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Di Dalmazi G, Giuliani C, Bucci I, Mascitti M, Napolitano G. Promising Role of Alkaloids in the Prevention and Treatment of Thyroid Cancer and Autoimmune Thyroid Disease: A Comprehensive Review of the Current Evidence. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5395. [PMID: 38791433 PMCID: PMC11121374 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105395] [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: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Thyroid cancer (TC) and thyroid autoimmune disorders (AITD) are among the most common diseases in the general population, with higher incidence in women. Chronic inflammation and autoimmunity play a pivotal role in carcinogenesis. Some studies, indeed, have pointed out the presence of AITD as a risk factor for TC, although this issue remains controversial. Prevention of autoimmune disease and cancer is the ultimate goal for clinicians and scientists, but it is not always feasible. Thus, new treatments, that overcome the current barriers to prevention and treatment of TC and AITD are needed. Alkaloids are secondary plant metabolites endowed with several biological activities including anticancer and immunomodulatory properties. In this perspective, alkaloids may represent a promising source of prophylactic and therapeutic agents for TC and AITD. This review encompasses the current published literature on alkaloids effects on TC and AITD, with a specific focus on the pathways involved in TC and AITD development and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Di Dalmazi
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (C.G.); (I.B.); (G.N.)
- Department of Medicine and Aging Science, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Cesidio Giuliani
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (C.G.); (I.B.); (G.N.)
- Department of Medicine and Aging Science, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Ines Bucci
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (C.G.); (I.B.); (G.N.)
- Department of Medicine and Aging Science, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Marco Mascitti
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (C.G.); (I.B.); (G.N.)
- Department of Medicine and Aging Science, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Giorgio Napolitano
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (C.G.); (I.B.); (G.N.)
- Department of Medicine and Aging Science, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
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2
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Thyroid Carcinoma: Phenotypic Features, Underlying Biology and Potential Relevance for Targeting Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041950. [PMID: 33669363 PMCID: PMC7920269 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Thyroid carcinoma consists a group of phenotypically heterogeneous cancers. Recent advances in biological technologies have been advancing the delineation of genetic, epigenetic, and non-genetic factors that contribute to the heterogeneities of these cancers. In this review article, we discuss new findings that are greatly improving the understanding of thyroid cancer biology and facilitating the identification of novel targets for therapeutic intervention. We review the phenotypic features of different subtypes of thyroid cancers and their underlying biology. We discuss recent discoveries in thyroid cancer heterogeneities and the critical mechanisms contributing to the heterogeneity with emphases on genetic and epigenetic factors, cancer stemness traits, and tumor microenvironments. We also discuss the potential relevance of the intratumor heterogeneity in understanding therapeutic resistance and how new findings in tumor biology can facilitate designing novel targeting therapies for thyroid cancer.
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3
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Fang L, Liu YJ, Zhang YW, Pan ZF, Zhong LK, Jiang LH, Wang JF, Zheng XW, Chen LY, Huang P, Ge MH, Tan Z. Comparison of Proteomics Profiles Between Xenografts Derived from Cell Lines and Primary Tumors of Thyroid Carcinoma. J Cancer 2021; 12:1978-1989. [PMID: 33753996 PMCID: PMC7974514 DOI: 10.7150/jca.50897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Patient-consistent xenograft model is a challenge for all cancers but particularly for thyroid cancer, which shows some of the greatest genetic divergence between human tumors and cell lines. In this study, proteomic profiles of tumor tissues from patients, included anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) and papillary thyroid carcinoma, and xenografts (8305C, 8505C, FRO, BAPAP and IHH4) were obtained using HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry and compared based on all proteins detected (3,961), cancer-related proteins and druggable proteins using pairwise Pearson's correlation analysis. The human tissue showed low proteomic similarity to the ATC cell lines (8305C, r = 0.344-0.416; 8505C, 0.47-0.579; FRO, 0.267-0.307) and to PTC cell lines (BCPAP, 0.303-0.468; IHH4, 0.262-0.509). Human tissue showed the following similarity to cell lines at the level of 135 cancer-related pathways. The ATC cell lines contained 47.4% of the cancer-related pathways (19.26%-33.33%), while the PTC cell lines contained 40% (BCPAP, 25.93%; IHH4, 28.89%). In patient tumor tissues, 44-60 of 76 and 52-53 of 93 druggable proteins were identified in ATC and PTC tumors, respectively. Ten and 29 druggable proteins were not identified in any of the ATC and PTC xenografts, respectively. We provide a reference for CDX selecting in in vivo studies of thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luo Fang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1# Bashan East Road, 310022, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Jia Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital; People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, 310010, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yi-Wen Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital; People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, 310010, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, 310010, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zong-Fu Pan
