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Yu X, Xu J. TWIST1 Drives Cytotoxic CD8+ T-Cell Exhaustion through Transcriptional Activation of CD274 (PD-L1) Expression in Breast Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1973. [PMID: 38893094 PMCID: PMC11171171 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16111973] [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: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
In breast cancer, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is positively associated with programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and immune escape, and TWIST1 silences ERα expression and induces EMT and cancer metastasis. However, how TWIST1 regulates PD-L1 and immune evasion is unknown. This study analyzed TWIST1 and PD-L1 expression in breast cancers, investigated the mechanism for TWIST1 to regulate PD-L1 transcription, and assessed the effects of TWIST1 and PD-L1 in cancer cells on cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. Interestingly, TWIST1 expression is correlated with high-level PD-L1 expression in ERα-negative breast cancer cells. The overexpression and knockdown of TWIST1 robustly upregulate and downregulate PD-L1 expression, respectively. TWIST1 binds to the PD-L1 promoter and recruits the TIP60 acetyltransferase complex in a BRD8-dependent manner to transcriptionally activate PD-L1 expression, which significantly accelerates the exhaustion and death of the cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. Accordingly, knockdown of TWIST1 or BRD8 or inhibition of PD-L1 significantly enhances the tumor antigen-specific CD8+ T cells to suppress the growth of breast cancer cells. These results demonstrate that TWIST1 directly induces PD-L1 expression in ERα-negative breast cancer cells to promote immune evasion. Targeting TWIST1, BRD8, and/or PD-L1 in ERα-negative breast cancer cells with TWIST1 expression may sensitize CD8+ T-cell-mediated immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobin Yu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Jianming Xu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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2
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Wang T, Ji M, Sun J. Identification and validation of an endoplasmic-reticulum-stress-related gene signature as an effective diagnostic marker of endometriosis. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17070. [PMID: 38549776 PMCID: PMC10977089 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17070] [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: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Endometriosis is one of the most common benign gynecological diseases and is characterized by chronic pain and infertility. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is a cellular adaptive response that plays a pivotal role in many cellular processes, including malignant transformation. However, whether ER stress is involved in endometriosis remains largely unknown. Here, we aimed to explore the potential role of ER stress in endometriosis, as well as its diagnostic value. Methods We retrieved data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Data from the GSE7305 and GSE23339 datasets were integrated into a merged dataset as the training cohort. Differentially expressed ER stress-related genes (DEG-ERs) were identified by integrating ER stress-related gene profiles downloaded from the GeneCards database with differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the training cohort. Next, an ER stress-related gene signature was identified using LASSO regression analysis. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the discriminatory ability of the constructed model, which was further validated in the GSE51981 and GSE105764 datasets. Online databases were used to explore the possible regulatory mechanisms of the genes in the signature. Meanwhile, the CIBERSORT algorithm and Pearson correlation test were applied to analyze the association between the gene signature and immune infiltration. Finally, expression levels of the signature genes were further detected in clinical specimens using qRT-PCR and validated in the Turku endometriosis database. Results In total, 48 DEG-ERs were identified in the training cohort. Based on LASSO regression analysis, an eight-gene-based ER stress-related gene signature was constructed. This signature exhibited excellent diagnostic value in predicting endometriosis. Further analysis indicated that this signature was associated with a compromised ER stress state. In total, 12 miRNAs and 23 lncRNAs were identified that potentially regulate the expression of ESR1, PTGIS, HMOX1, and RSAD2. In addition, the ER stress-related gene signature indicated an immunosuppressive state in endometriosis. Finally, all eight genes showed consistent expression trends in both clinical samples and the Turku database compared with the training dataset. Conclusions Our work not only provides new insights into the impact of ER stress in endometriosis but also provides a novel biomarker with high clinical value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- Department of Gynecology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji Medical University, Shanghai, Pudong New Area, China
| | - Mei Ji
- Department of Gynecology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji Medical University, Shanghai, Pudong New Area, China
| | - Jing Sun
- Department of Gynecology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji Medical University, Shanghai, Pudong New Area, China
