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Lee B, Park J, Voshall A, Maury E, Kang Y, Kim YJ, Lee JY, Shim HR, Kim HJ, Lee JW, Jung MH, Kim SC, Chu HBK, Kim DW, Kim M, Choi EJ, Hwang OK, Lee HW, Ha K, Choi JK, Kim Y, Choi Y, Park WY, Lee EA. Pan-cancer analysis reveals multifaceted roles of retrotransposon-fusion RNAs. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.16.562422. [PMID: 37905014 PMCID: PMC10614793 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.16.562422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Transposon-derived transcripts are abundant in RNA sequences, yet their landscape and function, especially for fusion transcripts derived from unannotated or somatically acquired transposons, remains underexplored. Here, we developed a new bioinformatic tool to detect transposon-fusion transcripts in RNA-sequencing data and performed a pan-cancer analysis of 10,257 cancer samples across 34 cancer types as well as 3,088 normal tissue samples. We identified 52,277 cancer-specific fusions with ~30 events per cancer and hotspot loci within transposons vulnerable to fusion formation. Exonization of intronic transposons was the most prevalent genic fusions, while somatic L1 insertions constituted a small fraction of cancer-specific fusions. Source L1s and HERVs, but not Alus showed decreased DNA methylation in cancer upon fusion formation. Overall cancer-specific L1 fusions were enriched in tumor suppressors while Alu fusions were enriched in oncogenes, including recurrent Alu fusions in EZH2 predictive of patient survival. We also demonstrated that transposon-derived peptides triggered CD8+ T-cell activation to the extent comparable to EBV viruses. Our findings reveal distinct epigenetic and tumorigenic mechanisms underlying transposon fusions across different families and highlight transposons as novel therapeutic targets and the source of potent neoantigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boram Lee
- Samsung Genome Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pathology and Translational Genomics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Junseok Park
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Adam Voshall
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eduardo Maury
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics Program; Harvard/MIT MD-PhD Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yeeok Kang
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoen Jeong Kim
- Samsung Genome Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Young Lee
- Cancer Genome Research Center (CGRC), Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye-Ran Shim
- Cancer Genome Research Center (CGRC), Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo-Ju Kim
- Cancer Genome Research Center (CGRC), Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Woo Lee
- Cancer Genome Research Center (CGRC), Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Hyeok Jung
- Cancer Genome Research Center (CGRC), Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Si-Cho Kim
- Cancer Genome Research Center (CGRC), Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hoang Bao Khanh Chu
- Cancer Genome Research Center (CGRC), Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Da-Won Kim
- Cancer Genome Research Center (CGRC), Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Minjeong Kim
- Cancer Genome Research Center (CGRC), Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Ji Choi
- Cancer Genome Research Center (CGRC), Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ok Kyung Hwang
- New Drug Development Center, KBiohealth, Cheongju-Si, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Ho Won Lee
- New Drug Development Center, KBiohealth, Cheongju-Si, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungsoo Ha
- New Drug Development Center, KBiohealth, Cheongju-Si, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Kyoon Choi
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yongjoon Kim
- Cancer Genome Research Center (CGRC), Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoonjoo Choi
- Combinatorial Tumor Immunotherapy MRC, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Republic of Korea
| | - Woong-Yang Park
- Samsung Genome Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunjung Alice Lee
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Giráldez-Pérez RM, Grueso E, Montero-Hidalgo AJ, Luque RM, Carnerero JM, Kuliszewska E, Prado-Gotor R. Gold Nanosystems Covered with Doxorubicin/DNA Complexes: A Therapeutic Target for Prostate and Liver Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415575. [PMID: 36555216 PMCID: PMC9779246 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Different gold nanosystems covered with DNA and doxorubicin (Doxo) were designed and synthesized for cancer therapy, starting from Au@16-Ph-16 cationic nanoparticles and DNA-Doxo complexes prepared under saturation conditions. For the preparation of stable, biocompatible, and small-sized compacted Au@16-Ph-16/DNA-Doxo nanotransporters, the conditions for the DNA-Doxo compaction process induced by gold nanoparticles were first explored using fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism and atomic force microscopy techniques. The reverse process, which is fundamental for Doxo liberation at the site of action, was found to occur at higher CAu@16-Ph-16 concentrations using these techniques. Zeta potential, dynamic light scattering and UV-visible spectroscopy reveal that the prepared compacted nanosystems are stable, highly charged and of adequate size for the effective delivery of Doxo to the cell. This fact is verified by in vitro biocompatibility and internalization studies using two prostate cancer-derived cell lines (LNCaP and DU145) and one hepatocellular carcinoma-derived cell line (SNU-387), as well as a non-tumor prostate (PNT2) cell line and a non-hepatocarcinoma hepatoblastoma cell line (Hep-G2) model used as a control in liver cells. However, the most outstanding results of this work are derived from the use of the CI+NI combined treatments which present strong action in cancer-derived cell lines, while a protective effect is observed in non-tumor cell lines. Hence, novel therapeutic targets based on gold nanoparticles denote high selectivity compared to conventional treatment based on free Doxo at the same concentration. The results obtained show the viability of both the proposed methodology for internalization of compacted nanocomplexes inside the cell and the effectiveness of the possible treatment and minimization of side effects in prostate and liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa M. Giráldez-Pérez
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Cordoba, 14014 Cordoba, Spain
- Correspondence: (R.M.G.-P.); (E.G.)
