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Li Y, Wang D, Ge H, Güngör C, Gong X, Chen Y. Cytoskeletal and Cytoskeleton-Associated Proteins: Key Regulators of Cancer Stem Cell Properties. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:1369. [PMID: 36355541 PMCID: PMC9698833 DOI: 10.3390/ph15111369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subpopulation of cancer cells possessing stemness characteristics that are closely associated with tumor proliferation, recurrence and resistance to therapy. Recent studies have shown that different cytoskeletal components and remodeling processes have a profound impact on the behavior of CSCs. In this review, we outline the different cytoskeletal components regulating the properties of CSCs and discuss current and ongoing therapeutic strategies targeting the cytoskeleton. Given the many challenges currently faced in targeted cancer therapy, a deeper comprehension of the molecular events involved in the interaction of the cytoskeleton and CSCs will help us identify more effective therapeutic strategies to eliminate CSCs and ultimately improve patient survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqiang Li
- Department of General Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics, Laboratory of Structural Biology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Dan Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
- Department of General Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Heming Ge
- Department of General Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
- Department of General Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Cenap Güngör
- Department of General Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Xuejun Gong
- Department of General Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Yongheng Chen
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics, Laboratory of Structural Biology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
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Yoon HJ, Oh YL, Ko EJ, Kang A, Eo WK, Kim KH, Lee JY, Kim A, Chun S, Kim H, Ock MS, Cha HJ. Effects of thymosin β4-derived peptides on migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells. Genes Genomics 2021; 43:987-993. [PMID: 34170491 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-021-01127-7] [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: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) is a highly conserved actin binding protein associated with the metastatic potential of tumor cells by stimulating cell migration. The role of Tβ4 and its derived fragment peptides in migration of ovarian cancer cells has not been studied. OBJECTIVE To analyze the effects of Tβ4 and its derived fragment peptides on ovarian cancer cell migration and invasion, we applied Tβ4 and three Tβ4-derived synthetic peptides to SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells. METHOD The migration and invasion of SKOV3 cells treated with Tβ4(1-43), Tβ4(1-15), Tβ4(12-26), Tβ4(23-), and untreated control were analyzed by in vitro migration and invasion assay with transwell plate. Cell proliferation assay was conducted to identify the effect of Tβ4 and its derived peptide on SKOV3 cell proliferation. The expression of Tβ4 related proteins related with cell proliferation was analyzed by Western blot after treatment with Tβ4 and its derived peptides. RESULTS Cell migration and invasion were significantly increased in Tβ4 peptide-treated SKOV3 cells compared with untreated control. All three Tβ4-derived fragment peptides including those without an actin binding site significantly stimulated migration and invasion of SKOV3 cells. Tβ4 and its derived peptide significantly stimulated SKOV3 cell proliferation and up-regulated the expression of RACK-1 protein. CONCLUSIONS The Tβ4 peptide and all of its derived fragment peptides including those without an actin binding motif stimulate migration and invasion of SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells. All peptides significantly increased RACK-1 expression and cell proliferation of SKOV3 cells. These results suggest that Tβ4 stimulates migration and invasion of SKOV3 cells by stimulation of cell proliferation through up-regulation of RACK-1 protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyung Joon Yoon
- Department of Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, South Korea
| | - Young Lim Oh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, South Korea
| | - Eun-Ji Ko
- Department of Parasitology and Genetics, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, South Korea
| | - Ahyun Kang
- Department of Biochemistry, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, South Korea
| | - Wan Kyu Eo
- Department of Internal Medicine, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ki Hyung Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, South Korea
| | - Ji Young Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ari Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Vernon Hills, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sungwook Chun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inje University Haeundae Paik Hospital, Busan, South Korea
| | - Hongbae Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hallym University Medical Center, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Mee Sun Ock
- Department of Parasitology and Genetics, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, South Korea
| | - Hee-Jae Cha
- Department of Parasitology and Genetics, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, South Korea.
