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Yari F, Ashoub MH, Amirizadeh N, Nikougoftar M, Valandani HM, Khalilabadi RM. Differential Expression of the hTERT Gene in Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Cocultured with B Cell Precursor Leukemia Cell Microparticles or CD41 +/CD61 + Platelet Microparticles. Biochem Genet 2024; 62:2796-2809. [PMID: 38019337 DOI: 10.1007/s10528-023-10565-9] [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: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Several investigations are being done to increase the short lifetime of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). One of the crucial genes involved in the immortalization of MSCs, hTERT (human telomerase reverse transcriptase), is activated in most publications using viral-based techniques. In this work, we investigated the use of platelet-derived (PMPs) and B cell precursor leukemia-derived microparticles as a nonviral method to trigger and compare the expression of the hTERT gene in MSCs. MSCs were extracted from the umbilical cord for the current investigation and identified using a flow cytometry approach and an inverted microscope. The Nalm-6 cell line and platelet concentrate were used to isolate microparticles (MPs). MSCs and MPs were cocultured for 14 days at 25-, 50-, and 100 μg/ml concentrations. qRT-PCR was used to research the expression of the hTERT gene. SPSS 26.0's t test was used to compare the outcomes. After coculture with platelet MPs, MSCs had higher levels of hTERT gene expression than the control group. In contrast, this gene's expression was concurrently decreased in MSCs exposed to MPs generated from Nalm-6. We demonstrated that following 14-day treatment, PMP significantly boosted the hTERT gene expression in MSCs, while the Nalm-6 MPs lowered the gene expression. However, additional studies are necessary due to the stability of hTERT gene expression and the immortalization of MSCs following exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Yari
- Blood Transfusion Research Center, High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine, Tehran, Iran
| | - Muhammad Hossein Ashoub
- Department of Hematology and Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Naser Amirizadeh
- Blood Transfusion Research Center, High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahin Nikougoftar
- Blood Transfusion Research Center, High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hajar Mardani Valandani
- Department of Hematology and Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Roohollah Mirzaee Khalilabadi
- Department of Hematology and Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
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Tomasova K, Seborova K, Kroupa M, Horak J, Kavec M, Vodickova L, Rob L, Hruda M, Mrhalova M, Bartakova A, Bouda J, Fleischer T, Kristensen VN, Vodicka P, Vaclavikova R. Telomere length as a predictor of therapy response and survival in patients diagnosed with ovarian carcinoma. Heliyon 2024; 10:e33525. [PMID: 39050459 PMCID: PMC11268197 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e33525] [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: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Impaired telomere length (TL) maintenance in ovarian tissue may play a pivotal role in the onset of epithelial ovarian cancer (OvC). TL in either target or surrogate tissue (blood) is currently being investigated for use as a predictor in anti-OvC therapy or as a biomarker of the disease progression, respectively. There is currently an urgent need for an appropriate approach to chemotherapy response prediction. We performed a monochrome multiplex qPCR measurement of TL in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) and tumor tissues of 209 OvC patients. The methylation status and gene expression of the shelterin complex and telomerase catalytic subunit (hTERT) were determined within tumor tissues by High-Throughput DNA methylation profiling and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis, respectively. The patients sensitive to cancer treatment (n = 46) had shorter telomeres in PBL compared to treatment-resistant patients (n = 93; P = 0.037). In the patients with a different therapy response, transcriptomic analysis showed alterations in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway (q = 0.001). Moreover, tumor TL shorter than the median corresponded to better overall survival (OS) (P = 0.006). TPP1 gene expression was positively associated with TL in tumor tissue (P = 0.026). TL measured in PBL could serve as a marker of platinum therapy response in OvC patients. Additionally, TL determined in tumor tissue provides information on OvC patients' OS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristyna Tomasova
- Department of Molecular Biology of Cancer, Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 00, Prague, Czech Republic
- Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Alej Svobody 1655/77, 32300, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Karolina Seborova
- Toxicogenomics Unit, National Institute of Public Health, Srobarova 48, 100 42, Prague, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Alej Svobody 1655/76, 323 00, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Kroupa
- Department of Molecular Biology of Cancer, Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 00, Prague, Czech Republic
- Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Alej Svobody 1655/77, 32300, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Josef Horak
- Department of Molecular Biology of Cancer, Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 00, Prague, Czech Republic
- Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Ruska 87, 100 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Miriam Kavec
- Department of Molecular Biology of Cancer, Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 00, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Oncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Thomayer Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ludmila Vodickova
- Department of Molecular Biology of Cancer, Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 00, Prague, Czech Republic
- Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Alej Svobody 1655/77, 32300, Pilsen, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biology and Medical Genetics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Albertov 4, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Lukas Rob
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and University Hospital Kralovske Vinohrady, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Hruda
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and University Hospital Kralovske Vinohrady, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Marcela Mrhalova
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Second Faculty of Medicine and Motol University Hospital, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Alena Bartakova
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Bouda
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Thomas Fleischer
- Department of Cancer Genetics, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Vessela N. Kristensen
- Department of Medical Genetics, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Pavel Vodicka
- Department of Molecular Biology of Cancer, Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 00, Prague, Czech Republic
- Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Alej Svobody 1655/77, 32300, Pilsen, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biology and Medical Genetics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Albertov 4, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Radka Vaclavikova
- Toxicogenomics Unit, National Institute of Public Health, Srobarova 48, 100 42, Prague, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Alej Svobody 1655/76, 323 00, Pilsen, Czech Republic
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Abdulkareem SJ, Jafari-Gharabaghlou D, Farhoudi-Sefidan-Jadid M, Salmani-Javan E, Toroghi F, Zarghami N. Co-delivery of artemisinin and metformin via PEGylated niosomal nanoparticles: potential anti-cancer effect in treatment of lung cancer cells. Daru 2024; 32:133-144. [PMID: 38168007 PMCID: PMC11087397 DOI: 10.1007/s40199-023-00495-7] [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: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Despite the advances in treatment, lung cancer is a global concern and necessitates the development of new treatments. Biguanides like metformin (MET) and artemisinin (ART) have recently been discovered to have anti-cancer properties. As a consequence, in the current study, the anti-cancer effect of MET and ART co-encapsulated in niosomal nanoparticles on lung cancer cells was examined to establish an innovative therapy technique. METHODS Niosomal nanoparticles (Nio-NPs) were synthesized by thin-film hydration method, and their physicochemical properties were assessed by FTIR. The morphology of Nio-NPs was evaluated with FE-SEM and AFM. The MTT assay was applied to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of free MET, free ART, their encapsulated form with Nio-NPs, as well as their combination, on A549 cells. Apoptosis assay was utilized to detect the biological processes involved with programmed cell death. The arrest of cell cycle in response to drugs was assessed using a cell cycle assay. Following a 48-h drug treatment, the expression level of hTERT, Cyclin D1, BAX, BCL-2, Caspase 3, and 7 genes were assessed using the qRT-PCR method. RESULTS Both MET and ART reduced the survival rate of lung cancer cells in the dose-dependent manner. The IC50 values of pure ART and MET were 195.2 μM and 14.6 mM, respectively while in nano formulated form their IC50 values decreased to 56.7 μM and 78.3 μM, respectively. The combination of MET and ART synergistically decreased the proliferation of lung cancer cells, compared to the single treatments. Importantly, the combination of MET and ART had a higher anti-proliferative impact against A549 lung cancer cells, with lower IC50 values. According to the result of Real-time PCR, hTERT, Cyclin D1, BAX, BCL-2, Caspase 3, and Caspase 7 genes expression were considerably altered in treated with combination of nano formulated MET and ART compared to single therapies. CONCLUSION The results of this study showed that the combination of MET and ART encapsulated in Nio-NPs could be useful for the treatment of lung cancer and can increase the efficiency of lung cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salah Jaafar Abdulkareem
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Davoud Jafari-Gharabaghlou
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mahdi Farhoudi-Sefidan-Jadid
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Elnaz Salmani-Javan
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Toroghi
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamedan University of Medical Science, Hamedan, Iran
| | - Nosratollah Zarghami
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul Aydin University, Istanbul, Turkey.
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Li W, Fu P, Shi P, Hu B, Li H. Neratinib stimulates senescence of mammary cancer cells by reducing the levels of SIRT1. Aging (Albany NY) 2024; 16:9547-9557. [PMID: 38829772 PMCID: PMC11210222 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205882] [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: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Neratinib, a typical small-molecule, pan-human tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), has been licensed for the treatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer. However, the underlying pharmacological mechanism is still unknown. In the current study, we report a novel function of Neratinib by showing that its treatment stimulates senescence of the mammary cancer AU565 cells. Our results demonstrate that Neratinib induces mitochondrial injury by increasing mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reducing intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Also, we found that Neratinib induced DNA damage by increasing the levels of 8-Hydroxy-desoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and γH2AX in AU565 cells. Additionally, Neratinib reduced the levels of telomerase activity after 7 and 14 days incubation. Importantly, the senescence-associated-β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) assay revealed that Neratinib stimulated senescence of AU565 cells. Neratinib decreased the gene levels of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) but increased those of telomeric repeat-binding factor 2 (TERF2) in AU565 cells. Further study displayed that Neratinib upregulated the expression of K382 acetylation of p53 (ac-K382) and p21 but reduced the levels of sirtuin-1 (SIRT1). However, overexpression of SIRT1 abolished the effects of Neratinib in cellular senescence. These findings provide strong preclinical evidence of Neratinib's treatment of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhuan Li
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Peng Fu
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Pengfei Shi
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Bo Hu
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Hai Li
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei, China
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Deb S, Berei J, Miliavski E, Khan MJ, Broder TJ, Akurugo TA, Lund C, Fleming SE, Hillwig R, Ross J, Puri N. The Effects of Smoking on Telomere Length, Induction of Oncogenic Stress, and Chronic Inflammatory Responses Leading to Aging. Cells 2024; 13:884. [PMID: 38891017 PMCID: PMC11172003 DOI: 10.3390/cells13110884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomeres, potential biomarkers of aging, are known to shorten with continued cigarette smoke exposure. In order to further investigate this process and its impact on cellular stress and inflammation, we used an in vitro model with cigarette smoke extract (CSE) and observed the downregulation of telomere stabilizing TRF2 and POT1 genes after CSE treatment. hTERT is a subunit of telomerase and a well-known oncogenic marker, which is overexpressed in over 85% of cancers and may contribute to lung cancer development in smokers. We also observed an increase in hTERT and ISG15 expression levels after CSE treatment, as well as increased protein levels revealed by immunohistochemical staining in smokers' lung tissue samples compared to non-smokers. The effects of ISG15 overexpression were further studied by quantifying IFN-γ, an inflammatory protein induced by ISG15, which showed greater upregulation in smokers compared to non-smokers. Similar changes in gene expression patterns for TRF2, POT1, hTERT, and ISG15 were observed in blood and buccal swab samples from smokers compared to non-smokers. The results from this study provide insight into the mechanisms behind smoking causing telomere shortening and how this may contribute to the induction of inflammation and/or tumorigenesis, which may lead to comorbidities in smokers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreya Deb
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA; (S.D.); (J.B.); (E.M.); (M.J.K.); (T.J.B.); (T.A.A.); (C.L.)
| | - Joseph Berei
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA; (S.D.); (J.B.); (E.M.); (M.J.K.); (T.J.B.); (T.A.A.); (C.L.)
| | - Edward Miliavski
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA; (S.D.); (J.B.); (E.M.); (M.J.K.); (T.J.B.); (T.A.A.); (C.L.)
| | - Muhammad J. Khan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA; (S.D.); (J.B.); (E.M.); (M.J.K.); (T.J.B.); (T.A.A.); (C.L.)
| | - Taylor J. Broder
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA; (S.D.); (J.B.); (E.M.); (M.J.K.); (T.J.B.); (T.A.A.); (C.L.)
| | - Thomas A. Akurugo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA; (S.D.); (J.B.); (E.M.); (M.J.K.); (T.J.B.); (T.A.A.); (C.L.)
| | - Cody Lund
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA; (S.D.); (J.B.); (E.M.); (M.J.K.); (T.J.B.); (T.A.A.); (C.L.)
| | - Sara E. Fleming
- Department of Pathology, UW Health SwedishAmerican Hospital, Rockford, IL 61107, USA;
| | - Robert Hillwig
- Department of Health Sciences Education, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA;
| | - Joseph Ross
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA;
| | - Neelu Puri
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA; (S.D.); (J.B.); (E.M.); (M.J.K.); (T.J.B.); (T.A.A.); (C.L.)
