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Che Y, Lu X, Wang X, Liu Z, Guan L, Li X, Du Z, Ren H, Wang J, Zhou Z, Lv L. Does rAj-Tspin, a novel peptide from A. japonicus, exert antihepatocellular carcinoma effects via the ITGB1/ZYX/FAK/AKT signaling pathway? Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:290. [PMID: 39143566 PMCID: PMC11325833 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03468-1] [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: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024] Open
Abstract
rAj-Tspin, a soluble recombinant peptide from Apostichopus japonicus, can inhibit the integrin β1 (ITGB1)/FAK/AKT signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) via cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and apoptosis. Zyxin (ZYX) is a focal adhesion protein that is considered a novel mediator of EMT and apoptosis. However, the inhibitory mechanisms of rAj-Tspin in HCC and whether it is related to ZYX are unclear. We examined the antitumor effect of rAj-Tspin on the Huh7 human HCC cell line and on a nude mouse model generated via subcutaneous injection or orthotopic intrahepatic transplantation of Huh7 cells. Our results revealed that rAj-Tspin strikingly reduced the viability and promoted the apoptosis of Huh7 cells and inhibited HCC tumor growth in nude mice. rAj-Tspin inhibited ITGB1 and ZYX protein expression in vivo and in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. Mechanistically, the FAK/AKT signaling pathway and the proliferation and invasion of HCC cells were suppressed upon ITGB1 and ZYX knockdown. Moreover, the effect of ITGB1 overexpression on the growth of HCC cells was inhibited by rAj-Tspin. In contrast, the promoting effect of ITGB1 overexpression could be inhibited by ZYX knockdown. ZYX knockdown had no effect on ITGB1 expression. These findings suggest that ZYX is required for the indispensable role of ITGB1 in rAj-Tspin-alleviated HCC and provide an important therapeutic target for HCC. In summary, the anti-HCC effect of rAj-Tspin potentially involves the regulation of the ITGB1/ZYX/FAK/AKT pathway, which in turn impacts EMT and apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Che
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, Liaoning, China
| | - Xiaolong Lu
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, Liaoning, China
| | - Xueting Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, Liaoning, China
| | - Zhien Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, Liaoning, China
| | - Liyang Guan
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, Liaoning, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, Liaoning, China
| | - Zaixing Du
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, Liaoning, China
| | - Hang Ren
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, Liaoning, China
| | - Jihong Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, 116081, Liaoning, China.
| | - Zunchun Zhou
- Liaoning Ocean and Fisheries Science Research Institute, Dalian, 116023, Liaoning, China.
| | - Li Lv
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, Liaoning, China.
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Gao C, Ge H, Kuan SF, Cai C, Lu X, Esni F, Schoen RE, Wang JH, Chu E, Hu J. FAK loss reduces BRAF V600E-induced ERK phosphorylation to promote intestinal stemness and cecal tumor formation. eLife 2024; 13:RP94605. [PMID: 38921956 PMCID: PMC11208045 DOI: 10.7554/elife.94605] [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] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BRAFV600E mutation is a driver mutation in the serrated pathway to colorectal cancers. BRAFV600E drives tumorigenesis through constitutive downstream extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation, but high-intensity ERK activation can also trigger tumor suppression. Whether and how oncogenic ERK signaling can be intrinsically adjusted to a 'just-right' level optimal for tumorigenesis remains undetermined. In this study, we found that FAK (Focal adhesion kinase) expression was reduced in BRAFV600E-mutant adenomas/polyps in mice and patients. In Vil1-Cre;BRAFLSL-V600E/+;Ptk2fl/fl mice, Fak deletion maximized BRAFV600E's oncogenic activity and increased cecal tumor incidence to 100%. Mechanistically, our results showed that Fak loss, without jeopardizing BRAFV600E-induced ERK pathway transcriptional output, reduced EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor)-dependent ERK phosphorylation. Reduction in ERK phosphorylation increased the level of Lgr4, promoting intestinal stemness and cecal tumor formation. Our findings show that a 'just-right' ERK signaling optimal for BRAFV600E-induced cecal tumor formation can be achieved via Fak loss-mediated downregulation of ERK phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenxi Gao
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicinePittsburghUnited States
| | - Huaibin Ge
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of PittsburghPittsburghUnited States
| | - Shih-Fan Kuan
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicinePittsburghUnited States
| | - Chunhui Cai
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of PittsburghPittsburghUnited States
| | - Xinghua Lu
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of PittsburghPittsburghUnited States
| | - Farzad Esni
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicinePittsburghUnited States
| | - Robert E Schoen
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicinePittsburghUnited States
| | - Jing H Wang
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of PittsburghPittsburghUnited States
| | - Edward Chu
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of PittsburghPittsburghUnited States
| | - Jing Hu
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicinePittsburghUnited States
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Braghini MR, De Stefanis C, Tiano F, Castellano A, Cicolani N, Pezzullo M, Tocco V, Spada M, Alaggio R, Alisi A, Francalanci P. Focal adhesion kinase and its epigenetic interactors as diagnostic and therapeutic hints for pediatric hepatoblastoma. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1397647. [PMID: 38947885 PMCID: PMC11211568 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1397647] [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: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most common pediatric hepatic malignancy. Despite the progress in HB treatment, investigating HB pathomechanisms to optimize stratification and therapies remains a focal point to improve the outcome for high-risk patients. Methods Here, we pointed to explore the impact of these mechanisms in HB. An observational study was performed on liver samples from a cohort of 17 patients with a diagnosis of HB and two normal liver samples. The in vitro experiments were executed on the Huh6 human HB cell line treated with the FAK inhibitor TAE226. Results Our results highlight a significant up-regulation of mRNA and protein expression of FAK in livers from HB with respect to normal livers. The increased protein expression of total and Tyr397 phosphorylated FAK (pTyr397FAK) was significantly correlated with the expression of some epigenetic regulators of histone H3 methylation and acetylation. Of note, the expression of pTyr397FAK, N-methyltransferase enzyme (EZH2) and tri-methylation of the H3K27 residue correlated with tumor size and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels. Finally, TAE226 caused a significant reduction of pTyr397FAK, epigenetic regulators, AFP, EPCAM, OCT4, and SOX2, in association with anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects on HB cells. Conclusion Our results suggest a role of FAK in HB that requires further investigations mainly focused on the exploration of its effective diagnostic and therapeutic translatability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Rita Braghini
- Research Unit of Genetics of Complex Phenotypes, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Francesca Tiano
- Research Unit of Genetics of Complex Phenotypes, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Aurora Castellano
- Division of Oncohematology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicolo’ Cicolani
- Core Facilities, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Pezzullo
- Core Facilities, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Tocco
- Core Facilities, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Spada
- Research Unit of Clinical Hepatogastroenterology and Transplantation; Division of Hepatobiliopancreatic Surgery, Liver and Kidney Transplantation, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Rita Alaggio
- Pathology Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Alisi
- Research Unit of Genetics of Complex Phenotypes, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Francalanci
- Pathology Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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Gao J, Cheng J, Xie W, Zhang P, Liu X, Wang Z, Zhang B. Prospects of focal adhesion kinase inhibitors as a cancer therapy in preclinical and early phase study. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2024; 33:639-651. [PMID: 38676368 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2024.2348068] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION FAK, a nonreceptor cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase, plays a crucial role in tumor metastasis, drug resistance, tumor stem cell maintenance, and regulation of the tumor microenvironment. FAK has emerged as a promising target for tumor therapy based on both preclinical and clinical data. AREAS COVERED This paper aims to summarize the molecular mechanisms underlying FAK's involvement in tumorigenesis and progression. Encouraging results have emerged from ongoing clinical trials of FAK inhibitors. Additionally, we present an overview of clinical trials for FAK inhibitors, examining their potential as promising treatments. The pertinent studies gathered from databases including PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov. EXPERT OPINION Since the first finding in 1990s, targeting FAK has became the focus of interests in many pharmaceutical companies. Through 30 years' discovery, the industry and academy gradually realized the features of FAK target which may not be a driver gene but a solid defense system for the cancer initiation and development. Currently, the ongoing clinical regimens involving FAK inhibition are all the combination strategies in which FAK inhibitors can further strengthen the cancer cell killing effects of other testing agents. The emerging positive signal in clinical trials foresee targeting FAK as class will be an effective mean to fight against cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Wanyu Xie
- InxMed (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Ping Zhang
- InxMed (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuebin Liu
- InxMed (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Zaiqi Wang
- InxMed (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Shanghai, China
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5
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Xing B, Lei Z, Wang Z, Wang Q, Jiang Q, Zhang Z, Liu X, Qi Y, Li S, Guo X, Liu Y, Li X, Shu K, Zhang H, Bartsch JW, Nimsky C, Huang Y, Lei T. A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 22 activates integrin β1 through its disintegrin domain to promote the progression of pituitary adenoma. Neuro Oncol 2024; 26:137-152. [PMID: 37555799 PMCID: PMC10768997 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noad148] [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: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Approximately 35% of pituitary adenoma (PA) display an aggressive profile, resulting in low surgical total resection rates, high recurrence rates, and worse prognosis. However, the molecular mechanism of PA invasion remains poorly understood. Although "a disintegrin and metalloproteinases" (ADAMs) are associated with the progression of many tumors, there are no reports on ADAM22 in PA. METHODS PA transcriptomics databases and clinical specimens were used to analyze the expression of ADAM22. PA cell lines overexpressing wild-type ADAM22, the point mutation ADAM22, the mutated ADAM22 without disintegrin domain, and knocking down ADAM22 were generated. Cell proliferation/invasion assays, flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, co-immunoprecipitation, mass spectrometry, Reverse transcription-quantitative real-time PCR, phos-tag SDS-PAGE, and Western blot were performed for function and mechanism research. Nude mice xenograft models and rat prolactinoma orthotopic models were used to validate in vitro findings. RESULTS ADAM22 was significantly overexpressed in PA and could promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of PA cells. ADAM22 interacted with integrin β1 (ITGB1) and activated FAK/PI3K and FAK/ERK signaling pathways through its disintegrin domain to promote PA progression. ADAM22 was phosphorylated by PKA and recruited 14-3-3, thereby delaying its degradation. ITGB1-targeted inhibitor (anti-itgb1) exerted antitumor effects and synergistic effects in combination with somatostatin analogs or dopamine agonists in treating PA. CONCLUSIONS ADAM22 was upregulated in PA and was able to promote PA proliferation, migration, and invasion by activating ITGB1 signaling. PKA may regulate the degradation of ADAM22 through post-transcriptional modification levels. ITGB1 may be a potential therapeutic target for PA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biao Xing
- Sino-German Neuro-Oncology Molecular Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital of Tongji medical college of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhuowei Lei
- Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital of Tongji medical college of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zihan Wang
- Sino-German Neuro-Oncology Molecular Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital of Tongji medical college of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Quanji Wang
- Sino-German Neuro-Oncology Molecular Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital of Tongji medical college of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qian Jiang
- Sino-German Neuro-Oncology Molecular Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital of Tongji medical college of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhuo Zhang
- Sino-German Neuro-Oncology Molecular Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital of Tongji medical college of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaojin Liu
- Sino-German Neuro-Oncology Molecular Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital of Tongji medical college of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yiwei Qi
- Sino-German Neuro-Oncology Molecular Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital of Tongji medical college of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Sihan Li
- Sino-German Neuro-Oncology Molecular Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital of Tongji medical college of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiang Guo
- Sino-German Neuro-Oncology Molecular Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital of Tongji medical college of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanchao Liu
- Sino-German Neuro-Oncology Molecular Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital of Tongji medical college of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xingbo Li
- Sino-German Neuro-Oncology Molecular Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital of Tongji medical college of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kai Shu
- Sino-German Neuro-Oncology Molecular Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital of Tongji medical college of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Huaqiu Zhang
- Sino-German Neuro-Oncology Molecular Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital of Tongji medical college of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jörg Walter Bartsch
- Department of Neurosurgery, Philipps-University Marburg, University Hospital Marburg (UKGM), Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), Marburg, Germany
| | - Christopher Nimsky
- Department of Neurosurgery, Philipps-University Marburg, University Hospital Marburg (UKGM), Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), Marburg, Germany
| | - Yimin Huang
- Sino-German Neuro-Oncology Molecular Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital of Tongji medical college of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ting Lei
- Sino-German Neuro-Oncology Molecular Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital of Tongji medical college of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Gao C, Ge H, Kuan SF, Cai C, Lu X, Esni F, Schoen R, Wang J, Chu E, Hu J. FAK loss reduces BRAF V600E-induced ERK phosphorylation to promote intestinal stemness and cecal tumor formation. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-2531119. [PMID: 36778401 PMCID: PMC9915899 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2531119/v2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