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Makowiecka A, Mazurkiewicz E, Mrówczyńska E, Malek N, Battistella A, Lazzarino M, Nowak D, Mazur AJ. Changes in Biomechanical Properties of A375 Cells Due to the Silencing of TMSB4X Expression Are Not Directly Correlated with Alterations in Their Stemness Features. Cells 2021; 10:cells10040769. [PMID: 33807338 PMCID: PMC8067020 DOI: 10.3390/cells10040769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) is a small, 44-amino acid polypeptide. It has been implicated in multiple processes, including cell movement, angiogenesis, and stemness. Previously, we reported that melanoma cell lines differ in Tβ4 levels. Studies on stable clones with silenced TMSB4X expression showed that Tβ4 impacted adhesion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition progression. Here, we show that the cells with silenced TMSB4X expression exhibited altered actin cytoskeleton’s organization and subcellular relocalization of two intermediate filament proteins: Nestin and Vimentin. The rearrangement of the cell cytoskeleton resulted in changes in the cells’ topology, height, and stiffness defined by Young’s modulus. Simultaneously, only for some A375 clones with a lowered Tβ4 level, we observed a decreased ability to initiate colony formation in soft agar, tumor formation in vivo, and alterations in Nanog’s expression level transcription factor regulating stemness. Thus, we show for the first time that in A375 cells, biomechanical properties are not directly coupled to stemness features, and this cell line is phenotypically heterogeneous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Makowiecka
- Department of Cell Pathology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland; (E.M.); (E.M.); (N.M.); (D.N.)
- Istituto Officina dei Materiali-National Research Council, I-34149 Trieste, Italy; (A.B.); (M.L.)
- Correspondence: or (A.M.); (A.J.M.); Tel.: +48-71-375-6206 (A.J.M.)
| | - Ewa Mazurkiewicz
- Department of Cell Pathology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland; (E.M.); (E.M.); (N.M.); (D.N.)
| | - Ewa Mrówczyńska
- Department of Cell Pathology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland; (E.M.); (E.M.); (N.M.); (D.N.)
| | - Natalia Malek
- Department of Cell Pathology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland; (E.M.); (E.M.); (N.M.); (D.N.)
| | - Alice Battistella
- Istituto Officina dei Materiali-National Research Council, I-34149 Trieste, Italy; (A.B.); (M.L.)
| | - Marco Lazzarino
- Istituto Officina dei Materiali-National Research Council, I-34149 Trieste, Italy; (A.B.); (M.L.)
| | - Dorota Nowak
- Department of Cell Pathology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland; (E.M.); (E.M.); (N.M.); (D.N.)
| | - Antonina Joanna Mazur
- Department of Cell Pathology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland; (E.M.); (E.M.); (N.M.); (D.N.)
- Correspondence: or (A.M.); (A.J.M.); Tel.: +48-71-375-6206 (A.J.M.)
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Pieterse Z, Amaya-Padilla MA, Singomat T, Binju M, Madjid BD, Yu Y, Kaur P. Ovarian cancer stem cells and their role in drug resistance. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2018; 106:117-126. [PMID: 30508594 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2018.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is typically diagnosed at advanced stages (III or IV), with metastasis ensuing at stage III. Complete remission is infrequent and is not achieved in almost half of the women diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Consequently, management and treatment of this disease is challenging as many patients are faced with tumour recurrence disseminating to surrounding organs further complicated with acquired chemo-resistance. The cancer stem cell theory proposes the idea that a drug resistant subset of tumour cells drive tumour progression, metastasis and ultimately, recurrent disease. In the ovarian cancer field, cancer stem cells remain elusive with significant gaps in our knowledge. The characteristics and specific role of ovarian cancer stem cells in recurrence still requires further research since different studies often arrive at contradictory conclusions. Here we present a review and critical analysis of current research conducted in the field of ovarian cancer stem cells and their potential role in drug resistance including several signalling pathways within these cells that affect the viability of targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zalitha Pieterse
- School of Pharmacy & Biomedical Science, Curtin University, Curtin Health Innovative Research Institute, Australia
| | | | - Terence Singomat
- School of Pharmacy & Biomedical Science, Curtin University, Curtin Health Innovative Research Institute, Australia
| | - Mudra Binju
- School of Pharmacy & Biomedical Science, Curtin University, Curtin Health Innovative Research Institute, Australia
| | - Bau Dilam Madjid
- School of Pharmacy & Biomedical Science, Curtin University, Curtin Health Innovative Research Institute, Australia
| | - Yu Yu
- School of Pharmacy & Biomedical Science, Curtin University, Curtin Health Innovative Research Institute, Australia
| | - Pritinder Kaur
- School of Pharmacy & Biomedical Science, Curtin University, Curtin Health Innovative Research Institute, Australia.