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6
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Tao HY, Zhao CY, Wang Y, Sheng WJ, Zhen YS. Targeting Telomere Dynamics as an Effective Approach for the Development of Cancer Therapeutics. Int J Nanomedicine 2024; 19:3805-3825. [PMID: 38708177 PMCID: PMC11069074 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s448556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomere is a protective structure located at the end of chromosomes of eukaryotes, involved in maintaining the integrity and stability of the genome. Telomeres play an essential role in cancer progression; accordingly, targeting telomere dynamics emerges as an effective approach for the development of cancer therapeutics. Targeting telomere dynamics may work through multifaceted molecular mechanisms; those include the activation of anti-telomerase immune responses, shortening of telomere lengths, induction of telomere dysfunction and constitution of telomerase-responsive drug release systems. In this review, we summarize a wide variety of telomere dynamics-targeted agents in preclinical studies and clinical trials, and reveal their promising therapeutic potential in cancer therapy. As shown, telomere dynamics-active agents are effective as anti-cancer chemotherapeutics and immunotherapeutics. Notably, these agents may display efficacy against cancer stem cells, reducing cancer stem levels. Furthermore, these agents can be integrated with the capability of tumor-specific drug delivery by the constitution of related nanoparticles, antibody drug conjugates and HSA-based drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-yu Tao
- Laboratory of Oncology, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chun-yan Zhao
- Laboratory of Oncology, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ying Wang
- Laboratory of Oncology, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wei-jin Sheng
- Laboratory of Oncology, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yong-su Zhen
- Laboratory of Oncology, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
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Shou S, Li Y, Chen J, Zhang X, Zhang C, Jiang X, Liu F, Yi L, Zhang X, Geer E, Pu Z, Pang B. Understanding, diagnosing, and treating pancreatic cancer from the perspective of telomeres and telomerase. Cancer Gene Ther 2024:10.1038/s41417-024-00768-6. [PMID: 38594465 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-024-00768-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Telomerase is associated with cellular aging, and its presence limits cellular lifespan. Telomerase by preventing telomere shortening can extend the number of cell divisions for cancer cells. In adult pancreatic cells, telomeres gradually shorten, while in precancerous lesions of cancer, telomeres in cells are usually significantly shortened. At this time, telomerase is still in an inactive state, and it is not until before and after the onset of cancer that telomerase is reactivated, causing cancer cells to proliferate. Methylation of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter and regulation of telomerase by lactate dehydrogenase B (LDHB) is the mechanism of telomerase reactivation in pancreatic cancer. Understanding the role of telomeres and telomerase in pancreatic cancer will help to diagnose and initiate targeted therapy as early as possible. This article reviews the role of telomeres and telomerase as biomarkers in the development of pancreatic cancer and the progress of research on telomeres and telomerase as targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songting Shou
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanliang Li
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiaqin Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xing Zhang
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chuanlong Zhang
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaochen Jiang
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fudong Liu
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Li Yi
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiyuan Zhang
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - En Geer
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenqing Pu
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Pang
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
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Zhang XX, Yu XY, Xu SJ, Shi XQ, Chen Y, Shi Q, Sun C. rs2736098, a synonymous polymorphism, is associated with carcinogenesis and cell count in multiple tissue types by regulating TERT expression. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27802. [PMID: 38496869 PMCID: PMC10944260 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27802] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
rs2736098 is a synonymous polymorphism in TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase), an enzyme involved in tumor onset of multiple tissues, and should play no roles in carcinogenesis. However, a search in cancer somatic mutation database indicated that the mutation frequency at rs2736098 is much higher than the average one for TERT. Moreover, there are significant H3K4me1 and H3K27Ac signals, two universal histone modifications for active enhancers, surrounding rs2736098. Therefore, we hypothesized that rs2736098 might be within an enhancer region, regulate TERT expression and influence cancer risk. Through luciferase assay, it was verified that the enhancer activity of rs2736098C allele is significantly higher than that of T in multiple tissues. Transfection of plasmids containing TERT coding region with two different alleles indicated that rs2736098C allele can induce a significantly higher TERT expression than T. By chromatin immunoprecipitation, it was observed that the fragment spanning rs2736098 can interact with USF1 (upstream transcription factor 1). The two alleles of rs2736098 present evidently different binding affinity with nuclear proteins. Database and literature search indicated that rs2736098 is significantly associated with carcinogenesis in multiple tissues and count of multiple cell types. All these facts indicated that rs2736098 is also an oncogenic polymorphism and plays important role in cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Xin Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710119, PR China
| | - Xin-Yi Yu
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710119, PR China
| | - Shuang-Jia Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710119, PR China
| | - Xiao-Qian Shi
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710119, PR China
| | - Ying Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710119, PR China
| | - Qiang Shi
- College of Biology Pharmacy and Food Engineering, Shangluo University, Shangluo, Shaanxi, 726000, PR China
| | - Chang Sun
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710119, PR China
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Montazersaheb S, Farahzadi R, Fathi E, Alizadeh M, Abdolalizadeh Amir S, Khodaei Ardakan A, Jafari S. Investigation the apoptotic effect of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) on MDA-MB 231 breast cancer epithelial cells via signaling pathways. Heliyon 2024; 10:e26959. [PMID: 38455550 PMCID: PMC10918200 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26959] [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: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The discovery of novel cancer therapeutic strategies leads to the development of nanotechnology-based methods for cancer treatment. Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) have garnered considerable interest owing to their size, shape, and capacity to modify chemical, optical, and photonic properties. This study aimed to investigate the impact of Ag-NPs on inducing of apoptosis in MDA-MB 231 cells by examining specific signaling pathways. Materials and methods The cytotoxicity of Ag-NPs was determined using an MTT assay in MDA-MB 231 cells. The apoptotic effects were assessed using the Annexin-V/PI assay. Real-time PCR and western blotting were conducted to analyze the expression of apoptosis-related genes and proteins, respectively. Levels of ERK1/2 and cyclin D1 were measured using ELISA. Cell cycle assay was determined by flow cytometry. Cell migration was evaluated by scratch assay. Results The results revealed that Ag-NPs triggered apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in MDA-MB 231 cells. The expression level of Bax (pro-apoptotic gene) was increased, while Bcl-2 (anti-apoptotic gene) expression was decreased. Increased apoptosis was correlated with increased levels of p53 and PTEN. Additionally, notable alterations were observed in protein expression related to the Janus kinase/Signal transducers (JAK/STAT) pathway, including p-AKT. Additionally, reduced expression of h-TERT was observed following exposure to Ag-NPs. ELISA results demonstrated a significant reduction in p-ERK/Total ERK and cyclin D1 levels in Ag-NPs-exposed MDA-MB 231 cells. Western blotting analysis also confirmed the reduction of p-ERK/Total ERK and cyclin D1. Decreased level of cyclin D is associated with suppression of cell cycle progression. The migratory ability of MDA-MB-231 cells was reduced upon treatment with Ag-NPs. Conclusions Our findings revealed that Ag-NPs influenced the proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, and migration in MDA-MB 231 cells, possibly by modulating protein expression of the AKT/ERK/Cyclin D1 axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soheila Montazersaheb
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Raheleh Farahzadi
- Hematology and Oncology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Ezzatollah Fathi
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mahsan Alizadeh
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Tabriz Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Shahabaddin Abdolalizadeh Amir
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Tabriz Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Alireza Khodaei Ardakan
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sevda Jafari
- Nutrition Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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10
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Melnikova L, Golovnin A. Multiple Roles of dXNP and dADD1- Drosophila Orthologs of ATRX Chromatin Remodeler. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16486. [PMID: 38003676 PMCID: PMC10671109 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The Drosophila melanogaster dADD1 and dXNP proteins are orthologues of the ADD and SNF2 domains of the vertebrate ATRX (Alpha-Thalassemia with mental Retardation X-related) protein. ATRX plays a role in general molecular processes, such as regulating chromatin status and gene expression, while dADD1 and dXNP have similar functions in the Drosophila genome. Both ATRX and dADD1/dXNP interact with various protein partners and participate in various regulatory complexes. Disruption of ATRX expression in humans leads to the development of α-thalassemia and cancer, especially glioma. However, the mechanisms that allow ATRX to regulate various cellular processes are poorly understood. Studying the functioning of dADD1/dXNP in the Drosophila model may contribute to understanding the mechanisms underlying the multifunctional action of ATRX and its connection with various cellular processes. This review provides a brief overview of the currently available information in mammals and Drosophila regarding the roles of ATRX, dXNP, and dADD1. It discusses possible mechanisms of action of complexes involving these proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larisa Melnikova
- Department of Drosophila Molecular Genetics, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 34/5 Vavilov St., 119334 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anton Golovnin
- Department of Drosophila Molecular Genetics, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 34/5 Vavilov St., 119334 Moscow, Russia
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11
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Oza PP, Kashfi K. The Triple Crown: NO, CO, and H 2S in cancer cell biology. Pharmacol Ther 2023; 249:108502. [PMID: 37517510 PMCID: PMC10529678 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2023.108502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are three endogenously produced gases with important functions in the vasculature, immune defense, and inflammation. It is increasingly apparent that, far from working in isolation, these three exert many effects by modulating each other's activity. Each gas is produced by three enzymes, which have some tissue specificities and can also be non-enzymatically produced by redox reactions of various substrates. Both NO and CO share similar properties, such as activating soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) to increase cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) levels. At the same time, H2S both inhibits phosphodiesterase 5A (PDE5A), an enzyme that metabolizes sGC and exerts redox regulation on sGC. The role of NO, CO, and H2S in the setting of cancer has been quite perplexing, as there is evidence for both tumor-promoting and pro-inflammatory effects and anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory activities. Each gasotransmitter has been found to have dual effects on different aspects of cancer biology, including cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis, invasion and metastasis, angiogenesis, and immunomodulation. These seemingly contradictory actions may relate to each gas having a dual effect dependent on its local flux. In this review, we discuss the major roles of NO, CO, and H2S in the context of cancer, with an effort to highlight the dual nature of each gas in different events occurring during cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Palak P Oza
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, City University of New York School of Medicine, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Khosrow Kashfi
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, City University of New York School of Medicine, New York, NY 10031, USA; Graduate Program in Biology, City University of New York Graduate Center, New York 10091, USA.