BRAF V600E mutation is a driver mutation in the serrated pathway to colorectal cancers. BRAFV600E drives tumorigenesis through constitutive downstream extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation, but high-intensity ERK activation can also trigger tumor suppression. Whether and how oncogenic ERK signaling can be intrinsically adjusted to a "just-right" level optimal for tumorigenesis remains undetermined. In this study, we found that FAK (Focal adhesion kinase) expression was reduced in BRAFV600E-mutant adenomas/polyps in mice and patients. In Vill-Cre;BRAFV600E/+;Fakfl/fl mice, Fak deletion maximized BRAFV600E's oncogenic activity and increased cecal tumor incidence to 100%. Mechanistically, our results showed that Fak loss, without jeopardizing BRAFV600E-induced ERK pathway transcriptional output, reduced EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor)-dependent ERK phosphorylation. Reduction in ERK phosphorylation increased the level of Lgr4, promoting intestinal stemness and cecal tumor formation. Our findings show that a "just-right" ERK signaling optimal for BRAFV600E-induced cecal tumor formation can be achieved via Fak loss-mediated downregulation of ERK phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jing Wang
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center/University of Pittsburgh
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7
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Gao C, Ge H, Kuan SF, Cai C, Lu X, Esni F, Schoen R, Wang J, Chu E, Hu J. FAK loss reduces BRAF V600E-induced ERK phosphorylation to promote intestinal stemness and cecal tumor formation. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-2531119. [PMID: 36778401 PMCID: PMC9915899 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2531119/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
BRAF V600E mutation is a driver mutation in the serrated pathway to colorectal cancers. BRAFV600E drives tumorigenesis through constitutive downstream extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation, but high-intensity ERK activation can also trigger tumor suppression. Whether and how oncogenic ERK signaling can be intrinsically adjusted to a "just-right" level optimal for tumorigenesis remains undetermined. In this study, we found that FAK (Focal adhesion kinase) expression was reduced in BRAFV600E-mutant adenomas/polyps in mice and patients. In Vill-Cre;BRAFV600E/+;Fakfl/fl mice, Fak deletion maximized BRAFV600E's oncogenic activity and increased cecal tumor incidence to 100%. Mechanistically, our results showed that Fak loss, without jeopardizing BRAFV600E-induced ERK pathway transcriptional output, reduced EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor)-dependent ERK phosphorylation. Reduction in ERK phosphorylation increased the level of Lgr4, promoting intestinal stemness and cecal tumor formation. Our findings show that a "just-right" ERK signaling optimal for BRAFV600E-induced cecal tumor formation can be achieved via Fak loss-mediated downregulation of ERK phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jing Wang
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center/University of Pittsburgh
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8
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Hou W, Gad SA, Ding X, Dhanarajan A, Qiu W. Focal adhesion kinase confers lenvatinib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma via the regulation of lysine-deficient kinase 1. Mol Carcinog 2024; 63:173-189. [PMID: 37787401 PMCID: PMC10842616 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23644] [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: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Lenvatinib is a clinically effective multikinase inhibitor approved for first-line therapy of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although resistance against lenvatinib often emerges and limits its antitumor activity, the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in endogenous and acquired resistance remain elusive. In this study, we identified focal adhesion kinase (FAK) as a critical contributor to lenvatinib resistance in HCC. The elevated expression and phosphorylation of FAK were observed in both acquired and endogenous lenvatinib-resistant (LR) HCC cells. Furthermore, inhibition of FAK reversed lenvatinib resistance in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, FAK promoted lenvatinib resistance through regulating lysine-deficient kinase 1 (WNK1). Phosphorylation of WNK1 was significantly increased in LR-HCC cells. Further, WNK1 inhibitor WNK463 resensitized either established or endogenous LR-HCC cells to lenvatinib treatment. In addition, overexpression of WNK1 desensitized parental HCC cells to lenvatinib treatment. Conclusively, our results establish a crucial role and novel mechanism of FAK in lenvatinib resistance and suggest that targeting the FAK/WNK1 axis is a promising therapeutic strategy in HCC patients showing lenvatinib resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Hou
- Department of Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois, USA
| | - Shaimaa A Gad
- Department of Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical Research and Clinical Studies Institute, National Research Center, Egypt
| | - Xianzhong Ding
- Department of Pathology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois, USA
| | - Asha Dhanarajan
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois, USA
| | - Wei Qiu
- Department of Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois, USA
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Malnassy G, Keating CR, Gad S, Bridgeman B, Perera A, Hou W, Cotler SJ, Ding X, Choudhry M, Sun Z, Koleske AJ, Qiu W. Inhibition of Abelson Tyrosine-Protein Kinase 2 Suppresses the Development of Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease by Decreasing PPARgamma Expression. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 16:685-709. [PMID: 37460041 PMCID: PMC10520367 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2023.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) represents a spectrum of alcohol use-related liver diseases. Outside of alcohol abstinence, there are currently no Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments for advanced ALD, necessitating a greater understanding of ALD pathogenesis and potential molecular targets for therapeutic intervention. The ABL-family proteins, including ABL1 and ABL2, are non-receptor tyrosine kinases that participate in a diverse set of cellular functions. We investigated the role of the ABL kinases in alcohol-associated liver disease. METHODS We used samples from patients with ALD compared with healthy controls to elucidate a clinical phenotype. We established strains of liver-specific Abl1 and Abl2 knockout mice and subjected them to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism acute-on-chronic alcohol feeding regimen. Murine samples were subjected to RNA sequencing, AST, Oil Red O staining, H&E staining, Western blotting, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction to assess phenotypic changes after alcohol feeding. In vitro modeling in HepG2 cells as well as primary hepatocytes from C57BL6/J mice was used to establish this mechanistic link of ALD pathogenesis. RESULTS We demonstrate that the ABL kinases are highly activated in ALD patient liver samples as well as in liver tissues from mice subjected to an alcohol feeding regimen. We found that the liver-specific knockout of Abl2, but not Abl1, attenuated alcohol-induced steatosis, liver injury, and inflammation. Subsequent RNA sequencing and gene set enrichment analyses of mouse liver tissues revealed that relative to wild-type alcohol-fed mice, Abl2 knockout alcohol-fed mice exhibited numerous pathway changes, including significantly decreased peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) signaling. Further examination revealed that PPARγ, a previously identified regulator of ALD pathogenesis, was induced upon alcohol feeding in wild-type mice, but not in Abl2 knockout mice. In vitro analyses revealed that shRNA-mediated knockdown of ABL2 abolished the alcohol-induced accumulation of PPARγ as well as subsequent lipid accumulation. Conversely, forced overexpression of ABL2 resulted in increased PPARγ protein expression. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the regulation of hypoxia inducible factor 1 subunit alpha (HIF1α) by ABL2 is required for alcohol-induced PPARγ expression. Furthermore, treatment with ABL kinase inhibitors attenuated alcohol-induced PPARγ expression, lipid droplet formation, and liver injury. CONCLUSIONS On the basis of our current evidence, we propose that alcohol-induced ABL2 activation promotes ALD through increasing HIF1α and the subsequent PPARγ expression, and ABL2 inhibition may serve as a promising target for the treatment of ALD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greg Malnassy
- Department of Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois; Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois
| | - Claudia R Keating
- Department of Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois; Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois
| | - Shaimaa Gad
- Department of Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois; Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois; Department of Pharmacology, Medical Research and Clinical Studies Institute, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Bryan Bridgeman
- Department of Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois; Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois
| | - Aldeb Perera
- Department of Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois; Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois
| | - Wei Hou
- Department of Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois; Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois
| | - Scott J Cotler
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois
| | - Xianzhong Ding
- Department of Pathology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois
| | - Mashkoor Choudhry
- Department of Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois
| | - Zhaoli Sun
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Anthony J Koleske
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Wei Qiu
- Department of Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois; Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois.
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Chang CK, Chu SC, Huang JY, Chen PN, Hsieh YS. Terminalia catappa leaf extracts inhibited metastasis of A2058 and A375 melanoma cells via downregulating p-Src and β-catenin pathway in vitro. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:963589. [PMID: 36238547 PMCID: PMC9551286 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.963589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Melanoma is a highly aggressive, lethal, and malignant cancer. Once diagnosed early, it can be easily removed and cured with satisfaction. Although many methods such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy have been used to treat this disease at an advanced stage, the outcomes are poor. Terminalia catappa leaves have been shown to have various biological benefits, including antitumor activity. The specific effects and molecular mechanisms of Terminalia catappa leaf in treating A2058 and A375 melanoma cells in vitro need to be clarified.Methods: The A2058 and A375 melanoma cancer cells were treated with Terminalia catappa leaf extracts, and then the effect of Terminalia catappa leaf extracts on migration and invasion was examined. The cell migration/invasion capacities of A2058 and A375 cells were investigated by a modified Boyden chamber assay. Zymography was used to clarify the activities of matrix metalloproteinases-2 and urinary type plasminogen activator. We performed a Western blot to verify the related expression of phospho-Src (Tyr416), phospho-Focal adhesion kinase (Tyr397), Vimentin, and β-catenin.Results: Modified Boyden chamber assays demonstrated that treatment of Terminalia catappa leaf extracts significantly inhibited A2058 and A375 cell migration/invasion capacities. In the zymography results, we showed that Terminalia catappa leaf extracts negatively modulated the activities of matrix metalloproteinases-2 and urinary type plasminogen activator. Western blot indicated that Terminalia catappa leaf extracts reduced the expression of phospho-Src (Tyr416), phospho-Focal adhesion kinase (Tyr397), Vimentin, and β-catenin.Conclusion:Terminalia catappa leaf extracts affected the antimetastasis of the A2058 and A375 melanoma cell lines by inhibiting the Focal adhesion kinase/Src interaction and Wingless-int1/β-catenin pathways in vitro. Terminalia catappa leaf extracts may serve as an effective chemopreventive agent against metastasis of melanoma cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chin-Kuo Chang
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Chen Chu
- Institute and Department of Food Science, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Jing-Yang Huang
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Ni Chen
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- *Correspondence: Pei-Ni Chen, ; Yih-Shou Hsieh,
| | - Yih-Shou Hsieh
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Clinical Laboratory, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- *Correspondence: Pei-Ni Chen, ; Yih-Shou Hsieh,
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11
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Hou W, Bridgeman B, Malnassy G, Ding X, Cotler S, Dhanarajan A, Qiu W. Integrin subunit beta 8 contributes to lenvatinib resistance in HCC. Hepatol Commun 2022; 6:1786-1802. [PMID: 35238496 PMCID: PMC9234648 DOI: 10.1002/hep4.1928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Lenvatinib is a multikinase inhibitor approved as a first-line therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the development of drug resistance is common, and the underlying mechanisms governing this resistance are largely unknown. In this study, we established two lenvatinib-resistant (LR) HCC cell lines and identified integrin subunit beta 8 (ITGB8) as a critical contributor to lenvatinib resistance in HCC. The elevated expression of ITGB8 was observed in LR HCC cells. Furthermore, silencing of ITGB8 reversed lenvatinib resistance in vitro and in vivo, whereas ectopic expression of ITGB8 in lenvatinib-sensitive parental HCC cells exhibited increased resistance to lenvatinib. Mechanistically, ITGB8 regulated lenvatinib resistance through an HSP90-mediated stabilization of AKT and enhanced AKT signaling. In support of this model, either an AKT inhibitor MK-2206 or an HSP90 inhibitor 17-AAG resensitized LR HCC cells to lenvatinib treatment. Conclusion: Collectively, our results establish a crucial role of ITGB8 in lenvatinib resistance, and suggest that targeting the ITGB8/HSP90/AKT axis is a promising therapeutic strategy in patients with HCC exhibiting lenvatinib resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Hou
- Department of SurgeryLoyola University Chicago Stritch School of MedicineMaywoodIllinoisUSA
- Department of Cancer BiologyLoyola University Chicago Stritch School of MedicineMaywoodIllinoisUSA
| | - Bryan Bridgeman
- Department of SurgeryLoyola University Chicago Stritch School of MedicineMaywoodIllinoisUSA
- Department of Cancer BiologyLoyola University Chicago Stritch School of MedicineMaywoodIllinoisUSA
| | - Greg Malnassy
- Department of SurgeryLoyola University Chicago Stritch School of MedicineMaywoodIllinoisUSA
- Department of Cancer BiologyLoyola University Chicago Stritch School of MedicineMaywoodIllinoisUSA
| | - Xianzhong Ding
- Department of PathologyLoyola University Chicago Stritch School of MedicineMaywoodIllinoisUSA
| | - Scott J. Cotler
- Department of MedicineLoyola University Chicago Stritch School of MedicineMaywoodIllinoisUSA
| | - Asha Dhanarajan
- Department of MedicineLoyola University Chicago Stritch School of MedicineMaywoodIllinoisUSA
| | - Wei Qiu
- Department of SurgeryLoyola University Chicago Stritch School of MedicineMaywoodIllinoisUSA
- Department of Cancer BiologyLoyola University Chicago Stritch School of MedicineMaywoodIllinoisUSA
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12
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The Relationship between MACC1/c-Met/Cyclin D1 Axis Expression and Prognosis in ESCC. Anal Cell Pathol 2022; 2022:9651503. [PMID: 35242498 PMCID: PMC8888107 DOI: 10.1155/2022/9651503] [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: 09/25/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Esophageal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors of the digestive system, with high incidence and mortality. Methods Immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression of MACC1, c-Met, and cyclin D1 in ESCC and its adjacent tissues. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS 23.0. Results The high expression of MACC1 and cyclin D1 was significantly correlated with tumor size. High c-Met expression was associated with patient ethnicity. MACC1 expression was positively correlated with both c-Met and cyclin D1. c-Met expression was also positively correlated with cyclin D1. Patients with high expression of MACC1 and c-Met had worse OS; patients with high c-Met expression also had worse PFS. Conclusion MACC1, c-Met, and cyclin D1 proteins are closely related to the occurrence and development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. MACC1 may affect the prognosis of ESCC by regulating the expression of the c-Met/cyclin D1 axis.
