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Rao R, Mohammed C, Alschuler L, Pomeranz Krummel DA, Sengupta S. Phytochemical Modulation of Ion Channels in Oncologic Symptomatology and Treatment. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1786. [PMID: 38730738 PMCID: PMC11083444 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16091786] [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: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Modern chemotherapies offer a broad approach to cancer treatment but eliminate both cancer and non-cancer cells indiscriminately and, thus, are associated with a host of side effects. Advances in precision oncology have brought about new targeted therapeutics, albeit mostly limited to a subset of patients with an actionable mutation. They too come with side effects and, ultimately, 'self-resistance' to the treatment. There is recent interest in the modulation of ion channels, transmembrane proteins that regulate the flow of electrically charged molecules in and out of cells, as an approach to aid treatment of cancer. Phytochemicals have been shown to act on ion channels with high specificity regardless of the tumor's genetic profile. This paper explores the use of phytochemicals in cancer symptom management and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohan Rao
- Department of Neurology & Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Caroline Mohammed
- Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Lise Alschuler
- Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - Daniel A. Pomeranz Krummel
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Soma Sengupta
- Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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2
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Michaelsen GL, da Silva LDRE, de Lima DS, Jaeger MDC, Brunetto AT, Dalmolin RJS, Sinigaglia M. A Prognostic Methylation-Driven Two-Gene Signature in Medulloblastoma. J Mol Neurosci 2024; 74:47. [PMID: 38662144 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-024-02203-9] [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: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB) is one of the most common pediatric brain tumors and it is estimated that one-third of patients will not achieve long-term survival. Conventional prognostic parameters have limited and unreliable correlations with MB outcome, presenting a major challenge for patients' clinical improvement. Acknowledging this issue, our aim was to build a gene signature and evaluate its potential as a new prognostic model for patients with the disease. In this study, we used six datasets totaling 1679 samples including RNA gene expression and DNA methylation data from primary MB as well as control samples from healthy cerebellum. We identified methylation-driven genes (MDGs) in MB, genes whose expression is correlated with their methylation. We employed LASSO regression, incorporating the MDGs as a parameter to develop the prognostic model. Through this approach, we derived a two-gene signature (GS-2) of candidate prognostic biomarkers for MB (CEMIP and NCBP3). Using a risk score model, we confirmed the GS-2 impact on overall survival (OS) with Kaplan-Meier analysis. We evaluated its robustness and accuracy with receiver operating characteristic curves predicting OS at 1, 3, and 5 years in multiple independent datasets. The GS-2 showed highly significant results as an independent prognostic biomarker compared to traditional MB markers. The methylation-regulated GS-2 risk score model can effectively classify patients with MB into high and low-risk, reinforcing the importance of this epigenetic modification in the disease. Such genes stand out as promising prognostic biomarkers with potential application for MB treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Lovatto Michaelsen
- Children's Cancer Institute, Porto Alegre, 90620-110, RS, Brazil
- Bioinformatics Multidisciplinary Environment-BioME, Digital Metropole Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, 59076-550, RN, Brazil
- National Science and Technology Institute for Children's Cancer Biology and Pediatric Oncology - INCT BioOncoPed, Porto Alegre, 90035-003, RS, Brazil
| | - Lívia Dos Reis Edinger da Silva
- Children's Cancer Institute, Porto Alegre, 90620-110, RS, Brazil
- Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, 90050-170, RS, Brazil
| | - Douglas Silva de Lima
- Children's Cancer Institute, Porto Alegre, 90620-110, RS, Brazil
- Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, 90035-003, RS, Brazil
| | - Mariane da Cunha Jaeger
- Children's Cancer Institute, Porto Alegre, 90620-110, RS, Brazil
- National Science and Technology Institute for Children's Cancer Biology and Pediatric Oncology - INCT BioOncoPed, Porto Alegre, 90035-003, RS, Brazil
| | - André Tesainer Brunetto
- Children's Cancer Institute, Porto Alegre, 90620-110, RS, Brazil
- National Science and Technology Institute for Children's Cancer Biology and Pediatric Oncology - INCT BioOncoPed, Porto Alegre, 90035-003, RS, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Juliani Siqueira Dalmolin
- Bioinformatics Multidisciplinary Environment-BioME, Digital Metropole Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, 59076-550, RN, Brazil
- Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, 59064-741, RN, Brazil
| | - Marialva Sinigaglia
- Children's Cancer Institute, Porto Alegre, 90620-110, RS, Brazil.
- Bioinformatics Multidisciplinary Environment-BioME, Digital Metropole Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, 59076-550, RN, Brazil.
- National Science and Technology Institute for Children's Cancer Biology and Pediatric Oncology - INCT BioOncoPed, Porto Alegre, 90035-003, RS, Brazil.