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital; People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, 310010, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, 310010, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Li-Ke Zhong
- Department of Pharmacy, The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1# Bashan East Road, 310022, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lie-Hao Jiang
- Department of Head and neck & thyroid surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital; People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, 310010, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, 310010, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jia-Feng Wang
- Department of Head and neck & thyroid surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital; People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, 310010, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, 310010, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiao-Wei Zheng
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital; People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, 310010, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ling-Ya Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1# Bashan East Road, 310022, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ping Huang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital; People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, 310010, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, 310010, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ming-Hua Ge
- Department of Head and neck & thyroid surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital; People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, 310010, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, 310010, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhuo Tan
- Department of Head and neck & thyroid surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital; People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, 310010, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, 310010, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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4
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Rupika Sunidhi C, Jeyaprakash MR, Rajeshkumar R. Sonic Hedgehog gene as a potential target for the early prophylactic detection of cancer. Med Hypotheses 2020; 137:109534. [PMID: 32001417 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2019.109534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
In the search for newer and advanced methods for the detection of cancer, quicker and non-invasive techniques are imperative. One such potential approach for detection is the detection of oncogenes in the suspected tumour tissues. This search has led to the identification of the oncogene SHh, which is a key influencer in the tumourigenic pathways. Therefore, a cancer detection method, which would target the identification of the oncogene SHh would therefore be a step forward in the advancement of cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Rupika Sunidhi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, JSS College of Pharmacy, Udhagamandalam, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - M R Jeyaprakash
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, JSS College of Pharmacy, Udhagamandalam, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Raman Rajeshkumar
- Department of Biotechnology, JSS College of Pharmacy, Udhagamandalam, Tamil Nadu, India
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5
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Saini S, Maker AV, Burman KD, Prabhakar BS. Molecular aberrations and signaling cascades implicated in the pathogenesis of anaplastic thyroid cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2018; 1872:188262. [PMID: 30605717 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2018.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer (ATC) accounts for >40% thyroid cancer-related deaths and has a dismal prognosis. In the past decade, significant efforts have been made towards understanding the pathogenesis of this disease and developing novel therapeutics. Unfortunately, effective treatment is still lacking and a more thorough understanding of ATC pathogenesis may provide new opportunities to improve ATC therapeutics. This review provides insights into ATC clinical presentation and pathology, and the putative role of genetic aberrations and alterations in molecular signaling pathways in ATC pathogenesis. We reviewed prevalent mutations, chromosomal abnormalities and fusions, epigenetic alterations and dysregulations in ATC, and highlighted several signaling cascades which appeared to be integral to ATC pathogenesis. Moreover, these features offer insights into de-differentiated, aggressive and drug-resistant phenotype of ATC, and thus may help in exploring potential new molecular targets for developing novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikha Saini
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois-College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Ajay V Maker
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Illinois-College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Kenneth D Burman
- Medstar Washington Hospital Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Bellur S Prabhakar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois-College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States.