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13
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Wei Y, Wang Y, Liu N, Qi R, Xu Y, Li K, Feng Y, Shi B. A FAK Inhibitor Boosts Anti-PD1 Immunotherapy in a Hepatocellular Carcinoma Mouse Model. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:820446. [PMID: 35115949 PMCID: PMC8804348 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.820446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy has limited efficacy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and does not benefit all patients. A FAK inhibitor (VS-4718) has been reported to improve the microenvironment in some tumors. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the combination of the FAK inhibitor VS4718 and anti-PD1 for the treatment of HCC in a mouse model and its possible mechanism of action. The expression of FAK and infiltrated immune cells in human HCC from the data of TCGA were analyzed. A primary murine HCC model was established via protooncogene (c-Met/β-catenin) transfection. The pathological characteristics of tumors were examined after the mice were treated with VS4718 and/or anti-PD1 therapy. This study revealed that FAK is highly expressed in human HCC and is associated with poor prognosis of OS (overall survival) and PFS (progress free survival) in HCC patients. Immune cell infiltration (CD8+ T, Tregs, M0, M2, CAFs and MDSCs) was correlated with FAK expression. In the experimental HCC model, the combination of a FAK inhibitor VS4718 and an anti-PD1 antibody had a better effect than monotherapy against HCC. VS4718 reduced the number of Tregs and macrophages but increased the number of CD8+ T cells in HCC mice. Notably, FAK inhibitor promoted the expression of PD-L1 in HCC. This study suggested that combination of the FAK inhibitor VS4718 and anti-PD1 could be a potential therapy for HCC by improving the immune environment, reducing liver fibrosis and simultaneously preventing PD1 from binding to the increased PD-L1 induced by FAK inhibitor VS4718.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhua Wei
- Department of General Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University Medical School, Shanghai, China
| | - Yufeng Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University Medical School, Shanghai, China
| | - Nanbin Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University Medical School, Shanghai, China
| | - Ran Qi
- Department of General Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University Medical School, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University Medical School, Shanghai, China
| | - Kun Li
- Department of General Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University Medical School, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Feng
- Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Yu Feng, ; Baomin Shi,
| | - Baomin Shi
- Department of General Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University Medical School, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Yu Feng, ; Baomin Shi,
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14
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TEC kinase stabilizes PLK4 to promote liver cancer metastasis. Cancer Lett 2022; 524:70-81. [PMID: 34637843 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.08.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Aberrated PLK4 expression has been reported in different malignancies and causes centrosome amplification, aneuploidy, and genomic instability. However, the mechanism by which PLK4 is regulated in carcinogenesis remains not fully characterised. Here, we showed that PLK4 was overexpressed in human HCC and overexpression of PLK4 predicted poorer patient prognosis. Unexpectedly, we found that induced expression of PLK4 promotes, but knockdown of PLK4 inhibits, HCC cell migration and invasion. Mechanistically, we found that TEC tyrosine kinase, which also promotes HCC cell migration, stabilizes PLK4 by phosphorylation. TEC directly phosphorylates PLK4 at tyrosine 86 residue, which not only stabilizes the protein but also enhances PLK4-mediated HCC cell invasion. Further investigation by transcriptome sequencing indicated that PLK4 promotes the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase to regulate the focal adhesion pathway in HCC cell migration. Taken together, our results demonstrated that PLK4 plays an important role in HCC metastasis and revealed for the first time the mechanism by which PLK4 promotes HCC metastasis via TEC phosphorylation.
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15
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Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a very deadly disease. HCC initiation and progression involve multiple genetic events, including the activation of proto-oncogenes and disruption of the function of specific tumor suppressor genes. Activation of oncogenes stimulates cell growth and survival, while loss-of-function mutations of tumor suppressor genes result in unrestrained cell growth. In this review, we summarize the new findings that identified novel proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressors in HCC over the past five years. These findings may inspire the development of novel therapeutic strategies to improve the outcome of HCC patients.
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16
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Ren X, Rong Z, Liu X, Gao J, Xu X, Zi Y, Mu Y, Guan Y, Cao Z, Zhang Y, Zeng Z, Fan Q, Wang X, Pei Q, Wang X, Xin H, Li Z, Nie Y, Qiu Z, Li N, Sun L, Deng Y. The protein kinase activity of NME7 activates Wnt/β-Catenin signaling to promote one-carbon metabolism in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Res 2021; 82:60-74. [PMID: 34764205 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-21-1020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Metabolic reprogramming by oncogenic signaling is a hallmark of cancer. Hyperactivation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling has been reported in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the mechanisms inducing hyperactivation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and strategies for targeting this pathway are incompletely understood. In this study, we find nucleoside diphosphate kinase 7 (NME7) to be a positive regulator of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Upregulation of NME7 positively correlated with the clinical features of HCC. Knockdown of NME7 inhibited HCC growth in vitro and in vivo, while overexpression of NME7 cooperated with c-Myc to drive tumorigenesis in a mouse model and promote the growth of tumor-derived organoids. Mechanistically, NME7 bound and phosphorylated serine 9 of GSK3β to promote β-catenin activation. Furthermore, MTHFD2, the key enzyme in one-carbon metabolism, was a target gene of β-catenin and mediated the effects of NME7. Tumor-derived organoids with NME7 overexpression exhibited increased sensitivity to MTHFD2 inhibition. Additionally, expression levels of NME7, β-catenin and MTHFD2 correlated with each other and with poor prognosis in HCC patients. Collectively, this study emphasizes the crucial roles of NME7 protein kinase activity in promoting Wnt/β-catenin signaling and one-carbon metabolism, suggesting NME7 and MTHFD2 as potential therapeutic targets for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Ren
- Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University
| | - Zhuoxian Rong
- Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University
| | - Xiaoyu Liu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Ruijin Hospital
| | - Jie Gao
- Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University
| | - Xu Xu
- Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine
| | - Yuyuan Zi
- Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University
| | - Yun Mu
- Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University
| | | | - Zhen Cao
- Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University
| | - Yuefang Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Kay Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
| | - Zimei Zeng
- Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University
| | - Qi Fan
- Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University
| | - Xitao Wang
- Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University
| | - Qian Pei
- Xiangya Hospital Central South University
| | - Xiang Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University
| | - Haiguang Xin
- Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine
| | - Zhi Li
- Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | | | - Zilong Qiu
- Molecular Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences
| | - Nan Li
- The Eestern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University
| | | | - Yuezhen Deng
- Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University
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17
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Passi M, Zahler S. Mechano-Signaling Aspects of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Cancer 2021; 12:6411-6421. [PMID: 34659531 PMCID: PMC8489129 DOI: 10.7150/jca.60102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
HCC is one of the leading causes of cancer related death worldwide and comprises about 90% of the cases of primary liver cancer. It is generally accompanied by chronic liver fibrosis characterised by deposition of collagen fibres, which, in turn, causes enhanced stiffness of the liver tissue. Changes of tissue stiffness give rise to alterations of signalling pathways that are associated to mechanical properties of the cells and the extracellular matrix, and that can be subsumed as "mechano-signaling pathways", like, e.g., the YAP/TAZ pathway, or the SRF pathway. Stiffness of the liver tissue modulates mechanical regulation of many genes involved in HCC progression. However, mechano-signaling is still rather underrepresented in our concepts of cancer in comparison to "classical" biochemical signalling pathways. This review aims to give an overview of various stiffness induced mechano-biological aspects of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehak Passi
- Center for Drug Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Zahler
- Center for Drug Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377 Munich, Germany
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18
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Overexpression of Human Syndecan-1 Protects against the Diethylnitrosamine-Induced Hepatocarcinogenesis in Mice. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13071548. [PMID: 33801718 PMCID: PMC8037268 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13071548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Syndecan-1 is a Janus-faced proteoglycan: depending on the type of cancer, it can promote or inhibit the development of tumors. Our previous in vitro experiments revealed that transfection of human syndecan-1 (hSDC1) into hepatoma cells, initiating hepatocyte-like differentiation. To further confirm the antitumor action of hSDC1 in the context of liver carcinogenesis, mice transgenic for albumin promoter-driven hSDC1 were created with exclusive expression of hSDC1 in the liver. Indeed, hSDC1 interfered with the development of liver cancer in diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis experiments. The mechanism was found to be related to lipid metabolism that plays an important role in the induction of nonalcoholic liver cirrhosis. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is known to promote the development of cancer; therefore, the oncoprotective effect of hSDC1 may be mediated by a beneficial modulation of lipid metabolism. Abstract Although syndecan-1 (SDC1) is known to be dysregulated in various cancer types, its implication in tumorigenesis is poorly understood. Its effect may be detrimental or protective depending on the type of cancer. Our previous data suggest that SDC1 is protective against hepatocarcinogenesis. To further verify this notion, human SDC1 transgenic (hSDC1+/+) mice were generated that expressed hSDC1 specifically in the liver under the control of the albumin promoter. Hepatocarcinogenesis was induced by a single dose of diethylnitrosamine (DEN) at an age of 15 days after birth, which resulted in tumors without cirrhosis in wild-type and hSDC1+/+ mice. At the experimental endpoint, livers were examined macroscopically and histologically, as well as by immunohistochemistry, Western blot, receptor tyrosine kinase array, phosphoprotein array, and proteomic analysis. Liver-specific overexpression of hSDC1 resulted in an approximately six month delay in tumor formation via the promotion of SDC1 shedding, downregulation of lipid metabolism, inhibition of the mTOR and the β-catenin pathways, and activation of the Foxo1 and p53 transcription factors that lead to the upregulation of the cell cycle inhibitors p21 and p27. Furthermore, both of them are implicated in the regulation of intermediary metabolism. Proteomic analysis showed enhanced lipid metabolism, activation of motor proteins, and loss of mitochondrial electron transport proteins as promoters of cancer in wild-type tumors, inhibited in the hSDC1+/+ livers. These complex mechanisms mimic the characteristics of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) induced human liver cancer successfully delayed by syndecan-1.
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19
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Wang H, Hou W, Perera A, Bettler C, Beach JR, Ding X, Li J, Denning MF, Dhanarajan A, Cotler SJ, Joyce C, Yin J, Ahmed F, Roberts LR, Qiu W. Targeting EphA2 suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma initiation and progression by dual inhibition of JAK1/STAT3 and AKT signaling. Cell Rep 2021; 34:108765. [PMID: 33626345 PMCID: PMC7954228 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains one of the deadliest malignancies worldwide. One major obstacle to treatment is a lack of effective molecular-targeted therapies. In this study, we find that EphA2 expression and signaling are enriched in human HCC and associated with poor prognosis. Loss of EphA2 suppresses the initiation and growth of HCC both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, CRISPR/CAS9-mediated EphA2 inhibition significantly delays tumor development in a genetically engineered murine model of HCC. Mechanistically, we discover that targeting EphA2 suppresses both AKT and JAK1/STAT3 signaling, two separate oncogenic pathways in HCC. We also identify a small molecule kinase inhibitor of EphA2 that suppresses tumor progression in a murine HCC model. Together, our results suggest EphA2 as a promising therapeutic target for HCC.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology
- Benzamides/pharmacology
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/drug therapy
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/enzymology
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/genetics
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Databases, Genetic
- Female
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Humans
- Janus Kinase 1/genetics
- Janus Kinase 1/metabolism
- Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Liver Neoplasms/enzymology
- Liver Neoplasms/genetics
- Liver Neoplasms/pathology
- Male
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Molecular Targeted Therapy
- Niacinamide/analogs & derivatives
- Niacinamide/pharmacology
- Phosphorylation
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism
- Receptor, EphA2/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptor, EphA2/genetics
- Receptor, EphA2/metabolism
- Retrospective Studies
- STAT3 Transcription Factor/genetics
- STAT3 Transcription Factor/metabolism
- Signal Transduction
- Tumor Burden/drug effects
- Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
- Mice
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wang
- Department of Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Wei Hou
- Department of Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Aldeb Perera
- Department of Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Carlee Bettler
- Department of Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Jordan R Beach
- Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Xianzhong Ding
- Department of Pathology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Mitchell F Denning
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Asha Dhanarajan
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Scott J Cotler
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Cara Joyce
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Jun Yin
- Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Fowsiyo Ahmed
- Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | | | - Wei Qiu
- Department of Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA.
