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Alharbi M, Lai A, Godbole N, Guanzon D, Nair S, Zuñiga F, Quinn A, Yang M, Wu SY, Salomon C. Enhancing precision targeting of ovarian cancer tumor cells in vivo through extracellular vesicle engineering. Int J Cancer 2024. [PMID: 38848494 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.35055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) function as natural mediators of intercellular communication, secreted by cells to facilitate cell-cell signaling. Due to their low toxicity, immunogenicity, biodegradability, and potential to encapsulate therapeutic drugs, EVs hold significant therapeutic promise. Nevertheless, their limited targeting ability often diminishes their therapeutic impact. Therefore, enhancing EVs by incorporating targeting units onto their membranes could bolster their targeting capabilities, enabling them to accumulate in specific cells and tissues. In this study, we engineered EVs to fuse ephrin-B2 with the EV membrane protein LAMP2b. This modification aimed to direct the engineered EVs toward the ephrin-B4 receptor expressed on the surface of ovarian cancer cells. The engineered EVs retained their inherent properties, including size, expression of EV membrane proteins, and morphology, upon isolation. In vitro experiments using real-time imaging revealed that EVs engineered with the ephrin-B2 ligand exhibited substantial internalization and uptake by ovarian cancer cells, in stark contrast to native EVs. In vivo, the engineered EVs carrying the ephrin-B2 ligand effectively targeted ovarian cancer cells, surpassing the targeting efficiency of control EVs. This innovative approach establishes a novel targeting system, enhancing the uptake of EVs by ovarian cancer cells. Our findings underscore the potential of using EVs to target cancer cells, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of anti-cancer therapies while minimizing off-target effects and toxicity in normal cells and organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Alharbi
- Translational Extracellular Vesicles in Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology Group, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Andrew Lai
- Translational Extracellular Vesicles in Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology Group, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- UQ Centre for Extracellular Vesicle Nanomedicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Nihar Godbole
- Translational Extracellular Vesicles in Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology Group, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- UQ Centre for Extracellular Vesicle Nanomedicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Dominic Guanzon
- Translational Extracellular Vesicles in Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology Group, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- UQ Centre for Extracellular Vesicle Nanomedicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Soumyalekshmi Nair
- Translational Extracellular Vesicles in Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology Group, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- UQ Centre for Extracellular Vesicle Nanomedicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Felipe Zuñiga
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Alexander Quinn
- Centre for Clinical Research, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Mengliu Yang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Sherry Y Wu
- UQ Centre for Extracellular Vesicle Nanomedicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Carlos Salomon
- Translational Extracellular Vesicles in Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology Group, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- UQ Centre for Extracellular Vesicle Nanomedicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Rubinfeld H, Cohen ZR, Bendavid U, Fichman-Horn S, Levy-Barda A, David C, Melamed P, Shimon I. Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptor B6 is highly expressed in non-functioning pituitary neuroendocrine tumors and its expression correlates with tumor size. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:297. [PMID: 38341842 PMCID: PMC10859332 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-09186-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular (EPH) receptors are the largest known family of receptor tyrosine kinases characterized in humans. These proteins are involved in tissue organization, synaptic plasticity, vascular development and the progression of various diseases including cancer. The Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptor tyrosine kinase member EphB6 is a pseudokinase which has not attracted an equivalent amount of interest as its enzymatically-active counterparts. The aim of this study was to assess the expression of EphB6 in pituitary tumors. METHODS AND RESULTS Human normal pituitaries and pituitary tumors were examined for EphB6 mRNA expression using real-time PCR and for EphB6 protein by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. EphB6 was highly expressed in non-functioning pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (NF-PitNETs) versus the normal pituitary and GH-secreting PitNETs. EphB6 mRNA expression was correlated with tumor size. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest EphB6 aberrant expression in NF-PitNETs. Future studies are warranted to determine the role and significance of EphB6 in NF-PitNETs tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadara Rubinfeld
- Institute of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism and Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, 49100, Petach Tikva, Israel
- School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Zvi R Cohen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
- School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Uzi Bendavid
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel
| | | | - Adva Levy-Barda
- Biobank, Department of Pathology, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel
| | - Cfir David
- Faculty of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Philippa Melamed
- Faculty of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ilan Shimon
- Institute of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism and Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, 49100, Petach Tikva, Israel.