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12
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Ellingsen EB, O'Day S, Mezheyeuski A, Gromadka A, Clancy T, Kristedja TS, Milhem M, Zakharia Y. Clinical Activity of Combined Telomerase Vaccination and Pembrolizumab in Advanced Melanoma: Results from a Phase I Trial. Clin Cancer Res 2023; 29:3026-3036. [PMID: 37378632 PMCID: PMC10425723 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-0416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cancer vaccines represent a novel treatment modality with a complementary mode of action addressing a crucial bottleneck for checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) efficacy. CPIs are expected to release brakes in T-cell responses elicited by vaccination, leading to more robust immune responses. Increased antitumor T-cell responses may confer increased antitumor activity in patients with less immunogenic tumors, a subgroup expected to achieve reduced benefit from CPIs alone. In this trial, a telomerase-based vaccine was combined with pembrolizumab to assess the safety and clinical activity in patients with melanoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS Thirty treatment-naïve patients with advanced melanoma were enrolled. Patients received intradermal injections of UV1 with adjuvant GM-CSF at two dose levels, and pembrolizumab according to the label. Blood samples were assessed for vaccine-induced T-cell responses, and tumor tissues were collected for translational analyses. The primary endpoint was safety, with secondary objectives including progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and objective response rate (ORR). RESULTS The combination was considered safe and well-tolerated. Grade 3 adverse events were observed in 20% of patients, with no grade 4 or 5 adverse events reported. Vaccination-related adverse events were mostly mild injection site reactions. The median PFS was 18.9 months, and the 1- and 2-year OS rates were 86.7% and 73.3%, respectively. The ORR was 56.7%, with 33.3% achieving complete responses. Vaccine-induced immune responses were observed in evaluable patients, and inflammatory changes were detected in posttreatment biopsies. CONCLUSIONS Encouraging safety and preliminary efficacy were observed. Randomized phase II trials are currently ongoing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Espen B. Ellingsen
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Ultimovacs ASA, Oslo, Norway
| | - Steven O'Day
- Providence Saint John's Cancer Institute, Santa Monica, California
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Yousef Zakharia
- University of Iowa and Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, Iowa City, Iowa
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13
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Mirzaei S, Ranjbar B, Tackallou SH, Aref AR. Hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in breast cancer: The crosstalk with oncogenic and onco-suppressor factors in regulation of cancer hallmarks. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 248:154676. [PMID: 37454494 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Low oxygen level at tumor microenvironment leads to a condition, known as hypoxia that is implicated in cancer progression. Upon hypoxia, HIF-1α undergoes activation and due to its oncogenic function and interaction with other molecular pathways, promotes tumor progression. The HIF-1α role in regulating breast cancer progression is described, Overall, HIF-1α has upregulation in breast tumor and due to its tumor-promoting function, its upregulation is in favor of breast tumor progression. HIF-1α overexpression prevents apoptosis in breast tumor and it promotes cell cycle progression. Silencing HIF-1α triggers cycle arrest and decreases growth. Migration of breast tumor enhances by HIF-1α signaling and it mainly induces EMT in providing metastasis. HIF-1α upregulation stimulates drug resistance and radio-resistance in breast tumor. Furthermore, HIF-1α signaling induces immune evasion of breast cancer. Berberine and pharmacological intervention suppress HIF-1α signaling in breast tumor and regulation of HIF-1α by non-coding RNAs occurs. Furthermore, HIF-1α is a biomarker in clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sepideh Mirzaei
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Bijan Ranjbar
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran 14117-13116, Iran
| | | | - Amir Reza Aref
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
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14
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Baba SK, Baba SK, Mir R, Elfaki I, Algehainy N, Ullah MF, Barnawi J, Altemani FH, Alanazi M, Mustafa SK, Masoodi T, Akil ASA, Bhat AA, Macha MA. Long non-coding RNAs modulate tumor microenvironment to promote metastasis: novel avenue for therapeutic intervention. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1164301. [PMID: 37384249 PMCID: PMC10299194 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1164301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a devastating disease and the primary cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with cancer metastasis responsible for 90% of cancer-related deaths. Cancer metastasis is a multistep process characterized by spreading of cancer cells from the primary tumor and acquiring molecular and phenotypic changes that enable them to expand and colonize in distant organs. Despite recent advancements, the underlying molecular mechanism(s) of cancer metastasis is limited and requires further exploration. In addition to genetic alterations, epigenetic changes have been demonstrated to play an important role in the development of cancer metastasis. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are considered one of the most critical epigenetic regulators. By regulating signaling pathways and acting as decoys, guides, and scaffolds, they modulate key molecules in every step of cancer metastasis such as dissemination of carcinoma cells, intravascular transit, and metastatic colonization. Gaining a good knowledge of the detailed molecular basis underlying lncRNAs regulating cancer metastasis may provide previously unknown therapeutic and diagnostic lncRNAs for patients with metastatic disease. In this review, we concentrate on the molecular mechanisms underlying lncRNAs in the regulation of cancer metastasis, the cross-talk with metabolic reprogramming, modulating cancer cell anoikis resistance, influencing metastatic microenvironment, and the interaction with pre-metastatic niche formation. In addition, we also discuss the clinical utility and therapeutic potential of lncRNAs for cancer treatment. Finally, we also represent areas for future research in this rapidly developing field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Khurshid Baba
- Watson-Crick Centre for Molecular Medicine, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora, Kashmir, India
| | - Sadaf Khursheed Baba
- Department of Microbiology, Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Science (SKIMS), Soura, Kashmir, India
| | - Rashid Mir
- Department of Medical Lab Technology, Prince Fahd Bin Sultan Research Chair Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Imadeldin Elfaki
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Naseh Algehainy
- Department of Medical Lab Technology, Prince Fahd Bin Sultan Research Chair Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Fahad Ullah
- Department of Medical Lab Technology, Prince Fahd Bin Sultan Research Chair Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jameel Barnawi
- Department of Medical Lab Technology, Prince Fahd Bin Sultan Research Chair Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Faisal H. Altemani
- Department of Medical Lab Technology, Prince Fahd Bin Sultan Research Chair Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Alanazi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Syed Khalid Mustafa
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tariq Masoodi
- Human Immunology Department, Research Branch, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ammira S. Alshabeeb Akil
- Department of Human Genetics-Precision Medicine in Diabetes, Obesity, and Cancer Program, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ajaz A. Bhat
- Department of Human Genetics-Precision Medicine in Diabetes, Obesity, and Cancer Program, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Muzafar A. Macha
- Watson-Crick Centre for Molecular Medicine, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora, Kashmir, India
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15
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Ellingsen EB, Bjørheim J, Gaudernack G. Therapeutic cancer vaccination against telomerase: clinical developments in melanoma. Curr Opin Oncol 2023; 35:100-106. [PMID: 36700456 PMCID: PMC9894137 DOI: 10.1097/cco.0000000000000922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) have revolutionized treatment outcomes for patients with malignant melanoma. Long-term follow-up shows that a substantial subset of patients who exhibit clinical responses achieve extended overall survival. Nevertheless, most patients do not achieve durable benefit from CPIs, and improvements are urgently needed. The clinical efficacy of CPIs depends on highly variable preexisting spontaneous T-cell immune responses. Cancer vaccines represent an independent treatment modality uniquely capable of expanding the repertoire of tumor-specific T cells in cancer patients and thus have the capacity to compensate for the variability in spontaneous T-cell responses. Vaccines are, therefore, considered attractive components in a CPI-combination strategy. RECENT FINDINGS Here we discuss recent results obtained through therapeutic vaccination against telomerase human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). Recent publications on translational research and clinical results from phase I trials indicate that vaccination against telomerase in combination with CPIs provides relevant immune responses, negligible added toxicity, and signals of clinical efficacy. CONCLUSION In the near future, randomized data from clinical trials involving therapeutic cancer vaccines and checkpoint inhibitors will be available. Positive readout may spark broad development and allow cancer vaccines to find their place in the clinic as an important component in multiple future CPI combinations.
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16
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Short Telomere Lesions with Dysplastic Metaplasia Histology May Represent Precancerous Lesions of Helicobacter pylori-Positive Gastric Mucosa. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043182. [PMID: 36834592 PMCID: PMC9958872 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancers are strongly associated with Helicobacter pylori infection, with intestinal metaplasia characterizing the background mucosa in most cases. However, only a subset of intestinal metaplasia cases proceed to carcinogenesis, and the characteristics of high-risk intestinal metaplasia that link it with gastric cancer are still unclear. We examined telomere reduction in five gastrectomy specimens using fluorescence in situ hybridization, and identified areas with localized telomere loss (outside of cancerous lesions), which were designated as short telomere lesions (STLs). Histological analyses indicated that STLs were characteristic of intestinal metaplasia accompanied by nuclear enlargement but lacking structural atypia, which we termed dysplastic metaplasia (DM). A review of gastric biopsy specimens from 587 H. pylori-positive patients revealed 32 cases of DM, 13 of which were classified as high-grade based on the degree of nuclear enlargement. All high-grade DM cases exhibited a telomere volume reduced to less than 60% of that of lymphocytes, increased stemness, and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) expression. Two patients (15%) exhibited low levels of p53 nuclear retention. After a 10-year follow-up, 7 (54%) of the high-grade DM cases had progressed to gastric cancer. These results suggest that DM is characterized by telomere shortening, TERT expression, and stem cell proliferation, and high-grade DM is a high-grade intestinal metaplasia that likely represents a precancerous lesion of gastric cancer. High-grade DM is expected to effectively prevent progression to gastric cancer in H. pylori-positive patients.
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17
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Jafari-Gharabaghlou D, Dadashpour M, Khanghah OJ, Salmani-Javan E, Zarghami N. Potentiation of Folate-Functionalized PLGA-PEG nanoparticles loaded with metformin for the treatment of breast Cancer: possible clinical application. Mol Biol Rep 2023; 50:3023-3033. [PMID: 36662452 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-08171-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
AIM Folate receptor expression increase up to 30% in breast cancer cells and could be used as a possible ligand to couple to folate-functionalized nanoparticles. Metformin (Met) is an anti-hyperglycemic agent whose anti-cancer properties have been formerly reported. Consequently, in the current study, we aimed to synthesize and characterize folate-functionalized PLGA-PEG NPs loaded with Met and evaluate the anti-cancer effect against the MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell line. METHODS FA-PLGA-PEG NPs were synthesized by employing the W1/O/W2 technique and their physicochemical features were evaluated by FE-SEM, TEM, FTIR, and DLS methods. The cytotoxic effects of free and Nano-encapsulated drugs were analyzed by the MTT technique. Furthermore, RT-PCR technique was employed to assess the expression levels of apoptotic and anti-apoptotic genes. RESULT MTT result indicated Met-loaded FA-PLGA-PEG NPs exhibited cytotoxic effects in a dose-dependently manner and had more cytotoxic effects relative to other groups. The remarkable down-regulation (hTERT and Bcl-2) and up-regulation (Caspase7, Caspase3, Bax, and p53) gene expression were shown in treated MDA-MB-231 cells with Met-loaded FA-PLGA-PEG NPs. CONCLUSION Folate-Functionalized PLGA-PEG Nanoparticles are suggested as an appropriate approach to elevate the anticancer properties of Met for improving the treatment effectiveness of breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davoud Jafari-Gharabaghlou
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mehdi Dadashpour
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.,Biotechnology Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Omid Joodi Khanghah
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Elnaz Salmani-Javan
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Nosratollah Zarghami
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. .,Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul Aydin University, Istanbul, Turkey.
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18
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Uno Y, Tanaka H, Miyakawa K, Akiyama N, Kamikokura Y, Yuzawa S, Kitada M, Takei H, Tanino M. Subcellular localization of hTERT in breast cancer: insights into its tumorigenesis and drug resistance mechanisms in HER2-immunopositive breast cancer. Hum Pathol 2022; 134:74-84. [PMID: 36549600 DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2022.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is highly expressed in various cancers, including breast cancer. Although telomere elongation is an essential role for hTERT, the nuclear export after oxdative stress has also been shown in several cancer cell lines and is associated with drug-resistance in vitro. As only a few reports focused on the subcellular localization of hTERT in clinical specimens, we performed immunohistochemistry (IHC) and analyzed the correlation between intracellular hTERT expression and the clinicopathological characteristics to identify the clinical significance of hTERT subcellular expression in breast cancers. 144 invasive breast cancers classified by IHC subtype without primary systemic therapy (PST), were selected from a surgical resection cohort and were immunostained for hTERT, p-STAT3, p-AKT and p-ERK. The nuclear and/or cytoplasmic staining intensity and proportion of hTERT were scored and compared with clinicopathological parameters. The nuclear hTERT expression was significantly correlated with HER2 expression (p = 0.00156), and the scores were significantly correlated with p-STAT3 and p-AKT expression scores (r = 0.532, p = 0.000587 and r = 0.345, p = 0.0339, respectively) in the HER2-immunopositive breast cancer including luminal-HER2 and HER2 subtypes. Furthermore, hTERT was expressed more in cytoplasm in the specimens after PST than those before PST, and the score tended to be negatively correlated with tumor shrinkage rate in HER2 subtype (r = -0.593, p = 0.0705). These results suggest that nuclear and/or cytoplasmic hTERT may play a different role before and after PST including the tumorigenesis and drug-resistance in breast cancer. Suppression of cytoplasmic hTERT expression may lead to more effective strategy for drug-resistant HER2 subtype in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuji Uno
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Asahikawa Medical University Hospital, Midorigaoka-Higashi 2-1-1-1, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, 0788510, Japan
| | - Hiroki Tanaka
- Division of Tumor Pathology, Department of Pathology, Asahikawa Medical University, Midorigaoka-Higashi 2-1-1-1, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, 0788510, Japan
| | - Keita Miyakawa
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Asahikawa Medical University Hospital, Midorigaoka-Higashi 2-1-1-1, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, 0788510, Japan
| | - Naoko Akiyama
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Asahikawa Medical University Hospital, Midorigaoka-Higashi 2-1-1-1, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, 0788510, Japan
| | - Yuki Kamikokura
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Asahikawa Medical University Hospital, Midorigaoka-Higashi 2-1-1-1, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, 0788510, Japan
| | - Sayaka Yuzawa
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Asahikawa Medical University Hospital, Midorigaoka-Higashi 2-1-1-1, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, 0788510, Japan
| | - Masahiro Kitada
- Breast Center, Asahikawa Medical University Hospital, Midorigaoka-Higashi 2-1-1-1, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, 0788510, Japan
| | - Hidehiro Takei
- Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport-Academic Medical Center, 1541 Kings Highway Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA
| | - Mishie Tanino
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Asahikawa Medical University Hospital, Midorigaoka-Higashi 2-1-1-1, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, 0788510, Japan.
