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Hrabak P, Zelenkova M, Krechler T, Soupal J, Vocka M, Hanus T, Petruzelka L, Svacina S, Zak A, Zima T, Kalousova M. Levels of retinol and retinoic acid in pancreatic cancer, type-2 diabetes and chronic pancreatitis. Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub 2024; 168:132-138. [PMID: 38058194 DOI: 10.5507/bp.2023.049] [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: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Retinoids participate in multiple key processes in the human body e.g., vision, cell differentiation and embryonic development. There is growing evidence of the relationship between retinol, its active metabolite- all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) - and several pancreatic disorders. Although low levels of ATRA in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tissue have been reported, data on serum levels of ATRA in PDAC is still limited. The aim of our work was to determine serum concentrations of retinol and ATRA in patients with PDAC, type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), chronic pancreatitis (CHP) and healthy controls. METHODS High performance liquid chromatography with UV detection (HPLC) was used to measure serum levels of retinol and ATRA in 246 patients with different stages of PDAC, T2DM, CHP and healthy controls. RESULTS We found a significant decrease in the retinol concentration in PDAC (0.44+/-0.18 mg/L) compared to T2DM (0.65+/-0.19 mg/L, P<0.001), CHP (0.60+/-0.18 mg/L, P< 0.001) and healthy controls (0.61+/-0.15 mg/L, P<0.001), significant decrease of ATRA levels in PDAC (1.14+/-0.49 ug/L) compared to T2DM (1.37+/-0.56 ug/L, P<0.001) and healthy controls(1.43+/-0.55 ug/L, P<0.001). Differences between early stages (I+II) of PDAC and non-carcinoma groups were not significant. We describe correlations between retinol, prealbumin and transferrin, and correlation of ATRA and IGFBP-2. CONCLUSION Significant decrease in retinol and ATRA levels in PDAC compared to T2DM, healthy individuals and/or CHP supports existing evidence of the role of retinoids in PDAC. However, neither ATRA nor retinol are suitable for detection of early PDAC. Correlation of ATRA levels and IGFBP-2 provides new information about a possible IGF and retinol relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Hrabak
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslava Zelenkova
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Krechler
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Soupal
- 3rd Department of Medicine - Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Vocka
- Department of Oncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Hanus
- Department of Urology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Lubos Petruzelka
- Department of Oncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Stepan Svacina
- 3rd Department of Medicine - Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ales Zak
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Zima
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Marta Kalousova
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Czech Republic
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2
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Sun L, Zheng M, Gao Y, Brigstock DR, Gao R. Retinoic acid signaling pathway in pancreatic stellate cells: Insight into the anti-fibrotic effect and mechanism. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 967:176374. [PMID: 38309676 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176374] [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: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) are activated following loss of cytoplasmic vitamin A (retinol)-containing lipid droplets, which is a key event in the process of fibrogenesis of chronic pancreatitis (CP) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDCA). PSCs are the major source of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) that produce stroma to induce PDAC cancer cell growth, invasion, and metastasis. As an active metabolite of retinol, retinoic acid (RA) can regulate target gene expression in PSCs through its nuclear receptor complex (RAR/RXR or RXR/RXR) or transcriptional intermediary factor. Additionally, RA also has extranuclear and non-transcriptional effects. In vitro studies have shown that RA induces PSC deactivation which reduces extracellular matrix production through multiple modes of action, such as inhibiting TβRⅡ, PDGFRβ, β-catenin and Wnt production, downregulating ERK1/2 and JNK phosphorylation and suppressing active TGF-β1 release. RA alone or in combination with other reagents have been demonstrated to have an effective anti-fibrotic effect on cerulein-induced mouse CP models in vivo studies. Clinical trial data have shown that repurposing all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) as a stromal-targeting agent for human pancreatic cancer is safe and tolerable, suggesting the possibility of using RA for the treatment of CP and PDCA in humans. This review focuses on RA signaling pathways in PSCs and the effects and mechanisms of RA in PSC-mediated fibrogenesis as well as the anti-fibrotic and anti-tumor effects of RA targeting PSCs or CAFs in vitro and in vivo, highlighting the potential therapies of RA against CP and PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Sun
- Department of Hepatic Biliary Pancreatic Medicine, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China; Department of Pathology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Meifang Zheng
- Department of Hepatic Biliary Pancreatic Medicine, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China; Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yanhang Gao
- Department of Hepatic Biliary Pancreatic Medicine, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China; Department of Infectious Diseases, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.
| | - David R Brigstock
- The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Runping Gao
- Department of Hepatic Biliary Pancreatic Medicine, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China; Department of Infectious Diseases, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.
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3
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Bohn T, de Lera AR, Landrier JF, Rühl R. Carotenoid metabolites, their tissue and blood concentrations in humans and further bioactivity via retinoid receptor-mediated signalling. Nutr Res Rev 2023; 36:498-511. [PMID: 36380523 DOI: 10.1017/s095442242200021x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Many epidemiological studies have emphasised the relation between carotenoid dietary intake and their circulating concentrations and beneficial health effects, such as lower risk of cardiometabolic diseases and cancer. However, there is dispute as to whether the attributed health benefits are due to native carotenoids or whether they are instead induced by their metabolites. Several categories of metabolites have been reported, most notably involving (a) modifications at the cyclohexenyl ring or the polyene chain, such as epoxides and geometric isomers, (b) excentric cleavage metabolites with alcohol-, aldehyde- or carboxylic acid-functional groups or (c) centric cleaved metabolites with additional hydroxyl, aldehyde or carboxyl functionalities, not counting their potential phase-II glucuronidated / sulphated derivatives. Of special interest are the apo-carotenoids, which originate in the intestine and other tissues from carotenoid cleavage by β-carotene oxygenases 1/2 in a symmetrical / non-symmetrical fashion. These are more water soluble and more electrophilic and, therefore, putative candidates for interactions with transcription factors such as NF-kB and Nrf2, as well as ligands for RAR-RXR nuclear receptor interactions. In this review, we discuss in vivo detected apo-carotenoids, their reported tissue concentrations, and potential associated health effects, focusing exclusively on the human situation and based on quantified / semi-quantified carotenoid metabolites proven to be present in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torsten Bohn
- Nutrition and Health Research Group, Precision Health Department, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 1 A-B, rue Thomas Edison, L-1445, Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Angel R de Lera
- Departmento de Química Orgánica, Facultade de Química, CINBIO and IBIV, Universidade de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
| | | | - Ralph Rühl
- CISCAREX UG, Berlin, Germany
- Paprika Bioanalytics BT, Debrecen, Hungary
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4
