1
|
Flax RG, Rosston P, Rocha C, Anderson B, Capener JL, Durcan TM, Drewry DH, Prinos P, Axtman AD. Illumination of understudied ciliary kinases. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1352781. [PMID: 38523660 PMCID: PMC10958382 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1352781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Cilia are cellular signaling hubs. Given that human kinases are central regulators of signaling, it is not surprising that kinases are key players in cilia biology. In fact, many kinases modulate ciliogenesis, which is the generation of cilia, and distinct ciliary pathways. Several of these kinases are understudied with few publications dedicated to the interrogation of their function. Recent efforts to develop chemical probes for members of the cyclin-dependent kinase like (CDKL), never in mitosis gene A (NIMA) related kinase (NEK), and tau tubulin kinase (TTBK) families either have delivered or are working toward delivery of high-quality chemical tools to characterize the roles that specific kinases play in ciliary processes. A better understanding of ciliary kinases may shed light on whether modulation of these targets will slow or halt disease onset or progression. For example, both understudied human kinases and some that are more well-studied play important ciliary roles in neurons and have been implicated in neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and other neurological diseases. Similarly, subsets of human ciliary kinases are associated with cancer and oncological pathways. Finally, a group of genetic disorders characterized by defects in cilia called ciliopathies have associated gene mutations that impact kinase activity and function. This review highlights both progress related to the understanding of ciliary kinases as well as in chemical inhibitor development for a subset of these kinases. We emphasize known roles of ciliary kinases in diseases of the brain and malignancies and focus on a subset of poorly characterized kinases that regulate ciliary biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raymond G. Flax
- Structural Genomics Consortium, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Peter Rosston
- Structural Genomics Consortium, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Cecilia Rocha
- The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Brian Anderson
- Structural Genomics Consortium, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Jacob L. Capener
- Structural Genomics Consortium, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Thomas M. Durcan
- The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - David H. Drewry
- Structural Genomics Consortium, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Panagiotis Prinos
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Alison D. Axtman
- Structural Genomics Consortium, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Pluta AJ, Studniarek C, Murphy S, Norbury CJ. Cyclin-dependent kinases: Masters of the eukaryotic universe. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2023; 15:e1816. [PMID: 37718413 PMCID: PMC10909489 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
A family of structurally related cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) drives many aspects of eukaryotic cell function. Much of the literature in this area has considered individual members of this family to act primarily either as regulators of the cell cycle, the context in which CDKs were first discovered, or as regulators of transcription. Until recently, CDK7 was the only clear example of a CDK that functions in both processes. However, new data points to several "cell-cycle" CDKs having important roles in transcription and some "transcriptional" CDKs having cell cycle-related targets. For example, novel functions in transcription have been demonstrated for the archetypal cell cycle regulator CDK1. The increasing evidence of the overlap between these two CDK types suggests that they might play a critical role in coordinating the two processes. Here we review the canonical functions of cell-cycle and transcriptional CDKs, and provide an update on how these kinases collaborate to perform important cellular functions. We also provide a brief overview of how dysregulation of CDKs contributes to carcinogenesis, and possible treatment avenues. This article is categorized under: RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA-Protein Complexes RNA Processing > 3' End Processing RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Shona Murphy
- Sir William Dunn School of PathologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Chris J. Norbury
- Sir William Dunn School of PathologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ren F, Ding X, Zheng M, Korzinkin M, Cai X, Zhu W, Mantsyzov A, Aliper A, Aladinskiy V, Cao Z, Kong S, Long X, Man Liu BH, Liu Y, Naumov V, Shneyderman A, Ozerov IV, Wang J, Pun FW, Polykovskiy DA, Sun C, Levitt M, Aspuru-Guzik A, Zhavoronkov A. AlphaFold accelerates artificial intelligence powered drug discovery: efficient discovery of a novel CDK20 small molecule inhibitor. Chem Sci 2023; 14:1443-1452. [PMID: 36794205 PMCID: PMC9906638 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc05709c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 85.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The application of artificial intelligence (AI) has been considered a revolutionary change in drug discovery and development. In 2020, the AlphaFold computer program predicted protein structures for the whole human genome, which has been considered a remarkable breakthrough in both AI applications and structural biology. Despite the varying confidence levels, these predicted structures could still significantly contribute to structure-based drug design of novel targets, especially the ones with no or limited structural information. In this work, we successfully applied AlphaFold to our end-to-end AI-powered drug discovery engines, including a biocomputational platform PandaOmics and a generative chemistry platform Chemistry42. A novel hit molecule against a novel target without an experimental structure was identified, starting from target selection towards hit identification, in a cost- and time-efficient manner. PandaOmics provided the protein of interest for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and Chemistry42 generated the molecules based on the structure predicted by AlphaFold, and the selected molecules were synthesized and tested in biological assays. Through this approach, we identified a small molecule hit compound for cyclin-dependent kinase 20 (CDK20) with a binding constant Kd value of 9.2 ± 0.5 μM (n = 3) within 30 days from target selection and after only synthesizing 7 compounds. Based on the available data, a second round of AI-powered compound generation was conducted and through this, a more potent hit molecule, ISM042-2-048, was discovered with an average Kd value of 566.7 ± 256.2 nM (n = 3). Compound ISM042-2-048 also showed good CDK20 inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 33.4 ± 22.6 nM (n = 3). In addition, ISM042-2-048 demonstrated selective anti-proliferation activity in an HCC cell line with CDK20 overexpression, Huh7, with an IC50 of 208.7 ± 3.3 nM, compared to a counter screen cell line HEK293 (IC50 = 1706.7 ± 670.0 nM). This work is the first demonstration of applying AlphaFold to the hit identification process in drug discovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Feng Ren
