1
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Lin Z, Pan R, Wu L, Zhu F, Fang Q, Kwok HF, Lu X. AFP-HSP90 mediated MYC/MET activation promotes tumor progression in hepatocellular carcinoma and gastric cancers. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:283. [PMID: 39135041 PMCID: PMC11321088 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03455-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) elevation is a well-known biomarker in various diseases, particularly in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Intracellular AFP has been previously implicated in promoting tumorigenesis. In this study, we discovered that AFP enhances the stability of oncoproteins c-MYC and c-MET, thereby facilitating the progression of liver and gastric tumors. Our findings suggest that AFP acts by stabilizing these oncoproteins, which are clients of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), and prevents their degradation through ubiquitination. Intriguingly, we identified AFP as a novel co-chaperone of HSP90, demonstrating its ability to regulate the stabilization of HSP90 client proteins. Furthermore, our results indicate that inhibiting AFP or HSP90 enhances the cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic agents in AFP-producing HCC and gastric cancer cells. These findings have significant implications for the development of therapeutic strategies targeting AFP-producing tumors, as the AFP-HSP90-mediated activation of c-MYC and c-MET provides new insights into potential treatment approaches. In summary, this study sheds light on the role of AFP in promoting tumor progression by stabilizing oncoproteins through its interaction with HSP90. The identification of this mechanism opens up new avenues for therapeutic interventions in AFP-producing tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqi Lin
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Rulu Pan
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Liyue Wu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Fangsheng Zhu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Qiwei Fang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Hang Fai Kwok
- Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR, China.
- MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Avenida de Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR, China.
| | - Xincheng Lu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR, China.
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2
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Chen Z, Jia X, Cai Y, Song Y, Tong Y, Cheng S, Liu M. AUY922 improves sensitivity to sunitinib in clear cell renal cell carcinoma based on network pharmacology and in vitro experiments. Heliyon 2024; 10:e34834. [PMID: 39149033 PMCID: PMC11324986 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC), the most prevalent form of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), poses a significant threat to human health due to its rising morbidity and mortality rates. Sunitinib, a pivotal targeted drug for the treatment of ccRCC, presents a significant challenge due to the high susceptibility of ccRCC to resistance. HSP90 inhibitor AUY922 has demonstrated anti-tumor activity in a range of cancer types. However, its efficacy in combination with sunitinib for ccRCC treatment has not been evaluated. In this study, we employed bioinformatics, network pharmacology, and in vitro assays to verify that AUY922 inhibits cell viability, proliferation, and migration of ccRCC cell lines 786-O and ACHN, with IC50s of 91.86 μM for 786-O and 115.5 μM for ACHN. The effect of AUY922 enhancing the inhibitory effect of sunitinib on ccRCC was further confirmed. The CCK-8 assay demonstrated that the IC50 of sunitinib was reduced from 15.10 μM to 11.91 μM for 786-O and from 17.65 μM to 13.66 μM for ACHN, after the combined application of AUY922. The EdU assay and wound healing assay indicated that AUY922 augmented the inhibitory impact of sunitinib on the proliferation and migration of ccRCC cells. Western blot and RT-PCR analyses demonstrated that AUY922 increased the sensitivity of ccRCC cells to sunitinib by targeting the HIF-1α/VEGFA/VEGFR pathway. Our study represents the first investigation into the role and mechanism of AUY922 in enhancing the sensitivity of ccRCC to sunitinib. In conclusion, the findings indicate the potential for AUY922 to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of sunitinib and overcome sunitinib resistance in ccRCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixuan Chen
- Department of Urology, Tongren Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, China
| | - Xing Jia
- Department of Urology, Tongren Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, China
| | - Yuesong Cai
- College of Medicine, Yanbian University, Yanji, 133002, China
| | - Ya Song
- School of Life Sciences, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, 233000, China
| | - Yanjun Tong
- Department of Anesthesiology and Surgery, Tongren Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, China
| | - Sheng Cheng
- Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine, Tongren Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, China
| | - Min Liu
- Department of Urology, Tongren Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, China
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3
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de Haan LR, van Golen RF, Heger M. Molecular Pathways Governing the Termination of Liver Regeneration. Pharmacol Rev 2024; 76:500-558. [PMID: 38697856 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.123.000955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The liver has the unique capacity to regenerate, and up to 70% of the liver can be removed without detrimental consequences to the organism. Liver regeneration is a complex process involving multiple signaling networks and organs. Liver regeneration proceeds through three phases: the initiation phase, the growth phase, and the termination phase. Termination of liver regeneration occurs when the liver reaches a liver-to-body weight that is required for homeostasis, the so-called "hepatostat." The initiation and growth phases have been the subject of many studies. The molecular pathways that govern the termination phase, however, remain to be fully elucidated. This review summarizes the pathways and molecules that signal the cessation of liver regrowth after partial hepatectomy and answers the question, "What factors drive the hepatostat?" SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Unraveling the pathways underlying the cessation of liver regeneration enables the identification of druggable targets that will allow us to gain pharmacological control over liver regeneration. For these purposes, it would be useful to understand why the regenerative capacity of the liver is hampered under certain pathological circumstances so as to artificially modulate the regenerative processes (e.g., by blocking the cessation pathways) to improve clinical outcomes and safeguard the patient's life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianne R de Haan
- Jiaxing Key Laboratory for Photonanomedicine and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Medicine, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China (L.R.d.H., M.H.); Department of Internal Medicine, Noordwest Ziekenhuisgroep, Alkmaar, The Netherlands (L.R.d.H.); Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands (R.F.v.G.); Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands (M.H.); and Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands (M.H.)
| | - Rowan F van Golen
- Jiaxing Key Laboratory for Photonanomedicine and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Medicine, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China (L.R.d.H., M.H.); Department of Internal Medicine, Noordwest Ziekenhuisgroep, Alkmaar, The Netherlands (L.R.d.H.); Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands (R.F.v.G.); Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands (M.H.); and Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands (M.H.)
| | - Michal Heger
- Jiaxing Key Laboratory for Photonanomedicine and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Medicine, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China (L.R.d.H., M.H.); Department of Internal Medicine, Noordwest Ziekenhuisgroep, Alkmaar, The Netherlands (L.R.d.H.); Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands (R.F.v.G.); Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands (M.H.); and Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands (M.H.)
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4
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Praveen Kumar PK, Sundar H, Balakrishnan K, Subramaniam S, Ramachandran H, Kevin M, Michael Gromiha M. The Role of HSP90 and TRAP1 Targets on Treatment in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Mol Biotechnol 2024:10.1007/s12033-024-01151-4. [PMID: 38684604 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-024-01151-4] [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: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is the predominant form of liver cancer and arises due to dysregulation of the cell cycle control machinery. Heat Shock Protein 90 (HSP90) and mitochondrial HSP90, also referred to as TRAP1 are important critical chaperone target receptors for early diagnosis and targeting HCC. Both HSP90 and TRAP1 expression was found to be higher in HCC patients. Hence, the importance of HSP90 and TRAP1 inhibitors mechanism and mitochondrial targeted delivery of those inhibitors function is widely studied. This review also focuses on importance of protein-protein interactions of HSP90 and TRAP1 targets and association of its interacting proteins in various pathways of HCC. To further elucidate the mechanism, systems biology approaches and computational biology approach studies are well explored in the association of inhibition of herbal plant molecules with HSP90 and its mitochondrial type in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- P K Praveen Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering, Pennalur, Sriperumbudur Tk, Tamil Nadu, 602117, India.
