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Luo Y, Li Z, Zhu H, Lu J, Lei Z, Su C, Liu F, Zhang H, Huang Q, Han S, Rao D, Wang T, Chen X, Cao H, Zhang Z, Huang W, Liang H. Transcription factor EHF drives cholangiocarcinoma development through transcriptional activation of glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 and chemokine CCL2. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e535. [PMID: 38741887 PMCID: PMC11089446 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is characterized by rapid onset and high chance of metastasis. Therefore, identification of novel therapeutic targets is imperative. E26 transformation-specific homologous factor (EHF), a member of the E26 transformation-specific transcription factor family, plays a pivotal role in epithelial cell differentiation and cancer progression. However, its precise role in CCA remains unclear. In this study, through in vitro and in vivo experiments, we demonstrated that EHF plays a profound role in promoting CCA by transcriptional activation of glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (GLI1). Moreover, EHF significantly recruited and activated tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) through the C-C motif chemokine 2/C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCL2/CCR2) axis, thereby remodeling the tumor microenvironment. In human CCA tissues, EHF expression was positively correlated with GLI1 and CCL2 expression, and patients with co-expression of EHF/GLI1 or EHF/CCL2 had the most adverse prognosis. Furthermore, the combination of the GLI1 inhibitor, GANT58, and CCR2 inhibitor, INCB3344, substantially reduced the occurrence of EHF-mediated CCA. In summary, our findings suggest that EHF is a potential prognostic biomarker for patients with CCA, while also advocating the therapeutic approach of combined targeting of GLI1 and CCL2/CCR2-TAMs to inhibit EHF-driven CCA development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiming Luo
- Hepatic Surgery CentreTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Zhi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme EngineeringSchool of Life SciencesHubei UniversityWuhanChina
- Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable AquacultureInstitute of HydrobiologyChinese Academy of SciencesWuhanChina
| | - He Zhu
- Hepatic Surgery CentreTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Junli Lu
- Hepatic Surgery CentreTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Zhen Lei
- Hepatic Surgery CentreTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Chen Su
- Hepatic Surgery CentreTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Furong Liu
- Hepatic Surgery CentreTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Hongwei Zhang
- Hepatic Surgery CentreTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Qibo Huang
- Hepatic Surgery CentreTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Shenqi Han
- Hepatic Surgery CentreTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Dean Rao
- Hepatic Surgery CentreTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Tiantian Wang
- Hepatic Surgery CentreTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Xiaoping Chen
- Hepatic Surgery CentreTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato‐Pancreato‐Biliary DiseasesWuhanChina
- Key Laboratory of Organ TransplantationMinistry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Organ TransplantationChinese Academy of Medical SciencesWuhanChina
| | - Hong Cao
- Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable AquacultureInstitute of HydrobiologyChinese Academy of SciencesWuhanChina
| | - Zhiwei Zhang
- Hepatic Surgery CentreTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato‐Pancreato‐Biliary DiseasesWuhanChina
| | - Wenjie Huang
- Hepatic Surgery CentreTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato‐Pancreato‐Biliary DiseasesWuhanChina
- Key Laboratory of Organ TransplantationMinistry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Organ TransplantationChinese Academy of Medical SciencesWuhanChina
| | - Huifang Liang
- Hepatic Surgery CentreTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato‐Pancreato‐Biliary DiseasesWuhanChina
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Ramal M, Corral S, Kalisz M, Lapi E, Real FX. The urothelial gene regulatory network: understanding biology to improve bladder cancer management. Oncogene 2024; 43:1-21. [PMID: 37996699 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02876-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
The urothelium is a stratified epithelium composed of basal cells, one or more layers of intermediate cells, and an upper layer of differentiated umbrella cells. Most bladder cancers (BLCA) are urothelial carcinomas. Loss of urothelial lineage fidelity results in altered differentiation, highlighted by the taxonomic classification into basal and luminal tumors. There is a need to better understand the urothelial transcriptional networks. To systematically identify transcription factors (TFs) relevant for urothelial identity, we defined highly expressed TFs in normal human bladder using RNA-Seq data and inferred their genomic binding using ATAC-Seq data. To focus on epithelial TFs, we analyzed RNA-Seq data from patient-derived organoids recapitulating features of basal/luminal tumors. We classified TFs as "luminal-enriched", "basal-enriched" or "common" according to expression in organoids. We validated our classification by differential gene expression analysis in Luminal Papillary vs. Basal/Squamous tumors. Genomic analyses revealed well-known TFs associated with luminal (e.g., PPARG, GATA3, FOXA1) and basal (e.g., TP63, TFAP2) phenotypes and novel candidates to play a role in urothelial differentiation or BLCA (e.g., MECOM, TBX3). We also identified TF families (e.g., KLFs, AP1, circadian clock, sex hormone receptors) for which there is suggestive evidence of their involvement in urothelial differentiation and/or BLCA. Genomic alterations in these TFs are associated with BLCA. We uncover a TF network involved in urothelial cell identity and BLCA. We identify novel candidate TFs involved in differentiation and cancer that provide opportunities for a better understanding of the underlying biology and therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Ramal
- Epithelial Carcinogenesis Group, Molecular Oncology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sonia Corral
- Epithelial Carcinogenesis Group, Molecular Oncology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mark Kalisz
- Epithelial Carcinogenesis Group, Molecular Oncology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
- CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eleonora Lapi
- Epithelial Carcinogenesis Group, Molecular Oncology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
- CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco X Real
- Epithelial Carcinogenesis Group, Molecular Oncology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain.
- CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain.
- Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
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3
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Jiang Y, Gao X, Liu Y, Yan X, Shi H, Zhao R, Chen ZJ, Gao F, Zhao H, Zhao S. Cellular atlases of ovarian microenvironment alterations by diet and genetically-induced obesity. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024; 67:51-66. [PMID: 37721638 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-023-2360-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Obesity, which can arise from genetic or environmental factors, has been shown to cause serious damages to the reproductive system. The ovary, as one of the primary regulators of female fertility, is a complex organ comprised of heterogeneous cell types that work together to maintain a normal ovarian microenvironment (OME). Despite its importance, the effect of obesity on the entire ovary remains poorly documented. In this study, we performed ovary single-cell and nanoscale spatial RNA sequencing to investigate how the OME changed under different kinds of obesity, including high-fat diet (HFD) induced obesity and Leptin ablation induced obesity (OB). Our results demonstrate that OB, but not HFD, dramatically altered the proportion of ovarian granulosa cells, theca-interstitial cells, luteal cells, and endothelial cells. Furthermore, based on the spatial dynamics of follicular development, we defined four subpopulations of granulosa cell and found that obesity drastically disrupted the differentiation of mural granulosa cells from small to large antral follicles. Functionally, HFD enhanced follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) sensitivity and hormone conversion, while OB caused decreased sensitivity, inadequate steroid hormone conversion, and impaired follicular development. These differences can be explained by the differential expression pattern of the transcription factor Foxo1. Overall, our study provides a powerful and high-resolution resource for profiling obesity-induced OME and offers insights into the diverse effects of obesity on female reproductive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghui Jiang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, 250012, China
- National Research Center of Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
- The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Xueying Gao
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, 250012, China
- National Research Center of Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
- Center for reproductive medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Yue Liu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, 250012, China
- National Research Center of Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Xueqi Yan
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, 250012, China
- National Research Center of Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Huangcong Shi
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, 250012, China
- National Research Center of Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Rusong Zhao
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, 250012, China
- National Research Center of Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
- The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Zi-Jiang Chen
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China.