- School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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Ullah A, Razzaq A, Zhou C, Ullah N, Shehzadi S, Aziz T, Alfaifi MY, Elbehairi SEI, Iqbal H. Biological Significance of EphB4 Expression in Cancer. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2024; 25:244-255. [PMID: 37909437 DOI: 10.2174/0113892037269589231017055642] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Eph receptors and their Eph receptor-interacting (ephrin) ligands comprise a vital cell communication system with several functions. In cancer cells, there was evidence of bilateral Eph receptor signaling with both tumor-suppressing and tumor-promoting actions. As a member of the Eph receptor family, EphB4 has been linked to tumor angiogenesis, growth, and metastasis, which makes it a viable and desirable target for drug development in therapeutic applications. Many investigations have been conducted over the last decade to elucidate the structure and function of EphB4 in association with its ligand ephrinB2 for its involvement in tumorigenesis. Although several EphB4-targeting drugs have been investigated, and some selective inhibitors have been evaluated in clinical trials. This article addresses the structure and function of the EphB4 receptor, analyses its possibility as an anticancer therapeutic target, and summarises knowledge of EphB4 kinase inhibitors. To summarise, EphB4 is a difficult but potential treatment option for cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asmat Ullah
- Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, 310014, Zhejiang, China
| | - Anam Razzaq
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Chuanzan Zhou
- Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, 310014, Zhejiang, China
| | - Najeeb Ullah
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA, 818 Nelson Ave, 71272, USA
| | - Somia Shehzadi
- University Institute of Medical Laboratory Technology, The University of Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Tariq Aziz
- Westlake University, School of Engineering, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310024, China
| | - Mohammad Y Alfaifi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 9004, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Haroon Iqbal
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China
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The Clinical Impact of the EPH/Ephrin System in Cancer: Unwinding the Thread. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168412. [PMID: 34445116 PMCID: PMC8395090 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Erythropoietin-producing human hepatocellular receptors (EPHs) compose the largest known subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). They bind and interact with the EPH family receptor interacting proteins (ephrins). EPHs/ephrins are implicated in a variety of physiological processes, as well as in cancer pathogenesis. With neoplastic disease remaining a leading cause of death world-wide, the development of novel biomarkers aiding in the field of diagnosis, prognosis, and disease monitoring is of utmost importance. A multitude of studies have proven the association between the expression of members of the EPH/ephrin system and various clinicopathological parameters, including disease stage, tumor histologic grade, and patients' overall survival. Besides their utilization in timely disease detection and assessment of outcome, EPHs/ephrins could also represent possible novel therapeutic targets. The aim of the current review of the literature was to present the existing data regarding the association between EPH/ephrin system expression and the clinical characteristics of malignant tumors.
