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Fracchioni G, Vailati S, Grazioli M, Pirota V. Structural Unfolding of G-Quadruplexes: From Small Molecules to Antisense Strategies. Molecules 2024; 29:3488. [PMID: 39124893 PMCID: PMC11314335 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29153488] [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: 06/30/2024] [Revised: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
G-quadruplexes (G4s) are non-canonical nucleic acid secondary structures that have gathered significant interest in medicinal chemistry over the past two decades due to their unique structural features and potential roles in a variety of biological processes and disorders. Traditionally, research efforts have focused on stabilizing G4s, while in recent years, the attention has progressively shifted to G4 destabilization, unveiling new therapeutic perspectives. This review provides an in-depth overview of recent advances in the development of small molecules, starting with the controversial role of TMPyP4. Moreover, we described effective metal complexes in addition to G4-disrupting small molecules as well as good G4 stabilizing ligands that can destabilize G4s in response to external stimuli. Finally, we presented antisense strategies as a promising approach for destabilizing G4s, with a particular focus on 2'-OMe antisense oligonucleotide, peptide nucleic acid, and locked nucleic acid. Overall, this review emphasizes the importance of understanding G4 dynamics as well as ongoing efforts to develop selective G4-unfolding strategies that can modulate their biological function and therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Fracchioni
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, via Taramelli 10, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (G.F.); (S.V.); (M.G.)
- G4-INTERACT Group, Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Sabrina Vailati
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, via Taramelli 10, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (G.F.); (S.V.); (M.G.)
- PhD National Program in One Health Approaches to Infectious Diseases and Life Science Research, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Marta Grazioli
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, via Taramelli 10, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (G.F.); (S.V.); (M.G.)
| | - Valentina Pirota
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, via Taramelli 10, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (G.F.); (S.V.); (M.G.)
- G4-INTERACT Group, Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), 27100 Pavia, Italy
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2
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Mortenson KL, Dawes C, Wilson ER, Patchen NE, Johnson HE, Gertz J, Bailey SD, Liu Y, Varley KE, Zhang X. 3D genomic analysis reveals novel enhancer-hijacking caused by complex structural alterations that drive oncogene overexpression. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6130. [PMID: 39033128 PMCID: PMC11271278 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50387-w] [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: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer genomes are composed of many complex structural alterations on chromosomes and extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA), making it difficult to identify non-coding enhancer regions that are hijacked to activate oncogene expression. Here, we describe a 3D genomics-based analysis called HAPI (Highly Active Promoter Interactions) to characterize enhancer hijacking. HAPI analysis of HiChIP data from 34 cancer cell lines identified enhancer hijacking events that activate both known and potentially novel oncogenes such as MYC, CCND1, ETV1, CRKL, and ID4. Furthermore, we found enhancer hijacking among multiple oncogenes from different chromosomes, often including MYC, on the same complex amplicons such as ecDNA. We characterized a MYC-ERBB2 chimeric ecDNA, in which ERBB2 heavily hijacks MYC's enhancers. Notably, CRISPRi of the MYC promoter led to increased interaction of ERBB2 with MYC enhancers and elevated ERBB2 expression. Our HAPI analysis tool provides a robust strategy to detect enhancer hijacking and reveals novel insights into oncogene activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn L Mortenson
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Courtney Dawes
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Emily R Wilson
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Nathan E Patchen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Hailey E Johnson
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Jason Gertz
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Swneke D Bailey
- Cancer Research Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Surgery and Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Katherine E Varley
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
| | - Xiaoyang Zhang
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
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3