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Huang R, Rofstad EK. Cancer stem cells (CSCs), cervical CSCs and targeted therapies. Oncotarget 2018; 8:35351-35367. [PMID: 27343550 PMCID: PMC5471060 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.10169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 06/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence has shown that cancer stem cells (CSCs) have a tumour-initiating capacity and play crucial roles in tumour metastasis, relapse and chemo/radio-resistance. As tumour propagation initiators, CSCs are considered to be promising targets for obtaining a better therapeutic outcome. Cervical carcinoma is the most common gynaecological malignancy and has a high cancer mortality rate among females. As a result, the investigation of cervical cancer stem cells (CCSCs) is of great value. However, the numbers of cancer cells and corresponding CSCs in malignancy are dynamically balanced, and CSCs may reside in the CSC niche, about which little is known to date. Therefore, due to their complicated molecular phenotypes and biological behaviours, it remains challenging to obtain “purified” CSCs and continuously culture CSCs for further in vitro studies without the cells losing their stem properties. At present, CSC-related markers and functional assays are used to purify, identify and therapeutically target CSCs both in vitro and in vivo. Nevertheless, CSC-related markers are not universal to all tumour types, although some markers may be valid in multiple tumour types. Additionally, functional identifications based on CSC-specific properties are usually limited in in vivo studies. Furthermore, an optimal method for identifying potential CCSCs in CCSC studies has not been previously published, and these techniques are currently of great importance. This article updates our knowledge on CSCs and CCSCs, reviews potential stem cell markers and functional assays for identifying CCSCs, and describes the potential of targeting CCSCs in the treatment of cervical carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruixia Huang
- Department of Radiation Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Einar K Rofstad
- Department of Radiation Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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Shahabi A, Lewinger JP, Ren J, April C, Sherrod AE, Hacia JG, Daneshmand S, Gill I, Pinski JK, Fan JB, Stern MC. Novel Gene Expression Signature Predictive of Clinical Recurrence After Radical Prostatectomy in Early Stage Prostate Cancer Patients. Prostate 2016; 76:1239-56. [PMID: 27272349 PMCID: PMC9015679 DOI: 10.1002/pros.23211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current clinical tools have limited accuracy in differentiating patients with localized prostate cancer who are at risk of recurrence from patients with indolent disease. We aimed to identify a gene expression signature that jointly with clinical variables could improve upon the prediction of clinical recurrence after RP for patients with stage T2 PCa. METHODS The study population includes consented patients who underwent a radical retropubic prostatectomy (RP) and bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection at the University of Southern California in the PSA-era (1988-2008). We used a nested case-control study of 187 organ-confined patients (pT2N0M0): 154 with no recurrence ("controls") and 33 with clinical recurrence ("cases"). RNA was obtained from laser capture microdissected malignant glands representative of the overall Gleason score of each patient. Whole genome gene expression profiles (29,000 transcripts) were obtained using the Whole Genome DASL HT platform (Illumina, Inc). A gene expression signature of PCa clinical recurrence was identified using stability selection with elastic net regularized logistic regression. Three existing datasets generated with the Affymetrix Human Exon 1.0ST array were used for validation: Mayo Clinic (MC, n = 545), Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (SKCC, n = 150), and Erasmus Medical Center (EMC, n = 48). The areas under the