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Guo T, Wang J, Meng X, Wang Y, Lou Y, Ma J, Xu S, Ni X, Jia Z, Jin L, Wang C, Chen Q, Li P, Huang Y, Ren S. Deciphering the role of zinc homeostasis in the tumor microenvironment and prognosis of prostate cancer. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:207. [PMID: 38833013 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-01006-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dysregulation of zinc homeostasis is widely recognized as a hallmark feature of prostate cancer (PCa) based on the compelling clinical and experimental evidence. Nevertheless, the implications of zinc dyshomeostasis in PCa remains largely unexplored. METHODS In this research, the zinc homeostasis pattern subtype (ZHPS) was constructed according to the profile of zinc homeostasis genes. The identified subtypes were assessed for their immune functions, mutational landscapes, biological peculiarities and drug susceptibility. Subsequently, we developed the optimal signature, known as the zinc homeostasis-related risk score (ZHRRS), using the approach won out in multifariously machine learning algorithms. Eventually, clinical specimens, Bayesian network inference and single-cell sequencing were used to excavate the underlying mechanisms of MT1A in PCa. RESULTS The zinc dyshomeostasis subgroup, ZHPS2, possessed a markedly worse prognosis than ZHPS1. Moreover, ZHPS2 demonstrated a more conspicuous genomic instability and better therapeutic responses to docetaxel and olaparib than ZHPS1. Compared with traditional clinicopathological characteristics and 35 published signatures, ZHRRS displayed a significantly improved accuracy in prognosis prediction. The diagnostic value of MT1A in PCa was substantiated through analysis of clinical samples. Additionally, we inferred and established the regulatory network of MT1A to elucidate its biological mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS The ZHPS classifier and ZHRRS model hold great potential as clinical applications for improving outcomes of PCa patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Guo
- Department of Urology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Urology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Xiangyu Meng
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ye Wang
- Department of Urology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yihaoyun Lou
- Department of Urology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianglei Ma
- Department of Urology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuang Xu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xiangyu Ni
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Zongming Jia
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Lichen Jin
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Chengyu Wang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Qingyang Chen
- Department of Urology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Peng Li
- Department of Urology, Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, Huzhou, China.
| | - Yuhua Huang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
| | - Shancheng Ren
- Department of Urology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.
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Richter M, Lalli E, Ruggiero C. Complex and pleiotropic signaling pathways regulated by the secreted protein augurin. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:69. [PMID: 37041625 PMCID: PMC10088197 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01090-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The secreted protein augurin, the product of the tumor suppressor gene Ecrg4, has been identified as a peptide hormone in the human proteome in 2007. Since then, a number of studies have been carried out to highlight its structure and processing and its potential roles in physiopathology. Although augurin has been shown to be implicated in a variety of processes, ranging from tumorigenesis, inflammation and infection to neural stem cell proliferation, hypothalamo-pituitary adrenal axis regulation and osteoblast differentiation, the molecular mechanisms of its biological effects and the signaling pathways it regulates are still poorly characterized. Here we provide a comprehensive overview of augurin-dependent signal transduction pathways. Because of their secreted nature and the potential to be manipulated pharmacologically, augurin and its derived peptides represent attractive targets for diagnostic development and discovery of new therapeutic agents for the human diseases resulting from the deregulation of the signaling cascades they modulate. From this perspective, the characterization of the precise nature of augurin derived peptides and the identification of the receptor(s) on the cell surface conveying augurin signaling to downstream effectors are crucial to develop agonists and antagonists for this protein. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaux Richter
- Institut de Pharmacologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire CNRS UMR 7275, Valbonne, France
- Universite Cote d'Azur, Valbonne, France
| | - Enzo Lalli
- Institut de Pharmacologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire CNRS UMR 7275, Valbonne, France
- Universite Cote d'Azur, Valbonne, France
- Inserm, Valbonne, France
| | - Carmen Ruggiero
- Institut de Pharmacologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire CNRS UMR 7275, Valbonne, France.
- Universite Cote d'Azur, Valbonne, France.