- Research Unit of Gametogenesis and Health of ART-Offspring, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (No.2021RU001), Jinan, 250012, China.
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China.
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250012, China.
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, 250012, China.
- Center for reproductive medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Fei Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Han Zhao
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China.
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China.
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250012, China.
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, 250012, China.
- National Research Center of Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China.
| | - Shigang Zhao
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China.
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China.
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250012, China.
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, 250012, China.
- National Research Center of Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China.
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Wang Y, Huang Z, Sun M, Huang W, Xia L. ETS transcription factors: Multifaceted players from cancer progression to tumor immunity. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188872. [PMID: 36841365 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Abstract
The E26 transformation specific (ETS) family comprises 28 transcription factors, the majority of which are involved in tumor initiation and development. Serving as a group of functionally heterogeneous gene regulators, ETS factors possess a structurally conserved DNA-binding domain. As one of the most prominent families of transcription factors that control diverse cellular functions, ETS activation is modulated by multiple intracellular signaling pathways and post-translational modifications. Disturbances in ETS activity often lead to abnormal changes in oncogenicity, including cancer cell survival, growth, proliferation, metastasis, genetic instability, cell metabolism, and tumor immunity. This review systematically addresses the basics and advances in studying ETS factors, from their tumor relevance to clinical translational utility, with a particular focus on elucidating the role of ETS family in tumor immunity, aiming to decipher the vital role and clinical potential of regulation of ETS factors in the cancer field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufei Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zhao Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Mengyu Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Wenjie Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
| | - Limin Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China.
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5
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GSPT1 Functions as a Tumor Promoter in Human Liver Cancer. Curr Med Sci 2023; 43:104-114. [PMID: 36459303 DOI: 10.1007/s11596-022-2665-6] [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: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study analyzed the role of G1 to S phase transition 1 protein (GSPT1) in promoting progression of liver cancer cells. METHODS A bioinformatics database was used to analyze the expression levels of GSPT1 in liver cancer tissues and the prognosis of patients. Subsequently, Western blotting and quantitative PCR were used to verify the expression levels of GSPT1 between normal hepatocytes and hepatoma cells. We used a CRISPR/Cas9 system to construct knockouts of GSPT1 in HepG2 and HCCLM9 liver cancer cells. The effect of GSPT1 on liver cancer cell migration and invasion was analyzed using flow cytometry, migration, and tumor formation assays. RESULTS The Cancer Genome Atlas Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma dataset indicated that GSPT1 expression was upregulated in liver cancer cell lines, and patients with liver cancer had poor prognosis. Knockout of GSPT1 in cells significantly inhibited tumor proliferation, cell migration, and growth in vivo. CONCLUSION In this study, we found that GSPT1 promotes the migration and invasion of liver cancer cells.
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Wang Z, Coban B, Wu H, Chouaref J, Daxinger L, Paulsen MT, Ljungman M, Smid M, Martens JWM, Danen EHJ. GRHL2-controlled gene expression networks in luminal breast cancer. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:15. [PMID: 36691073 PMCID: PMC9869538 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-022-01029-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Grainyhead like 2 (GRHL2) is an essential transcription factor for development and function of epithelial tissues. It has dual roles in cancer by supporting tumor growth while suppressing epithelial to mesenchymal transitions (EMT). GRHL2 cooperates with androgen and estrogen receptors (ER) to regulate gene expression. We explore genome wide GRHL2 binding sites conserved in three ER⍺/GRHL2 positive luminal breast cancer cell lines by ChIP-Seq. Interaction with the ER⍺/FOXA1/GATA3 complex is observed, however, only for a minor fraction of conserved GRHL2 peaks. We determine genome wide transcriptional dynamics in response to loss of GRHL2 by nascent RNA Bru-seq using an MCF7 conditional knockout model. Integration of ChIP- and Bru-seq pinpoints candidate direct GRHL2 target genes in luminal breast cancer. Multiple connections between GRHL2 and proliferation are uncovered, including transcriptional activation of ETS and E2F transcription factors. Among EMT-related genes, direct regulation of CLDN4 is corroborated but several targets identified in other cells (including CDH1 and ZEB1) are ruled out by both ChIP- and Bru-seq as being directly controlled by GRHL2 in luminal breast cancer cells. Gene clusters correlating positively (including known GRHL2 targets such as ErbB3, CLDN4/7) or negatively (including TGFB1 and TGFBR2) with GRHL2 in the MCF7 knockout model, display similar correlation with GRHL2 in ER positive as well as ER negative breast cancer patients. Altogether, this study uncovers gene sets regulated directly or indirectly by GRHL2 in luminal breast cancer, identifies novel GRHL2-regulated genes, and points to distinct GRHL2 regulation of EMT in luminal breast cancer cells. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi Wang
- Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Bircan Coban
- Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Haoyu Wu
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jihed Chouaref
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Lucia Daxinger
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Michelle T Paulsen
- Departments of Radiation Oncology and Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Mats Ljungman
- Departments of Radiation Oncology and Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Marcel Smid
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - John W M Martens
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Erik H J Danen
- Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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Wang S, Li X, Liu C, Yuan Y, Ma F. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis of the role of HPV16-positive macrophages in cervical cancer prognosis. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e28410. [PMID: 36519591 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28410] [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: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Almost all cases of cervical cancer (CC) can be attributed to high-risk human papillomavirus (HPVs) infections in keratinocytes. However, it is unknown whether HPV invades immune cells such as macrophages and T cells. We analyzed the single-cell transcriptome of the CC and its adjacent tissues and found that HPV16 genes, including E1, E6, and E7, expressed in the macrophages and CD8+ T cells in addition to the malignant cells. HPV16+ macrophages highly expressed the genes that promote cell adhesion and the favorable genes such as WAS, IQCB1, MYO1F, and PDZD11 in CC prognosis. The transcription factor KLF5 potentially accounted for the induction of these protective genes and thus facilitated the infiltration of the immune cells in tumor tissues. Our single-cell transcriptome analysis suggests the potential value of the HPV16+ macrophage in CC prognosis. However, extensive experimental studies investigating the characteristics and functions of the HPV+ immune cells are still required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyou Wang
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Elements, Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Xiaohui Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China.,Research Unit of Radiation Oncology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China.,Research Unit of Radiation Oncology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Yi Yuan
- Department of Medical Research, Jiangsu Toneker Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd, Suzhou, China