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Bundy J, Shaw J, Hammel M, Nguyen J, Robbins C, Mercier I, Suryanarayanan A. Role of β3 subunit of the GABA type A receptor in triple negative breast cancer proliferation, migration, and cell cycle progression. Cell Cycle 2024; 23:448-465. [PMID: 38623967 PMCID: PMC11174043 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2024.2340912] [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: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is known for its heterogeneous nature and aggressive onset. The unresponsiveness to hormone therapies and immunotherapy and the toxicity of chemotherapeutics account for the limited treatment options for TNBC. Ion channels have emerged as possible therapeutic candidates for cancer therapy, but little is known about how ligand gated ion channels, specifically, GABA type A ligand-gated ion channel receptors (GABAAR), affect cancer pathogenesis. Our results show that the GABAA β3 subunit is expressed at higher levels in TNBC cell lines than non-tumorigenic cells, therefore contributing to the idea that limiting the GABAAR via knockdown of the GABAA β3 subunit is a potential strategy for decreasing the proliferation and migration of TNBC cells. We employed pharmacological and genetic approaches to investigate the role of the GABAA β3 subunit in TNBC proliferation, migration, and cell cycle progression. The results suggest that pharmacological antagonism or genetic knockdown of GABAA β3 subunit decreases TNBC proliferation and migration. In addition, GABAA β3 subunit knockdown causes cell cycle arrest in TNBC cell lines via decreased cyclin D1 and increased p21 expression. Our findings suggest that membrane bound GABAA receptors containing the β3 subunit can be further developed as a potential novel target for the treatment of TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Bundy
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph’s University, Pharmacology and Toxicology Center (PTC), Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - J Shaw
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph’s University, Pharmacology and Toxicology Center (PTC), Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - M Hammel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph’s University, Pharmacology and Toxicology Center (PTC), Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - J Nguyen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph’s University, Pharmacology and Toxicology Center (PTC), Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - C Robbins
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph’s University, Pharmacology and Toxicology Center (PTC), Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - I Mercier
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph’s University, Pharmacology and Toxicology Center (PTC), Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - A Suryanarayanan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph’s University, Pharmacology and Toxicology Center (PTC), Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Bhattacharya D, Barille R, Toukam DK, Gawali VS, Kallay L, Ahmed T, Brown H, Rezvanian S, Karve A, Desai PB, Medvedovic M, Wang K, Ionascu D, Harun N, Wang C, Baschnagel AM, Kritzer JA, Cook JM, Pomeranz Krummel DA, Sengupta S. GABA(A) receptor activation drives GABARAP-Nix mediated autophagy to radiation-sensitize primary and brain-metastatic lung adenocarcinoma tumors. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.29.569295. [PMID: 38076805 PMCID: PMC10705483 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.29.569295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment, targeted therapies benefit only a subset of NSCLC, while radiotherapy responses are not durable and toxicity limits therapy. We find that a GABA(A) receptor activator, AM-101, impairs viability and clonogenicity of NSCLC primary and brain metastatic cells. Employing an ex vivo 'chip', AM-101 is as efficacious as the chemotherapeutic docetaxel, which is used with radiotherapy for advanced-stage NSCLC. In vivo , AM-101 potentiates radiation, including conferring a survival benefit to mice bearing NSCLC intracranial tumors. GABA(A) receptor activation stimulates a selective-autophagic response via multimerization of GABA(A) Receptor-Associated Protein (GABARAP), stabilization of mitochondrial receptor Nix, and utilization of ubiquitin-binding protein p62. A targeted-peptide disrupting Nix binding to GABARAP inhibits AM-101 cytotoxicity. This supports a model of GABA(A) receptor activation driving a GABARAP-Nix multimerization axis triggering autophagy. In patients receiving radiotherapy, GABA(A) receptor activation may improve tumor control while allowing radiation dose de-intensification to reduce toxicity. Highlights Activating GABA(A) receptors intrinsic to lung primary and metastatic brain cancer cells triggers a cytotoxic response. GABA(A) receptor activation works as well as chemotherapeutic docetaxel in impairing lung cancer viability ex vivo . GABA(A) receptor activation increases survival of mice bearing lung metastatic brain tumors.A selective-autophagic response is stimulated by GABA(A) receptor activation that includes multimerization of GABARAP and Nix.Employing a new nanomolar affinity peptide that abrogates autophagosome formation inhibits cytotoxicity elicited by GABA(A) receptor activation.
