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SONG HEEJU, KIM TAEHEE, CHOI HANNA, KIM SOOJIN, LEE SANGDO. TonEBP expression is essential in the IL-1β-induced migration and invasion of human A549 lung cancer cells. Oncol Res 2023; 32:151-161. [PMID: 38188678 PMCID: PMC10767233 DOI: 10.32604/or.2023.030690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate among all cancers, in part because it readily metastasizes. The tumor microenvironment, comprising blood vessels, fibroblasts, immune cells, and macrophages [including tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs)], is closely related to cancer cell growth, migration, and invasion. TAMs secrete several cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1β, which participate in cancer migration and invasion. p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1), an important signaling molecule, induces cell migration and invasion in several carcinomas. Tonicity-responsive enhancer-binding protein (TonEBP) is also known to participate in cancer cell growth, migration, and invasion. However, the mechanisms by which it increases lung cancer migration remain unclear. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to elucidate the mechanisms by which IL-1β and TonEBP affect lung cancer cell migration and invasion. We found that A549 cocultured-MΦ-secreted IL-1β induced A549 cell migration and invasion via the PAK1 pathway. TonEBP deficiency reduced A549 cell migration and invasion and increased responsiveness to IL-1β-induced migration and invasion. PAK1 phosphorylation, which was promoted by IL-1β, was reduced when TonEBP was depleted. These results suggest that TonEBP plays an important role in IL-1β induction and invasiveness of A549 cells via the PAK1 pathway. These findings could be valuable in identifying potential targets for lung cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- HEE JU SONG
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 35015, Korea
| | - TAEHEE KIM
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 35015, Korea
| | - HAN NA CHOI
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 35015, Korea
| | - SOO JIN KIM
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 35015, Korea
| | - SANG DO LEE
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 35015, Korea
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2
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Liu Y, Zou Y, Huang Y, Chen S, Zhang L. Identification of Balanol As a Potential Inhibitor of PAK1 That Induces Apoptosis and Cytoprotective Autophagy in Colorectal Cancer Cells. ChemMedChem 2023; 18:e202300114. [PMID: 37323074 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202300114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract, often accompanied by poor prognosis and high incidence and mortality. p21 activated kinases (PAKs) have been used as therapeutic targets because of their central role in many oncogenic signaling networks. By exploring tumor databases, we found that PAK1 overexpression is associated with poor prognosis in colorectal cancer, and therefore, PAK1-targeted inhibition is a new potential therapeutic strategy for colorectal cancer. We identified that Balanol (compound 6, DB04098) can effectively target PAK1 by high-throughput virtual screening. In vitro, compound 6 exhibited favorable PAK1 inhibition with potent anti-proliferative and anti-migration activity in SW480 cells. Additionally, we also found that compound 6 induced apoptosis and cytoprotective autophagy in SW480 cells. Together, these results indicate that compound 6 is a potential novel PAK1 inhibitor, which would be utilized as a candidate compound for future CRC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Liu
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, 610031, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuling Zou
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, 610031, Chengdu, China
| | - Yunli Huang
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, 610031, Chengdu, China
| | - Siwei Chen
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, 610031, Chengdu, China
| | - Lan Zhang
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, 610031, Chengdu, China
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3
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Lefebvre C, Pellizzari S, Bhat V, Jurcic K, Litchfield DW, Allan AL. Involvement of the AKT Pathway in Resistance to Erlotinib and Cabozantinib in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cell Lines. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2406. [PMID: 37760847 PMCID: PMC10525382 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11092406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Resistance to protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) presents a significant challenge in therapeutic target development for cancers such as triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), where conventional therapies are ineffective at combatting systemic disease. Due to increased expression, the receptor tyrosine kinases EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) and c-Met are potential targets for treatment. However, targeted anti-EGFR and anti-c-Met therapies have faced mixed results in clinical trials due to acquired resistance. We hypothesize that adaptive responses in regulatory kinase networks within the EGFR and c-Met signaling axes contribute to the development of acquired erlotinib and cabozantinib resistance. To test this, we developed two separate models for cabozantinib and erlotinib resistance using the MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cell lines, respectively. We observed that erlotinib- or cabozantinib-resistant cell lines demonstrate enhanced cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and activation of EGFR or c-Met downstream signaling (respectively). Using a SILAC (Stable Isotope Labeling of Amino acids in Cell Culture)-labeled quantitative mass spectrometry proteomics approach, we assessed the effects of erlotinib or cabozantinib resistance on the phosphoproteome, proteome, and kinome. Using this integrated proteomics approach, we identified several potential kinase mediators of cabozantinib resistance and confirmed the contribution of AKT1 to erlotinib resistance in TNBC-resistant cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cory Lefebvre
- London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON N6A 5W9, Canada; (C.L.); (S.P.); (V.B.)
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Sierra Pellizzari
- London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON N6A 5W9, Canada; (C.L.); (S.P.); (V.B.)
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Vasudeva Bhat
- London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON N6A 5W9, Canada; (C.L.); (S.P.); (V.B.)
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Kristina Jurcic
- Department of Biochemistry, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada; (K.J.); (D.W.L.)
| | - David W. Litchfield
- Department of Biochemistry, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada; (K.J.); (D.W.L.)
- Department of Oncology, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Alison L. Allan
- London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON N6A 5W9, Canada; (C.L.); (S.P.); (V.B.)
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
- Department of Oncology, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON N6A 5W9, Canada
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4
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Belli S, Esposito D, Allotta A, Servetto A, Ciciola P, Pesapane A, Ascione CM, Napolitano F, Di Mauro C, Vigliar E, Iaccarino A, De Angelis C, Bianco R, Formisano L. Pak1 pathway hyper-activation mediates resistance to endocrine therapy and CDK4/6 inhibitors in ER+ breast cancer. NPJ Breast Cancer 2023; 9:48. [PMID: 37258566 DOI: 10.1038/s41523-023-00556-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) have been approved in combination with endocrine therapy (ET) to treat estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) metastatic breast cancer (BC). However, drug resistance represents the leading cause of breast cancer patients mortality. This study aimed to identify novel resistance mechanisms to ER antagonists in combination with CDK4/6 inhibitors. We generated two ER+ BC cell lines, T47D and MCF7, resistant to the combination of the ER antagonist fulvestrant and CDK4/6i abemaciclib, named T47D-FAR and MCF7-FAR. Transcriptomic analysis revealed common up-regulation of genes involved in MAPK and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathways in FAR cells, sustaining their hyper-invasive phenotype and increased anchorage-independent growth, compared to sensitive cells. FAR cells showed higher p21-activated kinase 1 (Pak1) expression and phosphorylation levels than parental cells. PAK1 knockdown by siRNAs hampered cell proliferation, reduced anchorage-independent growth and invasive properties of T47D-FAR and MCF7-FAR, re-sensitizing them to fulvestrant and abemaciclib. Conversely, over-expression of PAK1 in MCF7 and T47D cells increased tumor spheroids' growth and invasion and reduced sensitivity to fulvestrant and abemaciclib, confirming its role in inducing drug resistance. Finally, treatment with Pak1 inhibitors, PF-3758309 (PF309) and NVS-PAK1-1, restored cell sensitivity to fulvestrant and abemaciclib of MCF7-FAR and T47D-FAR cells, both in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, our data suggested a pivotal role for Pak1 in resistance to ET and CDK4/6i in ER+ breast cancers. These data might promote the rationale for the development of novel Pak1 inhibitors for treatment of patients with ER+ BC progressing on ET plus CDK4/6i.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Belli
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Daniela Esposito
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Alessandra Allotta
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Alberto Servetto
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Paola Ciciola
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Ada Pesapane
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Claudia M Ascione
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Fabiana Napolitano
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Concetta Di Mauro
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Elena Vigliar
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonino Iaccarino
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Carmine De Angelis
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Roberto Bianco
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy.
| | - Luigi Formisano
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy.
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5
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Li J, Pei M, Xiao W, Liu X, Hong L, Yu Z, Peng Y, Zhang J, Yang P, Lin J, Wu X, Lin Z, Tang W, Zhi F, Li G, Xiang L, Li A, Liu S, Chen Y, Wang J. The HOXD9-mediated PAXIP1-AS1 regulates gastric cancer progression through PABPC1/PAK1 modulation. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:341. [PMID: 37225681 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-05862-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been functionally characterised in various diseases. LncRNA PAX-interacting protein 1-antisense RNA 1 (PAXIP1-AS1) has reportedly been associated with cancer development. However, its role in gastric cancer (GC) remains poorly understood. Here, we showed that PAXIP1-AS1 was transcriptionally repressed by homeobox D9 (HOXD9) and was significantly downregulated in GC tissues and cells. Decreased expression of PAXIP1-AS1 was positively correlated with tumour progression, while PAXIP1-AS1 overexpression inhibited cell growth and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. PAXIP1-AS1 overexpression significantly attenuated HOXD9-enhanced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion and metastasis in GC cells. Poly(A)-binding protein cytoplasmic 1 (PABPC1), an RNA-binding protein, was found to enhance the stability of PAK1 mRNA, leading to EMT progress and GC metastasis. PAXIP1-AS1 was found to directly bind to and destabilise PABPC1, thereby regulating EMT and metastasis of GC cells. In summary, PAXIP1-AS1 suppressed metastasis, and the HOXD9/PAXIP1-AS1/PABPC1/PAK1 signalling axis may be involved in the progression of GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaying Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Miaomiao Pei
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Wushuang Xiao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Xuehua Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan, 528300, China
| | - Linjie Hong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Zhen Yu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Ying Peng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Jieming Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Ping Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Jianjiao Lin
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen & Longgang District People's Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518172, China
| | - Xiaosheng Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Zhizhao Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Weimei Tang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Fachao Zhi
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Guoxin Li
- Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Li Xiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen & Longgang District People's Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518172, China
| | - Aimin Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
| | - Side Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
| | - Ye Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Integrative Clinical Microecology Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, 518000, China.