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6
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Parascandolo A, Laukkanen MO, De Rosa N, Ugolini C, Cantisani MC, Cirafici AM, Basolo F, Santoro M, Castellone MD. A dual mechanism of activation of the Sonic Hedgehog pathway in anaplastic thyroid cancer: crosstalk with RAS-BRAF-MEK pathway and ligand secretion by tumor stroma. Oncotarget 2017; 9:4496-4510. [PMID: 29435119 PMCID: PMC5796990 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.23388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) pathway regulates embryonic development of different organs including the thyroid gland. The aberrant activation of Shh signaling has been found in several types of cancer and according to recent evidences it represents an important regulator of tumor-stroma interaction. In this study, we have analyzed expression, activation and molecular mechanisms regulating the Shh pathway and its involvement in the modulation of tumor stroma interaction in anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) cells. Our results suggest that Shh signaling undergoes a dual mechanism of induction in ATC cells: 1) a basal non-canonical Smo-dependent activation of Gli transcription factor that is partly caused by interaction with the RAS/BRAF/MEK oncogenic pathway and is characterized by the absence of Shh ligand expression in thyroid cancer cells and 2) a paracrine response of cancer cells to Shh ligand secreted by tumor stroma (fibroblasts and mesenchymal stromal cells, MSCs) inducing cancer cell migration and in vitro tumorigenesis. Our data therefore suggest Shh as a potential novel therapeutic target in aggressive thyroid cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nancy De Rosa
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Clara Ugolini
- Department of Laboratory Medicine Section of Pathology Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy
| | - Maria Carmela Cantisani
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Cirafici
- Istitute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology "G. Salvatore" (IEOS), C.N.R., Naples, Italy
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Massimo Santoro
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University Federico II, Naples, Italy
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7
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Cano-Rodriguez D, Campagnoli S, Grandi A, Parri M, Camilli ED, Song C, Jin B, Lacombe A, Pierleoni A, Bombaci M, Cordiglieri C, Ruiters MH, Viale G, Terracciano L, Sarmientos P, Abrignani S, Grandi G, Pileri P, Rots MG, Grifantini R. TCTN2: a novel tumor marker with oncogenic properties. Oncotarget 2017; 8:95256-95269. [PMID: 29221125 PMCID: PMC5707019 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.20438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Tectonic family member 2 (TCTN2) encodes a transmembrane protein that belongs to the tectonic family, which is involved in ciliary functions. Previous studies have demonstrated the role of tectonics in regulating a variety of signaling pathways at the transition zone of cilia. However, the role of tectonics in cancer is still unclear. Here we identify that TCTN2 is overexpressed in colorectal, lung and ovary cancers. We show that different cancer cell lines express the protein that localizes at the plasma membrane, facing the intracellular milieu. TCTN2 over-expression in cancer cells resulted in an increased ability to form colonies in an anchorage independent way. On the other hand, downregulation of TCTN2 using targeted epigenetic editing in cancer cells significantly reduced colony formation, cell invasiveness, increased apoptosis and impaired assembly of primary cilia. Taken together, our results indicate that TCTN2 acts as an oncogene, making it an interesting cancer-associated protein and a potential candidate for therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Cano-Rodriguez
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Elisa De Camilli
- Department of Pathology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy
| | - Chaojun Song
- Department of Immunology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Boquan Jin
- Department of Immunology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Aurelien Lacombe
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Pierleoni
- Externautics SpA, Siena, Italy.,Present affiliation: European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Mauro Bombaci
- Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Padiglione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Cordiglieri
- Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Padiglione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Marcel Hj Ruiters
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Giuseppe Viale
- Department of Pathology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Luigi Terracciano
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Sergio Abrignani
- Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Padiglione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Guido Grandi
- Centre for Integrative Biology - CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | | | - Marianne G Rots
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Renata Grifantini
- Externautics SpA, Siena, Italy.,Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Padiglione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
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8