ROC curve (AUCs) were obtained using repeated fivefold cross-validation. RESULTS A 28-gene expression signature was identified that jointly with key clinical variables (age, Gleason score, pre-operative PSA level, and operation year) was predictive of clinical recurrence (AUC of clinical variables only was 0.67, AUC of clinical variables, and 28-gene signature was 0.99). The AUC of this gene signature fitted in each of the external datasets jointly with clinical variables was 0.75 (0.72-0.77) (MC), 0.90 (0.86-0.94) (MSKCC), and 0.82 (0.74-0.91) (EMC), whereas the AUC for clinical variables only in each dataset was 0.72 (0.70-0.74), 0.86 (0.82-0.91), and 0.76 (0.67-0.85), respectively. CONCLUSIONS We report a novel gene-expression based classifier identified using agnostic approaches from whole genome expression profiles that can improve upon the accuracy of clinical indicators to stratify early stage localized patients at risk of clinical recurrence after RP. Prostate 76:1239-1256, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahva Shahabi
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Juan Pablo Lewinger
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jie Ren
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California
| | | | - Andy E. Sherrod
- Department of Pathology, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, California
| | - Joseph G. Hacia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, California
| | - Siamak Daneshmand
- Department of Urology and USC Institute of Urology, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, California
| | - Inderbir Gill
- Department of Urology and USC Institute of Urology, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jacek K. Pinski
- Department of Medicine, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jian-Bing Fan
- Illumina, Inc., San Diego, California
- AnchorDx Corporation, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mariana C. Stern
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California
- Department of Urology and USC Institute of Urology, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, California
- Correspondence to: Dr. Mariana C. Stern, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1441 Eastlake Avenue, Room 5421A, Los Angeles, CA 90089.
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Abstract
Liver fibrosis, a major characteristic of chronic liver disease, is inappropriate tissue remodeling caused by prolonged parenchymal cell injury and inflammation. During liver injury, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) undergo transdifferentiation from quiescent HSCs into activated HSCs, which promote the deposition of extracellular matrix proteins, leading to liver fibrosis. Thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4), a major actin-sequestering protein, is the most abundant member of the highly conserved β-thymosin family and controls cell morphogenesis and motility by regulating the dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton. Tβ4 is known to be involved in various cellular responses, including antiinflammation, wound healing, angiogenesis, and cancer progression. Emerging evidence suggests that Tβ4 is expressed in the liver; however, its biological roles are poorly understood. Herein, we introduce liver fibrogenesis and recent findings regarding the function of Tβ4 in various tissues and discuss the potential role of Tβ4 in liver fibrosis with a special focus on the effects of exogenous and endogenous Tβ4. Recent studies have revealed that activated HSCs express Tβ4 in vivo and in vitro. Treatment with the exogenous Tβ4 peptide inhibits the proliferation and migration of activated HSCs and reduces liver fibrosis, indicating it has an antifibrotic action. Meanwhile, the endogenously expressed Tβ4 in activated HSCs is shown to promote HSCs activation. Although the role of Tβ4 has not been elucidated, it is apparent that Tβ4 is associated with HSC activation. Therefore, understanding the potential roles and regulatory mechanisms of Tβ4 in liver fibrosis may provide a novel treatment for patients.