| | - Jide Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
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6
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Somanath PR, Chernoff J, Cummings BS, Prasad SM, Homan HD. Targeting P21-Activated Kinase-1 for Metastatic Prostate Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15082236. [PMID: 37190165 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15082236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa) has limited therapeutic options and a high mortality rate. The p21-activated kinase (PAK) family of proteins is important in cell survival, proliferation, and motility in physiology, and pathologies such as infectious, inflammatory, vascular, and neurological diseases as well as cancers. Group-I PAKs (PAK1, PAK2, and PAK3) are involved in the regulation of actin dynamics and thus are integral for cell morphology, adhesion to the extracellular matrix, and cell motility. They also play prominent roles in cell survival and proliferation. These properties make group-I PAKs a potentially important target for cancer therapy. In contrast to normal prostate and prostatic epithelial cells, group-I PAKs are highly expressed in mPCA and PCa tissue. Importantly, the expression of group-I PAKs is proportional to the Gleason score of the patients. While several compounds have been identified that target group-I PAKs and these are active in cells and mice, and while some inhibitors have entered human trials, as of yet, none have been FDA-approved. Probable reasons for this lack of translation include issues related to selectivity, specificity, stability, and efficacy resulting in side effects and/or lack of efficacy. In the current review, we describe the pathophysiology and current treatment guidelines of PCa, present group-I PAKs as a potential druggable target to treat mPCa patients, and discuss the various ATP-competitive and allosteric inhibitors of PAKs. We also discuss the development and testing of a nanotechnology-based therapeutic formulation of group-I PAK inhibitors and its significant potential advantages as a novel, selective, stable, and efficacious mPCa therapeutic over other PCa therapeutics in the pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payaningal R Somanath
- Department of Clinical & Administrative Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- MetasTx LLC, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920, USA
| | - Jonathan Chernoff
- MetasTx LLC, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920, USA
- Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA
| | - Brian S Cummings
- MetasTx LLC, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Sandip M Prasad
- Morristown Medical Center, Atlantic Health System, Morristown, NJ 07960, USA
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Hyperactivation of p21-Activated Kinases in Human Cancer and Therapeutic Sensitivity. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11020462. [PMID: 36830998 PMCID: PMC9953343 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11020462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last three decades, p21-activated kinases (PAKs) have emerged as prominent intracellular nodular signaling molecules in cancer cells with a spectrum of cancer-promoting functions ranging from cell survival to anchorage-independent growth to cellular invasiveness. As PAK family members are widely overexpressed and/or hyperactivated in a variety of human tumors, over the years PAKs have also emerged as therapeutic targets, resulting in the development of clinically relevant PAK inhibitors. Over the last two decades, this has been a promising area of active investigation for several academic and pharmaceutical groups. Similar to other kinases, blocking the activity of one PAK family member leads to compensatory activity on the part of other family members. Because PAKs are also activated by stress-causing anticancer drugs, PAKs are components in the rewiring of survival pathways in the action of several therapeutic agents; in turn, they contribute to the development of therapeutic resistance. This, in turn, creates an opportunity to co-target the PAKs to achieve a superior anticancer cellular effect. Here we discuss the role of PAKs and their effector pathways in the modulation of cellular susceptibility to cancer therapeutic agents and therapeutic resistance.
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8
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Li X, Li F. p21-Activated Kinase: Role in Gastrointestinal Cancer and Beyond. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14194736. [PMID: 36230657 PMCID: PMC9563254 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Gastrointestinal tumors are the most common tumors with a high mortality rate worldwide. Numerous protein kinases have been studied in anticipation of finding viable tumor therapeutic targets, including PAK. PAK is a serine/threonine kinase that plays an important role in the malignant phenotype of tumors. The function of PAK in tumors is highlighted in cell proliferation, survival, motility, tumor cell plasticity and the tumor microenvironment, therefore providing a new possible target for clinical tumor therapy. Based on the current research works of PAK, we summarize and analyze the PAK features and signaling pathways in cells, especially the role of PAK in gastrointestinal tumors, thereby hoping to provide a theoretical basis for both the future studies of PAK and potential tumor therapeutic targets. Abstract Gastrointestinal tumors are the most common tumors, and they are leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, but their mechanisms are still unclear, which need to be clarified to discover therapeutic targets. p21-activating kinase (PAK), a serine/threonine kinase that is downstream of Rho GTPase, plays an important role in cellular signaling networks. According to the structural characteristics and activation mechanisms of them, PAKs are divided into two groups, both of which are involved in the biological processes that are critical to cells, including proliferation, migration, survival, transformation and metabolism. The biological functions of PAKs depend on a large number of interacting proteins and the signaling pathways they participate in. The role of PAKs in tumors is manifested in their abnormality and the consequential changes in the signaling pathways. Once they are overexpressed or overactivated, PAKs lead to tumorigenesis or a malignant phenotype, especially in tumor invasion and metastasis. Recently, the involvement of PAKs in cellular plasticity, stemness and the tumor microenvironment have attracted attention. Here, we summarize the biological characteristics and key signaling pathways of PAKs, and further analyze their mechanisms in gastrointestinal tumors and others, which will reveal new therapeutic targets and a theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of gastrointestinal cancer.
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9
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Ma Y, Nikfarjam M, He H. The trilogy of P21 activated kinase, autophagy and immune evasion in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Cancer Lett 2022; 548:215868. [PMID: 36027997 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2022.215868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDA) is one of the most lethal types of cancer with a dismal prognosis. KRAS mutation is a commonly identified oncogene in PDA tumorigenesis and P21-activated kinases (PAKs) are its downstream mediator. While PAK1 is more well-studied, PAK4 also attracted increasing interest. In PDA, PAK inhibition not only reduces cancer cell viability but also sensitises it to chemotherapy. While PDA remains resistant to existing immunotherapies, PAK inhibition has been shown to increase cancer immunogenicity of melanoma, glioblastoma and PDA. Furthermore, autophagy plays an important role in PDA immune evasion, and accumulating evidence has pointed to a connection between PAK and cancer cell autophagy. In this literature review, we aim to summarize currently available studies that have assessed the potential connection between PAK, autophagy and immune evasion in PDA biology to guide future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Ma
- Department of Surgery, Austin Precinct, The University of Melbourne, 145 Studley Rd, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia
| | - Mehrdad Nikfarjam
- Department of Surgery, Austin Precinct, The University of Melbourne, 145 Studley Rd, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia; Department of Hepatopancreatic-Biliary Surgery, Austin Health, 145 Studley Rd, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia
| | - Hong He
- Department of Surgery, Austin Precinct, The University of Melbourne, 145 Studley Rd, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia.
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10
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Ji W, Sun X, Gao Y, Lu M, Zhu L, Wang D, Hu C, Chen J, Cao P. Natural Compound Shikonin Is a Novel PAK1 Inhibitor and Enhances Efficacy of Chemotherapy against Pancreatic Cancer Cells. Molecules 2022; 27:2747. [PMID: 35566098 PMCID: PMC9102431 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27092747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Shikonin is the main component of root extracts from the Chinese herbal medicine Lithospermum erythrorhizon, which is commonly used for the treatment of various diseases including cancer. Previous research showed that shikonin suppressed pancreatic cancer growth; nevertheless, its molecular targets and mechanisms have not been elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the interaction and regulatory mechanisms of shikonin on its potential target p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1). Through a labchip-based screening method, shikonin was identified as a potential bioactive PAK1 inhibitor. Molecular docking technology was used to detect the interaction sites of shikonin and PAK1 kinase. Western blot was performed to validate the mechanism. MTT and flow cytometry were practiced to investigate the effect of shikonin against pancreatic cancer cells. The results show that shikonin significantly inhibited the activity of PAK1 kinase with IC50 value of 7.252 ± 0.054 μM. Molecular docking studies showed that shikonin binds to the ATP-binding pocket of the PAK1 kinase domain. Moreover, shikonin inhibited PAK1 activation and its downstream signaling pathway proteins, while reducing proliferation and inducing apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells. Further studies showed that the treatment of shikonin sensitized pancreatic cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs. These results suggest that shikonin, a potential natural inhibitor targeting PAK1 kinase, has promising potent applications in the treatment of pancreatic cancer and chemotherapy sensitization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Ji
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China;
| | - Xiaoyan Sun
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; (X.S.); (Y.G.); (M.L.); (L.Z.); (D.W.); (C.H.)
| | - Yang Gao
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; (X.S.); (Y.G.); (M.L.); (L.Z.); (D.W.); (C.H.)
| | - Man Lu
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; (X.S.); (Y.G.); (M.L.); (L.Z.); (D.W.); (C.H.)
| | - Lingxia Zhu
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; (X.S.); (Y.G.); (M.L.); (L.Z.); (D.W.); (C.H.)
| | - Dawei Wang
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; (X.S.); (Y.G.); (M.L.); (L.Z.); (D.W.); (C.H.)
| | - Chunping Hu
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; (X.S.); (Y.G.); (M.L.); (L.Z.); (D.W.); (C.H.)
| | - Jiao Chen
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; (X.S.); (Y.G.); (M.L.); (L.Z.); (D.W.); (C.H.)
| | - Peng Cao
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; (X.S.); (Y.G.); (M.L.); (L.Z.); (D.W.); (C.H.)
