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Verjan Garcia N, Hong KU, Matoba N. The Unfolded Protein Response and Its Implications for Novel Therapeutic Strategies in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2066. [PMID: 37509705 PMCID: PMC10377089 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11072066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a multifunctional organelle playing a vital role in maintaining cell homeostasis, and disruptions to its functions can have detrimental effects on cells. Dysregulated ER stress and the unfolded protein response (UPR) have been linked to various human diseases. For example, ER stress and the activation of the UPR signaling pathways in intestinal epithelial cells can either exacerbate or alleviate the severity of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), contingent on the degree and conditions of activation. Our recent studies have shown that EPICERTIN, a recombinant variant of the cholera toxin B subunit containing an ER retention motif, can induce a protective UPR in colon epithelial cells, subsequently promoting epithelial restitution and mucosal healing in IBD models. These findings support the idea that compounds modulating UPR may be promising pharmaceutical candidates for the treatment of the disease. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the ER stress and UPR in IBD, focusing on their roles in maintaining cell homeostasis, dysregulation, and disease pathogenesis. Additionally, we discuss therapeutic strategies that promote the cytoprotection of colon epithelial cells and reduce inflammation via pharmacological manipulation of the UPR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noel Verjan Garcia
- UofL Health-Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Kyung U Hong
- UofL Health-Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Nobuyuki Matoba
- UofL Health-Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
- Center for Predictive Medicine, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
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Martínez-Puente DH, Garza-Morales R, Pérez-Trujillo JJ, Bernabé-Acosta F, Villanueva-Olivo A, García-García A, Zavala-Flores LM, Rodríguez-Rocha H, Valdés J, Saucedo-Cárdenas O, Montes de Oca-Luna R, Loera-Arias MDJ. Enhanced antitumor activity induced by a DNA vaccine encoding E7 antigen fused to an ERAD-targeting sequence. J Drug Target 2023; 31:100-108. [PMID: 35896308 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2022.2107651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a key organelle in cell homeostasis and cell health through antigen presentation to immune cells. Thus, the ER has become a therapeutic target to induce cellular immune responses. We previously reported the antitumor effect of a DNA vaccine that expresses the E7 antigen fused to the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein. This inflammation-related enzyme contains a degradation cassette associated with the endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway. To avoid the use of full-length COX-2 and any risk of adverse effects due to the activity of its catalytic site, we designed new versions of the fusion protein. These new constructs encode the E7 antigen fused to the signal peptide and the ERAD sequence of COX-2 with or without the membrane-binding domain (MBD) as well as deletion of the catalytic site. We evaluated the antigen-specific antitumor effect of these DNA constructs in murine prophylactic and therapeutic cancer models. These assays showed that the ERAD cassette is the minimum sequence in the COX-2 protein that induces an antitumor effect when fused to the E7 antigen with the advantage of eliminating any potential adverse effects from the use of full-length COX-2.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rodolfo Garza-Morales
- Histology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL), Monterrey, México
| | - José Juan Pérez-Trujillo
- Histology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL), Monterrey, México
| | - Federico Bernabé-Acosta
- Histology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL), Monterrey, México
| | - Arnulfo Villanueva-Olivo
- Histology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL), Monterrey, México
| | - Aracely García-García
- Histology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL), Monterrey, México
| | - Laura Mireya Zavala-Flores
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Northeast Biomedical Research Center (CIBIN) of IMSS, Nuevo Leon Delegation, Monterrey, México
| | - Humberto Rodríguez-Rocha
- Histology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL), Monterrey, México
| | - Jesús Valdés
- Departamento de Bioquímica, CINVESTAV-México, México City, México
| | - Odila Saucedo-Cárdenas
- Histology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL), Monterrey, México