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Lavudi K, Nuguri SM, Olverson Z, Dhanabalan AK, Patnaik S, Kokkanti RR. Targeting the retinoic acid signaling pathway as a modern precision therapy against cancers. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1254612. [PMID: 37645246 PMCID: PMC10461636 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1254612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinoic acid (RA) is a vital metabolite derived from vitamin A. RA plays a prominent role during development, which helps in embryological advancement and cellular differentiation. Mechanistically, RA binds to its definite nuclear receptors including the retinoic acid receptor and retinoid X receptor, thus triggering gene transcription and further consequences in gene regulation. This functional heterodimer activation later results in gene activation/inactivation. Several reports have been published related to the detailed embryonic and developmental role of retinoic acids and as an anti-cancer drug for specific cancers, including acute promyelocytic leukemia, breast cancer, and prostate cancer. Nonetheless, the other side of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has not been explored widely yet. In this review, we focused on the role of the RA pathway and its downstream gene activation in relation to cancer progression. Furthermore, we explored the ways of targeting the retinoic acid pathway by focusing on the dual role of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) family enzymes. Combination strategies by combining RA targets with ALDH-specific targets make the tumor cells sensitive to the treatment and improve the progression-free survival of the patients. In addition to the genomic effects of ATRA, we also highlighted the role of ATRA in non-canonical mechanisms as an immune checkpoint inhibitor, thus targeting the immune oncological perspective of cancer treatments in the current era. The role of ATRA in activating independent mechanisms is also explained in this review. This review also highlights the current clinical trials of ATRA in combination with other chemotherapeutic drugs and explains the future directional insights related to ATRA usage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kousalya Lavudi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Shreya Madhav Nuguri
- Department of Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Zianne Olverson
- Department of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Anantha Krishna Dhanabalan
- Centre for Advanced Study in Crystallography and Biophysics, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai, India
| | - Srinivas Patnaik
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Rekha Rani Kokkanti
- Department of Biotechnology, Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
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5
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Brown G. Deregulation of All- Trans Retinoic Acid Signaling and Development in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12089. [PMID: 37569466 PMCID: PMC10419198 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells are the root cause of cancer, which, in essence, is a developmental disorder. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) signaling via ligand-activation of the retinoic acid receptors (RARs) plays a crucial role in tissue patterning and development during mammalian embryogenesis. In adults, active RARγ maintains the pool of hematopoietic stem cells, whereas active RARα drives myeloid cell differentiation. Various findings have revealed that ATRA signaling is deregulated in many cancers. The enzymes for ATRA synthesis are downregulated in colorectal, gastric, lung, and oropharyngeal cancers. ATRA levels within breast, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, and renal cancer cells were lower than within their normal counterpart cells. The importance is that 0.24 nM ATRA activates RARγ (for stem cell stemness), whereas 100 times more is required to activate RARα (for differentiation). Moreover, RARγ is an oncogene regarding overexpression within colorectal, cholangiocarcinoma, hepatocellular, ovarian, pancreatic, and renal cancer cells. The microRNA (miR) 30a-5p downregulates expression of RARγ, and miR-30a/miR-30a-5p is a tumor suppressor for breast, colorectal, gastric, hepatocellular, lung, oropharyngeal, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, and renal cancer. These complementary findings support the view that perturbations to ATRA signaling play a role in driving the abnormal behavior of cancer stem cells. Targeting ATRA synthesis and RARγ has provided promising approaches to eliminating cancer stem cells because such agents have been shown to drive cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey Brown
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
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6
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Yamakawa K, Koyanagi-Aoi M, Machinaga A, Kakiuchi N, Hirano T, Kodama Y, Aoi T. Blockage of retinoic acid signaling via RARγ suppressed the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells by arresting the cell cycle progression of the G1-S phase. Cancer Cell Int 2023; 23:94. [PMID: 37198667 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-023-02928-4] [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: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Our study and several studies have reported that in some cancers, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the expression of squamous lineage markers, such as esophagus-tissue-specific genes, correlated with a poor prognosis. However, the mechanism by which the acquisition of squamous lineage phenotypes leads to a poor prognosis remains unclear. We previously reported that retinoic acid signaling via retinoic acid receptor γ (RARγ signaling) determines the differentiation lineage into the esophageal squamous epithelium. These findings hypothesized that the activation of RARγ signaling contributed to acquiring squamous lineage phenotypes and malignant behavior in PDAC. METHODS This study utilized public databases and immunostaining of surgical specimens to examine RARγ expression in PDAC. We evaluated the function of RARγ signaling by inhibitors and siRNA knockdown using a PDAC cell line and patient-derived PDAC organoids. The mechanism of the tumor-suppressive effects by blocking RARγ signaling was examined by a cell cycle analysis, apoptosis assays, RNA sequencing and Western blotting. RESULTS RARγ expression in pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) and PDAC was higher than that in the normal pancreatic duct. Its expression correlated with a poor patient prognosis in PDAC. In PDAC cell lines, blockade of RARγ signaling suppressed cell proliferation by inducing cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase without causing apoptosis. We demonstrated that blocking RARγ signaling upregulated p21 and p27 and downregulated many cell cycle genes, including cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), CDK4 and CDK6. Furthermore, using patient-derived PDAC organoids, we confirmed the tumor-suppressive effect of RARγ inhibition and indicated the synergistic effects of RARγ inhibition with gemcitabine. CONCLUSIONS This study clarified the function of RARγ signaling in PDAC progression and demonstrated the tumor-suppressive effect of selective blockade of RARγ signaling against PDAC. These results suggest that RARγ signaling might be a new therapeutic target for PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohei Yamakawa
- Division of Stem Cell Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe University, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-Cho, Chuo-Ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0017, Japan
- Division of Advanced Medical Science, Graduate School of Science, Technology and Innovation, Kobe University, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Michiyo Koyanagi-Aoi
- Division of Stem Cell Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe University, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-Cho, Chuo-Ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0017, Japan
- Division of Advanced Medical Science, Graduate School of Science, Technology and Innovation, Kobe University, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
- Center for Human Resource Development for Regenerative Medicine, Kobe University Hospital, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Akihito Machinaga
- Oncology Tsukuba Research Department, Discovery, Medicine Creation, DHBL, Eisai Co., Ltd, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Kakiuchi
- Department of Pathology and Tumour Biology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
- The Hakubi Center for Advanced Research, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tomonori Hirano
- Department of Pathology and Tumour Biology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yuzo Kodama
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Takashi Aoi
- Division of Stem Cell Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe University, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-Cho, Chuo-Ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0017, Japan.
- Division of Advanced Medical Science, Graduate School of Science, Technology and Innovation, Kobe University, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.
- Center for Human Resource Development for Regenerative Medicine, Kobe University Hospital, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.