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Ervin EH, French R, Chang CH, Pauklin S. Inside the stemness engine: Mechanistic links between deregulated transcription factors and stemness in cancer. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 87:48-83. [PMID: 36347438 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Cell identity is largely determined by its transcriptional profile. In tumour, deregulation of transcription factor expression and/or activity enables cancer cell to acquire a stem-like state characterised by capacity to self-renew, differentiate and form tumours in vivo. These stem-like cancer cells are highly metastatic and therapy resistant, thus warranting a more complete understanding of the molecular mechanisms downstream of the transcription factors that mediate the establishment of stemness state. Here, we review recent research findings that provide a mechanistic link between the commonly deregulated transcription factors and stemness in cancer. In particular, we describe the role of master transcription factors (SOX, OCT4, NANOG, KLF, BRACHYURY, SALL, HOX, FOX and RUNX), signalling-regulated transcription factors (SMAD, β-catenin, YAP, TAZ, AP-1, NOTCH, STAT, GLI, ETS and NF-κB) and unclassified transcription factors (c-MYC, HIF, EMT transcription factors and P53) across diverse tumour types, thereby yielding a comprehensive overview identifying shared downstream targets, highlighting unique mechanisms and discussing complexities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Egle-Helene Ervin
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Old Road, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LD, United Kingdom.
| | - Rhiannon French
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Old Road, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LD, United Kingdom.
| | - Chao-Hui Chang
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Old Road, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LD, United Kingdom.
| | - Siim Pauklin
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Old Road, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LD, United Kingdom.
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Low-dose telomerase is required for the expansion and migration of placental mesenchymal stem cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022; 636:40-47. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.10.093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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21
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Ellingsen EB, Bounova G, Kerzeli I, Anzar I, Simnica D, Aamdal E, Guren T, Clancy T, Mezheyeuski A, Inderberg EM, Mangsbo SM, Binder M, Hovig E, Gaudernack G. Characterization of the T cell receptor repertoire and melanoma tumor microenvironment upon combined treatment with ipilimumab and hTERT vaccination. Lab Invest 2022; 20:419. [PMID: 36089578 PMCID: PMC9465869 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03624-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Background This clinical trial evaluated a novel telomerase-targeting therapeutic cancer vaccine, UV1, in combination with ipilimumab, in patients with metastatic melanoma. Translational research was conducted on patient-derived blood and tissue samples with the goal of elucidating the effects of treatment on the T cell receptor repertoire and tumor microenvironment. Methods The trial was an open-label, single-center phase I/IIa study. Eligible patients had unresectable metastatic melanoma. Patients received up to 9 UV1 vaccinations and four ipilimumab infusions. Clinical responses were assessed according to RECIST 1.1. Patients were followed up for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Whole-exome and RNA sequencing, and multiplex immunofluorescence were performed on the biopsies. T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing was performed on the peripheral blood and tumor tissues. Results Twelve patients were enrolled in the study. Vaccine-specific immune responses were detected in 91% of evaluable patients. Clinical responses were observed in four patients. The mPFS was 6.7 months, and the mOS was 66.3 months. There was no association between baseline tumor mutational burden, neoantigen load, IFN-γ gene signature, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, and response to therapy. Tumor telomerase expression was confirmed in all available biopsies. Vaccine-enriched TCR clones were detected in blood and biopsy, and an increase in the tumor IFN-γ gene signature was detected in clinically responding patients. Conclusion Clinical responses were observed irrespective of established predictive biomarkers for checkpoint inhibitor efficacy, indicating an added benefit of the vaccine-induced T cells. The clinical and immunological read-out warrants further investigation of UV1 in combination with checkpoint inhibitors. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02275416. Registered October 27, 2014. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02275416?term=uv1&draw=2&rank=6 Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-022-03624-z.
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22
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Qin H, Guo Y. Targeting Telomerase Enhances Cytotoxicity of Salinomycin in Cancer Cells. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:30565-30570. [PMID: 36061682 PMCID: PMC9435028 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c04082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Salinomycin exhibits significant systemic adverse reactions such as tachycardia and myoglobinuria in mammals, which hinders its application as a drug for human cancers. Although many strategies aimed at increasing salinomycin's toxicity to cancer cells have been identified to allow a lower dose of salinomycin to be used, they often cause normal cell damage by themselves. Thus, it is urgent to find more effective methods to increase salinomycin's toxicity to cancer cells with little influences on normal cells. Telomerase, which is expressed highly in most cancer cells rather than normal somatic cells, plays central roles in cancer cell fate regulation. Targeting telomerase represents a potential method for enhancing salinomycin's cytotoxicity to cancer cells with little effects on normal cells. Herein, we improve the toxicity of salinomycin against cancer cells by telomerase inhibition BIBR1532 (BIBR), which binds to the active site of telomerase reverse transcriptase. We find that a non-toxic dose of BIBR can enhance cytotoxicity of salinomycin in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Moreover, BIBR enhances mammosphere formation inhibition mediated by salinomycin in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Further studies show that BIBR enhances tumor growth inhibition induced by salinomycin in vivo. To our knowledge, this is the first example that targeting telomerase improves anti-cancer effects of salinomycin.
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TERT and TET2 Genetic Variants Affect Leukocyte Telomere Length and Clinical Outcome in Coronary Artery Disease Patients-A Possible Link to Clonal Hematopoiesis. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10082027. [PMID: 36009574 PMCID: PMC9406025 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10082027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Inherited and acquired mutations in hematopoietic stem cells can cause clonal expansion with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), a condition known for the clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP). Inherited genetic variants in two CHIP-associated genome loci, the telomerase gene telomerase enzyme reverse transcriptase (TERT) (rs7705526) and the epigenetic regulator ten−eleven translocation 2 (TET2) (rs2454206), were investigated in 1001 patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) (mean age 62 years, 22% women), with regards to cardiovascular outcome, comorbidities, and leukocyte telomere length. Over 2 years, mutated TERT increased the risk two-fold for major clinical events (MACEs) in all patients (p = 0.004), acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in male patients (p = 0.011), and stroke in female patients (p < 0.001). Mutated TET2 correlated with type 2 diabetes (p < 0.001), the metabolic syndrome (p = 0.002), as well as fasting glucose, HbA1c, and shorter telomeres (p = 0.032, p = 0.003, and p = 0.016, respectively). In conclusion, our results from stable CAD patients highlight TERTs’ role in CVD, and underline TET2s’ role in the epigenetic regulation of lifestyle-related diseases.
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Belpaire M, Taminiau A, Geerts D, Rezsohazy R. HOXA1, a breast cancer oncogene. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2022; 1877:188747. [PMID: 35675857 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
More than 25 years ago, the first literature records mentioned HOXA1 expression in human breast cancer. A few years later, HOXA1 was confirmed as a proper oncogene in mammary tissue. In the following two decades, molecular data about the mode of action of the HOXA1 protein, the factors contributing to activate and maintain HOXA1 gene expression and the identity of its target genes have accumulated and provide a wider view on the association of this transcription factor to breast oncogenesis. Large-scale transcriptomic data gathered from wide cohorts of patients further allowed refining the relationship between breast cancer type and HOXA1 expression. Several recent reports have reviewed the connection between cancer hallmarks and the biology of HOX genes in general. Here we take HOXA1 as a paradigm and propose an extensive overview of the molecular data centered on this oncoprotein, from what its expression modulators, to the interactors contributing to its oncogenic activities, and to the pathways and genes it controls. The data converge to an intricate picture that answers questions on the multi-modality of its oncogene activities, point towards better understanding of breast cancer aetiology and thereby provides an appraisal for treatment opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali Belpaire
- Animal Molecular and Cellular Biology Group (AMCB), Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Arnaud Taminiau
- Animal Molecular and Cellular Biology Group (AMCB), Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Dirk Geerts
- Heart Failure Research Center, Amsterdam University Medical Center (AMC), Universiteit van Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - René Rezsohazy
- Animal Molecular and Cellular Biology Group (AMCB), Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
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25
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Shrivastava R, Gandhi P, Gothalwal R. The road-map for establishment of a prognostic molecular marker panel in glioma using liquid biopsy: current status and future directions. Clin Transl Oncol 2022; 24:1702-1714. [PMID: 35653004 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-022-02833-8] [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: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Gliomas are primary intracranial tumors with defined molecular markers available for precise diagnosis. The prognosis of glioma is bleak as there is an overlook of the dynamic crosstalk between tumor cells and components of the microenvironment. Herein, different phases of gliomagenesis are presented with reference to the role and involvement of secreted proteomic markers at various stages of tumor initiation and development. The secreted markers of inflammatory response, namely interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-ϒ, and kynurenine, proliferation markers human telomerase reverse transcriptase and microtubule-associated-protein-Tau, and stemness marker human-mobility-group-AThook-1 are involved in glial tumor initiation and growth. Further, hypoxia and angiogenic factors, heat-shock-protein-70, endothelial-growth-factor-receptor-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor play a major role in promoting vascularization and tumor volume expansion. Eventually, molecules such as matrix-metalloprotease-7 and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 contribute to the degradation and remodeling of the extracellular matrix, ultimately leading to glioma progression. Our study delineates the roadmap to develop and evaluate a non-invasive panel of secreted biomarkers using liquid biopsy for precisely evaluating disease progression, to accomplish a clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richa Shrivastava
- Department of Research, Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre, Raisen Bypass Road, Bhopal, M.P., 462038, India
| | - Puneet Gandhi
- Department of Research, Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre, Raisen Bypass Road, Bhopal, M.P., 462038, India.
| | - Ragini Gothalwal
- Department of Biotechnology, Barkatullah University, Bhopal, M.P., 462026, India
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26
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Ellingsen EB, Aamdal E, Guren T, Lilleby W, Brunsvig PF, Mangsbo SM, Aamdal S, Hovig E, Mensali N, Gaudernack G, Inderberg EM. Durable and dynamic hTERT immune responses following vaccination with the long-peptide cancer vaccine UV1: long-term follow-up of three phase I clinical trials. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:e004345. [PMID: 35613827 PMCID: PMC9134181 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-004345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Therapeutic cancer vaccines represent a promising approach to improve clinical outcomes with immune checkpoint inhibition. UV1 is a second generation telomerase-targeting therapeutic cancer vaccine being investigated across multiple indications. Although telomerase is a near-universal tumor target, different treatment combinations applied across indications may affect the induced immune response. Three phase I/IIa clinical trials covering malignant melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and prostate cancer have been completed, with patients in follow-up for up to 8 years. METHODS 52 patients were enrolled across the three trials. UV1 was given as monotherapy in the lung cancer trial and concurrent with combined androgen blockade in the prostate cancer trial. In the melanoma study, patients initiated ipilimumab treatment 1 week after the first vaccine dose. Patients were followed for UV1-specific immune responses at frequent intervals during vaccination, and every 6 months for up to 8 years in a follow-up period. Phenotypic and functional characterizations were performed on patient-derived vaccine-specific T cell responses. RESULTS In total, 78.4% of treated patients mounted a measurable vaccine-induced T cell response in blood. The immune responses in the malignant melanoma trial, where UV1 was combined with ipilimumab, occurred more rapidly and frequently than in the lung and prostate cancer trials. In several patients, immune responses peaked years after their last vaccination. An in-depth characterization of the immune responses revealed polyfunctional CD4+ T cells producing interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α on interaction with their antigen. CONCLUSION Long-term immunomonitoring of patients showed highly dynamic and persistent telomerase peptide-specific immune responses lasting up to 7.5 years after the initial vaccination, suggesting a plausible functional role of these T cells in long-term survivors. The superior immune response kinetics observed in the melanoma study substantiate the rationale for future combinatorial treatment strategies with UV1 vaccination and checkpoint inhibition for rapid and frequent induction of anti-telomerase immune responses in patients with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Espen Basmo Ellingsen
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Ultimovacs ASA, Oslo, Norway
| | - Elin Aamdal
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Oncology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Oncology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway
| | - Tormod Guren
- Department of Oncology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Paal F Brunsvig
- Department of Oncology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sara M Mangsbo
- Department of Pharmacy, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Ultimovacs AB, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Eivind Hovig
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Bioinformatics, Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nadia Mensali
- Department of Cellular Therapy, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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27
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Graf M, Interlandi M, Moreno N, Holdhof D, Göbel C, Melcher V, Mertins J, Albert TK, Kastrati D, Alfert A, Holsten T, de Faria F, Meisterernst M, Rossig C, Warmuth-Metz M, Nowak J, Meyer Zu Hörste G, Mayère C, Nef S, Johann P, Frühwald MC, Dugas M, Schüller U, Kerl K. Single-cell transcriptomics identifies potential cells of origin of MYC rhabdoid tumors. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1544. [PMID: 35318328 PMCID: PMC8941154 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29152-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhabdoid tumors (RT) are rare and highly aggressive pediatric neoplasms. Their epigenetically-driven intertumoral heterogeneity is well described; however, the cellular origin of RT remains an enigma. Here, we establish and characterize different genetically engineered mouse models driven under the control of distinct promoters and being active in early progenitor cell types with diverse embryonic onsets. From all models only Sox2-positive progenitor cells give rise to murine RT. Using single-cell analyses, we identify distinct cells of origin for the SHH and MYC subgroups of RT, rooting in early stages of embryogenesis. Intra- and extracranial MYC tumors harbor common genetic programs and potentially originate from fetal primordial germ cells (PGCs). Using PGC specific Smarcb1 knockout mouse models we validate that MYC RT originate from these progenitor cells. We uncover an epigenetic imbalance in MYC tumors compared to PGCs being sustained by epigenetically-driven subpopulations. Importantly, treatments with the DNA demethylating agent decitabine successfully impair tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. In summary, our work sheds light on the origin of RT and supports the clinical relevance of DNA methyltransferase inhibitors against this disease. Rhabdoid tumors (RT) are aggressive paediatric cancers with yet unknown cells of origin. Here, the authors establish genetically engineered mouse models of RT and, using single-cell RNA-seq and epigenomics, identify potential cells of origin for the SHH and MYC subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Graf
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Marta Interlandi
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany.,Institute of Medical Informatics, University of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Natalia Moreno
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Dörthe Holdhof
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251, Hamburg, Germany.,Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Carolin Göbel
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251, Hamburg, Germany.,Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Viktoria Melcher
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Julius Mertins
- Department of Neurology, Schlosspark-Klinik, 14059, Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Molecular Tumor Biology, University of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Thomas K Albert
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Dennis Kastrati
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Amelie Alfert
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Till Holsten
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251, Hamburg, Germany.,Institute of Molecular Tumor Biology, University of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Flavia de Faria
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany.,Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Children's Hospital of Brasìlia, 70684-831, Brasìlia, Brazil
| | - Michael Meisterernst
- Institute of Molecular Tumor Biology, University of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Claudia Rossig
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Monika Warmuth-Metz
- Neuroradiological Reference Center, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Johannes Nowak
- Neuroradiological Reference Center, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,SRH Poliklinik Gera GmbH, Radiological Practice Gotha, Gotha, Germany
| | - Gerd Meyer Zu Hörste
- Department of Neurology with Institute of Translational Neurology, University Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Chloe Mayère
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland.,iGE3, Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Serge Nef
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland.,iGE3, Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Pascal Johann
- Swabian Children's Cancer Center, Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Augsburg, 86156, Augsburg, Germany.,Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael C Frühwald
- Swabian Children's Cancer Center, Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Augsburg, 86156, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Martin Dugas
- Institute of Medical Informatics, University of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany.,Institute of Medical Informatics, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schüller
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251, Hamburg, Germany.,Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251, Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute Children's Cancer Center, 20251, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kornelius Kerl
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany.