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Cao L, Huang C, Cui Zhou D, Hu Y, Lih TM, Savage SR, Krug K, Clark DJ, Schnaubelt M, Chen L, da Veiga Leprevost F, Eguez RV, Yang W, Pan J, Wen B, Dou Y, Jiang W, Liao Y, Shi Z, Terekhanova NV, Cao S, Lu RJH, Li Y, Liu R, Zhu H, Ronning P, Wu Y, Wyczalkowski MA, Easwaran H, Danilova L, Mer AS, Yoo S, Wang JM, Liu W, Haibe-Kains B, Thiagarajan M, Jewell SD, Hostetter G, Newton CJ, Li QK, Roehrl MH, Fenyö D, Wang P, Nesvizhskii AI, Mani DR, Omenn GS, Boja ES, Mesri M, Robles AI, Rodriguez H, Bathe OF, Chan DW, Hruban RH, Ding L, Zhang B, Zhang H. Proteogenomic characterization of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Cell 2021; 184:5031-5052.e26. [PMID: 34534465 PMCID: PMC8654574 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.08.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 237] [Impact Index Per Article: 79.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive cancer with poor patient survival. Toward understanding the underlying molecular alterations that drive PDAC oncogenesis, we conducted comprehensive proteogenomic analysis of 140 pancreatic cancers, 67 normal adjacent tissues, and 9 normal pancreatic ductal tissues. Proteomic, phosphoproteomic, and glycoproteomic analyses were used to characterize proteins and their modifications. In addition, whole-genome sequencing, whole-exome sequencing, methylation, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and microRNA sequencing (miRNA-seq) were performed on the same tissues to facilitate an integrated proteogenomic analysis and determine the impact of genomic alterations on protein expression, signaling pathways, and post-translational modifications. To ensure robust downstream analyses, tumor neoplastic cellularity was assessed via multiple orthogonal strategies using molecular features and verified via pathological estimation of tumor cellularity based on histological review. This integrated proteogenomic characterization of PDAC will serve as a valuable resource for the community, paving the way for early detection and identification of novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liwei Cao
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Chen Huang
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Daniel Cui Zhou
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 631110, USA; McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Yingwei Hu
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - T Mamie Lih
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Sara R Savage
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Karsten Krug
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - David J Clark
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Michael Schnaubelt
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Lijun Chen
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | | | | | - Weiming Yang
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Jianbo Pan
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Bo Wen
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yongchao Dou
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Wen Jiang
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yuxing Liao
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zhiao Shi
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Nadezhda V Terekhanova
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 631110, USA; McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Song Cao
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 631110, USA; McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Rita Jui-Hsien Lu
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 631110, USA; McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Yize Li
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 631110, USA; McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Ruiyang Liu
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 631110, USA; McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Houxiang Zhu
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 631110, USA; McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Peter Ronning
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 631110, USA; McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Yige Wu
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 631110, USA; McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Matthew A Wyczalkowski
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 631110, USA; McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Hariharan Easwaran
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Ludmila Danilova
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Arvind Singh Mer
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Seungyeul Yoo
- Sema4, a Mount Sinai venture, Stamford, CT 06902, USA
| | - Joshua M Wang
- Institute for Systems Genetics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Wenke Liu
- Institute for Systems Genetics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Benjamin Haibe-Kains
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Mathangi Thiagarajan
- Leidos Biomedical Research Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Scott D Jewell
- Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | | | | | - Qing Kay Li
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Michael H Roehrl
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - David Fenyö
- Institute for Systems Genetics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Pei Wang
- Sema4, a Mount Sinai venture, Stamford, CT 06902, USA
| | | | - D R Mani
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Gilbert S Omenn
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Emily S Boja
- Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Mehdi Mesri
- Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ana I Robles
- Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Henry Rodriguez
- Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Oliver F Bathe
- Departments of Surgery and Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Daniel W Chan
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Ralph H Hruban
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Li Ding
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 631110, USA; McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA.
| | - Bing Zhang
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
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12
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Loss of Smad4 promotes aggressive lung cancer metastasis by de-repression of PAK3 via miRNA regulation. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4853. [PMID: 34381046 PMCID: PMC8357888 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24898-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
SMAD4 is mutated in human lung cancer, but the underlying mechanism by which Smad4 loss-of-function (LOF) accelerates lung cancer metastasis is yet to be elucidated. Here, we generate a highly aggressive lung cancer mouse model bearing conditional KrasG12D, p53fl/fl LOF and Smad4fl/fl LOF mutations (SPK), showing a much higher incidence of tumor metastases than the KrasG12D, p53fl/fl (PK) mice. Molecularly, PAK3 is identified as a downstream effector of Smad4, mediating metastatic signal transduction via the PAK3-JNK-Jun pathway. Upregulation of PAK3 by Smad4 LOF in SPK mice is achieved by attenuating Smad4-dependent transcription of miR-495 and miR-543. These microRNAs (miRNAs) directly bind to the PAK3 3'UTR for blockade of PAK3 production, ultimately regulating lung cancer metastasis. An inverse correlation between Smad4 and PAK3 pathway components is observed in human lung cancer. Our study highlights the Smad4-PAK3 regulation as a point of potential therapy in metastatic lung cancer.
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Khan T, Seddon AM, Dalgleish AG, Khelwatty S, Ioannou N, Mudan S, Modjtahedi H. Synergistic activity of agents targeting growth factor receptors, CDKs and downstream signaling molecules in a panel of pancreatic cancer cell lines and the identification of antagonistic combinations: Implications for future clinical trials in pancreatic cancer. Oncol Rep 2020; 44:2581-2594. [PMID: 33125153 PMCID: PMC7640362 DOI: 10.3892/or.2020.7822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive, heterogeneous and fatal type of human cancers for which more effective therapeutic agents are urgently needed. Here, we investigated the sensitivity of a panel of seven human pancreatic cancer cell lines (HPCCLs) to treatment with various tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors, an inhibitor of STAT3 stattic, and a cytotoxic agent gemcitabine both as single agents and in combination. The membranous expression of various receptors and the effect of selected agents on cell cycle distribution, cell signaling pathways and migration was determined using flow cytometry, western blot analysis and scratch wound healing assays, respectively. While the expression of both HER-3 and HER-4 was low or negative, the expression of EGFR and HER2 was high or intermediate in all HPCCLs. Of all the agents examined, the CDK1/2/5/9 inhibitor, dinacicilib, was the most potent agent which inhibited the proliferation of all seven HPCCLs with IC50 values of ≤10 nM, followed by SRC targeting TKI dasatinib (IC50 of ≤258 nM), gemcitabine (IC50 of ≤330 nM), stattic (IC50 of ≤2 µM) and the irreversible pan-HER TKI afatinib (IC50 of ≤2.95 µM). Treatment with afatinib and dasatinib inhibited the ligand-induced phosphorylation of EGFR and SRC respectively. Statistically significant associations were found between HER2 expression and response to treatment with the ALK/IGF-IR/InsR inhibitor ceritinib and fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)1/2/3 inhibitor AZD4547, HER3 and IGF-IR expression and their response to treatment with TKIs targeting HER family members (erlotinib and afatinib), and c-MET and ALK7 expression and their response to treatment with stattic. Interestingly, treatment with a combination of afatinib with dasatinib and gemcitabine with dasatinib resulted in synergistic tumor growth inhibition in all HPCCLs examined. In contrast, the combination of afatinib with dinaciclib was found to be antagonistic. Finally, the treatment with afatinib, dasatinib and dinaciclib strongly inhibited the migration of all HPCCLs examined. In conclusion, the CDK1/2/5/9 inhibitor dinaciclib, irreversible pan-HER TKI afatinib and SRC targeting TKI dasatinib were most effective at inhibiting the proliferation and migration of HPCCLs and the combination of afatinib with dasatinib and gemcitabine with dasatinib led to synergistic tumor growth inhibition in all HPCCLs examined. Our results support further investigation on the therapeutic potential of these combinations in future clinical trials in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanzeel Khan
- School of Life Science, Pharmacy and Chemistry, Kingston University London, Surrey KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Alan M Seddon
- School of Life Science, Pharmacy and Chemistry, Kingston University London, Surrey KT1 2EE, UK
| | | | - Said Khelwatty
- School of Life Science, Pharmacy and Chemistry, Kingston University London, Surrey KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Nikolaos Ioannou
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London SE5 9NT, UK
| | - Satvinder Mudan
- St George's Hospital, University of London, London SW17 0QT, UK
| | - Helmout Modjtahedi
- School of Life Science, Pharmacy and Chemistry, Kingston University London, Surrey KT1 2EE, UK
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14
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Fang D, Lu G. Expression and role of nuclear receptor-interacting protein 1 (NRIP1) in stomach adenocarcinoma. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2020; 8:1293. [PMID: 33209873 PMCID: PMC7661897 DOI: 10.21037/atm-20-6197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Background Nuclear receptor-interacting protein 1 (NRIP1), also named NR140, has been observed differentially express in multiple cancers, but the expression levels and the prognostic role of NRIP1 in stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) remain unclear. Methods We used the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) to analyze the NRIP1 expression levels in STAD, subgroups analysis of expression of NRIP1 via the UALCAN dataset. Further, cBioPortal was used to investigate the aberration type, co-mutations status, and located mutation of NRIP1. Correlated genes, and kinases, microRNA (miRNA), and transcription factor (TF) targets were identified using LinkedOmics. The Kaplan-Meier (K-M) plotter was used to analyze the prognosis of NRIP1 and the significantly correlated genes in STAD. Then, the tumor immune estimation resource (Timer) was used to explore the relation between NRIP1 and the immune cell infiltration, and the role of immune cells in STAD. The Human Protein Atlas (HPA) was used to confirm the NRIP1 protein express in STAD stomach tissue and normal stomach tissue. Results NRIP1 significantly overexpress in STAD, and the NRIP1 expression levels were impacted by clinical features. Overexpression of NRIP1 indicated the poor prognosis of STAD. Functional enrichment analysis showed the NRIP1 mainly enriched in immune response-regulating signaling pathway, cell-substrate adhesion, mRNA processing, and pathway in cancer. Overexpression USP25, SNYJ1 indicated the poor outcome of STAD, but the overexpression of BACH1 indicated protective biomarker. MIR-331 and MIR-132 have important role in STAD. Further, NRIP1 had a significant relation with immune infiltrates and other defined genes that significantly impact immune infiltrates. Immunohistochemical showed NRIP1 protein was higher in STAD than normal sample. Conclusions In this study, we revealed that overexpression of NRIP1 in the STAD sample compared to normal samples, NRIP1 significantly associated with macrophage. The high expression levels of NRIP1 and more macrophage infiltration led to poor prognosis of STAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalang Fang