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road. Pudong New District Shanghai 201203 China
| | - Xiao Ding
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road. Pudong New District Shanghai 201203 China
| | - Min Zheng
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road. Pudong New District Shanghai 201203 China
| | - Mikhail Korzinkin
- Insilico Medicine Kong Kong Ltd Unit 310, 3/F, Building 8W, Phase 2, Hong Kong Science Park, Pak Shek Kok Hong Kong China
| | - Xin Cai
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road. Pudong New District Shanghai 201203 China
| | - Wei Zhu
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road. Pudong New District Shanghai 201203 China
| | - Alexey Mantsyzov
- Insilico Medicine Kong Kong Ltd Unit 310, 3/F, Building 8W, Phase 2, Hong Kong Science Park, Pak Shek Kok Hong Kong China
| | - Alex Aliper
- Insilico Medicine Kong Kong Ltd Unit 310, 3/F, Building 8W, Phase 2, Hong Kong Science Park, Pak Shek Kok Hong Kong China
| | - Vladimir Aladinskiy
- Insilico Medicine Kong Kong Ltd Unit 310, 3/F, Building 8W, Phase 2, Hong Kong Science Park, Pak Shek Kok Hong Kong China
| | - Zhongying Cao
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road. Pudong New District Shanghai 201203 China
| | - Shanshan Kong
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road. Pudong New District Shanghai 201203 China
| | - Xi Long
- Insilico Medicine Kong Kong Ltd Unit 310, 3/F, Building 8W, Phase 2, Hong Kong Science Park, Pak Shek Kok Hong Kong China
| | - Bonnie Hei Man Liu
- Insilico Medicine Kong Kong Ltd Unit 310, 3/F, Building 8W, Phase 2, Hong Kong Science Park, Pak Shek Kok Hong Kong China
| | - Yingtao Liu
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road. Pudong New District Shanghai 201203 China
| | - Vladimir Naumov
- Insilico Medicine Kong Kong Ltd Unit 310, 3/F, Building 8W, Phase 2, Hong Kong Science Park, Pak Shek Kok Hong Kong China
| | - Anastasia Shneyderman
- Insilico Medicine Kong Kong Ltd Unit 310, 3/F, Building 8W, Phase 2, Hong Kong Science Park, Pak Shek Kok Hong Kong China
| | - Ivan V Ozerov
- Insilico Medicine Kong Kong Ltd Unit 310, 3/F, Building 8W, Phase 2, Hong Kong Science Park, Pak Shek Kok Hong Kong China
| | - Ju Wang
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road. Pudong New District Shanghai 201203 China
| | - Frank W Pun
- Insilico Medicine Kong Kong Ltd Unit 310, 3/F, Building 8W, Phase 2, Hong Kong Science Park, Pak Shek Kok Hong Kong China
| | - Daniil A Polykovskiy
- Insilico Medicine Kong Kong Ltd Unit 310, 3/F, Building 8W, Phase 2, Hong Kong Science Park, Pak Shek Kok Hong Kong China
| | - Chong Sun
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Toronto Ontario Canada
| | - Michael Levitt
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University Palo Alto CA USA
| | - Alán Aspuru-Guzik
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Toronto Ontario Canada
| | - Alex Zhavoronkov
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road. Pudong New District Shanghai 201203 China
- Insilico Medicine Kong Kong Ltd Unit 310, 3/F, Building 8W, Phase 2, Hong Kong Science Park, Pak Shek Kok Hong Kong China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Hussain Qureshi MF, Shah M, Lakhani M, Abubaker ZJ, Mohammad D, Farhan H, Zia I, Tafveez R, Khan ST, Rubina G, Shamim M, Ghulam H. Gene signatures of cyclin-dependent kinases: a comparative study in naïve early and advanced stages of lung metastasis breast cancer among pre- and post-menopausal women. Genes Cancer 2021; 12:1-11. [PMID: 33868579 PMCID: PMC8018704 DOI: 10.18632/genesandcancer.209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive (HER2+) breast cancer (BC) is a more aggressive tumor with 5 years median survival rates after metastasis. Despite successful treatment, unfortunately, the majority of affected patients die. Defects in cell cycle and transcription regulation phases which are governed by cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are the hallmark of many cancers that underpinning the progression of the disease. Therefore, the current study looked at the alteration of six CDKs mRNA expression levels in pre- and postmenopausal lung metastasis BC groups; the majority were HER2+. Two hundred pre-and postmenopausal lung metastasis breast cancer and healthy control blood samples were taken for RNA isolation. Quantitative PCR was done for CDKs mRNA expressions. We observed overexpression of CDK11, CDK12, CDK17, CDK18, and CDK19 in both pre- and postmenopausal groups. However, CDK20 showed progressive downregulation from early to advanced stages in both groups of patients. Collectively, this data revealed that CDKs overexpression levels may predict BC disease progression and provide further rationale for novel anticancer strategies for HER2+ BC cancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Muzna Shah
- Medical Students, Ziauddin University, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Mahira Lakhani
- Medical Students, Ziauddin University, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan
| | | | - Danish Mohammad
- Medical Students, Ziauddin University, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Hira Farhan
- Medical Students, Ziauddin University, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Iman Zia
- Medical Students, Ziauddin University, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Rida Tafveez
- Medical Students, Ziauddin University, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan
| | | | - Ghani Rubina
- Department of Biochemistry, Sohail University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Mushtaq Shamim
- Department of Biochemistry, Ziauddin University, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Haider Ghulam
- Oncology Department, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi, Pakistan
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
The Role of Cell Cycle Regulators in Cell Survival-Dual Functions of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 20 and p21 Cip1/Waf1. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21228504. [PMID: 33198081 PMCID: PMC7698114 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian cell cycle is important in controlling normal cell proliferation and the development of various diseases. Cell cycle checkpoints are well regulated by both activators and inhibitors to avoid cell growth disorder and cancerogenesis. Cyclin dependent kinase 20 (CDK20) and p21Cip1/Waf1 are widely recognized as key regulators of cell cycle checkpoints controlling cell proliferation/growth and involving in developing multiple cancers. Emerging evidence demonstrates that these two cell cycle regulators also play an essential role in promoting cell survival independent of the cell cycle, particularly in those cells with a limited capability of proliferation, such as cardiomyocytes. These findings bring new insights into understanding cytoprotection in these tissues. Here, we summarize the new progress of the studies on these two molecules in regulating cell cycle/growth, and their new roles in cell survival by inhibiting various cell death mechanisms. We also outline their potential implications in cancerogenesis and protection in heart diseases. This information renews the knowledge in molecular natures and cellular functions of these regulators, leading to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of the associated diseases and the discovery of new therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