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3
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Li G, Zhao D, Peng X, Zhao Y. Expression of miR-22 profiling in colorectal normal-adenoma-carcinoma sequence. Gene 2024; 894:147955. [PMID: 37925119 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in the world. MiRNA-22 has emerged as a potential candidate with diagnostic significance; however, its expression profile across the normal-adenoma-carcinoma transition in colorectal remains unexplored. In this study, we evaluated serum miRNA-22 levels in patients with varying stages of CRC. The study cohort comprised 49 healthy controls, 50 patients with polyps, 51 individuals with colorectal adenoma (CRA), and 50 cases of CRC, confirmed through proctocolonoscopy and pathological biopsy. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was employed to validate the significantly differential expression of serum miRNA-22 among different stages of CRC progression. The 2-ΔΔCT method was utilized to assess the relative changes in serum miRNA-22 expression levels. Our results revealed no significant differences in gender, adenoma grade, location, or TNM classification stage in terms of serum miR-22 expression across the four groups. Notably, both the CRC and CRA groups exhibited higher miR-22 expression levels compared to the control group (p = 0.0001, p = 0.0004), with the CRA and CRC groups displaying higher expression levels than the polyp group (p = 0.02, p = 0.043). Ordered multicategorical logistic regression analysis model revealed the utilization of age, gender, smoking status, and miR-22 expression collectively exhibited the highest value for the area under the curve (AUC = 0.748) in the discrimination between individuals CRC and healthy. The independent factor of expression of miR-22 demonstrated the most notable predictive capacity (AUC = 0.753) when distinguishing between CRA and healthy individuals. Furthermore, the independent expression of miR-22 exhibited discernible potential (AUC = 0.654, 0.636) differentiation between polyps and CRA/ CRC. Notably, the factor of age displayed the most substantial discriminatory power (AUC = 0.741) when distinguishing between polyps and healthy individuals. Our findings provide supportive evidence for considering miR-22 as a potential biomarker for CRC early screening. Nonetheless, the molecular mechanisms of miR-22 regulation in colorectal lesions still need to be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gairui Li
- Shenzhen Nanshan Center for Chronic Disease Control, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Dan Zhao
- Shenzhen Nanshan Center for Chronic Disease Control, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.
| | - Xiaolin Peng
- Shenzhen Nanshan Center for Chronic Disease Control, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Yashuang Zhao
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
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4
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Ruan Q, Wang C, Wu Y, Zhu Q. Exosome microRNA-22 inhibiting proliferation, migration and invasion through regulating Twist1/CADM1 axis in osteosarcoma. Sci Rep 2024; 14:761. [PMID: 38191892 PMCID: PMC10774347 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50612-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aims to the function of miR-22 original mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) on osteosarcoma (OS) proliferation, migration and invasion. Bio-informatics analysis including GEO2R analysis, Gene Ontology analysis, integration analysis were used to confirmed the target genes (miR-22, Twist1, CADM1) in OS. RT-qPCR and western blotting confirmed the different expression of miR-22, Twist1, CADM1 in OS tissues, MG63 and Saos cell lines. MTS assay, CCK8 assay, colony forming assay, EdU assay were performed to detect the proliferation effect of miR-22 on MG63. Transwell migration assay, transwell invasion assay, wound healing assay were used to verify the migration and invasion effect of miR-22 on MG63. Luciferase reporter assay confirm the binding sites between miR-22 and Twist1. RT-qPCR confirmed miR-22 and CADM1 downregulated and Twist1 upregulated in OS tissues, MG63 and Saos. Exosome original MSC labeled with PKH-26 could be uptake by MG63, which upregulated the expression of miR-22 in MG63. High expression of miR-22 in MG63 inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion, which could be rescued by Twist1. Dual luciferase reporter analysis confirmed Twist1 was a target of miR-22. Exosome modified with miR-22 mimic inhibit proliferation, migration and invasion more efficient than exosome original MSC. miR-22 cargo in exo-MSC could uptake by MG63 and supply MG63 with miR-22, which inhibit MG63 proliferation, migration and invasion through targeting Twist1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Ruan
- Department of Orthopedics of the China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Sendai Street 126, Changchun, 130033, Jilin, China
| | - Cuijie Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology of the China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Sendai Street 126, Changchun, 130033, Jilin, China
| | - Yuntao Wu
- Department of Orthopedics of the China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Sendai Street 126, Changchun, 130033, Jilin, China
| | - Qingsan Zhu
- Department of Orthopedics of the China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Sendai Street 126, Changchun, 130033, Jilin, China.