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5
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Zhang S, Luo Y, Sun W, Tan W, Zeng H. Prognostic Values of Core Genes in Pilocytic Astrocytom. World Neurosurg 2023; 176:e101-e108. [PMID: 37169070 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2023.05.006] [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: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) is the most common primary brain tumor in children and adolescents. Treatment strategy largely depends on its key genes and molecular mutations. This study aimed to identify potential biomarkers of PA closely related to its prognosis. METHODS The gene expression profiles (series numbers GSE50161, GSE66354, and GSE86574) of PA and normal brain tissues were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The Gene Expression Omnibus2R was used to identify differentially expressed genes. The overlapping differentially expressed genes were subjected to Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses using the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) database. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed using Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) and Cytoscape. The Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 (GEPIA2) tool analyzed the impact of hub genes on PA prognosis based on the Kaplan-Meier curves. RESULTS Compared with normal brain tissues (n = 36), a total of 37 upregulated and 144 downregulated genes were identified in PA (n = 40). In the protein-protein interaction network construction and GEPIA2 survival analysis, 2 of the top 10 hub genes were significantly associated with decreased overall survival of PA patients, namely Gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor alpha 2 (hazard ratio = 2.8, P < 0.01) and regulating synaptic membrane exocytosis protein 1) (hazard ratio = 3.2, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS This bioinformatics analysis reveals that low expression of Gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor alpha 2 and regulating synaptic membrane exocytosis protein 1 is associated with a favorable prognosis for PA patients. These 2 hub genes could be novel biomarkers for prognosis assessment, furthermore a key element for treatment decisions in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Zhang
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou University, Shantou, China; Department of Radiology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yi Luo
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou University, Shantou, China; Department of Radiology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Weisheng Sun
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou University, Shantou, China; Department of Radiology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Weiting Tan
- Department of Radiology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hongwu Zeng
- Department of Radiology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
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6
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Huang D, Alexander PB, Li QJ, Wang XF. GABAergic signaling beyond synapses: an emerging target for cancer therapy. Trends Cell Biol 2023; 33:403-412. [PMID: 36114091 PMCID: PMC10008753 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2022.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Traditionally, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is best known for its role as a primary inhibitory neurotransmitter reducing neuronal excitability in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS), thereby producing calming effects. However, an emerging body of data now supports a function for GABA beyond neurotransmission as a potent factor regulating cancer cell growth and metastasis, as well as the antitumor immune response, by shaping the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we review the current knowledge on GABA's effects on the function of tumor cells, tumor-immune interactions, and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Since altered GABAergic signaling is now recognized as a feature of certain types of solid tumors, we also discuss the potential of repurposing existing GABAergic agents as a new class of anticancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- De Huang
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Peter B Alexander
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Qi-Jing Li
- Department of Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Xiao-Fan Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
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7
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Yang Y, Ren L, Li W, Zhang Y, Zhang S, Ge B, Yang H, Du G, Tang B, Wang H, Wang J. GABAergic signaling as a potential therapeutic target in cancers. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 161:114410. [PMID: 36812710 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114410] [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: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
GABA is the most common inhibitory neurotransmitter in the vertebrate central nervous system. Synthesized by glutamic acid decarboxylase, GABA could specifically bind with two GABA receptors to transmit inhibition signal stimuli into cells: GABAA receptor and GABAB receptor. In recent years, emerging studies revealed that GABAergic signaling not only participated in traditional neurotransmission but was involved in tumorigenesis as well as regulating tumor immunity. In this review, we summarize the existing knowledge of the GABAergic signaling pathway in tumor proliferation, metastasis, progression, stemness, and tumor microenvironment as well as the underlying molecular mechanism. We also discussed the therapeutical advances in targeting GABA receptors to provide the theoretical basis for pharmacological intervention of GABAergic signaling in cancer treatment especially immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihui Yang
- The State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Beijing 100050, China; Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Drug Screen, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Liwen Ren
- The State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Beijing 100050, China; Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Drug Screen, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Wan Li
- The State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Beijing 100050, China; Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Drug Screen, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Yizhi Zhang
- The State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Beijing 100050, China; Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Drug Screen, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Sen Zhang
- The State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Beijing 100050, China; Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Drug Screen, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Binbin Ge
- The State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Beijing 100050, China; Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Drug Screen, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Hong Yang
- The State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Beijing 100050, China; Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Drug Screen, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Guanhua Du
- The State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Beijing 100050, China; Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Drug Screen, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Bo Tang
- Department of Pancreatic Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, 300060, China
| | - Hongquan Wang
- Department of Pancreatic Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, 300060, China
| | - Jinhua Wang
- The State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Beijing 100050, China; Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Drug Screen, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China.
