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Li JP, Liu YJ, Yin Y, Li RN, Huang W, Zou X. Stroma-associated FSTL3 is a factor of calcium channel-derived tumor fibrosis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21317. [PMID: 38044354 PMCID: PMC10694158 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48574-8] [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: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most widespread histological form of primary liver cancer, and it faces great diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties owing to its tumor diversity. Herein, we aim to establish a unique prognostic molecular subtype (MST) and based on this to find potential therapeutic targets to develop new immunotherapeutic strategies. Using calcium channel molecules expression-based consensus clustering, we screened 371 HCC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas to screen for possible MSTs. We distinguished core differential gene modules between varying MSTs, and Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion scores were employed for the reliable assessment of HCC patient immunotherapeutic response rate. Immunohistochemistry and Immunofluorescence staining were used for validation of predicted immunotherapy outcomes and underlying biological mechanisms, respectively. We identified two MSTs with different clinical characteristics and prognoses. Based on the significant differences between the two MSTs, we further identified Follistatin-like 3 (FSTL3) as a potential indicator of immunotherapy resistance and validated this result in our own cohort. Finally, we found that FSTL3 is predominantly expressed in HCC stromal components and that it is a factor in enhancing fibroblast-M2 macrophage signaling crosstalk, the function of which is relevant to the pathogenesis of HCC. The presence of two MSTs associated with the calcium channel phenotype in HCC patients may provide promising directions for overcoming immunotherapy resistance in HCC, and the promotion of FSTL3 expressed in stromal components for HCC hyperfibrosis may be responsible for the poor response rate to immunotherapy in Cluster 2 (C2) patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie-Pin Li
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Tumor System Biology of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
- No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuan-Jie Liu
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
- No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yi Yin
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
- No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ruo-Nan Li
- Shihezi Labor Personnel Dispute Arbitration Committee, Shihezi, 832000, China
| | - Wei Huang
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China.
- No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Xi Zou
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China.
- No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China.
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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DNA Methylation Malleability and Dysregulation in Cancer Progression: Understanding the Role of PARP1. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12030417. [PMID: 35327610 PMCID: PMC8946700 DOI: 10.3390/biom12030417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian genomic DNA methylation represents a key epigenetic modification and its dynamic regulation that fine-tunes the gene expression of multiple pathways during development. It maintains the gene expression of one generation of cells; particularly, the mitotic inheritance of gene-expression patterns makes it the key governing mechanism of epigenetic change to the next generation of cells. Convincing evidence from recent discoveries suggests that the dynamic regulation of DNA methylation is accomplished by the enzymatic action of TET dioxygenase, which oxidizes the methyl group of cytosine and activates transcription. As a result of aberrant DNA modifications, genes are improperly activated or inhibited in the inappropriate cellular context, contributing to a plethora of inheritable diseases, including cancer. We outline recent advancements in understanding how DNA modifications contribute to tumor suppressor gene silencing or oncogenic-gene stimulation, as well as dysregulation of DNA methylation in cancer progression. In addition, we emphasize the function of PARP1 enzymatic activity or inhibition in the maintenance of DNA methylation dysregulation. In the context of cancer remediation, the impact of DNA methylation and PARP1 pharmacological inhibitors, and their relevance as a combination therapy are highlighted.
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Expression and associated epigenetic mechanisms of the Ca 2+-signaling genes in breast cancer subtypes and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. J Cell Commun Signal 2021; 16:461-474. [PMID: 34762262 DOI: 10.1007/s12079-021-00655-x] [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: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer-associated deaths are related mainly to specific molecular subtypes and the presence of metastasis. The Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) and Ca2+ signaling pathways are involved in breast cancer metastasis, and they are regulated in part by epigenetic mechanisms. Moreover, activation of EMT modulates Ca2+ concentration and in turn, Ca2+ signaling regulates the expression of EMT markers. Also, activation of Ca2+ signaling genes with epigenetic inhibitors reverts the EMT. Thus, Ca2+ signaling might have an important role in breast cancer metastasis and EMT, particularly through the epigenetic regulation of genes involved in its signaling. However, little is known due to that an estimate of 1670 genes participate in the Ca2+ signaling and only a few genes have been studied. Here, we aimed to explore the expression of all genes involved in Ca2+ signaling in all breast cancer subtypes and EMT, and whether modulation of epigenetic mechanisms is related to their expression. Several genes of the Ca2+ signaling are altered in all breast cancer subtypes, being the cadherins and voltage channels the most frequent altered genes. Also, DNA methylation and histone posttranslational modifications showed a good correlation with their altered expression. The expression of the cadherins and voltage channels is also modulated during breast EMT, and ATAC-seq results suggest that chromatin rearrangement at their promoter is involved. In conclusion, the expression of the genes involved in Ca2+ signaling is altered in all breast cancer subtypes and during EMT, and epigenetic mechanisms are an attractive target to regulate their expression.
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