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Chai XX, Liu J, Yu TY, Zhang G, Sun WJ, Zhou Y, Ren L, Cao HL, Yin DC, Zhang CY. Recent progress of mechanosensitive mechanism on breast cancer. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 185:1-16. [PMID: 37793504 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2023.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
The mechanical environment is important for tumorigenesis and progression. Tumor cells can sense mechanical signals by mechanosensitive receptors, and these mechanical signals can be converted to biochemical signals to regulate cell behaviors, such as cell differentiation, proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and drug resistance. Here, we summarized the effects of the mechanical microenvironment on breast cancer cell activity, and mechanotransduction mechanism from cellular microenvironment to cell membrane, and finally to the nucleus, and also relative mechanosensitive proteins, ion channels, and signaling pathways were elaborated, therefore the mechanical signal could be transduced to biochemical or molecular signal. Meanwhile, the mechanical models commonly used for biomechanics study in vitro and some quantitative descriptions were listed. It provided an essential theoretical basis for the occurrence and development of mechanosensitive breast cancer, and also some potential drug targets were proposed to treat such disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Xia Chai
- Institute for Special Environmental Biophysics, Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Jie Liu
- Institute for Special Environmental Biophysics, Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Tong-Yao Yu
- Institute for Special Environmental Biophysics, Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Ge Zhang
- Institute for Special Environmental Biophysics, Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Wen-Jun Sun
- Institute for Special Environmental Biophysics, Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Yan Zhou
- Institute for Special Environmental Biophysics, Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Li Ren
- Institute for Special Environmental Biophysics, Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, PR China; Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University, Ningbo, 315103, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Hui-Ling Cao
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Basic and Translation of Cardiovascular Metabolic Disease, School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, 710021, Shaanxi, PR China.
| | - Da-Chuan Yin
- Institute for Special Environmental Biophysics, Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, PR China.
| | - Chen-Yan Zhang
- Institute for Special Environmental Biophysics, Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, PR China.
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Yu X, He T, Tong Z, Liao L, Huang S, Fakhouri WD, Edwards DP, Xu J. Molecular mechanisms of TWIST1-regulated transcription in EMT and cancer metastasis. EMBO Rep 2023; 24:e56902. [PMID: 37680145 PMCID: PMC10626429 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202356902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
TWIST1 induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to drive cancer metastasis. It is yet unclear what determines TWIST1 functions to activate or repress transcription. We found that the TWIST1 N-terminus antagonizes TWIST1-regulated gene expression, cancer growth and metastasis. TWIST1 interacts with both the NuRD complex and the NuA4/TIP60 complex (TIP60-Com) via its N-terminus. Non-acetylated TWIST1-K73/76 selectively interacts with and recruits NuRD to repress epithelial target gene transcription. Diacetylated TWIST1-acK73/76 binds BRD8, a component of TIP60-Com that also binds histone H4-acK5/8, to recruit TIP60-Com to activate mesenchymal target genes and MYC. Knockdown of BRD8 abolishes TWIST1 and TIP60-Com interaction and TIP60-Com recruitment to TWIST1-activated genes, resulting in decreasing TWIST1-activated target gene expression and cancer metastasis. Both TWIST1/NuRD and TWIST1/TIP60-Com complexes are required for TWIST1 to promote EMT, proliferation, and metastasis at full capacity. Therefore, the diacetylation status of TWIST1-K73/76 dictates whether TWIST1 interacts either with NuRD to repress epithelial genes, or with TIP60-Com to activate mesenchymal genes and MYC. Since BRD8 is essential for TWIST1-acK73/76 and TIP60-Com interaction, targeting BRD8 could be a means to inhibit TWIST1-activated gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobin Yu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
| | - Tao He
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
- Present address:
Institute for Cancer MedicineSouthwest Medical UniversitySichuanChina
| | - Zhangwei Tong
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
| | - Lan Liao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer CenterBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
| | - Shixia Huang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer CenterBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
| | - Walid D Fakhouri
- Department of Diagnostic and Biomedical Sciences, Center for Craniofacial Research, School of DentistryUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonHoustonTXUSA
| | - Dean P Edwards