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8
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Kaplan A, Nash AI, Freeman AAH, Lewicki LG, Rye DB, Trotti LM, Brandt AL, Jenkins A. Commonly Used Therapeutics Associated with Changes in Arousal Inhibit GABA AR Activation. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13020365. [PMID: 36830736 PMCID: PMC9953295 DOI: 10.3390/biom13020365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
GABAA receptor-positive modulators are well-known to induce sedation, sleep, and general anesthesia. Conversely, GABAA receptor negative allosteric modulators (GABAARNAMs) can increase arousal and induce seizures. Motivated by our studies with patients with hypersomnia, and our discovery that two GABAARNAMs can restore the Excitation/Inhibition (E/I) balance in vitro and arousal in vivo, we chose to screen 11 compounds that have been reported to modulate arousal, to see if they shared a GABA-related mechanism. We determined modulation with both conventional and microfluidic patch clamp methods. We found that receptor activation was variably modulated by all 11 compounds: Rifampicin (RIF), Metronidazole (MET), Minocycline (MIN), Erythromycin (ERY), Ofloxacin (OFX), Chloroquine (CQ), Hydroxychloroquine sulfate (HCQ), Flumazenil (FLZ), Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ), (-)-Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), and clarithromycin (CLR). The computational modeling of modulator-receptor interactions predicted drug action at canonical binding sites and novel orphan sites on the receptor. Our findings suggest that multiple avenues of investigation are now open to investigate large and brain-penetrant molecules for the treatment of patients with diminished CNS E/I balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anling Kaplan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Abigail I. Nash
- Department of Medical Affairs, Janssen Scientific Affairs LLC, Titusville, NJ 08560, USA
| | | | - Lauren G. Lewicki
- School of Pharmacy, University of Saint Joseph, West Hartford, CT 06117, USA
| | - David B. Rye
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | | | - Asher L. Brandt
- Department of Chemistry, University of Saint Joseph, West Hartford, CT 06117, USA
| | - Andrew Jenkins
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Saint Joseph, West Hartford, CT 06117, USA
- Correspondence:
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New LE, Yanagawa Y, McConkey GA, Deuchars J, Deuchars SA. GABAergic regulation of cell proliferation within the adult mouse spinal cord. Neuropharmacology 2023; 223:109326. [PMID: 36336067 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109326] [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: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Manipulation of neural stem cell proliferation and differentiation in the postnatal CNS is receiving significant attention due to therapeutic potential. In the spinal cord, such manipulations may promote repair in conditions such as multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury, but may also limit excessive cell proliferation contributing to tumours such as ependymomas. We show that when ambient γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is increased in vigabatrin-treated or decreased by GAD67 allele haplodeficiency in glutamic acid decarboxylase67-green fluorescent protein (GAD67-GFP) mice of either sex, the numbers of proliferating cells respectively decreased or increased. Thus, intrinsic spinal cord GABA levels are correlated with the extent of cell proliferation, providing important evidence for manipulating these levels. Diazepam binding inhibitor, an endogenous protein that interacts with GABA receptors and its breakdown product, octadecaneuropeptide, which preferentially activates central benzodiazepine (CBR) sites, were highly expressed in spinal cord, especially in ependymal cells surrounding the central canal. Furthermore, animals with reduced CBR activation via treatment with flumazenil or Ro15-4513, or with a G2F77I mutation in the CBR binding site had greater numbers of Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine positive cells compared to control, which maintained their stem cell status since the proportion of newly proliferated cells becoming oligodendrocytes or astrocytes was significantly lower. Altering endogenous GABA levels or modulating GABAergic signalling through specific sites on GABA receptors therefore influences NSC proliferation in the adult spinal cord. These findings provide a basis for further study into how GABAergic signalling could be manipulated to enable spinal cord self-regeneration and recovery or limit pathological proliferative activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauryn E New
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, UK
| | - Yuchio Yanagawa
- Department of Genetic and Behavioural Neuroscience, Gunma University, Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, 371-8511, Japan
| | - Glenn A McConkey
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, UK
| | - Jim Deuchars
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, UK
| | - Susan A Deuchars
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, UK.
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10
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Kovaříková V, Špirková A, Šefčíková Z, Pisko J, Kalatová L, Koppel J, Fabian D, Čikoš Š. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) can affect physiological processes in preimplantation embryos via GABA A and GABA B receptors. Reprod Med Biol 2023; 22:e12528. [PMID: 37476368 PMCID: PMC10354355 DOI: 10.1002/rmb2.12528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Several widely used substances (e.g., some therapeutics or food supplements) can act on gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors, and we investigated whether the activation of these receptors could affect the preimplantation embryo. Methods Transcripts of all GABA receptor subunits and selected proteins were examined using quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. To analyze the effects of receptor activation, in vitro culture of mouse preimplantation embryos with natural and synthetic GABA receptor ligands was used. Results We detected nine GABA receptor transcripts in mouse blastocysts and 14 GABA receptor transcripts in ovulated oocytes. The results of this study indicate that ionotropic GABAA receptors can be formed from α5, β3, and γ3 (or δ, π) subunits, GABAA-ρ receptors can be formed from ρ2 subunits and metabotropic GABA receptors can be formed from GABAB1b and GABAB2 subunits in mouse blastocysts. Supplementing the culture medium with GABA at concentrations of 2-10 mM or with specific GABAA and GABAB receptor agonists (at concentrations of 10-100 μM) significantly increased the proportion of dead cells in blastocysts. The GABA-induced effects were prevented by pretreatment of embryos with GABAA and GABAB receptor antagonists. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that GABA and synthetic GABA receptor ligands can negatively affect preimplantation embryos via GABAA and GABAB receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Kovaříková
- Institute of Animal PhysiologyCentre of Biosciences of the Slovak Academy of SciencesKošiceSlovakia
| | - Alexandra Špirková
- Institute of Animal PhysiologyCentre of Biosciences of the Slovak Academy of SciencesKošiceSlovakia
| | - Zuzana Šefčíková
- Institute of Animal PhysiologyCentre of Biosciences of the Slovak Academy of SciencesKošiceSlovakia
| | - Jozef Pisko
- Institute of Animal PhysiologyCentre of Biosciences of the Slovak Academy of SciencesKošiceSlovakia