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20
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The Crosstalk between FAK and Wnt Signaling Pathways in Cancer and Its Therapeutic Implication. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21239107. [PMID: 33266025 PMCID: PMC7730291 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21239107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and Wnt signaling pathways are important contributors to tumorigenesis in several cancers. While most results come from studies investigating these pathways individually, there is increasing evidence of a functional crosstalk between both signaling pathways during development and tumor progression. A number of FAK-Wnt interactions are described, suggesting an intricate, context-specific, and cell type-dependent relationship. During development for instance, FAK acts mainly upstream of Wnt signaling; and although in intestinal homeostasis and mucosal regeneration Wnt seems to function upstream of FAK signaling, FAK activates the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway during APC-driven intestinal tumorigenesis. In breast, lung, and pancreatic cancers, FAK is reported to modulate the Wnt signaling pathway, while in prostate cancer, FAK is downstream of Wnt. In malignant mesothelioma, FAK and Wnt show an antagonistic relationship: Inhibiting FAK signaling activates the Wnt pathway and vice versa. As the identification of effective Wnt inhibitors to translate in the clinical setting remains an outstanding challenge, further understanding of the functional interaction between Wnt and FAK could reveal new therapeutic opportunities and approaches greatly needed in clinical oncology. In this review, we summarize some of the most relevant interactions between FAK and Wnt in different cancers, address the current landscape of Wnt- and FAK-targeted therapies in different clinical trials, and discuss the rationale for targeting the FAK-Wnt crosstalk, along with the possible translational implications.
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21
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Abstract
The incidence of hepatocellular cancer (HCC) is gradually rising. HCC occurs as a sequela to various chronic liver diseases and ensuing cirrhosis. There have been many therapies approved for unresectable HCC in the last 5 years, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, and the overall response rates have improved. However, there are many cases that do not respond, and personalized medicine is lacking, making HCC an unmet clinical need. Generation of appropriate animal models have been key to our understanding of HCC. Based on the overall concept of hepatocarcinogenesis, two major categories of animal models are discussed herein that can be useful to address specific questions. One category is described as the outside-in model of HCC and is based on the premise that it takes decades of hepatocyte injury, death, wound healing, and regeneration to eventually lead to DNA damage and mutations in a hepatocyte, which initiates tumorigenesis. Several animal models have been generated, which attempt to recapitulate this complex tissue damage and cellular interplay through genetics, diets, and toxins. The second category is the inside-out model of HCC, where clinically relevant genes can be coexpressed in a small subset of hepatocytes to yield a tumor, which matches HCC subsets in gene expression. This model has been made possible in part by the widely available molecular characterization of HCC, and in part by modalities like sleeping beauty transposon/transposase, Crispr/Cas9, and hydrodynamic tail vein injection. These two categories of HCC have distinct pros and cons, which are discussed in this Thinking Out Loud article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satdarshan P. Monga
- Division of Experimental Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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22
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He S, Tang S. WNT/β-catenin signaling in the development of liver cancers. Biomed Pharmacother 2020; 132:110851. [PMID: 33080466 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 176] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway is a highly conserved and tightly controlled molecular mechanism that regulates embryonic development, cellular proliferation and differentiation. Of note, accumulating evidence has shown that the aberrant of WNT/β-catenin signaling promotes the development and/or progression of liver cancer, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), the two most prevalent primary liver tumours in adults. There are two different WNT signaling pathways have been identified, which were termed non-canonical and canonical pathways, the latter involving the activation of β-catenin. β-catenin, acting as an intracellular signal transducer in the WNT signaling pathway, is encoded by CTNNB1 and plays a critical role in tumorigenesis. In the past research, most liver tumors have mutations in genes encoding key components of the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway. In addition, several of other signaling pathways also can crosswalk with β-catenin. In this review, we discuss the most relevant molecular mechanisms of action and regulation of WNT/β-catenin signaling in the development and pathophysiology of liver cancers, as well as in the development of therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai He
- Department of General Surgery, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110032, China
| | - Shilei Tang
- Department of General Surgery, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110032, China.
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23
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Weng Y, Lieberthal TJ, Zhou VX, Lopez-Ichikawa M, Armas-Phan M, Bond TK, Yoshida MC, Choi WT, Chang TT. Liver epithelial focal adhesion kinase modulates fibrogenesis and hedgehog signaling. JCI Insight 2020; 5:141217. [PMID: 32910808 PMCID: PMC7605528 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.141217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is an important mediator of extracellular matrix-integrin mechano-signal transduction that regulates cell motility, survival, and proliferation. As such, FAK is being investigated as a potential therapeutic target for malignant and fibrotic diseases, and numerous clinical trials of FAK inhibitors are underway. The function of FAK in nonmalignant, nonmotile epithelial cells is not well understood. We previously showed that hepatocytes demonstrated activated FAK near stiff collagen tracts in fibrotic livers. In this study, we examined the role of liver epithelial FAK by inducing fibrotic liver disease in mice with liver epithelial FAK deficiency. We found that mice that lacked FAK in liver epithelial cells developed more severe liver injury and worse fibrosis as compared with controls. Increased fibrosis in liver epithelial FAK-deficient mice was linked to the activation of several profibrotic pathways, including the hedgehog/smoothened pathway. FAK-deficient hepatocytes produced increased Indian hedgehog in a manner dependent on matrix stiffness. Furthermore, expression of the hedgehog receptor, smoothened, was increased in macrophages and biliary cells of hepatocyte-specific FAK-deficient fibrotic livers. These results indicate that liver epithelial FAK has important regulatory roles in the response to liver injury and progression of fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Tammy T Chang
- Department of Surgery.,Liver Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
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24
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Zhang Y, Liu S, Zhou S, Yu D, Gu J, Qin Q, Cheng Y, Sun X. Focal adhesion kinase: Insight into its roles and therapeutic potential in oesophageal cancer. Cancer Lett 2020; 496:93-103. [PMID: 33038490 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Oesophageal cancer is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates because it is highly invasive and prone to recurrence and metastasis, with a five-year survival rate of <20%. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new methods aimed at improving therapeutic intervention. Several studies have shown that targeted therapy may be effective for the treatment of oesophageal cancer. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a non-receptor tyrosine kinase with kinase activity and scaffolding function, could be overexpressed in a variety of solid tumours, including oesophageal cancer. FAK participates in survival, proliferation, progression, adhesion, invasion, migration, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis, DNA damage repair, and other biological processes through multiple signalling pathways in cancer cells. It plays an important role in the occurrence and development of tumours and has been linked to the prognosis of oesophageal cancer. FAK has been suggested as a potential therapeutic target in oesophageal cancer; thus, the combination of FAK inhibitors with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy is expected to prolong the survival of patients. This paper presents a brief overview of the structure of FAK and its potential role in oesophageal cancer, providing a rationale for the future application of FAK inhibitors in the treatment of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumeng Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu province, China; The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu province, China
| | - Shu Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu province, China
| | - Shu Zhou
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu province, China
| | - Dandan Yu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu province, China
| | - Junjie Gu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu province, China; The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu province, China
| | - Qin Qin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu province, China
| | - Yu Cheng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu province, China; The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu province, China
| | - Xinchen Sun
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu province, China.
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25
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Zhu H, Zhai B, He C, Li Z, Gao H, Niu Z, Jiang X, Lu J, Sun X. LncRNA TTN-AS1 promotes the progression of cholangiocarcinoma via the miR-320a/neuropilin-1 axis. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:637. [PMID: 32801339 PMCID: PMC7429853 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-02896-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Neuropilin-1 regulated by miR-320a participates in the progression of cholangiocarcinoma by serving as a co-receptor that activates multiple signaling pathways. The present study sought to investigate upstream lncRNAs that control the expression of miR-320a/neuropilin-1 axis and dissect some of the underlying mechanisms. Here we report lncRNA TTN-AS1 (titin-antisense RNA1) acts as a sponging ceRNA to downregulate miR-320a and is highly expressed in human cholangiocarcinoma tissues and cells. The expression of the above three molecules is correlated with the clinicopathologic parameters of cholangiocarcinoma patients. In this study, multiple bioinformatics tools and databases were employed to seek potential lncRNAs that have binding sites with miR-320a and TTN-AS1 was identified because it exhibited the largest folds of alteration between cholangiocarcinoma and normal bile duct epithelial cells. The regulatory role of TTN-AS1 on miR-320a was further evaluated by luciferase reporter and RNA pulldown assays, coupled with in situ hybridization and RNA immunoprecipitation analyses, which showed that TTN-AS1 bound to miR-320a through an argonaute2-dependent RNA interference pathway in the cytoplasm of cholangiocarcinoma cells. Knockdown and overexpression assays showed that the regulatory effect between TTN-AS1 and miR-320 was in a one-way manner. TTN-AS1 promoted the proliferation and migration of cholangiocarcinoma cells via the miR-320a/ neuropilin-1 axis. The function of TTN-AS1 on tumor growth and its interaction with miR-320a were confirmed in animal models. Further mechanistic studies revealed that TTA-AS1, through downregulating miR-320a, promoted cell cycle progression, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, and tumor angiogenesis by upregulating neuropilin-1, which co-interacted with the hepatocyte growth factor/c-Met and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β/TGF-β receptor I pathways. In conclusion, the present results demonstrate that lncRNA TTA-AS1 is a sponging ceRNA for miR-320a, which in turn downregulates neuropilin-1 in cholangiocarcinoma cells, indicating these three molecules represent potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets in the management of cholangiocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaqiang Zhu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, 250021, Jinan, China
| | - Bo Zhai
- The Hepatosplenic Surgery Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 150001, Harbin, China.,Department of General Surgery, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 150001, Harbin, China
| | - Changjun He
- Department of Surgery, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 150081, Harbin, China
| | - Ziyi Li
- The Hepatosplenic Surgery Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 150001, Harbin, China
| | - Hengjun Gao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, 250021, Jinan, China
| | - Zheyu Niu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, 250021, Jinan, China
| | - Xian Jiang
- The Hepatosplenic Surgery Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 150001, Harbin, China
| | - Jun Lu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, 250021, Jinan, China.
| | - Xueying Sun
- The Hepatosplenic Surgery Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 150001, Harbin, China.
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26
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Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) Over-Expression and Prognostic Implication in Pediatric Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21165795. [PMID: 32806748 PMCID: PMC7460809 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21165795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is over-expressed and is correlated with aggressiveness in adult hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Inhibition of FAK decreases HCC invasiveness by down-regulating Enhancer of Zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), an epigenetic controller, that acts in transcriptional repression of a large number of genes via histone 3 methylation of lysine 27 (H3K27me3). Here, we investigated the hepatic expression of total FAK, EZH2, H3K27me3, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in 17 pediatric HCCs and 8 healthy livers (CTRL). Quantitative imaging analysis showed that FAK gene/protein expression is up-regulated in HCCs compared to CTRL and, among tumor samples the levels of this gene/protein are significantly higher in cirrhotic HCCs than in a healthy milieu. Accordingly, the protein levels of EZH2 were also significantly increased in HCCs from a cirrhotic background. Intriguingly, the protein expression of FAK, EZH2, and PCNA significantly inversely correlated with tumor size. Finally, in HCC samples, mainly in cirrhotic background, the up-regulation of FAK gene positively correlated with that observed in β-Catenin gene. Conclusion: FAK gene/protein is over-expressed in pediatric HCCs concomitantly to EZH2 protein and β-Catenin gene, with a more significant up-regulation in a cirrhotic background. This triad of interactors deserves further investigations for translational application.