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Xu X, Lu Y, Li Y, Prinz RA. Sonic Hedgehog Signaling in Thyroid Cancer. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2017; 8:284. [PMID: 29163356 PMCID: PMC5670164 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2017.00284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Thyroid cancer is the most common malignancy of the endocrine system. The initiation of thyroid cancer is often triggered by a genetic mutation in the phosphortidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) or mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, such as RAS and BRAF, or by the rearrangement of growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase genes such as RET/PTC. The sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway is evolutionarily conserved and plays an important role in the embryonic development of normal tissues and organs. Gene mutations in the Shh pathway are involved in basal cell carcinomas (BCC). Activation of the Shh pathway due to overexpression of the genes encoding the components of this pathway stimulates the growth and spread of a wide range of cancer types. The Shh pathway also plays an important role in cancer stem cell (CSC) self-renewal. GDC-0449 and LDE-225, two inhibitors of this pathway, have been approved for treating BCC and are being tested as a single agent or in combination with other drugs for treating various other cancers. Here, we review the recent findings on activation of the Shh pathway in thyroid cancer and its role in maintaining thyroid CSC self-renewal. We also summarize the recent developments on crosstalk of the Shh pathway with the MAPK and PI3K oncogenic pathways, and its implications for combination therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiulong Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
- *Correspondence: Xiulong Xu, ,
| | - Yurong Lu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yi Li
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Richard A. Prinz
- Department of Surgery, NorthShore University Health System, Evanston, IL, United States
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9
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Williamson AJ, Doscas ME, Ye J, Heiden KB, Xing M, Li Y, Prinz RA, Xu X. The sonic hedgehog signaling pathway stimulates anaplastic thyroid cancer cell motility and invasiveness by activating Akt and c-Met. Oncotarget 2016; 7:10472-85. [PMID: 26859575 PMCID: PMC4891133 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.7228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2015] [Accepted: 01/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway is highly activated in thyroid neoplasms and promotes thyroid cancer stem-like cell phenotype, but whether the Shh pathway regulates thyroid tumor cell motility and invasiveness remains unknown. Here, we report that the motility and invasiveness of two anaplastic thyroid tumor cell lines, KAT-18 and SW1736, were inhibited by two inhibitors of the Shh pathway (cyclopamine and GANT61). Consistently, the cell motility and invasiveness was decreased by Shh and Gli1 knockdown, and was increased by Gli1 overexpression in KAT-18 cells. Mechanistic studies revealed that Akt and c-Met phosphorylation was decreased by a Gli1 inhibitor and by Shh and Gli1 knockdown, but was increased by Gli1 overexpression. LY294002, a PI-3 kinase inhibitor, and a c-Met inhibitor inhibited the motility and invasiveness of Gli1-transfected KAT-18 cells more effectively than the vector-transfected cells. Knockdown of Snail, a transcription factor regulated by the Shh pathway, led to decreased cell motility and invasiveness in KAT-18 and SW1736 cells. However, key epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers including E-cadherin and vimentin as well as Slug were not affected by cyclopamine and GANT61 in either SW1736 or WRO82, a well differentiated follicular thyroid carcinoma cell line. Our data suggest that the Shh pathway-stimulated thyroid tumor cell motility and invasiveness is largely mediated by AKT and c-Met activation with little involvement of EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michelle E Doscas
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jin Ye
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Katherine B Heiden
- Department of General Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mingzhao Xing
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yi Li
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center and Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Richard A Prinz
- Department of Surgery, NorthShore University Health System, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Xiulong Xu
- Center for Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of General Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
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10
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Han J, Gao W, Su D, Liu Y. Silencing of A-Kinase Anchor Protein 4 (AKAP4) Inhibits Proliferation and Progression of Thyroid Cancer. Oncol Res 2016; 25:873-878. [PMID: 27983916 PMCID: PMC7841067 DOI: 10.3727/096504016x14783701102564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
A-kinase anchor protein 4 (AKAP4), a member of the A-kinase anchor family of proteins, plays a role in tumor development and progression. However, its expression pattern and function in human thyroid cancer remain obscure. Here we examined AKAP4 expression in thyroid cancer cell lines as well as the effects of AKAP4 on the proliferation and metastasis of thyroid cancer cells. We also explored the molecular mechanism by which AKAP4 mediates the metastatic potential of thyroid cancer cells. Our results revealed that the transcript and protein levels of AKAP4 were significantly upregulated in thyroid cancer cell lines. In vitro experiments showed that knockdown of AKAP4 significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in thyroid cancer cells. Additionally, knockdown of AKAP4 greatly decreased the protein expression of Shh as well as Smo, Ptc, and Gli-1 in ACT-1 cells. Finally, the in vivo nude mice model confirmed that knockdown of AKAP4 attenuated tumor growth. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that knockdown of AKAP4 inhibited proliferation and metastasis, likely through suppressing the Shh signaling pathway, in thyroid cancer cells. Thus, AKAP4 may act as a potential therapeutic target for human thyroid cancer.