| | - Laura Kalatová
- Institute of Animal PhysiologyCentre of Biosciences of the Slovak Academy of SciencesKošiceSlovakia
| | - Juraj Koppel
- Institute of Animal PhysiologyCentre of Biosciences of the Slovak Academy of SciencesKošiceSlovakia
| | - Dušan Fabian
- Institute of Animal PhysiologyCentre of Biosciences of the Slovak Academy of SciencesKošiceSlovakia
| | - Štefan Čikoš
- Institute of Animal PhysiologyCentre of Biosciences of the Slovak Academy of SciencesKošiceSlovakia
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11
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Drljača J, Popović A, Bulajić D, Stilinović N, Vidičević Novaković S, Sekulić S, Milenković I, Ninković S, Ljubković M, Čapo I. Diazepam diminishes temozolomide efficacy in the treatment of U87 glioblastoma cell line. CNS Neurosci Ther 2022; 28:1447-1457. [PMID: 35703405 PMCID: PMC9344091 DOI: 10.1111/cns.13889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Many patients with glioblastoma (GBM) suffer from comorbid neurological/psychiatric disorders and, therefore, are treated with psychopharmacological agents. Diazepam (DIA) is widely adopted to treat status epilepticus, alleviate anxiety, and inhibit chemotherapy-associated delayed emesis in GBM patients. Even though temozolomide (TMZ) and DIA could be found as possible combination therapy in clinical practice, there are no reports of their combined effects in GBM. Hence, it may be of interest to investigate whether DIA enhances the antitumor efficacy of TMZ in GBM cells. METHODS U87 human GBM was used to examine the effects of combined TMZ and DIA on cell viability, and the oxygen consumption within the cells, in order to evaluate mitochondrial bioenergetic response upon the treatment. RESULTS The cooperative index showed the presence of antagonism between TMZ and DIA, which was confirmed on long-term observation. Moreover, the level of apoptosis after the TMZ treatment was significantly decreased when administered with DIA (p < 0.001). Concomitant use of TMZ and DIA increased the basal cell respiration rate, the oxidative phosphorylation rate, and maximal capacity of mitochondrial electron transport chain, as well as the activities of complexes I and II, vs. TMZ alone (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Comparing our results with data reported that DIA elicits cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase and favors senescence reveals that DIA diminishes TMZ efficacy in concomitant use in the treatment of GBM. However, due to its great potency to hinder GBM proliferation and metabolism, it could be considered using DIA as maintenance therapy after TMZ cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jovana Drljača
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.,Center for Medical and Pharmaceutical Investigations and Quality Control, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Aleksandra Popović
- Center for Medical and Pharmaceutical Investigations and Quality Control, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.,Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Dragica Bulajić
- Center for Medical and Pharmaceutical Investigations and Quality Control, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Nebojša Stilinović
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Sašenka Vidičević Novaković
- Institute of Medical and Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Slobodan Sekulić
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Ivan Milenković
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Srđan Ninković
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Marko Ljubković
- Department of Physiology, University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia
| | - Ivan Čapo
- Center for Medical and Pharmaceutical Investigations and Quality Control, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.,Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
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12
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Feng YH, Lim SW, Lin HY, Wang SA, Hsu SP, Kao TJ, Ko CY, Hsu TI. Allopregnanolone suppresses glioblastoma survival through decreasing DPYSL3 and S100A11 expression. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2022; 219:106067. [PMID: 35114375 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2022.106067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Allopregnanolone (allo) is a physiological regulator of neuronal activity that treats multiple neurological disorders. Allo penetrates the blood-brain barrier with very high efficiency, implying that allo can treat CNS-related diseases, including glioblastoma (GBM), which always recurs after standard therapy. Hence, this study aimed to determine whether allo has a therapeutic effect on GBM. We found that allo enhanced temozolomide (TMZ)-suppressed cell survival and proliferation of TMZ-resistant cells. In particular, allo enhanced TMZ-inhibited cell migration and TMZ-induced apoptosis. Additionally, allo strongly induced DNA damage characterized by γH2Ax. Furthermore, quantitative proteomic analysis, iTRAQ, showed that allo significantly decreased the levels of DPYSL3, S100A11, and S100A4, reflecting the poor prognosis of patients with GBM confirmed by differential gene expression and survival analysis. Moreover, single-cell RNA-Seq revealed that S100A11, expressed in malignant cells, oligodendrocytes, and macrophages, was significantly associated with immune cell infiltration. Furthermore, overexpression of DPYSL3 or S100A11 prevented allo-induced cell death. In conclusion, allo suppresses GBM cell survival by decreasing DPYSL3/S100A11 expression and inducing DNA damage.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sher-Wei Lim
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan; Department of Neurosurgery, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan 722, Taiwan; Department of Nursing, Min-Hwei College of Health Care Management, Tainan 736, Taiwan
| | - Hong-Yi Lin
- Graduate Institute of Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan; The Ph.D. Program for Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and National Health Research Institutes, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Shao-An Wang
- School of Respiratory Therapy, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Sung-Po Hsu
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Jen Kao
- Graduate Institute of Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan; The Ph.D. Program for Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and National Health Research Institutes, Taipei 110, Taiwan; Ph.D. Program in Medical Neuroscience, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and National Health Research Institutes, Taipei 110, Taiwan; International Master Program in Medical Neuroscience, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and National Health Research Institutes, Taipei 110, Taiwan; TMU Research Center of Neuroscience, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Chiung-Yuan Ko
- Graduate Institute of Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan; The Ph.D. Program for Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and National Health Research Institutes, Taipei 110, Taiwan; Ph.D. Program in Medical Neuroscience, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and National Health Research Institutes, Taipei 110, Taiwan; International Master Program in Medical Neuroscience, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and National Health Research Institutes, Taipei 110, Taiwan; TMU Research Center of Neuroscience, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan.