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Cioffi M, D'Alterio C, Camerlingo R, Tirino V, Consales C, Riccio A, Ieranò C, Cecere SC, Losito NS, Greggi S, Pignata S, Pirozzi G, Scala S. Identification of a distinct population of CD133(+)CXCR4(+) cancer stem cells in ovarian cancer. Sci Rep 2015; 5:10357. [PMID: 26020117 PMCID: PMC4650662 DOI: 10.1038/srep10357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2014] [Accepted: 04/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
CD133 and CXCR4 were evaluated in the NCI-60 cell lines to identify cancer stem cell rich populations. Screening revealed that, ovarian OVCAR-3, -4 and -5 and colon cancer HT-29, HCT-116 and SW620 over expressed both proteins. We aimed to isolate cells with stem cell features sorting the cells expressing CXCR4(+)CD133(+) within ovarian cancer cell lines. The sorted population CD133(+)CXCR4(+) demonstrated the highest efficiency in sphere formation in OVCAR-3, OVCAR-4 and OVCAR-5 cells. Moreover OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and NANOG were highly expressed in CD133(+)CXCR4(+) sorted OVCAR-5 cells. Most strikingly CXCR4(+)CD133(+) sorted OVCAR-5 and -4 cells formed the highest number of tumors when inoculated in nude mice compared to CD133(-)CXCR4(-), CD133(+)CXCR4(-), CD133(-)CXCR4(+) cells. CXCR4(+)CD133(+) OVCAR-5 cells were resistant to cisplatin, overexpressed the ABCG2 surface drug transporter and migrated toward the CXCR4 ligand, CXCL12. Moreover, when human ovarian cancer cells were isolated from 37 primary ovarian cancer, an extremely variable level of CXCR4 and CD133 expression was detected. Thus, in human ovarian cancer cells CXCR4 and CD133 expression identified a discrete population with stem cell properties that regulated tumor development and chemo resistance. This cell population represents a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Cioffi
- Molecular Immunology and Immuneregulation, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale" IRCCS-ITALIA. Via Mariano Semmola 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Crescenzo D'Alterio
- Molecular Immunology and Immuneregulation, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale" IRCCS-ITALIA. Via Mariano Semmola 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Rosalba Camerlingo
- Stem Cell Unit, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale" IRCCS-ITALIA. Via Mariano Semmola 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Virginia Tirino
- Stem Cell Unit, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale" IRCCS-ITALIA. Via Mariano Semmola 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Claudia Consales
- Molecular Immunology and Immuneregulation, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale" IRCCS-ITALIA. Via Mariano Semmola 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Riccio
- Molecular Immunology and Immuneregulation, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale" IRCCS-ITALIA. Via Mariano Semmola 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Caterina Ieranò
- Molecular Immunology and Immuneregulation, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale" IRCCS-ITALIA. Via Mariano Semmola 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Sabrina Chiara Cecere
- Uro-Gynecological Oncology, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale" IRCCS-ITALIA. Via Mariano Semmola 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Nunzia Simona Losito
- Pathology; Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale" IRCCS-ITALIA. Via Mariano Semmola 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Stefano Greggi
- Uro-Gynecological Oncology, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale" IRCCS-ITALIA. Via Mariano Semmola 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Sandro Pignata
- Uro-Gynecological Oncology, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale" IRCCS-ITALIA. Via Mariano Semmola 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Pirozzi
- Stem Cell Unit, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale" IRCCS-ITALIA. Via Mariano Semmola 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Stefania Scala
- Molecular Immunology and Immuneregulation, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale" IRCCS-ITALIA. Via Mariano Semmola 80131, Naples, Italy
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Potential role of thymosin Beta 4 in liver fibrosis. Int J Mol Sci 2015; 16:10624-35. [PMID: 26006229 PMCID: PMC4463665 DOI: 10.3390/ijms160510624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Revised: 04/30/2015] [Accepted: 05/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis, the main characteristic of chronic liver diseases, is strongly associated with the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), which are responsible for extracellular matrix production. As such, investigating the effective regulators controlling HSC activation provides important clues for developing therapeutics to inhibit liver fibrosis. Thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4), a major actin-sequestering protein, is known to be involved in various cellular responses. A growing body of evidence suggests that Tβ4 has a potential role in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis and that it is especially associated with the activation of HSCs. However, it remains unclear whether Tβ4 promotes or suppresses the activation of HSCs. Herein, we review the potential role of Tβ4 in liver fibrosis by describing the effects of exogenous and endogenous Tβ4, and we discuss the possible signaling pathway regulated by Tβ4. Exogenous Tβ4 reduces liver fibrosis by inhibiting the proliferation and migration of HSCs. Tβ4 is expressed endogenously in the activated HSCs, but this endogenous Tβ4 displays opposite effects in HSC activation, either as an activator or an inhibitor. Although the role of Tβ4 has not been established, it is apparent that Tβ4 influences HSC activation, suggesting that Tβ4 is a potential therapeutic target for treating liver diseases.