| | - Feng Ma
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Elements, Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China
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8
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Miao X, Hu J, Chai C, Tang H, Zhao Z, Luo W, Zhou W, Xu H. Establishment and characterization of a new intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cell line derived from a Chinese patient. Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:418. [PMID: 36578029 PMCID: PMC9795767 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-022-02840-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) require chemotherapy due to late detection, rapid disease progression, and low surgical resection rate. Tumor cell lines are extremely important in cancer research for drug discovery and development. Here, we established and characterized a new intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cell line, ICC-X1. STR testing confirmed the absence of cross-contamination and high similarity to the original tissue. ICC-X1 exhibited typical epithelial morphology and formed tumor spheres in the suspension culture. The population doubling time was approximately 48 h. The cell line had a complex hypotriploid karyotype. The cell line exhibited a strong migration ability in vitro and cell inoculation into BALB/c nude mice led to the formation of xenografts. Additionally, ICC-X1 cells were sensitive to gemcitabine and paclitaxel but resistant to 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin. RNA sequencing revealed that the upregulated cancer-related genes were mainly enriched in several signaling pathways, including the TNF signaling pathway, NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, and NF-κB signaling pathway. The downregulated cancer-related genes were mainly enriched in the Rap1 signaling pathway and Hippo signaling pathway among other pathways. In conclusion, we have created a new ICC cell line derived from Chinese patients. This cell line can be used as a preclinical model to study ICC, specifically tumor metastasis and drug resistance mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Miao
- grid.410727.70000 0001 0526 1937State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Animal Virology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000 China
| | - Jinjing Hu
- grid.412643.60000 0004 1757 2902The Forth Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, No. 1, Donggang West Road, Lanzhou, 730000 Gansu China
| | - Changpeng Chai
- grid.412643.60000 0004 1757 2902The Forth Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, No. 1, Donggang West Road, Lanzhou, 730000 Gansu China
| | - Huan Tang
- grid.412643.60000 0004 1757 2902The Forth Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, No. 1, Donggang West Road, Lanzhou, 730000 Gansu China
| | - Zhenjie Zhao
- grid.412643.60000 0004 1757 2902The Forth Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, No. 1, Donggang West Road, Lanzhou, 730000 Gansu China
| | - Wei Luo
- grid.412643.60000 0004 1757 2902The Forth Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, No. 1, Donggang West Road, Lanzhou, 730000 Gansu China
| | - Wence Zhou
- grid.411294.b0000 0004 1798 9345Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000 China ,grid.32566.340000 0000 8571 0482The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000 China
| | - Hao Xu
- grid.412643.60000 0004 1757 2902The Forth Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, No. 1, Donggang West Road, Lanzhou, 730000 Gansu China
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9
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Zhao T, Xiao D, Jin F, Sun X, Yu J, Wang H, Liu J, Cai W, Huang C, Wang X, Gao S, Liu Z, Yang S, Gao C, Hao J. ESE3-positive PSCs drive pancreatic cancer fibrosis, chemoresistance and poor prognosis via tumour-stromal IL-1β/NF-κB/ESE3 signalling axis. Br J Cancer 2022; 127:1461-1472. [PMID: 35986089 PMCID: PMC9553871 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-022-01927-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Desmoplastic stroma, a feature of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), contains abundant activated pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs). How PSCs promote PDAC progression remains incompletely understood. METHODS Effect of epithelium-specific E-twenty six factor 3 (ESE3)-positive PSCs on PDAC fibrosis and chemoresistance was examined by western blot, RT-PCR, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry assay, chromatin immunoprecipitation, luciferase assay, immunohistochemistry and subcutaneous pancreatic cancer mouse model. RESULTS ESE3 expression increased in PSCs in PDAC tissues compared with those in normal PSCs. Clinical data showed that ESE3 upregulation in PSCs was positively correlated with tumour size, pTNM stage, CA19-9, carcinoembryonic antigen and serum CA242 level. ESE3 overexpression in PSCs was an independent negative prognostic factor for disease-free survival and overall survival amongst patients with PDAC. Mechanistically, the conditional medium from the loss and gain of ESE3-expressing PSCs influenced PDAC chemoresistance and tumour growth. ESE3 directly induced the transcription of α-SMA, collagen-I and IL-1β by binding to ESE3-binding sites on their promoters to activate PSCs. IL-1β upregulated ESE3 in PSCs through NF-κB activation, and ESE3 was required for PSC activation by tumour cell-derived IL-1β. CONCLUSION Inhibiting the IL-1β/ESE3 (PSCs)/IL-1β-positive feedback loop is a promising therapeutic strategy to reduce tumour fibrosis and increase chemotherapeutic efficacy in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiansuo Zhao
- grid.411918.40000 0004 1798 6427Department of Pancreatic Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Di Xiao
- grid.411918.40000 0004 1798 6427Department of Pancreatic Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Fanjie Jin
- grid.411918.40000 0004 1798 6427Department of Pancreatic Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Xugang Sun
- grid.411918.40000 0004 1798 6427Department of Pancreatic Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Jie Yu
- grid.452461.00000 0004 1762 8478Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery Department, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, PR China
| | - Hongwei Wang
- grid.411918.40000 0004 1798 6427Department of Pancreatic Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Jing Liu
- grid.411918.40000 0004 1798 6427Department of Pancreatic Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Wenrun Cai
- grid.411918.40000 0004 1798 6427Department of Pancreatic Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Chongbiao Huang
- grid.411918.40000 0004 1798 6427Department of Pancreatic Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Xiuchao Wang
- grid.411918.40000 0004 1798 6427Department of Pancreatic Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Song Gao
- grid.411918.40000 0004 1798 6427Department of Pancreatic Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Zhe Liu
- grid.265021.20000 0000 9792 1228Department of Immunology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Shengyu Yang
- grid.240473.60000 0004 0543 9901Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA USA
| | - Chuntao Gao
- grid.411918.40000 0004 1798 6427Department of Pancreatic Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Jihui Hao
- grid.411918.40000 0004 1798 6427Department of Pancreatic Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, PR China
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10
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The ETS Homologous Factor (EHF) Represents a Useful Immunohistochemical Marker for Predicting Prostate Cancer Metastasis. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12040800. [PMID: 35453848 PMCID: PMC9025154 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12040800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The main aim of this study was to investigate the risk of prostate cancer metastasis formation associated with the expression of ETS homologous factor (EHF) in a cohort of bioptic samples. To this end, the expression of EHF was evaluated in a cohort of 152 prostate biopsies including primary prostate cancers that developed metastatic lesions, primary prostate cancers that did not develop metastasis, and benign lesions. Data here reported EHF as a candidate immunohistochemical prognostic biomarker for prostate cancer metastasis formation regardless of the Gleason scoring system. Indeed, our data clearly show that primary lesions with EHF positive cells ≥40% had a great risk of developing metastasis within five years from the first diagnosis. Patients with these lesions had about a 40-fold increased risk of developing metastasis as compared with patients with prostate lesions characterized by a percentage of EHF positive cells ≤30%. In conclusion, the immunohistochemical evaluation of EHF could significantly improve the management of prostate cancer patients by optimizing the diagnostic and therapeutic health procedures and, more important, ameliorating the patient’s quality of life.