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Wang H, Chiang C, Xue C, Zhou L, Li S, Zhou Y, Zhang Z, Xie M, Xiao T, Hu H, Zhu L, Long C, Zou Y, Wang T, Zheng D. Dezocine induces apoptosis in human cervical carcinoma Hela cells via the endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway. Toxicol Res (Camb) 2022; 11:498-510. [PMID: 35782639 PMCID: PMC9244724 DOI: 10.1093/toxres/tfac026] [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: 10/10/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Dezocine, a dual agonist and antagonist of the μ-opioid receptor and κ-opioid receptor, is widely used as an analgesic in China. At present, there are few studies on anti-tumor effects of dezocine, most of which are used to treat cancer pain. However, it has recently been reported that dezocine can induce apoptosis of triple negative breast cancer cells. Dezocine may have some anti-tumor activity, but the effect and potential mechanism of dezocine in the treatment of other types of cancer remain to be fully studied. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of dezocine on human Hela cervical carcinoma cells, and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. We performed CCK-8 assays, clone formation assays, xenograft, flow cytometry analysis, western blot and RNA-seq analysis to evaluate the effects of dezocine on Hela cells. In addition, the role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in dezocine-induced apoptosis was investigated using qPCR and western blot analysis. Dezocine inhibited Hela cell viability in dose-dependent and time-dependent manners, and notably did not achieve this effect by targeting the opioid receptors. Further mechanistic studies demonstrated that dezocine activated ER stress by upregulating the expression of GRP78, IRE1 and p-JNK, and that dezocine-induced apoptosis was attenuated when the ER stress pathway was blocked. Our results provide a foundation to support the redefinition of dezocine as a novel, adjuvant treatment for patients with cervical cancer, although further research will be required to support its application in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Shuaihu Li
- Shenzhen University International Cancer Center, Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, School of Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yaqi Zhou
- Department of Otolaryngology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Zhucheng Zhang
- Shenzhen University International Cancer Center, Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, School of Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Meng Xie
- Shenzhen University International Cancer Center, Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, School of Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Tian Xiao
- Shenzhen University International Cancer Center, Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, School of Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Hongyi Hu
- Department of Otolaryngology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Lizhi Zhu
- Institute of Translation Medicine, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China
| | - Cheng Long
- Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Yongdong Zou
- Correspondence address: Shenzhen University International Cancer Center, Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, School of Medicine, A7-450, Shenzhen University, Xili Campus, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518055, P.R. China. Tel: 86-755-86674681;
| | - Ting Wang
- Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Duo Zheng
- Shenzhen University International Cancer Center, Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, School of Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, China
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KDEL Receptors: Pathophysiological Functions, Therapeutic Options, and Biotechnological Opportunities. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10061234. [PMID: 35740256 PMCID: PMC9220330 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10061234] [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: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
KDEL receptors (KDELRs) are ubiquitous seven-transmembrane domain proteins encoded by three mammalian genes. They bind to and retro-transport endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident proteins with a C-terminal Lys-Asp-Glu-Leu (KDEL) sequence or variants thereof. In doing this, KDELR participates in the ER quality control of newly synthesized proteins and the unfolded protein response. The binding of KDEL proteins to KDELR initiates signaling cascades involving three alpha subunits of heterotrimeric G proteins, Src family kinases, protein kinases A (PKAs), and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). These signaling pathways coordinate membrane trafficking flows between secretory compartments and control the degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM), an important step in cancer progression. Considering the basic cellular functions performed by KDELRs, their association with various diseases is not surprising. KDELR mutants unable to bind the collagen-specific chaperon heat-shock protein 47 (HSP47) cause the osteogenesis imperfecta. Moreover, the overexpression of KDELRs appears to be linked to neurodegenerative diseases that share pathological ER-stress and activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR). Even immune function requires a functional KDELR1, as its mutants reduce the number of T lymphocytes and impair antiviral immunity. Several studies have also brought to light the exploitation of the shuttle activity of KDELR during the intoxication and maturation/exit of viral particles. Based on the above, KDELRs can be considered potential targets for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for a variety of diseases involving proteostasis disruption, cancer progression, and infectious disease. However, no drugs targeting KDELR functions are available to date; rather, KDELR has been leveraged to deliver drugs efficiently into cells or improve antigen presentation.