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, India.
| | - Harini Sundar
- Department of Biotechnology, Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering, Pennalur, Sriperumbudur Tk, Tamil Nadu, 602117, India
| | - Kamalavarshini Balakrishnan
- Department of Biotechnology, Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering, Pennalur, Sriperumbudur Tk, Tamil Nadu, 602117, India
| | - Sakthivel Subramaniam
- Department of Biotechnology, Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering, Pennalur, Sriperumbudur Tk, Tamil Nadu, 602117, India
| | - Hemalatha Ramachandran
- Department of Biotechnology, Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering, Pennalur, Sriperumbudur Tk, Tamil Nadu, 602117, India
| | - M Kevin
- Department of Biotechnology, Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering, Pennalur, Sriperumbudur Tk, Tamil Nadu, 602117, India
| | - M Michael Gromiha
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, India
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5
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Sun C, Pan Q, Du M, Zheng J, Bai M, Sun W. Decoding the roles of heat shock proteins in liver cancer. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2024; 75:81-92. [PMID: 38182465 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2023.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common gastrointestinal malignancies, characterized by insidious onset and high propensity for metastasis and recurrence. Apart from surgical resection, there are no effective curative methods for HCC in recent years, due to resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Heat shock proteins (HSP) play a crucial role in maintaining cellular homeostasis and normal organism development as molecular chaperones for intracellular proteins. Both basic research and clinical data have shown that HSPs are crucial participants in the HCC microenvironment, as well as the occurrence, development, metastasis, and resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy in various malignancies, particularly liver cancer. This review aims to discuss the molecular mechanisms and potential clinical value of HSPs in HCC, which may provide new insights for HSP-based therapeutic interventions for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Sun
- Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China
| | - Qi Pan
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Organ Transplantation, First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China
| | - Mingyang Du
- Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China
| | - Jiahe Zheng
- Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China
| | - Ming Bai
- Second Department of Medical Oncology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China.
| | - Wei Sun
- Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
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6
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Becht R, Kiełbowski K, Wasilewicz MP. New Opportunities in the Systemic Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma-Today and Tomorrow. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1456. [PMID: 38338736 PMCID: PMC10855889 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer. Liver cirrhosis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease represent major risk factors of HCC. Multiple different treatment options are available, depending on the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) algorithm. Systemic treatment is reserved for certain patients in stages B and C, who will not benefit from regional treatment methods. In the last fifteen years, the arsenal of available therapeutics has largely expanded, which improved treatment outcomes. Nevertheless, not all patients respond to these agents and novel combinations and drugs are needed. In this review, we aim to summarize the pathway of trials investigating the safety and efficacy of targeted therapeutics and immunotherapies since the introduction of sorafenib. Furthermore, we discuss the current evidence regarding resistance mechanisms and potential novel targets in the treatment of advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafał Becht
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Chemotherapy and Cancer Immunotherapy, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, 71-252 Szczecin, Poland; (R.B.); (K.K.)
| | - Kajetan Kiełbowski
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Chemotherapy and Cancer Immunotherapy, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, 71-252 Szczecin, Poland; (R.B.); (K.K.)
| | - Michał P. Wasilewicz
- Liver Unit, Department of Gastroenterology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, 71-252 Szczecin, Poland
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7
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Xiang Y, Liu X, Sun Q, Liao K, Liu X, Zhao Z, Feng L, Liu Y, Wang B. The development of cancers research based on mitochondrial heat shock protein 90. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1296456. [PMID: 38098505 PMCID: PMC10720920 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1296456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial heat shock protein 90 (mtHsp90), including Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1 (TRAP1) and Hsp90 translocated from cytoplasm, modulating cellular metabolism and signaling pathways by altering the conformation, activity, and stability of numerous client proteins, and is highly expressed in tumors. mtHsp90 inhibition results in the destabilization and eventual degradation of its client proteins, leading to interference with various tumor-related pathways and efficient control of cancer cell development. Among these compounds, gamitrinib, a specific mtHsp90 inhibitor, has demonstrated its safety and efficacy in several preclinical investigations and is currently undergoing evaluation in clinical trials. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the present knowledge pertaining to mtHsp90, encompassing its structure and function. Moreover, our main emphasis is on the development of mtHsp90 inhibitors for various cancer therapies, to present a thorough overview of the recent pre-clinical and clinical advancements in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchu Xiang
- West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xudong Liu
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Qi Sun
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kuo Liao
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaohan Liu
- Multiscale Research Institute of Complex Systems, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zihui Zhao
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lishuang Feng
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Organ Transplantation, Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Bo Wang
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Urology, Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
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8
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Tao Q, Lang Z, Li Y, Gao Y, Lin L, Yu Z, Zheng J, Yu S. Exploration and validation of a novel signature of seven necroptosis-related genes to improve the clinical outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:1029. [PMID: 37875823 PMCID: PMC10594920 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11521-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Necroptosis has been reported to be involved in cancer progression and associated with cancer prognosis. However, the prognostic values of necroptosis-related genes (NRGs) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain largely unknown. This study aimed to build a signature on the basis of NRGs to evaluate the prognosis of HCC patients. In this study, using bioinformatic analyses of transcriptome sequencing data of HCC (n = 370) from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, 63 differentially expressed NRGs between HCC and adjacent normal tissues were determined. 24 differentially expressed NRGs were found to be related with overall survival (OS). Seven optimum NRGs, determined using Lasso regression and multivariate Cox regression analysis, were used to construct a new prognostic risk signature for predicting the prognosis of HCC patients. Then survival status scatter plots and survival curves demonstrated that the prognosis of patients with high-Riskscore was worse. The prognostic value of this 7-NRG signature was validated by the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) cohort and a local cohort (Wenzhou, China). Notably, Riskscore was defined as an independent risk factor for HCC prognosis using multivariate cox regression analysis. Immune infiltration analysis suggested that higher macrophage infiltration was found in patients in the high-risk group. Finally, enhanced 7 NRGs were found in HCC tissues by immunohistochemistry. In conclusion, a novel 7-NRG prognostic risk signature is generated, which contributes to the prediction in the prognosis of HCC patients for the clinicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiqi Tao
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhichao Lang
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yifei Li
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yuxiang Gao
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Lifan Lin
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhengping Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No.2 fuxue lane, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Jianjian Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No.2 fuxue lane, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China.
| | - Suhui Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No.2 fuxue lane, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China.
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9
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Mortensen ACL, Berglund H, Hariri M, Papalanis E, Malmberg C, Spiegelberg D. Combination therapy of tyrosine kinase inhibitor sorafenib with the HSP90 inhibitor onalespib as a novel treatment regimen for thyroid cancer. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16844. [PMID: 37803074 PMCID: PMC10558458 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43486-z] [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: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy, affecting nearly 600,000 new patients worldwide. Treatment with the BRAF inhibitor sorafenib partially prolongs progression-free survival in thyroid cancer patients, but fails to improve overall survival. This study examines enhancing sorafenib efficacy by combination therapy with the novel HSP90 inhibitor onalespib. In vitro efficacy of sorafenib and onalespib monotherapy as well as in combination was assessed in papillary (PTC) and anaplastic (ATC) thyroid cancer cells using cell viability and colony formation assays. Migration potential was studied in wound healing assays. The in vivo efficacy of sorafenib and onalespib therapy was evaluated in mice bearing BHT-101 xenografts. Sorafenib in combination with onalespib significantly inhibited PTC and ATC cell proliferation, decreased metabolic activity and cancer cell migration. In addition, the drug combination approach significantly inhibited tumor growth in the xenograft model and prolonged the median survival. Our results suggest that combination therapy with sorafenib and onalespib could be used as a new therapeutic approach in the treatment of thyroid cancer, significantly improving the results obtained with sorafenib as monotherapy. This approach has the potential to reduce treatment adaptation while at the same time providing therapeutic anti-cancer benefits such as reducing tumor growth and metastatic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Charlotte Lundgren Mortensen
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hanna Berglund
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mehran Hariri
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Eleftherios Papalanis
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Diana Spiegelberg
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
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10
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Kaplan Ö. Synergistic induction of apoptosis in liver cancer cells: exploring the combined potential of doxorubicin and XL-888. Med Oncol 2023; 40:318. [PMID: 37794195 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-02181-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Combination therapy has been frequently preferred in treating various types of cancer in recent years. Targeted cancer therapy has also become one of the remarkable treatment modalities. Therefore, the aim of the study to investigate its cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on liver cancer cell lines by combining the classical chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (DOX) and a targeted agent, the new generation HSP90 inhibitor XL-888. The molecular docking method was used to predict the binding conformation of XL-888 on the human Hsp90. The single and combined cytotoxic effects of DOX and XL-888 on liver cancer cell lines HepG2 and HUH-7 were determined by MTT assay. The effect of the combined use of two drugs was evaluated using Chou and Talalay method. The levels of apoptotic genes and heat shock proteins gene and protein expression levels were investigated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting, respectively. Molecular docking results showed that XL-888 selectively binds to the ATP binding pocket of HSP90 with an estimated free binding energy of - 7.8 kcal/mol. DOX and XL-888 and their combination showed dose-dependent cytotoxic effect. The combination of drugs showed a synergistic effect on both cell lines. The results revealed that the combination of DOX and XL-888 potently induced apoptosis in liver cancer cell lines rather than using drugs alone. The combined treatment of DOX and XL-888 demonstrated synergistic cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on liver cancer cell lines, presenting a promising approach for combination therapy in liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Özlem Kaplan
- Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Rafet Kayış Faculty of Engineering, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Antalya, Turkey.