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11
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Xi YQ, Xu LH, Yang LJ, Wang HQ, Yang TC, Li Z, Xie W, Zhang JW, Li XF, Feng MH. Overexpression of eRF3a Promotes Cell Proliferation and Migration in Liver Cancer. Curr Med Sci 2022; 42:100-107. [PMID: 34985612 DOI: 10.1007/s11596-021-2463-6] [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: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The eukaryotic release factor 3a (eRF3a), a member of the eukaryotic peptide chain release factor family, is overexpressed in several types of cancer. This study aims to investigate the biological role and mechanism of eRF3a in the progression of liver cancer. METHODS Western blotting and RT-qPCR were used to detect the expression level of eRF3a in normal liver cells and liver cancer cells. The cell transfection experiments were performed to overexpress eRF3a levels in liver cancer cells HCCLM9 and Huh7, and then cell cycle and apoptosis experiments, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8), plate cloning, and Transwell experiments were done to evaluate the function of eRF3a in the progression of liver cancer. The Western blotting was done to explore the mechanism of eRF3a promoting the development of liver cancer. Western blotting and RT-qPCR were used to detect the expression level of eRF3a in normal liver cells and liver cancer cells. The cell transfection experiments were performed to overexpress eRF3a levels in liver cancer cells HCCLM9 and Huh7, and then cell cycle and apoptosis experiments, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8), plate cloning, and Transwell experiments were done to evaluate the function of eRF3a in the progression of liver cancer. The Western blotting was done to explore the mechanism of eRF3a promoting the development of liver cancer. RESULTS eRF3a was significantly highly expressed in liver cancer cells, and its expression level was negatively correlated with the clinical prognosis of patients. In addition, in vitro experiments showed that eRF3a could promote the proliferation and migration of liver cancer cells through the ERK and JNK signaling pathways. CONCLUSION This study suggests that eRF3a may be a potential prognostic marker for liver cancer and act as an oncogene by activating JNK and ERK signaling; therefore, eRF3a may be a new target for the treatment of liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Qing Xi
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Li-Hua Xu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Li-Jie Yang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Hua-Qiao Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.,Clinical Medical Research Center of Peritoneal Cancer of Wuhan, Wuhan, 430071, China.,Clinical Cancer Study Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Tie-Cheng Yang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.,Clinical Medical Research Center of Peritoneal Cancer of Wuhan, Wuhan, 430071, China.,Clinical Cancer Study Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Zhi Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Wei Xie
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.,Clinical Medical Research Center of Peritoneal Cancer of Wuhan, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Jing-Wei Zhang
- Clinical Medical Research Center of Peritoneal Cancer of Wuhan, Wuhan, 430071, China.,Clinical Cancer Study Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Xuan-Fei Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China. .,Clinical Medical Research Center of Peritoneal Cancer of Wuhan, Wuhan, 430071, China. .,Clinical Cancer Study Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430071, China. .,Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors, Wuhan, 430071, China.
| | - Mao-Hui Feng
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China. .,Clinical Medical Research Center of Peritoneal Cancer of Wuhan, Wuhan, 430071, China. .,Clinical Cancer Study Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430071, China. .,Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors, Wuhan, 430071, China.
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12
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Reehorst CM, Nightingale R, Luk IY, Jenkins L, Koentgen F, Williams DS, Darido C, Tan F, Anderton H, Chopin M, Schoffer K, Eissmann MF, Buchert M, Mouradov D, Sieber OM, Ernst M, Dhillon AS, Mariadason JM. EHF is essential for epidermal and colonic epithelial homeostasis, and suppresses Apc-initiated colonic tumorigenesis. Development 2021; 148:269265. [PMID: 34180969 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Ets homologous factor (EHF) is a member of the epithelial-specific Ets (ESE) family of transcription factors. To investigate its role in development and epithelial homeostasis, we generated a series of novel mouse strains in which the Ets DNA-binding domain of Ehf was deleted in all tissues (Ehf-/-) or specifically in the gut epithelium. Ehf-/- mice were born at the expected Mendelian ratio, but showed reduced body weight gain, and developed a series of pathologies requiring most Ehf-/- mice to reach an ethical endpoint before reaching 1 year of age. These included papillomas in the facial skin, abscesses in the preputial glands (males) or vulvae (females), and corneal ulcers. Ehf-/-mice also displayed increased susceptibility to experimentally induced colitis, which was confirmed in intestinal-specific Ehf knockout mice. Gut-specific Ehf deletion also impaired goblet cell differentiation, induced extensive transcriptional reprogramming in the colonic epithelium and enhanced Apc-initiated adenoma development. The Ets DNA-binding domain of EHF is therefore essential for postnatal homeostasis of the epidermis and colonic epithelium, and its loss promotes colonic tumour development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla M Reehorst
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084Australia
| | - Rebecca Nightingale
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084Australia
| | - Ian Y Luk
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084Australia
| | - Laura Jenkins
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084Australia
| | | | - David S Williams
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084Australia
| | - Charbel Darido
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, 3000Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010Australia
| | - Fiona Tan
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, 3000Australia
| | - Holly Anderton
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Melbourne, 3052Australia
| | - Michael Chopin
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Melbourne, 3052Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010Australia
| | - Kael Schoffer
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084Australia
| | - Moritz F Eissmann
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084Australia
| | - Michael Buchert
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084Australia
| | | | - Oliver M Sieber
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Melbourne, 3052Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010Australia.,Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800Australia
| | - Matthias Ernst
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084Australia
| | - Amardeep S Dhillon
- Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, 3216Australia
| | - John M Mariadason
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010Australia
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13