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27
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Wu YN, He LH, Bai ZT, Li X. NRP1 is a Prognostic Factor and Promotes the Growth and Migration of Cells in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma. Cancer Manag Res 2020; 12:7021-7032. [PMID: 32848461 PMCID: PMC7426061 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s260091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) participates in cancer cell proliferation and metastasis as a multifunctional co-receptor by interacting with multiple signaling pathways. However, few studies have addressed the precise function and prognosis analysis of NRP1 in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). We aimed to study the correlations between NRP1 and clinicopathological characteristics and NRP1 effect on ICC cell line functions. Methods NRP1 mRNA and its protein levels in human ICC tissues and cell lines were detected by IHC, qRT-PCR, and WB method. Transwell, wound healing, and CCK-8 assays were performed to verify the effects of NRP1 knockdown and overexpression on cell migration and proliferation capability. Results NRP1 proteins and mRNA levels increased in ICC tissues compared to those in paired adjacent non-tumor tissues. High NRP1 expression of ICC tissues was related to poor prognosis. NRP1 expression level was expected to be an independent prognosticator for overall survival and cumulative tumor recurrence, and was closely related to tumor number (P=0.047). Knockdown of NRP1 inhibited cell proliferation and migration capability of RBE cells in vitro, and NRP1 overexpression in 9810 cells accelerated proliferation and migration. Additionally, NRP1 may promote cell proliferation and migration in ICC via the FAK/PI3-K/AKT pathway. Conclusion As an oncogene, NRP1 may function as a candidate target and prognostic biomarker of value for ICC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Na Wu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Biological Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Transformation Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China.,Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Li-Hong He
- Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Biological Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Transformation Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China.,The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhong-Tian Bai
- Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Biological Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Transformation Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China.,The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xun Li
- Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Biological Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Transformation Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China.,The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China
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28
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Wang F, Hou W, Chitsike L, Xu Y, Bettler C, Perera A, Bank T, Cotler SJ, Dhanarajan A, Denning MF, Ding X, Breslin P, Qiang W, Li J, Koleske AJ, Qiu W. ABL1, Overexpressed in Hepatocellular Carcinomas, Regulates Expression of NOTCH1 and Promotes Development of Liver Tumors in Mice. Gastroenterology 2020; 159:289-305.e16. [PMID: 32171747 PMCID: PMC7387191 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2020.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS We investigated whether ABL proto-oncogene 1, non-receptor tyrosine kinase (ABL1) is involved in development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS We analyzed clinical and gene expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Albumin-Cre (HepWT) mice and mice with hepatocyte-specific disruption of Abl1 (HepAbl-/- mice) were given hydrodynamic injections of plasmids encoding the Sleeping Beauty transposase and transposons with the MET gene and a catenin β1 gene with an N-terminal truncation, which induces development of liver tumors. Some mice were then gavaged with the ABL1 inhibitor nilotinib or vehicle (control) daily for 4 weeks. We knocked down ABL1 with short hairpin RNAs in Hep3B and Huh7 HCC cells and analyzed their proliferation and growth as xenograft tumors in mice. We performed RNA sequencing and gene set enrichment analysis of tumors. We knocked down or overexpressed NOTCH1 and MYC in HCC cells and analyzed proliferation. We measured levels of phosphorylated ABL1, MYC, and NOTCH1 by immunohistochemical analysis of an HCC tissue microarray. RESULTS HCC tissues had higher levels of ABL1 than non-tumor liver tissues, which correlated with shorter survival times of patients. HepWT mice with the MET and catenin β1 transposons developed liver tumors and survived a median 64 days; HepAbl-/- mice with these transposons developed tumors that were 50% smaller and survived a median 81 days. Knockdown of ABL1 in human HCC cells reduced proliferation, growth as xenograft tumors in mice, and expression of MYC, which reduced expression of NOTCH1. Knockdown of NOTCH1 or MYC in HCC cells significantly reduced cell growth. NOTCH1 or MYC overexpression in human HCC cells promoted proliferation and rescued the phenotype caused by ABL1 knockdown. The level of phosphorylated (activated) ABL1 correlated with levels of MYC and NOTCH1 in human HCC specimens. Nilotinib decreased expression of MYC and NOTCH1 in HCC cell lines, reduced the growth of xenograft tumors in mice, and slowed growth of liver tumors in mice with MET and catenin β1 transposons, reducing tumor levels of MYC and NOTCH1. CONCLUSIONS HCC samples have increased levels of ABL1 compared with nontumor liver tissues, and increased levels of ABL1 correlate with shorter survival times of patients. Loss or inhibition of ABL1 reduces proliferation of HCC cells and slows growth of liver tumors in mice. Inhibitors of ABL1 might be used for treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Wang
- Departments of Surgery and Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South 1st Avenue., Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Wei Hou
- Departments of Surgery and Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South 1st Avenue., Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Lennox Chitsike
- Departments of Surgery and Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South 1st Avenue., Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Yingchen Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University
| | - Carlee Bettler
- Departments of Surgery and Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South 1st Avenue., Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Aldeb Perera
- Departments of Surgery and Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South 1st Avenue., Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Thomas Bank
- Departments of Surgery and Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South 1st Avenue., Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Scott J. Cotler
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South 1st Avenue., Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Asha Dhanarajan
- Department of Pathology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South 1st Avenue., Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Mitchell F. Denning
- Department of Pathology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South 1st Avenue., Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Xianzhong Ding
- Department of Pathology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South 1st Avenue., Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Peter Breslin
- Departments of Molecular/Cellular Physiology and Oncology Institute, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South 1st Avenue., Maywood, IL 60153, USA,Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South 1st Avenue., Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Wenan Qiang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pathology, Northwestern University
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics, University of Notre Dame
| | | | - Wei Qiu
- Department of Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.
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29
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Wang G, Wang Q, Liang N, Xue H, Yang T, Chen X, Qiu Z, Zeng C, Sun T, Yuan W, Liu C, Chen Z, He X. Oncogenic driver genes and tumor microenvironment determine the type of liver cancer. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:313. [PMID: 32366840 PMCID: PMC7198508 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-2509-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Primary liver cancer (PLC) may be mainly classified as the following four types: hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), hepatoblastoma (HB), and combined hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-ICC). The majority of PLC develops in the background of tumor microenvironment, such as inflammatory microenvironments caused by viral hepatitis, alcoholic or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC), and necroptosis-associated hepatic cytokine microenvironment caused by necroptosis of hepatocytes. However, the impact of different types of microenvironments on the phenotypes of PLC generated by distinct oncogenes is still unclear. In addition, the cell origin of different liver cancers have not been clarified, as far as we know. Recent researches show that mature hepatocytes retain phenotypic plasticity to differentiate into cholangiocytes. More importantly, our results initially demonstrated that HCC, ICC, and cHCC-ICC could originate from mature hepatocytes rather than liver progenitor cells (LPCs), hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and cholangiocytes in AKT-driven, AKT/NICD-driven and AKT/CAT-driven mouse PLC models respectively by using hydrodynamic transfection methodology. Therefore, liver tumors originated from mature hepatocytes embody a wide spectrum of phenotypes from HCC to CC, possibly including cHCC-ICC and HB. However, the underlying mechanism determining the cancer phenotype of liver tumors has yet to be delineated. In this review, we will provide a summary of the possible mechanisms for directing the cancer phenotype of liver tumors (i.e., ICC, HCC, and cHCC-ICC) in terms of oncogenic driver genes and tumor microenvironment. Moreover, this study initially revealed the cell origin of different types of liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The 74th Group Army Hospital, Guangzhou, 510220, China.,Department of General Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi, China.,Department of Anorectal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Ning Liang
- Department of General Surgery, The 75th Group Army Hospital, Dali, 671000, China
| | - Hongyuan Xue
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan North Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201907, China
| | - Tao Yang
- Department of Pain Treatment, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shanxi, China
| | - Xuguang Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Dermatology Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510091, China
| | - Zhaoyan Qiu
- Department of General Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Zeng
- Department of Cardiology, The 74th Group Army Hospital, Guangzhou, 510318, China
| | - Tao Sun
- Departmentof Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zheng zhou, 450052, China
| | - Weitang Yuan
- Department of Anorectal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Chaoxu Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan North Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201907, China. .,Department of Anorectal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
| | - Zhangqian Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi, China. .,State key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Xianli He
- Department of General Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi, China.
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30
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Yu J, Shi L, Lin W, Lu B, Zhao Y. UCP2 promotes proliferation and chemoresistance through regulating the NF-κB/β-catenin axis and mitochondrial ROS in gallbladder cancer. Biochem Pharmacol 2019; 172:113745. [PMID: 31811866 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2019.113745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) is a mitochondrial anion carrier which plays a key role in energy homeostasis. UCP2 is deregulated in several human cancers and has been suggested to regulate cancer metabolism. However, the role of UCP2 in gallbladder cancer has not been defined. Using clinical samples, we found highly expressed UCP2 in gallbladder cancer tissues, and higher expression levels of UCP2 correlated with worse clinical characteristics. To study whether UCP2 promotes gallbladder cancer growth, UCP2 stable knockdown cells were generated, and cell proliferation was suppressed in these knockdown cells. Further studies demonstrated that glycolysis was inhibited and IKKβ, as well as the downstream signaling molecules NF-κB/FAK/β-catenin, were downregulated in UCP2 knockdown cells. More importantly, gallbladder cancer cells became sensitive to gemcitabine treatments when UCP2 was inhibited. UCP2 knockdown suppressed the activation of the NF-κB/β-catenin axis and promoted the increases in mitochondrial ROS in gallbladder cancer cells exposed to gemcitabine treatments. The UCP2 inhibitor genipin suppressed xenograft tumor growth and sensitized grafted tumors to gemcitabine treatments. These results suggest targeting UCP2 as a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of gallbladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhua Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shaoxing People's Hospital (Shaoxing Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine), Shaoxing, China; Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology & Neurosciences, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA 71130, USA
| | - Lawrence Shi
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology & Neurosciences, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA 71130, USA
| | - Weiguo Lin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shaoxing People's Hospital (Shaoxing Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine), Shaoxing, China
| | - Baochun Lu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shaoxing People's Hospital (Shaoxing Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine), Shaoxing, China
| | - Yunfeng Zhao
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology & Neurosciences, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA 71130, USA.
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31
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Shang N, Wang H, Bank T, Perera A, Joyce C, Kuffel G, Zilliox MJ, Cotler SJ, Ding X, Dhanarajan A, Breslin P, Qiu W. Focal Adhesion Kinase and β-Catenin Cooperate to Induce Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Hepatology 2019; 70:1631-1645. [PMID: 31069844 PMCID: PMC6819211 DOI: 10.1002/hep.30707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
There is an urgent need to understand the molecular signaling pathways that drive or mediate the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The focal adhesion kinase (FAK) gene protein tyrosine kinase 2 is amplified in 16.4% of The Cancer Genome Atlas HCC specimens, and its amplification leads to increased FAK mRNA expression. It is not known whether the overexpression of FAK alone is sufficient to induce HCC or whether it must cooperate in some ways with other oncogenes. In this study, we found that 34.8% of human HCC samples with FAK amplification also show β-catenin mutations, suggesting a co-occurrence of FAK overexpression and β-catenin mutations in HCC. We overexpressed FAK alone, constitutively active forms of β-catenin (CAT) alone, or a combination of FAK and CAT in the livers of C57/BL6 mice. We found that overexpression of both FAK and CAT, but neither FAK nor CAT alone, in mouse livers was sufficient to lead to tumorigenesis. We further demonstrated that FAK's kinase activity is required for FAK/CAT-induced tumorigenesis. Furthermore, we performed RNA-sequencing analysis to identify the genes/signaling pathways regulated by FAK, CAT, or FAK/CAT. We found that FAK overexpression dramatically enhances binding of β-catenin to the promoter of androgen receptor (AR), which leads to increased expression of AR in mouse livers. Moreover, ASC-J9, an AR degradation enhancer, suppressed FAK/CAT-induced HCC formation. Conclusion: FAK overexpression and β-catenin mutations often co-occur in human HCC tissues. Co-overexpression of FAK and CAT leads to HCC formation in mice through increased expression of AR; this mouse model may be useful for further studies of the molecular mechanisms in the pathogenesis of HCC and could lead to the identification of therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Shang
- Departments of Surgery and Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL
| | - Hao Wang
- Departments of Surgery and Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL
| | - Thomas Bank
- Departments of Surgery and Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL
| | - Aldeb Perera
- Departments of Surgery and Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL
| | - Cara Joyce
- Departments of Public Health Sciences, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL
| | - Gina Kuffel
- Departments of Public Health Sciences, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL
| | - Michael J. Zilliox
- Departments of Public Health Sciences, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL
| | - Scott J. Cotler
- Departments of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL
| | - Xianzhong Ding
- Departments of Pathology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL
| | - Asha Dhanarajan
- Departments of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL
| | - Peter Breslin
- Departments of Molecular/Cellular Physiology and Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL
| | - Wei Qiu
- Departments of Surgery and Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL,Correspondence: Wei Qiu, Ph.D., Department of Surgery and Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 S. First Avenue., Bldg. 112, Rm. 338, Maywood, IL 60153, , Tel.: +1-708-327-8191