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Oh ST, Yang KJ, Bae JM, Park HJ, Yoo DS, Park YM. The differential expression of EPHB4 and ephrin B2 in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma according to the grade of tumor differentiation: a clinicopathological study. Int J Dermatol 2021; 60:736-741. [PMID: 33598934 DOI: 10.1111/ijd.15445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND EPHB4 and its ligand, ephrin B2, which are receptor tyrosine kinases of the erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular (EPH) family, are known to be linked to several human cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate their expression patterns in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) in association with tumor differentiation and other variable clinical characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS Immunohistochemical staining for EPHB4 and ephrin B2 was performed in 32 cases of CSCC with different histologic grades. The clinical characteristics and histologic grades of CSCC were evaluated in association with EPHB4 and ephrin B2 expression patterns. RESULTS EPHB4 and ephrin B2 expression levels were significantly inversely proportional to the grade of differentiation of CSCC (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION These results indicated that EPHB4 and ephrin B2 can be useful markers for poorly differentiated CSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin Taek Oh
- Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Keum Jin Yang
- Clinical Research Institute, Daejeon St. Mary's Hospital, Daejeon, Korea
| | | | - Hyun Jeong Park
- Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Dong Soo Yoo
- Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Young Min Park
- Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
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Sonkar C, Verma T, Chatterji D, Jain AK, Jha HC. Status of kinases in Epstein-Barr virus and Helicobacter pylori Coinfection in gastric Cancer cells. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:925. [PMID: 32993565 PMCID: PMC7523314 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-07377-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and Epstein - Barr virus (EBV) plays a significant role in aggressive gastric cancer (GC). The investigation of genes associated with these pathogens and host kinases may be essential to understand the early and dynamic progression of GC. AIM The study aimed to demonstrate the coinfection of EBV and H. pylori in the AGS cells through morphological changes, expression of the kinase and the probable apoptotic pathways. METHODS Genomic DNA isolation of H. pylori and its characterization from clinical samples were performed. RT-qPCR of kinases was applied to scrutinize the gene expression of kinases in co-infected GC in a direct and indirect (separated through insert size 0.45 μm) H. pylori infection set up. Morphological changes in co-infected GC were quantified by measuring the tapering ends of gastric epithelial cells. Gene expression profiling of apoptotic genes was assessed through RT-qPCR. RESULTS An interleukin-2-inducible T-cell kinase (ITK) showed significant upregulation with indirect H. pylori infection. Moreover, Ephrin type-B receptor six precursors (EPHB6) and Tyrosine-protein kinase Fyn (FYN) showed significant upregulation with direct coinfection. The tapering ends in AGS cells were found to be extended after 12 h. A total of 24 kinase genes were selected, out of which EPHB6, ITK, FYN, and TYK2 showed high expression as early as 12 h. These kinases may lead to rapid morphological changes in co-infected gastric cells. Likewise, apoptotic gene expression such as APAF-1 and Bcl2 family genes such as BAD, BID, BIK, BIM, BAX, AND BAK were significantly down-regulated in co-infected AGS cells. CONCLUSION All the experiments were performed with novel isolates of H. pylori isolated from central India, for the functional assessment of GC. The effect of coinfection with EBV was more profoundly observed on morphological changes in AGS cells at 12 h as quantified by measuring the tapering of ends. This study also identifies the kinase and apoptotic genes modulated in co-infected cells, through direct and indirect approaches. We report that ITK, EPHB6, TYK2, FYN kinase are enhanced, whereas apoptotic genes such as APAF-1, BIK, FASL, BAX are significantly down-regulated in AGS cells coinfected with EBV and H. pylori.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charu Sonkar
- The Discipline of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Room no. 302, School Building, IIT Indore, Khandwa Road, Simrol, Indore, 453552, India
| | - Tarun Verma
- The Discipline of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Room no. 302, School Building, IIT Indore, Khandwa Road, Simrol, Indore, 453552, India
| | - Debi Chatterji
- Choithram Hospital and Research Centre Indore, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Ajay Kumar Jain
- Choithram Hospital and Research Centre Indore, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Hem Chandra Jha
- The Discipline of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Room no. 302, School Building, IIT Indore, Khandwa Road, Simrol, Indore, 453552, India.