|
6
|
Kohlmeyer JL, Gordon DJ, Tanas MR, Monga V, Dodd RD, Quelle DE. CDKs in Sarcoma: Mediators of Disease and Emerging Therapeutic Targets. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E3018. [PMID: 32344731 PMCID: PMC7215455 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21083018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sarcomas represent one of the most challenging tumor types to treat due to their diverse nature and our incomplete understanding of their underlying biology. Recent work suggests cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) pathway activation is a powerful driver of sarcomagenesis. CDK proteins participate in numerous cellular processes required for normal cell function, but their dysregulation is a hallmark of many pathologies including cancer. The contributions and significance of aberrant CDK activity to sarcoma development, however, is only partly understood. Here, we describe what is known about CDK-related alterations in the most common subtypes of sarcoma and highlight areas that warrant further investigation. As disruptions in CDK pathways appear in most, if not all, subtypes of sarcoma, we discuss the history and value of pharmacologically targeting CDKs to combat these tumors. The goals of this review are to (1) assess the prevalence and importance of CDK pathway alterations in sarcomas, (2) highlight the gap in knowledge for certain CDKs in these tumors, and (3) provide insight into studies focused on CDK inhibition for sarcoma treatment. Overall, growing evidence demonstrates a crucial role for activated CDKs in sarcoma development and as important targets for sarcoma therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jordan L Kohlmeyer
- Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA;
- The Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, 2-570 Bowen Science Bldg., Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - David J Gordon
- The Department of Pediatrics, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA;
| | - Munir R Tanas
- The Department of Pathology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA;
| | - Varun Monga
- The Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; (V.M.); (R.D.D.)
| | - Rebecca D Dodd
- The Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; (V.M.); (R.D.D.)
| | - Dawn E Quelle
- Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA;
- The Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, 2-570 Bowen Science Bldg., Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- The Department of Pathology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Xu X, Chen X, Xu M, Liu X, Pan B, Qin J, Xu T, Zeng K, Pan Y, He B, Sun H, Sun L, Wang S. miR-375-3p suppresses tumorigenesis and partially reverses chemoresistance by targeting YAP1 and SP1 in colorectal cancer cells. Aging (Albany NY) 2019; 11:7357-7385. [PMID: 31543507 PMCID: PMC6781994 DOI: 10.18632/aging.102214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Clinically, one of the principal factors in the failure of advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment is chemoresistance to 5-fluorouracil (5FU)-based chemotherapy. Although microRNA-375-3p (miR-375) is considered a tumor suppressor in multiple cancers, the mechanism of miR-375 in the regulation of drug resistance in CRC remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the chemosensitivity of miR-375 to 5FU in CRC from biological and clinical aspects. We found that miR-375 was significantly downregulated in CRC tissues and cell lines, and low miR-375 expression was strongly correlated with poor overall survival in CRC patients. Overexpression of miR-375 sensitized CRC cells to a broad spectrum of chemotherapeutic drugs in vitro and in vivo. Further mechanistic analysis demonstrated that miR-375 enhanced CRC cell sensitivity to 5FU by directly targeting YAP1 and SP1. MiR-375 downregulated YAP1, resulting in reduced expression of the Hippo-YAP1 pathway downstream genes CTGF, cyclin D1 and BIRC5 (also known as survivin). Overall, miR-375 was confirmed as a prospective molecular biomarker in the chemoresistance and prognosis of CRC patients, and the synergy between miR-375 and chemotherapeutic drugs could be a promising therapeutic strategy for CRC patients, especially with chemoresistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xueni Xu
- School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, China
| | - Xiaoxiang Chen
- School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, China
| | - Mu Xu
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, China
| | - Xiangxiang Liu
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, China
| | - Bei Pan
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, China
| | - Jian Qin
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, China
| | - Tao Xu
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, China
| | - Kaixuan Zeng
- School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yuqin Pan
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, China
| | - Bangshun He
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, China
| | - Huiling Sun
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, China
| | - Li Sun
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210011, China
| | - Shukui Wang
- School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Bang LG, Dasari VR, Kim D, Gogoi RP. Differential gene expression induced by Verteporfin in endometrial cancer cells. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3839. [PMID: 30846786 PMCID: PMC6405995 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40495-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Endometrial cancer (EMCA) is a clinically heterogeneous disease. Previously, we tested the efficacy of Verteporfin (VP) in EMCA cells and observed cytotoxic and anti-proliferative effects. In this study, we analyzed RNA sequencing data to investigate the comprehensive transcriptomic landscape of VP treated Type 1 EMCA cell lines, including HEC-1-A and HEC-1-B. There were 549 genes with differential expression of two-fold or greater and P < 0.05 after false discovery rate correction for the HEC-1-B cell line. Positive regulation of TGFβ1 production, regulation of lipoprotein metabolic process, cell adhesion, endodermal cell differentiation, formation and development, and integrin mediated signaling pathway were among the significantly associated terms. A functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes after VP treatment revealed extracellular matrix organization Gene Ontology as the most significant. CDC23 and BUB1B, two genes crucially involved in mitotic checkpoint progression, were found to be the pair with the best association from STRING among differentially expressed genes in VP treated HEC-1-B cells. Our in vivo results indicate that subcutaneous tumors in mice were regressed after VP treatment by inhibiting cell cycle pathway proteins. The present study revealed multiple key genes of pathological significance in EMCA, thereby improving our understanding of molecular profiles of EMCA cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Gahyun Bang
- Biomedical and Translational Informatics Institute, Geisinger, Danville, PA, USA
| | | | - Dokyoon Kim
- Biomedical and Translational Informatics Institute, Geisinger, Danville, PA, USA
- Huck Institute of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Radhika P Gogoi
- Weis Center for Research, Geisinger Clinic, Danville, PA, USA.
- Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Mok MT, Zhou J, Tang W, Zeng X, Oliver AW, Ward SE, Cheng AS. CCRK is a novel signalling hub exploitable in cancer immunotherapy. Pharmacol Ther 2018; 186:138-151. [PMID: 29360538 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2018.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 20 (CDK20), or more commonly referred to as cell cycle-related kinase (CCRK), is the latest member of CDK family with strong linkage to human cancers. Accumulating studies have reported the consistent overexpression of CCRK in cancers arising from brain, colon, liver, lung and ovary. Such aberrant up-regulation of CCRK is clinically significant as it correlates with tumor staging, shorter patient survival and poor prognosis. Intriguingly, the signalling molecules perturbed by CCRK are divergent and cancer-specific, including the cell cycle regulators CDK2, cyclin D1, cyclin E and RB in glioblastoma, ovarian carcinoma and colorectal cancer, and KEAP1-NRF2 cytoprotective pathway in lung cancer. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), CCRK mediates virus-host interaction to promote hepatitis B virus-associated tumorigenesis. Further mechanistic analyses reveal that CCRK orchestrates a self-reinforcing circuitry comprising of AR, GSK3β, β-catenin, AKT, EZH2, and NF-κB signalling for transcriptional and epigenetic regulation of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Notably, EZH2 and NF-κB in this circuit have been recently shown to induce IL-6 production to facilitate tumor immune evasion. Concordantly, in a hepatoma preclinical model, ablation of Ccrk disrupts the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and enhances the therapeutic efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade via potentiation of anti-tumor T cell responses. In this review, we summarized the multifaceted tumor-intrinsic and -extrinsic functions of CCRK, which represents a novel signalling hub exploitable in cancer immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Myth T Mok
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jingying Zhou
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wenshu Tang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xuezhen Zeng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Antony W Oliver
- Genome Damage and Stability Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, UK
| | - Simon E Ward
- Medicines Discovery Institute, Cardiff University, Main Building, Cardiff, Wales, CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Alfred S Cheng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Bufalin suppresses hepatocarcinogenesis by targeting β-catenin/TCF signaling via cell cycle-related kinase. Sci Rep 2018; 8:3891. [PMID: 29497076 PMCID: PMC5832857 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-22113-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most aggressive malignant tumors, of which treatment options are limited especially in advanced stage. Bufalin, the major digoxin-like component of the traditional Chinese medicine Chansu, exhibits significant antitumor activities in hepatoma cells, but the potential mechanism is obscure. Cell cycle-related kinase (CCRK) is recently identified to be a crucial oncogenic master regulator to drive hepatocarcinogenesis. Here we investigated the molecular function of bufalin on CCRK-regulated signaling pathway, and expounded the underlying mechanism in HCC suppression. In vitro with PLC5 HCC cells and human immortal LO2 cells, proliferation, malignant transformation and cell cycle progression assays were performed to evaluate the antitumor effect of bufalin. In vivo with xenograft and orthotopic mice models, tumor growths with weight and volume change were assessed with or without bufalin treatment. Western blot, RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry were conducted to examine the expression level of CCRK and β-catenin/TCF signaling cascade. We revealed that bufalin suppresses PLC5 HCC cell proliferation, transformation and cell cycle progression rather than LO2 cells, which is correlated with CCRK-mediated β-catenin/TCF signaling. It was also confirmed in mice model. Thus, bufalin is a potential anti-HCC therapeutic candidate through the inhibition of CCRK-driven β-catenin/TCF oncogenic signaling pathway.