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11
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Dima M, Pecce V, Biffoni M, Di Gioia CRT, Tallini G, Biffoni M, Rosignolo F, Verrienti A, Sponziello M, Damante G, Russo D, Durante C. Molecular profiles of cancer stem-like cell populations in aggressive thyroid cancers. Endocrine 2016; 53:145-56. [PMID: 26370117 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-015-0739-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2015] [Accepted: 09/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
A substantial proportion of patients with advanced thyroid carcinoma fail to respond to or at some point become refractory to conventional therapies. This resistance and the phenomena of thyroid cancer progression and metastasis themselves are thought to be related to tumor-cell sub-populations with stem-like properties. We isolated thyrospheres from four advanced thyroid carcinomas that were resistant to radioiodine therapy and analyzed their molecular profiles. ALDH activity and proteomic profile of main stem cell markers were used to assess stem cell properties. The TaqMan Low Density Array approach was used to evaluate the expression of several genes involved in the EMT process. The phosphorylation status of tyrosine kinase receptors (RTKs) was analyzed to identify potential markers for targeted therapies. We then investigated the effects of the EMT-inhibitor crizotinib on both cell proliferation and phosphorylation status of RTK targets. The cancer stem-like properties of a subset of cells from primary cultures of each tumor were demonstrated. A wide variability among thyrospheres arising from the four thyroid cancers in terms of ALDH activity, stem cell marker expression, and phosphoproteome profiling was present. Dysregulated expression of genes involved in the EMT was observed in all four thyrosphere lines. Treatment with crizotinib was ineffective in cancer stem-like cells, suggesting the presence of a mechanism of resistance in thyrospheres. Collectively, our data indicate that thyroid cancer stem-like populations vary markedly from tumor to tumor and require detailed molecular and biological characterization if they are to be used as the basis of "personalized" treatment of aggressive disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariavittoria Dima
- Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, Università di Roma "Sapienza", Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Pecce
- Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, Università di Roma "Sapienza", Rome, Italy
| | - Mauro Biffoni
- Dipartimento di Ematologia, Oncologia e Medicina Molecolare, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Giovanni Tallini
- Dipartimento di Medicina Specialistica, Diagnostica e Sperimentale, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco Biffoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chirurgiche, Università di Roma "Sapienza", Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Rosignolo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, Università di Roma "Sapienza", Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Verrienti
- Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, Università di Roma "Sapienza", Rome, Italy
| | - Marialuisa Sponziello
- Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, Università di Roma "Sapienza", Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Damante
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Biologiche, Università di Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Diego Russo
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università di Catanzaro "Magna Graecia", Viale Europa, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
| | - Cosimo Durante
- Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, Università di Roma "Sapienza", Rome, Italy
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12
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Expression of PAX8 Target Genes in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0156658. [PMID: 27249794 PMCID: PMC4889154 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
PAX8 is a thyroid-specific transcription factor whose expression is dysregulated in thyroid cancer. A recent study using a conditional knock-out mouse model identified 58 putative PAX8 target genes. In the present study, we evaluated the expression of 11 of these genes in normal and tumoral thyroid tissues from patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). ATP1B1, GPC3, KCNIP3, and PRLR transcript levels in tumor tissues were significantly lower in PTCs than in NT, whereas LCN2, LGALS1 and SCD1 expression was upregulated in PTC compared with NT. Principal component analysis of the expression of the most markedly dysregulated PAX8 target genes was able to discriminate between PTC and NT. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess levels of proteins encoded by the two most dyregulated PAX8 target genes, LCN2 and GPC3. Interestingly, GPC3 was detectable in all of the NT samples but none of the PTC samples. Collectively, these findings point to significant PTC-associated dysregulation of several PAX8 target genes, supporting the notion that PAX8-regulated molecular cascades play important roles during thyroid tumorigenesis.