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Wen L, Xin B, Wu P, Lin CH, Peng C, Wang G, Lee J, Lu LF, Feng GS. An Efficient Combination Immunotherapy for Primary Liver Cancer by Harmonized Activation of Innate and Adaptive Immunity in Mice. Hepatology 2019; 69:2518-2532. [PMID: 30693544 PMCID: PMC6541536 DOI: 10.1002/hep.30528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors for liver cancer, while active in many clinical trials worldwide, may have uncertain outcomes due to the unique immunotolerant microenvironment of the liver. In previous experiments, we unexpectedly identified a robust liver tumor-preventive effect of a synthetic double-stranded RNA, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (polyIC), in mice. Herein we further demonstrate that polyIC given at the precancer stage effectively prevented liver tumorigenesis by activating natural killer cells, macrophages, and some T-cell subsets; no inhibitory effect was observed on tumor progression if injected after tumor initiation. Nevertheless, polyIC administration potently induced programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in liver sinusoid endothelial cells, which prompted us to test a combined treatment of polyIC and PD-L1 antibody (Ab). Although injecting PD-L1 Ab alone did not show any therapeutic effect, injection of polyIC sensitized the hepatic response to PD-L1 blockade. Combination of polyIC and PD-L1 Ab resulted in sustained accumulation of active cluster of differentiation 8 cytotoxic T cells and robust liver tumor suppression and conferred a survival advantage in mice. These preclinical data in animal models suggest that, despite the low efficacy of PD-L1/PD-1 blockade alone, careful design of mechanism-based combinatorial immunotherapeutic protocols may shift the paradigm in liver cancer treatment by coordinating maximal activation of multiple innate and adaptive immune functions. Conclusion: We provide proof of principle for the development of an efficient prevention strategy of liver tumorigenesis and a powerful combination immunotherapy for primary liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Wen
- Department of Pathology, Division of Biological Sciences, and Moores Cancer Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.,Department of General Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310000, P.R. China
| | - Bing Xin
- Department of Pathology, Division of Biological Sciences, and Moores Cancer Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Panyisha Wu
- Department of Pathology, Division of Biological Sciences, and Moores Cancer Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.,Department of General Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310000, P.R. China
| | - Chia-Hao Lin
- Division of Biological Sciences, Center for Microbiome Innovation and Moores Cancer Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Chuanhui Peng
- Department of Pathology, Division of Biological Sciences, and Moores Cancer Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.,Department of Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, P.R. China
| | - Gaowei Wang
- Department of Pathology, Division of Biological Sciences, and Moores Cancer Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jin Lee
- Department of Pathology, Division of Biological Sciences, and Moores Cancer Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Li-Fan Lu
- Division of Biological Sciences, Center for Microbiome Innovation and Moores Cancer Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Gen-Sheng Feng
- Department of Pathology, Division of Biological Sciences, and Moores Cancer Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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Matsuda A, Ishiguro K, Yan IK, Patel T. Therapeutic Efficacy of Vitamin D in Experimental c-MET-β-Catenin-Driven Hepatocellular Cancer. Gene Expr 2019; 19:151-159. [PMID: 30157994 PMCID: PMC6466179 DOI: 10.3727/105221618x15355518848281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Aberrant activation of β-catenin signaling is frequently observed in hepatocellular cancer. Although Wnt/β-catenin signaling can be targeted by vitamin D, therapeutic use of vitamin D for this purpose is not currently established. We evaluated the therapeutic use of vitamin D or its analogs using a synthetic transgenic mouse of hepatocarcinogenesis induced by mutant β-catenin, and MET overexpression in which 75% of mice develop well-differentiated HCC within 8 weeks in the absence of fibrosis. Vitamin D receptor expression was similar in both tumoral and nontumoral tissue. There was no significant difference in overall survival, or in tumor progression assessed by imaging, biochemical, or tumor cell burden assessments in mice receiving a vitamin D-supplemented diet containing 12.0 IU VD/g (HVD) compared with a standard diet (SD) containing 2.3 IU VD/g. Furthermore, systemic treatment with calcitriol [vitamin D analog 1α,25(OH)₂D₃] or EB1089 (synthetic vitamin D analog) by intraperitoneal injection for 4 weeks prolonged median survival but did not increase overall survival compared with controls. Although tumor formation was delayed in males compared with that in females, there was no difference in overall survival between males and females. In conclusion, although 1α,25(OH)₂D₃ is reported to inhibit β-catenin signaling, as well as proliferation, migration, and differentiation in cancer cells, neither dietary supplementation with vitamin D nor treatment with vitamin D analogs altered the formation or growth of HCC associated with β-catenin activation. These results conclusively demonstrate the lack of utility of targeting vitamin D for therapy of HCC in this setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiko Matsuda
- Department of Transplantation, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Kaori Ishiguro
- Department of Transplantation, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Irene K. Yan
- Department of Transplantation, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Tushar Patel
- Department of Transplantation, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
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Matsuda A, Ishiguro K, Yan IK, Patel T. Extracellular Vesicle-Based Therapeutic Targeting of β-Catenin to Modulate Anticancer Immune Responses in Hepatocellular Cancer. Hepatol Commun 2019; 3:525-541. [PMID: 30976743 PMCID: PMC6442691 DOI: 10.1002/hep4.1311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Although HCC can respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as monoclonal antibodies against programmed death 1 (PD-1), many patients fail to respond or develop secondary resistance. Activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling can contribute to immune evasion. Mutations in β-catenin are among the most frequent mutations associated with HCC. Thus, our aim was to directly target β-catenin to enhance the therapeutic response to immune checkpoint inhibition. A synthetic transgenic mouse model of experimental HCC induced by tyrosine-protein kinase Met/β-catenin expression and extracellular vesicles (EVs) as a therapeutic delivery agent was used to evaluate the efficacy of directly targeting β-catenin on the response to anti-PD-1. These studies showed that (1) oncogenic β-catenin could be therapeutically targeted using a biological nanoparticle-based delivery approach, (2) targeting β-catenin using small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivered within EVs can reduce tumor growth, and (3) the therapeutic response to anti-PD-1 can be enhanced by concomitantly targeting β-catenin using therapeutic EVs. These preclinical studies establish the efficacy of the use of biological nanoparticles as an endogenous delivery vehicle for therapeutic RNA delivery and support the use of therapeutic strategies targeting tumor-intrinsic β-catenin as an adjunct to anti-PD-1-based therapy. Conclusion: Combination therapy with anti-PD-1 and β-catenin siRNA delivered using biological nanoparticles provides an effective strategy for the treatment of HCC. This strategy could be further exploited into targeted approaches for immune potentiation by countering oncogene-mediated resistance to immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiko Matsuda
- Department of Transplantation, Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyMayo ClinicJacksonvilleFL
| | - Kaori Ishiguro
- Department of Transplantation, Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyMayo ClinicJacksonvilleFL
| | - Irene K. Yan
- Department of Transplantation, Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyMayo ClinicJacksonvilleFL
| | - Tushar Patel
- Department of Transplantation, Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyMayo ClinicJacksonvilleFL
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García-Vilas JA, Medina MÁ. Updates on the hepatocyte growth factor/c-Met axis in hepatocellular carcinoma and its therapeutic implications. World J Gastroenterol 2018; 24:3695-3708. [PMID: 30197476 PMCID: PMC6127652 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v24.i33.3695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer and is the second leading cause of cancer death. Since the diagnosis of HCC is difficult, in many cases patients with HCC are diagnosed advanced stage of development. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-mesenchymal-epithelial transition receptor (c-Met) axis is a key signaling pathway in HCC, either via canonical or non-canonical pathways. Available treatments against HCC based upon HGF/c-Met inhibition can increase patient lifespan, but do not reach the expected therapeutic benefits. In HCC, c-Met monomers can bind other receptor monomers, activating several noncanonical signaling pathways, leading to increased cell proliferation, invasion, motility, and drug resistance. All of these processes are enhanced by the tumor microenvironment, with stromal cells contributing to boost tumor progression through oxidative stress, angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, inflammation, and fibrosis. Novel treatments against HCC are being explored to modulate other targets such as microRNAs, methyltransferases, and acetyltransferases, which are all involved in the regulation of gene expression in cancer. This review compiles basic knowledge regarding signaling pathways in HCC, and compounds already used or showing potential to be used in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Miguel Ángel Medina
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Andalucía Tech, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga 29071, Spain
- Unidad 741 de CIBER “de Enfermedades Raras” (CIBERER), Málaga 29071, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research in Málaga, Málaga 29071, Spain
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Liu JJ, Li Y, Chen WS, Liang Y, Wang G, Zong M, Kaneko K, Xu R, Karin M, Feng GS. Shp2 deletion in hepatocytes suppresses hepatocarcinogenesis driven by oncogenic β-Catenin, PIK3CA and MET. J Hepatol 2018; 69:79-88. [PMID: 29505847 PMCID: PMC6008184 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2018.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Revised: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Shp2 is an SH2-tyrosine phosphatase acting downstream of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). Most recent data demonstrated a liver tumor-suppressing role for Shp2, as ablating Shp2 in hepatocytes aggravated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) induced by chemical carcinogens or Pten loss. We further investigated the effect of Shp2 deficiency on liver tumorigenesis driven by classical oncoproteins c-Met (receptor for HGF), β-catenin and PIK3CA. METHODS We performed hydrodynamic tail vein injection of two pairs of plasmids expressing c-Met and ΔN90-β-catenin (MET/CAT), or c-Met and PIK3CAH1047R (MET/PIK), into WT and Shp2hep-/- mice. We compared liver tumor loads and investigated the pathogenesis and molecular mechanisms involved using multidisciplinary approaches. RESULTS Despite the induction of oxidative and metabolic stresses, Shp2 deletion in hepatocytes suppressed hepatocarcinogenesis driven by overexpression of oncoproteins MET/CAT or MET/PIK. Shp2 loss inhibited proliferative signaling from c-Met, Wnt/β-catenin, Ras/Erk and PI3K/Akt pathways, but triggered cell senescence following exogenous expression of the oncogenes. CONCLUSIONS Shp2, acting downstream of RTKs, is positively required for hepatocyte-intrinsic tumorigenic signaling from these oncoproteins, even if Shp2 deficiency induces a tumor-promoting hepatic microenvironment. These data suggest a new and more effective therapeutic strategy for HCCs driven by oncogenic RTKs and other upstream molecules, by inhibiting Shp2 and also suppressing any tumor-enhancing stromal factors produced because of Shp2 inhibition. LAY SUMMARY Primary liver cancer is a malignant disease with poor prognosis, largely because there are limited systemic therapies available. We show here that a cytoplasmic tyrosine phosphatase Shp2 is required for liver tumorigenesis. This tumorigenesis is driven by two oncoproteins that are implicated in human liver cancer. This, together with our previous studies, uncovers the complexity of liver tumorigenesis, by elucidating the pro- and anti-tumor effects of Shp2 in mouse models. This data can be used to guide new therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacey J. Liu
- Department of Pathology, and Division of Biological Sciences, Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yanjie Li
- Department of Pathology, and Division of Biological Sciences, Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA,Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, 3rd affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wendy S. Chen
- Department of Pathology, and Division of Biological Sciences, Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yan Liang
- Department of Pathology, and Division of Biological Sciences, Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Gaowei Wang
- Department of Pathology, and Division of Biological Sciences, Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Min Zong
- Department of Pathology, and Division of Biological Sciences, Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kota Kaneko
- Department of Pathology, and Division of Biological Sciences, Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ruiyun Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, 3rd affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Michael Karin
- Departments of Pharmacology and Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Gen-Sheng Feng
- Department of Pathology, and Division of Biological Sciences, Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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Zhu X, Wang J, Li L, Deng L, Wang J, Liu L, Zeng R, Wang Q, Zheng Y. GPX3 suppresses tumor migration and invasion via the FAK/AKT pathway in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Am J Transl Res 2018; 10:1908-1920. [PMID: 30018730 PMCID: PMC6038073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Although an increasing number of findings have proven that glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPX3) is methylated and down-regulated in various cancers, the underlying mechanism of its occurrence in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unknown. In the present study, we found that the methylation rate in advanced cancers was significantly higher than that in early stage cancers by a methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, the proliferation and migration capacities of KYSE-510 cells were inhibited after up-regulating GPX3 expression by GPX3 lentivirus transfection. As expected, the proliferation and migration capacities of KYSE-150 cells were promoted after down-regulating GPX3 expression with siRNA interfering. Moreover, we found that GPX3 might have deactivated the FAK/AKT signaling pathway to lower the expression of MMP-9 to suppress the migration and invasive capacities of KYSE-150 and KYSE-510 cells. Our findings suggested that GPX3 played a pivotal role in the suppression of carcinogenesis and progression in ESCC, and GPX3 has the potential as a novel biomarker in the diagnosis of ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiongjie Zhu
- Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhou 510282, China
| | - Jiale Wang
- Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhou 510282, China
| | - Lihua Li
- Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhou 510282, China
| | - Lian Deng
- Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhou 510282, China
| | - Jinting Wang
- Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhou 510282, China
| | - Lu Liu
- Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhou 510282, China
| | - Rong Zeng
- Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhou 510282, China
| | - Qien Wang
- Department of Radiology, Division of Radiobiology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical CenterColumbus, OH, USA
| | - Yanfang Zheng
- Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhou 510282, China
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Wang F, Bank T, Malnassy G, Arteaga M, Shang N, Dalheim A, Ding X, Cotler SJ, Denning MF, Nishimura MI, Breslin P, Qiu W. Inhibition of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor enhances the efficacy of sorafenib in inhibiting hepatocellular carcinoma cell growth and survival. Hepatol Commun 2018; 2:732-746. [PMID: 29881824 PMCID: PMC5983153 DOI: 10.1002/hep4.1181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Revised: 03/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common primary cancer and second largest cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The first-line oral chemotherapeutic agent sorafenib only increases survival in patients with advanced HCC by less than 3 months. Most patients with advanced HCC have shown limited response rates and survival benefits with sorafenib. Although sorafenib is an inhibitor of multiple kinases, including serine/threonine-protein kinase c-Raf, serine/threonine-protein kinase B-Raf, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-1, VEGFR-2, VEGFR-3, and platelet-derived growth factor receptor β, HCC cells are able to escape from sorafenib treatment using other pathways that the drug insufficiently inhibits. The aim of this study was to identify and target survival and proliferation pathways that enable HCC to escape the antitumor activity of sorafenib. We found that insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) remains activated in HCC cells treated with sorafenib. Knockdown of IGF1R sensitizes HCC cells to sorafenib treatment and decreases protein kinase B (AKT) activation. Overexpression of constitutively activated AKT reverses the effect of knockdown of IGF1R in sensitizing HCC cells to treatment with sorafenib. Further, we found that ceritinib, a drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, effectively inhibits the IGF1R/AKT pathway and enhances the inhibitory efficacy of sorafenib in human HCC cell growth and survival in vitro, in a xenograft mouse model and in the c-Met/β-catenin-driven HCC mouse model. Conclusion: Our study provides a biochemical basis for evaluation of a new combination treatment that includes IGF1R inhibitors, such as ceritinib and sorafenib, in patients with HCC. (Hepatology Communications 2018;2:732-746).