- Department of Glandular Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Guanming Lu
- Department of Glandular Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
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15
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Coordinated dysregulation of cancer progression by the HER family and p21-activated kinases. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2020; 39:583-601. [PMID: 32820388 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-020-09922-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Most epithelial cancer types are polygenic in nature and are driven by coordinated dysregulation of multiple regulatory pathways, genes, and protein modifications. The process of coordinated regulation of cancer promoting pathways in response to extrinsic and intrinsic signals facilitates the dysregulation of several pathways with complementary functions, contributing to the hallmarks of cancer. Dysregulation and hyperactivation of cell surface human epidermal growth factor receptors (HERs) and cytoskeleton remodeling by p21-activated kinases (PAKs) are two prominent interconnected aspects of oncogenesis. We briefly discuss the discoveries and significant advances in the area of coordinated regulation of HERs and PAKs in the development and progression of breast and other epithelial cancers. We also discuss how initial studies involving heregulin signaling via HER3-HER2 axis and HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells not only discovered a mechanistic role of PAK1 in breast cancer pathobiology but also acted as a bridge in generating a broader cancer research interest in other PAK family members and cancer types and catalyzed establishing the role of PAKs in human cancer, at-large. In addition, growth factor stimulation of the PAK pathway also helped to recognize new facets of PAKs, connecting the PAK pathway to oncogenesis, nuclear signaling, gene expression, mitotic progression, DNA damage response, among other phenotypic responses, and shaped the field of PAK cancer research. Finally, we recount some of the current limitations of HER- and PAK-directed therapeutics in counteracting acquired therapeutic resistance and discuss how cancer's as a polygenic disease may be best targeted with a polygenic approach.
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16
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Bautista L, Knippler CM, Ringel MD. p21-Activated Kinases in Thyroid Cancer. Endocrinology 2020; 161:bqaa105. [PMID: 32609833 PMCID: PMC7417880 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqaa105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The family of p21-activated kinases (PAKs) are oncogenic proteins that regulate critical cellular functions. PAKs play central signaling roles in the integrin/CDC42/Rho, ERK/MAPK, PI3K/AKT, NF-κB, and Wnt/β-catenin pathways, functioning both as kinases and scaffolds to regulate cell motility, mitosis and proliferation, cytoskeletal rearrangement, and other cellular activities. PAKs have been implicated in both the development and progression of a wide range of cancers, including breast cancer, pancreatic melanoma, thyroid cancer, and others. Here we will discuss the current knowledge on the structure and biological functions of both group I and group II PAKs, as well as the roles that PAKs play in oncogenesis and progression, with a focus on thyroid cancer and emerging data regarding BRAF/PAK signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Bautista
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, and Cancer Biology Program, The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Arthur G. James Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Christina M Knippler
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, and Cancer Biology Program, The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Arthur G. James Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, Ohio
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University and Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Matthew D Ringel
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, and Cancer Biology Program, The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Arthur G. James Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, Ohio
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17
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Yao D, Li C, Rajoka MSR, He Z, Huang J, Wang J, Zhang J. P21-Activated Kinase 1: Emerging biological functions and potential therapeutic targets in Cancer. Am J Cancer Res 2020; 10:9741-9766. [PMID: 32863957 PMCID: PMC7449905 DOI: 10.7150/thno.46913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The p21-Activated kinase 1 (PAK1), a member of serine-threonine kinases family, was initially identified as an interactor of the Rho GTPases RAC1 and CDC42, which affect a wide range of processes associated with cell motility, survival, metabolism, cell cycle, proliferation, transformation, stress, inflammation, and gene expression. Recently, the PAK1 has emerged as a potential therapeutic target in cancer due to its role in many oncogenic signaling pathways. Many PAK1 inhibitors have been developed as potential preclinical agents for cancer therapy. Here, we provide an overview of essential roles that PAK1 plays in cancer, including its structure and autoactivation mechanism, its crucial function from onset to progression to metastasis, metabolism, immune escape and even drug resistance in cancer; endogenous regulators; and cancer-related pathways. We also summarize the reported PAK1 small-molecule inhibitors based on their structure types and their potential application in cancer. In addition, we provide overviews on current progress and future challenges of PAK1 in cancer, hoping to provide new ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
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18
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Huang X, Li E, Shen H, Wang X, Tang T, Zhang X, Xu J, Tang Z, Guo C, Bai X, Liang T. Targeting the HGF/MET Axis in Cancer Therapy: Challenges in Resistance and Opportunities for Improvement. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:152. [PMID: 32435640 PMCID: PMC7218174 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Among hundreds of thousands of signal receptors contributing to oncogenic activation, tumorigenesis, and metastasis, the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor - also called tyrosine kinase MET - is a promising target in cancer therapy as its axis is involved in several different cancer types. It is also associated with poor outcomes and is involved in the development of therapeutic resistance. Several HGF/MET-neutralizing antibodies and MET kinase-specific small molecule inhibitors have been developed, resulting in some context-dependent progress in multiple cancer treatments. Nevertheless, the concomitant therapeutic resistance largely inhibits the translation of such targeted drug candidates into clinical application. Until now, numerous studies have been performed to understand the molecular, cellular, and upstream mechanisms that regulate HGF/MET-targeted drug resistance, further explore novel strategies to reduce the occurrence of resistance, and improve therapeutic efficacy after resistance. Intriguingly, emerging evidence has revealed that, in addition to its conventional function as an oncogene, the HGF/MET axis stands at the crossroads of tumor autophagy, immunity, and microenvironment. Based on current progress, this review summarizes the current challenges and simultaneously proposes future opportunities for HGF/MET targeting for therapeutic cancer interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Huang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Innovation Center for the Study of Pancreatic Diseases, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Enliang Li
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Innovation Center for the Study of Pancreatic Diseases, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hang Shen
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Innovation Center for the Study of Pancreatic Diseases, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xun Wang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Innovation Center for the Study of Pancreatic Diseases, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tianyu Tang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Innovation Center for the Study of Pancreatic Diseases, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaozhen Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Innovation Center for the Study of Pancreatic Diseases, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian Xu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Innovation Center for the Study of Pancreatic Diseases, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zengwei Tang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Innovation Center for the Study of Pancreatic Diseases, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chengxiang Guo
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Innovation Center for the Study of Pancreatic Diseases, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xueli Bai
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Innovation Center for the Study of Pancreatic Diseases, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tingbo Liang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Innovation Center for the Study of Pancreatic Diseases, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
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Chang X, Yang MF, Fan W, Wang LS, Yao J, Li ZS, Li DF. Bioinformatic Analysis Suggests That Three Hub Genes May Be a Vital Prognostic Biomarker in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. J Comput Biol 2020; 27:1595-1609. [PMID: 32216644 DOI: 10.1089/cmb.2019.0367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal malignancies worldwide due to its ineffective diagnosis and poor prognosis. It is essential to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in PDAC to gain new insights into its underlying molecular mechanisms, as well as identify potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets. We screened 135 DEGs from the GSE15417, GSE16515, and GSE28735 PDAC and normal pancreatic tissue microarray data sets, and identified 16 DEGs that were correlated with PDAC prognosis through the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and log-rank tests. The Cancer Genome Atlas and Oncomine databases validated the expression levels of 16 candidate genes (SLC6A14, GPRC5A, IFI27, ERP27, SDR16C5, SIDT2, TCN1, COL12A1, MMP1, CEACAM6, DKK1, ITGA2, KRT19, PLAU, ANO1, and GABRP). Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) and protein and protein interaction (PPI) analysis identified three hub genes-ERP27, ITGA2, and MMP1-that are likely important in PDAC prognosis. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis demonstrated that they were enriched in functions of extracellular matrix organization, extracellular structure organization, and positive regulation of cell migration. Taken together, we identified three pivotal genes for PDAC, which can improve our understanding of its pathogenesis, progression, and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Chang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mei-Feng Yang
- Departments of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Wei Fan
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Li-Sheng Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The 2nd Clinical Medicine College (Shenzhen People's Hospital) of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jun Yao
- Department of Gastroenterology, The 2nd Clinical Medicine College (Shenzhen People's Hospital) of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhao-Shen Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - De-Feng Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, The 2nd Clinical Medicine College (Shenzhen People's Hospital) of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China.,Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Postdoctoral Research Station, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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20