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11
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Liao Y, Liu Y, Yu C, Lei Q, Cheng J, Kong W, Yu Y, Zhuang X, Sun W, Yin S, Cai G, Huang H. HSP90β Impedes STUB1-Induced Ubiquitination of YTHDF2 to Drive Sorafenib Resistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2302025. [PMID: 37515378 PMCID: PMC10520652 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202302025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
YTH domain family 2 (YTHDF2) is the first identified N6-methyladenosine (m6 A) reader that regulates the status of mRNA. It has been reported that overexpressed YTHDF2 promotes carcinogenesis; yet, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is elusive. Herein, it is demonstrated that YTHDF2 is upregulated and can predict poor outcomes in HCC. Decreased ubiquitination levels of YTHDF2 contribute to the upregulation of YTHDF2. Furthermore, heat shock protein 90 beta (HSP90β) and STIP1 homology and U-box-containing protein 1 (STUB1) physically interact with YTHDF2 in the cytoplasm. Mechanically, the large and small middle domain of HSP90β is required for its interaction with STUB1 and YTHDF2. HSP90β inhibits the STUB1-induced degradation of YTHDF2 to elevate the expression of YTHDF2 and to further boost the proliferation and sorafenib resistance of HCC. Moreover, HSP90β and YTHDF2 are upregulated, while STUB1 is downregulated in HCC tissues. The expression of HSP90β is positively correlated with the YTHDF2 protein level, whereas the expression of STUB1 is negatively correlated with the protein levels of YTHDF2 and HSP90β. These findings deepen the understanding of how YTHDF2 is regulated to drive HCC progression and provide potential targets for treating HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuning Liao
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital & institute of Guangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhou510095China
- Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and DegradationSchool of Basic Medical SciencesGuangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhou511436China
| | - Yuan Liu
- Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and DegradationSchool of Basic Medical SciencesGuangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhou511436China
| | - Cuifu Yu
- Shenshan Medical CenterMemorial Hospital of Sun Yat‐sen UniversityShanwei516600China
| | - Qiucheng Lei
- Department of Hepatopancreatic SurgeryThe First People's Hospital of FoshanFoshan528000China
| | - Ji Cheng
- Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and DegradationSchool of Basic Medical SciencesGuangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhou511436China
| | - Weiyao Kong
- Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and DegradationSchool of Basic Medical SciencesGuangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhou511436China
| | - Yuanhui Yu
- KingMed School of Laboratory MedicineGuangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhou511436China
| | - Xuefen Zhuang
- Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and DegradationSchool of Basic Medical SciencesGuangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhou511436China
| | - Wenshuang Sun
- Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and DegradationSchool of Basic Medical SciencesGuangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhou511436China
| | - Shusha Yin
- Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and DegradationSchool of Basic Medical SciencesGuangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhou511436China
| | - Gengxi Cai
- Department of Breast SurgeryThe First People's Hospital of FoshanFoshan528000China
| | - Hongbiao Huang
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital & institute of Guangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhou510095China
- Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and DegradationSchool of Basic Medical SciencesGuangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhou511436China
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12
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Sukumaran S, Tan M, Ben-Uliel SF, Zhang H, De Zotti M, Chua MS, So SK, Qvit N. Rational design, synthesis and structural characterization of peptides and peptidomimetics to target Hsp90/Cdc37 interaction for treating hepatocellular carcinoma. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:3159-3172. [PMID: 37304004 PMCID: PMC10250827 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and cell division cycle 37 (Cdc37) work together as a molecular chaperone complex to regulate the activity of a multitude of client protein kinases. These kinases belong to a wide array of intracellular signaling networks that mediate multiple cellular processes including proliferation. As a result, Hsp90 and Cdc37 represent innovative therapeutic targets in various cancers (such as leukemia, multiple myeloma, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)) in which their expression levels are elevated. Conventional small molecule Hsp90 inhibitors act by blocking the conserved adenosine triphosphate (ATP) binding site. However, by targeting less conserved sites in a more specific manner, peptides and peptidomimetics (modified peptides) hold potential as more efficacious and less toxic alternatives to the conventional small molecule inhibitors. Using a rational approach, we herein developed bioactive peptides targeting Hsp90/Cdc37 interaction. A six amino acid linear peptide derived from Cdc37, KTGDEK, was designed to target Hsp90. We used in silico computational docking to first define its mode of interaction, and binding orientation, and then conjugated the peptide with a cell penetrating peptide, TAT, and a fluorescent dye to confirm its ability to colocalize with Hsp90 in HCC cells. Based on the parent linear sequence, we developed a peptidomimetics library of pre-cyclic and cyclic derivatives. These peptidomimetics were evaluated for their binding affinity to Hsp90, and bioactivity in HCC cell lines. Among them, a pre-cyclic peptidomimetic demonstrates high binding affinity and bioactivity in HCC cells, causing reduced cell proliferation that is associated with induction of cell apoptosis, and down-regulation of phosphorylated MEK1/2. Overall, this generalized approach of rational design, structural optimization, and cellular validation of 'drug-like' peptidomimetics against Hsp90/Cdc37 offers a feasible and promising way to design novel therapeutic agents for malignancies and other diseases that are dependent on this molecular chaperone complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surya Sukumaran
- The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Henrietta Szold St. 8, Safed 1311502, Israel
| | - Mingdian Tan
- Asian Liver Center, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1201 Welch Road, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA
| | - Shulamit Fluss Ben-Uliel
- The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Henrietta Szold St. 8, Safed 1311502, Israel
| | - Hui Zhang
- Asian Liver Center, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1201 Welch Road, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA
| | - Marta De Zotti
- Department of Chemistry, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Mei-Sze Chua
- Asian Liver Center, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1201 Welch Road, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA
| | - Samuel K. So
- Asian Liver Center, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1201 Welch Road, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA
| | - Nir Qvit
- The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Henrietta Szold St. 8, Safed 1311502, Israel
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13
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Ishikawa C, Mori N. Heat shock factor 1 is a promising therapeutic target against adult T-cell leukemia. Med Oncol 2023; 40:172. [PMID: 37165174 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-02042-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Patients with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), which is caused by human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), show poor prognosis because of drug resistance. Heat shock protein (HSP) 90 is reportedly essential for ATL cell survival as it regulates important signaling pathways, thereby making HSP90 inhibitors new therapeutic candidates for ATL. However, HSP90 inhibition increases the expression of other HSPs, suggesting that HSPs may contribute to drug resistance. The heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) transcription factor is the primary regulator of the expression of HSPs. Furthermore, targeting HSF1 disrupts the HSP90 chaperone function. Herein, we demonstrated that HSF1 is overexpressed in HTLV-1-infected T cells. HSF1 knockdown inhibited the proliferation of HTLV-1-infected T cells. HSF1 inhibitor KRIBB11 reduced the expression and phosphorylation of HSF1, downregulated HSP70 and HSP27 expression, and suppressed Akt, nuclear factor-κB, and AP-1 signals. KRIBB11 treatment induced DNA damage, upregulated p53 and p21, and reduced the expression of cyclin D2/E, CDK2/4, c-Myc, MDM2, and β-catenin, thereby preventing retinoblastoma protein phosphorylation and inhibiting G1-S cell cycle progression. KRIBB11 also induced caspase-mediated apoptosis concomitant with the suppression of Bcl-xL, Mcl-1, XIAP, c-IAP1/2, and survivin expression. KRIBB11 inhibited HSP70 and HSP90 upregulation through treatment with AUY922, an HSP90 inhibitor, and enhanced the cytotoxic effect of AUY922, suggesting a salvage role of HSF1-dependent HSP induction in response to drug treatment. Finally, treatment of mice with KRIBB11 reduced ATL tumor growth. Therefore, this study provides a strong rationale to target HSF1 and validates the anti-ATL activity of KRIBB11.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chie Ishikawa
- Department of Microbiology and Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, 207 Uehara, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0215, Japan
- Division of Health Sciences, Transdisciplinary Research Organization for Subtropics and Island Studies, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan
| | - Naoki Mori
- Department of Microbiology and Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, 207 Uehara, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0215, Japan.
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Role of Ganetespib, an HSP90 Inhibitor, in Cancer Therapy: From Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Practice. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24055014. [PMID: 36902446 PMCID: PMC10002602 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24055014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Heat-shock proteins are upregulated in cancer and protect several client proteins from degradation. Therefore, they contribute to tumorigenesis and cancer metastasis by reducing apoptosis and enhancing cell survival and proliferation. These client proteins include the estrogen receptor (ER), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2), and cytokine receptors. The diminution of the degradation of these client proteins activates different signaling pathways, such as the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB, Raf/MEK/ERK, and JAK/STAT3 pathways. These pathways contribute to hallmarks of cancer, such as self-sufficiency in growth signaling, an insensitivity to anti-growth signals, the evasion of apoptosis, persistent angiogenesis, tissue invasion and metastasis, and an unbounded capacity for replication. However, the inhibition of HSP90 activity by ganetespib is believed to be a promising strategy in the treatment of cancer because of its low adverse effects compared to other HSP90 inhibitors. Ganetespib is a potential cancer therapy that has shown promise in preclinical tests against various cancers, including lung cancer, prostate cancer, and leukemia. It has also shown strong activity toward breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, gastric cancer, and acute myeloid leukemia. Ganetespib has been found to cause apoptosis and growth arrest in these cancer cells, and it is being tested in phase II clinical trials as a first-line therapy for metastatic breast cancer. In this review, we will highlight the mechanism of action of ganetespib and its role in treating cancer based on recent studies.