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Wang
- Department of Surgery and Oncology Institute, Stritch School of MedicineLoyola University ChicagoMaywoodIL
| | - Thomas Bank
- Department of Surgery and Oncology Institute, Stritch School of MedicineLoyola University ChicagoMaywoodIL
| | - Gregory Malnassy
- Department of Surgery and Oncology Institute, Stritch School of MedicineLoyola University ChicagoMaywoodIL
| | - Maribel Arteaga
- Department of Surgery and Oncology Institute, Stritch School of MedicineLoyola University ChicagoMaywoodIL
| | - Na Shang
- Department of Surgery and Oncology Institute, Stritch School of MedicineLoyola University ChicagoMaywoodIL
| | - Annika Dalheim
- Department of Surgery and Oncology Institute, Stritch School of MedicineLoyola University ChicagoMaywoodIL
| | - Xianzhong Ding
- Pathology Department, Stritch School of MedicineLoyola University ChicagoMaywoodIL
| | - Scott J. Cotler
- Department of Medicine, Stritch School of MedicineLoyola University ChicagoMaywoodIL
| | - Mitchell F. Denning
- Pathology Department, Stritch School of MedicineLoyola University ChicagoMaywoodIL
| | - Michael I. Nishimura
- Department of Surgery and Oncology Institute, Stritch School of MedicineLoyola University ChicagoMaywoodIL
| | - Peter Breslin
- Department of Surgery and Oncology Institute, Stritch School of MedicineLoyola University ChicagoMaywoodIL
- Department of Molecular/Cellular Physiology, Stritch School of MedicineLoyola University ChicagoMaywoodIL
| | - Wei Qiu
- Department of Surgery and Oncology Institute, Stritch School of MedicineLoyola University ChicagoMaywoodIL
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Liang Y, Feng Y, Zong M, Wei X, Lee J, Feng Y, Li H, Yang G, Wu ZJ, Fu XD, Feng GS. β-catenin deficiency in hepatocytes aggravates hepatocarcinogenesis driven by oncogenic β-catenin and MET. Hepatology 2018; 67:1807-1822. [PMID: 29152756 PMCID: PMC5906147 DOI: 10.1002/hep.29661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Revised: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Both activating and inactivating mutations in catenin β1 (ctnnb1), which encodes β-catenin, have been implicated in liver tumorigenesis in humans and mice, although the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Herein, we show that deletion of endogenous β-catenin in hepatocytes aggravated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development driven by an oncogenic version of β-catenin (CAT) in combination with the hepatocyte growth factor receptor MET proto-oncogene receptor tyrosine kinase (MET). Although the mitogenic signaling and cell cycle progression was modestly impaired after CAT/MET transfection, the β-catenin-deficient livers displayed changes in transcriptomes, increased DNA damage response, expanded Sox9+ cells, and up-regulation of protumorigenic cytokines, including interleukin-6 and transforming growth factor β1. These events eventually exacerbated CAT/MET-driven hepatocarcinogenesis in β-catenin-deficient livers, featured by up-regulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk), protein kinase B (Akt), and Wnt/β-catenin signaling and cyclin D1 expression. The resultant mouse tumors showed similar transcriptomes to human HCC samples with concomitant CTNNB1 mutations and MET overexpression. CONCLUSION These data argue that while dominantly activating mutants of β-catenin are oncogenic, inhibiting the oncogenic signaling pathway generates a pro-oncogenic microenvironment that may facilitate HCC recurrence following a targeted therapy of the primary tumor. An effective therapeutic strategy must require disruption of the oncogenic signaling in tumor cells and suppression of the secondary tumor-promoting stromal effects in the liver microenvironment. (Hepatology 2018;67:1807-1822).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Liang
- Department of Pathology, and Division of Biological Sciences, Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Yun Feng
- Department of Pathology, and Division of Biological Sciences, Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA,The Fifth Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200438, P.R. China
| | - Min Zong
- Department of Pathology, and Division of Biological Sciences, Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Xufu Wei
- Department of Pathology, and Division of Biological Sciences, Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA,Department of Hepatology, 1 affiliated Hospital, Chong-Qing Medical University, China
| | - Jin Lee
- Department of Pathology, and Division of Biological Sciences, Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Yukuan Feng
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA,Department of Anatomy, Mudanjiang Medical College, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157011, China
| | - Hairi Li
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Guangshun Yang
- The Fifth Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200438, P.R. China
| | - Zhong-Jun Wu
- Department of Hepatology, 1 affiliated Hospital, Chong-Qing Medical University, China
| | - Xiang-Dong Fu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Gen-Sheng Feng
- Department of Pathology, and Division of Biological Sciences, Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA, Corresponding to: Gen-Sheng Feng,
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Shang N, Bank T, Ding X, Breslin P, Li J, Shi B, Qiu W. Caspase-3 suppresses diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocyte death, compensatory proliferation and hepatocarcinogenesis through inhibiting p38 activation. Cell Death Dis 2018; 9:558. [PMID: 29752472 PMCID: PMC5948202 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-018-0617-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
It is critical to understand the molecular mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenesis in order to prevent or treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The development of HCC is commonly associated with hepatocyte death and compensatory proliferation. However, the role of Caspase-3, a key apoptotic executor, in hepatocarcinogenesis is unknown. In this study, we used Caspase-3-deficient mice to examine the role of Caspase-3 in hepatocarcinogenesis in a chemical (diethylnitrosamine, DEN)-induced HCC model. We found that Caspase-3 deficiency significantly increased DEN-induced HCC. Unexpectedly, Caspase-3 deficiency increased apoptosis induced by DEN and the subsequent compensatory proliferation. Intriguingly, we discovered that Caspase-3 deficiency increased the activation of p38 with and without DEN treatment. Moreover, we demonstrated that TNFα and IL1α stimulated increased activation of p38 in Caspase-3 KO hepatocytes compared with wild-type hepatocytes. Finally, we found that inhibition of p38 by SB202190 abrogated enhanced hepatocyte death, compensatory proliferation and HCC induced by DEN in Caspase-3-deficient mice. Overall, our data suggest that Caspase-3 inhibits chemical-induced hepatocarcinogenesis by suppressing p38 activation and hepatocyte death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Shang
- Department of Surgery and Oncology Institute, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South 1st Avenue, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA
| | - Thomas Bank
- Department of Surgery and Oncology Institute, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South 1st Avenue, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA
| | - Xianzhong Ding
- Department of Pathology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South 1st Avenue, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA
| | - Peter Breslin
- Department of Surgery and Oncology Institute, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South 1st Avenue, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA.,Department of Molecular/Cellular Physiology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South 1st Avenue, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Baomin Shi
- Department of General Surgery Tongji Hospital, Tongji University Medical School, Shanghai, PR, 200065, China.
| | - Wei Qiu
- Department of Surgery and Oncology Institute, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South 1st Avenue, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA. .,Department of General Surgery Tongji Hospital, Tongji University Medical School, Shanghai, PR, 200065, China.
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41
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Taylor KN, Schlaepfer DD. Adaptive Resistance to Chemotherapy, A Multi-FAK-torial Linkage. Mol Cancer Ther 2018; 17:719-723. [PMID: 29610281 PMCID: PMC6538033 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-17-1177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Revised: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Oncogenes provide tumor cells with a growth and survival advantage. Directed therapies targeted to oncogenic mutations (such as BRAF V600E) are part of effective late-stage melanoma treatment. However, tumors with BRAF V600E mutations, in approximately 10% of colorectal cancer, are generally treatment-insensitive. Research has identified various "feedback" mechanisms that result in BRAF signal pathway reactivation in response to BRAF inhibition. Herein, we highlight key findings from Chen and colleagues (this issue) showing that integrin-associated focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activation selectively occurs in BRAF V600E-mutant colorectal cancer cells in response to pharmacological BRAF inhibition. FAK activation results in elevated β-catenin protein levels, β-catenin nuclear localization, and increased gene transcription. Small-molecule inhibitors of β-catenin or FAK synergize with vemurafenib BRAF inhibitor to prevent BRAF V600E colorectal cancer cell proliferation in vitro and xenograft tumor growth in mice. This study complements findings linking FAK to β-catenin in intestinal tumorigenesis, resistance to radiotherapy, and cancer stem cell survival. Thus, FAK activation may occur as a frequent tumor cell "adaptive resistance" mechanism. Although FAK (PTK2) is not mutated in most cancers, targeting FAK activity in combinational approaches may limit tumor cell escape mechanisms and enhance durable responses to treatment. Mol Cancer Ther; 17(4); 719-23. ©2018 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin N Taylor
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, California
| | - David D Schlaepfer
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, California.
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42
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Gong XY, Ma N, Xu HX, Chen F, Huang XH, Wang Q. Prognostic significance of c-Met, β-catenin and FAK in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma following surgery. Oncol Lett 2018; 15:3796-3805. [PMID: 29467897 PMCID: PMC5796308 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.7733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of specific molecular markers in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who had received surgery. Immunohistochemical analysis was used to measure the expression of hepatocyte growth factor receptor (c-Met), β-catenin and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in patients with HCC. c-Met expression was identified to be high in patients with larger tumors, higher α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels, higher Edmondson grades, portal vein invasion and higher tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stages. FAK expression was high in patients with portal vein invasion, higher Edmondson grades and higher TNM stages. β-catenin expression was high in patients with larger tumors, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, portal vein invasion, higher Edmondson grades and higher TNM stages. Following multivariate analysis, FAK (P=0.002) and β-catenin (P=0.006) expression levels were demonstrated to be significantly associated with Edmondson grade. Additionally, the tumor size (P=0.009) and HBV infection status (P=0.002) were revealed to be associated with β-catenin expression. Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis demonstrated that patients with HCC with higher FAK expression, higher β-catenin expression, portal vein invasion, higher Edmondson grades, higher TNM stages, younger ages and higher AFP levels had significantly poorer prognoses. Cox's regression analysis revealed that the survival period was correlated with the Edmondson grade, age, AFP level, and FAK and β-catenin expression. Univariate analysis of c-Met, β-catenin and FAK identified a significant correlation between FAK and β-catenin (P=0.015). Correlation analysis revealed no significant correlation between the three molecular markers, but β-catenin and c-Met were markedly correlated (P=0.052). No significant correlation between FAK, c-Met or β-catenin expression was identified. FAK and β-catenin expression demonstrated a correlation with a range of clinicopathological factors, and high FAK and β-catenin expression levels were identified to be correlated with a poor survival rate of patients with HCC. Thus, patients with higher FAK and β-catenin expression may require more aggressive therapy. The results of the present study suggest that FAK and β-catenin expression possess more prognostic value than c-Met expression in patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Yi Gong
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Ning Ma
- Department of General Surgical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Hong-Xu Xu
- Laboratory of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Fan Chen
- Department of General Surgical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Hui Huang
- Department of General Surgical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
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Zhu H, Jiang X, Zhou X, Dong X, Xie K, Yang C, Jiang H, Sun X, Lu J. Neuropilin-1 regulated by miR-320 contributes to the growth and metastasis of cholangiocarcinoma cells. Liver Int 2018; 38:125-135. [PMID: 28618167 DOI: 10.1111/liv.13495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) activates signalling pathways as multifunctional co-receptors in cancer cells. However, its role and how it is regulated by miRNAs in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) have not yet been investigated. METHODS The expression of NRP-1, miR-320 and key molecules involved in cell proliferation, migration and related signalling pathways were detected by immunohistochemistry, immunoblotting and qRT-PCR. Stable transfectants depleted of NRP-1 were generated. The regulatory effect of miR-320 on NRP-1 was evaluated by luciferase reporter assays. Cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution and migration were examined. Xenograft tumour models were established to assess tumourigenesis, tumour growth and lung metastasis. RESULTS Cholangiocarcinoma tissues expressed higher levels of NRP-1 than adjacent normal biliary tissues, and its expression negatively correlated with miR-320. NRP-1 depletion inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest in the G1/S phase by upregulating p27, and downregulating cyclin E and cyclin-dependent kinase 2; and reduced cell migration by inhibiting the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase. NRP-1 depletion suppressed tumourigenesis, tumour growth and lung metastasis by inhibiting cell proliferation and tumour angiogenesis in experimental animals. Depletion of NRP-1 inhibited the activation of VEGF/VEGFR2, EGF/EGFR and HGF/c-Met pathways stimulated by respective ligands. MiR-320 negatively regulated the expression of NRP-1 by binding to the 3'-UTR of NRP-1 promoter, and miR-320 mimics inhibited cell proliferation and migration, and the growth of established tumours in animals by downregulating NRP-1. CONCLUSIONS The present results indicate that NRP-1 is negatively regulated by miR-320, and both of them may be potentially therapeutic targets for CCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaqiang Zhu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xian Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Xu Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xuesong Dong
- Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Kai Xie
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Chuncheng Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Hongchi Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Xueying Sun
- Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jun Lu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, China
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Li CY, Pang YY, Yang H, Li J, Lu HX, Wang HL, Mo WJ, Huang LS, Feng ZB, Chen G. Identification of miR-101-3p targets and functional features based on bioinformatics, meta-analysis and experimental verification in hepatocellular carcinoma. Am J Transl Res 2017; 9:2088-2105. [PMID: 28559963 PMCID: PMC5446495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND MiR-101-3p has been reported to suppress invasion and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. However, the relevant mechanisms are still unclear. The research seeks to determine systematic value of miR-101-3p in HCC, and comprehensively summarize the predicted target genes as well as their potential function, pathways and networks in HCC. METHODS The miR-101-1 profiles in 353 HCC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were analyzed. Meta-analysis was performed to estimate relationship of miR-101 (including precursor and mature miR-101) with clinical features and prognosis in HCC. Further, the promising targets of miR-101-3p were predicted and followed with Gene Ontology (GO), pathway and network analysis. In addition, the functional impact of miR-101-3p was confirmed with in vitro experiments in HCC cells. RESULTS In TCGA data, low-expression of miR-101-1 might be a diagnostic (AUC: 0.924, 95% CI: 0.894-0.953) and prognostic (HR=1.55) marker for HCC. Down-regulated miR-101-1 also correlated with poor differentiation, advanced TNM stage, lymph node metastasis and high AFP level of HCC. Meta-analysis revealed that miR-101 down-regulation were associated with poor prognosis, high AFP level and advanced TNM stage of HCC. Moreover, 343 hub genes were filtered and miR-101-3p may be involved in intracellular signaling cascade, transcription, metabolism and cell proliferation. Focal adhesion and pathways in cancer were also significantly enriched. In vitro experiments demonstrated that miR-101-3p inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis in HCC cells. CONCLUSIONS MiR-101-1 may be a prospective biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of HCC. Potential targets of miR-101-3p could regulate genesis and development of HCC. The data offers insights into biological significances and promising targets of miR-101-3p for further investigation and potential therapies in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Yao Li
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Yu-Yan Pang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Hong Yang
- Department of Medical Ultrasonics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Jia Li
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Hai-Xia Lu
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
- Department of Histology and Embryology Teaching-Research, Hainan Medical College3 West Xueyuan Road, Haikou 571191, Hainan, China
| | - Han-Lin Wang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Wei-Jia Mo
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Lan-Shan Huang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Zhen-Bo Feng
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Gang Chen
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
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45
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Focal adhesion kinase depletion reduces human hepatocellular carcinoma growth by repressing enhancer of zeste homolog 2. Cell Death Differ 2017; 24:889-902. [PMID: 28338656 PMCID: PMC5423113 DOI: 10.1038/cdd.2017.34] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Revised: 02/17/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer in humans. The focal adhesion tyrosine kinase (FAK) is often over-expressed in human HCC and FAK inhibition may reduce HCC cell invasiveness. However, the anti-oncogenic effect of FAK knockdown in HCC cells remains to be clarified. We found that FAK depletion in HCC cells reduced in vitro and in vivo tumorigenicity, by inducing G2/M arrest and apoptosis, decreasing anchorage-independent growth, and modulating the expression of several cancer-related genes. Among these genes, we showed that FAK silencing decreased transcription and nuclear localization of enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) and its tri-methylation activity on lysine 27 of histone H3 (H3K27me3). Accordingly, FAK, EZH2 and H3K27me3 were concomitantly upregulated in human HCCs compared to non-tumor livers. In vitro experiments demonstrated that FAK affected EZH2 expression and function by modulating, at least in part, p53 and E2F2/3 transcriptional activity. Moreover, FAK silencing downregulated both EZH2 binding and histone H3K27me3 levels at the promoter of its target gene NOTCH2. Finally, we found that pharmacological inhibition of FAK activity resembled these effects although milder. In summary, we demonstrate that FAK depletion reduces HCC cell growth by affecting cancer-promoting genes including the pro-oncogene EZH2. Furthermore, we unveil a novel unprecedented FAK/EZH2 crosstalk in HCC cells, thus identifying a targetable network paving the way for new anticancer therapies.