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer CenterBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
| | - Jianming Xu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer CenterBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
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7
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Yang S, Feng L, Zhang Q, Wu L, Zhao Q, Hou Y, Yan B, Zhang S. Overexpression of lncRNA-MEG3 inhibits endometrial cell proliferation and invasion via miR-21-5p/DNMT3B/Twist. Clinics (Sao Paulo) 2023; 78:100235. [PMID: 37392565 PMCID: PMC10757281 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinsp.2023.100235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have found that lncRNA-MEG3(MEG3) plays an important role in the development of EMs (Endometriosis), but the specific mechanism needs to be further explored. This study aimed to investigate the effect of MEG3 on the proliferation, invasion of EMs cells. The authors used RT-qPCR to detect the expression of MEG3 and miR-21-5p in EMs tissues and hESCs cells, MTT and Transwell to detect cell proliferation and invasion, western blotting assay to detect the expression of DNMT3B and Twist, MSP to detect the methylation of Twist. The present study's detection results showed that MEG3 was lowly expressed in EMs tissues and hESCs cells, and overexpression of MEG3 could down-regulate miR-21-5p and inhibit endometrial cell proliferation and invasion. In addition, overexpression of MEG3 upregulated the expression of DNMT3B and promoted the methylation of TWIST. In conclusion, the present findings suggest that MEG3 is downregulated in EMs tissues, and overexpression of MEG3 can promote the activity of DNA methyltransferase DNMT3B by downregulating miR-21-5p, thereby promoting the methylation of Twist, downregulating Twist level to inhibits hESCs cells proliferation and invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoyan Yang
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Wuhua District, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, PR China
| | - Limei Feng
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Wuhua District, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, PR China
| | - Qin Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Wuhua District, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, PR China
| | - Lu Wu
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Wuhua District, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, PR China
| | - Qinghua Zhao
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Wuhua District, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, PR China
| | - Youfang Hou
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Wuhua District, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, PR China
| | - Bo Yan
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Wuhua District, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, PR China
| | - Suxian Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Wuhua District, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, PR China.
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8
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Hu Y, Setayesh T, Vaziri F, Wu X, Hwang ST, Chen X, Yvonne Wan YJ. miR-22 gene therapy treats HCC by promoting anti-tumor immunity and enhancing metabolism. Mol Ther 2023; 31:1829-1845. [PMID: 37143325 PMCID: PMC10277895 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNA-22 (miR-22) can be induced by beneficial metabolites that have metabolic and immune effects, including retinoic acids, bile acids, vitamin D3, and short-chain fatty acids. The tumor suppressor effects of miR-22 have been suggested, but whether miR-22 treats orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not established. The role of miR-22 in regulating tumor immunity is also poorly understood. Our data showed that miR-22 delivered by adeno-associated virus serotype 8 effectively treated HCC. Compared with FDA-approved lenvatinib, miR-22 produced better survival outcomes without noticeable toxicity. miR-22 silenced hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF1α) and enhanced retinoic acid signaling in both hepatocytes and T cells. Moreover, miR-22 treatment improved metabolism and reduced inflammation. In the liver, miR-22 reduced the abundance of IL17-producing T cells and inhibited IL17 signaling by reducing the occupancy of HIF1α in the Rorc and Il17a genes. Conversely, increasing IL17 signaling ameliorated the anti-HCC effect of miR-22. Additionally, miR-22 expanded cytotoxic T cells and reduced regulatory T cells (Treg). Moreover, depleting cytotoxic T cells also abolished the anti-HCC effects of miR-22. In patients, miR-22 high HCC had upregulated metabolic pathways and reduced IL17 pro-inflammatory signaling compared with miR-22 low HCC. Together, miR-22 gene therapy can be a novel option for HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Hu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Tahereh Setayesh
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Farzam Vaziri
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Xuesong Wu
- Department of Dermatology, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Samuel T Hwang
- Department of Dermatology, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Xin Chen
- Cancer Biology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Yu-Jui Yvonne Wan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.