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Xu Y, Liu R. Analysis of the role of m6A and lncRNAs in prognosis and immunotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma. Heliyon 2022; 8:e10612. [PMID: 36158075 PMCID: PMC9489786 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To study the role of m6A and lncRNAs in the prognosis and immunotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma, construct the risk score of overall survival of hepatocellular carcinoma, and search for new therapeutic targets and drugs. Methods The data used in this study are obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. A total of 424 HCC samples were included. The co-expression of lncRNAs and M6A-related genes in HCC was analyzed, COX regression analysis was conducted to construct the risk score for HCC prognosis, and the model's validity was further verified in different clinical trials subtypes and principal component analysis. GO enrichment analysis and immune function analysis were performed for the differential genes in the high-risk group and the low-risk group divided by risk score and analyzed the prognostic effect of TMB on the two groups. Based on the results, potential therapeutic agents for HCC were screened. Results The risk score can better predict the prognosis of HCC, the area under the ROC curve is 0.727. Differential genes were mainly located in the extracellular matrix and chromosomal regions and may play regulatory roles in binding sites and catalytic enzymes, thereby affecting the chromosome division and cell proliferation of cells. Type Ⅱ IFN response, type Ⅰ IFN response and MHC class Ⅰ were the three most different functions in terms of immune function between the high-risk group and the low-risk group. Type II IFN response, type I IFN response was significantly down-regulated in the high-risk group, while MHC class I was up-regulated. 14 potential therapeutic drugs were screened out. Conclusions The risk score constructed with NRAV and AL031985.3 had a good predictive effect on the prognosis of HCC. Differences in genes and immune function between high-risk and low-risk groups promoted the occurrence and progression of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Xu
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgical Oncology, Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Rong Liu
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgical Oncology, Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China
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Small Molecule Inhibitors for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Advances and Challenges. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27175537. [PMID: 36080304 PMCID: PMC9457820 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27175537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
According to data provided by World Health Organization, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cause of deaths due to cancer worldwide. Tremendous progress has been achieved over the last 10 years developing novel agents for HCC treatment, including small-molecule kinase inhibitors. Several small molecule inhibitors currently form the core of HCC treatment due to their versatility since they would be more easily absorbed and have higher oral bioavailability, thus easier to formulate and administer to patients. In addition, they can be altered structurally to have greater volumes of distribution, allowing them to block extravascular molecular targets and to accumulate in a high concentration in the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, they can be designed to have shortened half-lives to control for immune-related adverse events. Most importantly, they would spare patients, healthcare institutions, and society as a whole from the burden of high drug costs. The present review provides an overview of the pharmaceutical compounds that are licensed for HCC treatment and other emerging compounds that are still investigated in preclinical and clinical trials. These molecules are targeting different molecular targets and pathways that are proven to be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease.
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Li L, Yu S, Chen J, Quan M, Gao Y, Li Y. miR-15a and miR-20b sensitize hepatocellular carcinoma cells to sorafenib through repressing CDC37L1 and consequent PPIA downregulation. Cell Death Dis 2022; 8:297. [PMID: 35760798 PMCID: PMC9237098 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-022-01094-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Sorafenib is a classical targeted drug for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but intrinsic resistance severely limited its therapeutic effects. In the present study, we aimed to identify crucial genes in HCC cells that affect sorafenib resistance by a CRISPR/Cas9 genome-scale screening. The results indicated that the deficiency of miR-15a and miR-20b contributed to sorafenib resistance, whereas exogenous expression of miR-15a and miR-20b enhanced sorafenib sensitivity of HCC cells by cell viability, colony formation, and flow cytometry analyses. Further analyses revealed that cell division cycle 37 like 1 (CDC37L1) as a common target of miR-15a and 20b, was negatively regulated by the two miRNAs and could enhance sorafenib resistance of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, CDC37L1, as a cochaperone, effectively increased the expression of peptidylprolyl isomerase A (PPIA) through strengthening the binding between heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) and PPIA. The results from immunohistochemical staining of a HCC tissue microarray revealed a positive association between CDC37L1 and PPIA expression, and high expression of CDC37L1 and PPIA predicted worse prognosis of HCC patients after sorafenib therapy. Taken together, our findings reveal crucial roles of miR-15a, miR-20b, CDC37L1, and PPIA in sorafenib response of HCC cells. These factors may serve as therapeutic targets and predict prognosis for HCC treated with sorafenib.
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18
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Peng S, Woodruff J, Pathak PK, Matts RL, Deng J. Crystal structure of the middle and C-terminal domains of Hsp90α labeled with a coumarin derivative reveals a potential allosteric binding site as a drug target. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2022; 78:571-585. [PMID: 35503206 PMCID: PMC9063849 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798322002261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The 90 kDa heat-shock protein (Hsp90) is an abundant molecular chaperone that is essential to activate, stabilize and regulate the function of a plethora of client proteins. As drug targets for the treatment of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, Hsp90 inhibitors that bind to the N-terminal ATP-binding site of Hsp90 have shown disappointing efficacy in clinical trials. Thus, allosteric regulation of the function of Hsp90 by compounds that interact with its middle and C-terminal (MC) domains is now being pursued as a mechanism to inhibit the ATPase activity and client protein-binding activity of Hsp90 without concomitant induction of the heat-shock response. Here, the crystal structure of the Hsp90αMC protein covalently linked to a coumarin derivative, MDCC {7-diethylamino-3-[N-(2-maleimidoethyl)carbamoyl]coumarin}, which is located in a hydrophobic pocket that is formed at the Hsp90αMC hexamer interface, is reported. MDCC binding leads to the hexamerization of Hsp90, and the stabilization and conformational changes of three loops that are critical for its function. A fluorescence competition assay demonstrated that other characterized coumarin and isoflavone-containing Hsp90 inhibitors compete with MDCC binding, suggesting that they could bind at a common site or that they might allosterically alter the structure of the MDCC binding site. This study provides insights into the mechanism by which the coumarin class of allosteric inhibitors potentially disrupt the function of Hsp90 by regulating its oligomerization and the burial of interaction sites involved in the ATP-dependent folding of Hsp90 clients. The hydrophobic binding pocket characterized here will provide new structural information for future drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuxia Peng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oklahoma State University, 246 Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Jeff Woodruff
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oklahoma State University, 246 Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Prabhat Kumar Pathak
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oklahoma State University, 246 Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Robert L. Matts
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oklahoma State University, 246 Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Junpeng Deng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oklahoma State University, 246 Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
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Shen LJ, Sun HW, Chai YY, Jiang QY, Zhang J, Li WM, Xin SJ. The Disassociation of the A20/HSP90 Complex via Downregulation of HSP90 Restores the Effect of A20 Enhancing the Sensitivity of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells to Molecular Targeted Agents. Front Oncol 2022; 11:804412. [PMID: 34976842 PMCID: PMC8714928 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.804412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
NF-κB (nuclear factor κB) is a regulator of hepatocellular cancer (HCC)-related inflammation and enhances HCC cells' resistance to antitumor therapies by promoting cell survival and anti-apoptosis processes. In the present work, we demonstrate that A20, a dominant-negative regulator of NF-κB, forms a complex with HSP90 (heat-shock protein 90) and causes the disassociation of the A20/HSP90 complex via downregulation of HSP90. This process restores the antitumor activation of A20. In clinical specimens, the expression level of A20 did not relate with the outcome in patients receiving sorafenib; however, high levels of HSP90 were associated with poor outcomes in these patients. A20 interacted with and formed complexes with HSP90. Knockdown of HSP90 and treatment with an HSP90 inhibitor disassociated the A20/HSP90 complex. Overexpression of A20 alone did not affect HCC cells. Downregulation of HSP90 combined with A20 overexpression restored the effect of A20. Overexpression of A20 repressed the expression of pro-survival and anti-apoptosis-related factors and enhanced HCC cells' sensitivity to sorafenib. These results suggest that interactions with HSP90 could be potential mechanisms of A20 inactivation and disassociation of the A20/HSP90 complex and could serve as a novel strategy for HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Jun Shen