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7
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Matellan C, Lachowski D, Cortes E, Chiam KN, Krstic A, Thorpe SD, Del Río Hernández AE. Retinoic acid receptor β modulates mechanosensing and invasion in pancreatic cancer cells via myosin light chain 2. Oncogenesis 2023; 12:23. [PMID: 37130839 PMCID: PMC10154384 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-023-00467-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common and lethal form of pancreatic cancer, characterised by stromal remodelling, elevated matrix stiffness and high metastatic rate. Retinoids, compounds derived from vitamin A, have a history of clinical use in cancer for their anti-proliferative and differentiation effects, and more recently have been explored as anti-stromal therapies in PDAC for their ability to induce mechanical quiescence in cancer associated fibroblasts. Here, we demonstrate that retinoic acid receptor β (RAR-β) transcriptionally represses myosin light chain 2 (MLC-2) expression in pancreatic cancer cells. As a key regulatory component of the contractile actomyosin machinery, MLC-2 downregulation results in decreased cytoskeletal stiffness and traction force generation, impaired response to mechanical stimuli via mechanosensing and reduced ability to invade through the basement membrane. This work highlights the potential of retinoids to target the mechanical drivers of pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Matellan
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Dariusz Lachowski
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Ernesto Cortes
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Madrid, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Kai Ning Chiam
- UCD School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Aleksandar Krstic
- UCD School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Systems Biology Ireland, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Stephen D Thorpe
- UCD School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
- UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular & Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
- Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Armando E Del Río Hernández
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
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Ji K, Dou W, Zhang N, Wen B, Zhong M, Zhang Q, Xu S, Zhou J, Liu J. Retinoic acid receptor gamma is required for proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells. Cell Biol Int 2023; 47:144-155. [PMID: 36183362 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.11917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Despite the expectation that retinoic acid receptor could be the potential therapeutic targets for pancreatic cancers, there has been the lack of information about the role and the impact of retinoic acid receptor gamma (RARγ, RARG) on pancreatic cancer, unlike other two RARs. Herein, we applied TCGA and GEO database to show that the expression and prognosis of RARG is closely related to pancreatic cancer, which demonstrates that RARG is commonly overexpressed in human pancreatic cancer and is an independent diagnostic marker predicting the poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients. In addition, we demonstrated that the reduction in the expression of RARG in human pancreatic cancer cells dramatically suppress their proliferation and tumor growth in vivo, partially attributable to the downregulation of tumor-supporting biological processes such as cell proliferation, antiapoptosis and metabolism and the decreased expression of various oncogenes like MYC and STAT3. Mechanistically, RARG binds on the promoters of MYC, STAT3, and SLC2A1 which is distinguished from well-known conventional Retinotic acid response elements (RAREs) and that the binding is likely to be responsible for the epigenetic activation in the level of chromatin, assessed by the measurement of deposition of the gene activation marker histone H3 K27 acetylation (H3K27ac) using ChIP-qPCR. In this study, we reveal that RARG plays important role in the tumorigenesis of pancreatic cancer and represents new therapeutic targets for human pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyuan Ji
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Medical Research Center, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Wenlong Dou
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ningfang Zhang
- Medical Research Center, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Bolun Wen
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mingyan Zhong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qianbing Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shuxiang Xu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jianlong Zhou
- Department of Oncology, Guangxi International Zhuang Medicine Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Jingfeng Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Department of Hematology, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.,Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
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9
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Yu S, Wang L, Che D, Zhang M, Li M, Naito M, Xin W, Zhou L. Targeting CRABP-II overcomes pancreatic cancer drug resistance by reversing lipid raft cholesterol accumulation and AKT survival signaling. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2022; 41:88. [PMID: 35260193 PMCID: PMC8903155 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02261-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Background Resistance to standard therapy is a major reason for the poor prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Developing novel therapy to overcome PDAC drug-resistance is urgently needed. CRABP-II was highly expressed in all PDAC but not expressed in normal pancreatic tissues and chronic pancreatitis. CRABP-II was shown to promote PDAC migration and metastasis while its potential role in promoting PDAC drug-resistance was not known. Methods A paired cohort of human primary and relapsing PDAC tissues was assessed for CRABP-II expression by immunohistochemistry. CRISPR/cas9 gene editing was used to establish CRABP-II knockout cell lines and MTT assays were performed to assess gemcitabine sensitivity in vitro. Cleaved caspase-3/PARP blots and Annexin V staining were conducted to detect cell apoptosis. Gene expression microarray, Q-PCR, western blots, Co-IP and RNA-IP were used to study the molecular function of CRABP-II. Sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation was applied to isolate lipid rafts and LC–MS-MS was used to assess cholesterol content. Both subcutaneous CDX models and orthotopic PDX models were established to examine the efficacy of SNIPER-11 and the synergistic effect between SNIPER-11 and gemcitabine in vivo. Results A higher expression of CRABP-II was found in relapsing PDAC tissue and was associated with poor prognosis. Gemcitabine-resistant cell lines exhibited increased level of CRABP-II, while CRABP-II knockout resensitized PDAC cells to gemcitabine. Mechanistically, aberrant expression of CRABP-II increased the stability of SREBP-1c mRNA through cooperation with HuR and upregulated the downstream genes of SREBP-1c to favor cholesterol uptake and accumulation in lipid rafts. Increased lipid raft cholesterol accumulation facilitated ATK survival signaling and PDAC drug resistance. The small compound SNIPER-11 treatment effectively induced CRABP-II protein degradation, induced apoptosis, and suppressed tumor growth. Combination of SNIPER-11 and gemcitabine significantly reduced the lipid raft cholesterol content in CDX/PDX and profoundly inhibited tumor progression. Conclusions These findings identified CRABP-II as a novel regulator of cholesterol metabolism and suggested that CRABP-II is a selective target for overcoming PDAC drug resistance. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-022-02261-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuiliang Yu
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Danian Che
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Mei Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ming Li
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Core Facility, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Division of Biostatistics of the Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angles, California, USA
| | - Mikihiko Naito
- Division of Molecular Target and Gene Therapy Products, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Wei Xin
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Department of Pathology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Lan Zhou
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA. .,Department of Pathology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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10
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Del Aguila EM, Tang XH, Gudas LJ. Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: New Insights into the Actions of Vitamin A. Oncol Res Treat 2022; 45:291-298. [PMID: 35130553 PMCID: PMC9064920 DOI: 10.1159/000522425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a gland-forming malignancy arising in the pancreas. It is estimated that in developed countries the incidence of PDAC will continue to rise, and PDAC is now the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the USA. The mortality of PDAC patients closely parallels the incidence rate, as this malignancy generally remains asymptomatic until it reaches an advanced stage. SUMMARY The poor prognosis results from the aggressive nature of the tumor, late detection, and resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Retinoids, vitamin A (retinol) and its metabolites, such as retinoic acid (RA), play critical roles in important biological functions, including cell growth and differentiation, development, metabolism, and immunity. The actions of retinoids in maintaining normal pancreatic functions have generated considerable research interest from investigators interested in understanding and treating PDAC. Altered expression of retinoid receptors and other RA signaling pathway genes in human cancers offers opportunities for target discovery, drug design, and personalized medicine for distinct molecular retinoid subtypes. KEY MESSAGES The goals of this review are to explore the potential activities of retinoids in the pancreas, to assess the evidence that retinoid functions become dysregulated in PDAC, and to describe the actions of retinoids in new therapies developed to increase patient survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Mere Del Aguila
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, New York, New York, 10065, USA
| | - Xiao-Han Tang
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, New York, New York, 10065, USA
| | - Lorraine J. Gudas
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, New York, New York, 10065, USA
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11
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Hrabák P, Kalousová M, Krechler T, Zima T. Pancreatic stellate cells - rising stars in pancreatic pathologies. Physiol Res 2021. [DOI: 10.33549//physiolres.934783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Pluripotent pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) receive growing interest in past decades. Two types of PSCs are recognized –vitamin A accumulating quiescent PSCs and activated PSCs- the main producents of extracellular matrix in pancreatic tissue. PSCs plays important role in pathogenesis of pancreatic fibrosis in pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis. PSCs are intensively studied as potential therapeutical target because of their important role in developing desmoplastic stroma in pancreatic cancer. There also exists evidence that PSC are involved in other pathologies like type-2 diabetes mellitus. This article brings brief characteristics of PSCs and recent advances in research of these cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - M Kalousová
- 2Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Czech Republic.
