducted to verify the conclusions from the analysis of clinical specimens and investigate the underlying mechanism by which EPB41L5 contributes to ESCC. RESULTS We discovered that EPB41L5 was overexpressed in ESCC and that higher EPB41L5 expression was related to higher TNM stage, a higher incidence of lymphatic metastasis and worse prognosis. Moreover, using ESCC cells and nude mouse models, we found that EPB41L5 promoted EMT, proliferation, migration and invasion in ESCC. Mechanistically, activation of phosphorylation in the ERK/p38 MAPK signaling pathway was involved in the EPB41L5-mediated regulation of EMT. CONCLUSION In conclusion, our findings suggest that EPB41L5 plays a critical role in the regulation of EMT and the progression of ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- ShiHao Bao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
| | - ZhiQi Ji
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
| | - Mo Shi
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China; Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
| | - XiangYan Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China; Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China.
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211
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Bekele RT, Samant AS, Nassar AH, So J, Garcia EP, Curran CR, Hwang JH, Mayhew DL, Nag A, Thorner AR, Börcsök J, Sztupinszki Z, Pan CX, Bellmunt J, Kwiatkowski DJ, Sonpavde GP, Van Allen EM, Mouw KW. RAF1 amplification drives a subset of bladder tumors and confers sensitivity to MAPK-directed therapeutics. J Clin Invest 2021; 131:147849. [PMID: 34554931 DOI: 10.1172/jci147849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer is a genetically heterogeneous disease, and novel therapeutic strategies are needed to expand treatment options and improve clinical outcomes. Here, we identified a unique subset of urothelial tumors with focal amplification of the RAF1 (CRAF) kinase gene. RAF1-amplified tumors had activation of the RAF/MEK/ERK signaling pathway and exhibited a luminal gene expression pattern. Genetic studies demonstrated that RAF1-amplified tumors were dependent upon RAF1 activity for survival, and RAF1-activated cell lines and patient-derived models were sensitive to available and emerging RAF inhibitors as well as combined RAF plus MEK inhibition. Furthermore, we found that bladder tumors with HRAS- or NRAS-activating mutations were dependent on RAF1-mediated signaling and were sensitive to RAF1-targeted therapy. Together, these data identified RAF1 activation as a dependency in a subset making up nearly 20% of urothelial tumors and suggested that targeting RAF1-mediated signaling represents a rational therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raie T Bekele
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Amruta S Samant
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Amin H Nassar
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medical Oncology and
| | | | | | | | - Justin H Hwang
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medical Oncology and
| | - David L Mayhew
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medical Oncology and
| | - Anwesha Nag
- Center for Cancer Genomics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Aaron R Thorner
- Center for Cancer Genomics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Judit Börcsök
- Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Chong-Xian Pan
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Harvard Medical School, West Roxbury, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joaquim Bellmunt
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David J Kwiatkowski
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Eliezer M Van Allen
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medical Oncology and
| | - Kent W Mouw
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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212
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Mast1 mediates radiation-induced gastric injury via the P38 MAPK pathway. Exp Cell Res 2021; 409:112913. [PMID: 34774870 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2021.112913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Radiation-induced gastric injury is a serious adverse effect and reduces the efficacy of radiotherapy treatment. However, the mechanisms underlying radiation-induced stomach injury remain unclear. Here, mouse stomach and gastric epithelial cells were irradiated with different doses of X-ray radiation. The results showed that radiation induced gastric injury in vivo and in vitro. Differentially expressed functional mRNAs in irradiation-induced gastric tissues were screened from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. We found that the expression of microtubule-associated serine/threonine kinase 1 (Mast1) was downregulated in mouse gastric tissues and gastric epithelial cells after irradiation. Furthermore, functional assays showed that knockdown of Mast1 inhibited growth and promoted apoptosis in gastric epithelial cells, while overexpression of Mast1 protected gastric epithelial cells from radiation damage. Mechanistically, Mast1 negatively regulated radiation-induced injury in gastric epithelial cells by inhibiting the activation of P38. The apoptosis caused by knockdown of Mast1 in gastric epithelial cells could be partially reversed by the P38 inhibitor SB203580. Moreover, data from several gastric cancer cell lines and online databases revealed that Mast1 was not involved in the development of gastric cancer. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that Mast1 is essential for radiation-induced gastric injury, providing a promising prognostic and therapeutic target.
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Kime A, Bréal C, Cottereau AS, Friedrich C, Decroocq J, Kaltenbach S, Lupo A, Copin MC, Pasmant E, Deschamps P, Emile JF, Bouscary D, Burroni B. Malignant histiocytosis with a Langerhans cell subtype: A report on the diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Blood Cells Mol Dis 2021; 92:102623. [PMID: 34751149 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcmd.2021.102623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amel Kime
- Service de pathologie, AP-HP, Hôpital Cochin, F-75014 Paris, France.
| | - Claire Bréal
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Centre-Université de Paris, Service d'Hématologie clinique, Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France
| | - Anne-Ségolène Cottereau
- Service de médecine nucléaire, AP-HP, Hôpital Cochin, F-75014 Paris, France, Université de Paris, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Chloe Friedrich
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, CNRS UMR8104, INSERM U1016, Paris, France
| | - Justine Decroocq
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Centre-Université de Paris, Service d'Hématologie clinique, Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France; Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, CNRS UMR8104, INSERM U1016, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Kaltenbach
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Centre-Université de Paris, Laboratoire d'Onco-Hématologie, Hôpital Necker-Enfants maladies, Paris, France; Université de Paris, Institut Necker-Enfants Malades, INSERM U1151, Paris, France
| | - Audrey Lupo
- Service de pathologie, AP-HP, Hôpital Cochin, F-75014 Paris, France; Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université de Paris, F-75006 Paris, France
| | - Marie-Christine Copin
- Univ Angers, Université de Nantes, CHU Angers, Inserm, CRCINA, SFR ICAT, Département de pathologie, F-49000 Angers, France
| | - Eric Pasmant
- Service de Génétique et Biologie Moléculaires, Hôpital Cochin, DMU BioPhyGen, AP-HP, Centre-Université de Paris, Paris, France; Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016 CNRS UMR8104 Université de Paris, CARPEM, Paris, France
| | - Paul Deschamps
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Centre-Université de Paris, Service d'Hématologie clinique, Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Francois Emile
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, EA4340-BECCOH, Service de Pathologie, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Ambroise-Paré, France
| | - Didier Bouscary
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Centre-Université de Paris, Service d'Hématologie clinique, Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France; Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, CNRS UMR8104, INSERM U1016, Paris, France
| | - Barbara Burroni
- Service de pathologie, AP-HP, Hôpital Cochin, F-75014 Paris, France; Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université de Paris, F-75006 Paris, France
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Rozengurt E, Eibl G. Crosstalk between KRAS, SRC and YAP Signaling in Pancreatic Cancer: Interactions Leading to Aggressive Disease and Drug Resistance. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5126. [PMID: 34680275 PMCID: PMC8533944 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13205126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the predominant form of pancreatic cancer, remains a devastating disease. The purpose of this review is to highlight recent literature on mechanistic and translational developments that advance our understanding of a complex crosstalk between KRAS, YAP and Src tyrosine kinase family (SFK) in PDAC development and maintenance. We discuss recent studies indicating the importance of RAS dimerization in signal transduction and new findings showing that the potent pro-oncogenic members of the SFK phosphorylate and inhibit RAS function. These surprising findings imply that RAS may not play a crucial role in maintaining certain subtypes of PDAC. In support of this interpretation, current evidence indicates that the survival of the basal-like subtype of PDAC is less dependent on RAS but relies, at least in part, on the activity of YAP/TAZ. Based on current evidence, we propose that SFK propels PDAC cells to a state of high metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and reduced dependence on KRAS signaling, salient features of the aggressive basal-like/squamous subtype of PDAC. Strategies for PDAC treatment should consider the opposite effects of tyrosine phosphorylation on KRAS and SFK/YAP in the design of drug combinations that target these novel crosstalk mechanisms and overcome drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrique Rozengurt
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Guido Eibl
- Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA;
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Dillon M, Lopez A, Lin E, Sales D, Perets R, Jain P. Progress on Ras/MAPK Signaling Research and Targeting in Blood and Solid Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13205059. [PMID: 34680208 PMCID: PMC8534156 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13205059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK signaling pathway is responsible for regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. Overexpression and overactivation of members within the signaling cascade have been observed in many solid and blood cancers. Research often focuses on targeting the pathway to disrupt cancer initiation and progression. We aimed to provide an overview of the pathway’s physiologic role and regulation, interactions with other pathways involved in cancer development, and mutations that lead to malignancy. Several blood and solid cancers are analyzed to illustrate the impact of the pathway’s dysregulation, stemming from mutation or viral induction. Finally, we summarized different approaches to targeting the pathway and the associated novel treatments being researched or having recently achieved approval. Abstract The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, consisting of the Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK signaling cascade, regulates genes that control cellular development, differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. Within the cascade, multiple isoforms of Ras and Raf each display differences in functionality, efficiency, and, critically, oncogenic potential. According to the NCI, over 30% of all human cancers are driven by Ras genes. This dysfunctional signaling is implicated in a wide variety of leukemias and solid tumors, both with and without viral etiology. Due to the strong evidence of Ras-Raf involvement in tumorigenesis, many have attempted to target the cascade to treat these malignancies. Decades of unsuccessful experimentation had deemed Ras undruggable, but recently, the approval of Sotorasib as the first ever KRas inhibitor represents a monumental breakthrough. This advancement is not without novel challenges. As a G12C mutant-specific drug, it also represents the issue of drug target specificity within Ras pathway; not only do many drugs only affect single mutational profiles, with few pan-inhibitor exceptions, tumor genetic heterogeneity may give rise to drug-resistant profiles. Furthermore, significant challenges in targeting downstream Raf, especially the BRaf isoform, lie in the paradoxical activation of wild-type BRaf by BRaf mutant inhibitors. This literature review will delineate the mechanisms of Ras signaling in the MAPK pathway and its possible oncogenic mutations, illustrate how specific mutations affect the pathogenesis of specific cancers, and compare available and in-development treatments targeting the Ras pathway.