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28
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Wang H, Liu N, Yang F, Hu N, Wang M, Cui M, Bruns N, Guan X. Bioengineered Protein Nanocage by Small Heat Shock Proteins Delivering mTERT siRNA for Enhanced Colorectal Cancer Suppression. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2022; 5:1330-1340. [PMID: 35234441 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.1c01221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The efficient delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA) for target gene silencing holds great promise for cancer therapy. Protein nanocages have attracted considerable attention as ideal drug delivery systems because of their material-derived advantages and unique structural properties. However, most studies about siRNA delivery have not indicated the real role of protein nanocages in inhibiting tumor growth in vivo. Herein, we fabricated an efficient siRNA delivery system using a small heat shock protein (Hsp) nanocage decorated with Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) and the transactivator of transcription (Tat) peptide. Hsp-Tat-RGD NC showed good cellular uptake and lysosomal escape in colorectal cancer cells. In addition, the nanocage could efficiently transfect siRNA into the cytoplasmic area of CT26 cells. Hsp-Tat-RGD NC delivering telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT)-targeting siRNA could significantly downregulate TERT protein expression and trigger tumor cell apoptosis in vitro. More importantly, Hsp-Tat-RGD/siTERT complexes nearly completely inhibited the tumor growth after five times of treatment in mice bearing CT26 xenograft. Our results demonstrate the great potential of the Tat/RGD-decorated Hsp nanocage as a promising siRNA delivery platform for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wang
- Medical College, Taizhou University, 1139 Shifu Avenue, Taizhou 318000, P. R. China.,College of Medical Technology, Beihua University, 3999 East Binjiang Road, Jilin 132013, P. R. China
| | - Ning Liu
- College of Medical Technology, Beihua University, 3999 East Binjiang Road, Jilin 132013, P. R. China
| | - Fuxu Yang
- Medical College, Taizhou University, 1139 Shifu Avenue, Taizhou 318000, P. R. China.,College of Medical Technology, Beihua University, 3999 East Binjiang Road, Jilin 132013, P. R. China
| | - Nannan Hu
- Medical College, Taizhou University, 1139 Shifu Avenue, Taizhou 318000, P. R. China.,College of Medical Technology, Beihua University, 3999 East Binjiang Road, Jilin 132013, P. R. China
| | - Mingyue Wang
- College of Medical Technology, Beihua University, 3999 East Binjiang Road, Jilin 132013, P. R. China
| | - Meiying Cui
- College of Medical Technology, Beihua University, 3999 East Binjiang Road, Jilin 132013, P. R. China
| | - Nico Bruns
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, 295 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G1 1XL, U.K
| | - Xingang Guan
- Medical College, Taizhou University, 1139 Shifu Avenue, Taizhou 318000, P. R. China.,College of Medical Technology, Beihua University, 3999 East Binjiang Road, Jilin 132013, P. R. China
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29
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Luo J, Song Z, Zhang T, Chu K, Li J, Zhou J, Lin J. Upregulation of h-TERT and Ki-67 in ectopic endometrium is associated with recurrence of endometriosis. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B 2022; 23:158-163. [PMID: 35187889 DOI: 10.1631/jzus.b2100502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
At present, endometriosis remains a worldwide health burden, with the main symptoms of dysmenorrhea, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility, markedly reducing the quality of life (de Ziegler et al., 2010). Although there is no proof that the disease is associated with high mortality, this disorder can significantly contribute to the deterioration of women's general well-being (McPeak et al., 2018). The main current treatment for endometriosis is surgery to remove endometriotic lesions; however, the recurrence rate following surgical treatment is as high as 21.5% at two years and 40.0%-50.0% at five years post-surgery (Koga et al., 2015). To prevent recurrence, adjuvant treatment with drugs after surgery is recommended to prolong relapse-free intervals. However, it is inconvenient for patients to continuously use such medications in terms of adverse effects and cost (Turk, 2002).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Luo
- Department of Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Zhimin Song
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Ketan Chu
- Department of Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Jingyi Li
- Department of Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Jianhong Zhou
- Department of Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China. .,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China. .,Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China.
| | - Jun Lin
- Department of Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China. .,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China. .,Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China.
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30
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Matsuda Y, Yamashita T, Ye J, Yasukawa M, Yamakawa K, Mukai Y, Machitani M, Daigo Y, Miyagi Y, Yokose T, Oshima T, Ito H, Morinaga S, Kishida T, Minamoto T, Yamada S, Takei J, Kaneko MK, Kojima M, Kaneko S, Masaki T, Hirata M, Haba R, Kontani K, Kanaji N, Miyatake N, Okano K, Kato Y, Masutomi K. Phosphorylation of
hTERT
at threonine 249 is a novel tumor biomarker of aggressive cancer with poor prognosis in multiple organs. J Pathol 2022; 257:172-185. [PMID: 35094384 PMCID: PMC9315154 DOI: 10.1002/path.5876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Recent evidence indicates that RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) activity of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) regulates expression of target genes and is directly involved in tumor formation in a telomere‐independent manner. Non‐canonical function of hTERT has been considered as a therapeutic target for cancer therapy. We have previously shown that hTERT phosphorylation at threonine 249 (p‐hTERT), which promotes RdRP activity, is an indicator of an aggressive phenotype and poor prognosis in liver and pancreatic cancers, using two cohorts with small sample sizes with polyclonal p‐hTERT antibody. To clarify the clinical relevance of p‐hTERT, we developed a specific monoclonal antibody and determined the diagnostic and prognostic value of p‐hTERT in cancer specimens using a large cohort. A monoclonal antibody for phosphorylated hTERT (p‐hTERT) at threonine 249 was developed and validated. The antibody was used for the immunohistochemical staining of formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded specimens from 1523 cases of lung, colon, stomach, pancreatic, liver, breast, and kidney cancers. We detected elevated p‐hTERT expression levels in cases with a high mitotic activity, high pathological grade, and high nuclear pleomorphism. Elevated p‐hTERT expression was an independent prognostic factor for lung, pancreatic, and liver cancers. Furthermore, p‐hTERT expression was associated with immature and aggressive features, such as adenosquamous carcinoma (lung and pancreas), invasive type of cancer (lung), high serum alpha‐fetoprotein level (liver), and triple‐negative status (breast). In conclusion, RdRP activity indicated by p‐hTERT expression predicts aggressive cancer phenotypes in various types of cancer. Thus, p‐hTERT is a novel biomarker for the diagnosis of aggressive cancers with a poor prognosis. © 2022 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoko Matsuda
- Oncology Pathology, Department of Pathology and Host‐Defense, Faculty of Medicine Kagawa University, 1750‐1 Ikenobe, Miki‐cho Kita‐gun Kagawa 761‐0793 Japan
| | - Taro Yamashita
- Department of Gastroenterology Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Sciences 13‐1 Takara‐machi Kanazawa Ishikawa 920‐8641 Japan
| | - Juanjuan Ye
- Oncology Pathology, Department of Pathology and Host‐Defense, Faculty of Medicine Kagawa University, 1750‐1 Ikenobe, Miki‐cho Kita‐gun Kagawa 761‐0793 Japan
| | - Mami Yasukawa
- Division of Cancer Stem Cell National Cancer Center Research Institute 5‐1‐1 Tsukiji, Chuo‐ku Tokyo 104‐0045 Japan
| | - Keiko Yamakawa
- Oncology Pathology, Department of Pathology and Host‐Defense, Faculty of Medicine Kagawa University, 1750‐1 Ikenobe, Miki‐cho Kita‐gun Kagawa 761‐0793 Japan
| | - Yuri Mukai
- Oncology Pathology, Department of Pathology and Host‐Defense, Faculty of Medicine Kagawa University, 1750‐1 Ikenobe, Miki‐cho Kita‐gun Kagawa 761‐0793 Japan
| | - Mitsuhiro Machitani
- Division of Cancer Stem Cell National Cancer Center Research Institute 5‐1‐1 Tsukiji, Chuo‐ku Tokyo 104‐0045 Japan
| | - Yataro Daigo
- Department of Medical Oncology and Cancer Center
- Center for Advanced Medicine against Cancer, Shiga University of Medical Science Otsu Shiga 520‐2192 Japan
- Center for Antibody and Vaccine Therapy, Research Hospital, Institute of Medical Science Hospital, The University of Tokyo Tokyo 108‐8639 Japan
| | - Yohei Miyagi
- Kanagawa Cancer Center Research Institute, 2‐3‐2 Nakao, Asahi‐ku Yokohama 241‐8515 Japan
| | | | | | | | | | - Takeshi Kishida
- Department of Urology, Kanagawa Cancer Center, 2‐3‐2 Nakao, Asahi‐ku Yokohama 241‐8515 Japan
| | - Toshinari Minamoto
- Divison of Translational and Clinical Oncology, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, 13‐1 Takara‐machi Kanazawa 920‐0934 Japan
| | - Shinji Yamada
- Department of Antibody Drug Development Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2‐1 Seiryo‐machi, Aoba‐ku Sendai Miyagi 980‐8575 Japan
| | - Junko Takei
- Department of Antibody Drug Development Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2‐1 Seiryo‐machi, Aoba‐ku Sendai Miyagi 980‐8575 Japan
| | - Mika K. Kaneko
- Department of Antibody Drug Development Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2‐1 Seiryo‐machi, Aoba‐ku Sendai Miyagi 980‐8575 Japan
| | - Motohiro Kojima
- Division of Pathology, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center, 6‐5‐1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa‐shi Chiba 277‐0882 Japan
| | - Shuichi Kaneko
- Department of Gastroenterology Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Sciences 13‐1 Takara‐machi Kanazawa Ishikawa 920‐8641 Japan
| | | | | | | | | | - Nobuhiro Kanaji
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology Rheumatology and Respiratory Medicine
| | | | - Keiichi Okano
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Kagawa University, 1750‐1 Ikenobe, Miki‐cho Kita‐gun Kagawa 761‐0793 Japan
| | - Yukinari Kato
- Department of Antibody Drug Development Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2‐1 Seiryo‐machi, Aoba‐ku Sendai Miyagi 980‐8575 Japan
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2‐1 Seiryo‐machi, Aoba‐ku Sendai Miyagi 980‐8575 Japan
| | - Kenkichi Masutomi
- Division of Cancer Stem Cell National Cancer Center Research Institute 5‐1‐1 Tsukiji, Chuo‐ku Tokyo 104‐0045 Japan
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Gandhi P, Khare R, Garg N, Mishra J. Can a signature molecular-profile define disparate survival in BRAF-positive Gliosarcoma and identify novel targets for therapeutic intervention? J Cancer Res Ther 2022; 18:224-230. [DOI: 10.4103/jcrt.jcrt_1900_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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32