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12
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Cheng YH, Chiang EPI, Syu JN, Chao CY, Lin HY, Lin CC, Yang MD, Tsai SY, Tang FY. Treatment of 13-cis retinoic acid and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 inhibits TNF-alpha-mediated expression of MMP-9 protein and cell invasion through the suppression of JNK pathway and microRNA 221 in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cancer cells. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247550. [PMID: 33730072 PMCID: PMC7968633 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a deadly cancer type with a very high mortality rate. Inflammatory cytokine such as tumor necrosis factor- alpha (TNF-α) plays a pivotal role in the progression of PDAC. Recently, suppression of cell invasion by preventive agents has received considerable attention in the prevention of metastatic tumors. Several clinical studies suggested that natural forms or analogues of fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A and vitamin D can work as anti-cancer agents to inhibit the development of cancer. In this study, our results demonstrated that co-treatment of 13-cis retinoic acid (13-cis RA) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-VD3) significantly inhibited TNF-α mediated cell invasion in PDAC in vitro. Cotreatment of 13-cis RA and 1,25-VD3 also inhibited TNF-α mediated expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) protein through blocking c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways. Our results demonstrated that treatment of TNF-α lead to a decreased expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase- 3 (TIMP-3) protein and an induction of MMP-9 protein and cell invasion through an upregulation of microRNA-221 (miR-221) in human PDAC cells. Moreover, treatment of SP600125 (a specific inhibitor of JNK pathway) or cotreatment of 13-cis RA and 1,25-VD3 significantly induced a decreased expression of miR-221 and an increased expression of TIMP-3 protein. These results suggest that 13-cis RA and 1,25-VD3 significantly suppress TNF-α mediated cell invasion and therefore potentially act as preventive agents against PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen-Huang Cheng
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan
| | - En-Pei Isabel Chiang
- Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Innovation and Development Center of Sustainable Agriculture (IDCSA), National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Jia-Ning Syu
- Biomedical Science Laboratory, Department of Nutrition, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Che-Yi Chao
- Department of Food Nutrition and Health Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Yu Lin
- Research Assistant Center, Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Chieh Lin
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Family Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Healthcare Administration, College of Health Science, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Due Yang
- Department of Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Yao Tsai
- Department of Food Nutrition and Health Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Feng-Yao Tang
- Biomedical Science Laboratory, Department of Nutrition, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- * E-mail:
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13
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Histoepigenetic analysis of the mesothelin network within pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells reveals regulation of retinoic acid receptor gamma and AKT by mesothelin. Oncogenesis 2020; 9:62. [PMID: 32616712 PMCID: PMC7332500 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-020-00245-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
To enable computational analysis of regulatory networks within the cancer cell in its natural tumor microenvironment, we develop a two-stage histoepigenetic analysis method. The first stage involves iterative computational deconvolution to estimate sample-specific cancer-cell intrinsic expression of a gene of interest. The second stage places the gene within a network module. We validate the method in simulation experiments, show improved performance relative to differential expression analysis from bulk samples, and apply it to illuminate the role of the mesothelin (MSLN) network in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The network analysis and subsequent experimental validation in a panel of PDAC cell lines suggests AKT activation by MSLN through two known activators, retinoic acid receptor gamma (RARG) and tyrosine kinase non receptor 2 (TNK2). Taken together, these results demonstrate the potential of histoepigenetic analysis to reveal cancer-cell specific molecular interactions directly from patient tumor profiles.
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14
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Isayev O, Zhu Y, Gasimov E, Werner J, Bazhin AV. Effect of Chemotherapeutic Agents on the Expression of Retinoid Receptors and Markers of Cancer Stem Cells and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2019; 84:1424-1432. [PMID: 31760928 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297919110166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
A large body of evidence suggests that cancer stem cells (CSCs) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), as well as expression and function of retinoid receptors, are pivotal features of tumor initiation, progression, and chemoresistance. This is also true for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which represents a clinical challenge due to poor prognosis and increasing incidence. Understanding the above features of cancer cells could open new avenues for PDAC treatment strategies. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between CSCs, EMT, and retinoid receptors in PDAC after treatment with the chemotherapeutic agents - gemcitabine and 5-fluorouracil. First, we demonstrated the difference in the expression levels of CSC and EMT markers and retinoid receptors in the untreated Mia PaCa-2 and Panc1 cells that also differed in the frequency of spontaneous apoptosis and distribution between the cell cycle phases. Chemotherapy reduced the number of cancer cells in the S phase. Gemcitabine and 5-fluorouracil modulated expression of CSC markers, E-cadherin, and RXRβ in Panc1 but not in Mia PaCa-2 cells. We suggest that these effects could be attributed to the difference in the basal levels of expression of the investigated genes. The obtained data could be interesting in the context of future preclinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Isayev
- Department of Histology, Embryology and Cytology, Azerbaijan Medical University, Baku, AZ1022, Azerbaijan. .,Genetic Resources Institute, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Baku, AZ1106, Azerbaijan
| | - Y Zhu
- International Joint Laboratory for Cell Medical Engineering of Henan Province, Department of Oncology, Henan University Huaihe Hospital, Kaifeng, Henan, 475000, P. R. China.
| | - E Gasimov
- Department of Histology, Embryology and Cytology, Azerbaijan Medical University, Baku, AZ1022, Azerbaijan.
| | - J Werner
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplantation Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, 81377, Germany
| | - A V Bazhin
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplantation Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, 81377, Germany.