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216
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Reinspection of a Clinical Proteomics Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) Dataset with Cloud Computing Reveals Abundant Post-Translational Modifications and Protein Sequence Variants. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13205034. [PMID: 34680183 PMCID: PMC8534219 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13205034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) has provided some of the most in-depth analyses of the phenotypes of human tumors ever constructed. Today, the majority of proteomic data analysis is still performed using software housed on desktop computers which limits the number of sequence variants and post-translational modifications that can be considered. The original CPTAC studies limited the search for PTMs to only samples that were chemically enriched for those modified peptides. Similarly, the only sequence variants considered were those with strong evidence at the exon or transcript level. In this multi-institutional collaborative reanalysis, we utilized unbiased protein databases containing millions of human sequence variants in conjunction with hundreds of common post-translational modifications. Using these tools, we identified tens of thousands of high-confidence PTMs and sequence variants. We identified 4132 phosphorylated peptides in nonenriched samples, 93% of which were confirmed in the samples which were chemically enriched for phosphopeptides. In addition, our results also cover 90% of the high-confidence variants reported by the original proteogenomics study, without the need for sample specific next-generation sequencing. Finally, we report fivefold more somatic and germline variants that have an independent evidence at the peptide level, including mutations in ERRB2 and BCAS1. In this reanalysis of CPTAC proteomic data with cloud computing, we present an openly available and searchable web resource of the highest-coverage proteomic profiling of human tumors described to date.
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217
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Leal AS, Moerland JA, Zhang D, Carapellucci S, Lockwood B, Krieger-Burke T, Aleiwi B, Ellsworth E, Liby KT. The RXR Agonist MSU42011 Is Effective for the Treatment of Preclinical HER2+ Breast Cancer and Kras-Driven Lung Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5004. [PMID: 34638488 PMCID: PMC8508021 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13195004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Notwithstanding numerous therapeutic advances, 176,000 deaths from breast and lung cancers will occur in the United States in 2021 alone. The tumor microenvironment and its modulation by drugs have gained increasing attention and relevance, especially with the introduction of immunotherapy as a standard of care in clinical practice. Retinoid X receptors (RXRs) are members of the nuclear receptor superfamily and upon ligand binding, function as transcription factors to modulate multiple cell functions. Bexarotene, the only FDA-approved RXR agonist, is still used to treat cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. (2) Methods: To test the immunomodulatory and anti-tumor effects of MSU42011, a new RXR agonist, we used two different immunocompetent murine models (MMTV-Neu mice, a HER2 positive model of breast cancer and the A/J mouse model, in which vinyl carbamate is used to initiate lung tumorigenesis) and an immunodeficient xenograft lung cancer model. (3) Results: Treatment of established tumors in immunocompetent models of HER2-positive breast cancer and Kras-driven lung cancer with MSU42011 significantly decreased the tumor burden and increased the ratio of CD8/CD4, CD25 T cells, which correlates with enhanced anti-tumor efficacy. Moreover, the combination of MSU42011 and immunotherapy (anti-PDL1 and anti-PD1 antibodies) significantly (p < 0.05) reduced tumor size vs. individual treatments. However, MSU42011 was ineffective in an athymic human A549 lung cancer xenograft model, supporting an immunomodulatory mechanism of action. (4) Conclusions: Collectively, these data suggest that the RXR agonist MSU42011 can be used to modulate the tumor microenvironment in breast and lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana S. Leal
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (A.S.L.); (J.A.M.); (D.Z.); (S.C.); (B.L.); (T.K.-B.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
| | - Jessica A. Moerland
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (A.S.L.); (J.A.M.); (D.Z.); (S.C.); (B.L.); (T.K.-B.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
| | - Di Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (A.S.L.); (J.A.M.); (D.Z.); (S.C.); (B.L.); (T.K.-B.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
| | - Sarah Carapellucci
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (A.S.L.); (J.A.M.); (D.Z.); (S.C.); (B.L.); (T.K.-B.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
| | - Beth Lockwood
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (A.S.L.); (J.A.M.); (D.Z.); (S.C.); (B.L.); (T.K.-B.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
| | - Teresa Krieger-Burke
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (A.S.L.); (J.A.M.); (D.Z.); (S.C.); (B.L.); (T.K.-B.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
- In Vivo Facility, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Bilal Aleiwi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (A.S.L.); (J.A.M.); (D.Z.); (S.C.); (B.L.); (T.K.-B.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
- Medicinal Chemistry Facility, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Edmund Ellsworth
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (A.S.L.); (J.A.M.); (D.Z.); (S.C.); (B.L.); (T.K.-B.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
- Medicinal Chemistry Facility, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Karen T. Liby
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (A.S.L.); (J.A.M.); (D.Z.); (S.C.); (B.L.); (T.K.-B.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
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Zell D, Dalziel ME, Carrera DE, Stumpf A, Bachmann S, Mercado-Marin E, Koenig SG, Zhang H, Gosselin F. An Efficient Second-Generation Manufacturing Process for the pan-RAF Inhibitor Belvarafenib. Org Process Res Dev 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.oprd.1c00277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Zell
- Department of Small Molecule Process Chemistry, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Michael E. Dalziel
- Department of Small Molecule Process Chemistry, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Diane E. Carrera
- Department of Small Molecule Process Chemistry, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Andreas Stumpf
- Department of Small Molecule Process Chemistry, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Stephan Bachmann
- Department of Process Chemistry and Catalysis, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Eduardo Mercado-Marin
- Department of Small Molecule Process Chemistry, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Stefan G. Koenig
- Department of Small Molecule Process Chemistry, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Haiming Zhang
- Department of Small Molecule Process Chemistry, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Francis Gosselin
- Department of Small Molecule Process Chemistry, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
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219
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Personeni N, Smiroldo V, Giunta EF, Prete MG, Rimassa L, Bregni G, Sclafani F. Tackling Refractory Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Future Perspectives. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4506. [PMID: 34572729 PMCID: PMC8472765 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13184506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Substantial improvements have characterized the systemic treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) over the past 20 years. Besides strong evidence that supports the use of RAS and BRAF status as prognostic and predictive indicators of disease and response, novel technologies have made possible the incorporation of emerging biomarkers for the management of mCRC. On one hand, the discovery of point mutations, amplifications, fusions, and gene expression profiles highlights the genomic and dynamic complexity of CRC. On the other, such discoveries are leading to newer biomarker-driven strategies that add to existing anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and anti-angiogenic approaches. In addition, the availability of a wide molecular profiling has relevant implications for patient prognosis and treatment benefits. Here, we will review the molecular underpinnings and clinical data supporting novel targeted treatments under development for refractory mCRC harboring BRAF mutations, KRAS G12C mutations, HER2 amplification, and less common molecular alterations, such as the re-arrangements of NTRK, ALK, and ROS1. Additionally, we will discuss novel strategies driving the rechallenge of EGFR antibodies and the incorporation of newer anti-angiogenic agents in the therapeutic armamentarium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Personeni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Milan, Italy; (N.P.); (M.G.P.)
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Milan, Italy;
| | - Valeria Smiroldo
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Milan, Italy;
| | - Emilio Francesco Giunta
- Medical Oncology Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy;
| | - Maria Giuseppina Prete
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Milan, Italy; (N.P.); (M.G.P.)
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Milan, Italy;
| | - Lorenza Rimassa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Milan, Italy; (N.P.); (M.G.P.)
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Milan, Italy;
| | - Giacomo Bregni
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Jules Bordet–Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard de Waterloo 121, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium; (G.B.); (F.S.)
| | - Francesco Sclafani
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Jules Bordet–Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard de Waterloo 121, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium; (G.B.); (F.S.)