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Wang K, Huynh N, Wang X, Pajic M, Parkin A, Man J, Baldwin GS, Nikfarjam M, He H. PAK inhibition by PF-3758309 enhanced the sensitivity of multiple chemotherapeutic reagents in patient-derived pancreatic cancer cell lines. Am J Transl Res 2019; 11:3353-3364. [PMID: 31312349 PMCID: PMC6614655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) remains the most lethal malignancy due to lack of an effective treatment. P21-activated kinases (PAKs) play a key role not only in cell proliferation and migration, but also in mediating chemo-resistance in PDA. The aim of this study was to investigate the combined effect of a PAK inhibitor PF-3758309 with multiple chemotherapeutic reagents on a panel of patient-derived PDA cell lines, and potential mechanisms involved. METHODS Cells were treated with PF-3758309 plus or minus gemcitabine, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or abraxane, and cell growth was determined using a cell proliferation assay kit. Protein expression profiles were measured by Western blot. PDA cells were subcutaneously injected into the flanks of SCID mice which were then treated with saline, gemcitabine, PF-3758309, gemcitabine plus PF-3758309 or abraxane. Tumour growth was measured by volume and weight. RESULTS PAK1 was correlated with CK19 expression, and PAK4 with α-SMA and palladin expression. Combination of PF-3758309 with 5-FU, gemcitabine or abraxane further suppressed cell growth of patient-derived PDA cell lines in vitro. The combination of PF-3758309 with gemcitabine maximally inhibited tumour growth in vivo by suppressing cell proliferation. PF-3758309 inhibited the expression of HIF-1α, palladin and α-SMA both in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSIONS PAK inhibitor PF-3758309 can enhance anti-tumour effects of multiple chemotherapeutic reagents on a panel of patient-derived PDA cell lines. Combination of PF-3758309 with gemcitabine achieves comparable efficacy to combination of gemcitabine with abraxane, and thus provides a potential targeted therapy in the management of PDA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Wang
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Austin HealthStudley Road, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia
| | - Nhi Huynh
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Austin HealthStudley Road, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia
| | - Xiao Wang
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Austin HealthStudley Road, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia
| | - Marina Pajic
- The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, The Garvan Institute of Medical Research384 Victoria St, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- St Vincent’s Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of NSWAustralia
| | - Ashleigh Parkin
- The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, The Garvan Institute of Medical Research384 Victoria St, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Jennifer Man
- The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, The Garvan Institute of Medical Research384 Victoria St, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Graham S Baldwin
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Austin HealthStudley Road, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia
| | - Mehrdad Nikfarjam
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Austin HealthStudley Road, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia
| | - Hong He
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Austin HealthStudley Road, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia
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21
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Chen L, Bi S, Hou J, Zhao Z, Wang C, Xie S. Targeting p21-activated kinase 1 inhibits growth and metastasis via Raf1/MEK1/ERK signaling in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells. Cell Commun Signal 2019; 17:31. [PMID: 30971268 PMCID: PMC6458688 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-019-0343-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) plays a fundamental role in promoting the development and progression of several cancers and is a potential therapeutic target. However, the biological function and underlying mechanism of PAK1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain unclear. Methods The expression of PAK1 was detected in both ESCC cell lines and clinical samples. Cell growth was measured by MTT, focus formation and soft agar assays. Cell migration and invasion were detected by wound healing and transwell assays. Animal models of subcutaneous tumourigenicity and tail vein metastasis were performed to determine the inhibitory effect of pharmacological inhibitor IPA-3 on tumor growth and metastasis of ESCC cells. Results We found that PAK1 was frequently overexpressed in ESCC. Ectopic expression of PAK1 promoted cellular growth, colony formation and anchorage-independent growth. Overexpressing PAK1 also enhanced migration, invasion and the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in ESCC cells. In contrast, silencing PAK1 by lentiviral knockdown or a specific inhibitor IPA-3 resulted in a contrary effect. Subsequent investigations revealed that Raf1/MEK1/ERK signaling pathway was involved in PAK1-mediated effect. Enhanced expression of Raf1 attenuated the inhibitory functions of PAK1 shRNA. Whereas blocking of Raf1 by shRNA or specific inhibition of MEK1 by U0126 antagonized the oncogenetic effect of PAK1 on ESCC cells. More importantly, Pharmacological inhibition of PAK1 by IPA-3 significantly suppressed tumor growth and lung metastasis of ESCC cells in vivo. Conclusions These data support that PAK1 is an ideal target for the development of potential therapeutic drugs for ESCC patients even with metastasis. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12964-019-0343-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Chen
- Institute of Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China
| | - Shuning Bi
- Institute of Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China
| | - Jiuzhou Hou
- Institute of Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China
| | - Zhijun Zhao
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Luohe Medical College, Luohe, 462000, China.
| | - Chaojie Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine and Immuno-Engineering, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China.
| | - Songqiang Xie
- Institute of Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China.
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22
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Ghanaatgar-Kasbi S, Khorrami S, Avan A, Aledavoud SA, Ferns GA. Targeting the C-MET/HGF Signaling Pathway in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Curr Pharm Des 2019; 24:4619-4625. [DOI: 10.2174/1381612825666190110145855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Revised: 12/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/31/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The c-mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (c-MET) is involved in the tumorigenesis of various
cancers. HGF/Met inhibitors are now attracting considerable interest due to their anti-tumor activity in multiple
malignancies such as pancreatic cancer. It is likely that within the next few years, HGF/Met inhibitors will become
a crucial component for cancer management. In this review, we summarize the role of HGF/Met pathway in
the pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer, with particular emphasize on HGF/Met inhibitors in the clinical setting,
including Cabozantinib (XL184, BMS-907351), Crizotinib (PF-02341066), MK-2461, Merestinib (LY2801653),
Tivantinib (ARQ197), SU11274, Onartuzumab (MetMab), Emibetuzumab (LY2875358), Ficlatuzumab (AV-
299), Rilotumumab (AMG 102), and NK4 in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadaf Ghanaatgar-Kasbi
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Shadi Khorrami
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Amir Avan
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Seyed A. Aledavoud
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Gordon A. Ferns
- Brighton & Sussex Medical School, Division of Medical Education, Falmer, Brighton, Sussex BN1 9PH, United Kingdom
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23
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Symeonidis N, Lambropoulou M, Pavlidis E, Anagnostopoulos C, Tsaroucha A, Kotini A, Nikolaidou C, Kiziridou A, Simopoulos C. PAK1 Expression in Pancreatic Cancer: Clinicopathological Characteristics and Prognostic Significance. CLINICAL MEDICINE INSIGHTS-ONCOLOGY 2019; 13:1179554919831990. [PMID: 30799970 PMCID: PMC6379789 DOI: 10.1177/1179554919831990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Background: Improvement of the management of pancreatic cancer requires a better
understanding of the genetic and molecular changes responsible for the
development of the disease. The family of p21-activated kinases (PAKs) and
especially PAK1 appears to mediate many cellular processes that contribute
to the development and progression of pancreatic cancer, but the clinical
relevance of PAK1 expression with the disease still remains unclear. Aim of
the study was to assess the clinical value and the potential prognostic
significance of PAK1 in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Methods: We investigated the relationship between the PAK1 expression and the clinical
and histopathologic characteristics of pancreatic cancer patients and the
potential significance of PAK1 on survival. We examined tissue samples from
51 patients operated for pancreatic cancer. PAK1 expression was investigated
with immunohistochemistry and correlated to clinicopathological
parameters. Results: PAK1 was detected in all tumor samples and high expression was found in most
patients. High PAK1 expression was also associated with younger age and
well-differentiated tumors, but no association was found between PAK1
expression and Tumor-Node-Metastasis stage as well as deceased or alive
status on follow-up. Moderate to high PAK1 expression favored higher 6-month
and 1-year survival and low PAK1 expression 2-year survival but without
statistical significance. Conclusions Our results indicate that PAK1 could potentially be used as a prognostic
marker in pancreatic cancer. Further studies could clarify whether
utilization of PAK1 in therapeutic protocols for the treatment of pancreatic
cancer will render them more effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Symeonidis
- Postgraduate Program in Hepatobiliary/Pancreatic Surgery, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.,2nd Surgical Propedeutic Department, Hippokratio General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Maria Lambropoulou
- Laboratory of Histology-Embryology, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Efstathios Pavlidis
- Postgraduate Program in Hepatobiliary/Pancreatic Surgery, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | | | - Alexandra Tsaroucha
- 2nd Department of Surgery and Laboratory of Experimental Surgery-Postgraduate Program in Hepatobiliary/Pancreatic Surgery, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Athanasia Kotini
- Laboratory of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Christina Nikolaidou
- Laboratory of Histology-Embryology, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Anastasia Kiziridou
- Department of Pathology, Theagenio Anticancer Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Constantinos Simopoulos
- 2nd Department of Surgery and Laboratory of Experimental Surgery-Postgraduate Program in Hepatobiliary/Pancreatic Surgery, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
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24
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P21 activated kinase signaling in cancer. Semin Cancer Biol 2019; 54:40-49. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2018.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Revised: 01/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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25