- Medical School of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China.,Division 8, Department of Hepatology, Senior Department of Hepatology, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Hui-Wei Sun
- Senior Department of Infectious Disease, Institute of Infectious Disease, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yan-Yao Chai
- Senior Department of Infectious Disease, Institute of Infectious Disease, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Qi-Yu Jiang
- Senior Department of Infectious Disease, Institute of Infectious Disease, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Patient Management, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Wen-Ming Li
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Handan Central Hospital, Handan, Hebei Province, China
| | - Shao-Jie Xin
- Medical School of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China.,Division 6, Department of Hepatology, Senior Department of Hepatology, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
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20
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Gao B, Wang L, Zhang N, Han M, Zhang Y, Liu H, Sun D, Liu Y. Screening Novel Drug Candidates for Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma Treatment: A Study on Differentially Expressed Genes through the Connectivity Map Database. Kidney Blood Press Res 2021; 46:702-713. [PMID: 34818247 DOI: 10.1159/000518437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) is a common cancer with high morbidity and mortality in renal cancer. Thus, the transcriptome data of KIRC patients in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were analyzed and drug candidates for the treatment of KIRC were explored through the connectivity map (CMap) database. METHODS The transcriptome data of KIRC patients were downloaded from TCGA database, and KIRC-associated hub genes were screened out through differential analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. Afterward, the CMap database was used to select drug candidates for KIRC treatment, and the drug-targeted genes were obtained through the STITCH database. A PPI network was constructed by combining drug-targeted genes with hub genes that affected the pathogenesis of KIRC to obtain final hub genes. Finally, combining hub genes and KIRC-associated hub genes, the pathways affected by drugs were explored by pathway enrichment analysis. RESULTS A total of 2,312 differentially expressed genes were found in patients, which were concentrated in immune cell activity, cytokine, and chemokine secretion pathways. Drug screening disclosed 5 drug candidates for KIRC treatment: fedratinib, Ly344864, geldanamycin, AS-605240, and luminespib. Based on drug-targeted genes and KIRC-associated hub genes, 16 hub genes were screened out. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that drugs mainly affected pathways such as neuroactive ligand pathways, cell adhesion, and chemokines. CONCLUSION The above results indicated that fedratinib, LY 344864, geldanamycin, AS-605240, and luminespib could be used as candidates for KIRC therapy. The findings from this study will make contributions to the treatment of KIRC in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Gao
- Department of Urology, Tangshan Central Hospital, Tangshan, China
| | - Lijuan Wang
- Department of Urology, Tangshan Central Hospital, Tangshan, China
| | - Na Zhang
- Department of Urology, Tangshan Central Hospital, Tangshan, China
| | - Miaomiao Han
- Department of Urology, Tangshan Central Hospital, Tangshan, China
| | - Yubo Zhang
- Department of Urology, Tangshan Central Hospital, Tangshan, China
| | - Huancai Liu
- Department of Urology, Tangshan Central Hospital, Tangshan, China
| | - Dongli Sun
- Department of Urology, Tangshan Central Hospital, Tangshan, China
| | - Yifei Liu
- Department of Urology, Tangshan Central Hospital, Tangshan, China
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Molavipordanjani S, Hosseinimehr SJ. The Radiolabeled HER3 Targeting Molecules for Tumor Imaging. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH : IJPR 2021; 20:141-152. [PMID: 34400948 PMCID: PMC8170765 DOI: 10.22037/ijpr.2021.114677.14991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) family plays pivotal roles in physiologic and pathologic conditions (such as tumor growth, proliferation, and progression in multiple epithelial malignancies). All the family members are considered tyrosine kinase, while HER3 as a member of this family shows no intrinsic tyrosine kinase. HER3 is called ‘pseudokinase’ because it undergoes heterodimerization and forms dimers such as HER2-HER3 and HER1 (EGFR)-HER3. The exact role of HER3 in cancer is still unclear; however, the overexpression of this receptor is involved in the poor prognosis of malignancies. To that end, different studies investigated the development of radiotracers for imaging of HER3. The main focus of this review is to gather all the studies on developing new radiotracers for imaging of HER3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajjad Molavipordanjani
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Seyed Jalal Hosseinimehr
- Department of Radiopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
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22
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Augello G, Emma MR, Azzolina A, Puleio R, Condorelli L, Cusimano A, Giannitrapani L, McCubrey JA, Iovanna JL, Cervello M. The NUPR1/p73 axis contributes to sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Lett 2021; 519:250-262. [PMID: 34314755 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The multikinase inhibitor sorafenib was the first drug approved by the FDA for treating patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, sorafenib resistance remains a major challenge for improving the effectiveness of HCC treatment. Previously, we identified several genes modulated after sorafenib treatment of human HCC cells, including the stress-inducible nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1) gene. Multiple studies have shown that NUPR1 regulates autophagy, apoptosis, and chemoresistance. Here, we demonstrate that treatment of HCC cells with sorafenib resulted in the activation of autophagic flux. NUPR1 knock-down (KD) in HCC cells was associated with increased p62 expression, suggesting an impairment of autophagic flux, and with a significant increase of cell sensitivity to sorafenib. In NUPR1 KD cells, reduced levels of NUPR1 were associated with the increased expression of p73 as well as its downstream transcription targets PUMA, NOXA, and p21. Simultaneous silencing of p73 and NUPR1 in HCC cells resulted in increased resistance to sorafenib, as compared to the single KD of either gene. Conversely, pharmacological activation of p73, via the novel p73 small molecule activator NSC59984, determined synergistic anti-tumor effects in sorafenib-treated HCC cells. The combination of NSC59984 and sorafenib, when compared to either treatment alone, synergistically suppressed tumor growth of HCC cells in vivo. Our data suggest that the activation of the p73 pathway achieved by NUPR1 KD potentiates sorafenib-induced anti-tumor effects in HCC cells. Moreover, combined pharmacological therapy with the p73 activator NSC59984 and sorafenib could represent a novel approach for HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppa Augello
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Rita Emma
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonina Azzolina
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Palermo, Italy
| | - Roberto Puleio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Della Sicilia "A. Mirri", Palermo, Italy
| | - Lucia Condorelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Della Sicilia "A. Mirri", Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonella Cusimano
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Palermo, Italy
| | - Lydia Giannitrapani
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Palermo, Italy; Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - James A McCubrey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA
| | - Juan Lucio Iovanna
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille, INSERM U1068, CNRS UMR 7258, Aix-Marseille Université and Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Melchiorre Cervello
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Palermo, Italy.
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23
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Epp-Ducharme B, Dunne M, Fan L, Evans JC, Ahmed L, Bannigan P, Allen C. Heat-activated nanomedicine formulation improves the anticancer potential of the HSP90 inhibitor luminespib in vitro. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11103. [PMID: 34045581 PMCID: PMC8160139 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90585-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The heat shock protein 90 inhibitor, luminespib, has demonstrated potent preclinical activity against numerous cancers. However, clinical translation has been impeded by dose-limiting toxicities that have necessitated dosing schedules which have reduced therapeutic efficacy. As such, luminespib is a prime candidate for reformulation using advanced drug delivery strategies that improve tumor delivery efficiency and limit off-target side effects. Specifically, thermosensitive liposomes are proposed as a drug delivery strategy capable of delivering high concentrations of drug to the tumor in combination with other chemotherapeutic molecules. Indeed, this work establishes that luminespib exhibits synergistic activity in lung cancer in combination with standard of care drugs such as cisplatin and vinorelbine. While our research team has previously developed thermosensitive liposomes containing cisplatin or vinorelbine, this work presents the first liposomal formulation of luminespib. The physico-chemical properties and heat-triggered release of the formulation were characterized. Cytotoxicity assays were used to determine the optimal drug ratios for treatment of luminespib in combination with cisplatin or vinorelbine in non-small cell lung cancer cells. The formulation and drug combination work presented in this paper offer the potential for resuscitation of the clinical prospects of a promising anticancer agent.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael Dunne
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - Linyu Fan
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - James C Evans
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - Lubabah Ahmed
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - Pauric Bannigan
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - Christine Allen
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3M2, Canada.