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Peralta S, Duhamel GE, Katt WP, Heikinheimo K, Miller AD, Ahmed F, McCleary-Wheeler AL, Grenier JK. Comparative transcriptional profiling of canine acanthomatous ameloblastoma and homology with human ameloblastoma. Sci Rep 2021; 11:17792. [PMID: 34493785 PMCID: PMC8423744 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97430-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Ameloblastomas are odontogenic tumors that are rare in people but have a relatively high prevalence in dogs. Because canine acanthomatous ameloblastomas (CAA) have clinicopathologic and molecular features in common with human ameloblastomas (AM), spontaneous CAA can serve as a useful translational model of disease. However, the molecular basis of CAA and how it compares to AM are incompletely understood. In this study, we compared the global genomic expression profile of CAA with AM and evaluated its dental origin by using a bulk RNA-seq approach. For these studies, healthy gingiva and canine oral squamous cell carcinoma served as controls. We found that aberrant RAS signaling, and activation of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition cellular program are involved in the pathogenesis of CAA, and that CAA is enriched with genes known to be upregulated in AM including those expressed during the early stages of tooth development, suggesting a high level of molecular homology. These results support the model that domestic dogs with spontaneous CAA have potential for pre-clinical assessment of targeted therapeutic modalities against AM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Peralta
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Clinical Programs Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Box 31, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
| | - Gerald E Duhamel
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - William P Katt
- Department of Molecular Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Kristiina Heikinheimo
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Andrew D Miller
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Faraz Ahmed
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Angela L McCleary-Wheeler
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - Jennifer K Grenier
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
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Bannoura SF, Uddin MH, Nagasaka M, Fazili F, Al-Hallak MN, Philip PA, El-Rayes B, Azmi AS. Targeting KRAS in pancreatic cancer: new drugs on the horizon. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2021; 40:819-835. [PMID: 34499267 PMCID: PMC8556325 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-021-09990-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Kirsten Rat Sarcoma (KRAS) is a master oncogene involved in cellular proliferation and survival and is the most commonly mutated oncogene in all cancers. Activating KRAS mutations are present in over 90% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cases and are implicated in tumor initiation and progression. Although KRAS is a critical oncogene, and therefore an important therapeutic target, its therapeutic inhibition has been very challenging, and only recently specific mutant KRAS inhibitors have been discovered. In this review, we discuss the activation of KRAS signaling and the role of mutant KRAS in PDAC development. KRAS has long been considered undruggable, and many drug discovery efforts which focused on indirect targeting have been unsuccessful. We discuss the various efforts for therapeutic targeting of KRAS. Further, we explore the reasons behind these obstacles, novel successful approaches to target mutant KRAS including G12C mutation as well as the mechanisms of resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar F Bannoura
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Md Hafiz Uddin
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Misako Nagasaka
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, UCI Health, Orange, CA, 92868, USA
| | - Farzeen Fazili
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Mohammed Najeeb Al-Hallak
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Philip A Philip
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Bassel El-Rayes
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Asfar S Azmi
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
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Jahan N, Ghouse SM, Martuza RL, Rabkin SD. In Situ Cancer Vaccination and Immunovirotherapy Using Oncolytic HSV. Viruses 2021; 13:v13091740. [PMID: 34578321 PMCID: PMC8473045 DOI: 10.3390/v13091740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) can be genetically altered to acquire oncolytic properties so that oncolytic HSV (oHSV) preferentially replicates in and kills cancer cells, while sparing normal cells, and inducing anti-tumor immune responses. Over the last three decades, a better understanding of HSV genes and functions, and improved genetic-engineering techniques led to the development of oHSV as a novel immunovirotherapy. The concept of in situ cancer vaccination (ISCV) was first introduced when oHSV was found to induce a specific systemic anti-tumor immune response with an abscopal effect on non-injected tumors, in the process of directly killing tumor cells. Thus, the use of oHSV for tumor vaccination in situ is antigen-agnostic. The research and development of oHSVs have moved rapidly, with the field of oncolytic viruses invigorated by the FDA/EMA approval of oHSV talimogene laherparepvec in 2015 for the treatment of advanced melanoma. Immunovirotherapy can be enhanced by arming oHSV with immunomodulatory transgenes and/or using them in combination with other chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic agents. This review offers an overview of the development of oHSV as an agent for ISCV against solid tumors, describing the multitude of different oHSVs and their efficacy in immunocompetent mouse models and in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nusrat Jahan
- Molecular Neurosurgery Laboratory and Brain Tumor Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA; (N.J.); (S.M.G.); (R.L.M.)
| | - Shanawaz M. Ghouse
- Molecular Neurosurgery Laboratory and Brain Tumor Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA; (N.J.); (S.M.G.); (R.L.M.)
| | - Robert L. Martuza
- Molecular Neurosurgery Laboratory and Brain Tumor Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA; (N.J.); (S.M.G.); (R.L.M.)
| | - Samuel D. Rabkin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St., CPZN-3800, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Correspondence:
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223
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Lu Q, Guo Q, Xin M, Lim C, Gamero AM, Gerhard GS, Yang L. LncRNA TP53TG1 Promotes the Growth and Migration of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells via Activation of ERK Signaling. Noncoding RNA 2021; 7:ncrna7030052. [PMID: 34564314 PMCID: PMC8482154 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna7030052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) TP53 target 1 (TP53TG1) was discovered as a TP53 target gene. TP53TG1 has been reported as having dual roles by exerting tumor-suppressive and oncogenic activities that vary depending on the cancer type. Yet, the role of TP53TG1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not fully understood. In this study, we performed both gain- and loss-of-function studies to determine the biological role of TP53TG1 in HCC. We found that the knockdown of TP53 in HCC cells caused the upregulation of TP53TG1. Furthermore, we found that the knockdown of TP53TG1 not only suppressed HCC cell proliferation and migration, but also reduced intrinsic ERK signaling. In contrast, the overexpression of TP53TG1 increased ERK activation and enhanced HCC proliferation. In conclusion, our study reveals an oncogenic role of TP53TG1 in HCC, which provides a novel insight into the cell-type-specific function of TP53TG1 in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Ling Yang
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-215-707-3779
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Zhang Y, Wang D, Lv B, Hou X, Liu Q, Liao C, Xu R, Zhang Y, Xu F, Zhang P. Oleic Acid and Insulin as Key Characteristics of T2D Promote Colorectal Cancer Deterioration in Xenograft Mice Revealed by Functional Metabolomics. Front Oncol 2021; 11:685059. [PMID: 34434893 PMCID: PMC8381473 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.685059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers with high mortality worldwide. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), known as a risk factor of CRC, can promote the deterioration of CRC, but the underlying mechanism is elusive. In this study, we aimed to reveal the relationship between CRC and T2D from the perspective of small-molecule metabolism. First, a list of common dysregulated metabolites in CRC and T2D was obtained by retrieving existing metabolomics publications. Among these metabolites, oleic acid (OA) was found to be able to promote the proliferation and migration of colon carcinoma cell HCT116. Further experiments proved that insulin could significantly strengthen this promotion and showed a synergistic effect with OA. Mechanism study found that OA and insulin acted synergistically through the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2/c-Myc/cyclin D1 pathway. In addition, the combination of ERK1/2 inhibitor SCH772984 and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)4/6 inhibitor palbociclib showed a remarkable inhibitory effect on tumor growth in vivo. Taken together, the current study found that OA plays an important role in CRC development by using a functional metabolomics approach. More importantly, insulin and OA were confirmed to synergistically promote the deterioration of CRC in vitro and in vivo via ERK1/2/c-Myc/cyclin D1 pathway. Our findings may shed light on CRC treatment among the T2D population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Di Wang
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bo Lv
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoying Hou
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qiwei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chuyao Liao
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ruijie Xu
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuxin Zhang
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Fengguo Xu
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Pei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
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225
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He Y, Chen Y, Tong Y, Long W, Liu Q. Identification of a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network for exploring novel therapeutic options for glioma. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11894. [PMID: 34434651 PMCID: PMC8351580 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Glioma is the most common brain neoplasm with a poor prognosis. Circular RNA (circRNA) and their associated competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network play critical roles in the pathogenesis of glioma. However, the alteration of the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network and its correlation with glioma therapy haven't been systematically analyzed. Methods With GEO, GEPIA2, circBank, CSCD, CircInteractome, mirWalk 2.0, and mirDIP 4.1, we constructed a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network in glioma. LASSO regression and multivariate Cox regression analysis established a hub mRNA signature to assess the prognosis. GSVA was used to estimate the immune infiltration level. Potential anti-glioma drugs were forecasted using the cMap database and evaluated with GSEA using GEO data. Results A ceRNA network of seven circRNAs (hsa_circ_0030788/0034182/0000227/ 0018086/0000229/0036592/0002765), 15 miRNAs(hsa-miR-1200/1205/1248/ 1303/3925-5p/5693/581/586/599/607/640/647/6867-5p/767-3p/935), and 46 mRNAs (including 11 hub genes of ARHGAP11A, DRP2, HNRNPA3, IGFBP5, IP6K2, KLF10, KPNA4, NRP2, PAIP1, RCN1, and SEMA5A) was constructed. Functional enrichment showed they influenced majority of the hallmarks of tumors. Eleven hub genes were proven to be decent prognostic signatures for glioma in both TCGA and CGGA datasets. Forty-six LASSO regression significant genes were closely related to immune infiltration. Finally, five compounds (fulvestrant, tanespimycin, mifepristone, tretinoin, and harman) were predicted as potential treatments for glioma. Among them, mifepristone and tretinoin were proven to inhibit the cell cycle and DNA repair in glioma. Conclusion This study highlights the potential pathogenesis of the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network and identifies novel therapeutic options for glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi He
- Neurosurgery Department, Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yihong Chen
- Neurosurgery Department, Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yuxin Tong
- Department of Ophthalmology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Hunan Clinical Research Center of Ophthalmic Disease, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Wenyong Long
- Neurosurgery Department, Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Qing Liu
- Neurosurgery Department, Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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226