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Wang K, Baldwin GS, Nikfarjam M, He H. p21-activated kinase signalling in pancreatic cancer: New insights into tumour biology and immune modulation. World J Gastroenterol 2018; 24:3709-3723. [PMID: 30197477 PMCID: PMC6127653 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v24.i33.3709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive and lethal malignancies worldwide, with a very poor prognosis and a five-year survival rate less than 8%. This dismal outcome is largely due to delayed diagnosis, early distant dissemination and resistance to conventional chemo-therapies. Kras mutation is a well-defined hallmark of pancreatic cancer, with over 95% of cases harbouring Kras mutations that give rise to constitutively active forms of Kras. As important down-stream effectors of Kras, p21-activated kinases (PAKs) are involved in regulating cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion/migration and chemo-resistance. Immunotherapy is now emerging as a promising treatment modality in the era of personalized anti-cancer therapeutics. In this review, basic knowledge of PAK structure and regulation is briefly summarised and the pivotal role of PAKs in Kras-driven pancreatic cancer is highlighted in terms of tumour biology and chemo-resistance. Finally, the involvement of PAKs in immune modulation in the tumour microenvironment is discussed and the potential advantages of targeting PAKs are explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Wang
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3084, Australia
| | - Graham S Baldwin
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3084, Australia
| | - Mehrdad Nikfarjam
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3084, Australia
| | - Hong He
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3084, Australia
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26
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Thillai K, Lam H, Sarker D, Wells CM. Deciphering the link between PI3K and PAK: An opportunity to target key pathways in pancreatic cancer? Oncotarget 2017; 8:14173-14191. [PMID: 27845911 PMCID: PMC5355171 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of personalised therapies has ushered in a new and exciting era of cancer treatment for a variety of solid malignancies. Yet pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has failed to benefit from this paradigm shift, remaining notoriously refractory to targeted therapies. Chemotherapy is the cornerstone of management but can offer only modest survival benefits of a few months with 5-year survival rates rarely exceeding 3%. Despite these disappointing statistics, significant strides have been made towards understanding the complex biology of pancreatic cancer, with deep genomic sequencing identifying novel genetic aberrations and key signalling pathways. The PI3K-PDK1-AKT pathway has received great attention due to its prominence in carcinogenesis. However, efforts to target several components of this network have resulted in only a handful of drugs demonstrating any survival benefit in solid tumors; despite promising pre-clinical results. p-21 activated kinase 4 (PAK4) is a gene that is recurrently amplified or overexpressed in PDAC and both PAK4 and related family member PAK1, have been linked to aberrant RAS activity, a common feature in pancreatic cancer. As regulators of PI3K, PAKs have been highlighted as a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target. In this review, we discuss the biology of pancreatic cancer and the close interaction between PAKs and the PI3K pathway. We also suggest proposals for future research that may see the development of effective targeted therapies that could finally improve outcomes for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiruthikah Thillai
- Division of Cancer Studies, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Medical Oncology, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hoyin Lam
- Division of Cancer Studies, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Debashis Sarker
- Division of Cancer Studies, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Medical Oncology, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Claire M Wells
- Division of Cancer Studies, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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27
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Guo J, Zhu M, Wu T, Hao C, Wang K, Yan Z, Huang W, Wang J, Zhao D, Cheng M. Discovery of indolin-2-one derivatives as potent PAK4 inhibitors: Structure-activity relationship analysis, biological evaluation and molecular docking study. Bioorg Med Chem 2017; 25:3500-3511. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2017.04.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2017] [Revised: 04/26/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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28
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Takiguchi S, Inoue K, Matsusue K, Furukawa M, Teramoto N, Iguchi H. Crizotinib, a MET inhibitor, prevents peritoneal dissemination in pancreatic cancer. Int J Oncol 2017; 51:184-192. [PMID: 28498406 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2017.3992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Peritoneal dissemination is a frequent occurrence in pancreatic cancer, which is associated with a poor prognosis. MET is associated with the progression of pancreatic cancer; therefore, we evaluated the effect of a MET inhibitor, crizotinib, on peritoneal dissemination of pancreatic cancer. Crizotinib inhibited the growth of 8 pancreatic cancer cell lines with the IC50 ranging from 1.4 to 4.3 µM. Invasion of the pancreatic cancer cell line Suit-2, was suppressed in vitro at a concentration of 1.0 µM, which is sufficient for the inhibition of MET phosphorylation. This effect on cell invasion was also recapitulated by the reduction of MET expression in Suit-2 with siRNA. Crizotinib also inhibited RhoA activation in addition to MET phosphorylation. We further evaluated the effect of crizotinib on peritoneal dissemination of pancreatic cancer in vivo. Crizotinib reduced tumor burden and ascites accumulation due to development of peritoneal dissemination after inoculation of Suit-2. Taken together, crizotinib may be a potent drug for treating peritoneal dissemination of pancreatic cancer by inhibiting cancer cell proliferation and invasion, at least in part through the suppression of HGF/MET signaling and RhoA activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soichi Takiguchi
- Clinical Research Institute, National Kyushu Cancer Center, Fukuoka 811-1395, Japan
| | - Kazuko Inoue
- Clinical Research Institute, National Kyushu Cancer Center, Fukuoka 811-1395, Japan
| | - Kimihiko Matsusue
- Department of Hygiene Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka 814-0180, Japan
| | - Masayuki Furukawa
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatology, National Kyushu Cancer Center, Fukuoka 811-1395, Japan
| | - Norihiro Teramoto
- Division of Pathology, National Hospital Organization Shikoku Cancer Center, Matsuyama 791-0280, Japan
| | - Haruo Iguchi
- Clinical Research Institute, National Hospital Organization Shikoku Cancer Center, Matsuyama 791-0280, Japan
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29
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Gan J, Ke X, Jiang J, Dong H, Yao Z, Lin Y, Lin W, Wu X, Yan S, Zhuang Y, Chu WK, Cai R, Zhang X, Cheung HS, Block NL, Pang CP, Schally AV, Zhang H. Growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor antagonists inhibit human gastric cancer through downregulation of PAK1-STAT3/NF-κB signaling. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:14745-14750. [PMID: 27930339 PMCID: PMC5187693 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1618582114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) ranks as the fourth most frequent in incidence and second in mortality among all cancers worldwide. The development of effective treatment approaches is an urgent requirement. Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and GHRH receptor (GHRH-R) have been found to be present in a variety of tumoral tissues and cell lines. Therefore the inhibition of GHRH-R was proposed as a promising approach for the treatment of these cancers. However, little is known about GHRH-R and the relevant therapy in human GC. By survival analyses of multiple cohorts of GC patients, we identified that increased GHRH-R in tumor specimens correlates with poor survival and is an independent predictor of patient prognosis. We next showed that MIA-602, a highly potent GHRH-R antagonist, effectively inhibited GC growth in cultured cells. Further, this inhibitory effect was verified in multiple models of human GC cell lines xenografted into nude mice. Mechanistically, GHRH-R antagonists target GHRH-R and down-regulate the p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1)-mediated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) inflammatory pathway. Overall, our studies establish GHRH-R as a potential molecular target in human GC and suggest treatment with GHRH-R antagonist as a promising therapeutic intervention for this cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfeng Gan
- Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Xiurong Ke
- Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Jiali Jiang
- Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Hongmei Dong
- Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Zhimeng Yao
- Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Yusheng Lin
- Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Wan Lin
- Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Xiao Wu
- Tumor Tissue Bank, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Shumei Yan
- Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Yixuan Zhuang
- Tumor Tissue Bank, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Wai Kit Chu
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Renzhi Cai
- Endocrine, Polypeptide, and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL 33125
- South Florida Veterans Affairs Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, FL 33125
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136
| | - Xianyang Zhang
- Endocrine, Polypeptide, and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL 33125
- South Florida Veterans Affairs Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, FL 33125
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136
| | - Herman S Cheung
- Endocrine, Polypeptide, and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL 33125
- South Florida Veterans Affairs Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, FL 33125
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146
| | - Norman L Block
- Department of Pathology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136
| | - Chi Pui Pang
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Joint Shantou International Eye Center, Shantou University and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Andrew V Schally
- Endocrine, Polypeptide, and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL 33125;
- South Florida Veterans Affairs Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, FL 33125
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136
- Department of Pathology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136
| | - Hao Zhang
- Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China;
- Tumor Tissue Bank, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
- Department of Biotherapy, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
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Kumar R, Sanawar R, Li X, Li F. Structure, biochemistry, and biology of PAK kinases. Gene 2016; 605:20-31. [PMID: 28007610 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2016.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Revised: 11/24/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PAKs, p21-activated kinases, play central roles and act as converging junctions for discrete signals elicited on the cell surface and for a number of intracellular signaling cascades. PAKs phosphorylate a vast number of substrates and act by remodeling cytoskeleton, employing scaffolding, and relocating to distinct subcellular compartments. PAKs affect wide range of processes that are crucial to the cell from regulation of cell motility, survival, redox, metabolism, cell cycle, proliferation, transformation, stress, inflammation, to gene expression. Understandably, their dysregulation disrupts cellular homeostasis and severely impacts key cell functions, and many of those are implicated in a number of human diseases including cancers, neurological disorders, and cardiac disorders. Here we provide an overview of the members of the PAK family and their current status. We give special emphasis to PAK1 and PAK4, the prototypes of groups I and II, for their profound roles in cancer, the nervous system, and the heart. We also highlight other family members. We provide our perspective on the current advancements, their growing importance as strategic therapeutic targets, and our vision on the future of PAKs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rakesh Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA; Cancer Biology Program, Rajiv Gandhi Center of Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram 695014, India.
| | - Rahul Sanawar
- Cancer Biology Program, Rajiv Gandhi Center of Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram 695014, India
| | - Xiaodong Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Chinese Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Chinese Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.