Collapse
|
11
|
Tong Y, Park S, Wu D, Harris TE, Moskaluk CA, Brautigan DL, Fu Z. Modulation of GSK3β autoinhibition by Thr-7 and Thr-8. FEBS Lett 2018; 592:537-546. [PMID: 29377106 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.12990] [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: 09/08/2017] [Revised: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) is a pivotal signaling node that regulates a myriad of cellular functions and is deregulated in many pathological conditions, making it an attractive therapeutic target. Inhibitory Ser-9 phosphorylation of GSK3β by AKT is an important mechanism for negative regulation of GSK3β activity upon insulin stimulation. Here, we report that Thr-7 and Thr-8 residues located in the AKT/PKB substrate consensus sequence on GSK3β are essential for insulin-stimulated Ser-9 phosphorylation in vivo and for GSK3β inactivation. Intestinal cell kinase (ICK) phosphorylates GSK3β Thr-7 in vitro and in vivo. Thr-8 phosphorylation partially inhibits GSK3β, but Thr-7 phosphorylation promotes GSK3β activity and blocks phospho-Ser-9-dependent GSK3β autoinhibition. Our findings uncover novel mechanistic and signaling inputs involved in the autoinhibition of GSK3β.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yixin Tong
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.,Gastrointestinal Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Sohyun Park
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Di Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Thurl E Harris
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | | | - David L Brautigan
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Zheng Fu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Wang Q, Ma J, Lu Y, Zhang S, Huang J, Chen J, Bei JX, Yang K, Wu G, Huang K, Chen J, Xu S. CDK20 interacts with KEAP1 to activate NRF2 and promotes radiochemoresistance in lung cancer cells. Oncogene 2017; 36:5321-5330. [PMID: 28534518 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2017.161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2016] [Revised: 04/15/2017] [Accepted: 04/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Radiochemoresistance is considered the main cause of local recurrence and distant metastasis in lung cancer. However, the underlying mechanisms of radiochemoresistance remain to be uncovered. In this study, we determine the functions of cell cycle-related kinase (CDK20) in radiochemoresistance. CDK20 is a newly identified protein kinase, which plays critical roles in cell growth and proliferation in several types of cancer. Using tandem affinity purification technology, we provide evidences that CDK20 binds to the ubiquitin ligase Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1), which targets transcriptional factor nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (NRF2) for degradation. We show that this interaction is mediated by an evolutionarily conserved ETGE motif on CDK20. Furthermore, we demonstrate that CDK20 competes with NRF2 for KEAP1 binding, enhances the transcriptional activity of NRF2 and lowers the cellular reactive oxygen species level. Moreover, CDK20-depleted cells display impaired cell proliferation, defective G2/M arrest and increased radiochemosensitivity in lung cancer. These phenotypes induced by CDK20 knockdown are partially dependent on NRF2 inactivation. More importantly, CDK20 is overexpressed in human lung cancer tissues, as determined by immunostaining. Collectively, our results suggest that CDK20 positively modulate the KEAP1-NRF2 cytoprotective pathway to regulate tumor progression and radiochemoresistance, implying that CDK20 is a novel, promising therapeutic target for lung cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Q Wang
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - J Ma
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Y Lu
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - S Zhang
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - J Huang
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - J Chen
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - J-X Bei
- Department of Experimental Research, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - K Yang
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - G Wu
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - K Huang
- Clinic Center of Human Gene Research, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Department of Cardiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - J Chen
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - S Xu
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Survivin and cycline D1 expressions are associated with malignant potential in mucinous ovarian neoplasms. J Mol Histol 2016; 47:145-52. [PMID: 26815661 DOI: 10.1007/s10735-016-9661-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2015] [Accepted: 01/22/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The most prevalent malignant ovarian neoplasms are epithelial ovarian cancers which is the most common cause of death among all gynecologic malignancies and a result of complex interaction of multiple oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. The aim of this study was to evaluate expression of survivin and cycline D1 biomarkers in mucinous ovarian neoplasms and their correlations with clinicopathological variables in mucinous ovarian cancers. We analyzed pathological specimens of 98 patients with benign (n = 34), borderline (n = 22) and malignant (n = 42) mucinous ovarian neoplasms. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that survivin and cyclin D1 expressions were located primarily in the nucleus of ovarian tumor cells and relatively weaker cytoplasmic staining. Survivin expression was significantly higher in malignant tumors (88.1 %) than those found in borderline (18.2 %) and benign tumors (8.8 %) (p < 0.001). Similarly, higher cyclin D1 expression was observed in malignant tumors (100 %) compared to borderline (36.4 %) and benign tumors (5.9 %) (p < 0.001). Expression of all biomarkers analyzed significantly and gradually increased from benign to borderline and borderline to malignant mucinous tumors. In terms of clinicopathological variables, tumor grade, FIGO stage and lymph node methastasis were associated with the expression of both biomarkers. Whereas age exhibited no different correlations in mucinous ovarian cancers. The expressions of survivin and cycline D1 are positively correlated with the malignant potential of mucinous ovarian neoplasms.