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Li W, Okabe A, Usui G, Fukuyo M, Matsusaka K, Rahmutulla B, Mano Y, Hoshii T, Funata S, Hiura N, Fukayama M, Tan P, Ushiku T, Kaneda A. Activation of EHF via STAT3 phosphorylation by LMP2A in Epstein-Barr virus-positive gastric cancer. Cancer Sci 2021; 112:3349-3362. [PMID: 34014591 PMCID: PMC8353921 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) is associated with approximately 10% of gastric cancers (GCs). We previously showed that EBV infection of gastric epithelial cells induces aberrant DNA methylation in promoter regions, which causes silencing of critical tumor suppressor genes. Here, we analyzed gene expressions and active histone modifications (H3K4me3, H3K4me1, and H3K27ac) genome‐widely in EBV‐positive GC cell lines and in vitro EBV‐infected GC cell lines to elucidate the transcription factors contributing to tumorigenesis through enhancer activation. Genes associated with “signaling of WNT in cancer” were significantly enriched in EBV‐positive GC, showing increased active β‐catenin staining. Genes neighboring activated enhancers were significantly upregulated, and EHF motif was significantly enriched in these active enhancers. Higher expression of EHF in clinical EBV‐positive GC compared with normal tissue and EBV‐negative GC was confirmed by RNA‐seq using The Cancer Genome Atlas cohort, and by immunostaining using our cohort. EHF knockdown markedly inhibited cell proliferation. Moreover, there was significant enrichment of critical cancer pathway–related genes (eg, FZD5) in the downstream of EHF. EBV protein LMP2A caused upregulation of EHF via phosphorylation of STAT3. STAT3 knockdown was shown to inhibit cellular growth of EBV‐positive GC cells, and the inhibition was rescued by EHF overexpression. Our data highlighted the important role of EBV infection in gastric tumorigenesis via enhancer activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenzhe Li
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Atsushi Okabe
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Genki Usui
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.,Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaki Fukuyo
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Keisuke Matsusaka
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.,Department of Pathology, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Japan
| | - Bahityar Rahmutulla
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yasunobu Mano
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takayuki Hoshii
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Sayaka Funata
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Nobuhiro Hiura
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Masashi Fukayama
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Patrick Tan
- Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore City, Singapore
| | - Tetsuo Ushiku
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Kaneda
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
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14
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Gao L, Yang T, Zhang S, Liang Y, Shi P, Ren H, Hou P, Chen M. EHF enhances malignancy by modulating AKT and MAPK/ERK signaling in non‑small cell lung cancer cells. Oncol Rep 2021; 45:102. [PMID: 33907840 PMCID: PMC8072815 DOI: 10.3892/or.2021.8053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Overexpression of ETS‑homologous factor (EHF) in non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is associated with poor patient prognosis. To explore the mechanism of the effect of EHF in NSCLC, EHF expression was examined in NSCLC and its role in cell proliferation, invasion, cell cycle, and apoptosis of NSCLC cells was evaluated by overexpressing EHF and/or knocking down EHF expression in NSCLC cells in vitro and in cancer cell grafted mice in vivo. The results revealed that the knockdown of EHF expression in NSCLC with siRNA significantly inhibited cell proliferation and invasion, arrested the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase, and induced apoptosis, whereas overexpression of EHF in NSCLC promoted cell proliferation, tumor growth, and cancer cell migration in vitro. The in vivo experiments demonstrated that siRNA‑mediated downregulation of EHF expression in NSCLC cells significantly suppressed tumor growth in xenografted nude mice as compared to cancer progression in the mice grafted with NSCLC cells transfected with non‑specific control siRNA. The biochemical analyses revealed that EHF promoted NSCLC growth by regulating the transcription of Erb‑B2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2/3 (ERBB2, ERBB3) and mesenchymal‑epithelial transition (MET) factor tyrosine kinase receptors and modulating the AKT and ERK signaling pathways in the NSCLC cells. The present findings indicated that EHF could be used as a prognostic marker for NSCLC, and tyrosine kinase receptors of ERBB2, ERBB3 and MET could be drug targets for NSCLC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Gao
- Department of Endocrinology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, P.R. China
| | - Tian Yang
- Shanxi Provincial Research Center for The Project of Prevention and Treatment of Respiratory Diseases, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Shuo Zhang
- Shanxi Provincial Research Center for The Project of Prevention and Treatment of Respiratory Diseases, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Yiqian Liang
- Shanxi Provincial Research Center for The Project of Prevention and Treatment of Respiratory Diseases, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Puyu Shi
- Shanxi Provincial Research Center for The Project of Prevention and Treatment of Respiratory Diseases, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Hui Ren
- Shanxi Provincial Research Center for The Project of Prevention and Treatment of Respiratory Diseases, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Peng Hou
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Mingwei Chen
- Shanxi Provincial Research Center for The Project of Prevention and Treatment of Respiratory Diseases, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
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15
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Gu ML, Zhou XX, Ren MT, Shi KD, Yu MS, Jiao WR, Wang YM, Zhong WX, Ji F. Blockage of ETS homologous factor inhibits the proliferation and invasion of gastric cancer cells through the c-Met pathway. World J Gastroenterol 2020; 26:7497-7512. [PMID: 33384550 PMCID: PMC7754554 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v26.i47.7497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common and deadliest types of cancer worldwide due to its delayed diagnosis and high metastatic frequency, but its exact pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated. ETS homologous factor (EHF) is an important member of the ETS family and contributes to the pathogenesis of multiple malignant tumors. To date, whether EHF participates in the development of GC via the c-Met signaling pathway remains unclear.
AIM To investigate the role and mechanism of EHF in the occurrence and development of GC.
METHODS The expression of EHF mRNA in GC tissues and cell lines was measured by quantitative PCR. Western blotting was performed to determine the protein expression of EHF, c-Met, and its downstream signal molecules. The EHF expression in GC tissues was further detected by immunohistochemical staining. To investigate the role of EHF in GC oncogenesis, small interfering RNA (siRNA) against EHF was transfected into GC cells. The cell proliferation of GC cells was determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 and colony formation assays. Flow cytometry was performed following Annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) to identify apoptotic cells and PI staining to analyze the cell cycle. Cell migration and invasion were assessed by transwell assays.
RESULTS The data showed that EHF was upregulated in GC tissues and cell lines in which increased expression of c-Met was also observed. Silencing of EHF by siRNA reduced the proliferation of GC cells. Inhibition of EHF induced significant apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in GC cells. Cell migration and invasion were significantly inhibited. EHF silencing led to c-Met downregulation and further blocked the Ras/c-Raf/extracellular signal-related kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2) pathway. Additionally, phosphatase and tensin homolog was upregulated and glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta was deactivated. Moreover, inactivation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 was detected following EHF inhibition, leading to inhibition of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT).