| | - Tsung-I Hsu
- Graduate Institute of Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan; The Ph.D. Program for Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and National Health Research Institutes, Taipei 110, Taiwan; Ph.D. Program in Medical Neuroscience, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and National Health Research Institutes, Taipei 110, Taiwan; International Master Program in Medical Neuroscience, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and National Health Research Institutes, Taipei 110, Taiwan; TMU Research Center of Neuroscience, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan; TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei 110, Taiwan.
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13
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Kaushik I, Srivastava SK. GABA A receptor agonist suppresses pediatric medulloblastoma progression by inhibiting PKA-Gli1 signaling axis. Mol Ther 2022; 30:2584-2602. [PMID: 35331907 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The Sonic hedgehog-activated subgroup of medulloblastoma (SHH-MB) is one of the most common malignant pediatric brain tumors. Recent clinical studies and genomic databases indicate that GABAA receptor holds significant clinical relevance as a therapeutic target for pediatric MB. Herein, we report that "moxidectin," a GABAA receptor agonist, inhibits the proliferation of Daoy, UW426, UW228, ONS76, and PFSK1 SHH-MB cells by inducing apoptosis. Immunoblotting and immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated that moxidectin significantly induced GABAA receptor expression and inhibited cyclic AMP (cAMP)-mediated protein kinase A (PKA)-cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB)-Gli1 signaling in SHH-MB. Gli1 and the downstream effector cancer stem cell (CSC) molecules such as Pax6, Oct4, Sox2, and Nanog were also inhibited by moxidectin treatment. Interestingly, moxidectin also inhibited the expression of MDR1. Mechanistic studies using pharmacological or genetic inhibitors/activators of PKA and Gli1 confirmed that the anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects of moxidectin were mediated through inhibition of PKA-Gli1 signaling. Oral administration of 2.5 mg/kg moxidectin suppressed the growth of SHH-MB tumors by 55%-80% in subcutaneous and intracranial tumor models in mice. Ex vivo analysis of excised tumors confirmed the observations made in the in vitro studies. Moxidectin is an FDA-approved drug with an established safety record, therefore any positive findings from our studies will prompt its further clinical investigation for the treatment of MB patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itishree Kaushik
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology and Center for Tumor Immunology and Targeted Cancer Therapy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Abilene, TX 79601, USA
| | - Sanjay K Srivastava
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology and Center for Tumor Immunology and Targeted Cancer Therapy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Abilene, TX 79601, USA.