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15
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Two Opposing Faces of Retinoic Acid: Induction of Stemness or Induction of Differentiation Depending on Cell-Type. Biomolecules 2019; 9:biom9100567. [PMID: 31590252 PMCID: PMC6843238 DOI: 10.3390/biom9100567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Stem cells have the capacity of self-renewal and, through proliferation and differentiation, are responsible for the embryonic development, postnatal development, and the regeneration of tissues in the adult organism. Cancer stem cells, analogous to the physiological stem cells, have the capacity of self-renewal and may account for growth and recurrence of tumors. Development and regeneration of healthy tissues and tumors depend on the balance of different genomic and nongenomic signaling pathways that regulate stem cell quiescence, proliferation, and differentiation. During evolution, this balance became dependent on all-trans retinoic acid (RA), a molecule derived from the environmental factor vitamin A. Here we summarize some recent findings on the prominent role of RA on the proliferation of stem and progenitor cells, in addition to its well-known function as an inductor of cell differentiation. A better understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of stemness and cell differentiation by RA may improve the therapeutic options of this molecule in regenerative medicine and cancer.
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16
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Xu S, Xu H, Wang W, Li S, Li H, Li T, Zhang W, Yu X, Liu L. The role of collagen in cancer: from bench to bedside. J Transl Med 2019; 17:309. [PMID: 31521169 PMCID: PMC6744664 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-019-2058-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 421] [Impact Index Per Article: 84.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Collagen is the major component of the tumor microenvironment and participates in cancer fibrosis. Collagen biosynthesis can be regulated by cancer cells through mutated genes, transcription factors, signaling pathways and receptors; furthermore, collagen can influence tumor cell behavior through integrins, discoidin domain receptors, tyrosine kinase receptors, and some signaling pathways. Exosomes and microRNAs are closely associated with collagen in cancer. Hypoxia, which is common in collagen-rich conditions, intensifies cancer progression, and other substances in the extracellular matrix, such as fibronectin, hyaluronic acid, laminin, and matrix metalloproteinases, interact with collagen to influence cancer cell activity. Macrophages, lymphocytes, and fibroblasts play a role with collagen in cancer immunity and progression. Microscopic changes in collagen content within cancer cells and matrix cells and in other molecules ultimately contribute to the mutual feedback loop that influences prognosis, recurrence, and resistance in cancer. Nanoparticles, nanoplatforms, and nanoenzymes exhibit the expected gratifying properties. The pathophysiological functions of collagen in diverse cancers illustrate the dual roles of collagen and provide promising therapeutic options that can be readily translated from bench to bedside. The emerging understanding of the structural properties and functions of collagen in cancer will guide the development of new strategies for anticancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuaishuai Xu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Huaxiang Xu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenquan Wang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuo Li
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Li
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianjiao Li
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Wuhu Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianjun Yu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China. .,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China. .,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China. .,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
| | - Liang Liu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China. .,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China. .,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China. .,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
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17
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Retinoids in Stellate Cells: Development, Repair, and Regeneration. J Dev Biol 2019; 7:jdb7020010. [PMID: 31137700 PMCID: PMC6630434 DOI: 10.3390/jdb7020010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Stellate cells, either hepatic (HSCs) or pancreatic (PSCs), are a type of interstitial cells characterized by their ability to store retinoids in lipid vesicles. In pathological conditions both HSCs and PSCs lose their retinoid content and transform into fibroblast-like cells, contributing to the fibrogenic response. HSCs also participate in other functions including vasoregulation, drug detoxification, immunotolerance, and maintenance of the hepatocyte population. PSCs maintain pancreatic tissue architecture and regulate pancreatic exocrine function. Recently, PSCs have attracted the attention of researchers due to their interactions with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells. PSCs promote tumour growth and angiogenesis, and their fibrotic activity increases the resistance of pancreatic cancer to chemotherapy and radiation. We are reviewing the current literature concerning the role played by retinoids in the physiology and pathophysiology of the stellate cells, paying attention to their developmental aspects as well as the function of stellate cells in tissue repair and organ regeneration.
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18
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Wang K, Baldwin GS, Nikfarjam M, He H. Antitumor effects of all-trans retinoic acid and its synergism with gemcitabine are associated with downregulation of p21-activated kinases in pancreatic cancer. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2019; 316:G632-G640. [PMID: 30844294 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00344.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is one of the most lethal malignancies worldwide. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has been used as an antistromal agent in PDA, and its antitumor effect has also been reported in various kinds of cancer, including PDA. Inhibition of p21-activated kinases (PAKs) is associated with decreased tumor growth and increased gemcitabine sensitivity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory effects of ATRA alone and in combination with gemcitabine on cell growth and migration of wild-type and gemcitabine-resistant PDA cells and the potential mechanism(s) involved. Human (MiaPaCa-2) and murine (TB33117) PDA cell lines were incubated in increasing concentrations of gemcitabine to establish resistant clones. Cell growth, clonogenicity, and migration/invasion were determined using a sulforhodamine B assay, a colony formation assay, and a Boyden chamber assay, respectively. Protein expression was measured by Western blotting. ATRA reduced cell proliferation, colony formation, and migration/invasion in both wild-type and gemcitabine-resistant cell lines. PAK1 expression was significantly increased in resistant cells. Cells treated with ATRA showed decreased expression of PAK1, PAK2, PAK4, and α-smooth muscle actin. The combination of ATRA and gemcitabine synergistically reduced cell growth in both wild-type and gemcitabine-resistant cell lines. Depletion of PAK1 enhanced ATRA sensitivity in MiaPaCa-2 cells. In conclusion, the antitumor effects of ATRA and its synergism with gemcitabine are associated with downregulation of PAKs. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The inhibitory effect of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on cell proliferation, colony formation, and migration/invasion was associated with downregulation of p21-activated kinases (PAKs), and depletion of PAK1 enhanced ATRA sensitivity in MiaPaCa-2 cells. The combination of ATRA and gemcitabine synergistically reduced cell growth in both wild-type and gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells. As an important prognostic marker, α-smooth muscle actin also can be downregulated by ATRA in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Wang
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Melbourne, Victoria , Australia
| | - Graham S Baldwin
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Melbourne, Victoria , Australia
| | - Mehrdad Nikfarjam
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Melbourne, Victoria , Australia
| | - Hong He
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Melbourne, Victoria , Australia
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19
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Young K, Hughes DJ, Cunningham D, Starling N. Immunotherapy and pancreatic cancer: unique challenges and potential opportunities. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2018; 10:1758835918816281. [PMID: 30574212 PMCID: PMC6299311 DOI: 10.1177/1758835918816281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite decades of research, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) continues to have the worst 5-year survival of any malignancy. With 338,000 new cases diagnosed and over 300,000 deaths per year globally there is an urgent unmet need to improve the therapeutic options available. Novel immunotherapies have shown promising results across multiple solid tumours, in a number of cases surpassing chemotherapy as a first-line therapeutic option. However, to date, trials of single-agent immunotherapies in PDAC have been disappointing and PDAC has been labelled as a nonimmunogenic cancer. This lack of response may in part be attributed to PDAC’s unique tumour microenvironment (TME), consisting of a dense fibrotic stroma and a scarcity of tumour infiltrating lymphocytes. However, as our understanding of the PDAC TME evolves, it is becoming apparent that the problem is not simply the immune system failing to recognize the cancer. There is a highly complex interplay between stromal signals, the immune system and tumour cells, at times possibly restraining tumour growth and at others supporting growth and metastasis. Understanding this complexity will enable the development of rational combinations with immunotherapy, priming the TME to offer immunotherapy the best chance of success. This review seeks to describe the unique challenges of the PDAC TME, the potential opportunities it may afford and the trials in progress capitalizing on recent insights in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Young
- The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK
| | - Daniel J Hughes