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13
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Vidal MTA, Lourenço SV, Soares FA, Gurgel CA, Studart EJB, Valverde LDF, Araújo IBDO, Ramos EAG, Xavier FCDA, dos Santos JN. The sonic hedgehog signaling pathway contributes to the development of salivary gland neoplasms regardless of perineural infiltration. Tumour Biol 2016; 37:9587-601. [DOI: 10.1007/s13277-016-4841-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
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14
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Wang Z, Gao Y, Liu Y, Chen J, Wang J, Gan S, Xu D, Cui X. Tectonic‑1 contributes to the growth and migration of prostate cancer cells in vitro. Int J Mol Med 2015; 36:931-8. [PMID: 26310786 PMCID: PMC4564073 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2015.2313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2014] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Tectonic‑1 (TCTN1) is an upstream gene involved in embryonic development. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the TCTN1 gene on the viability and migration of prostate cancer cells. Lentivirus‑mediated short hairpin RNA (shRNA) was constructed to silence the expression of TCTN1 in PC‑3 and DU145 prostate cancer cells. Cell viability and proliferation were measured using MTT and colony formation assays, and the distribution of cells in phases of the cell cycle was determined using flow cytometry. Cell migration was detected using a Transwell assay. The results demonstrated that TCTN1 was widely expressed in several human prostate cancer cell lines. Knockdown of the TCTN1 gene by RNA interference markedly suppressed cell viability and colony formation in the PC‑3 and DU145 cell lines. Cell cycle progression was also arrested by TCTN1 silencing. In addition, knockdown of the TCTN1 gene led to the inhibition of cell migration in the two cell lines. These findings confirmed the direct association between the TCTN1 gene and prostate cancer growth in vitro. With further understanding and clinical investigation, this indicates the potential for future development of a novel marker for early detection and gene therapy for prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijun Wang
- Department of Urology, Changzheng Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200003, P.R. China
| | - Yi Gao
- Department of Urology, Changzheng Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200003, P.R. China
| | - Yushan Liu
- Department of Urology, Changzheng Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200003, P.R. China
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of Urology, Changzheng Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200003, P.R. China
| | - Junkai Wang
- Department of Urology, Changzheng Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200003, P.R. China
| | - Sishun Gan
- Department of Urology, Changzheng Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200003, P.R. China
| | - Danfeng Xu
- Department of Urology, Changzheng Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200003, P.R. China
| | - Xingang Cui
- Department of Urology, Changzheng Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200003, P.R. China
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15
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Lee J, Jeong S, Lee CR, Ku CR, Kang SW, Jeong JJ, Nam KH, Shin DY, Chung WY, Lee EJ, Jo YS. GLI1 Transcription Factor Affects Tumor Aggressiveness in Patients With Papillary Thyroid Cancers. Medicine (Baltimore) 2015; 94:e998. [PMID: 26107686 PMCID: PMC4504527 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000000998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A significant proportion of patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) present with extrathyroidal extension (ETE) and lymph node metastasis (LNM). However, the molecular mechanism of tumor invasiveness in PTC remains to be elucidated. The aim of this study is to understand the role of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling in tumor aggressiveness in patients with PTC. Subjects were patients who underwent thyroidectomy from 2012 to 2013 in a single institution. Frozen or paraffin-embedded tumor tissues with contralateral-matched normal thyroid tissues were collected. Hh signaling activity was analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. Datasets from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) (National Center for Biotechnology Information) were subjected to Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). BRAFT1799A and telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter mutation C228T were analyzed by direct sequencing. Among 137 patients with PTC, glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (GLI1) group III (patients in whom the ratio of GLI1 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) level in tumor tissue to GLI1 mRNA level in matched normal tissue was in the upper third of the subject