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14
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Rao R, Shah S, Bhattacharya D, Toukam DK, Cáceres R, Pomeranz Krummel DA, Sengupta S. Ligand-Gated Ion Channels as Targets for Treatment and Management of Cancers. Front Physiol 2022; 13:839437. [PMID: 35350689 PMCID: PMC8957973 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.839437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Ligand-gated ion channels are an ionotropic receptor subtype characterized by the binding of an extracellular ligand, followed by the transient passage of ions through a transmembrane pore. Ligand-gated ion channels are commonly subcategorized into three superfamilies: purinoreceptors, glutamate receptors, and Cys-loop receptors. This classification is based on the differing topographical morphology of the receptors, which in turn confers functional differences. Ligand-gated ion channels have a diverse spatial and temporal expression which implicate them in key cellular processes. Given that the transcellular electrochemical gradient is finely tuned in eukaryotic cells, any disruption in this homeostasis can contribute to aberrancies, including altering the activity of pro-tumorigenic molecular pathways, such as the MAPK/ERK, RAS, and mTOR pathways. Ligand-gated ion channels therefore serve as a potential targetable system for cancer therapeutics. In this review, we analyze the role that each of the three ligand-gated ion channel superfamilies has concerning tumor proliferation and as a target for the treatment of cancer symptomatology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Daniel A. Pomeranz Krummel
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Soma Sengupta
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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15
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Bhattacharya D, Gawali VS, Kallay L, Toukam DK, Koehler A, Stambrook P, Krummel DP, Sengupta S. Therapeutically leveraging GABA A receptors in cancer. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2021; 246:2128-2135. [PMID: 34649481 DOI: 10.1177/15353702211032549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
γ-aminobutyric acid or GABA is an amino acid that functionally acts as a neurotransmitter and is critical to neurotransmission. GABA is also a metabolite in the Krebs cycle. It is therefore unsurprising that GABA and its receptors are also present outside of the central nervous system, including in immune cells. This observation suggests that GABAergic signaling impacts events beyond brain function and possibly human health beyond neurological disorders. Indeed, GABA receptor subunits are expressed in pathological disease states, including in disparate cancers. The role that GABA and its receptors may play in cancer development and progression remains unclear. If, however, those cancers have functional GABA receptors that participate in GABAergic signaling, it raises an important question whether these signaling pathways might be targetable for therapeutic benefit. Herein we summarize the effects of modulating Type-A GABA receptor signaling in various cancers and highlight how Type-A GABA receptors could emerge as a novel therapeutic target in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debanjan Bhattacharya
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Vaibhavkumar S Gawali
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Laura Kallay
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Donatien K Toukam
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Abigail Koehler
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Peter Stambrook
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Daniel Pomeranz Krummel
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Soma Sengupta
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
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16
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Martirosian V, Deshpande K, Zhou H, Shen K, Smith K, Northcott P, Lin M, Stepanosyan V, Das D, Remsik J, Isakov D, Boire A, De Feyter H, Hurth K, Li S, Wiemels J, Nakamura B, Shao L, Danilov C, Chen T, Neman J. Medulloblastoma uses GABA transaminase to survive in the cerebrospinal fluid microenvironment and promote leptomeningeal dissemination. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109302. [PMID: 34192534 PMCID: PMC8848833 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB) is a malignant pediatric brain tumor arising in the cerebellum. Although abnormal GABAergic receptor activation has been described in MB, studies have not yet elucidated the contribution of receptor-independent GABA metabolism to MB pathogenesis. We find primary MB tumors globally display decreased expression of GABA transaminase (ABAT), the protein responsible for GABA metabolism, compared with normal cerebellum. However, less aggressive WNT and SHH subtypes express higher ABAT levels compared with metastatic G3 and G4 tumors. We show that elevated ABAT expression results in increased GABA catabolism, decreased tumor cell proliferation, and induction of metabolic and histone characteristics mirroring GABAergic neurons. Our studies suggest ABAT expression fluctuates depending on metabolite changes in the tumor microenvironment, with nutrient-poor conditions upregulating ABAT expression. We find metastatic MB cells require ABAT to maintain viability in the metabolite-scarce cerebrospinal fluid by using GABA as an energy source substitute, thereby facilitating leptomeningeal metastasis formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vahan Martirosian
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; USC Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Krutika Deshpande
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; USC Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Hao Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Keyue Shen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Kyle Smith
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Paul Northcott
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Michelle Lin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Vazgen Stepanosyan
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Diganta Das
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Jan Remsik
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Department of Neuro-Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Danielle Isakov
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Department of Neuro-Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Adrienne Boire
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Department of Neuro-Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Henk De Feyter
- Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Kyle Hurth
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; USC Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Shaobo Li
- Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Preventative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Joseph Wiemels
- Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Preventative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Brooke Nakamura
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Ling Shao
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Camelia Danilov
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Thomas Chen
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; USC Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Josh Neman
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; USC Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
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17