- The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK
| | - David Cunningham
- The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK
| | - Naureen Starling
- Consultant Medical Oncologist, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, 203 Fulham Road, London SW3 6JJ, UK
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20
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Dobrotkova V, Chlapek P, Mazanek P, Sterba J, Veselska R. Traffic lights for retinoids in oncology: molecular markers of retinoid resistance and sensitivity and their use in the management of cancer differentiation therapy. BMC Cancer 2018; 18:1059. [PMID: 30384831 PMCID: PMC6211450 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-018-4966-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
For decades, retinoids and their synthetic derivatives have been well established anticancer treatments due to their ability to regulate cell growth and induce cell differentiation and apoptosis. Many studies have reported the promising role of retinoids in attaining better outcomes for adult or pediatric patients suffering from several types of cancer, especially acute myeloid leukemia and neuroblastoma. However, even this promising differentiation therapy has some limitations: retinoid toxicity and intrinsic or acquired resistance have been observed in many patients. Therefore, the identification of molecular markers that predict the therapeutic response to retinoid treatment is undoubtedly important for retinoid use in clinical practice. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current knowledge on candidate markers, including both genetic alterations and protein markers, for retinoid resistance and sensitivity in human malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viera Dobrotkova
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 61137 Brno, Czech Republic
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Pekarska 53, 65691 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Chlapek
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 61137 Brno, Czech Republic
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Pekarska 53, 65691 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Mazanek
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Cernopolni 9, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslav Sterba
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Pekarska 53, 65691 Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Cernopolni 9, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Renata Veselska
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 61137 Brno, Czech Republic
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Pekarska 53, 65691 Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Cernopolni 9, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic
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21
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Jian Z, Cheng T, Zhang Z, Raulefs S, Shi K, Steiger K, Maeritz N, Kleigrewe K, Hofmann T, Benitz S, Bruns P, Lamp D, Jastroch M, Akkan J, Jäger C, Huang P, Nie S, Shen S, Zou X, Ceyhan GO, Michalski CW, Friess H, Kleeff J, Kong B. Glycemic Variability Promotes Both Local Invasion and Metastatic Colonization by Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2018; 6:429-449. [PMID: 30258965 PMCID: PMC6154439 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2018.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Background & Aims Although nearly half of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients have diabetes mellitus with episodes of hyperglycemia, its tumor microenvironment is hypoglycemic. Thus, it is crucial for PDAC cells to develop adaptive mechanisms dealing with oscillating glucose levels. So far, the biological impact of such glycemic variability on PDAC biology remains unknown. Methods Murine PDAC cells were cultured in low- and high-glucose medium to investigate the molecular, biochemical, and metabolic influence of glycemic variability on tumor behavior. A set of in vivo functional assays including orthotopic implantation and portal and tail vein injection were used. Results were further confirmed on tissues from PDAC patients. Results Glycemic variability has no significant effect on PDAC cell proliferation. Hypoglycemia is associated with local invasion and angiogenesis, whereas hyperglycemia promotes metastatic colonization. Increased metastatic colonization under hyperglycemia is due to increased expression of runt related transcription factor 3 (Runx3), which further activates expression of collagen, type VI, alpha 1 (Col6a1), forming a glycemic pro-metastatic pathway. Through epigenetic machinery, retinoic acid receptor beta (Rarb) expression fluctuates according to glycemic variability, acting as a critical sensor relaying the glycemic signal to Runx3/Col6a1. Moreover, the signal axis of Rarb/Runx3/Col6a1 is pharmaceutically accessible to a widely used antidiabetic substance, metformin, and Rar modulator. Finally, PDAC tissues from patients with diabetes show an increased expression of COL6A1. Conclusions Glycemic variability promotes both local invasion and metastatic colonization of PDAC. A pro-metastatic signal axis Rarb/Runx3/Col6a1 whose activity is controlled by glycemic variability is identified. The therapeutic relevance of this pathway needs to be explored in PDAC patients, especially in those with diabetes.
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Key Words
- 2DG, 2-deoxy-D-glucose
- ADP, adenosine diphosphate
- ATP, adenosine triphosphate
- CT, computed tomography
- Caix, carbonic anhydrase IX
- Col6a1, collagen
- ECM, extracellular matrix
- Egr2, early growth response 2
- FBS, fetal bovine serum
- Glucose Metabolism
- IHC, immunohistochemistry
- Metastasis
- PBS, phosphate-buffered saline
- PCR, polymerase chain reaction
- PDAC, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
- PET, positron emission tomography
- Pancreatic Cancer
- RA, retinoic acid
- Rarb, retinoic acid receptor beta
- Retinoic Acid
- Runx3, runt related transcription factor 3
- qRT-PCR, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction
- type VI, alpha 1
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziying Jian
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Tao Cheng
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Zhiheng Zhang
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Susanne Raulefs
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Kuangyu Shi
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, TUM, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Nadja Maeritz
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Karin Kleigrewe
- Bavarian Center for Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry, Freising, Germany
| | - Thomas Hofmann
- Bavarian Center for Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry, Freising, Germany
| | - Simone Benitz
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Klinikum der LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Philipp Bruns
- Division of Applied Bioinformatics, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniel Lamp
- Helmholtz Diabetes Center, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
- Division of Metabolic Diseases, TUM, Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Jastroch
- Helmholtz Diabetes Center, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Jan Akkan
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Carsten Jäger
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Peilin Huang
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shuang Nie
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Shanshan Shen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoping Zou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Güralp O. Ceyhan
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Christoph W. Michalski
- Department of Visceral, Vascular and Endocrine Surgery, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Helmut Friess
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Jörg Kleeff
- Department of Visceral, Vascular and Endocrine Surgery, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Bo Kong
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, China
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) at the partner site Munich, Munich, Germany
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22
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Poschenrieder ST, Hanzlik M, Castiglione K. Polymersome formation mechanism and formation rate in stirred-tank reactors. J Appl Polym Sci 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/app.46077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah T. Poschenrieder
- Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Munich, Boltzmannstraße 15; Garching 85748 Germany
| | - Marianne Hanzlik
- Electron Microscopy, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstraße 4; Garching 85748 Germany
| | - Kathrin Castiglione
- Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Munich, Boltzmannstraße 15; Garching 85748 Germany
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A new panel of pancreatic cancer biomarkers discovered using a mass spectrometry-based pipeline. Br J Cancer 2017; 117:1846-1854. [PMID: 29123261 PMCID: PMC5729477 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2017.365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2017] [Revised: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Pancreatic carcinoma (PC) is an aggressive malignancy that lacks strategies for early detection. This study aimed to develop a coherent, high-throughput and non-discriminatory pipeline for the novel clinical biomarker discovery of PC. Methods: We combined mass spectrometry (MS)-intensive methods such as isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation with two-dimensional liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (iTRAQ-2DLC-MS/MS), 1D-targeted LC-MS/MS, prime MRM (P-MRM) and stable isotope dilution-based MRM (SID-MRM) to analyse serum samples from healthy people (normal control, NC), patients with benign diseases (BD) and PC patients to identify novel biomarkers of PC. Results: On the basis of the newly developed pipeline, we identified >1000 proteins, verified 142 differentially expressed proteins and finally targeted four proteins for absolute quantitation in 100 serum samples. The novel biomarker panel of apolipoprotein E (APOE), inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain H3 (ITIH3), apolipoprotein A-I (APOA1), apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1), combining with CA19-9, statistically-significantly improved the sensitivity (95%) and specificity (94.1%), outperforming CA19-9 alone, for the diagnosis of PC. Conclusions: We developed a highly efficient pipeline for biomarker discovery, verification and validation, with each step systematically informing the next. A panel of proteins that might be clinically relevant biomarkers for PC was found.