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Xu Q, Xu H, Deng R, Li N, Mu R, Qi Z, Shen Y, Wang Z, Wen J, Zhao J, Weng D, Huang W. Landscape of Prognostic m6A RNA Methylation Regulators in Hepatocellular Carcinoma to Aid Immunotherapy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:669145. [PMID: 34422799 PMCID: PMC8375309 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.669145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common malignancy with a high mortality worldwide. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) may participate extensively in tumor progression. Methods: To reveal the landscape of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), ESTIMATE analysis, ssGSEA algorithm, and the CIBERSORT method were used. Taking advantage of consensus clustering, two different HCC categories were screened. We analyzed the correlation of clustering results with TIME and immunotherapy. Then, we yielded a risk signature by systematical bioinformatics analyses. Immunophenoscore (IPS) was implemented to estimate the immunotherapeutic significance of risk signature. Results: The m6A-based clusters were significantly correlated with overall survival (OS), immune score, immunological signature, immune infiltrating, and ICB-associated genes. Risk signature possessed robust prognostic validity and significantly correlated with TIME context. IPS was employed as a surrogate of immunotherapeutic outcome, and patients with low-risk scores showed significantly higher immunophenoscores. Conclusion: Collectively, m6A-based clustering subtype and signature was a robust prognostic indicator and correlated with TIME and immunotherapy, providing novel insight into antitumor management and prognostic prediction in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianhui Xu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Hao Xu
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Rongshan Deng
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Nanjun Li
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ruiqi Mu
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhixuan Qi
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yunuo Shen
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zijie Wang
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jingchao Wen
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiaxin Zhao
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Di Weng
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wen Huang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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227
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Lindsay CR, Garassino MC, Nadal E, Öhrling K, Scheffler M, Mazières J. On target: Rational approaches to KRAS inhibition for treatment of non-small cell lung carcinoma. Lung Cancer 2021; 160:152-165. [PMID: 34417059 DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2021.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is a leading cause of cancer death. Approximately one-third of patients with NSCLC have a KRAS mutation. KRASG12C, the most common mutation, is found in ~13% of patients. While KRAS was long considered 'undruggable', several novel direct KRASG12C inhibitors have shown encouraging signs of efficacy in phase I/II trials and one of these (sotorasib) has recently been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. This review examines the role of KRAS mutations in NSCLC and the challenges in targeting KRAS. Based on specific KRAS biology, it reports exciting progress, exploring the use of novel direct KRAS inhibitors as monotherapy or in combination with other targeted therapies, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin R Lindsay
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; Department of Medical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK; Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, Manchester and London, UK.
| | | | - Ernest Nadal
- Department of Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Duran i Reynals Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Matthias Scheffler
- Department I of Internal Medicine, Center for Integrated Oncology, and Lung Cancer Group, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Julien Mazières
- Service de Pneumologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
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228
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Qing X, Xu W, Zong J, Du X, Peng H, Zhang Y. Emerging treatment modalities for systemic therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. Biomark Res 2021; 9:64. [PMID: 34419152 PMCID: PMC8380325 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-021-00319-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has long been a major global clinical problem as one of the most common malignant tumours with a high rate of recurrence and mortality. Although potentially curative therapies are available for the early and intermediate stages, the treatment of patients with advanced HCC remains to be resolved. Fortunately, the past few years have shown the emergence of successful systemic therapies to treat HCC. At the molecular level, HCC is a heterogeneous disease, and current research on the molecular characteristics of HCC has revealed numerous therapeutic targets. Targeted agents based on signalling molecules have been successfully supported in clinical trials, and molecular targeted therapy has already become a milestone for disease management in patients with HCC. Immunotherapy, a viable approach for the treatment of HCC, recognizes the antigens expressed by the tumour and treats the tumour using the immune system of the host, making it both selective and specific. In addition, the pipeline for HCC is evolving towards combination therapies with promising clinical outcomes. More drugs designed to focus on specific pathways and immune checkpoints are being developed in the clinic. It has been demonstrated that some drugs can improve the prognosis of patients with HCC in first- or second-line settings, and these drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration or are nearing approval. This review describes targeting pathways and systemic treatment strategies in HCC and summarizes effective targeted and immune-based drugs for patients with HCC and the problems encountered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Qing
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Wenjing Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Jingjing Zong
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Xuanlong Du
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Hao Peng
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yewei Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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229
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Sun Q, Melino G, Amelio I, Jiang J, Wang Y, Shi Y. Recent advances in cancer immunotherapy. Discov Oncol 2021; 12:27. [PMID: 35201440 PMCID: PMC8777500 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-021-00422-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy represents a major advance in the cure of cancer following the dramatic advancements in the development and refinement of chemotherapies and radiotherapies. In the recent decades, together with the development of early diagnostic techniques, immunotherapy has significantly contributed to improving the survival of cancer patients. The immune-checkpoint blockade agents have been proven effective in a significant fraction of standard therapy refractory patients. Importantly, recent advances are providing alternative immunotherapeutic tools that could help overcome their limitations. In this mini review, we provide an overview on the main steps of the discovery of classic immune-checkpoint blockade agents and summarise the most recent development of novel immunotherapeutic strategies, such as tumour antigens, bispecific antibodies and TCR-engineered T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Sun
- Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
- Research Unit of Cell Death Mechanism, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
| | - Gerry Melino
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
- DZNE German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany
| | - Ivano Amelio
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Jingting Jiang
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University and State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Institutes for Translational Medicine, Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123 Jiangsu China
| | - Ying Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tissue Microenvironment and Tumor, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai, 200031 China
| | - Yufang Shi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University and State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Institutes for Translational Medicine, Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123 Jiangsu China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tissue Microenvironment and Tumor, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai, 200031 China
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230
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Tomida A, Yagyu S, Nakamura K, Kubo H, Yamashima K, Nakazawa Y, Hosoi H, Iehara T. Inhibition of MEK pathway enhances the antitumor efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor T cells against neuroblastoma. Cancer Sci 2021; 112:4026-4036. [PMID: 34382720 PMCID: PMC8486218 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Disialoganglioside (GD2)‐specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)‐T cells (GD2‐CAR‐T cells) have been developed and tested in early clinical trials in patients with relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma. However, the effectiveness of immunotherapy using these cells is limited, and requires improvement. Combined therapy with CAR‐T cells and molecular targeted drugs could be a promising strategy to enhance the antitumor efficacy of CAR T cell immunotherapy. Here, we generated GD2‐CAR‐T cells through piggyBac transposon (PB)‐based gene transfer (PB‐GD2‐CAR‐T cells), and analyzed the combined effect of these cells and a MEK inhibitor in vitro and in vivo on neuroblastoma. Trametinib, a MEK inhibitor, ameliorated the killing efficacy of PB‐GD2‐CAR‐T cells in vitro, whereas a combined treatment of the two showed superior antitumor efficacy in a murine xenograft model compared to that of PB‐GD2‐CAR‐T cell monotherapy, regardless of the mutation status of the MAPK pathway in tumor cells. The results presented here provide new insights into the feasibility of combined treatment with CAR‐T cells and MEK inhibitors in patients with neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akimasa Tomida
- Department of Pediatrics, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shigeki Yagyu
- Department of Pediatrics, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto, Japan.,Center for Advanced Research of Gene and Cell Therapy in Shinshu University (CARS), Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Kayoko Nakamura
- Department of Pediatrics, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kubo
- Department of Pediatrics, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kumiko Yamashima
- Division of Cancer Immunotherapy, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Yozo Nakazawa
- Center for Advanced Research of Gene and Cell Therapy in Shinshu University (CARS), Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.,Department of Pediatrics, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.,Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Cutting Edge Research, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Hajime Hosoi
- Department of Pediatrics, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tomoko Iehara
- Department of Pediatrics, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto, Japan
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231
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Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of a mitogen-activated protein kinase gene in the Antarctic yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa AN5. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 48:5847-5855. [PMID: 34370208 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06570-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades play important roles in various signaling transduction networks of biotic and abiotic stress responses. However, MAPK signaling pathways in cold-active yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa have not been reported comprehensively. METHODS AND RESULTS In the present study, MAPK gene (RmMAPK) was first cloned and characterized from Antarctic sea ice yeast R. mucilaginosa AN5. The full length of the RmMAPK gene is 1086 bp and encodes a 361 amino acids protein with a predicted molecular mass of 40.9 kDa and a pI of 5.25. The RmMAPK contains 11 MAPK conserved subdomains and the phosphorylation motif TGY located in the activation loop of the kinase. Quantitative real-time PCR and western blot assay revealed that the expression and phosphorylation level of RmMAPK up-regulated rapidly and significantly when yeast cells were subjected to low temperature (4 °C), high salinity (120‰ NaCl) and heavy metal (2 mmol/L CuCl2). CONCLUSIONS All data suggested that the MAPK cascades might act as a key function in response to extreme stresses, such as low temperature, high salinity and heavy metal.