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Bogale DE. The roles of FGFR3 and c-MYC in urothelial bladder cancer. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:295. [PMID: 39031286 PMCID: PMC11264706 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-01173-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer is one of the most frequently occurring cancers worldwide. At diagnosis, 75% of urothelial bladder cancer cases have non-muscle invasive bladder cancer while 25% have muscle invasive or metastatic disease. Aberrantly activated fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)-3 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of bladder cancer. Activating mutations of FGFR3 are observed in around 70% of NMIBC cases and ~ 15% of MIBCs. Activated FGFR3 leads to ligand-independent receptor dimerization and activation of downstream signaling pathways that promote cell proliferation and survival. FGFR3 is an important therapeutic target in bladder cancer, and clinical studies have shown the benefit of FGFR inhibitors in a subset of bladder cancer patients. c-MYC is a well-known major driver of carcinogenesis and is one of the most commonly deregulated oncogenes identified in human cancers. Studies have shown that the antitumor effects of FGFR inhibition in FGFR3 dependent bladder cancer cells and other FGFR dependent cancers may be mediated through c-MYC, a key downstream effector of activated FGFR that is involved tumorigenesis. This review will summarize the current general understanding of FGFR signaling and MYC alterations in cancer, and the role of FGFR3 and MYC dysregulation in the pathogenesis of urothelial bladder cancer with the possible therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dereje E Bogale
- School of Medicine, Department of Oncology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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4
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Malik S, Pradeep SP, Kumar V, Xiao Y, Deng Y, Fan R, Vasquez JC, Singh V, Bahal R. Antitumor efficacy of a sequence-specific DNA-targeted γPNA-based c-Myc inhibitor. Cell Rep Med 2024; 5:101354. [PMID: 38183981 PMCID: PMC10829792 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101354] [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: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Targeting oncogenes at the genomic DNA level can open new avenues for precision medicine. Significant efforts are ongoing to target oncogenes using RNA-targeted and protein-targeted platforms, but no progress has been made to target genomic DNA for cancer therapy. Here, we introduce a gamma peptide nucleic acid (γPNA)-based genomic DNA-targeted platform to silence oncogenes in vivo. γPNAs efficiently invade the mixed sequences of genomic DNA with high affinity and specificity. As a proof of concept, we establish that γPNA can inhibit c-Myc transcription in multiple cell lines. We evaluate the in vivo efficacy and safety of genomic DNA targeting in three pre-clinical models. We also establish that anti-transcription γPNA in combination with histone deacetylase inhibitors and chemotherapeutic drugs results in robust antitumor activity in cell-line- and patient-derived xenografts. Overall, this strategy offers a unique therapeutic platform to target genomic DNA to inhibit oncogenes for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shipra Malik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Sai Pallavi Pradeep
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Vikas Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Yong Xiao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Nanjing Brain Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanxiang Deng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Yale Stem Cell Center and Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Rong Fan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Yale Stem Cell Center and Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Human and Translational Immunology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Juan C Vasquez
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Vijender Singh
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Raman Bahal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
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5
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Kubickova A, De Sanctis JB, Hajduch M. Isoform-Directed Control of c-Myc Functions: Understanding the Balance from Proliferation to Growth Arrest. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17524. [PMID: 38139353 PMCID: PMC10743581 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417524] [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: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor c-Myc, a key regulator of cellular processes, has long been associated with roles in cell proliferation and apoptosis. This review analyses the multiple functions of c-Myc by examining the different c-Myc isoforms in detail. The impact of different c-Myc isoforms, in particular p64 and p67, on fundamental biological processes remains controversial. It is necessary to investigate the different isoforms in the context of proto-oncogenesis. The current knowledge base suggests that neoplastic lesions may possess the means for self-destruction via increased c-Myc activity. This review presents the most relevant information on the c-Myc locus and focuses on a number of isoforms, including p64 and p67. This compilation provides a basis for the development of therapeutic approaches that target the potent growth arresting and pro-apoptotic functions of c-Myc. This information can then be used to develop targeted interventions against specific isoforms with the aim of shifting the oncogenic effects of c-Myc from pro-proliferative to pro-apoptotic. The research summarised in this review can deepen our understanding of how c-Myc activity contributes to different cellular responses, which will be crucial in developing effective therapeutic strategies; for example, isoform-specific approaches may allow for precise modulation of c-Myc function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Kubickova
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Palacky University and University Hospital Olomouc, Hnevotinska 1333/5, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (A.K.); (J.B.D.S.)