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Wang K, Zhao XH, Liu J, Zhang R, Li JP. Nervous system and gastric cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2019; 1873:188313. [PMID: 31647986 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2019.188313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Revised: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The nervous system has been recently shown to exert impact on gastric cancer directly and indirectly. Gastric cancer cells invade nerve fibers to induce outgrowth and branching of neural cells, and nerve fibers in turn infiltrate into tumor microenvironment to promote progression of gastric cancer. Additionally, the neuro-immune interaction also plays an important role in gastric cancer development. The interplay of nerves and gastric cancer is mediated by many nervous system-associated factors, which can not only be synthesized and released by both cancer cells and nerve terminals, but also participate in regulation of many aspects of gastric cancer such as cell proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis and recurrence. Furthermore, clinical researches indicate that some of these factors are significant diagnosis and prognosis biomarkers for gastric cancer. Herein, we reviewed recent advances and future prospects of the interaction between nervous system and gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Wang
- State key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, 710032 Xi'an, China; State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xin-Hui Zhao
- State key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, 710032 Xi'an, China; State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China; State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Ji-Peng Li
- State key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, 710032 Xi'an, China; Department of Experimental Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, 710032 Xi'an, China.
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Genomic Profile and Pathologic Features of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Subtype of Methotrexate-associated Lymphoproliferative Disorder in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients. Am J Surg Pathol 2018; 42:936-950. [DOI: 10.1097/pas.0000000000001071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Toosi BM, El Zawily A, Truitt L, Shannon M, Allonby O, Babu M, DeCoteau J, Mousseau D, Ali M, Freywald T, Gall A, Vizeacoumar FS, Kirzinger MW, Geyer CR, Anderson DH, Kim T, Welm AL, Siegel P, Vizeacoumar FJ, Kusalik A, Freywald A. EPHB6 augments both development and drug sensitivity of triple-negative breast cancer tumours. Oncogene 2018; 37:4073-4093. [PMID: 29700392 PMCID: PMC6062499 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-018-0228-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Revised: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) tumours that lack expression of oestrogen, and progesterone receptors, and do not overexpress the HER2 receptor represent the most aggressive breast cancer subtype, which is characterised by the resistance to therapy in frequently relapsing tumours and a high rate of patient mortality. This is likely due to the resistance of slowly proliferating tumour-initiating cells (TICs), and understanding molecular mechanisms that control TICs behaviour is crucial for the development of effective therapeutic approaches. Here, we present our novel findings, indicating that an intrinsically catalytically inactive member of the Eph group of receptor tyrosine kinases, EPHB6, partially suppresses the epithelial–mesenchymal transition in TNBC cells, while also promoting expansion of TICs. Our work reveals that EPHB6 interacts with the GRB2 adapter protein and that its effect on enhancing cell proliferation is mediated by the activation of the RAS-ERK pathway, which allows it to elevate the expression of the TIC-related transcription factor, OCT4. Consistent with this, suppression of either ERK or OCT4 activities blocks EPHB6-induced pro-proliferative responses. In line with its ability to trigger propagation of TICs, EPHB6 accelerates tumour growth, potentiates tumour initiation and increases TIC populations in xenograft models of TNBC. Remarkably, EPHB6 also suppresses tumour drug resistance to DNA-damaging therapy, probably by forcing TICs into a more proliferative, drug-sensitive state. In agreement, patients with higher EPHB6 expression in their tumours have a better chance for recurrence-free survival. These observations describe an entirely new mechanism that governs TNBC and suggest that it may be beneficial to enhance EPHB6 action concurrent with applying a conventional DNA-damaging treatment, as it would decrease drug resistance and improve tumour elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behzad M Toosi
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Room 2841, Royal University Hospital, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada
| | - Amr El Zawily
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Room 2841, Royal University Hospital, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada.,Faculty of Science, Damanhour University, Damanhour, 22516, Egypt
| | - Luke Truitt
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Room 2841, Royal University Hospital, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada
| | - Matthew Shannon
- Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan, 176 Thorvaldsen Bldg., 110 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5C9, Canada
| | - Odette Allonby
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Room 2841, Royal University Hospital, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada
| | - Mohan Babu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Regina, Room 232, Research and Innovation Centre, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - John DeCoteau
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Room 2841, Royal University Hospital, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada
| | - Darrell Mousseau
- Cell Signaling Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, GB41 Health Sciences Building, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Mohsin Ali
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Room 2841, Royal University Hospital, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada
| | - Tanya Freywald
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Room 2841, Royal University Hospital, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada
| | - Amanda Gall
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Room 2D01 Health Science Building, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Frederick S Vizeacoumar
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Room 2841, Royal University Hospital, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada
| | - Morgan W Kirzinger
- Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan, 176 Thorvaldsen Bldg., 110 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5C9, Canada
| | - C Ronald Geyer
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Room 2841, Royal University Hospital, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada
| | - Deborah H Anderson
- Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, University of Saskatchewan, 4D30.2 Health Sciences Building, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - TaeHyung Kim
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research and Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Alana L Welm
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, 2000 Circle of Hope, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Peter Siegel
- Goodman Cancer Research Centre, McGill University, 1160 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, QC, H3A 1A3, Canada
| | - Franco J Vizeacoumar
- Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, University of Saskatchewan, 4D30.2 Health Sciences Building, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Anthony Kusalik
- Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan, 176 Thorvaldsen Bldg., 110 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5C9, Canada.