Collapse
|
14
|
The expression of HER-2/neu (c-erbB2), survivin and cycline D1 in serous ovarian neoplasms: their correlation with clinicopathological variables. J Mol Histol 2014; 45:679-87. [DOI: 10.1007/s10735-014-9591-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2014] [Accepted: 07/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
15
|
Bachmayr-Heyda A, Aust S, Heinze G, Polterauer S, Grimm C, Braicu EI, Sehouli J, Lambrechts S, Vergote I, Mahner S, Pils D, Schuster E, Thalhammer T, Horvat R, Denkert C, Zeillinger R, Castillo-Tong DC. Prognostic impact of tumor infiltrating CD8+ T cells in association with cell proliferation in ovarian cancer patients--a study of the OVCAD consortium. BMC Cancer 2013; 13:422. [PMID: 24044611 PMCID: PMC3848589 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-13-422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2013] [Accepted: 09/11/2013] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epithelial ovarian cancer is one of the most lethal gynecologic malignancies. Clinicopathological factors do not permit precise prognosis and cannot provide guidance to specific treatments. In this study we assessed tumor infiltrating CD8+ T cells in association with Ki67 proliferation index and evaluated their prognostic impact in EOC samples. METHODS CD8+ cells and Ki67 proliferation index were immunohistochemically determined on tissue microarrays including 203 primary epithelial ovarian tumors. Additionally, CD8 gene expression was assessed with RT-qPCR. Correlations were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficients, ANOVA or T-test, or Fischer's exact tests. Prognostic impact was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression model. RESULTS The density of CD8+ infiltrating lymphocytes did not correlate with tumor cell proliferation. Epithelial ovarian cancer patients with no Ki67+ cells in the tumor had a more than three times higher risk to die compared to the population with Ki67+ cells in the tumor (Hazard ratio (HR) = 3.34, 95%CI 1.59-7.04). High CD8+ cell infiltration was associated with improved overall survival (HR = 0.82, 95%CI 0.73-0.92). CONCLUSIONS The density of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes is independent of tumor cell proliferation. Ovarian cancer patients with Ki67- tumors showed a significantly reduced overall survival, presumably due to no or poor response to platinum-based chemotherapy. Moreover, the association of high densities of tumor infiltrating cytotoxic T lymphocytes with a better overall survival was confirmed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Bachmayr-Heyda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Molecular Oncology Group, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
TIAN YE, WAN HAN, TAN GUANG. Cell cycle-related kinase in carcinogenesis. Oncol Lett 2012; 4:601-606. [PMID: 23205069 PMCID: PMC3506610 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2012.828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2012] [Accepted: 07/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell cycle-related kinase (CCRK) is a novel protein kinase homologous to both cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (Cdk7) and Cak1p groups of CDK-activating kinase (CAK). CCRK activates Cdk2, which controls the cell-cycle progression by phosphorylating a threonine residue conserved in Cdk2. Previous studies have indicated that the CCRK protein levels were elevated by more than 1.5-fold in tumor tissue, and that the overexpression of CCRK is associated with poor prognosis of the patients. Moreover, recent studies have shown that CCRK is involved in the Wnt signaling pathway associated with the genesis and evolution of cancer. This review aims to systematically present the information currently available on CCRK obtained from in vitro and in vivo studies and highlight its significance to tumorigenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- YE TIAN
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116011,
P.R. China
| | - HAN WAN
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116011,
P.R. China
| | - GUANG TAN
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116011,
P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Zhu J, Zhang S, Gu L, Di W. Epigenetic silencing of DKK2 and Wnt signal pathway components in human ovarian carcinoma. Carcinogenesis 2012; 33:2334-43. [PMID: 22964660 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgs278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt/β-Catenin signaling dysregulation is involved in tumorigenesis. Furthermore, epigenetic modification of the Dickkopf (DKK) family (DKK1-DKK4) has been shown to be important in Wnt signaling regulation. In this study, the role of DKK2, a Wnt antagonist, in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) was evaluated by examining the expression and methylation of DKK2 in SKOV3 and ES-2 ovarian cancer cell lines and 78 tissues collected from patients (50 ovarian carcinoma, 20 benign tumor and 8 normal ovarian tissues). DKK2 is highly downregulated in EOCs; however, DKK2 expression levels are higher in both normal tissues and benign tumors. In most cases of ovarian carcinoma, DKK2 is methylated, compared with the more common unmethylated form present in benign tumors and normal ovarian tissues. Additionally, DKK2 may be epigenetically silenced by methylation in higher grades and stages of EOC. Functional analysis revealed that overexpression of DKK2 suppressed malignant cell growth and invasion in SKOV3 and ES-2 cell lines. The expression of the downstream genes of Wnt signaling, including β-catenin, c-Myc and cyclin D1, was decreased in DKK2-transfected cells compared with mock cells. The expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and focal adhesion kinase were also decreased in DKK2 transfectants, supporting findings indicating inhibition of cell migration and invasion. This report provides novel indications that DKK2 is a unique hypermethylated target gene in EOC and that DKK2 may contribute to tumorigenesis in EOC through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ren-Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Effects of cyclooxygenase inhibitors in combination with taxol on expression of cyclin D1 and Ki-67 in a xenograft model of ovarian carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2012; 13:9741-9753. [PMID: 22949827 PMCID: PMC3431825 DOI: 10.3390/ijms13089741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 07/22/2012] [Accepted: 07/27/2012] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study was designed to investigate the effects of cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors in combination with taxol on the expression of cyclin D1 and Ki-67 in human ovarian SKOV-3 carcinoma cells xenograft-bearing mice. The animals were treated with 100 mg/kg celecoxib (a COX-2 selective inhibitor) alone, 3 mg/kg SC-560 (a COX-1 selective inhibitor) alone by gavage twice a day, 20 mg/kg taxol alone by intraperitoneally (i.p.) once a week, or celecoxib/taxol, SC-560/celecoxib, SC-560/taxol or SC-560/celecoxib/taxol, for three weeks. To test the mechanism of the combination treatment, the index of cell proliferation and expression of cyclin D1 in tumor tissues were determined by immunohistochemistry. The mean tumor volume in the treated groups was significantly lower than control (p < 0.05), and in the three-drug combination group, tumor volume was reduced by 58.27% (p < 0.01); downregulated cell proliferation and cyclin D1 expression were statistically significant compared with those of the control group (both p < 0.01). This study suggests that the effects of COX selective inhibitors on the growth of tumors and decreased cell proliferation in a SKOV-3 cells mouse xenograft model were similar to taxol. The three-drug combination showing a better decreasing tendency in growth-inhibitory effect during the experiment may have been caused by suppressing cyclin D1 expression.