CONCLUSION These results suggest that EHF plays a key role in cell proliferation, invasion, apoptosis, the cell cycle and EMT via the c-Met pathway. Therefore, EHF may serve as an antineoplastic target for the diagnosis and treatment of GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Li Gu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xin-Xin Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Meng-Ting Ren
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Ke-Da Shi
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Mo-Sang Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Wen-Rui Jiao
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Ya-Mei Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Yiwu 322000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Wei-Xiang Zhong
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Feng Ji
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
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16
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Wang L, Ai M, Nie M, Zhao L, Deng G, Hu S, Han Y, Zeng W, Wang Y, Yang M, Wang S. EHF promotes colorectal carcinoma progression by activating TGF-β1 transcription and canonical TGF-β signaling. Cancer Sci 2020; 111:2310-2324. [PMID: 32372436 PMCID: PMC7385339 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
ETS homologous factor (EHF) plays a critical function in epithelial cell differentiation and proliferation. However, the roles of EHF in cancer remain largely unknown. In the present study, we investigated the expression levels, precise function and mechanism of EHF in colorectal carcinoma (CRC). We observed significantly elevated EHF expression in CRC cell lines and tissues. EHF overexpression correlated positively with poor differentiation, advanced T stage, and shorter overall survival of CRC patients. Function experiments revealed that EHF overexpression promoted CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, EHF could directly upregulate transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) expression at the transcription level, thereby activating canonical TGF-β signaling. Our findings provide novel insights into the mechanisms of EHF in tumorigenesis, invasion, and metastasis of CRC, which may help to provide new therapeutic targets for CRC intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Wang
- Department of PathologyNanfang Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Department of PathologySchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Meiling Ai
- Department of PathologyNanfang Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Department of PathologySchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Miaoting Nie
- Department of PathologyNanfang Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Department of PathologySchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Li Zhao
- Department of PathologyThe Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Guangxu Deng
- Department of General SurgeryNanfang Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Shasha Hu
- Department of PathologyNanfang Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Department of PathologySchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yue Han
- Department of PathologyNanfang Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Department of PathologySchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Weiting Zeng
- Department of PathologyNanfang Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Department of PathologySchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yiqing Wang
- Department of PathologyNanfang Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Department of PathologySchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Minhui Yang
- Department of PathologyNanfang Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Department of PathologySchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Shuang Wang
- Department of PathologyNanfang Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Department of PathologySchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
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17
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Chen L, Huang M, Plummer J, Pan J, Jiang YY, Yang Q, Silva TC, Gull N, Chen S, Ding LW, An O, Yang H, Cheng Y, Said JW, Doan N, Dinjens WN, Waters KM, Tuli R, Gayther SA, Klempner SJ, Berman BP, Meltzer SJ, Lin DC, Koeffler HP. Master transcription factors form interconnected circuitry and orchestrate transcriptional networks in oesophageal adenocarcinoma. Gut 2020; 69:630-640. [PMID: 31409603 PMCID: PMC8108390 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2019-318325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Revised: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE While oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma remains infrequent in Western populations, the incidence of oesophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) has increased sixfold to eightfold over the past four decades. We aimed to characterise oesophageal cancer-specific and subtypes-specific gene regulation patterns and their upstream transcription factors (TFs). DESIGN: To identify regulatory elements, we profiled fresh-frozen oesophageal normal samples, tumours and cell lines with chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-Seq). Mathematical modelling was performed to establish (super)-enhancers landscapes and interconnected transcriptional circuitry formed by master TFs. Coregulation and cooperation between master TFs were investigated by ChIP-Seq, circularised chromosome conformation capture sequencing and luciferase assay. Biological functions of candidate factors were evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS We found widespread and pervasive alterations of the (super)-enhancer reservoir in both subtypes of oesophageal cancer, leading to transcriptional activation of a myriad of novel oncogenes and signalling pathways, some of which may be exploited pharmacologically (eg, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) pathway). Focusing on EAC, we bioinformatically reconstructed and functionally validated an interconnected circuitry formed by four master TFs-ELF3, KLF5, GATA6 and EHF-which promoted each other's expression by interacting with each super-enhancer. Downstream, these master TFs occupied almost all EAC super-enhancers and cooperatively orchestrated EAC transcriptome. Each TF within the transcriptional circuitry was highly and specifically expressed in EAC and functionally promoted EAC cell proliferation and survival. CONCLUSIONS By establishing cancer-specific and subtype-specific features of the EAC epigenome, our findings promise to transform understanding of the transcriptional dysregulation and addiction of EAC, while providing molecular clues to develop novel therapeutic modalities against this malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Chen
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Moli Huang
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jasmine Plummer
- Center for Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Jian Pan
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yan-Yi Jiang
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Qian Yang
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Tiago Chedraoui Silva
- Center for Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Nicole Gull
- Center for Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Stephanie Chen
- Center for Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Ling-Wen Ding
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Omer An
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Henry Yang
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yulan Cheng
- Departments of Medicine and Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, USA
| | - Jonathan W. Said
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Ngan Doan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Winand N.M. Dinjens
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kevin M. Waters
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Richard Tuli
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Simon A. Gayther
- Center for Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Samuel J. Klempner
- The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA,Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin P. Berman
- Center for Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Stephen J. Meltzer
- Departments of Medicine and Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, USA
| | - De-Chen Lin
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - H. Phillip Koeffler
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA,Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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18
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Hockman D, Chong-Morrison V, Green SA, Gavriouchkina D, Candido-Ferreira I, Ling ITC, Williams RM, Amemiya CT, Smith JJ, Bronner ME, Sauka-Spengler T. A genome-wide assessment of the ancestral neural crest gene regulatory network. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4689. [PMID: 31619682 PMCID: PMC6795873 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12687-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The neural crest (NC) is an embryonic cell population that contributes to key vertebrate-specific features including the craniofacial skeleton and peripheral nervous system. Here we examine the transcriptional and epigenomic profiles of NC cells in the sea lamprey, in order to gain insight into the ancestral state of the NC gene regulatory network (GRN). Transcriptome analyses identify clusters of co-regulated genes during NC specification and migration that show high conservation across vertebrates but also identify transcription factors (TFs) and cell-adhesion molecules not previously implicated in NC migration. ATAC-seq analysis uncovers an ensemble of cis-regulatory elements, including enhancers of Tfap2B, SoxE1 and Hox-α2 validated in the embryo. Cross-species deployment of lamprey elements identifies the deep conservation of lamprey SoxE1 enhancer activity, mediating homologous expression in jawed vertebrates. Our data provide insight into the core GRN elements conserved to the base of the vertebrates and expose others that are unique to lampreys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorit Hockman
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Human Biology, Neuroscience Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Vanessa Chong-Morrison