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacky University in Olomouc, Hnevotinska 1333/5, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Juan Bautista De Sanctis
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Palacky University and University Hospital Olomouc, Hnevotinska 1333/5, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (A.K.); (J.B.D.S.)
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacky University in Olomouc, Hnevotinska 1333/5, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Marian Hajduch
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Palacky University and University Hospital Olomouc, Hnevotinska 1333/5, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (A.K.); (J.B.D.S.)
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacky University in Olomouc, Hnevotinska 1333/5, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic
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6
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Harafuji N, Yang C, Wu M, Thiruvengadam G, Gordish-Dressman H, Thompson RG, Bell PD, Rosenberg AZ, Dafinger C, Liebau MC, Bebok Z, Caldovic L, Guay-Woodford LM. Differential regulation of MYC expression by PKHD1/Pkhd1 in human and mouse kidneys: phenotypic implications for recessive polycystic kidney disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1270980. [PMID: 38125876 PMCID: PMC10731465 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1270980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD; MIM#263200) is a severe, hereditary, hepato-renal fibrocystic disorder that leads to early childhood morbidity and mortality. Typical forms of ARPKD are caused by pathogenic variants in the PKHD1 gene, which encodes the fibrocystin/polyductin (FPC) protein. MYC overexpression has been proposed as a driver of renal cystogenesis, but little is known about MYC expression in recessive PKD. In the current study, we provide the first evidence that MYC is overexpressed in kidneys from ARPKD patients and confirm that MYC is upregulated in cystic kidneys from cpk mutant mice. In contrast, renal MYC expression levels were not altered in several Pkhd1 mutant mice that lack a significant cystic kidney phenotype. We leveraged previous observations that the carboxy-terminus of mouse FPC (FPC-CTD) is proteolytically cleaved through Notch-like processing, translocates to the nucleus, and binds to double stranded DNA, to examine whether the FPC-CTD plays a role in regulating MYC/Myc transcription. Using immunofluorescence, reporter gene assays, and ChIP, we demonstrate that both human and mouse FPC-CTD can localize to the nucleus, bind to the MYC/Myc P1 promoter, and activate MYC/Myc expression. Interestingly, we observed species-specific differences in FPC-CTD intracellular trafficking. Furthermore, our informatic analyses revealed limited sequence identity of FPC-CTD across vertebrate phyla and database queries identified temporal differences in PKHD1/Pkhd1 and CYS1/Cys1 expression patterns in mouse and human kidneys. Given that cystin, the Cys1 gene product, is a negative regulator of Myc transcription, these temporal differences in gene expression could contribute to the relative renoprotection from cystogenesis in Pkhd1-deficient mice. Taken together, our findings provide new mechanistic insights into differential mFPC-CTD and hFPC-CTD regulation of MYC expression in renal epithelial cells, which may illuminate the basis for the phenotypic disparities between human patients with PKHD1 pathogenic variants and Pkhd1-mutant mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoe Harafuji
- Center for Translational Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Chaozhe Yang
- Center for Translational Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Maoqing Wu
- Center for Translational Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Girija Thiruvengadam
- Center for Translational Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
| | | | - R. Griffin Thompson
- Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - P. Darwin Bell
- Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Avi Z. Rosenberg
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Claudia Dafinger
- Department of Pediatrics and Center for Molecular Medicine, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Max C. Liebau
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Family Health, Center for Rare Diseases and Center for Molecular Medicine, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Zsuzsanna Bebok
- Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Ljubica Caldovic
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
- Department of Genomics and Precision Medicine, School of Medical and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Lisa M. Guay-Woodford
- Center for Translational Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
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7
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When Just One Phosphate Is One Too Many: The Multifaceted Interplay between Myc and Kinases. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054746. [PMID: 36902175 PMCID: PMC10003727 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Myc transcription factors are key regulators of many cellular processes, with Myc target genes crucially implicated in the management of cell proliferation and stem pluripotency, energy metabolism, protein synthesis, angiogenesis, DNA damage response, and apoptosis. Given the wide involvement of Myc in cellular dynamics, it is not surprising that its overexpression is frequently associated with cancer. Noteworthy, in cancer cells where high Myc levels are maintained, the overexpression of Myc-associated kinases is often observed and required to foster tumour cells' proliferation. A mutual interplay exists between Myc and kinases: the latter, which are Myc transcriptional targets, phosphorylate Myc, allowing its transcriptional activity, highlighting a clear regulatory loop. At the protein level, Myc activity and turnover is also tightly regulated by kinases, with a finely tuned balance between translation and rapid protein degradation. In this perspective, we focus on the cross-regulation of Myc and its associated protein kinases underlying similar and redundant mechanisms of regulation at different levels, from transcriptional to post-translational events. Furthermore, a review of the indirect effects of known kinase inhibitors on Myc provides an opportunity to identify alternative and combined therapeutic approaches for cancer treatment.