Collapse
|
19
|
Abstract
The basic biology of the cell division cycle and its control by protein kinases was originally studied through genetic and biochemical studies in yeast and other model organisms. The major regulatory mechanisms identified in this pioneer work are conserved in mammals. However, recent studies in different cell types or genetic models are now providing a new perspective on the function of these major cell cycle regulators in different tissues. Here, we review the physiological relevance of mammalian cell cycle kinases such as cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks), Aurora and Polo-like kinases, and mitotic checkpoint regulators (Bub1, BubR1, and Mps1) as well as other less-studied enzymes such as Cdc7, Nek proteins, or Mastl and their implications in development, tissue homeostasis, and human disease. Among these functions, the control of self-renewal or asymmetric cell division in stem/progenitor cells and the ability to regenerate injured tissues is a central issue in current research. In addition, many of these proteins play previously unexpected roles in metabolism, cardiovascular function, or neuron biology. The modulation of their enzymatic activity may therefore have multiple therapeutic benefits in human disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Malumbres
- Cell Division and Cancer Group, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, Madrid, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Feng H, Cheng ASL, Tsang DP, Li MS, Go MY, Cheung YS, Zhao GJ, Ng SS, Lin MC, Yu J, Lai PB, To KF, Sung JJY. Cell cycle-related kinase is a direct androgen receptor-regulated gene that drives β-catenin/T cell factor-dependent hepatocarcinogenesis. J Clin Invest 2011; 121:3159-75. [PMID: 21747169 DOI: 10.1172/jci45967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2010] [Accepted: 05/18/2011] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide. It is more prevalent in men than women. Related to this, recent genetic studies have revealed a causal role for androgen receptor (AR) in hepatocarcinogenesis, but the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. Here, we used genome-wide location and functional analyses to identify a critical mediator of AR signaling - cell cycle-related kinase (CCRK) - that drives hepatocarcinogenesis via a signaling pathway dependent on β-catenin and T cell factor (TCF). Ligand-bound AR activated CCRK transcription and protein expression via direct binding to the androgen-responsive element of the CCRK promoter in human HCC cell lines. In vitro analyses showed that CCRK was critical in human cell lines for AR-induced cell cycle progression, hepatocellular proliferation, and malignant transformation. Ectopic expression of CCRK in immortalized human liver cells activated β-catenin/TCF signaling to stimulate cell cycle progression and to induce tumor formation, as shown in both xenograft and orthotopic models. Conversely, knockdown of CCRK decreased HCC cell growth, and this could be rescued by constitutively active β-catenin or TCF. In primary human HCC tissue samples, AR, CCRK, and β-catenin were concordantly overexpressed in the tumor cells. Furthermore, CCRK overexpression correlated with the tumor staging and poor overall survival of patients. Our results reveal a direct AR transcriptional target, CCRK, that promotes hepatocarcinogenesis through the upregulation of β-catenin/TCF signaling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hai Feng
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Regulation of glioblastoma progression by cord blood stem cells is mediated by downregulation of cyclin D1. PLoS One 2011; 6:e18017. [PMID: 21455311 PMCID: PMC3063796 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2010] [Accepted: 02/18/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The normal progression of the cell cycle requires sequential expression of
cyclins. Rapid induction of cyclin D1 and its associated binding with
cyclin-dependent kinases, in the presence or absence of mitogenic signals,
often is considered a rate-limiting step during cell cycle progression
through the G1 phase. Methodology/Principal Findings In the present study, human umbilical cord blood stem cells (hUCBSC) in
co-cultures with glioblastoma cells (U251 and 5310) not only induced
G0-G1 phase arrest, but also reduced the number of
cells at S and G2-M phases of cell cycle. Cell cycle regulatory
proteins showed decreased expression levels upon treatment with hUCBSC as
revealed by Western and FACS analyses. Inhibition of cyclin D1 activity by
hUCBSC treatment is sufficient to abolish the expression levels of Cdk 4,
Cdk 6, cyclin B1, β-Catenin levels. Our immuno precipitation experiments
present evidence that, treatment of glioma cells with hUCBSC leads to the
arrest of cell-cycle progression through inactivation of both cyclin D1/Cdk
4 and cyclin D1/Cdk 6 complexes. It is observed that hUCBSC, when
co-cultured with glioma cells, caused an increased
G0-G1 phase despite the reduction of
G0-G1 regulatory proteins cyclin D1 and Cdk 4. We
found that this reduction of G0-G1 regulatory
proteins, cyclin D1 and Cdk 4 may be in part compensated by the expression
of cyclin E1, when co-cultured with hUCBSC. Co-localization experiments
under in vivo conditions in nude mice brain xenografts with
cyclin D1 and CD81 antibodies demonstrated, decreased expression of cyclin
D1 in the presence of hUCBSC. Conclusions/Significance This paper elucidates a model to regulate glioma cell cycle progression in
which hUCBSC acts to control cyclin D1 induction and in concert its partner
kinases, Cdk 4 and Cdk 6 by mediating cell cycle arrest at
G0-G1 phase.