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Kim J, Wang S, Hyun J, Choi SS, Cha H, Ock M, Jung Y. Hepatic stellate cells express thymosin Beta 4 in chronically damaged liver. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0122758. [PMID: 25826335 PMCID: PMC4380456 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2014] [Accepted: 02/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the various biological roles of thymosin β4 (Tβ4) have been studied widely, the effect of Tβ4 and Tβ4-expressing cells in the liver remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the expression and function of Tβ4 in chronically damaged livers. CCl4 was injected into male mice to induce a model of chronic liver disease. Mice were sacrificed at 6 and 10 weeks after CCl4 treatment, and the livers were collected for biochemical analysis. The activated LX-2, human hepatic stellate cell (HSC) line, were transfected with Tβ4-specific siRNA and activation markers of HSCs were examined. Compared to HepG2, higher expression of Tβ4 in RNA and protein levels was detected in the activated LX-2. In addition, Tβ4 was up-regulated in human liver with advanced liver fibrosis. The expression of Tβ4 increased during mouse HSC activation. Tβ4 was also up-regulated and Tβ4-positive cells were co-localized with α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in the livers of CCl4-treated mice, whereas such cells were rarely detected in the livers of corn-oil treated mice. The suppression of Tβ4 in LX-2 cells by siRNA induced the down-regulation of HSC activation-related genes, tgf-β, α-sma, collagen, and vimentin, and up-regulation of HSC inactivation markers, ppar-γ and gfap. Immunofluorescent staining detected rare co-expressing cells with Tβ4 and α-SMA in Tβ4 siRNA-transfected cells. In addition, cytoplasmic lipid droplets were observed in Tβ4 siRNA-treated cells. These results demonstrate that activated HSCs expressed Tβ4 in chronically damaged livers, and this endogenous expression of Tβ4 influenced HSC activation, indicating that Tβ4 might contribute to liver fibrosis by regulating HSC activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieun Kim
- Department of Integrated Biological Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, Korea
| | - Sihyung Wang
- Department of Integrated Biological Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, Korea
| | - Jeongeun Hyun
- Department of Integrated Biological Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, Korea
| | - Steve S. Choi
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Heejae Cha
- Department of Parasitology and Genetics, Kosin University College of Medicine, Pusan, Korea
| | - Meesun Ock
- Department of Parasitology and Genetics, Kosin University College of Medicine, Pusan, Korea
| | - Youngmi Jung
- Department of Integrated Biological Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, Korea
- Department of Biological Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, Korea
- * E-mail:
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11
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Kim KH, Kang YJ, Jo JO, Ock MS, Moon SH, Suh DS, Yoon MS, Park ES, Jeong N, Eo WK, Kim HY, Cha HJ. DDX4 (DEAD box polypeptide 4) colocalizes with cancer stem cell marker CD133 in ovarian cancers. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2014; 447:315-22. [PMID: 24727449 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.03.144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2014] [Accepted: 03/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
DDX4 (DEAD box polypeptide 4), characterized by the conserved motif Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp (DEAD), is an RNA helicase which is implicated in various cellular processes involving the alteration of RNA secondary structure, such as translation initiation, nuclear and mitochondrial splicing, and ribosome and spliceosome assembly. DDX4 is known to be a germ cell-specific protein and is used as a sorting marker of germline stem cells for the production of oocytes. A recent report about DDX4 in ovarian cancer showed that DDX4 is overexpressed in epithelial ovarian cancer and disrupts a DNA damage-induced G2 checkpoint. We investigated the relationship between DDX4 and ovarian cancer stem cells by analyzing the expression patterns of DDX4 and the cancer stem cell marker CD133 in ovarian cancers via tissue microarray. Both DDX4 and CD133 were significantly increased in ovarian cancer compared to benign tumors, and showed similar patterns of expression. In addition, DDX4 and CD133 were mostly colocalized in various types of ovarian cancer tissues. Furthermore, almost all CD133 positive ovarian cancer cells also express DDX4 whereas CD133-negative cells did not possess DDX4, suggesting a strong possibility that DDX4 plays an important role in cancer stem cells, and/or can be used as an ovarian cancer stem cell marker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki Hyung Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea; Biomedical Research Institute and Pusan Cancer Center, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Jeong Kang
- Department of Parasitology and Genetics, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Ok Jo
- Department of Parasitology and Genetics, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Mee Sun Ock
- Department of Parasitology and Genetics, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Hyun Moon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea; Biomedical Research Institute and Pusan Cancer Center, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Soo Suh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea; Biomedical Research Institute and Pusan Cancer Center, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Man Soo Yoon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea; Biomedical Research Institute and Pusan Cancer Center, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Sil Park
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA, USA
| | - Namkung Jeong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Catholic University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Wan-Kyu Eo
- Department of Internal Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Heung Yeol Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hee-Jae Cha
- Department of Parasitology and Genetics, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea; Institute for Medical Science, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea.