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232
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Wang Y, Wang L, Blümcke I, Zhang W, Fu Y, Shan Y, Piao Y, Zhao G. Integrated genotype-phenotype analysis of long-term epilepsy-associated ganglioglioma. Brain Pathol 2021; 32:e13011. [PMID: 34355449 PMCID: PMC8713530 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.13011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The BRAF p.V600E mutation is the most common genetic alteration in ganglioglioma (GG). Herein, we collected a consecutive series of 30 GG specimens from Xuanwu Hospital in order to corroborate the genetic landscape and genotype–phenotype correlation of this enigmatic and often difficult‐to‐classify epilepsy‐associated brain tumor entity. All specimens with histopathologically confirmed lesions were submitted to targeted next‐generation sequencing using a panel of 131 genes. Genetic alterations in three cases with histologically distinct tumor components, that is, GG plus pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA), dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNT), or an oligodendroglioma (ODG)‐like tumor component, were separately studied. A mean post‐surgical follow‐up time‐period of 23 months was available in 24 patients. Seventy seven percent of GG in our series can be explained by genetic alterations, with BRAF p.V600E mutations being most prevalent (n = 20). Three additional cases showed KRAS p.Q22R and KRAS p.G13R, IRS2 copy number gain (CNG) and a KIAA1549‐BRAF fusion. When genetically studying different histopathology patterns from the same tumor we identified composite features with BRAF p.V600E plus CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion in a GG with PXA features, IRS2 CNG in a GG with DNT features, and a BRAF p.V600E plus CNG of chromosome 7 in a GG with ODG‐like features. Follow‐up revealed no malignant tumor progression but nine patients had seizure recurrence. Eight of these nine GG were immunoreactive for CD34, six patients were male, five were BRAF wildtype, and atypical histopathology features were encountered in four patients, that is, ki‐67 proliferation index above 5% or with PXA component. Our results strongly point to activation of the MAP kinase pathway in the vast majority of GG and their molecular‐genetic differentiation from the cohort of low‐grade pediatric type diffuse glioma remains, however, to be further clarified. In addition, histopathologically distinct tumor components accumulated different genetic alterations suggesting collision or composite glio‐neuronal GG variants. Our results strongly point to activation of the MAP kinase pathway in the vast majority of ganglioglioma (GG). Composite genetic alterations were found in cases with histologically distinct tumor components firstly, i.e. GG plus pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA), dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor, or an oligodendroglioma‐like tumor. Seizure recurrence is inclined to ganglioglioma with atypical histopathology features (i.e. GG containing a ki‐67 proliferation index above 5% or GG with PXA component).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujiao Wang
- Department of PathologyXuanwu HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Leiming Wang
- Department of PathologyXuanwu HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Ingmar Blümcke
- Department of NeuropathologyUniversity Hospital ErlangenErlangenGermany
| | - Weiwei Zhang
- Department of PathologyXuanwu HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yongjuan Fu
- Department of PathologyXuanwu HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yongzhi Shan
- Department of NeurosurgeryXuanwu HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Clinical Research Center for Epilepsy Capital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yueshan Piao
- Department of PathologyXuanwu HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Clinical Research Center for Epilepsy Capital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Guoguang Zhao
- Department of NeurosurgeryXuanwu HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Clinical Research Center for Epilepsy Capital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
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233
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da Silva EF, de Vargas AS, Willig JB, de Oliveira CB, Zimmer AR, Pilger DA, Buffon A, Gnoatto SCB. Synthesis and antileukemic activity of an ursolic acid derivative: A potential co-drug in combination with imatinib. Chem Biol Interact 2021; 344:109535. [PMID: 34051208 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2021.109535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Imatinib, a specific Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is the most commonly used drug in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia. However, optimal response is not achieved in up to 33% of patients. Therefore, development of novel therapeutic strategies for chronic myeloid leukemia is critical. Betulinic (1) and ursolic (2) acids are natural pentacyclic triterpenes that exhibit antileukemic activities. In this study, we evaluated the effects of pharmacomodulations at the C-3 position of the triterpene moiety of betulinic and ursolic acids on their activity against K562 leukemia cells. Six new derivatives (1a-2c) were synthesized and evaluated for pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative effects in mammalian and leukemic cells. 2c derivative containing an amine group at the C-3 position of ursolic acid was the most active against leukemia cells with an IC50 value of 5.2 μM after 48 h of treatment. 2c did not exhibit cytotoxic effects against VERO and HepG2 cells and human lymphocytes, showing a good selectivity index for cancer over normal cells. Induced cell death by apoptosis via caspases 3 and 8, and also caused cell cycle arrest as evidenced by accumulation of cells in the G1 phase and decreased cell population in the G2 phase. Furthermore, co-treatment of 2c with imatinib, the chemotherapy drug most commonly used to treat leukemia, resulted in a synergistic effect. Our findings provide a strong rationale for further investigation of combination therapy using the 2c derivative and imatinib in pre-clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elenilson F da Silva
- Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Organic Synthesis, Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Ipiranga, 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, 90610-000, Brazil
| | - Artur S de Vargas
- Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Organic Synthesis, Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Ipiranga, 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, 90610-000, Brazil
| | - Julia B Willig
- Laboratory of Biochemical and Cytological Analysis, Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Ipiranga, 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, 90610-000, Brazil
| | - Cristiane B de Oliveira
- Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Organic Synthesis, Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Ipiranga, 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, 90610-000, Brazil
| | - Aline R Zimmer
- Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Organic Synthesis, Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Ipiranga, 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, 90610-000, Brazil
| | - Diogo A Pilger
- Laboratory of Biochemical and Cytological Analysis, Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Ipiranga, 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, 90610-000, Brazil
| | - Andréia Buffon
- Laboratory of Biochemical and Cytological Analysis, Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Ipiranga, 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, 90610-000, Brazil
| | - Simone C B Gnoatto
- Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Organic Synthesis, Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Ipiranga, 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, 90610-000, Brazil.
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234
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Huang W, Hua H, Xiao G, Yang X, Yang Q, Jin L. ZC3HAV1 promotes the proliferation and metastasis via regulating KRAS in pancreatic cancer. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:18482-18497. [PMID: 34319912 PMCID: PMC8351712 DOI: 10.18632/aging.203296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Proliferation and metastasis are important malignant features of pancreatic cancer (PC), but the underlying molecular mechanism is unclear. ZC3HAV1, a PARP family member of proteins-enzymes, has been considered to play a significant part in a variety of biological processes. Nonetheless, the functions of ZC3HAV1 in developing PC are still unknown. This research aims to explore the biological function and the expression of ZC3HAV1 shown in PC. In our study, PCR analysis suggested that ZC3HAV1 was expressed at a high level in PC tissues and cell lines, and high ZC3HAV1 expression was remarkably related to poor prognosis. The functional assays indicated that upregulated ZC3HAV1 accelerated PC cell proliferation along with colony formation capacities in vitro. Subsequently, ZC3HAV1 could upregulate cyclin D1 and CDK2 and also promote G1/S transition in cells of PC. What's more, we also discovered that ZC3HAV1 promotes the migration and the invasion of PC cells. It upregulates the expression of EMT (epithelial-mesenchymal transition) relevant markers. Conversely, the functional assays showed that ZC3HAV1 knockdown significantly reduced tumorigenesis. Using bioinformatics analysis and immunoprecipitation assays we found that ZC3HAV1 could directly bind to KRAS and positively regulate its expression. Furthermore, ZC3HAV1 overexpression activated MAPK signaling by increasing p-ERK levels. Conversely, knockdown of KRAS attenuated ZC3HAV1-mediated promotion of proliferation and invasion in cells of PC. The result indicated that ZC3HAV1 was in relation to poor prognosis and accelerated the proliferation and metastasis of PC cells by regulation of KRAS. Our research may offer brand-new evidence to diagnose and treat PC in clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Huang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First People’s Hospital of Neijiang, Neijiang, Sichuan, China
| | - Hao Hua
- Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, The First People’s Hospital of Neijiang, Neijiang, Sichuan, China
| | - Guoliang Xiao
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First People’s Hospital of Neijiang, Neijiang, Sichuan, China
| | - Xianjin Yang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First People’s Hospital of Neijiang, Neijiang, Sichuan, China
| | - Qin Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First People’s Hospital of Neijiang, Neijiang, Sichuan, China
| | - Lu Jin
- Department of Pediatrics, The First People’s Hospital of Neijiang, Neijiang, Sichuan, China
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235
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Abstract
As a member of small GTPase family, KRAS protein is a key physiological modulator of various cellular activities including proliferation. However, mutations of KRAS present in numerous cancer types, most frequently in pancreatic (> 60%), colorectal (> 40%), and lung cancers, drive oncogenic processes through overactivation of proliferation. The G12C mutation of KRAS protein is especially abundant in the case of these types of malignancies. Despite its key importance in human disease, KRAS was assumed to be non-druggable for a long time since the protein seemingly lacks potential drug-binding pockets except the nucleotide-binding site, which is difficult to be targeted due to the high affinity of KRAS for both GDP and GTP. Recently, a new approach broke the ice and provided evidence that upon covalent targeting of the G12C mutant KRAS, a highly dynamic pocket was revealed. This novel targeting is especially important since it serves with an inherent solution for drug selectivity. Based on these results, various structure-based drug design projects have been launched to develop selective KRAS mutant inhibitors. In addition to the covalent modification strategy mostly applicable for G12C mutation, different innovative solutions have been suggested for the other frequently occurring oncogenic G12 mutants. Here we summarize the latest advances of this field, provide perspectives for novel approaches, and highlight the special properties of KRAS, which might issue some new challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinga Nyíri
- Department of Applied Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, 1111, Hungary.