| | - Andrew Freywald
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Room 2841, Royal University Hospital, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada.
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Liu J, Xu B, Xu G, Zhang X, Yang X, Wang J. Reduced EphB6 protein in gastric carcinoma and associated lymph nodes suggests EphB6 as a gastric tumor and metastasis inhibitor. Cancer Biomark 2018; 19:241-248. [PMID: 28453458 DOI: 10.3233/cbm-160256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Eph receptors comprise the largest group of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family, and Eph receptors interacting with their ligand ephrins play an important role in development and tumorigenesis. EphB6, a special Eph receptor that lacks tyrosine kinase activity, was reported to be expressed in some human cancers. The clinical significance of EphB6 in gastric carcinoma has not been well investigated. METHODS In this study, we detected expression of EphB6 protein in four gastric cancer cell lines and a set of gastric carcinoma tissue specimens by using immunohistochemistry. The relationship between EphB6 protein expression and clinicopathological parameters was statistically analyzed. RESULTS EphB6 protein was differentially detected in four gastric cancer cell lines. EphB6 protein was low expressed in 52.6%, moderately expressed in 32.59%, and strongly expressed in 14.5% of gastric carcinomas. EphB6 expression was positively associated with tumor differentiation (P< 0.001, rs= 0.476), and negatively associated with lymph node metastasis (P< 0.001, rs=-0.444) and tumor stage (P= 0.001, rs=-0.269). Low EphB6 expression was detected more often in female patients (P= 0.031). No significant relationship between EphB6 expression and patient age, tumor location, or depth of tumor invasion was identified. CONCLUSION Our data indicate that EphB6 protein was decreased in gastric carcinoma compared with normal mucosa. Analytic results based on pathological parameters suggests that EphB6 protein may inhibit metastasis of gastric carcinoma and could be a potential therapeutic target for gastric carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxiu Liu
- Department of Molecular Biology, Jiangsu College of Nursing, Huaian 223300, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bin Xu
- Jiangsu Huaian Third People's Hospital, Huaian 223340, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guoying Xu
- Department of Molecular Biology, Jiangsu College of Nursing, Huaian 223300, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaolei Zhang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Jiangsu College of Nursing, Huaian 223300, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xueyi Yang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Jiangsu College of Nursing, Huaian 223300, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiandong Wang
- Department of Pathology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu, China
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11
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Paul JM, Toosi B, Vizeacoumar FS, Bhanumathy KK, Li Y, Gerger C, El Zawily A, Freywald T, Anderson DH, Mousseau D, Kanthan R, Zhang Z, Vizeacoumar FJ, Freywald A. Targeting synthetic lethality between the SRC kinase and the EPHB6 receptor may benefit cancer treatment. Oncotarget 2018; 7:50027-50042. [PMID: 27418135 PMCID: PMC5226566 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.10569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Application of tumor genome sequencing has identified numerous loss-of-function alterations in cancer cells. While these alterations are difficult to target using direct interventions, they may be attacked with the help of the synthetic lethality (SL) approach. In this approach, inhibition of one gene causes lethality only when another gene is also completely or partially inactivated. The EPHB6 receptor tyrosine kinase has been shown to have anti-malignant properties and to be downregulated in multiple cancers, which makes it a very attractive target for SL applications. In our work, we used a genome-wide SL screen combined with expression and interaction network analyses, and identified the SRC kinase as a SL partner of EPHB6 in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Our experiments also reveal that this SL interaction can be targeted by small molecule SRC inhibitors, SU6656 and KX2-391, and can be used to improve elimination of human TNBC tumors in a xenograft model. Our observations are of potential practical importance, since TNBC is an aggressive heterogeneous malignancy with a very high rate of patient mortality due to the lack of targeted therapies, and our work indicates that FDA-approved SRC inhibitors may potentially be used in a personalized manner for treating patients with EPHB6-deficient TNBC. Our findings are also of a general interest, as EPHB6 is downregulated in multiple malignancies and our data serve as a proof of principle that EPHB6 deficiency may be targeted by small molecule inhibitors in the SL approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Paul