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12
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Shin SH, Lee S, Bae JS, Jee JG, Cha HJ, Lee YM. Thymosin beta4 regulates cardiac valve formation via endothelial-mesenchymal transformation in zebrafish embryos. Mol Cells 2014; 37:330-6. [PMID: 24732964 PMCID: PMC4012082 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2014.0003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2014] [Revised: 01/20/2014] [Accepted: 02/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Thymosin beta4 (TB4) has multiple functions in cellular response in processes as diverse as embryonic organ development and the pathogeneses of disease, especially those associated with cardiac coronary vessels. However, the specific roles played by TB4 during heart valve development in vertebrates are largely unknown. Here, we identified a novel function of TB4 in endothelialmesenchymal transformation (EMT) in cardiac valve endocardial cushions in zebrafish. The expressions of thymosin family members in developing zebrafish embryos were determined by whole mount in situ hybridization. Of the thymosin family members only zTB4 was expressed in the developing heart region. Cardiac valve development at 48 h post fertilization was defected in zebrafish TB4 (zTB4) morpholino-injected embryos (morphants). In zTB4 morphants, abnormal linear heart tube development was observed. The expressions of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 4, notch1b, and hyaluronic acid synthase (HAS) 2 genes were also markedly reduced in atrio-ventricular canal (AVC). Endocardial cells in the AVC region were stained with anti-Zn5 antibody reactive against Dm-grasp (an EMT marker) to observe EMT in developing cardiac valves in zTB4 morphants. EMT marker expression in valve endothelial cells was confirmed after transfection with TB4 siRNA in the presence of transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) by RT-PCR and immunofluorescent assay. Zn5-positive endocardial AVC cells were not observed in zTB4 morphants, and knockdown of TB4 suppressed TGF-β-induced EMT in ovine valve endothelial cells. Taken together, our results demonstrate that TB4 plays a pivotal role in cardiac valve formation by increasing EMT.1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun-Hye Shin
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701,
Korea
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701,
Korea
| | - Sangkyu Lee
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701,
Korea
| | - Jong-Sup Bae
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701,
Korea
| | - Jun-Goo Jee
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701,
Korea
| | - Hee-Jae Cha
- Department of Parasitology and Genetics, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan 602-703,
Korea
| | - You Mie Lee
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701,
Korea
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701,
Korea
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13
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Kang YJ, Jo JO, Ock MS, Chang HK, Lee SH, Ahn BK, Baek KW, Choi YH, Kim WJ, Leem SH, Cha HJ. Thymosin β4 was upregulated in recurred colorectal cancers. J Clin Pathol 2013; 67:188-90. [PMID: 24098025 DOI: 10.1136/jclinpath-2013-201940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Jeong Kang
- Departments of Parasitology and Genetics, Kosin University College of Medicine, , Busan, Republic of Korea
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