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8
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Garcia K, Gingras AC, Harvey KF, Tanas MR. TAZ/YAP fusion proteins: mechanistic insights and therapeutic opportunities. Trends Cancer 2022; 8:1033-1045. [PMID: 36096997 PMCID: PMC9671862 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2022.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The Hippo pathway is dysregulated in many different cancers, but point mutations in the pathway are rare. Transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) and Yes-associated protein (YAP) fusion proteins have emerged in almost all major cancer types and represent the most common genetic mechanism by which the two transcriptional co-activators are activated. Given that the N termini of TAZ or YAP are fused to the C terminus of another transcriptional regulator, the resultant fusion proteins hyperactivate a TEAD transcription factor-based transcriptome. Recent advances show that the C-terminal fusion partners confer oncogenic properties to TAZ/YAP fusion proteins by recruiting epigenetic modifiers that promote a hybrid TEAD-based transcriptome. Elucidating these cooperating epigenetic complexes represents a strategy to identify new therapeutic approaches for a pathway that has been recalcitrant to medical therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith Garcia
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Anne-Claude Gingras
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kieran F Harvey
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, and Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Munir R Tanas
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Iowa City, IA, USA; Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
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9
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Vollmuth N, Schlicker L, Guo Y, Hovhannisyan P, Janaki-Raman S, Kurmasheva N, Schmitz W, Schulze A, Stelzner K, Rajeeve K, Rudel T. c-Myc plays a key role in IFN-γ-induced persistence of Chlamydia trachomatis. eLife 2022; 11:76721. [PMID: 36155135 PMCID: PMC9512400 DOI: 10.7554/elife.76721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis (Ctr) can persist over extended times within their host cell and thereby establish chronic infections. One of the major inducers of chlamydial persistence is interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) released by immune cells as a mechanism of immune defence. IFN-γ activates the catabolic depletion of L-tryptophan (Trp) via indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), resulting in persistent Ctr. Here, we show that IFN-γ induces the downregulation of c-Myc, the key regulator of host cell metabolism, in a STAT1-dependent manner. Expression of c-Myc rescued Ctr from IFN-γ-induced persistence in cell lines and human fallopian tube organoids. Trp concentrations control c-Myc levels most likely via the PI3K-GSK3β axis. Unbiased metabolic analysis revealed that Ctr infection reprograms the host cell tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle to support pyrimidine biosynthesis. Addition of TCA cycle intermediates or pyrimidine/purine nucleosides to infected cells rescued Ctr from IFN-γ-induced persistence. Thus, our results challenge the longstanding hypothesis of Trp depletion through IDO as the major mechanism of IFN-γ-induced metabolic immune defence and significantly extends the understanding of the role of IFN-γ as a broad modulator of host cell metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Vollmuth
- Department of Microbiology, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Lisa Schlicker
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yongxia Guo
- Department of Microbiology, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany.,College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Pargev Hovhannisyan
- Department of Microbiology, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | | | - Naziia Kurmasheva
- Department of Microbiology, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Werner Schmitz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Wuerzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Almut Schulze
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Wuerzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Kathrin Stelzner
- Department of Microbiology, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Karthika Rajeeve
- Department of Microbiology, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany.,Pathogen Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Thomas Rudel