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24
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Mansour SMA, Ali SA, Nofal S, Soror SH. Targeting NUPR1 for Cancer Treatment: A Risky Endeavor. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2020; 20:768-778. [PMID: 32619170 DOI: 10.2174/1568009620666200703152523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
NUPR1 is a transcription factor that has attracted great attention because of its various roles in cancer. Several studies were carried out to determine its molecular targets and mechanism of action to develop novel therapies against cancer. Here, we shed light on the role of NUPR1 in different types of cancer. NUPR1 regulates a complex network of pathways that may be affected by its silencing, which can cause varying effects. Its role in some types of cancer has been reported but remains incompletely understood, whereas its roles in other types of cancers have not been reported yet. Therefore, targeting NUPR1 for cancer treatment remains challenging and risky.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salma M A Mansour
- Egyptian Patent Office, Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT), 101 Kaser Al-Ainy Street, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Sahar A Ali
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Ain Helwan, Helwan Cairo 11795, Egypt
| | - Shaira Nofal
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Ain Helwan, Helwan Cairo 11795, Egypt
| | - Sameh H Soror
- Egyptian Patent Office, Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT), 101 Kaser Al-Ainy Street, Cairo, Egypt.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Ain Helwan, Helwan Cairo 11795, Egypt
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25
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Li A, Chen X, Jing Z, Chen J. Trifluoperazine induces cellular apoptosis by inhibiting autophagy and targeting NUPR1 in multiple myeloma. FEBS Open Bio 2020; 10:2097-2106. [PMID: 32810364 PMCID: PMC7530380 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.12960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematologic malignancy of immunoglobulin-secreting plasma cells. Recent modern combination therapies have improved survival rates, but many patients develop resistance to novel drugs, leading to relapse. Trifluoperazine (TFP), a typical antipsychotic drug, has been reported to exert antitumor effects by targeting various pathways. Thus far, the role of TFP in MM has not been elucidated. In the current study, we demonstrated that TFP inhibited cell growth and autophagy activity but induced apoptosis of U266 and RPMI 8226 MM cells. Furthermore, cotreatment of these cell lines with TFP and rapamycin, a potent autophagy inducer, reduced cell apoptosis compared with TFP treatment alone. We also found that TFP inhibited nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1) expression. In the presence of TFP, cells stably overexpressing NUPR1 showed a higher viability than cells treated with the nonspecific control. Autophagy suppression and apoptosis induction caused by TFP were also reversed in MM cells upon NUPR1 overexpression. Overall, our results indicate that in the context of MM, TFP targets NUPR1, inhibiting cell growth and inducing apoptosis by autophagy inhibition. Our results could contribute toward efforts for the development of more effective therapies for MM to be tested in future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anmao Li
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Yuzhong, China
| | - Xuanxin Chen
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Yuzhong, China
| | - Zizi Jing
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Yuzhong, China
| | - Jianbin Chen
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Yuzhong, China
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26
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Miltirone induces cell death in hepatocellular carcinoma cell through GSDME-dependent pyroptosis. Acta Pharm Sin B 2020; 10:1397-1413. [PMID: 32963939 PMCID: PMC7488361 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2020.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pyroptosis is a form of programmed cell death, and recently described as a new molecular mechanism of chemotherapy drugs in the treatment of tumors. Miltirone, a derivative of phenanthrene-quinone isolated from the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, has been shown to possess anti-cancer activities. Here, we found that miltirone inhibited the cell viability of either HepG2 or Hepa1-6 cells, and induced the proteolytic cleavage of gasdermin E (GSDME) in each hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line, with concomitant cleavage of caspase 3. Knocking out GSDME switched miltirone-induced cell death from pyroptosis to apoptosis. Additionally, the induction effects of miltirone on GSDME-dependent pyroptosis were attenuated by siRNA-mediated caspase three silencing and the specific caspase three inhibitor Z-DEVD-FMK, respectively. Miltirone effectively elicited intracellular accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and suppressed phosphorylation of mitogen-activated and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MEK) and extracellular regulated protein kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) for pyroptosis induction. Moreover, miltirone significantly inhibited tumor growth and induced pyroptosis in the Hepa1-6 mouse HCC syngeneic model. These results provide a new insight that miltirone is a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of HCC via GSDME-dependent pyroptosis.
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Key Words
- 7-AAD, 7-aminoactinomycin D
- AKT, AKT serine/threonine kinase, also known as protein kinase B
- ANOVA, analysis of variance
- BAX, BCL2-associated X
- CCK-8, cell counting kit-8
- CRISPR, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats
- Cas9, caspase 9
- Cell death
- DCFH-DA, dye 2,7-dichlorofluoresce diacetate
- DMEM, Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium
- DMSO, dimethyl sulfoxide
- ECL, enhanced chemiluminescence
- ERK1/2, extracellular regulated protein kinases 1/2
- FBS, fetal bovine serum
- FITC, fluorescein isothiocyanate
- GAPDH, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase
- GSDMD, gasdermin D
- GSDME
- GSDME, gasdermin E
- H&E, hematoxylin and eosin
- HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma
- HRP, horseradish peroxidase
- HepG2
- Hepa1-6
- Hepatocellular carcinoma
- IC50, the half maximal inhibitory concentration
- IgG (H + L), immunoglobulin G (heavy chain + light chain)
- KO, knockout
- LDH, lactic dehydrogenase
- MEK, mitogen-activated and extracellular signal-regulated kinase
- MEM, minimum essential medium
- MMP, mitochondrial membrane potential
- MS, mass spectrum
- Miltirone
- N-GSDME, N-terminal GSDME
- NAC, N-acetyl cysteine
- NC, negative control
- NMR, nuclear magnetic resonance
- NS, no significance
- PARP, poly ADP-ribose polymerase
- PBS, phosphate-based buffer
- PI, propidium iodide
- PI3K, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase
- Pyroptosis
- RIPA, radioimmunoprecipitation assay
- ROS, reactive oxygen species
- SD, standard deviation
- SDS-PAGE, sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
- TBST, Tris-buffered saline with Tween solution
- TCGA, the Cancer Genome Atlas
- VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor
- gRNA, guide RNA
- i.p., intraperitoneal
- i.v., intravenous
- mTOR, mammalian target of rapamycin
- p-AKT, phosphorylated-AKT
- p-ERK1/2, phosphorylated-ERK1/2
- p-MEK, phosphorylated-MEK
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27
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Nouri-Vaskeh M, Alizadeh L, Hajiasgharzadeh K, Mokhtarzadeh A, Halimi M, Baradaran B. The role of HSP90 molecular chaperones in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Cell Physiol 2020; 235:9110-9120. [PMID: 32452023 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.29776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Misfolded proteins have enhanced formation of toxic oligomers and nonfunctional protein copies lead to recruiting wild-type protein types. Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is a molecular chaperone generated by cells that are involved in many cellular functions through regulation of folding and/or localization of large multi-protein complexes as well as client proteins. HSP90 can regulate a number of different cellular processes including cell proliferation, motility, angiogenesis, signal transduction, and adaptation to stress. HSP90 makes the mutated oncoproteins able to avoid misfolding and degradation and permits the malignant transformation. As a result, HSP90 is an important factor in several signaling pathways associated with tumorigenicity, therapy resistance, and inhibiting apoptosis. Clinically, the upregulation of HSP90 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is linked with advanced stages and inappropriate survival in cases suffering from this kind of cancer. The present review comprehensively assesses HSP90 functions and its possible usefulness as a potential diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic option for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoud Nouri-Vaskeh
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Connective Tissue Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Leila Alizadeh
- Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Ahad Mokhtarzadeh
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Monireh Halimi
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Behzad Baradaran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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28
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Lan W, Santofimia-Castaño P, Xia Y, Zhou Z, Huang C, Fraunhoffer N, Barea D, Cervello M, Giannitrapani L, Montalto G, Peng L, Iovanna J. Targeting NUPR1 with the small compound ZZW-115 is an efficient strategy to treat hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Lett 2020; 486:8-17. [PMID: 32446862 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
HCC is a highly lethal malignancy with Sorafenib as the only molecularly targeted drug. The multifunctional stress-associated protein, NUPR1, plays an essential role in controlling cell growth, migration, invasion and Sorafenib resistance in HCC. We report here that NUPR1 expression is absent in healthy liver and it is progressively upregulated in HCC premalignant lesions such as hepatitis and cirrhosis with a maximum expression in HCC samples, highlighting that NUPR1 is a potential drug target for HCC. We therefore assessed in this work, ZZW-115, a strong inhibitor of NUPR1, as a promising candidate for the treatment of HCC. We validated its extraordinary antitumor effect on HCC by using two HCC cell lines, HepG2-and Hep3B, both in cell based experiments and xenografted mice. We further revealed that ZZW-115 treatment induced cell death by apoptosis and necroptosis mechanisms, with a concomitant mitochondrial metabolism failure that triggers lower ATP production. Furthermore, the ATP depletion cannot be rescued by the apoptosis inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK and/or the necrosis inhibitor Necrostatin-1, indicating that ZZW-115 induces cell death through the mitochondrial failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjun Lan
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), INSERM U1068, CNRS UMR 7258, Aix-Marseille Université and Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288, Marseille, France; Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Nanoscience de Marseille, UMR 7325, «Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer», Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288, Marseille, France
| | - Patricia Santofimia-Castaño
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), INSERM U1068, CNRS UMR 7258, Aix-Marseille Université and Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288, Marseille, France
| | - Yi Xia
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Product Synthesis and Drug Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, No.55 Daxuecheng South Road, Chongqing, 401331, PR China
| | - Zhengwei Zhou
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Product Synthesis and Drug Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, No.55 Daxuecheng South Road, Chongqing, 401331, PR China
| | - Can Huang
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), INSERM U1068, CNRS UMR 7258, Aix-Marseille Université and Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288, Marseille, France
| | - Nicolas Fraunhoffer
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), INSERM U1068, CNRS UMR 7258, Aix-Marseille Université and Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288, Marseille, France; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos (CEFYBO), Facultad de Medicina, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Dolores Barea
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), INSERM U1068, CNRS UMR 7258, Aix-Marseille Université and Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288, Marseille, France
| | - Melchiore Cervello
- Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedicale (IRIB), Palermo, Italy
| | - Lydia Giannitrapani
- Dipartimento di Promozione della Salute, Materno-Infantile, Medicina Interna e Specialistica di Eccellenza (PROMISE), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Montalto
- Dipartimento di Promozione della Salute, Materno-Infantile, Medicina Interna e Specialistica di Eccellenza (PROMISE), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Ling Peng
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Nanoscience de Marseille, UMR 7325, «Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer», Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288, Marseille, France
| | - Juan Iovanna
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), INSERM U1068, CNRS UMR 7258, Aix-Marseille Université and Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288, Marseille, France.