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Vesuna F, Penet MF, Mori N, Bhujwalla ZM, Raman V. Twist alters the breast tumor microenvironment via choline kinase to facilitate an aggressive phenotype. Mol Cell Biochem 2023; 478:939-948. [PMID: 36136285 PMCID: PMC11299248 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-022-04555-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Twist (TWIST1) is a gene required for cell fate specification in embryos and its expression in mammary epithelium can initiate tumorigenesis through the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. To identify downstream target genes of Twist in breast cancer, we performed microarray analysis on the transgenic breast cancer cell line, MCF-7/Twist. One of the targets identified was choline kinase whose upregulation resulted in increased cellular phosphocholine and total choline containing compounds-a characteristic observed in highly aggressive metastatic cancers. To study the interactions between Twist, choline kinase, and their effect on the microenvironment, we used 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy and found significantly higher phosphocholine and total choline, as well as increased phosphocholine/glycerophosphocholine ratio in MCF-7/Twist cells. We also observed significant increases in extracellular glucose, lactate, and [H +] ion concentrations in the MCF-7/Twist cells. Magnetic resonance imaging of MCF-7/Twist orthotopic breast tumors showed a significant increase in vascular volume and permeability surface area product compared to control tumors. In addition, by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we discovered that Twist upregulated choline kinase expression in estrogen receptor negative breast cancer cell lines through FOXA1 downregulation. Moreover, using The Cancer Genome Atlas database, we observed a significant inverse relationship between FOXA1 and choline kinase expression and propose that it could act as a modulator of the Twist/choline kinase axis. The data presented indicate that Twist is a driver of choline kinase expression in breast cancer cells via FOXA1 resulting in the generation of an aggressive breast cancer phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farhad Vesuna
- Division of Cancer Imaging Research, Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Marie-France Penet
- Division of Cancer Imaging Research, Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Noriko Mori
- Division of Cancer Imaging Research, Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Zaver M Bhujwalla
- Division of Cancer Imaging Research, Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Venu Raman
- Division of Cancer Imaging Research, Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Department of Pharmacology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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10
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Treeck O, Haerteis S, Ortmann O. Non-Coding RNAs Modulating Estrogen Signaling and Response to Endocrine Therapy in Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15061632. [PMID: 36980520 PMCID: PMC10046587 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15061632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The largest part of human DNA is transcribed into RNA that does not code for proteins. These non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are key regulators of protein-coding gene expression and have been shown to play important roles in health, disease and therapy response. Today, endocrine therapy of ERα-positive breast cancer (BC) is a successful treatment approach, but resistance to this therapy is a major clinical problem. Therefore, a deeper understanding of resistance mechanisms is important to overcome this resistance. An increasing amount of evidence demonstrate that ncRNAs affect the response to endocrine therapy. Thus, ncRNAs are considered versatile biomarkers to predict or monitor therapy response. In this review article, we intend to give a summary and update on the effects of microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) on estrogen signaling in BC cells, this pathway being the target of endocrine therapy, and their role in therapy resistance. For this purpose, we reviewed articles on these topics listed in the PubMed database. Finally, we provide an assessment regarding the clinical use of these ncRNA types, particularly their circulating forms, as predictive BC biomarkers and their potential role as therapy targets to overcome endocrine resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Treeck
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
- Correspondence:
| | - Silke Haerteis
- Institute for Molecular and Cellular Anatomy, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Olaf Ortmann
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
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11
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Centomo ML, Vitiello M, Poliseno L, Pandolfi PP. An Immunocompetent Environment Unravels the Proto-Oncogenic Role of miR-22. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14246255. [PMID: 36551740 PMCID: PMC9776418 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14246255] [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: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
MiR-22 was first identified as a proto-oncogenic microRNA (miRNA) due to its ability to post-transcriptionally suppress the expression of the potent PTEN (Phosphatase And Tensin Homolog) tumor suppressor gene. miR-22 tumorigenic role in cancer was subsequently supported by its ability to positively trigger lipogenesis, anabolic metabolism, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) towards the metastatic spread. However, during the following years, the picture was complicated by the identification of targets that support a tumor-suppressive role in certain tissues or cell types. Indeed, many papers have been published where in vitro cellular assays and in vivo immunodeficient or immunosuppressed xenograft models are used. However, here we show that all the studies performed in vivo, in immunocompetent transgenic and knock-out animal models, unanimously support a proto-oncogenic role for miR-22. Since miR-22 is actively secreted from and readily exchanged between normal and tumoral cells, a functional immune dimension at play could well represent the divider that allows reconciling these contradictory findings. In addition to a critical review of this vast literature, here we provide further proof of the oncogenic role of miR-22 through the analysis of its genomic locus vis a vis the genetic landscape of human cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Laura Centomo
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
- William N. Pennington Cancer Institute, Renown Health, Nevada System of Higher Education, Reno, NV 89502, USA
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Desert Research Institute, Reno, NV 89512, USA
| | - Marianna Vitiello
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy
- Oncogenomics Unit, Core Research Laboratory, ISPRO, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Laura Poliseno
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy
- Oncogenomics Unit, Core Research Laboratory, ISPRO, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence: (L.P.); (P.P.P.); Tel.: +39-050-315-2780 (L.P.); +1-775-982-6210 (P.P.P.); Fax: +39-050-315-3327 (L.P.); +1-775-982-4288 (P.P.P.)