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Pshennikova ES, Voronina AS. Dormancy: There and Back Again. Mol Biol 2022; 56:735-755. [PMID: 36217335 PMCID: PMC9534470 DOI: 10.1134/s0026893322050119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Many cells are capable of maintaining viability in a non-dividing state with minimal metabolism under unfavorable conditions. These are germ cells, adult stem cells, and microorganisms. Unfortunately, a resting state, or dormancy, is possible for tuberculosis bacilli in a latent form of the disease and cancer cells, which may later form secondary tumors (metastases) in different parts of the body. These cells are resistant to therapy that can destroy intensely dividing cells and to the host immune system. A cascade of reactions that allows cells to enter and exit dormancy is triggered by regulatory factors from the microenvironment in niches that harbor the cells. A ratio of forbidding and permitting signals dictates whether the cells become dormant or start proliferation. The only difference between the cell dormancy regulation in normal and pathological conditions is that pathogens, mycobacteria, and cancer cells can influence their own fate by changing their microenvironment. Certain mechanisms of these processes are considered in the review.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. S. Pshennikova
- Bakh Institute of Biochemistry, Federal Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071 Moscow, Russia
| | - A. S. Voronina
- Bakh Institute of Biochemistry, Federal Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071 Moscow, Russia
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33
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Ray SK, Mukherjee S. Epigenetic Reprogramming and Landscape of Transcriptomic Interactions: Impending Therapeutic Interference of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer in Molecular Medicine. Curr Mol Med 2021; 22:835-850. [PMID: 34872474 DOI: 10.2174/1566524021666211206092437] [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: 03/21/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The mechanisms governing the development and progression of cancers are believed to be the consequence of hereditary deformities and epigenetic modifications. Accordingly, epigenetics has become an incredible and progressively explored field of research to discover better prevention and therapy for neoplasia, especially triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). It represents 15-20% of all invasive breast cancers and will, in general, have bellicose histological highlights and poor clinical outcomes. In the early phases of triple-negative breast carcinogenesis, epigenetic deregulation modifies chromatin structure and influences the plasticity of cells. It up-keeps the oncogenic reprogramming of malignant progenitor cells with the acquisition of unrestrained selfrenewal capacities. Genomic impulsiveness in TNBC prompts mutations, copy number variations, as well as genetic rearrangements, while epigenetic remodeling includes an amendment by DNA methylation, histone modification, and noncoding RNAs of gene expression profiles. It is currently evident that epigenetic mechanisms assume a significant part in the pathogenesis, maintenance, and therapeutic resistance of TNBC. Although TNBC is a heterogeneous malaise that is perplexing to describe and treat, the ongoing explosion of genetic and epigenetic research will help to expand these endeavors. Latest developments in transcriptome analysis have reformed our understanding of human diseases, including TNBC at the molecular medicine level. It is appealing to envision transcriptomic biomarkers to comprehend tumor behavior more readily regarding its cellular microenvironment. Understanding these essential biomarkers and molecular changes will propel our capability to treat TNBC adequately. This review will depict the different aspects of epigenetics and the landscape of transcriptomics in triple-negative breast carcinogenesis and their impending application for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment decision with the view of molecular medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sukhes Mukherjee
- Department of Biochemistry All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Bhopal, Madhya pradesh-462020. India
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34
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Yoshioka KI, Kusumoto-Matsuo R, Matsuno Y, Ishiai M. Genomic Instability and Cancer Risk Associated with Erroneous DNA Repair. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:12254. [PMID: 34830134 PMCID: PMC8625880 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Many cancers develop as a consequence of genomic instability, which induces genomic rearrangements and nucleotide mutations. Failure to correct DNA damage in DNA repair defective cells, such as in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutated backgrounds, is directly associated with increased cancer risk. Genomic rearrangement is generally a consequence of erroneous repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), though paradoxically, many cancers develop in the absence of DNA repair defects. DNA repair systems are essential for cell survival, and in cancers deficient in one repair pathway, other pathways can become upregulated. In this review, we examine the current literature on genomic alterations in cancer cells and the association between these alterations and DNA repair pathway inactivation and upregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken-ichi Yoshioka
- Laboratory of Genome Stability Maintenance, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan; (R.K.-M.); (Y.M.)
| | - Rika Kusumoto-Matsuo
- Laboratory of Genome Stability Maintenance, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan; (R.K.-M.); (Y.M.)
| | - Yusuke Matsuno
- Laboratory of Genome Stability Maintenance, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan; (R.K.-M.); (Y.M.)
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science, Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8601, Japan
| | - Masamichi Ishiai
- Central Radioisotope Division, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan;
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35
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HIF-1 recruits NANOG as a coactivator for TERT gene transcription in hypoxic breast cancer stem cells. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109757. [PMID: 34592152 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) play essential roles in tumor formation, drug resistance, relapse, and metastasis. NANOG is a protein required for stem cell self-renewal, but the mechanisms by which it performs this function are poorly understood. Here, we show that hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) is required for NANOG-mediated BCSC enrichment. Mechanistically, NANOG is recruited by HIF-1 to cooperatively activate transcription of the TERT gene encoding the telomerase reverse transcriptase that maintains telomere length, which is required for stem cell self-renewal. NANOG stimulates HIF-1 transcriptional activity by recruitment of the deubiquitinase USP9X, which inhibits HIF-1α protein degradation, and by stabilizing HIF-1α interaction with the coactivator p300, which mediates histone acetylation. Our results delineate a cooperative transcriptional mechanism by which HIF-1 and NANOG mediate BCSC self-renewal.
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36
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Dos Santos GA, Viana NI, Pimenta R, de Camargo JA, T Reis S, Moreira Leite KR, Srougi M. Telomeric zinc-finger associated protein (TZAP) in cancer biology: friend or foe? MOLECULAR BIOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2021; 10:121-129. [PMID: 34476265 DOI: 10.22099/mbrc.2021.40106.1607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/30/2022]
Abstract
The new identified protein telomeric zinc-finger associated protein (TZAP) is a negative regulator of telomere length. Since telomere length and telomere maintenance mechanisms are essential to cancer progression, TZAP is considered a new player in cancer biology. Here we aimed to analyze TZAP using the Cancer Genome Atlas data in a Pan-Cancer approach. We gathering data from TCGA Pan-Cancer studies utilizing cBioPortal, GEPIA and UALCAN. In total we analyzed 33 types of cancer (n=9664) and their respective controls (n=711). TZAP is transcribed in all cancers but less than 5% of all tumors show any somatic changes. TZAP was downregulated in kidney chromophobe carcinoma, and upregulated in esophageal cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, kidney renal clear cell carcinoma and in liver hepatocellular carcinoma. Globally, TZAP expression is related to favorable prognosis, associated to better overall and disease-free survival. Looking to specific tumors, TZAP expression has a dual behavior. Its downregulation is associated with poor prognosis in cervical squamous cell carcinoma, in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma, kidney papillary cell carcinoma, lung adenocarcinoma and pancreas adenocarcinoma. On the contrary, in adrenocortical carcinoma, colon and rectal cancer, brain lower grade glioma and prostate adenocarcinoma the upregulation of TZAP is related with poor prognosis. TZAP expression has a positive correlation with TRF1 and TRF2 in normal tissue but not in cancer. Our analyses indicate that TZAP has an important role in oncology and may be considered as a potential biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Arantes Dos Santos
- Urology Department, Laboratory of Medical Investigation (LIM55), Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.,D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Nayara Izabel Viana
- Urology Department, Laboratory of Medical Investigation (LIM55), Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Minas Gerais State University (UEMG), Passos, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ruan Pimenta
- Urology Department, Laboratory of Medical Investigation (LIM55), Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.,D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Juliana Alves de Camargo
- Urology Department, Laboratory of Medical Investigation (LIM55), Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Sabrina T Reis
- Urology Department, Laboratory of Medical Investigation (LIM55), Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Minas Gerais State University (UEMG), Passos, Minas Gerais, Brazil.,Athens University Center (UniAtenas), Passos, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Katia Ramos Moreira Leite
- Urology Department, Laboratory of Medical Investigation (LIM55), Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Miguel Srougi
- Urology Department, Laboratory of Medical Investigation (LIM55), Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.,D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Sao Paulo, Brazil
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Human chromosome 3p21.3 carries TERT transcriptional regulators in pancreatic cancer. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15355. [PMID: 34321527 PMCID: PMC8319171 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94711-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Frequent loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on the short arm of human chromosome 3 (3p) region has been found in pancreatic cancer (PC), which suggests the likely presence of tumor suppressor genes in this region. However, the functional significance of LOH in this region in the development of PC has not been clearly defined. The human telomerase reverse transcriptase gene (hTERT) contributes to unlimited proliferative and tumorigenicity of malignant tumors. We previously demonstrated that hTERT expression was suppressed by the introduction of human chromosome 3 in several cancer cell lines. To examine the functional role of putative TERT suppressor genes on chromosome 3 in PC, we introduced an intact human chromosome 3 into the human PK9 and murine LTPA PC cell lines using microcell-mediated chromosome transfer. PK9 microcell hybrids with an introduced human chromosome 3 showed significant morphological changes and rapid growth arrest. Intriguingly, microcell hybrid clones of LTPA cells with an introduced human chromosome 3 (LTPA#3) showed suppression of mTert transcription, cell proliferation, and invasion compared with LTPA#4 cells containing human chromosome 4 and parental LTPA cells. Additionally, the promoter activity of mTert was downregulated in LTPA#3. Furthermore, we confirmed that TERT regulatory gene(s) are present in the 3p21.3 region by transfer of truncated chromosomes at arbitrary regions. These results provide important information on the functional significance of the LOH at 3p for development and progression of PC.