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29
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Thanner J, Bekos C, Veraar C, Janik S, Laggner M, Boehm PM, Schiefer AI, Müllauer L, Klepetko W, Ankersmit HJ, Moser B. Heat shock protein 90α in thymic epithelial tumors and non-thymomatous myasthenia gravis. Oncoimmunology 2020; 9:1756130. [PMID: 32923112 PMCID: PMC7458630 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2020.1756130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) are rare malignancies with unique association to the autoimmune disease myasthenia gravis (MG). Heat shock proteins (HSPs) harbor great potential as cancer biomarkers and HSP inhibitors approach clinical cancer therapy. Methods To explore HSP pathophysiology, we assessed sera (immunoassays) and tissues (immunohistochemistry) of TETs (and thymic tissues) for HSP27, phosphorylated (p)HSP27, HSP70 and HSP90α expression in 114 TETs and 26 non-thymomatous MG patients undergoing extended thymectomy. Results Serum concentrations of HSP90α were significantly increased in patients with thymic carcinomas, thymomas, thymic neuroendocrine tumors and non-thymomatous MG compared to patients who underwent thymectomy revealing regular thymic morphology or controls. In thymoma patients, high serum HSP90α represented a significantly worse prognostic factor for free-from-recurrence, and complete tumor resection led to decreased levels. The expression of HSP90 in nuclei and cytoplasm of tumor cells and non-neoplastic lymphocytes varied with WHO histological subtype. HSP90 was expressed in centroblasts of thymic germinal centers in MG patients. Higher pHSP27 serum concentrations were observed in seropositive MG and those not treated with steroids. Conclusions HSP data suggest high potential for HSPs as TET cancer biomarkers or as candidates for targeted therapy. Caution is warranted in TET patients with associated MG overexpressing HSPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen Thanner
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christine Bekos
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of General Gynecology and Gynecologic Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Cecilia Veraar
- Department of Anaesthesiology, General Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Division of Cardiac Thoracic Vascular Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan Janik
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Laggner
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Panja M Boehm
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ana-Iris Schiefer
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Leonhard Müllauer
- Department of Anaesthesiology, General Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Division of Cardiac Thoracic Vascular Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Walter Klepetko
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Hendrik Jan Ankersmit
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Head FFG Project "APOSEC", FOLAB Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernhard Moser
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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30
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Spiegelberg D, Abramenkovs A, Mortensen ACL, Lundsten S, Nestor M, Stenerlöw B. The HSP90 inhibitor Onalespib exerts synergistic anti-cancer effects when combined with radiotherapy: an in vitro and in vivo approach. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5923. [PMID: 32246062 PMCID: PMC7125222 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62293-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Oncogenic client-proteins of the chaperone Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) insure unlimited tumor growth and are involved in resistance to chemo- and radiotherapy. The HSP90 inhibitor Onalespib initiates the degradation of oncoproteins, and might also act as a radiosensitizer. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the efficacy of Onalespib in combination with external beam radiotherapy in an in vitro and in vivo approach. Onalespib downregulated client proteins, lead to increased apoptosis and caused DNA-double-strands. Monotherapy and combination with radiotherapy reduced colony formation, proliferation and migration assessed in radiosensitive HCT116 and radioresistant A431 cells. In vivo, a minimal treatment regimen for 3 consecutive days of Onalespib (3 × 10 mg/kg) doubled survival, whereas Onalespib with radiotherapy (3 × 2 Gy) caused a substantial delay in tumor growth and prolonged the survival by a factor of 3 compared to the HCT116 xenografted control group. Our results demonstrate that Onalespib exerts synergistic anti-cancer effects when combined with radiotherapy, most prominent in the radiosensitive cell models. We speculate that the depletion and downregulation of client proteins involved in signalling, migration and DNA repair mechanisms is the cause. Thus, individually, or in combination with radiotherapy Onalespib inhibits tumor growth and has the potential to improve radiotherapy outcomes, prolonging the overall survival of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Spiegelberg
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Andris Abramenkovs
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Sara Lundsten
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Marika Nestor
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Bo Stenerlöw
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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31
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Chai Z, Wang L, Zheng Y, Liang N, Wang X, Zheng Y, Zhang Z, Zhao C, Zhu T, Liu C. PADI3 plays an antitumor role via the Hsp90/CKS1 pathway in colon cancer. Cancer Cell Int 2019; 19:277. [PMID: 31708688 PMCID: PMC6833139 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-019-0999-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND CKS1 is highly expressed in colon cancer tissues, and is essential for cancer cell proliferation. The downstream molecular mechanism of CKS1 has been fully studied, but the upstream regulatory mechanism of it is still unclear. Earlier research found that PADI3 plays its anti-tumor roles via suppress cell proliferation, in this study, we found that the expression pattern of PADI3 and CKS1 are negatively correlated in colon cancer tissues, and overexpression of PADI3 can partly reverse CKS1 induced cancer cell proliferation. However, the regulatory mechanism of PADI3 and CKS1 in the tumorigenesis of colon cancer is still unclear and need to do further research. METHODS Western blot and real-time PCR were used to detect the expression levels of genes. CCK-8 and colony formation assays were used to examine cell proliferation and colony formation ability. Overexpression and rescue experiments were used to study the molecular mechanism of CKS1 in colon cancer cells, BALB/c nude mice were used to study the function of CKS1 in vivo. RESULTS CKS1 is highly expressed in colon cancer tissues, and the overexpression of CKS1 promotes cell proliferation and colony formation in both HCT116 (originating from primary colon cancer) and SW620 (originating from metastatic tumor nodules of colon cancer) cells. CKS1-expressing HCT116 cells produced larger tumors than the control cells. The expression pattern of PADI3 and CKS1 are negatively correlation in clinical samples of colon cancer, further study indicates that PADI3 can significantly decrease Hsp90 and CKS1 expression, and Hsp90 is essential for PADI3 to downregulate CKS1expression in colon cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS PADI3 exerts its antitumor activity by inhibiting Hsp90 and CKS1 expression, and Hsp90 is essential for PADI3 to suppress CKS1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengbin Chai
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Jinan Infectious Disease Hospital, Jingshi Road 22029, Jinan, 250021 Shandong People’s Republic of China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250014 China
| | - Yabing Zheng
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250014 China
| | - Na Liang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250014 China
| | - Xiwei Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250014 China
| | - Yingying Zheng
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250014 China
| | - Zhiwei Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250014 China
| | - Chuanxi Zhao
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory for Rheumatic Disease and Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250014 China
- Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250014 China
| | - Tingting Zhu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory for Rheumatic Disease and Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250014 China
- Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250014 China
| | - Chunyan Liu
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250014 China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory for Rheumatic Disease and Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250014 China
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Huang DH, Jian J, Li S, Zhang Y, Liu LZ. TPX2 silencing exerts anti‑tumor effects on hepatocellular carcinoma by regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Int J Mol Med 2019; 44:2113-2122. [PMID: 31638175 PMCID: PMC6844623 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2019.4371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the primary causes of cancer-associated deaths worldwide. Current treatment methods include surgical resection, chemotherapy and radiotherapy; however the curative rate remains low, thus novel treatments are required. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of targeting protein for Xenopus kinesin-like protein 2 (TPX2) in the growth of HCC and its underlying molecular mechanism. Immunohistochemistry staining, reverse transcription-quantitative (RT-q)PCR and western blotting were used to detect the expression of TPX2 mRNA and protein in liver cancer tissue samples, adjacent normal liver tissue samples, and the HCC cell lines Huh7, Hep3B, PLC/PRF/5 and MHCC97-H. The recombinant plasmid pMagic4.1-shRNA-TPX2 was constructed and transfected into Huh7 and Hep3B HCC cells to silence TPX2 expression. The proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion of Huh7 cells and Hep3B cells were evaluated before and after TPX2 silencing. The mRNA and protein expression levels of multiple signaling pathway-associated genes were detected by RT-qPCR and western blotting. The expression levels of TPX2 mRNA and protein were significantly higher in HCC tissue samples compared with adjacent normal liver tissue sample. TPX2 mRNA and protein expression levels were detected in the different HCC cell lines. The recombinant plasmid pMagic4.1-shRNA-TPX2 was successfully transfected into Huh7 and Hep3B cells, resulting in TPX2 silencing. TPX2 knockdown significantly reduced cell proliferation, cell migration and cell invasion of Huh7 and Hep3B cells, whilst also increasing the rate of apoptosis in these cells. Following TPX2 silencing, the expression levels of PI3K, phospho-AKT, Bcl-2, c-Myc and Cyclin D1 were significantly decreased, whereas the expression levels of P21 and P27 were significantly increased. In conclusion, TPX2 may suppress the growth of HCC by regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and thus, TPX2 may be a potential target for the treatment of liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Hong Huang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Jiading District Central Hospital of Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai 201800, P.R. China