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Division of Biosciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Stephen A Green
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Daria Gavriouchkina
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Molecular Genetics Unit, Onna, Japan
| | - Ivan Candido-Ferreira
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Irving T C Ling
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ruth M Williams
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Chris T Amemiya
- Molecular Cell Biology, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Jeramiah J Smith
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Marianne E Bronner
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Tatjana Sauka-Spengler
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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19
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Hsing M, Wang Y, Rennie PS, Cox ME, Cherkasov A. ETS transcription factors as emerging drug targets in cancer. Med Res Rev 2019; 40:413-430. [PMID: 30927317 DOI: 10.1002/med.21575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The ETS family of proteins consists of 28 transcription factors, many of which have been implicated in development and progression of a variety of cancers. While one family member, ERG, has been rigorously studied in the context of prostate cancer where it plays a critical role, other ETS factors keep emerging as potential hallmark oncodrivers. In recent years, numerous studies have reported initial discoveries of small molecule inhibitors of ETS proteins and opened novel avenues for ETS-directed cancer therapies. This review summarizes the state of the art data on therapeutic targeting of ETS family members and highlights the corresponding drug discovery strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Hsing
- Vancouver Prostate Centre and the Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Yuzhuo Wang
- Vancouver Prostate Centre and the Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Paul S Rennie
- Vancouver Prostate Centre and the Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael E Cox
- Vancouver Prostate Centre and the Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Artem Cherkasov
- Vancouver Prostate Centre and the Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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20
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A novel miR-365-3p/EHF/keratin 16 axis promotes oral squamous cell carcinoma metastasis, cancer stemness and drug resistance via enhancing β5-integrin/c-met signaling pathway. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2019; 38:89. [PMID: 30782177 PMCID: PMC6381632 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-019-1091-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Background Targeting the c-Met signaling pathway has become a therapeutic strategy in multiple types of cancer. We unveiled a novel c-Met regulating mechanism that could be applied as a modality for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) therapy. Methods Upregulation of keratin 16 (KRT16) was found by comparing isogenic pairs of low and high invasive human OSCC lines via microarray analysis. OSCC cells with ectopic expression or silencing of KRT16 were used to scrutinize functional roles and associated molecular mechanisms. Results We observed that high KRT16 expression significantly correlated with poorer pathological differentiation, advanced stages, increased lymph nodes metastasis, and decreased survival rate from several Taiwanese OSCC patient cohorts. We further revealed that miR-365-3p could target ETS homologous factor (EHF), a KRT16 transcription factor, to decrease migration, invasion, metastasis and chemoresistance in OSCC cells via inhibition of KRT16. Under confocal microscopic examination, c-Met was found possibly partially associates with KRT16 through β5-integrin. Colocalization of these three proteins may facilitate c-Met and β5-integrin–mediated signaling in OSCC cells. Depletion of KRT16 led to increased protein degradation of β5-integrin and c-Met through a lysosomal pathway leading to inhibition of their downstream Src/STAT3/FAK/ERK signaling in OSCC cells. Knockdown of KRT16 enhanced chemosensitivity of OSCC towards 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Various combination of c-Met inhibitor (foretinib), protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor (genistein), β5-integrin antibody, and 5-FU markedly augmented cytotoxic effects in OSCC cells as well as tumor killing effects in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions Our data indicate that targeting a novel miR-365-3p/EHF/KRT16/β5-integrin/c-Met signaling pathway could improve treatment efficacy in OSCC. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-019-1091-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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21
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TRIM52 plays an oncogenic role in ovarian cancer associated with NF-kB pathway. Cell Death Dis 2018; 9:908. [PMID: 30185771 PMCID: PMC6125490 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-018-0881-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Revised: 06/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that the members of the tripartite motif (TRIM) family play a crucial role in cancer development and progression. The purpose of the study was to explore TRIM52's role in tumorigenesis and its potential molecular mechanism in ovarian cancer. The study demonstrated that knockdown of TRIM52 in SKOV3 and CAOV3 cells inhibited ovarian cancer cell invasion, migration, and proliferation, and induced cell apoptosis. On the contrary, overexpression of TRIM52 in HO8910 cells showed contrary results. Further, overexpression of TRIM52 enhanced the expression of phosphorylated IKKβ and IKBα proteins and nuclear protein P65, which implied the activation of NF-kB signal pathway. Knockdown of TRIM52 downregulated the mRNA and protein levels of NF-kB signal downstream effectors of the NF-kB pathway, including MMP9, Bcl2, IL8, and TNFα, but upregulated caspase-3 expression. These results suggested that activation of the NF-kB pathway is involved in TRIM52-mediated regulation in ovarian cancer. The nude mice study further confirmed that knockdown of TRIM52 blocked tumor growth, inhibited cell proliferation, and promoted cell apoptosis. Our data strongly suggested that TRIM52 plays an oncogenic role in ovarian cancer development associated with the NF-kB signal pathway and may be a potential target for cancer therapy.
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22
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Luk IY, Reehorst CM, Mariadason JM. ELF3, ELF5, EHF and SPDEF Transcription Factors in Tissue Homeostasis and Cancer. Molecules 2018; 23:molecules23092191. [PMID: 30200227 PMCID: PMC6225137 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23092191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Revised: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The epithelium-specific ETS (ESE) transcription factors (ELF3, ELF5, EHF and SPDEF) are defined by their highly conserved ETS DNA binding domain and predominant epithelial-specific expression profile. ESE transcription factors maintain normal cell homeostasis and differentiation of a number of epithelial tissues, and their genetic alteration and deregulated expression has been linked to the progression of several epithelial cancers. Herein we review the normal function of the ESE transcription factors, the mechanisms by which they are dysregulated in cancers, and the current evidence for their role in cancer progression. Finally, we discuss potential therapeutic strategies for targeting or reactivating these factors as a novel means of cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Y Luk
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia.
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3086, Australia.
| | - Camilla M Reehorst
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia.
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3086, Australia.
| | - John M Mariadason
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia.
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3086, Australia.
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23
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Increased expression of EHF contributes to thyroid tumorigenesis through transcriptionally regulating HER2 and HER3. Oncotarget 2018; 7:57978-57990. [PMID: 27517321 PMCID: PMC5295405 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.11154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
E26 transformation-specific (ETS) transcription factor EHF plays a tumor suppressor role in prostate cancer and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), whereas it is overexpressed and may act as an oncogene in ovarian and mammary cancers. However, its biological role in thyroid cancer remains totally unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the biological functions of EHF and its potential as a therapeutic target in thyroid cancer. Using quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) assay, we evaluated mRNA expression of EHF in a cohort of primary papillary thyroid cancers (PTCs) and matched non-cancerous thyroid tissues. The functions of knockdown and ectopic expression of EHF in thyroid cancer cells were determine by a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments. Moreover, dual-luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays were performed to identify its downstream targets. Our data showed that EHF expression was significantly increased in PTCs compared with matched non-cancerous thyroid tissues. EHF knockdown significantly inhibited thyroid cancer cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, invasion and tumorigenic potential in nude mice and induced cell cycle arrested and apoptosis by modulating the PI3K/Akt and MAPK/Erk signaling pathways. On the other hand, ectopic expression of EHF in thyroid cancer cells notably promoted cell growth and invasiveness. Importantly, EHF was identified as a new transcription factor for HER2 and HER3, contributing to thyroid tumorigenesis. Altogether, our findings suggest that EHF is a novel functional oncogene in thyroid cancer by transcriptionally regulating HER2 and HER3, and may represent a potential therapeutic target for this cancer.