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Zandvakili I, Lin Y, Morris JC, Zheng Y. Rho GTPases: Anti- or pro-neoplastic targets? Oncogene 2016; 36:3213-3222. [PMID: 27991930 PMCID: PMC5464989 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2016.473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2016] [Revised: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 11/07/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Rho GTPases are critical signal transducers of multiple pathways. They have been proposed to be useful anti-neoplastic targets for over two decades, especially in Ras-driven cancers. Until recently, however, few in vivo studies had been carried out to test this premise. Several recent mouse model studies have verified that Rac1, RhoA, and some of their effector proteins such as PAK and ROCK, are likely anti-cancer targets for treating K-Ras-driven tumors. Other seemingly contradictory studies have suggested that at least in certain instances inhibition of individual Rho GTPases may paradoxically result in pro-neoplastic effects. Significantly, both RhoA GTPase gain- and loss-of-function mutations have been discovered in primary leukemia/lymphoma and gastric cancer by human cancer genome sequencing efforts, suggesting both pro- and anti-neoplastic roles. In this review we summarize and integrate these unexpected findings and discuss the mechanistic implications in the design and application of Rho GTPase targeting strategies in future cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Zandvakili
- Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Medical-Scientist Training Program, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Y Lin
- Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - J C Morris
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio USA
| | - Y Zheng
- Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Medical-Scientist Training Program, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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32
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Analysis of Important Gene Ontology Terms and Biological Pathways Related to Pancreatic Cancer. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 2016:7861274. [PMID: 27957501 PMCID: PMC5120232 DOI: 10.1155/2016/7861274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Revised: 07/18/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a serious disease that results in more than thirty thousand deaths around the world per year. To design effective treatments, many investigators have devoted themselves to the study of biological processes and mechanisms underlying this disease. However, it is far from complete. In this study, we tried to extract important gene ontology (GO) terms and KEGG pathways for pancreatic cancer by adopting some existing computational methods. Genes that have been validated to be related to pancreatic cancer and have not been validated were represented by features derived from GO terms and KEGG pathways using the enrichment theory. A popular feature selection method, minimum redundancy maximum relevance, was employed to analyze these features and extract important GO terms and KEGG pathways. An extensive analysis of the obtained GO terms and KEGG pathways was provided to confirm the correlations between them and pancreatic cancer.
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Chen MJ, Wu DW, Wang YC, Chen CY, Lee H. PAK1 confers chemoresistance and poor outcome in non-small cell lung cancer via β-catenin-mediated stemness. Sci Rep 2016; 6:34933. [PMID: 27713506 PMCID: PMC5054675 DOI: 10.1038/srep34933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
PAK1 confers resistance to the estrogen antagonist tamoxifen in breast cancer. However, a role for PAK1 remains to be elucidated for chemoresistance and prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We provide evidence that PAK1 confers cisplatin resistance by increasing β-catenin expression through ERK/GSK3β signaling. The increased β-catenin expression promotes sphere cell formation and expression of stemness markers and this β-catenin-induced stemness is responsible for PAK1-mediated cisplatin resistance. We enrolled 87 NSCLC patients who had received cisplatin-based chemotherapy to confirm the association between PAK1 expression and response to chemotherapy and outcomes. PAK1 expression, evaluated by immunohistochemistry, was positively correlated with pERK and β-catenin expression in lung tumors. Patients with high-PAK1, high-pERK, and high-nuclear β-catenin tumors more frequently showed an unfavorable response to cisplatin-based chemotherapy when compared to their counterparts. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis also indicated a poorer overall survival (OS) and relapse free survival (RFS) in patients with high-PAK1, high-pERK, and high-nuclear β-catenin tumors. In conclusion, PAK1 confers cisplatin resistance in NSCLC via β-catenin-mediated stemness. Therefore, we suggest that clinical use of a combination of the MEK/ERK inhibitor AZD6244 and cisplatin might improve sensitivity to cisplatin-based chemotherapy and outcomes in NSCLC patients who harbor high-PAK1-expressing tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Jenn Chen
- Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - De-Wei Wu
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yao-Chen Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Yi Chen
- Department of Surgery, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Huei Lee
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
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34
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Hu B, Zhang K, Li S, Li H, Yan Z, Huang L, Wu J, Han X, Jiang W, Mulatibieke T, Zheng L, Wan R, Wang X, Hu G. HIC1 attenuates invasion and metastasis by inhibiting the IL-6/STAT3 signalling pathway in human pancreatic cancer. Cancer Lett 2016; 376:387-98. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2016.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2016] [Revised: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Jagadeeshan S, Subramanian A, Tentu S, Beesetti S, Singhal M, Raghavan S, Surabhi RP, Mavuluri J, Bhoopalan H, Biswal J, Pitani RS, Chidambaram S, Sundaram S, Malathi R, Jeyaraman J, Nair AS, Venkatraman G, Rayala SK. P21-activated kinase 1 (Pak1) signaling influences therapeutic outcome in pancreatic cancer. Ann Oncol 2016; 27:1546-56. [PMID: 27117533 DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdw184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2015] [Accepted: 04/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Therapeutic resistance to gemcitabine in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is attributed to various cellular mechanisms and signaling molecules that influence as a single factor or in combination. DESIGN In this study, utilizing in vitro p21-activated kinase 1 (Pak1) overexpression and knockdown cell line models along with in vivo athymic mouse tumor xenograft models and clinical samples, we demonstrate that Pak1 is a crucial signaling kinase in gemcitabine resistance. RESULTS Pak1 kindles resistance via modulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and activation of pancreatic stellate cells. Our results from gemcitabine-resistant and -sensitive cell line models showed that elevated Pak1 kinase activity is required to confer gemcitabine resistance. This was substantiated by elevated levels of phosphorylated Pak1 and ribonucleotide reductase M1 levels in the majority of human PDAC tumors when compared with normal. Delineation of the signaling pathway revealed that Pak1 confers resistance to gemcitabine by preventing DNA damage, inhibiting apoptosis and regulating survival signals via NF-κB. Furthermore, we found that Pak1 is an upstream interacting substrate of transforming growth factor β-activated kinase 1-a molecule implicated in gemcitabine resistance. Molecular mechanistic studies revealed that gemcitabine docks with the active site of Pak1; furthermore, gemcitabine treatment induces Pak1 kinase activity both in vivo and in cell-free system. Finally, results from athymic mouse tumor models illustrated that Pak1 inhibition by IPA-3 enhances the cytotoxicity of gemcitabine and brings about pancreatic tumor regression. CONCLUSION To our knowledge, this is the first study illustrating the mechanistic role of Pak1 in causing gemcitabine resistance via multiple signaling crosstalks, and hence Pak1-specific inhibitors will prove to be a better adjuvant with existing chemotherapy modality for PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Jagadeeshan
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), Chennai Department of Genetics, University of Madras, Chennai
| | - A Subramanian
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), Chennai
| | - S Tentu
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), Chennai
| | - S Beesetti
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), Chennai
| | - M Singhal
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), Chennai
| | - S Raghavan
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), Chennai
| | | | - J Mavuluri
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), Chennai
| | | | - J Biswal
- Department of Bioinformatics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi
| | | | | | - S Sundaram
- Department of Pathology, Sri Ramachandra University, Porur, Chennai
| | - R Malathi
- Department of Genetics, University of Madras, Chennai
| | - J Jeyaraman
- Department of Bioinformatics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi
| | - A S Nair
- Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | | | - S K Rayala
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), Chennai
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36
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Fan PW, Chen JZ, Allan Jaochico M, La H, Liu N, Mulder T, Cass RT, Durk M, Messick K, Valle N, Liu S, Lee W, Crawford JJ, Rudolf J, Murray LJ, Cyrus Khojasteh S, Wright M. Rate-Determining and Rate-Limiting Steps in the Clearance and Excretion of a Potent and Selective p21-Activated Kinase Inhibitor: A Case Study of Rapid Hepatic Uptake and Slow Elimination in Rat. Drug Metab Lett 2016; 10:91-100. [PMID: 27063863 PMCID: PMC5405622 DOI: 10.2174/1872312810666160411144358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2016] [Revised: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 04/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Significant under-prediction of in vivo clearance in rat was observed for a potent p21-activated kinase (PAK1) inhibitor, GNE1. OBJECTIVE Rate-determining (rapid uptake) and rate-limiting (slow excretion) steps in systemic clearance and elimination of GNE1, respectively, were evaluated to better understand the cause of the in vitro-in vivo (IVIV) disconnect. METHODS A series of in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro experiments were carried out: 1) the role of organic cation transporters (Oct or Slc22a) was investigated in transporter knock-out and wild-type animals with or without 1-aminobenzotriazole (ABT) pretreatment; 2) the concentration-dependent hepatic extraction ratio was determined in isolated perfused rat liver; and 3) excreta were collected from both bile duct cannulated and non-cannulated rats after intravenous injection. RESULTS After intravenous dosing, the rate-determining step in clearance was found to be mediated by the active uptake transporter, Oct1. In cannulated rats, biliary and renal clearance of GNE1 accounted for only approximately 14 and 16% of the total clearance, respectively. N-acetylation, an important metabolic pathway, accounted for only about 10% of the total dose. In non-cannulated rats, the majority of the dose was recovered in feces as unchanged parent (up to 91%) overnight following intravenous administration. CONCLUSION Because the clearance of GNE1 is mediated through uptake transporters rather than metabolism, the extrahepatic expression of Oct1 in kidney and intestine in rat likely plays an important role in the IVIV disconnect in hepatic clearance prediction. The slow process of intestinal secretion is the rate-limiting step for in vivo clearance of GNE1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter W Fan
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way, MS 412a, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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37
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Kumar R, Li DQ. PAKs in Human Cancer Progression: From Inception to Cancer Therapeutic to Future Oncobiology. Adv Cancer Res 2016; 130:137-209. [PMID: 27037753 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2016.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Since the initial recognition of a mechanistic role of p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) in breast cancer invasion, PAK1 has emerged as one of the widely overexpressed or hyperactivated kinases in human cancer at-large, allowing the PAK family to make in-roads in cancer biology, tumorigenesis, and cancer therapeutics. Much of our current understanding of the PAK family in cancer progression relates to a central role of the PAK family in the integration of cancer-promoting signals from cell membrane receptors as well as function as a key nexus-modifier of complex, cytoplasmic signaling network. Another core aspect of PAK signaling that highlights its importance in cancer progression is through PAK's central role in the cross talk with signaling and interacting proteins, as well as PAK's position as a key player in the phosphorylation of effector substrates to engage downstream components that ultimately leads to the development cancerous phenotypes. Here we provide a comprehensive review of the recent advances in PAK cancer research and its downstream substrates in the context of invasion, nuclear signaling and localization, gene expression, and DNA damage response. We discuss how a deeper understanding of PAK1's pathobiology over the years has widened research interest to the PAK family and human cancer, and positioning the PAK family as a promising cancer therapeutic target either alone or in combination with other therapies. With many landmark findings and leaps in the progress of PAK cancer research since the infancy of this field nearly 20 years ago, we also discuss postulated advances in the coming decade as the PAK family continues to shape the future of oncobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Kumar
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States; Rajiv Gandhi Center of Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India.