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Balachander GM, Kotcherlakota R, Nayak B, Kedaria D, Rangarajan A, Chatterjee K. 3D Tumor Models for Breast Cancer: Whither We Are and What We Need. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2021; 7:3470-3486. [PMID: 34286955 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.1c00230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) models have led to a paradigm shift in disease modeling in vitro, particularly for cancer. The past decade has seen a phenomenal increase in the development of 3D models for various types of cancers with a focus on studying stemness, invasive behavior, angiogenesis, and chemoresistance of cancer cells, as well as contributions of its stroma, which has expanded our understanding of these processes. Cancer biology is moving into exploring the emerging hallmarks of cancer, such as inflammation, immune evasion, and reprogramming of energy metabolism. Studies into these emerging concepts have provided novel targets and treatment options such as antitumor immunotherapy. However, 3D models that can investigate the emerging hallmarks are few and underexplored. As commonly used immunocompromised mice and syngenic mice cannot accurately mimic human immunology, stromal interactions, and metabolism and require the use of prohibitively expensive humanized mice, there is tremendous scope to develop authentic 3D tumor models in these areas. Taking the specific case of breast cancer, we discuss the currently available 3D models, their applications to mimic signaling in cancer, tumor-stroma interactions, drug responses, and assessment of drug delivery systems and therapies. We discuss the lacunae in the development of 3D tumor models for the emerging hallmarks of cancer, for lesser-explored forms of breast cancer, and provide insights to develop such models. We discuss how the next generation of 3D models can provide a better mimic of human cancer modeling compared to xenograft models and the scope toward preclinical models and precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gowri Manohari Balachander
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-560012, India.,Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Health System, MD9-04-11, 2 Medical Drive, Singapore 117593, Singapore
| | - Rajesh Kotcherlakota
- Department of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-560012, India
| | - Biswadeep Nayak
- Department of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-560012, India.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States.,Department of Molecular Reproduction, Development and Genetics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-560012, India
| | - Dhaval Kedaria
- Department of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-560012, India
| | - Annapoorni Rangarajan
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-560012, India.,Department of Molecular Reproduction, Development and Genetics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-560012, India
| | - Kaushik Chatterjee
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-560012, India.,Department of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-560012, India
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Vonderheide RH, Kraynyak KA, Shields AF, McRee AJ, Johnson JM, Sun W, Chintakuntlawar AV, Pawlicki J, Sylvester AJ, McMullan T, Samuels R, Kim JJ, Weiner D, Boyer JD, Morrow MP, Humeau L, Skolnik JM. Phase 1 study of safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of the human telomerase (hTERT)-encoded DNA plasmids INO-1400 and INO-1401 with or without IL-12 DNA plasmid INO-9012 in adult patients with solid tumors. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:jitc-2021-003019. [PMID: 34230114 PMCID: PMC8261871 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003019] [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] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is frequently classified as a ‘universal’ tumor associated antigen due to its expression in a vast number of cancers. We evaluated plasmid DNA-encoded hTERT as an immunotherapy across nine cancer types. Methods A phase 1 clinical trial was conducted in adult patients with no evidence of disease following definitive surgery and standard therapy, who were at high risk of relapse. Plasmid DNA encoding one of two hTERT variants (INO-1400 or INO-1401) with or without plasmid DNA encoding interleukin 12 (IL-12) (INO-9012) was delivered intramuscularly concurrent with the application of the CELLECTRA constant-current electroporation device 4 times across 12 weeks. Safety assessments and immune monitoring against native (germline, non-mutated, non-plasmid matched) hTERT antigen were performed. The largest cohort of patients enrolled had pancreatic cancer, allowing for additional targeted assessments for this tumor type. Results Of the 93 enrolled patients who received at least one dose, 88 had at least one adverse event; the majority were grade 1 or 2, related to injection site. At 18 months, 54.8% (51/93) patients were disease-free, with median disease-free survival (DFS) not reached by end of study. For patients with pancreatic cancer, the median DFS was 9 months, with 41.4% of these patients remaining disease-free at 18 months. hTERT immunotherapy induced a de novo cellular immune response or enhanced pre-existing cellular responses to native hTERT in 96% (88/92) of patients with various cancer types. Treatment with INO-1400/INO-1401±INO-9012 drove hTERT-specific IFN-γ production, generated hTERT-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells expressing the activation marker CD38, and induced hTERT-specific activated CD8 +CTLs as defined by cells expressing perforin and granzymes. The addition of plasmid IL-12 adjuvant elicited higher magnitudes of cellular responses including IFN-γ production, activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and activated CD8+CTLs. In a subset analysis of pancreatic cancer patients, the presence of immunotherapy-induced activated CD8+ T cells expressing PD-1, granzymes and perforin correlated with survival. Conclusions Plasmid DNA-encoded hTERT/IL-12 DNA immunotherapy was well-tolerated, immune responses were noted across all tumor types, and a specific CD8+ phenotype increased by the immunotherapy was significantly correlated with survival in patients with pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert H Vonderheide
- Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Anthony F Shields
- Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Autumn J McRee
- University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jennifer M Johnson
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Weijing Sun
- University of Kansas Medical Center, Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | | | - Jan Pawlicki
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | | | - Robert Samuels
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Joseph J Kim
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - David Weiner
- Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jean D Boyer
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Laurent Humeau
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, USA
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40
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Ellingsen EB, Mangsbo SM, Hovig E, Gaudernack G. Telomerase as a Target for Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines and Considerations for Optimizing Their Clinical Potential. Front Immunol 2021; 12:682492. [PMID: 34290704 PMCID: PMC8288190 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.682492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomerase-based therapeutic cancer vaccines (TCVs) have been under clinical investigation for the past two decades. Despite past failures, TCVs have gained renewed enthusiasm for their potential to improve the efficacy of checkpoint inhibition. Telomerase stands as an attractive target for TCVs due to its almost universal presence in cancer and its essential function promoting tumor growth. Herein, we review tumor telomerase biology that may affect the efficacy of therapeutic vaccination and provide insights on optimal vaccine design and treatment combinations. Tumor types possessing mechanisms of increased telomerase expression combined with an immune permissive tumor microenvironment are expected to increase the therapeutic potential of telomerase-targeting cancer vaccines. Regardless, rational treatment combinations, such as checkpoint inhibitors, are likely necessary to bring out the true clinical potential of TCVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Espen Basmo Ellingsen
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Research and Development, Ultimovacs ASA, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sara M Mangsbo
- Research and Development, Ultimovacs AB, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Eivind Hovig
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Centre for Bioinformatics, Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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Yilmaz E, Gan GN, Schroeder TM, Cowan A, Joste N. Role of molecular signature to differentiate second primary lung cancer from metastasis in a patient with squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity. Cancer Rep (Hoboken) 2021; 4:e1363. [PMID: 34161676 PMCID: PMC8388157 DOI: 10.1002/cnr2.1363] [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: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Lung is the most common site of distant metastasis for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, differentiating second primary lung cancers from metastasis may be difficult for p16 negative HNSCC. Case We describe a case of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) who was found to have lung nodule and hilar lymphadenopathy (LAD) after surgery and radiation therapy. Hilar node was consistent with SCC however, it was difficult to differentiate second primary lung cancer and metastasis from oral cavity SCC. Next‐generation sequencing was done for the primary oral cavity and the hilar node. Both samples had the same type of TP53 mutation and variants of unknown significance suggesting metastatic HNSCC. He was treated with a chemotherapy regimen for metastatic HNSCC. Conclusion Molecular studies can help to differentiate metastasis from second primary lung cancers for p16 negative HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emrullah Yilmaz
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Gregory N Gan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Thomas M Schroeder
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Andrew Cowan
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Nancy Joste
- Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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42
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Boustani J, Joseph ELM, Martin E, Benhmida S, Lecoester B, Tochet F, Mirjolet C, Chevalier C, Thibouw D, Vulquin N, Servagi S, Sun X, Adotévi O. Cisplatin-based chemoradiation decreases telomerase-specific CD4 TH1 response but increases immune suppressive cells in peripheral blood. BMC Immunol 2021; 22:38. [PMID: 34144673 PMCID: PMC8212531 DOI: 10.1186/s12865-021-00429-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The synergistic effect of chemoradiation (CRT) has been previously demonstrated in several cancer types. Here, we investigated the systemic immune effects of CRT in patients with lung or head and neck cancer. Materials and methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were collected at baseline and 1 month after treatment from blood samples of 29 patients treated with cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy for lung or head and neck cancer. Circulating anti-tumor Th1 response was assessed by the ELISpot assay using a mixture of human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class II restricted peptides derived from telomerase (TERT). Phenotyping of circulating immunosuppressive cells (Treg and MDSC) was performed by flow cytometry. Results A significant increase of circulating Treg was observed in 60% of patients after CRT The mean rate of Treg was 3.1% versus 4.9% at baseline and after CRT respectively, p = 0.0015). However, there was a no significant increase of MDSC rate after CRT. In contrast, a decrease of tumor-specific Th1 response was documented in 7 out of 10 evaluated patients. We found high frequency of pre-existing tumor-specific Th1 response among patients with objective response after CRT compared to non-responders. Conclusion Cisplatin-based CRT promotes expansion of Treg and decrease of circulating anti-tumor Th1 response in peripheral blood. The balance towards a sustained specific anti-tumor T-cell response appears to be associated with response to CRT. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12865-021-00429-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihane Boustani
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Besançon, 25000, Besançon, France. .,INSERM, EFS BFC, UMR1098, RIGHT, Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 25000, Besançon, France.
| | - Elodie Lauret Marie Joseph
- INSERM, EFS BFC, UMR1098, RIGHT, Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 25000, Besançon, France
| | - Etienne Martin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Besançon, 25000, Besançon, France.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre George François Leclerc, 21079, Dijon, France
| | - Salim Benhmida
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Besançon, 25000, Besançon, France
| | - Benoit Lecoester
- INSERM, EFS BFC, UMR1098, RIGHT, Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 25000, Besançon, France
| | - Florent Tochet
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Besançon, 25000, Besançon, France
| | - Céline Mirjolet
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre George François Leclerc, 21079, Dijon, France.,INSERM UMR 1231, 21079, Dijon, France
| | - Cédric Chevalier
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Besançon, 25000, Besançon, France.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre George François Leclerc, 21079, Dijon, France
| | - David Thibouw
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Besançon, 25000, Besançon, France.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre George François Leclerc, 21079, Dijon, France
| | - Noémie Vulquin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Besançon, 25000, Besançon, France.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre George François Leclerc, 21079, Dijon, France
| | - Stéphanie Servagi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Institut Godinot, 51100, Reims, France
| | - Xushan Sun
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Besançon, 25000, Besançon, France.,Department of Radiation Oncology, North Franche-Comté Hospital, 25200, Montbéliard, France
| | - Olivier Adotévi
- INSERM, EFS BFC, UMR1098, RIGHT, Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 25000, Besançon, France.,Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital of Besançon, 25000, Besançon, France
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Haakensen VD, Nowak AK, Ellingsen EB, Farooqi SJ, Bjaanæs MM, Horndalsveen H, Mcculloch T, Grundberg O, Cedres SM, Helland Å. NIPU: a randomised, open-label, phase II study evaluating nivolumab and ipilimumab combined with UV1 vaccination as second line treatment in patients with malignant mesothelioma. J Transl Med 2021; 19:232. [PMID: 34059094 PMCID: PMC8165504 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-021-02905-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare and aggressive tumour. For patients with inoperable disease, few treatment options are available after first line chemotherapy. The combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab has recently shown increased survival compared to standard chemotherapy, but most patients do not respond and improvements are called for. Telomerase is expressed in mesothelioma cells, but only sparsely in normal tissues and is therefore an attractive target for therapeutic vaccination. Vaccination against telomerase is tolerable and has shown to induce immune responses associated with increased survival in other cancer types. There is a well-founded scientific rationale for the combination of a telomerase vaccine and checkpoint inhibition to improve treatment response in MPM patients. Methods NIPU is a randomized, multi-centre, open-label, phase II study comparing the efficacy and safety of nivolumab and ipilimumab with or without telomerase vaccine in patients with inoperable malignant pleural mesothelioma after first-line platinum-based chemotherapy. Participants (n = 118) are randomized 1:1 into two treatment arms. All participants receive treatment with nivolumab (240 mg every 2 weeks) and ipilimumab (1 mg/kg every 6 weeks) until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity or for a maximum of 2 years. Patients randomised to the experimental arm receive 8 intradermal injections of UV1 vaccine during the first three months of treatment. Tumour tissue, blood, urine, faeces and imaging will be collected for biomarker analyses and exploration of mechanisms for response and resistance to therapy. Discussion Checkpoint inhibition is used for treatment of mesothelioma, but many patients still do not respond. Increasing therapy response to immunotherapy is an important goal. Possible approaches include combination with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy and other immunotherapeutic agents. Predictive biomarkers are necessary to ensure optimal treatment for each patient and to prevent unnecessary side effects. This trial seeks to improve treatment response by combining checkpoint inhibition with a telomerase vaccine and also to explore mechanisms for treatment response and resistance. Knowledge gained in the NIPU study may be transferred to the first line setting and to other cancers with limited benefit from immunotherapy. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04300244, registered March 8th, 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04300244?term=NIPU&draw=2&rank=1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vilde Drageset Haakensen
- Department of Oncology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Cancer Genetics, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anna K Nowak
- National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases, Institute for Respiratory Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.,Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Australia
| | - Espen Basmo Ellingsen
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Ultimovacs, Oslo, Norway
| | - Saima Jamil Farooqi
- Department of Oncology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Cancer Genetics, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Maria Moksnes Bjaanæs