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Martínez-Puente DH, Garza-Morales R, Pérez-Trujillo JJ, García-García A, Villanueva-Olivo A, Rodríguez-Rocha H, Zavala-Flores LM, Saucedo-Cárdenas O, Montes de Oca-Luna R, Loera-Arias MDJ. Targeting E7 antigen to the endoplasmic reticulum degradation pathway promotes a potent therapeutic antitumor effect. J Drug Target 2021; 29:1102-1110. [PMID: 33926356 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2021.1919124] [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] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
It has been previously reported that targeting and retaining antigens in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) can induce an ER stress response. In this study, we evaluated the antitumor effect of E7 antigen fused to an ERresident protein, cyclooxygenase-2, which possesses a 19-aminoacid cassette that directs it to the endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein degradation (ERAD) pathway. The featured DNA constructs, COX2-E7 and COX2-E7ΔERAD, with a deletion in the 19-aminoacid cassette, were used to evaluate the importance of this sequence. In vitro analysis of protein expression and ER localisation were verified. We observed that both constructs induced an ER stress response. This finding correlated with the antitumor effect in mice injected with TC-1 cells and treated with different DNA constructs by biolistic vaccination. Immunisation with COX2-E7 and COX2-E7ΔERAD DNA constructs induced a significant antitumor effect in mice, without a significant difference between them, although the COX2-E7 construct induced a significant E7-specific immune response. These results demonstrate that targeting the E7 antigen to the ERAD pathway promotes a potent therapeutic antitumor effect. This strategy could be useful for the design of other antigen-specific therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rodolfo Garza-Morales
- Departamento de Histología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey, México
| | - José Juan Pérez-Trujillo
- Departamento de Histología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey, México
| | - Aracely García-García
- Departamento de Histología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey, México
| | - Arnulfo Villanueva-Olivo
- Departamento de Histología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey, México
| | - Humberto Rodríguez-Rocha
- Departamento de Histología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey, México
| | - Laura Mireya Zavala-Flores
- Departamento de Genética Molecular, Centro de Investigación Biomédica del Noreste, Delegación Nuevo León, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Monterrey, México
| | - Odila Saucedo-Cárdenas
- Departamento de Histología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey, México.,Departamento de Genética Molecular, Centro de Investigación Biomédica del Noreste, Delegación Nuevo León, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Monterrey, México
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Sher YP, Lin SI, Chai KM, Chen IH, Liu SJ. Endoplasmic reticulum-targeting sequence enhanced the cellular immunity of a tumor-associated antigen L6-based DNA vaccine. Am J Cancer Res 2019; 9:2028-2036. [PMID: 31598403 PMCID: PMC6780668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer vaccine design to effectively eliminate tumors requires triggering strong immune reactions to elicit long-lasting humoral and cellular immunity and DNA vaccines have been demonstrated to be an attractive immunotherapeutic approach. The tumor-associated antigen L6 (TAL6) is overexpressed on the surface of different cancer cells and promotes cancer progression; therefore, it could be a potential target for cancer treatment. We have revealed that a synthetic peptide containing HLA-A2-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) and B cell epitope can induce cellular and humoral immunity against TAL6-expressing cancer. To enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy, in this report, we designed an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-targeting sequence (adenovirus E3/19K protein) at the N-terminus of TAL6 to facilitate MHC class I antigen presentation to CD8+ T cells. Transfection of mammalian cells with the plasmid containing TAL6 fused with the ER-targeting sequence (pEKL6) resulted in higher levels of TAL6 antigens in the ER than transfection with the full-length TAL6 (pL6). The plasmid pEKL6 induced both TAL6-specific CTL responses and antibody titers after intramuscular (IM) immunization with electroporation and it elicited higher levels of antigen-specific CTLs in HLA-A2 transgenic mice. Immunization with pEKL6 induced higher levels of protective antitumor immunity against tumor growth than pL6 immunization in thymoma and melanoma tumor animal models. Notably, pEKL6 elicited long-term anti-tumor immunity against the recurrence of cancers. We found that CD4+ T, CD8+ T, and NK cells are all important for the effector mechanisms of pEKL6 immunization. Thus, cancer therapy using an ER-targeting sequence linked to a tumor antigen holds promise for treating tumors by triggering strong immune reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuh-Pyng Sher
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical UniversityTaichung, Taiwan
- Center for Molecular Medicine, China Medical UniversityTaichung, Taiwan
| | - Su-I Lin
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research InstitutesZhunan, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Kit Man Chai
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research InstitutesZhunan, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - I-Hua Chen
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research InstitutesZhunan, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Jen Liu
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical UniversityTaichung, Taiwan
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research InstitutesZhunan, Miaoli, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical UniversityKaohsiung, Taiwan
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