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LncRNAs2Pathways: Identifying the pathways influenced by a set of lncRNAs of interest based on a global network propagation method. Sci Rep 2017; 7:46566. [PMID: 28425476 PMCID: PMC5397852 DOI: 10.1038/srep46566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been demonstrated to play essential roles in diverse cellular processes and biological functions. Exploring the functions associated with lncRNAs may help provide insight into their underlying biological mechanisms. The current methods primarily focus on investigating the functions of individual lncRNAs; however, essential biological functions may be affected by the combinatorial effects of multiple lncRNAs. Here, we have developed a novel computational method, LncRNAs2Pathways, to identify the functional pathways influenced by the combinatorial effects of a set of lncRNAs of interest based on a global network propagation algorithm. A new Kolmogorov–Smirnov-like statistical measure weighted by the network propagation score, which considers the expression correlation among lncRNAs and coding genes, was used to evaluate the biological pathways influenced by the lncRNAs of interest. We have described the LncRNAs2Pathways methodology and illustrated its effectiveness by analyzing three lncRNA sets associated with glioma, prostate and pancreatic cancers. We further analyzed the reproducibility and robustness and compared our results with those of two other methods. Based on these analyses, we showed that LncRNAs2Pathways can effectively identify the functional pathways associated with lncRNA sets. Finally, we implemented this method as a freely available R-based tool.
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Brown G, Marchwicka A, Cunningham A, Toellner KM, Marcinkowska E. Antagonizing Retinoic Acid Receptors Increases Myeloid Cell Production by Cultured Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz) 2017; 65:69-81. [PMID: 27412076 PMCID: PMC5274652 DOI: 10.1007/s00005-016-0411-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 04/20/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Activities of the retinoic acid receptor (RAR)α and RARγ are important to hematopoiesis. Here, we have investigated the effects of receptor selective agonists and antagonists on the primitive human hematopoietic cell lines KG1 and NB-4 and purified normal human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Agonizing RARα (by AGN195183) was effective in driving neutrophil differentiation of NB-4 cells and this agonist synergized with a low amount (10 nM) of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 to drive monocyte differentiation of NB-4 and KG1 cells. Treatment of cultures of human HSCs (supplemented with stem cell factor ± interleukin 3) with an antagonist of all RARs (AGN194310) or of RARα (AGN196996) prolonged the lifespan of cultures, up to 55 days, and increased the production of neutrophils and monocytes. Slowing down of cell differentiation was not observed, and instead, hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells had expanded in number. Antagonism of RARγ (by AGN205728) did not affect cultures of HSCs. Studies of CV-1 and LNCaP cells transfected with RAR expression vectors and a reporter vector revealed that RARγ and RARβ are activated by sub-nM all-trans retinoic acid (EC50-0.3 nM): ~50-fold more is required for activation of RARα (EC50-16 nM). These findings further support the notion that the balance of expression and activity of RARα and RARγ are important to hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell expansion and differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey Brown
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Aleksandra Marchwicka
- Laboratory of Protein Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Alan Cunningham
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Kai-Michael Toellner
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Ewa Marcinkowska
- Laboratory of Protein Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland
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Chronopoulos A, Robinson B, Sarper M, Cortes E, Auernheimer V, Lachowski D, Attwood S, García R, Ghassemi S, Fabry B, Del Río Hernández A. ATRA mechanically reprograms pancreatic stellate cells to suppress matrix remodelling and inhibit cancer cell invasion. Nat Commun 2016; 7:12630. [PMID: 27600527 PMCID: PMC5023948 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 192] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive malignancy with a dismal survival rate. Persistent activation of pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) can perturb the biomechanical homoeostasis of the tumour microenvironment to favour cancer cell invasion. Here we report that ATRA, an active metabolite of vitamin A, restores mechanical quiescence in PSCs via a mechanism involving a retinoic acid receptor beta (RAR-β)-dependent downregulation of actomyosin (MLC-2) contractility. We show that ATRA reduces the ability of PSCs to generate high traction forces and adapt to extracellular mechanical cues (mechanosensing), as well as suppresses force-mediated extracellular matrix remodelling to inhibit local cancer cell invasion in 3D organotypic models. Our findings implicate a RAR-β/MLC-2 pathway in peritumoural stromal remodelling and mechanosensory-driven activation of PSCs, and further suggest that mechanical reprogramming of PSCs with retinoic acid derivatives might be a viable alternative to stromal ablation strategies for the treatment of PDAC. Persistent activation of pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) can perturb the biomechanical homeostasis of the tumour microenvironment. Here the authors show that all-trans retinoic acid reduces retinoic acid receptor beta dependent-actomyosin contractility and restores mechanical quiescence in PSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonios Chronopoulos
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Benjamin Robinson
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Muge Sarper
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Ernesto Cortes
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Vera Auernheimer
- Department of Physics, Biophysics Group, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany
| | - Dariusz Lachowski
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Simon Attwood
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Rebeca García
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Saba Ghassemi
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Ben Fabry
- Department of Physics, Biophysics Group, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany
| | - Armando Del Río Hernández
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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28
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Abstract
Retinoids (vitamin A and its natural and synthetic analogs) are required by most tissues for maintaining the normal health of the tissue. This is certainly true for the pancreas. The recent literature is convincing that retinoids are needed by the adult to assure normal pancreatic endocrine functions, especially those of the α- and β-cells. It is also well established that retinoids are required to insure normal pancreas development in utero, including the development of the endocrine pancreas. The actions of retinoids for maintaining normal pancreatic islet functions has drawn considerable research interest from investigators interested in understanding and treating metabolic disease. Pancreatic retinoids are also of interest to investigators studying the origins of pancreatic disease, including the development of pancreatic fibrosis and its sequelae. This research interest is focused on pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) which store retinoids and possess the metabolic machinery needed to metabolize retinoids. The literature on pancreatic disease and retinoids suggests that there is an association between impairments in pancreatic retinoid storage and metabolism and the development of pancreatic disease. These topics will be considered in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-Jacques Brun