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Behzad Toosi
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada
| | - Frederick S Vizeacoumar
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada
| | - Kalpana Kalyanasundaram Bhanumathy
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada
| | - Yue Li
- Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G4, Canada.,The Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E1, Canada.,Present address: Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Courtney Gerger
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada
| | - Amr El Zawily
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada.,Faculty of Science, Damanhour University, Damanhour, 22516, Egypt
| | - Tanya Freywald
- Cancer Research, Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Deborah H Anderson
- Cancer Research, Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Darrell Mousseau
- Cell Signaling Laboratory, Neuroscience Cluster, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Rani Kanthan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada
| | - Zhaolei Zhang
- Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G4, Canada.,The Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Franco J Vizeacoumar
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada.,Cancer Research, Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Andrew Freywald
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada
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12
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Wang P, Wang Y, Hang B, Zou X, Mao JH. A novel gene expression-based prognostic scoring system to predict survival in gastric cancer. Oncotarget 2018; 7:55343-55351. [PMID: 27419373 PMCID: PMC5342421 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.10533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2016] [Accepted: 05/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Analysis of gene expression patterns in gastric cancer (GC) can help to identify a comprehensive panel of gene biomarkers for predicting clinical outcomes and to discover potential new therapeutic targets. Here, a multi-step bioinformatics analytic approach was developed to establish a novel prognostic scoring system for GC. We first identified 276 genes that were robustly differentially expressed between normal and GC tissues, of which, 249 were found to be significantly associated with overall survival (OS) by univariate Cox regression analysis. The biological functions of 249 genes are related to cell cycle, RNA/ncRNA process, acetylation and extracellular matrix organization. A network was generated for view of the gene expression architecture of 249 genes in 265 GCs. Finally, we applied a canonical discriminant analysis approach to identify a 53-gene signature and a prognostic scoring system was established based on a canonical discriminant function of 53 genes. The prognostic scores strongly predicted patients with GC to have either a poor or good OS. Our study raises the prospect that the practicality of GC patient prognosis can be assessed by this prognostic scoring system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pin Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Drum Tower Clinical Medical School Of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China
| | - Yunshan Wang
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.,International Biotechnology R&D Center, Shandong University School of Ocean, Weihai, Shandong 264209, China
| | - Bo Hang
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Xiaoping Zou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Drum Tower Clinical Medical School Of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China
| | - Jian-Hua Mao
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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13
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EPHB4 is a therapeutic target in AML and promotes leukemia cell survival via AKT. Blood Adv 2017; 1:1635-1644. [PMID: 29296810 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2017005694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
EPHB4, an ephrin type B receptor, is implicated in the growth of several epithelial tumors and is a promising target in cancer therapy; however, little is known about its role in hematologic malignancies. In this article, we show that EPHB4 is highly expressed in ∼30% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) samples. In an unbiased RNA interference screen of primary leukemia samples, we found that EPHB4 drives survival in a subset of AML cases. Knockdown of EPHB4 inhibits phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT signaling, and this is accompanied by a reduction in cell viability, which can be rescued by a constitutively active form of AKT. Finally, targeting EPHB4 with a highly specific monoclonal antibody (MAb131) is effective against AML in vitro and in vivo. EPHB4 is therefore a potential target in AML with high EPHB4 expression.