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Lim G, Widiapradja A, Levick SP, McKelvey KJ, Liao XH, Refetoff S, Bullock M, Clifton-Bligh RJ. Foxe1 Deletion in the Adult Mouse Is Associated With Increased Thyroidal Mast Cells and Hypothyroidism. Endocrinology 2022; 163:bqac158. [PMID: 36156081 PMCID: PMC9618408 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqac158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Foxe1 is a key thyroid developmental transcription factor. Germline deletion results in athyreosis and congenital hypothyroidism. Some data suggest an ongoing role for maintaining thyroid differentiation. OBJECTIVE We created a mouse model to directly examine the role of Foxe1 in the adult thyroid. METHODS A model of tamoxifen-inducible Cre-mediated ubiquitous deletion of Foxe1 was generated in mice of C57BL/6J background (Foxe1flox/flox/Cre-TAM). Tamoxifen or vehicle was administered to Foxe1flox/flox/Cre mice aged 6-8 weeks. Blood was collected at 4, 12, and 20 weeks, and tissues after 12 or 20 weeks for molecular and histological analyses. Plasma total thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine, and thyrotropin (TSH) were measured. Transcriptomics was performed using microarray or RNA-seq and validated by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS Foxe1 was decreased by approximately 80% in Foxe1flox/flox/Cre-TAM mice and confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Foxe1 deletion was associated with abnormal follicular architecture and smaller follicle size at 12 and 20 weeks. Plasma TSH was elevated in Foxe1flox/flox/Cre-TAM mice as early as 4 weeks and T4 was lower in pooled samples from 12 and 20 weeks. Foxe1 deletion was also associated with an increase in thyroidal mast cells. Transcriptomic analyses found decreased Tpo and Tg and upregulated mast cell markers Mcpt4 and Ctsg in Foxe1flox/flox/Cre-TAM mice. CONCLUSION Foxe1 deletion in adult mice was associated with disruption in thyroid follicular architecture accompanied by biochemical hypothyroidism, confirming its role in maintenance of thyroid differentiation. An unanticipated finding was an increase in thyroidal mast cells. These data suggest a possible explanation for previous human genetic studies associating alleles in/near FOXE1 with hypothyroidism and/or autoimmune thyroiditis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Lim
- Cancer Genetics Laboratory, Kolling Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia
| | - Alexander Widiapradja
- Cardiac Biology and Heart Failure Laboratory, Kolling Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia
| | - Scott P Levick
- Cardiac Biology and Heart Failure Laboratory, Kolling Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia
| | - Kelly J McKelvey
- Bill Walsh Translational Cancer Research Laboratory, Kolling Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia
| | - Xiao-Hui Liao
- Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Samuel Refetoff
- Department of Medicine, Pediatrics and Committee on Genetics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Martyn Bullock
- Cancer Genetics Laboratory, Kolling Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia
| | - Roderick J Clifton-Bligh
- Cancer Genetics Laboratory, Kolling Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia
- Department of Endocrinology, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia
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Loss of Ecrg4 improves calcium oxalate nephropathy. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0275972. [PMID: 36227903 PMCID: PMC9560046 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275972] [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: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Kidney stone is one of the most frequent urinary tract diseases, affecting 10% of the population and displaying a high recurrence rate. Kidney stones are the result of salt supersaturation, including calcium and oxalate. We have previously identified Esophageal cancer-related gene 4 (Ecrg4) as being modulated by hypercalciuria. Ecrg4 was initially described as a tumor suppressor gene in the esophagus. Lately, it was shown to be involved as well in apoptosis, cell senescence, cell migration, inflammation and cell responsiveness to chemotherapy. To the best of our knowledge, nothing is known about ECRG4's function in the renal tissue and its relationship with calciuria. We hypothesized that the increased expression of Ecrg4 mRNA is triggered by hypercalciuria and might modulate intratubular calcium-oxalate precipitation. In this study, we have first (i) validated the increased Ecrg4 mRNA in several types of hypercalciuric mouse models, then (ii) described the Ecrg4 mRNA expression along the nephron and (iii) assessed ECRG4's putative role in calcium oxalate nephropathy. For this, Ecrg4 KO mice were challenged with a kidney stone-inducing diet, rich in calcium and oxalate precursor. Taken together, our study demonstrates that Ecrg4's expression is restricted mainly to the distal part of the nephron and that the Ecrg4 KO mice develop less signs of tubular obstruction and less calcium-oxalate deposits. This promotes Ecrg4 as a modulator of renal crystallization and may open the way to new therapeutic possibilities against calcium oxalate nephropathy.
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Glioblastoma-initiating cell heterogeneity generated by the cell-of-origin, genetic/epigenetic mutation and microenvironment. Semin Cancer Biol 2021; 82:176-183. [PMID: 33453403 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2020.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) and other malignant tumours consist of heterogeneous cancer cells, including GBM-initiating cells (GICs). This heterogeneity is likely to arise from the following: different sets of genetic mutations and epigenetic modifications, which GICs gain in the transformation process; differences in cells of origin, such as stem cells, precursor cells or differentiated cells; and the cancer microenvironment, in which GICs communicate with neural cells, endothelial cells and immune cells. Furthermore, considering that various types of GICs can be generated at different time points of the transformation process, GBM very likely consists of heterogeneous GICs and their progeny. Because cancer cell heterogeneity is responsible for therapy resistance, it is crucial to develop methods of reducing such heterogeneity. Here, I summarize how GIC heterogeneity is generated in the transformation process and present how cell heterogeneity in cancer can be addressed based on recent findings.
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