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, 1117, Hungary.
| | - Gergely Koppány
- Department of Applied Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, 1111, Hungary
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
| | - Beáta G Vértessy
- Department of Applied Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, 1111, Hungary.
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, 1117, Hungary.
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236
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Liu L, Yang Y, Yu D. Identification of key miRNAs and their targets in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of IgA nephropathy using bioinformatics analysis. Medicine (Baltimore) 2021; 100:e26495. [PMID: 34190177 PMCID: PMC8257889 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000026495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Currently, renal biopsy is the gold standard for clinical diagnosis and evaluation the degrees of IgA nephropathy. However, renal biopsy is an invasive examination and not suitable for long-term follow-up IgA nephropathy. The activation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are related to IgA nephropathy, but the key molecular marker and target of PBMCs for evaluating the progression and prognosis of IgA nephropathy is still unclear. METHODS We downloaded gene expression omnibus series 25590 (GSE25590) datasets, of which PBMCs from IgA nephrology (IgAN) and healthy patients, from the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) between IgAN and healthy patients were identified. The Funrich software was used to predict the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene ontology (GO) and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analyzes of overlapping genes were analyzed at the function level on DAVID 6.8. We used search Tool for the retrieval of interacting genes (STRING) online database constructed the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Then we further analyzed the hub genes by Cytoscape software and the hub miRNA by TargetScan. RESULTS We identified 418 DEMs from the GSE25590 datasets. The upstream transcription factors SP1 regulates most DEMs. According to the GO and KEGG results, the DEGs were enriched in the MAPK signaling pathway and small GTPase mediated signal transduction. SYN1, SYT4, RBFOX1, KCNC1, VAMP2, FBXO11, ASB9, SYT9, KLHL5, and KRAS were identified as hub genes. Hsa-miR-532-5p, hsa-miR-92a, hsa-miR-328, hsa-miR-137, hsa-miR-153, hsa-miR-9-5p, hsa-miR-140-5p, hsa-miR-217, hsa-miR-155, and hsa-miR-212 were predicted as hub miRNAs. CONCLUSIONS The DEMs and DEGs re-analysis provided potential key genes and hub miRNA of PMBCs, which may help to monitor the happening and prognosis of IgAN.
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237
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Meeusen B, Cortesi EE, Domènech Omella J, Sablina A, Ventura JJ, Janssens V. PPP2R4 dysfunction promotes KRAS-mutant lung adenocarcinoma development and mediates opposite responses to MEK and mTOR inhibition. Cancer Lett 2021; 520:57-67. [PMID: 34216687 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
KRAS-mutant lung adenocarcinomas represent the largest molecular subgroup of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) and are notorious for their dismal survival perspectives. To gain more insights in etiology and therapeutic response, we focused on the tumor suppressor Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A) as a player in KRAS oncogenic signaling. We report that the PP2A activator PTPA (encoded by PPP2R4) is commonly affected in NSCLC by heterozygous loss and low-frequent loss-of-function mutation, and this is specifically associated with poorer overall survival of KRAS-mutant lung adenocarcinoma patients. Reduced or mutant PPP2R4 expression in A549 cells increased anchorage-independent growth in vitro and xenograft growth in vivo, correlating with increased Ki67 and c-MYC expression. Moreover, KrasG12D-induced lung tumorigenesis was significantly accelerated in Ppp2r4 gene trapped mice as compared to Ppp2r4 wild-type. A confined kinase inhibitor screen revealed that PPP2R4-depletion induced resistance against selumetinib (MEK inhibitor), but unexpectedly sensitized cells for temsirolimus (mTOR inhibitor), in vitro and in vivo. Our findings underscore a clinically relevant role for PTPA loss-of-function in KRAS-mutant NSCLC etiology and kinase inhibitor response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bob Meeusen
- Laboratory of Protein Phosphorylation & Proteomics, Dept. Cellular & Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), B-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Emanuela Elsa Cortesi
- Translational Cell & Tissue Research, Dept. Imaging & Pathology, KU Leuven, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Judit Domènech Omella
- Laboratory of Protein Phosphorylation & Proteomics, Dept. Cellular & Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), B-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Anna Sablina
- KU Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), B-3000, Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory for Mechanisms of Cell Transformation, VIB Center for Cancer Biology & Dept. Oncology, KU Leuven, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Juan-Jose Ventura
- Translational Cell & Tissue Research, Dept. Imaging & Pathology, KU Leuven, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Veerle Janssens
- Laboratory of Protein Phosphorylation & Proteomics, Dept. Cellular & Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), B-3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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238
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Peng Y, Wu S, Xu Z, Hou D, Li N, Zhang Z, Wang L, Wang H. A prognostic nomogram based on competing endogenous RNA network for clear-cell renal cell carcinoma. Cancer Med 2021; 10:5499-5512. [PMID: 34196116 PMCID: PMC8366097 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.4109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Clear‐cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is stubborn to traditional chemotherapy and radiation treatment, which makes its clinical management a major challenge. Recently, we have made efforts in understanding the etiology of ccRCC. Increasing evidence revealed that the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) was involved in the development of varied tumors. However, a comprehensive analysis of the prognostic model based on lncRNA‐miRNA‐mRNA ceRNA regulatory network of ccRCC with large‐scale sample size and RNA‐sequencing expression data is still limited. Methods RNA‐sequencing expression data were taken out from GTEx database and TCGA database, a total of 354 samples with ccRCC and 157 normal controlled samples were included in our study. The ccRCC‐specific genes were obtained by WGCNA and differential expression analysis. Following, the communication of mRNAs and lncRNAs with targeted miRNAs were predicted by MiRcode, starBase, miRTarBase, and TargetScan. A gene signature of eight genes was further constructed by univariate Cox regression, Lasso methods, and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Results A total of 2191 mRNAs and 1377 lncRNAs was identified, and a dysregulated ceRNA network for ccRCC was established using 7 mRNAs, 363 lncRNAs, and 3 miRNAs. Further, a gene signature including eight genes based on this ceRNA was determined followed by the development of a nomogram predicting 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year survival probability for ccRCC. Conclusion It could contribute to a better understanding of ccRCC tumorigenesis mechanism and guide clinicians to make a more accurate treatment decision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Peng
- Tianjin Institute of Urology, The 2nd Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Shangrong Wu
- Tianjin Institute of Urology, The 2nd Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zihan Xu
- Tianjin Institute of Urology, The 2nd Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Dingkun Hou
- Tianjin Institute of Urology, The 2nd Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Nan Li
- Tianjin Institute of Urology, The 2nd Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zheyu Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Urology, The 2nd Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Lili Wang
- Department of Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Second Hospital, Hexi, Tianjin, China
| | - Haitao Wang
- Department of Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Second Hospital, Hexi, Tianjin, China
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239
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Telarovic I, Wenger RH, Pruschy M. Interfering with Tumor Hypoxia for Radiotherapy Optimization. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2021; 40:197. [PMID: 34154610 PMCID: PMC8215813 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-02000-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia in solid tumors is an important predictor of treatment resistance and poor clinical outcome. The significance of hypoxia in the development of resistance to radiotherapy has been recognized for decades and the search for hypoxia-targeting, radiosensitizing agents continues. This review summarizes the main hypoxia-related processes relevant for radiotherapy on the subcellular, cellular and tissue level and discusses the significance of hypoxia in radiation oncology, especially with regard to the current shift towards hypofractionated treatment regimens. Furthermore, we discuss the strategies to interfere with hypoxia for radiotherapy optimization, and we highlight novel insights into the molecular pathways involved in hypoxia that might be utilized to increase the efficacy of radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irma Telarovic
- Laboratory for Applied Radiobiology, Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roland H Wenger
- Institute of Physiology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Pruschy
- Laboratory for Applied Radiobiology, Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.