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Pomeranz Krummel DA, Nasti TH, Kaluzova M, Kallay L, Bhattacharya D, Melms JC, Izar B, Xu M, Burnham A, Ahmed T, Li G, Lawson D, Kowalski J, Cao Y, Switchenko JM, Ionascu D, Cook JM, Medvedovic M, Jenkins A, Khan MK, Sengupta S. Melanoma Cell Intrinsic GABA A Receptor Enhancement Potentiates Radiation and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Response by Promoting Direct and T Cell-Mediated Antitumor Activity. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2020; 109:1040-1053. [PMID: 33289666 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Most patients with metastatic melanoma show variable responses to radiation therapy and do not benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors. Improved strategies for combination therapy that leverage potential benefits from radiation therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors are critical. METHODS AND MATERIALS We analyzed metastatic melanoma tumors in the TCGA cohort for expression of genes coding for subunits of type A γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor (GABAAR), a chloride ion channel and major inhibitory neurotransmitter receptor. Electrophysiology was used to determine whether melanoma cells possess intrinsic GABAAR activity. Melanoma cell viability studies were conducted to test whether enhancing GABAAR mediated chloride transport using benzodiazepine-impaired viability. A syngeneic melanoma mouse model was used to assay the effect of benzodiazepine on tumor volume and its ability to potentiate radiation therapy or immunotherapy. Treated tumors were analyzed for changes in gene expression by RNA sequencing and presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes by flow cytometry. RESULTS Genes coding for subunits of GABAARs express functional GABAARs in melanoma cells. By enhancing GABAAR-mediated anion transport, benzodiazepines depolarize melanoma cells and impair their viability. In vivo, benzodiazepine alone reduces tumor growth and potentiates radiation therapy and α-PD-L1 antitumor activity. The combination of benzodiazepine, radiation therapy, and α-PD-L1 results in near complete regression of treated tumors and a potent abscopal effect, mediated by increased infiltration of polyfunctional CD8+ T cells. Treated tumors show expression of cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions and overrepresentation of p53 signaling. CONCLUSIONS This study identifies an antitumor strategy combining radiation and/or an immune checkpoint inhibitor with modulation of GABAARs in melanoma using benzodiazepine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Pomeranz Krummel
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Tahseen H Nasti
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Laura Kallay
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Debanjan Bhattacharya
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Johannes C Melms
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
| | - Benjamin Izar
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
| | - Maxwell Xu
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Andre Burnham
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Taukir Ahmed
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Guanguan Li
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - David Lawson
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jeanne Kowalski
- Department of Oncology, LIVESTRONG Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, University of Texas, Austin, Texas
| | - Yichun Cao
- Biostatistics Shared Resource, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jeffrey M Switchenko
- Biostatistics Shared Resource, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia; Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Dan Ionascu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - James M Cook
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Mario Medvedovic
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Andrew Jenkins
- Departments of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Mohammad K Khan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Soma Sengupta
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio.
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18
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Vriend J, Rastegar M. Ubiquitin ligases and medulloblastoma: genetic markers of the four consensus subgroups identified through transcriptome datasets. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2020; 1866:165839. [PMID: 32445667 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2020.165839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The ubiquitin proteasome system regulates key cellular processes in normal and in cancer cells. Herein, we review published data on the role of ubiquitin ligases in the four major subgroups of medulloblastoma (MB). While conventional literature serves as an initial source of information on cellular pathways in MB, large publicly available datasets of gene expression can be used to add information not previously identified in the literature. By analysing the publicly available Cavalli dataset, we show that increased expression of ZNRF3 characterizes the WNT subgroup of MB. The ZNRF3 gene codes for an E3 ligase associated with WNT receptors. Loss of a copy of chromosome 6 in a subtype of the WNT group was associated with decreased expression of the gene encoding the E3 ligase RNF146. While the E3 ligase SMURF regulates SHH receptors, increased expression of the gene encoding the Cullin Ring E3 adaptor PPP2R2C was statistically a better genetic marker of the SHH group. Genes whose expression was statistically strongly related to Group 3 included the E3 ligase gene TRIM58, and the gene for the E3 ligase adaptor, PPP2R2B. Group 4 MB was associated with expression of genes encoding several E3 ligases and E3 ligase adaptors involved in ribosome biogenesis. Increased expression of the genes encoding the E3 ligase adaptors and transcription repressors ZBTB18 and ZBTB38 were also noted in subgroup 4. These data suggest that several E3 ligases and their adaptors should be investigated as therapeutic targets for subgroup specific MB brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerry Vriend
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
| | - Mojgan Rastegar
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics and Regenerative Medicine Program, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0J9, Canada
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19
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Crocetti L, Guerrini G. GABA A receptor subtype modulators in medicinal chemistry: an updated patent review (2014-present). Expert Opin Ther Pat 2020; 30:409-432. [PMID: 32200689 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2020.1746764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Ligands at the benzodiazepine binding site of the GABAA receptor (GABAAR) act by modulating the effect of GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid). The benzodiazepine drugs are conventionally categorized as positive allosteric modulators enhancing the chloride ion current GABA-induced. In literature there are also reported ligands that act as negative allosteric modulators, reducing chloride ion current, and silent allosteric modulators not influencing the chloride ion flux.Areas covered: This review covers patents published from 2014 to present on ligands for the benzodiazepine binding site of the GABAARs. Patents filed from different companies and research groups report many compounds that may be used in the treatment/prevention of a large variety of diseases.Expert opinion: Since the discovery of the first benzodiazepine about 60 years have passed and about 50 years since the identification of their target, GABAA receptor. Even if benzodiazepines are the most popular anxiolytic drugs, the research in this field is still very active. From patents/application analysis arises that most of them claim methods for alleviating specific symptoms in different neurodegenerative diseases and their related memory deficits. Noteworthy is the presence of the α4- and α5-GABAA receptor subtype ligands as new pharmacological tools for airway hyperresponsiveness, inflammation diseases, and asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Crocetti
- NEUROFARBA, Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Section, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Gabriella Guerrini
- NEUROFARBA, Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Section, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
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