| | - Jie Jian
- Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Shuang Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330008, P.R. China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Jiading District Central Hospital of Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai 201800, P.R. China
| | - Li-Zhen Liu
- Department of Oncology, Jiading District Central Hospital of Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai 201800, P.R. China
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Feng J, Wu L, Ji J, Chen K, Yu Q, Zhang J, Chen J, Mao Y, Wang F, Dai W, Xu L, Wu J, Guo C. PKM2 is the target of proanthocyanidin B2 during the inhibition of hepatocellular carcinoma. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2019; 38:204. [PMID: 31101057 PMCID: PMC6525465 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-019-1194-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The treatment for advanced primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is sorafenib (SORA), while HCC has become increasingly drug resistant with enhanced aerobic glycolysis. The present study aimed to examine the chemotherapeutic effects of a flavonoid proanthocyanidin B2 (PB2) on HCC. METHODS Five kinds of HCC cell lines and LO2 were used to test the effect of PB2 on aerobic glycolysis. The proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis and a xenograft mouse model were analyzed. Lentivirus overexpressed pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) or sh-PKM2 was used to verify the target of PB2. The detailed mechanism was investigated by immunofluorescence, co-immunoprecipitation, and western blotting. RESULTS PB2 inhibited the proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest, and triggered apoptosis of HCC cells in vivo and in vitro. PB2 also suppressed glucose uptake and lactate levels via the direct inhibition of the key glycolytic enzyme, PKM2. In addition, PKM2 inhibited the nuclear translocation of PKM2 and co-localization of PKM2/HIF-1α in the nucleus, leading to the inhibition of aerobic glycolysis. Co-treatment with PB2 was also effective in enhancing the chemosensitivity of SORA. CONCLUSIONS PB2 inhibited the expression and nuclear translocation of PKM2, therefore disrupting the interaction between PKM2/HSP90/HIF-1α, to suppress aerobic glycolysis and proliferation, and trigger apoptosis in HCC via HIF-1α-mediated transcription suppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Feng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, NO. 301, Middle Yanchang Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Liwei Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, NO. 301, Middle Yanchang Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Jie Ji
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, NO. 301, Middle Yanchang Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Kan Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, NO. 301, Middle Yanchang Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Qiang Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, NO. 301, Middle Yanchang Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai, 200072 China
- Shanghai Tenth Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine of Nanjing Medical University, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, NO. 301, Middle Yanchang Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai, 200072 China
- Shanghai Tenth Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine of Nanjing Medical University, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Jiaojiao Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, NO. 301, Middle Yanchang Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai, 200072 China
- Shanghai Tenth Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine of Nanjing Medical University, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Yuqing Mao
- Department of Gerontology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200080 China
| | - Fan Wang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200080 China
| | - Weiqi Dai
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
- Shanghai Institute of Liver Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Ling Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336 China
| | - Jianye Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, NO. 1291, Jiangning Road, Putuo District, Shanghai, 200060 China
| | - Chuanyong Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, NO. 301, Middle Yanchang Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai, 200072 China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, NO. 1291, Jiangning Road, Putuo District, Shanghai, 200060 China
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Zhang Y, Xiao Y, Dong Q, Ouyang W, Qin Q. Neferine in the Lotus Plumule Potentiates the Antitumor Effect of Imatinib in Primary Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Cells In Vitro. J Food Sci 2019; 84:904-910. [PMID: 30866043 DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.14484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Imatinib, the prototype BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), is the first-line treatment for Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in the chronic phase. However, a subgroup of patients exhibit poor response or experience relapse. This issue may be overcome by combination therapy using natural compounds. Neferine, a major bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid extracted from "lotus plumule" (seed embryo of lotus) commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine and tea, was used herein in the combination treatment of CML. The MTT assay showed that neferine exerted cytotoxicity in primary CML cells in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, low concentrations of neferine (4 and 8 µM) sensitized primary CML cells to imatinib (CI < 1), and significantly decreased its IC50 from 0.70 ± 0.10 to 0.32 ± 0.06 µM and 0.16 ± 0.02 µM, respectively. Cotreatment of neferine and imatinib significantly decreased the expression of BCR-ABL protein and its molecular chaperone heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) mRNA and protein levels, and further decreased phospho-extracellular regulated protein kinase 1/2 (p-Erk1/2) and myeloid cell leukemia (Mcl-1) expression. These results suggest that neferine might be a potential imatinib sensitizer in CML treatment. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: In China, Lotus plumule, the green embryo of lotus, is used as a tea and as a source of herbal medicine in the treatment of anxiety, insomnia, spermatorrhea, and thirst. Additional, neferine, a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid extracted from lotus plumule has been shown to have antitumor potential. Herein, the effect of neferine and imatinib cotreatment on primary CML cells obtained from CML patients was assessed, with a synergistic effect being observed between the two compounds. Therefore, neferine might be a promising natural compound to potentiate imatinib in CML patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yalan Zhang
- Xiangya Hospital, Central South Univ., Changsha, China
| | - Yuhang Xiao
- Xiangya Hospital, Central South Univ., Changsha, China
| | - Qixing Dong
- Xiangya Hospital, Central South Univ., Changsha, China
| | | | - Qun Qin
- Xiangya Hospital, Central South Univ., Changsha, China
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Dong X, Wang F, Xue Y, Lin Z, Song W, Yang N, Li Q. MicroRNA‑9‑5p downregulates Klf4 and influences the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma via the AKT signaling pathway. Int J Mol Med 2019; 43:1417-1429. [PMID: 30664155 PMCID: PMC6365078 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2019.4062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Krüppel-like factor 4 (Klf4) is a transcriptional factor involved in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the underlying regulatory mechanisms associated with the Klf4 gene as a tumor suppressor in HCC remain unclear. microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are a series of small non-coding RNAs that serve a vital role in regulating gene expression via their influence on protein translation and the associated degradation of mRNA. The mRNA expression levels of the miRNA, miR-9-5p, and Klf4 were measured using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The protein expression levels of Klf4, protein kinase B (AKT), phosphorylated (p-)AKT, mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), p-mTOR, B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) were determined by western blot analysis. Dual luciferase reporter assay was used to confirm a direct interaction between miR-9-5p and the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) sequence of Klf4. Cell counting kit-8 assay, wound healing assay, Transwell migration assay and flow cytometric analysis were performed to evaluate the proliferative, migratory and apoptotic capabilities of the HCC cells. In the present study, miR-9-5p was revealed to be overexpressed in HCC as a novel upstream gene of Klf4. miR-9-5p expression was inversely associated with Klf4 expression in clinical samples. Additionally, Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a markedly poor prognosis of HCC in the miR-9-5p high-expression group. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that miR-9-5p bound directly to the 3′-UTR of Klf4, which reduced the expression levels of Klf4. The miR-9-5p/Klf4 axis promoted HCC proliferation and migration, and inhibited HCC apoptosis. Furthermore, miR-9-5p upregulated the Bcl-2/Bax protein ratio and activated AKT/mTOR signaling. Taken together, these data demonstrated that the miR-9-5p/Klf4 axis was able to promote HCC progression, which may occur via regulation of the AKT signaling pathway, highlighting a potential novel target in HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Dong
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, P.R. China
| | - Fan Wang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, P.R. China
| | - Ying Xue
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, P.R. China
| | - Zhipeng Lin
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, P.R. China
| | - Weifeng Song
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, P.R. China
| | - Ning Yang
- The 5th Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200082, P.R. China
| | - Qi Li
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, P.R. China
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