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240
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Beatty GL, Werba G, Lyssiotis CA, Simeone DM. The biological underpinnings of therapeutic resistance in pancreatic cancer. Genes Dev 2021; 35:940-962. [PMID: 34117095 PMCID: PMC8247606 DOI: 10.1101/gad.348523.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In this review, Beatty et al. discuss recent advances in our understanding of the biological underpinnings of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and dissect therapeutic targets that are intrinsic to PDAC and those that are defined by noncancer cells, including stromal cells, immune cells, and microbes. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States and has only recently achieved a 5-yr survival rate of 10%. This dismal prognosis reflects the remarkable capacity of PDAC to effectively adapt to and resist therapeutic intervention. In this review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of the biological underpinnings of PDAC and their implications as targetable vulnerabilities in this highly lethal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory L Beatty
- Abramson Cancer Center; University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.,Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Gregor Werba
- Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA.,Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York 10016, USA
| | - Costas A Lyssiotis
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA.,Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Diane M Simeone
- Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA.,Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York 10016, USA.,Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA
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241
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Koleilat MK, Kwong LN. Same Name, Different Game: EGFR Drives Intrinsic KRAS G12C Inhibitor Resistance in Colorectal Cancer. Cancer Discov 2021; 10:1094-1096. [PMID: 32747369 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-20-0612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of covalent inhibitors of KRASG12C has led to promising clinical results in lung cancer, but disappointing response rates in colon cancer. In this issue of Cancer Discovery, Misale and colleagues identify high endogenous EGFR activity as the underlying mechanism of intrinsic resistance, which can be overcome by anti-EGFR antibody coadministration.See related article by Amodio et al., p. 1129.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamad Karim Koleilat
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Lawrence N Kwong
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
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242
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Dong Z, Liu Z, Liang M, Pan J, Lin M, Lin H, Luo Y, Zhou X, Yao W. Identification of circRNA-miRNA-mRNA networks contributes to explore underlying pathogenesis and therapy strategy of gastric cancer. J Transl Med 2021; 19:226. [PMID: 34049561 PMCID: PMC8161999 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-021-02903-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a new class of noncoding RNAs that have gained increased attention in human tumor research. However, the identification and function of circRNAs are largely unknown in the context of gastric cancer (GC). This study aims to identify novel circRNAs and determine their action networks in GC. Methods A comprehensive strategy of data mining, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and computational biology were conducted to discover novel circRNAs and to explore their potential mechanisms in GC. Promising therapeutic drugs for GC were determined by connectivity map (CMap) analysis. Results Six overlapped differentially expressed circRNAs (DECs) were screened from selected microarray and RNA-Seq datasets of GC, and the six DECs were then validated by sanger sequencing and RNase R treatment. Subsequent RT-qPCR analysis of GC samples confirmed decreased expressions of the six DECs (hsa_circ_0000390, hsa_circ_0000615, hsa_circ_0001438, hsa_circ_0002190, hsa_circ_0002449 and hsa_circ_0003120), all of which accumulated preferentially in the cytoplasm. MiRNA binding sites and AGO2 occupation of the six circRNAs were predicted using online databases, and circRNA–miRNA interactions including the six circRNAs and 33 miRNAs were determined. Then, 5320 target genes of the above 33 miRNAs and 1492 differently expressed genes (DEGs) from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were identified. After intersecting the miRNA target genes and the 889 downregulated DEGs, 320 overlapped target genes were acquired. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis indicated that these target genes were related to two critical tumor-associated signaling pathways. A protein–protein interaction network with the 320 target genes was constructed using STRING, and fifteen hubgenes (ATF3, BTG2, DUSP1, EGR1, FGF2, FOSB, GNAO1, GNAI1, GNAZ, GNG7, ITPR1, ITPKB, JUND, NR4A3, PRKCB) in the network were identified. Finally, bioactive chemicals (including vorinostat, trichostatin A and astemizole) based on the fifteen hubgenes were identifed as therapeutic agents for GC through the CMap analysis. Conclusions This study provides a novel insight for further exploration of the pathogenesis and therapy of GC from the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network perspective. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-021-02903-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijie Dong
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery after Abdominal Surgery, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhaoyu Liu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery after Abdominal Surgery, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Min Liang
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery after Abdominal Surgery, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinhui Pan
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery after Abdominal Surgery, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mingzhen Lin
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery after Abdominal Surgery, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hai Lin
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery after Abdominal Surgery, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanwei Luo
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery after Abdominal Surgery, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinke Zhou
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery after Abdominal Surgery, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Wenxia Yao
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery after Abdominal Surgery, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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243
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Li S, Counter CM. Signaling levels mold the RAS mutation tropism of urethane. eLife 2021; 10:67172. [PMID: 33998997 PMCID: PMC8128437 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
RAS genes are commonly mutated in human cancer. Despite many possible mutations, individual cancer types often have a 'tropism' towards a specific subset of RAS mutations. As driver mutations, these patterns ostensibly originate from normal cells. High oncogenic RAS activity causes oncogenic stress and different oncogenic mutations can impart different levels of activity, suggesting a relationship between oncoprotein activity and RAS mutation tropism. Here, we show that changing rare codons to common in the murine Kras gene to increase protein expression shifts tumors induced by the carcinogen urethane from arising from canonical Q61 to biochemically less active G12 Kras driver mutations, despite the carcinogen still being biased towards generating Q61 mutations. Conversely, inactivating the tumor suppressor p53 to blunt oncogenic stress partially reversed this effect, restoring Q61 mutations. One interpretation of these findings is that the RAS mutation tropism of urethane arises from selection in normal cells for specific mutations that impart a narrow window of signaling that promotes proliferation without causing oncogenic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Li
- Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, United States
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244
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Bu R, Siraj AK, Masoodi T, Parvathareddy SK, Iqbal K, Al-Rasheed M, Haqawi W, Diaz M, Victoria IG, Aldughaither SM, Al-Sobhi SS, Al-Dayel F, Al-Kuraya KS. Recurrent Somatic MAP2K1 Mutations in Papillary Thyroid Cancer and Colorectal Cancer. Front Oncol 2021; 11:670423. [PMID: 34046359 PMCID: PMC8144646 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.670423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MAP2K1) is a dual specificity protein kinase that phosphorylates both threonine and tyrosine residues in ERK. MAP2K1 mutations have been identified in several cancers. However, their role in Middle Eastern papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) is lacking. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence of MAP2K1 mutations in a large cohort of Middle Eastern PTC and CRC using whole-exome and Sanger sequencing technology. In the discovery cohort of 100 PTC and 100 CRC cases (comprising 50 MAPK mutant and 50 MAPK wildtype cases each), we found one MAP2K1 mutation each in PTC and CRC, both of which were MAPK wildtype. We further analyzed 286 PTC and 289 CRC MAPK wildtype cases and found three MAP2K1 mutant PTC cases and two MAP2K1 mutant CRC cases. Thus, the overall prevalence of MAP2K1 mutation in MAPK wildtype cases was 1.1% (4/336) in PTC and 0.9% (3/339) in CRC. Histopathologically, three of the four MAP2K1 mutant PTC cases were follicular variant and all four tumors were unifocal with absence of extra-thyroidal extension. All the three CRC cases harboring MAP2K1 mutation were of older age (> 50 years) and had moderately differentiated stage II/III tumors located in the left colon. In conclusion, this is the first comprehensive report of MAP2K1 somatic mutations prevalence in PTC and CRC from this ethnicity. The mutually exclusive nature of MAP2K1 and MAPK mutations suggests that each of these mutation may function as an initiating mutation driving tumorigenesis through MAPK signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Bu
- Human Cancer Genomic Research, Research Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdul K Siraj
- Human Cancer Genomic Research, Research Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tariq Masoodi
- Human Cancer Genomic Research, Research Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sandeep Kumar Parvathareddy
- Human Cancer Genomic Research, Research Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kaleem Iqbal
- Human Cancer Genomic Research, Research Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maha Al-Rasheed
- Human Cancer Genomic Research, Research Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Wael Haqawi
- Human Cancer Genomic Research, Research Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mark Diaz
- Human Cancer Genomic Research, Research Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ingrid G Victoria
- Human Cancer Genomic Research, Research Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saud M Aldughaither
- Human Cancer Genomic Research, Research Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saif S Al-Sobhi
- Department of Surgery, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fouad Al-Dayel
- Department of Pathology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khawla S Al-Kuraya