- 1 Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA ; 2 Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Nuttaporn Wongsiriroj
- 1 Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA ; 2 Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - William S Blaner
- 1 Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA ; 2 Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
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Cao Y, Wei W, Zhang N, Yu Q, Xu WB, Yu WJ, Chen GQ, Wu YL, Yan H. Oridonin stabilizes retinoic acid receptor alpha through ROS-activated NF-κB signaling. BMC Cancer 2015; 15:248. [PMID: 25886043 PMCID: PMC4403721 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-015-1219-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2014] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARα) plays an essential role in the regulation of many biological processes, such as hematopoietic cell differentiation, while abnormal RARα function contributes to the pathogenesis of certain diseases including cancers, especially acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Recently, oridonin, a natural diterpenoid isolated from Rabdosia rubescens, was demonstrated to regulate RARα by increasing its protein level. However, the underlying molecular mechanism for this action has not been fully elucidated. Methods In the APL cell line, NB4, the effect of oridonin on RARα protein was analyzed by western blot and real-time quantitative RT-PCR analyses. Flow cytometry was performed to detect intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The association between nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling and the effect of oridonin was assessed using specific inhibitors, shRNA gene knockdown, and immunofluorescence assays. In addition, primary leukemia cells were treated with oridonin and analyzed by western blot in this study. Results RARα possesses transcriptional activity in the presence of its ligand, all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). Oridonin remarkably stabilized the RARα protein, which retained transcriptional activity. Oridonin also moderately increased intracellular ROS levels, while pretreatment with the ROS scavenger, N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), dramatically abrogated RARα stabilization by oridonin. More intriguingly, direct exposure to low concentrations of H2O2 also increased RARα protein but not mRNA levels, suggesting a role for ROS in oridonin stabilization of RARα protein. Further investigations showed that NAC antagonized oridonin-induced activation of NF-κB signaling, while the NF-κB signaling inhibitor, Bay 11–7082, effectively blocked the oridonin increase in RARα protein levels. In line with this, over-expression of IκΒα (A32/36), a super-repressor form of IκΒα, or NF-κB-p65 knockdown inhibited oridonin or H2O2-induced RARα stability. Finally, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), a classical activator of NF-κB signaling, modulated the stability of RARα protein. Conclusions Oridonin stabilizes RARα protein by increasing cellular ROS levels, which causes activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Cao
- Department of Hematology, Rui-Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of Hematology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Nan Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Rui-Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Qing Yu
- Department of Hematology, Rui-Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Wen-Bin Xu
- Department of Hematology, Rui-Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Wen-Jun Yu
- Department of Hematology, Rui-Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Guo-Qiang Chen
- Department of Pathophysiology, Chemical Biology Division of Shanghai Universities E-Institutes, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of National Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Ying-Li Wu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Chemical Biology Division of Shanghai Universities E-Institutes, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of National Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Hua Yan
- Department of Hematology, Rui-Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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di Masi A, Leboffe L, De Marinis E, Pagano F, Cicconi L, Rochette-Egly C, Lo-Coco F, Ascenzi P, Nervi C. Retinoic acid receptors: from molecular mechanisms to cancer therapy. Mol Aspects Med 2015; 41:1-115. [PMID: 25543955 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2014.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 243] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 12/15/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Retinoic acid (RA), the major bioactive metabolite of retinol or vitamin A, induces a spectrum of pleiotropic effects in cell growth and differentiation that are relevant for embryonic development and adult physiology. The RA activity is mediated primarily by members of the retinoic acid receptor (RAR) subfamily, namely RARα, RARβ and RARγ, which belong to the nuclear receptor (NR) superfamily of transcription factors. RARs form heterodimers with members of the retinoid X receptor (RXR) subfamily and act as ligand-regulated transcription factors through binding specific RA response elements (RAREs) located in target genes promoters. RARs also have non-genomic effects and activate kinase signaling pathways, which fine-tune the transcription of the RA target genes. The disruption of RA signaling pathways is thought to underlie the etiology of a number of hematological and non-hematological malignancies, including leukemias, skin cancer, head/neck cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, glioblastoma and neuroblastoma. Of note, RA and its derivatives (retinoids) are employed as potential chemotherapeutic or chemopreventive agents because of their differentiation, anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, and anti-oxidant effects. In humans, retinoids reverse premalignant epithelial lesions, induce the differentiation of myeloid normal and leukemic cells, and prevent lung, liver, and breast cancer. Here, we provide an overview of the biochemical and molecular mechanisms that regulate the RA and retinoid signaling pathways. Moreover, mechanisms through which deregulation of RA signaling pathways ultimately impact on cancer are examined. Finally, the therapeutic effects of retinoids are reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra di Masi
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Viale Guglielmo Marconi 446, Roma I-00146, Italy
| | - Loris Leboffe
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Viale Guglielmo Marconi 446, Roma I-00146, Italy
| | - Elisabetta De Marinis
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, University of Roma "La Sapienza", Corso della Repubblica 79, Latina I-04100
| | - Francesca Pagano
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, University of Roma "La Sapienza", Corso della Repubblica 79, Latina I-04100
| | - Laura Cicconi
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Roma "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier 1, Roma I-00133, Italy; Laboratory of Neuro-Oncohematology, Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Ardeatina, 306, Roma I-00142, Italy
| | - Cécile Rochette-Egly
- Department of Functional Genomics and Cancer, IGBMC, CNRS UMR 7104 - Inserm U 964, University of Strasbourg, 1 rue Laurent Fries, BP10142, Illkirch Cedex F-67404, France.
| | - Francesco Lo-Coco
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Roma "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier 1, Roma I-00133, Italy; Laboratory of Neuro-Oncohematology, Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Ardeatina, 306, Roma I-00142, Italy.
| | - Paolo Ascenzi
- Interdepartmental Laboratory for Electron Microscopy, Roma Tre University, Via della Vasca Navale 79, Roma I-00146, Italy.
| | - Clara Nervi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, University of Roma "La Sapienza", Corso della Repubblica 79, Latina I-04100.
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