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14
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Pierscianek D, Michel A, Hindy NE, Keyvani K, Dammann P, Oezkan N, Mueller O, Sure U, Zhu Y. Activation of multiple angiogenic signaling pathways in hemangiopericytoma. Brain Tumor Pathol 2016; 33:200-8. [PMID: 26951238 DOI: 10.1007/s10014-016-0256-6] [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: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 02/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Hemangiopericytoma (HPC) is a highly vascularized mesenchymal tumor. Local recurrence and distant metastasis are common features of HPC. Considering the remarkable hyper-vasculature phenotype of HPC, we assumed that dysregulated angiogenic signaling pathways were involved in HPC. The key components of angiogenic signaling pathways including VEGF-VEGF-R2, EphrinB2-EphB4 and DLL4-Notch were examined by real-time RT-PCR, Western blotting and immunostaining in 17 surgical specimens of HPC patients and in 6 controls. A significant upregulation of VEGF and VEGF-R2 associated with elevated levels of p-Akt and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was detected in HPC. Moreover, a dramatic increase in the mRNA and protein expression of EphB4 and its downstream factor p-Erk1/2 was found in HPC. A massive activation of core-components of DLL4-Notch signaling was detected in HPC. Double-immunofluorescent staining confirmed the expression of these upregulated key factors in the endothelial cells of tumor vessels. The present study identified the activation of multiple and crucial angiogenic signaling pathways, which could function individually and/or synergistically to stimulate angiogenesis in HPC and eventually contribute to tumor growth and progression. Our findings emphasize the importance to target multiple angiogenic signaling pathways when an anti-angiogenic therapy is considered for this highly vascularized tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Pierscianek
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147, Essen, Germany
| | - Anna Michel
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147, Essen, Germany
| | - Nicolai El Hindy
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147, Essen, Germany
| | - Kathy Keyvani
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147, Essen, Germany
| | - Philipp Dammann
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147, Essen, Germany
| | - Neriman Oezkan
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147, Essen, Germany
| | - Oliver Mueller
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147, Essen, Germany
| | - Ulrich Sure
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147, Essen, Germany
| | - Yuan Zhu
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147, Essen, Germany.
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15
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Bennani-Baiti N, Bennani-Baiti IM. Cancer Bioinformatic Methods to Infer Meaningful Data From Small-Size Cohorts. Cancer Inform 2015; 14:131-9. [PMID: 26568679 PMCID: PMC4631160 DOI: 10.4137/cin.s32696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2015] [Revised: 10/05/2015] [Accepted: 10/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Whole-genome analyses have uncovered that most cancer-relevant genes cluster into 12 signaling pathways. Knowledge of the signaling pathways and associated gene signatures not only allows us to understand the mechanisms of oncogenesis inherent to specific cancers but also provides us with drug targets, molecular diagnostic and prognosis factors, as well as biomarkers for patient risk stratification and treatment. Publicly available genomic data sets constitute a wealth of gene mining opportunities for hypothesis generation and testing. However, the increasingly recognized genetic and epigenetic inter- and intratumor heterogeneity, combined with the preponderance of small-size cohorts, hamper reliable analysis and discovery. Here, we review two methods that are used to infer meaningful biological events from small-size data sets and discuss some of their applications and limitations.
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