- Human Cancer Genomic Research, Research Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Liu X, Liu C, Liu J, Song Y, Wang S, Wu M, Yu S, Cai L. Identification of Tumor Microenvironment-Related Alternative Splicing Events to Predict the Prognosis of Endometrial Cancer. Front Oncol 2021; 11:645912. [PMID: 33996564 PMCID: PMC8116885 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.645912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most common female malignant tumors. The immunity is believed to be associated with EC patients’ survival, and growing studies have shown that aberrant alternative splicing (AS) might contribute to the progression of cancers. Methods We downloaded the clinical information and mRNA expression profiles of 542 tumor tissues and 23 normal tissues from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. ESTIMATE algorithm was carried out on each EC sample, and the OS-related different expressed AS (DEAS) events were identified by comparing the high and low stromal/immune scores groups. Next, we constructed a risk score model to predict the prognosis of EC patients. Finally, we used unsupervised cluster analysis to compare the relationship between prognosis and tumor immune microenvironment. Results The prognostic risk score model was constructed based on 16 OS-related DEAS events finally identified, and then we found that compared with high-risk group the OS in the low-risk group was notably better. Furthermore, according to the results of unsupervised cluster analysis, we found that the better the prognosis, the higher the patient’s ESTIMATE score and the higher the infiltration of immune cells. Conclusions We used bioinformatics to construct a gene signature to predict the prognosis of patients with EC. The gene signature was combined with tumor microenvironment (TME) and AS events, which allowed a deeper understanding of the immune status of EC patients, and also provided new insights for clinical patients with EC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jinhua People's Hospital, Jinhua, China
| | - Chuan Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Gynecology, Jinhua People's Hospital, Jinhua, China
| | - Ying Song
- Department of Gynecology, Jinhua People's Hospital, Jinhua, China
| | - Shanshan Wang
- Department of Gynecology, Jinhua People's Hospital, Jinhua, China
| | - Miaoqing Wu
- Department of Gynecology, Jinhua People's Hospital, Jinhua, China
| | - Shanshan Yu
- Department of Chemoradiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Luya Cai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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Gou Y, Chen M, Li S, Deng J, Li J, Fang G, Yang F, Huang G. Dithiocarbazate-Copper Complexes for Bioimaging and Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer. J Med Chem 2021; 64:5485-5499. [PMID: 33861929 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Anticancer agents that present nonapoptotic cell death pathways are required for treating apoptosis-resistant pancreatic cancer. Here, we synthesized three fluorescent dithiocarbazate-copper complexes, {[CuII(L)(Cl)] 1, [CuII2(L)2(NO3)2] 2, and [CuII2CuI(L)2(Br)3] 3}, to assess their antipancreatic cancer activities. Complexes 1-3 showed significantly greater cytotoxicity toward several pancreatic cancer cell lines with better IC50 than those of the HL ligand and cisplatin. Confocal fluorescence imaging showed that complex 3 was primarily localized in the mitochondria. Primarily, compound 3 also can be applied to in vivo imaging. Further studies revealed that complex 3 kills pancreatic cancer cells by triggering multiple mechanisms, including ferroptosis. Complex 3 is the first copper complex to evoke cellular events consistent with ferroptosis in cancer cells. Finally, it significantly retarded the ASPC-1 cells' growth in a mouse xenograft model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Gou
- Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541001, Guangxi, China
| | - MeiRong Chen
- Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541001, Guangxi, China
| | - Shanhe Li
- State Key Laboratory for the Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources, Ministry of Science and Technology of China, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, Guangxi, China
| | - JunGang Deng
- Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541001, Guangxi, China
| | - Jinlong Li
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, China
| | - GuiHua Fang
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, China
| | - Feng Yang
- State Key Laboratory for the Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources, Ministry of Science and Technology of China, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, Guangxi, China
| | - GuoJin Huang
- Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541001, Guangxi, China
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247
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Erlanson DA, Webster KR. Targeting mutant KRAS. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2021; 62:101-108. [PMID: 33838397 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The protein KRAS has for decades been considered a holy grail of cancer drug discovery. For most of that time, it has also been considered undruggable. Since 2018, five compounds have entered the clinic targeting a single mutant form of KRAS, G12C. Here, we review each of these compounds along with additional approaches to targeting this and other mutants. Remaining challenges include expanding the identification of inhibitors to a broader range of known mutants and to conformations of the protein more likely to avoid development of resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Erlanson
- Frontier Medicines Corporation, 151 Oyster Point Blvd., 2nd Floor, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA.
| | - Kevin R Webster
- Frontier Medicines Corporation, 151 Oyster Point Blvd., 2nd Floor, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
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Uncovering the Pharmacology of Xiaochaihu Decoction in the Treatment of Acute Pancreatitis Based on the Network Pharmacology. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:6621682. [PMID: 33824873 PMCID: PMC8007340 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6621682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Background Xiaochaihu decoction (XD) has demonstrated the pharmacodynamics on acute pancreatitis. This study was aimed at investigating the material and molecular basis of Xiaochaihu decoction. Methods Firstly, compounds of seven herbs containing XD were collected from the TCMSP, ETCM, and BATMAN-TCM databases, and the putative targets of pancreatitis were obtained from the OMIM, TTD, and GeneCards databases. Then, the PPI network was constructed according to the matching results between XD potential targets and pancreatic neoplasm targets. Furthermore, enrichment analysis on GO and KEGG by DAVID utilized bioinformatics resources. Finally, molecular docking was performed to simulate the interaction between the active compound of XD and putative targets. In an in vitro experiment, AR42J cells were induced by LPS and then treated with Quercetin (25, 50, and 100 μM) or XCHD. The IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β levels were detected by ELISA kit, MAPK3 and TP53 mRNA expressions were measured by qRT-PCR, and the proteins of MAPK3 and TP53 expressions were measured by WB. Results A total of 196 active ingredients and 91 putative targets were selected. The PPI network analysis demonstrated that Quercetin was the candidate agent and MAPK3, IL-6, and TP53 were the potential targets for the XD treatment of acute pancreatitis. The KEGG analysis revealed that pathways in cancers, TNF signaling way, and MAPK signaling way might play an important role in pancreatitis therapy. And molecular docking results showed that Quercetin combined well with MAPK3, IL-6, and TP53. An in vitro experiment indicated that XCHD and Quercetin inhibited the IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β levels and MAPK3 and TP53. Conclusion This study illustrated that XCHD and Quercetin contained in XD played an important role in the treatment of acute pancreatitis by acting on the key genes of MPAK3, IL-6, and TP53 which were associated with inflammation and apoptosis.
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249
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Rudd CE. How the Discovery of the CD4/CD8-p56 lck Complexes Changed Immunology and Immunotherapy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:626095. [PMID: 33791292 PMCID: PMC8005572 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.626095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The past 25 years have seen enormous progress in uncovering the receptors and signaling mechanisms on T-cells that activate their various effecter functions. Until the late 1980s, most studies on T-cells had focused on the influx of calcium and the levels of cAMP/GMP in T-cells. My laboratory then uncovered the interaction of CD4 and CD8 co-receptors with the protein-tyrosine kinase p56lck which are now widely accepted as the initiators of the tyrosine phosphorylation cascade leading to T-cell activation. The finding explained how immune recognition receptors expressed by many immune cells, which lack intrinsic catalytic activity, can transduce activation signals via non-covalent association with non-receptor tyrosine kinases. The discovery also established the concept that a protein tyrosine phosphorylation cascade operated in T-cells. In this vein, we and others then showed that the CD4- and CD8-p56lck complexes phosphorylate the TCR complexes which led to the identification of other protein-tyrosine kinases such as ZAP-70 and an array of substrates that are now central to studies in T-cell immunity. Other receptors such as B-cell receptor, Fc receptors and others were also subsequently found to use src kinases to control cell growth. In T-cells, p56lck driven phosphorylation targets include co-receptors such as CD28 and CTLA-4 and immune cell-specific adaptor proteins such as LAT and SLP-76 which act to integrate signals proximal to surface receptors. CD4/CD8-p56lck regulated events in T-cells include intracellular calcium mobilization, integrin activation and the induction of transcription factors for gene expression. Lastly, the identification of the targets of p56lck in the TCR and CD28 provided the framework for the development of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) therapy in the treatment of cancer. In this review, I outline a history of the development of events that led to the development of the "TCR signaling paradigm" and its implications to immunology and immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher E. Rudd
- Division of Immunology-Oncology, Centre de Recherche Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont (CR-HMR), Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Microbiology, Infection and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Universite de Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Sanclemente M, Nieto P, Garcia-Alonso S, Fernández-García F, Esteban-Burgos L, Guerra C, Drosten M, Caleiras E, Martinez-Torrecuadrada J, Santamaría D, Musteanu M, Barbacid M. RAF1 kinase activity is dispensable for KRAS/p53 mutant lung tumor progression. Cancer Cell 2021; 39:294-296. [PMID: 33513349 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2021.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Sanclemente
- Molecular Oncology, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Nieto
- Molecular Oncology, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Garcia-Alonso
- Molecular Oncology, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando Fernández-García
- Molecular Oncology, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Esteban-Burgos
- Molecular Oncology, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Guerra
- Molecular Oncology, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Matthias Drosten
- Molecular Oncology, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Eduardo Caleiras
- Biotechnology, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jorge Martinez-Torrecuadrada
- Structural Biology Programs, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - David Santamaría
- Molecular Oncology, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Monica Musteanu
- Molecular Oncology, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Mariano Barbacid
- Molecular Oncology, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
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