| | - Elia Grueso
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Seville, 41012 Seville, Spain
- Correspondence: (R.M.G.-P.); (E.G.)
| | - Antonio J. Montero-Hidalgo
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Reina Sofia University Hospital (HURS), Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Cordoba, 14004 Cordoba, Spain
- CIBER Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBERobn), 14004 Cordoba, Spain
| | - Raúl M. Luque
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Reina Sofia University Hospital (HURS), Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Cordoba, 14004 Cordoba, Spain
- CIBER Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBERobn), 14004 Cordoba, Spain
| | - José M. Carnerero
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Seville, 41012 Seville, Spain
| | | | - Rafael Prado-Gotor
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Seville, 41012 Seville, Spain
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Motofei IG. Biology of cancer; from cellular and molecular mechanisms to developmental processes and adaptation. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:600-615. [PMID: 34695580 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cancer research has been largely focused on the cellular and molecular levels of investigation. Recent data show that not only the cell but also the extracellular matrix plays a major role in the progression of malignancy. In this way, the cells and the extracellular matrix create a specific local microenvironment that supports malignant development. At the same time, cancer implies a systemic evolution which is closely related to developmental processes and adaptation. Consequently, there is currently a real gap between the local investigation of cancer at the microenvironmental level, and the pathophysiological approach to cancer as a systemic disease. In fact, the cells and the matrix are not only complementary structures but also interdependent components that act synergistically. Such relationships lead to cell-matrix integration, a supracellular form of biological organization that supports tissue development. The emergence of this supracellular level of organization, as a structure, leads to the emergence of the supracellular control of proliferation, as a supracellular function. In humans, proliferation is generally involved in developmental processes and adaptation. These processes suppose a specific configuration at the systemic level, which generates high-order guidance for local supracellular control of proliferation. In conclusion, the supracellular control of proliferation act as an interface between the downstream level of cell division and differentiation, and upstream level of developmental processes and adaptation. Understanding these processes and their disorders is useful not only to complete the big picture of malignancy as a systemic disease, but also to open new treatment perspectives in the form of etiopathogenic (supracellular or informational) therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ion G Motofei
- Department of Oncology/ Surgery, Carol Davila University, St. Pantelimon Hospital, Dionisie Lupu Street, No. 37, Bucharest, 020021, Romania.
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Zhao S, Wu W, Jiang H, Ma L, Pan C, Jin C, Mo J, Wang L, Wang K. Selective Inhibitor of the c-Met Receptor Tyrosine Kinase in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: No Beneficial Effect With the Use of Tivantinib? Front Immunol 2021; 12:731527. [PMID: 34804015 PMCID: PMC8600564 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.731527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a formidable health challenge worldwide, with a 5-year survival rate of 2.4% in patients with distant metastases. The hepatocyte growth factor/cellular-mesenchymal-epithelial transition (HGF/c-Met) signaling pathway represents an encouraging therapeutic target for progressive HCC. Tivantinib, a non-adenosine triphosphate-competitive c-Met inhibitor, showed an attractive therapeutic effect on advanced HCC patients with high MET-expression in phase 2 study but failed to meet its primary endpoint of prolonging the overall survival (OS) in two phase 3 HCC clinical trials. Seven clinical trials have been registered in the "ClinicalTrials.gov" for investigating the safety and efficacy of tivantinib in treating advanced or unresectable HCC. Eight relevant studies have been published with results. The sample size ranged from 20 to 340 patients. The methods of tivantinib administration and dosage were orally 120/240/360 mg twice daily. MET overexpression was recorded at 34.6% to 100%. Two large sample phase 3 studies (the METIV-HCC study of Australia and European population and the JET-HCC study of the Japanese population) revealed that tivantinib failed to show survival benefits in advanced HCC. Common adverse events with tivantinib treatment include neutropenia, ascites, rash, and anemia, etc. Several factors may contribute to the inconsistency between the phase 2 and phase 3 studies of tivantinib, including the sample size, drug dosing, study design, and the rate of MET-High. In the future, high selective MET inhibitors combined with a biomarker-driven patient selection may provide a potentially viable therapeutic strategy for patients with advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shankun Zhao
- Department of Urology, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou, China
| | - Weizhou Wu
- Department of Urology, Maoming People's Hospital, Maoming, China
| | - Hao Jiang
- Department of General Surgery, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou, China
| | - Lei Ma
- Department of General Surgery, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou, China
| | - Chengyi Pan
- Department of General Surgery, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou, China
| | - Chong Jin
- Department of General Surgery, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou, China
| | - Jinggang Mo
- Department of General Surgery, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou, China
| | - Liezhi Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou, China
| | - Kunpeng Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou, China
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