Collapse
|
22
|
Cyclin D1 expression and the inhibitory effect of celecoxib on ovarian tumor growth in vivo. Int J Mol Sci 2010; 11:3999-4013. [PMID: 21152316 PMCID: PMC2996781 DOI: 10.3390/ijms11103999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2010] [Revised: 09/28/2010] [Accepted: 10/08/2010] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The report aims to investigate the relationship between the expression of cyclin D1 and Cyclooxgenase-2 (COX-2), thus to explore the molecular mechanisms of the antitumor efficacy of Celecoxib, a COX-2 inhibitor. Human ovarian SKOV-3 carcinoma cell xenograft-bearing mice were treated with Celecoxib by infusing gaster (i.g.) twice/day for 21 days. The mRNA levels of COX-2 and cyclin D1 were determined by RT-PCR. The expression of cyclin D1 at the protein level was detected by immunohistochemistry, while COX-2 protein expression was determined by Western blot. A high-dose of Celecoxib (100 mg/kg) significantly inhibited tumor growth (P < 0.05), and the expression of cyclin D1 was reduced by 61%. Celecoxib decreased the proliferation cell index by 40% (P < 0.001) and increased apoptotic index by 52% (P < 0.05) in high-dose Celecoxib treated group. Our results suggest that the antitumor efficacy of Celecoxib against ovarian cancer in mice may in part be mediated through suppression of cyclin D1, which may contribute to its ability to suppress proliferation.
Collapse
|
23
|
Sturgill TW, Stoddard PB, Cohn SM, Mayo MW. The promoter for intestinal cell kinase is head-to-head with F-Box 9 and contains functional sites for TCF7L2 and FOXA factors. Mol Cancer 2010; 9:104. [PMID: 20459822 PMCID: PMC2876993 DOI: 10.1186/1476-4598-9-104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2009] [Accepted: 05/11/2010] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Intestinal cell kinase (ICK; GeneID 22858) is a conserved MAPK and CDK-like kinase that is widely expressed in human tissues. Data from the Cancer Genome Anatomy Project indicated ICK mRNA is increased in cancer, and that its expression correlated with expression of mRNA for an uncharacterized F-box protein, FBX9 (GeneID: 26268). ICK and FBX9 genes are arranged head-to-head on opposite strands, with start sites for transcription separated by ~3.3 kb. We hypothesized ICK and FBX9 are potentially important genes in cancer controlled by a bidirectional promoter. Results We assessed promoter activity of the intergenic region in both orientations in cancer cell lines derived from breast (AU565, SKBR3), colon (HCT-15, KM12), and stomach (AGS) cancers, as well as in embryonic human kidney (HEK293T) cells. The intergenic segment was active in both orientations in all of these lines, and ICK promoter activity was greater than FBX9 promoter activity. Results from deletions and truncations defined a minimal promoter for ICK, and revealed that repressors and enhancers differentially regulate ICK versus FBX9 promoter activity. The ICK promoter contains consensus motifs for several FOX-family transcription factors that align when mouse and human are compared using EMBOSS. FOXA1 and FOXA2 increase luciferase activity of a minimal promoter 10-20 fold in HEK293T cells. Consensus sites for TCF7L2 (TCF4) (Gene Id: 6934) are also present in both mouse and human. The expression of β-catenin increased activity of the minimal promoter ~10 fold. ICK reference mRNAs (NM_014920.3, NM_016513) are expressed in low copy number and increased in some breast cancers, using a ten base tag 5'-TCAACCTTAT-3' specific for both ICK transcripts. Conclusion ICK and FBX9 are divergently transcribed from a bidirectional promoter that is GC-rich and contains a CpG island. A minimal promoter for ICK contains functional sites for β-cateinin/TCF7L2 and FOXA. These data are consistent with functions that have been proposed for ICK in development and in proliferation or survival of some breast and colon cancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas W Sturgill
- Departments of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine, University of Virginia, 1300 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, USA.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
An X, Ng SS, Xie D, Zeng YX, Sze J, Wang J, Chen YC, Chow BKC, Lu G, Poon WS, Kung HF, Wong BCY, Lin MCM. Functional characterisation of cell cycle-related kinase (CCRK) in colorectal cancer carcinogenesis. Eur J Cancer 2010; 46:1752-61. [PMID: 20466538 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2010.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2009] [Revised: 04/05/2010] [Accepted: 04/08/2010] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Cell cycle-related kinase (CCRK) is a newly identified protein kinase homologous to Cdk7. We have previously shown that CCRK is a candidate oncogene in human glioblastoma. However, whether CCRK is a bona fide oncogene remains to be tested. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of CCRK in human colorectal cancer carcinogenesis. By Western blotting, we analysed the expression profile of CCRK protein in 10 colorectal cancer tissue samples and their adjacent normal colon tissues and in seven colorectal cancer cell lines. CCRK protein expression was also investigated by immunohistochemistry in a colorectal tissue microarray, which contained 120 cases of primary colorectal cancer and adjacent normal colorectal mucosa. The effects of CCRK knock-down on cell cycle profile and proliferation of colorectal cancer cells were examined by transfecting LoVo and DLD1 human colorectal cancer cell lines by either short-hairpin RNA (shCCRK) or small interfering RNA targeting CCRK (siCCRK). We found that CCRK protein levels were elevated by more than 1.5-fold in 70% of colorectal cancer patient samples examined and CCRK was detectable in all seven colorectal cancer cell lines tested. Colorectal tissue microarray indicated that overexpression of CCRK was detected in 62/109 (56.9%) of informative colorectal cancer cases and was significantly associated with the tumour pT and pN status (p<0.05). Suppression of CCRK by siCCRK led to G1 phase cell cycle arrest and reduced cell growth. Consistently, stable clones of LoVo and DLD1 cells expressing shCCRK exhibited decreased cell proliferation rates. Furthermore, we showed that CCRK is required for the phosphorylation of Cdk2 (on Thr-160) and Rb (on Ser-795) and the expression of cyclin E. These results suggest for the first time that CCRK is involved in colorectal cancer carcinogenesis and G1/S cell cycle transition by regulating Cdk2, cyclin E and Rb.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomeng An
- Integrative Chemical Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, China
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|