population) had elevated risk for ETE (odds ratio [OR] 4.381, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.414-13.569, P = 0.01) and LNM (OR 5.627, 95% CI 1.674-18.913, P = 0.005). Glioma-associated oncogene homolog 2 (GLI2) group III also had elevated risk for ETE (OR 4.152, 95% CI 1.292-13.342, P = 0.017) and LNM (OR 3.924, 95% CI 1.097-14.042, P = 0.036). GSEA suggested that higher GLI1 expression is associated with expression of the KEGG gene set related to axon guidance (P = 0.031, false discovery rate < 0.05), as verified by qRT-PCR and IHC staining in our subjects.GLI1 and GLI2 expressions were clearly related to aggressive clinicopathological features and aberrant activation of GLI1 involved in the axon guidance pathway. These results may contribute to development of new prognostic markers, as well as novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jandee Lee
- From the Department of Surgery (JL, CRL, S-WK, JJJ, K-HN, WYC); and Department of Internal Medicine (SJ, CRK, DYS, EJL, YSJ), Open NBI Convergence Technology Research Laboratory, Severance Hospital, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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16
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Netea-Maier RT, Klück V, Plantinga TS, Smit JWA. Autophagy in thyroid cancer: present knowledge and future perspectives. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2015; 6:22. [PMID: 25741318 PMCID: PMC4332359 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2015.00022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2014] [Accepted: 02/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy. Despite having a good prognosis in the majority of cases, when the tumor is dedifferentiated it does no longer respond to conventional treatment with radioactive iodine, the prognosis worsens significantly. Treatment options for advanced, dedifferentiated disease are limited and do not cure the disease. Autophagy, a process of self-digestion in which damaged molecules or organelles are degraded and recycled, has emerged as an important player in the pathogenesis of different diseases, including cancer. The role of autophagy in thyroid cancer pathogenesis is not yet elucidated. However, the available data indicate that autophagy is involved in several steps of thyroid tumor initiation and progression as well as in therapy resistance and therefore could be exploited for therapeutic applications. The present review summarizes the most recent data on the role of autophagy in the pathogenesis of thyroid cancer and we will provide a perspective on how this process can be targeted for potential therapeutic approaches and could be further explored in the context of multimodality treatment in cancer and personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romana T. Netea-Maier
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Viola Klück
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Theo S. Plantinga
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Johannes W. A. Smit
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Johannes W. A. Smit, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein 8, PO Box 9101, Nijmegen 6500 HB, Netherlands e-mail:
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17
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Abstract
Thyroid cancer is one of the most rapidly increasing malignancies. The reasons for this increase is not completely known, but increases in the diagnosis of papillary thyroid microcarcinomas and follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinomas along with the enhanced detection of well-differentiated thyroid carcinomas are probably all contributing factors. Although most cases of well-differentiated thyroid carcinomas are associated with an excellent prognosis, a small percentage of patients with well-differentiated thyroid carcinomas as well as most patients with poorly differentiated and anaplastic thyroid carcinomas have recurrent and/or metastatic disease that is often fatal. The cancer stem-like cell (CSC) model suggests that a small number of cells within a cancer, known as CSCs, are responsible for resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy, as well as for recurrent and metastatic disease. This review discusses current studies about thyroid CSCs, the processes of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition that provide plasticity to CSC growth, in addition to the role of microRNAs in CSC development and regulation. Understanding the biology of CSCs, EMT and the metastatic cascade should lead to the design of more rational targeted therapies for highly aggressive and fatal thyroid cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenying Guo
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Zhejiang, China
| | - Heather Hardin
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ricardo V Lloyd
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Zhejiang, China
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