| | - Pier Paolo Pandolfi
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
- William N. Pennington Cancer Institute, Renown Health, Nevada System of Higher Education, Reno, NV 89502, USA
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Desert Research Institute, Reno, NV 89512, USA
- Correspondence: (L.P.); (P.P.P.); Tel.: +39-050-315-2780 (L.P.); +1-775-982-6210 (P.P.P.); Fax: +39-050-315-3327 (L.P.); +1-775-982-4288 (P.P.P.)
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Study on the Potential Mechanism of miR-22-5p in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. DISEASE MARKERS 2022; 2022:3750734. [PMID: 36111260 PMCID: PMC9470364 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3750734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Objective Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) ranks among one of the most lethal malignancies worldwide. A better and comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of its malignant progression will be helpful for clinical treating NSCLC. Methods The miRNA expression profiles and target gene profiles downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus and TargetScan databases were used to identify the key regulatory pattern in NSCLC by bioinformatic analysis. The regulation of miRNA to target mRNA was verified by luciferase reporter assay, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and Western blot. A series of the in vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to examine the mechanism of the overexpression or knockdown of the miRNA and/or target gene. Results In this study, miR-22-5p was remarkably downregulated in NSCLC than in normal lung cells. The in vitro experiments showed that it could substantially inhibit NSCLC cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression. The results of luciferase reporter assay, qRT-PCR, and Western blot revealed that TWIST2 was a direct target gene of miR-22-5p. The results of in vitro and in vivo feedback experiments further demonstrated that miR-22-5p relied on TWIST2-induced malignant progression to regulate NSCLC proliferation, metastasis, and EMT progression. Conclusions This study revealed that miR-22-5p downregulation contributed to the malignant progression of NSCLC by targeting TWIST2. The findings highlight a potential novel pathway that could be therapeutically targeted in treating NSCLC.
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Man X, Li Q, Wang B, Zhang H, Zhang S, Li Z. DNMT3A and DNMT3B in Breast Tumorigenesis and Potential Therapy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:916725. [PMID: 35620052 PMCID: PMC9127442 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.916725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer has become a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide. DNA methylation has been revealed to play an enormously important role in the development and progression of breast cancer. DNA methylation is regulated by DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), including DNMT1, DNMT2, and DNMT3. DNMT3 family has three members: DNMT3A, DNMT3B, and DNMT3L. The roles and functions of DNMT1 in breast cancer have been well reviewed. In this article, the roles of DNMT3A and DNMT3B in breast tumorigenesis and development are reviewed. We also discuss the SNP and mutations of DNMT3A and DNMT3B in breast cancer. In addition, we summarize how DNMT3A and DNMT3B are regulated by non-coding RNAs and signaling pathways in breast cancer, and targeting the expression levels of DNMT3A and DNMT3B may be a promising therapeutic approach for breast cancer. This review will provide reference for further studies on the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of DNMT3A and DNMT3B in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaxia Man
- Department of Oncologic Gynecology, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin, China
| | - Qi Li
- State and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Animal Models of Human Diseases, Academy of Translational Medicine, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin, China
| | - Baogang Wang
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin, China
| | - He Zhang
- Department of Oncologic Gynecology, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin, China
| | - Songling Zhang
- Department of Oncologic Gynecology, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin, China
| | - Ziyi Li
- State and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Animal Models of Human Diseases, Academy of Translational Medicine, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin, China
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