- Department of Oncology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Cancer Genetics, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Henrik Horndalsveen
- Department of Oncology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Cancer Genetics, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tine Mcculloch
- Department of Oncology and Clinical Cancer Research Center, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Oscar Grundberg
- Thoracic Oncology Center, Theme Cancer, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Susana M Cedres
- Oncology Department, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital and Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Åslaug Helland
- Department of Oncology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. .,Department of Cancer Genetics, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. .,Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
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Gong C, Yang H, Wang S, Liu J, Li Z, Hu Y, Chen Y, Huang Y, Luo Q, Wu Y, Liu E, Xiao Y. hTERT Promotes CRC Proliferation and Migration by Recruiting YBX1 to Increase NRF2 Expression. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:658101. [PMID: 34079797 PMCID: PMC8165255 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.658101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
High human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression is related to severe Colorectal Cancer (CRC) progression and negatively related to CRC patient survival. Previous studies have revealed that hTERT can reduce cancer cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and accelerate cancer progression; however, the mechanism remains poorly understood. NFE2-related factor 2 (NRF2) is a molecule that plays a significant role in regulating cellular ROS homeostasis, but whether there is a correlation between hTERT and NRF2 remains unclear. Here, we showed that hTERT increases CRC proliferation and migration by inducing NRF2 upregulation. We further found that hTERT increases NRF2 expression at both the mRNA and protein levels. Our data also revealed that hTERT primarily upregulates NRF2 by increasing NRF2 promoter activity rather than by regulating NRF2 mRNA or protein stability. Using DNA pull-down/MS analysis, we found that hTERT can recruit YBX1 to upregulate NRF2 promoter activity. We also found that hTERT/YBX1 may localize to the P2 region of the NRF2 promoter. Taken together, our results demonstrate that hTERT facilitates CRC proliferation and migration by upregulating NRF2 expression through the recruitment of the transcription factor YBX1 to activate the NRF2 promoter. These results provide a new theoretical basis for CRC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunli Gong
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Huan Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Sumin Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiao Liu
- Department of Endoscope, General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region, Shenyang, China
| | - Zhibin Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yiyang Hu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yang Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yu Huang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qiang Luo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuyun Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - En Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yufeng Xiao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
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45
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Moreno-Acosta P, Molano MÓ, Morales N, Acosta J, GonzÁlez-Prieto C, Mayorga D, Buitrago L, Gamboa O, MejÍa JC, Castro J, Romero-Rojas A, Espenel S, Murray GL, Garland SM, Vallard A, MagnÉ N. hTERT Protein Expression in Cytoplasm and Nucleus and its Association With HPV Infection in Patients With Cervical Cancer. Cancer Genomics Proteomics 2021; 17:615-625. [PMID: 32859640 DOI: 10.21873/cgp.20218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few studies have analyzed the association between human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) protein expression (nuclear and cytoplasmic localization), hTERT methylation status, and human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype infection in cervical cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS One hundred seventy-three patients with cervical cancer were analyzed. hTERT protein expression was detected by immunohistochemistry. hTERT DNA methylation analysis was performed using a PCR-RLB-hTERT assay, targeting two regions of the hTERT promoter. Type specific HPV infection was detected by using GP5+/GP6+PCR-RLB. RESULTS hTERT protein expression was found in both cytoplasm and nucleus (78.0% of the samples showed a cytoplasmic localization and 79.8% had a nuclear localization). A statistically significant association was found between alpha 9 and 7 HPV species with a non-methylation pattern of the hTERT promoter and between these species and high expression of hTERT protein with nuclear localization. CONCLUSION hTERT protein is found in both the nucleus and cytoplasm of patients with cervical cancer and confirm the relationship between the non-methylated status of hTERT promoter and some HPV species as well as the relationship between these species and hTERT protein expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Moreno-Acosta
- Research Group in Radiobiology Clinical, Molecular and Cellular, National Cancer Institute, Bogotá, Colombia .,Research Group in Cancer Biology, National Cancer Institute, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - MÓnica Molano
- Centre Women's Infectious Diseases Research, The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Nicolas Morales
- Research Group in Cancer Biology, National Cancer Institute, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Jinneth Acosta
- Pathology Group, National University of Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Diana Mayorga
- Research Group in Radiobiology Clinical, Molecular and Cellular, National Cancer Institute, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Lina Buitrago
- Unit of Analysis, National Cancer Institute, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Oscar Gamboa
- Unit of Analysis, National Cancer Institute, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Juan Carlos MejÍa
- Group of Pathology Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - July Castro
- Group of Pathology Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Sophie Espenel
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Institut de Cancérologie de la Loire-Lucien Neuwirth, Saint-Priest en Jarez, France
| | - Gerald L Murray
- Centre Women's Infectious Diseases Research, The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Suzanne M Garland
- Centre Women's Infectious Diseases Research, The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Alexis Vallard
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Institut de Cancérologie de la Loire-Lucien Neuwirth, Saint-Priest en Jarez, France
| | - Nicolas MagnÉ
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Institut de Cancérologie de la Loire-Lucien Neuwirth, Saint-Priest en Jarez, France
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Wang WL, Gokgoz N, Samman B, Andrulis IL, Wunder JS, Demicco EG. RNA expression profiling reveals PRAME, a potential immunotherapy target, is frequently expressed in solitary fibrous tumors. Mod Pathol 2021; 34:951-960. [PMID: 33009490 DOI: 10.1038/s41379-020-00687-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Solitary fibrous tumors are a type of translocation-associated sarcoma with up to 30% rates of metastasis and poor response to conventional chemotherapy. Other translocation-associated sarcomas have been shown to display elevated expression of various cancer-testis antigens which may render them susceptible to immunotherapy strategies such as cancer vaccines and adoptive T-cell therapy. After an RNA sequencing assay brought the cancer-testis antigen Preferentially Expressed Antigen In Melanoma (PRAME) to our attention as possibly being upregulated in aggressive TERT promoter-mutated solitary fibrous tumors, we used tissue microarrays to asses PRAME expression in a large series of previously characterized solitary fibrous tumors, with correlation to various clinicopathologic features, as well as with tumor-infiltrating macrophages and the associated signal regulatory protein α (SIRPα)-CD47 regulatory checkpoint. We found that PRAME was expressed in 165/180 solitary fibrous tumors, with high expression seen in 58%, irrespective of TERT promoter status. Elevated PRAME expression was more frequent in primary intrathoracic solitary fibrous tumors and correlated with older age at primary diagnosis. Elevated PRAME was also associated with features suggestive of immune evasion, including lower numbers of antigen-presenting CD163+ and CD68+ macrophages, and expression of the "don't eat me" receptor CD47 on tumor cells. Taken together, these features suggest that strategies targeting PRAME with or without concomitant SIRPα-CD47 axis inhibition may represent a potential future therapeutic option in aggressive solitary fibrous tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Lien Wang
- Departments of Pathology & Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Nalan Gokgoz
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Bana Samman
- Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Irene L Andrulis
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jay S Wunder
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada.,University of Toronto Musculoskeletal Oncology Unit, Mount Sinai Hospital, and Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Elizabeth G Demicco
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Chhabra R, Rockfield S, Guergues J, Nadeau OW, Hill R, Stevens SM, Nanjundan M. Global miRNA/proteomic analyses identify miRNAs at 14q32 and 3p21, which contribute to features of chronic iron-exposed fallopian tube epithelial cells. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6270. [PMID: 33737539 PMCID: PMC7973504 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85342-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Malignant transformation of fallopian tube secretory epithelial cells (FTSECs) is a key contributing event to the development of high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC). Our recent findings implicate oncogenic transformative events in chronic iron-exposed FTSECs, including increased expression of oncogenic mediators, increased telomerase transcripts, and increased growth/migratory potential. Herein, we extend these studies by implementing an integrated transcriptomic and mass spectrometry-based proteomics approach to identify global miRNA and protein alterations, for which we also investigate a subset of these targets to iron-induced functional alterations. Proteomic analysis identified > 4500 proteins, of which 243 targets were differentially expressed. Sixty-five differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, of which 35 were associated with the “top” proteomic molecules (> fourfold change) identified by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Twenty of these 35 miRNAs are at the 14q32 locus (encoding a cluster of 54 miRNAs) with potential to be regulated by DNA methylation and histone deacetylation. At 14q32, miR-432-5p and miR-127-3p were ~ 100-fold downregulated whereas miR-138-5p was 16-fold downregulated at 3p21 in chronic iron-exposed FTSECs. Combinatorial treatment with methyltransferase and deacetylation inhibitors reversed expression of these miRNAs, suggesting chronic iron exposure alters miRNA expression via epigenetic alterations. In addition, PAX8, an important target in HGSOC and a potential miRNA target (from IPA) was epigenetically deregulated in iron-exposed FTSECs. However, both PAX8 and ALDH1A2 (another IPA-predicted target) were experimentally identified to be independently regulated by these miRNAs although TERT RNA was partially regulated by miR-138-5p. Interestingly, overexpression of miR-432-5p diminished cell numbers induced by long-term iron exposure in FTSECs. Collectively, our global profiling approaches uncovered patterns of miRNA and proteomic alterations that may be regulated by genome-wide epigenetic alterations and contribute to functional alterations induced by chronic iron exposure in FTSECs. This study may provide a platform to identify future biomarkers for early ovarian cancer detection and new targets for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravneet Chhabra
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
| | - Stephanie Rockfield
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA.,Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Jennifer Guergues
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 261 Mountain View Drive, Colchester, VT, 05446, USA
| | - Owen W Nadeau
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 261 Mountain View Drive, Colchester, VT, 05446, USA
| | - Robert Hill
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
| | - Stanley M Stevens
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 261 Mountain View Drive, Colchester, VT, 05446, USA
| | - Meera Nanjundan
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA.
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Zhang H, Yuan F, Qi Y, Liu B, Chen Q. Circulating Tumor Cells for Glioma. Front Oncol 2021; 11:607150. [PMID: 33777749 PMCID: PMC7987781 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.607150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Liquid biopsy has entered clinical applications for several cancers, including metastatic breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer for CTC enumeration and NSCLC for EGFR mutations in ctDNA, and has improved the individualized treatment of many cancers, but relatively little progress has been made in validating circulating biomarkers for brain malignancies. So far, data on circulating tumor cells about glioma are limited, the application of circulating tumor cells as biomarker for glioma patients has only just begun. This article reviews the research status and application prospects of circulating tumor cells in gliomas. Several detection methods and research results of circulating tumor cells about clinical research in gliomas are briefly discussed. The wide application prospect of circulating tumor cells in glioma deserves further exploration, and the research on more sensitive and convenient detection methods is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huikai Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Fanen Yuan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yangzhi Qi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Baohui Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qianxue Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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Hypoxia-Induced Cancer Cell Responses Driving Radioresistance of Hypoxic Tumors: Approaches to Targeting and Radiosensitizing. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13051102. [PMID: 33806538 PMCID: PMC7961562 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13051102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Some regions of aggressive malignancies experience hypoxia due to inadequate blood supply. Cancer cells adapting to hypoxic conditions somehow become more resistant to radiation exposure and this decreases the efficacy of radiotherapy toward hypoxic tumors. The present review article helps clarify two intriguing points: why hypoxia-adapted cancer cells turn out radioresistant and how they can be rendered more radiosensitive. The critical molecular targets associated with intratumoral hypoxia and various approaches are here discussed which may be used for sensitizing hypoxic tumors to radiotherapy. Abstract Within aggressive malignancies, there usually are the “hypoxic zones”—poorly vascularized regions where tumor cells undergo oxygen deficiency through inadequate blood supply. Besides, hypoxia may arise in tumors as a result of antiangiogenic therapy or transarterial embolization. Adapting to hypoxia, tumor cells acquire a hypoxia-resistant phenotype with the characteristic alterations in signaling, gene expression and metabolism. Both the lack of oxygen by itself and the hypoxia-responsive phenotypic modulations render tumor cells more radioresistant, so that hypoxic tumors are a serious challenge for radiotherapy. An understanding of causes of the radioresistance of hypoxic tumors would help to develop novel ways for overcoming this challenge. Molecular targets for and various approaches to radiosensitizing hypoxic tumors are considered in the present review. It is here analyzed how the hypoxia-induced cellular responses involving hypoxia-inducible factor-1, heat shock transcription factor 1, heat shock proteins, glucose-regulated proteins, epigenetic regulators, autophagy, energy metabolism reprogramming, epithelial–mesenchymal transition and exosome generation contribute to the radioresistance of hypoxic tumors or may be inhibited for attenuating this radioresistance. The pretreatments with a multitarget inhibition of the cancer cell adaptation to hypoxia seem to be a promising approach to sensitizing hypoxic carcinomas, gliomas, lymphomas, sarcomas to radiotherapy and, also, liver tumors to radioembolization.
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50
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Lee HY, Son SW, Moeng S, Choi SY, Park JK. The Role of Noncoding RNAs in the Regulation of Anoikis and Anchorage-Independent Growth in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22020627. [PMID: 33435156 PMCID: PMC7827914 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a global health concern, and the prognosis of patients with cancer is associated with metastasis. Multistep processes are involved in cancer metastasis. Accumulating evidence has shown that cancer cells acquire the capacity of anoikis resistance and anchorage-independent cell growth, which are critical prerequisite features of metastatic cancer cells. Multiple cellular factors and events, such as apoptosis, survival factors, cell cycle, EMT, stemness, autophagy, and integrins influence the anoikis resistance and anchorage-independent cell growth in cancer. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), such as microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), are dysregulated in cancer. They regulate cellular signaling pathways and events, eventually contributing to cancer aggressiveness. This review presents the role of miRNAs and lncRNAs in modulating anoikis resistance and anchorage-independent cell growth. We also discuss the feasibility of ncRNA-based therapy and the natural features of ncRNAs that need to be contemplated for more beneficial therapeutic strategies against cancer.
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