| | - D-Q Li
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Epigenetics in Shanghai, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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38
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Pothula SP, Xu Z, Goldstein D, Biankin AV, Pirola RC, Wilson JS, Apte MV. Hepatocyte growth factor inhibition: a novel therapeutic approach in pancreatic cancer. Br J Cancer 2016; 114:269-80. [PMID: 26766740 PMCID: PMC4742591 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2015.478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 12/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs, which produce the stroma of pancreatic cancer (PC)) interact with cancer cells to facilitate PC growth. A candidate growth factor pathway that may mediate this interaction is the HGF-c-MET pathway. METHODS Effects of HGF inhibition (using a neutralising antibody AMG102) alone or in combination with gemcitabine were assessed (i) in vivo using an orthotopic model of PC, and (ii) in vitro using cultured PC cells (AsPC-1) and human PSCs. RESULTS We have shown that human PSCs (hPSCs) secrete HGF but do not express the receptor c-MET, which is present predominantly on cancer cells. HGF inhibition was as effective as standard chemotherapy in inhibiting local tumour growth but was significantly more effective than gemcitabine in reducing tumour angiogenesis and metastasis. HGF inhibition has resulted in reduced metastasis; however, interestingly this antimetastatic effect was lost when combined with gemcitabine. This suggests that gemcitabine treatment selects out a subpopulation of cancer cells with increased epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stem-cell characteristics, as supported by our findings of increased expression of EMT and stem-cell markers in tumour sections from our animal model. In vitro studies showed that hPSC secretions induced proliferation and migration, but inhibited apoptosis, of cancer cells. These effects were countered by pretreatment of hPSC secretions with a HGF-neutralising antibody but not by gemcitabine, indicating a key role for HGF in PSC-PC interactions. CONCLUSIONS Our studies suggest that targeted therapy to inhibit stromal-tumour interactions mediated by the HGF-c-MET pathway may represent a novel therapeutic approach in PC that will require careful modelling for optimal integration with existing treatment modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srinivasa P Pothula
- Pancreatic Research Group, South Western Sydney Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Zhihong Xu
- Pancreatic Research Group, South Western Sydney Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David Goldstein
- Department of Medical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Andrew V Biankin
- Cancer Research Division, The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Romano C Pirola
- Pancreatic Research Group, South Western Sydney Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jeremy S Wilson
- Pancreatic Research Group, South Western Sydney Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Minoti V Apte
- Pancreatic Research Group, South Western Sydney Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
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NOTCH1 intracellular domain negatively regulates PAK1 signaling pathway through direct interaction. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2016; 1863:179-88. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2015.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2015] [Revised: 11/01/2015] [Accepted: 11/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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40
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Zheng M, Liu J, Zhu M, Yin R, Dai J, Sun J, Shen W, Ji Y, Jin G, Ma H, Dong J, Xu L, Hu Z, Shen H. Potentially functional polymorphisms in PAK1 are associated with risk of lung cancer in a Chinese population. Cancer Med 2015; 4:1781-7. [PMID: 26377044 PMCID: PMC4674004 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2015] [Revised: 08/08/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
P21-activated kinase 1(PAK1) plays an important role in the regulation of cell morphogenesis, motility, mitosis, and angiogenesis and has been implicated with tumorigenesis and tumor progression. We hypothesized that functional polymorphisms in PAK1 gene may modify the risk of lung cancer. We screened four potentially functional polymorphisms (rs2154754, rs3015993, rs7109645, and rs2844337) in PAK1 gene and evaluated the association between the genetic variants and lung cancer risk in a case–control study including 1341 lung cancer cases and 1982 cancer-free controls in a Chinese population. We found that variant allele of rs2154754 was significantly associated with a decreased risk of lung cancer (OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.77–0.95, P = 0.004), meanwhile the result of rs3015993 was marginal (OR = 0.90, 95%CI: 0.81–1.00, P = 0.044). After multiple comparisons, rs2154754 was still significantly associated with the lung cancer risk (P < 0.0125 for Bonferroni correction). We also detected a significant interaction between rs2154754 genotypes and smoking levels on lung cancer risk (P = 0.042). Combined analysis of these two polymorphisms showed a significant allele-dosage association between the number of protective alleles and reduced risk of lung cancer (Ptrend = 0.008). These findings indicate that genetic variants in PAK1 gene may contribute to susceptibility to lung cancer in the Chinese population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingfeng Zheng
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, 214043, China
| | - Jia Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.,Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Meng Zhu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Rong Yin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Cancer Research, Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Juncheng Dai
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Jie Sun
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Wei Shen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Yong Ji
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, 214043, China
| | - Guangfu Jin
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.,Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Hongxia Ma
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.,Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Jing Dong
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.,Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Lin Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Cancer Research, Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Zhibin Hu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.,Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Hongbing Shen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.,Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
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41
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Crawford JJ, Lee W, Aliagas I, Mathieu S, Hoeflich KP, Zhou W, Wang W, Rouge L, Murray L, La H, Liu N, Fan PW, Cheong J, Heise CE, Ramaswamy S, Mintzer R, Liu Y, Chao Q, Rudolph J. Structure-Guided Design of Group I Selective p21-Activated Kinase Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2015; 58:5121-36. [PMID: 26030457 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b00572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The p21-activated kinases (PAKs) play important roles in cytoskeletal organization, cellular morphogenesis, and survival and have generated significant attention as potential therapeutic targets for cancer. Following a high-throughput screen, we identified an aminopyrazole scaffold-based series that was optimized to yield group I selective PAK inhibitors. A structure-based design effort aimed at targeting the ribose pocket for both potency and selectivity led to much-improved group I vs II selectivity. Early lead compounds contained a basic primary amine, which was found to be a major metabolic soft spot with in vivo clearance proceeding predominantly via N-acetylation. We succeeded in identifying replacements with improved metabolic stability, leading to compounds with lower in vivo rodent clearance and excellent group I PAK selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Qi Chao
- #Shanghai Chempartner Inc., 998 Halei Road, Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, People's Republic of China
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42
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Clinicopathological and cellular signature of PAK1 in human bladder cancer. Tumour Biol 2014; 36:2359-68. [PMID: 25412958 DOI: 10.1007/s13277-014-2843-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2014] [Accepted: 11/12/2014] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer (BC) is the ninth most common cancer and the 13th most common cause of cancer death. Although p21 protein-activated kinase (PAK) regulates cell growth, motility, and morphology, the expression and function of PAK1 associated with the clinicopathological and cellular signature of human BC are not clear. This study was to examine the expression of PAK1 in human BC, the association of PAK1 with clinicopathological features, and the effect of PAK1 on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in BC cells. A total of 54 BC and 12 normal bladder tissue specimens were retrieved. Among 54 BC patients, 39 cases were superficial BC and 15 cases were invasive BC. Histological examination revealed 29 patients with low-grade and 25 patients with high-grade papillary urothelial carcinomas. Immunohistochemical staining showed that PAK1 was overexpressed in BC tissue compared with normal bladder tissue. The overexpression of PAK1 was significantly associated with tumor size, histological grade, and lymph node metastasis, but not with gender, age, clinical stage, tumor number, and recurrence. Furthermore, the cytoplasmic distribution of PAK1 was observed in BC cells. Knocking down of PAK1 using lentiviral transduction decreased BC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the overexpression of PAK1 is closely associated with the clinicopathological features of BC, suggesting that PAK1 may play an important role in the development and progression of BC and may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of BC.
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