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24
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Peng Z, Wang J, Shan B, Yuan F, Li B, Dong Y, Peng W, Shi W, Cheng Y, Gao Y, Zhang C, Duan C. Genome-wide analyses of long noncoding RNA expression profiles in lung adenocarcinoma. Sci Rep 2017; 7:15331. [PMID: 29127420 PMCID: PMC5681506 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15712-y] [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: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
LncRNAs have emerged as a novel class of critical regulators of cancer. We aimed to construct a landscape of lncRNAs and their potential target genes in lung adenocarcinoma. Genome-wide expression of lncRNAs and mRNAs was determined using microarray. qRT-PCR was performed to validate the expression of the selected lncRNAs in a cohort of 42 tumor tissues and adjacent normal tissues. R and Bioconductor were used for data analysis. A total of 3045 lncRNAs were differentially expressed between the paired tumor and normal tissues (1048 up and 1997 down). Meanwhile, our data showed that the expression NONHSAT077036 was associated with N classification and clinical stage. Further, we analyzed the potential co-regulatory relationship between the lncRNAs and their potential target genes using the ‘cis’ and ‘trans’ models. In the 25 related transcription factors (TFs), our analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas database (TCGA) found that patients with lower expression of POU2F2 and higher expression of TRIM28 had a shorter overall survival time. The POU2F2 and TRIM28 co-expressed lncRNA landscape characterized here may shed light into normal biology and lung adenocarcinoma pathogenesis, and be valuable for discovery of biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzi Peng
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, P. R. China
| | - Jun Wang
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, P. R. China
| | - Bin Shan
- Washington State University, Elison S Floyd College of Medicine, P.O. Box 1495, Spokane, WA, 99210-1495, USA
| | - Fulai Yuan
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, P. R. China
| | - Bin Li
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, P. R. China
| | - Yeping Dong
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, P. R. China
| | - Wei Peng
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, P. R. China
| | - Wenwen Shi
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, P. R. China
| | - Yuanda Cheng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, P. R. China
| | - Yang Gao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, P. R. China
| | - Chunfang Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, P. R. China
| | - Chaojun Duan
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, P. R. China. .,Department of Thoracic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, P. R. China.
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25
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He X, Jiang W, Luo Z, Qu T, Wang Z, Liu N, Zhang Y, Cooper PR, He W. IFN-γ regulates human dental pulp stem cells behavior via NF-κB and MAPK signaling. Sci Rep 2017; 7:40681. [PMID: 28098169 PMCID: PMC5241669 DOI: 10.1038/srep40681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 12/09/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
During caries, dental pulp expresses a range of pro-inflammatory cytokines in response to the infectious challenge. Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) is a dimerized soluble cytokine, which is critical for immune responses. Previous study has demonstrated that IFN-γ at relative high concentration (100 ng/mL) treatment improved the impaired dentinogenic and immunosuppressive regulatory functions of disease-derived dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). However, little is known about the regulatory effects of IFN-γ at relative low concentration on healthy DPSC behavior (including proliferation, migration, and multiple-potential differentiation). Here we demonstrate that IFN-γ at relatively low concentrations (0.5 ng/mL) promoted the proliferation and migration of DPSCs, but abrogated odonto/osteogenic differentiation. Additionally, we identified that NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways are both involved in the process of IFN-γ-regulated odonto/osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs. DPSCs treated with IFN-γ and supplemented with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC, an NF-κB inhibitor) or SB203580 (a MAPK inhibitor) showed significantly improved potential for odonto/osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs both in vivo and in vitro. These data provide important insight into the regulatory effects of IFN-γ on the biological behavior of DPSCs and indicate a promising therapeutic strategy for dentin/pulp tissue engineering in future endodontic treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyao He
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Operative Dentistry &Endodontics, School of Stomatology, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an Shaanxi, China.,Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School of Stomatology, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an Shaanxi, China
| | - Wenkai Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Operative Dentistry &Endodontics, School of Stomatology, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an Shaanxi, China.,Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School of Stomatology, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an Shaanxi, China
| | - Zhirong Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Operative Dentistry &Endodontics, School of Stomatology, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an Shaanxi, China.,Department of Stomatology, the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang Guizhou, China
| | - Tiejun Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Operative Dentistry &Endodontics, School of Stomatology, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an Shaanxi, China.,Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School of Stomatology, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an Shaanxi, China
| | - Zhihua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Operative Dentistry &Endodontics, School of Stomatology, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an Shaanxi, China.,Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School of Stomatology, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an Shaanxi, China
| | - Ningning Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Operative Dentistry &Endodontics, School of Stomatology, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an Shaanxi, China.,Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School of Stomatology, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an Shaanxi, China
| | - Yaqing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Operative Dentistry &Endodontics, School of Stomatology, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an Shaanxi, China.,Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School of Stomatology, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an Shaanxi, China
| | - Paul R Cooper
- Oral Biology, School of Dentistry, University of Birmingham, B4 6NN, UK
| | - Wenxi He
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Operative Dentistry &Endodontics, School of Stomatology, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an Shaanxi, China.,Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School of Stomatology, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an Shaanxi, China
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26
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Increased expression of EHF via gene amplification contributes to the activation of HER family signaling and associates with poor survival in gastric cancer. Cell Death Dis 2016; 7:e2442. [PMID: 27787520 PMCID: PMC5134001 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2016.346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2016] [Revised: 09/04/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The biological function of E26 transformation-specific (ETS) transcription factor EHF/ESE-3 in human cancers remains largely unknown, particularly gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to explore the role of EHF in tumorigenesis and its potential as a therapeutic target in gastric cancer. By using quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR), immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assays, we investigated the expression and copy number of EHF in a cohort of gastric cancers and control subjects. Specific EHF siRNAs was used to determine the biologic impacts and mechanisms of altered EHF expression in vitro and in vivo. Dual-luciferase reporter, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) assays were performed to identify its downstream targets. Our results demonstrated that EHF was significantly upregulated and frequently amplified in gastric cancer tissues as compared with control subjects. Moreover, EHF amplification was positively correlated with its overexpression and significantly associated with poor clinical outcomes of gastric cancer patients. We also found that EHF knockdown notably inhibited gastric cancer cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, invasion and tumorigenic potential in nude mice and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Importantly, we identified EHF as a new HER2 transcription factor and the modulator of HER3 and HER4 in gastric cancer. Collectively, our findings suggest that EHF is a novel functional oncogene in gastric cancer by regulating the human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) family of receptor tyrosine kinases and may represent a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target for this cancer.
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