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46
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Panera N, Crudele A, Romito I, Gnani D, Alisi A. Focal Adhesion Kinase: Insight into Molecular Roles and Functions in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18010099. [PMID: 28067792 PMCID: PMC5297733 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18010099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Revised: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 12/30/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Due to the high incidence of post-operative recurrence after current treatments, the identification of new and more effective drugs is required. In previous years, new targetable genes/pathways involved in HCC pathogenesis have been discovered through the help of high-throughput sequencing technologies. Mutations in TP53 and β-catenin genes are the most frequent aberrations in HCC. However, approaches able to reverse the effect of these mutations might be unpredictable. In fact, if the reactivation of proteins, such as p53 in tumours, holds great promise as anticancer therapy, there are studies arguing that chronic activation of these types of molecules may be deleterious. Thus, recently the efforts on potential targets have focused on actionable mutations, such as those occurring in the gene encoding for focal adhesion kinase (FAK). This tyrosine kinase, localized to cellular focal contacts, is over-expressed in a variety of human tumours, including HCC. Moreover, several lines of evidence demonstrated that FAK depletion or inhibition impair in vitro and in vivo HCC growth and metastasis. Here, we provide an overview of FAK expression and activity in the context of tumour biology, discussing the current evidence of its connection with HCC development and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Panera
- Liver Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Via S. Paolo, 15, 00146 Rome, Italy.
| | - Annalisa Crudele
- Liver Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Via S. Paolo, 15, 00146 Rome, Italy.
| | - Ilaria Romito
- Liver Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Via S. Paolo, 15, 00146 Rome, Italy.
| | - Daniela Gnani
- Liver Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Via S. Paolo, 15, 00146 Rome, Italy.
| | - Anna Alisi
- Liver Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Via S. Paolo, 15, 00146 Rome, Italy.
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47
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Chang TT, Thakar D, Weaver VM. Force-dependent breaching of the basement membrane. Matrix Biol 2016; 57-58:178-189. [PMID: 28025167 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2016.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2016] [Revised: 10/20/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Clinically, non-invasive carcinomas are confined to the epithelial side of the basement membrane and are classified as benign, whereas invasive cancers invade through the basement membrane and thereby acquire the potential to metastasize. Recent findings suggest that, in addition to protease-mediated degradation and chemotaxis-stimulated migration, basement membrane invasion by malignant cells is significantly influenced by the stiffness of the associated interstitial extracellular matrix and the contractility of the tumor cells that is dictated in part by their oncogenic genotype. In this review, we highlight recent findings that illustrate unifying molecular mechanisms whereby these physical cues contribute to tissue fibrosis and malignancy in three epithelial organs: breast, pancreas, and liver. We also discuss the clinical implications of these findings and the biological properties and clinical challenges linked to the unique biology of each of these organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tammy T Chang
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Liver Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
| | - Dhruv Thakar
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Center for Bioengineering and Tissue Regeneration, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
| | - Valerie M Weaver
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Center for Bioengineering and Tissue Regeneration, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Anatomy, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Radiation Oncology, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; The Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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48
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Tao J, Xu E, Zhao Y, Singh S, Li X, Couchy G, Chen X, Zucman-Rossi J, Chikina M, Monga SPS. Modeling a human hepatocellular carcinoma subset in mice through coexpression of met and point-mutant β-catenin. Hepatology 2016; 64:1587-1605. [PMID: 27097116 PMCID: PMC5073058 DOI: 10.1002/hep.28601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Revised: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Hepatocellular cancer (HCC) remains a significant therapeutic challenge due to its poorly understood molecular basis. In the current study, we investigated two independent cohorts of 249 and 194 HCC cases for any combinatorial molecular aberrations. Specifically we assessed for simultaneous HMET expression or hMet activation and catenin β1 gene (CTNNB1) mutations to address any concomitant Met and Wnt signaling. To investigate cooperation in tumorigenesis, we coexpressed hMet and β-catenin point mutants (S33Y or S45Y) in hepatocytes using sleeping beauty transposon/transposase and hydrodynamic tail vein injection and characterized tumors for growth, signaling, gene signatures, and similarity to human HCC. Missense mutations in exon 3 of CTNNB1 were identified in subsets of HCC patients. Irrespective of amino acid affected, all exon 3 mutations induced similar changes in gene expression. Concomitant HMET overexpression or hMet activation and CTNNB1 mutations were evident in 9%-12.5% of HCCs. Coexpression of hMet and mutant-β-catenin led to notable HCC in mice. Tumors showed active Wnt and hMet signaling with evidence of glutamine synthetase and cyclin D1 positivity and mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase, AKT/Ras/mammalian target of rapamycin activation. Introduction of dominant-negative T-cell factor 4 prevented tumorigenesis. The gene expression of mouse tumors in hMet-mutant β-catenin showed high correlation, with subsets of human HCC displaying concomitant hMet activation signature and CTNNB1 mutations. CONCLUSION We have identified cooperation of hMet and β-catenin activation in a subset of HCC patients and modeled this human disease in mice with a significant transcriptomic intersection; this model will provide novel insight into the biology of this tumor and allow us to evaluate novel therapies as a step toward precision medicine. (Hepatology 2016;64:1587-1605).
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyan Tao
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Emily Xu
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yifei Zhao
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sucha Singh
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Xiaolei Li
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University California, San Francisco, CA,Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Gabrielle Couchy
- Inserm, UMR-1162, Génomique fonctionnelle des Tumeurs solides, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, F-75010 France,Université Paris Descartes, Labex Immuno-Oncology, Sorbonne Paris Cité, F-75010 Paris, France,Université Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cité, UFR SMBH, F-93000 Bobigny, France,Université Paris Diderot, IUH, F-75010 Paris
| | - Xin Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China,Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University California, San Francisco, CA,Liver Center, University California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Jessica Zucman-Rossi
- Inserm, UMR-1162, Génomique fonctionnelle des Tumeurs solides, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, F-75010 France,Université Paris Descartes, Labex Immuno-Oncology, Sorbonne Paris Cité, F-75010 Paris, France,Université Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cité, UFR SMBH, F-93000 Bobigny, France,Université Paris Diderot, IUH, F-75010 Paris
| | - Maria Chikina
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Satdarshan P. S. Monga
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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49
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FAK deletion accelerates liver regeneration after two-thirds partial hepatectomy. Sci Rep 2016; 6:34316. [PMID: 27677358 PMCID: PMC5039626 DOI: 10.1038/srep34316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the molecular mechanisms of liver regeneration is essential to improve the survival rate of patients after surgical resection of large amounts of liver tissue. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) regulates different cellular functions, including cell survival, proliferation and cell migration. The role of FAK in liver regeneration remains unknown. In this study, we found that Fak is activated and induced during liver regeneration after two-thirds partial hepatectomy (PHx). We used mice with liver-specific deletion of Fak and investigated the role of Fak in liver regeneration in 2/3 PHx model (removal of 2/3 of the liver). We found that specific deletion of Fak accelerates liver regeneration. Fak deletion enhances hepatocyte proliferation prior to day 3 post-PHx but attenuates hepatocyte proliferation 3 days after PHx. Moreover, we demonstrated that the deletion of Fak in liver transiently increases EGFR activation by regulating the TNFα/HB-EGF axis during liver regeneration. Furthermore, we found more apoptosis in Fak-deficient mouse livers compared to WT mouse livers after PHx. Conclusion: Our data suggest that Fak is involved in the process of liver regeneration, and inhibition of FAK may be a promising strategy to accelerate liver regeneration in recipients after liver transplantation.
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50
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Wang DD, Chen Y, Chen ZB, Yan FJ, Dai XY, Ying MD, Cao J, Ma J, Luo PH, Han YX, Peng Y, Sun YH, Zhang H, He QJ, Yang B, Zhu H. CT-707, a Novel FAK Inhibitor, Synergizes with Cabozantinib to Suppress Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Blocking Cabozantinib-Induced FAK Activation. Mol Cancer Ther 2016; 15:2916-2925. [PMID: 27638856 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-16-0282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2016] [Revised: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and the development of new treatment regimens is urgently needed to improve therapeutic approach. In our study, we found that the combination of a Met inhibitor, cabozantinib, and a novel FAK inhibitor, CT-707, exerted synergistic antitumor effects against hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo Interestingly, further studies showed that therapeutic concentrations of cabozantinib increased the phosphorylation of FAK, which might attenuate the antitumor activity of cabozantinib. The simultaneous exposure to CT-707 effectively inhibited the activation of FAK that was induced by cabozantinib, which contributes to the synergistic effect of the combination. Furthermore, cabozantinib increased the mRNA and protein levels of integrin α5, which is a canonical upstream of FAK, and the introduction of cilengitide to block integrin function could abrogate FAK activation by cabozantinib, indicating that cabozantinib upregulated the phosphorylation of FAK in an integrin-dependent manner. Similar synergy was also observed on PHA-665752, another selective MET inhibitor, indicating that this observation might be a common characteristic of MET-targeting strategies. Our findings not only favor the development of the novel FAK inhibitor CT-707 as a therapeutic agent against hepatocellular carcinoma but also provide a new strategy of combining MET and FAK inhibitors to potentiate the anticancer activities of these two types of agents for treating hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(12); 2916-25. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Dan Wang
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Chen
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zi-Bo Chen
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fang-Jie Yan
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Yang Dai
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mei-Dan Ying
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ji Cao
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian Ma
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Pei-Hua Luo
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yong-Xin Han
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Centaurus BioPharma Co., Ltd, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Peng
- Department of Discovery Biology, Centaurus BioPharma Co., Ltd, Beijing, China
| | - Ying-Hui Sun
- Department of Discovery Biology, Centaurus BioPharma Co., Ltd, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Discovery Biology, Centaurus BioPharma Co., Ltd, Beijing, China
| | - Qiao-Jun He
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hong Zhu
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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