- Department of Microbiology, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
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10
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Typical Enhancers, Super-Enhancers, and Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14184375. [PMID: 36139535 PMCID: PMC9496678 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14184375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The cancer genome has been exhaustively studied upon the advent of Next-Generation Sequencing technologies. Coding and non-coding sequences have been defined as hotspots of genomic variations that affect the naïve gene expression programs established in normal cells, thus working as endogenous drivers of carcinogenesis. In this review, we comprehensively summarize fundamental aspects of gene expression regulation, with emphasis on the impact of sequence and structural variations mapped across non-coding cis-acting elements of genes encoding for tumor-related transcription factors. Chromatin architecture, epigenome reprogramming, transcriptional enhancers and Super-enhancers, oncogene regulation, cutting-edge technologies, and pharmacological treatment are substantially highlighted. Abstract Non-coding segments of the human genome are enriched in cis-regulatory modules that constitute functional elements, such as transcriptional enhancers and Super-enhancers. A hallmark of cancer pathogenesis is the dramatic dysregulation of the “archetype” gene expression profiles of normal human cells. Genomic variations can promote such deficiencies when occurring across enhancers and Super-enhancers, since they affect their mechanistic principles, their functional capacity and specificity, and the epigenomic features of the chromatin microenvironment across which these regulatory elements reside. Here, we comprehensively describe: fundamental mechanisms of gene expression dysregulation in cancers that involve genomic abnormalities within enhancers’ and Super-enhancers’ (SEs) sequences, which alter the expression of oncogenic transcription factors (TFs); cutting-edge technologies applied for the analysis of variation-enriched hotspots of the cancer genome; and pharmacological approaches for the treatment of Super-enhancers’ aberrant function. Finally, we provide an intratumor meta-analysis, which highlights that genomic variations in transcription-factor-driven tumors are accompanied overexpression of genes, a portion of which encodes for additional cancer-related transcription factors.
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11
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Abstract
The change in cell state from normal to malignant is driven fundamentally by oncogenic mutations in cooperation with epigenetic alterations of chromatin. These alterations in chromatin can be a consequence of environmental stressors or germline and/or somatic mutations that directly alter the structure of chromatin machinery proteins, their levels, or their regulatory function. These changes can result in an inability of the cell to differentiate along a predefined lineage path, or drive a hyperactive, highly proliferative state with addiction to high levels of transcriptional output. We discuss how these genetic alterations hijack the chromatin machinery for the oncogenic process to reveal unique vulnerabilities and novel targets for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berkley Gryder
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
- Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Peter C Scacheri
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
| | - Thomas Ried
- Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Javed Khan
- Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
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12
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Hehir-Kwa JY, Koudijs MJ, Verwiel ETP, Kester LA, van Tuil M, Strengman E, Buijs A, Kranendonk MEG, Hiemcke-Jiwa LS, de Haas V, van de Geer E, de Leng W, van der Lugt J, Lijnzaad P, Holstege FCP, Kemmeren P, Tops BBJ. Improved Gene Fusion Detection in Childhood Cancer Diagnostics Using RNA Sequencing. JCO Precis Oncol 2022; 6:e2000504. [PMID: 35085008 PMCID: PMC8830514 DOI: 10.1200/po.20.00504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Gene fusions play a significant role in cancer etiology, making their detection crucial for accurate diagnosis, prognosis, and determining therapeutic targets. Current diagnostic methods largely focus on either targeted or low-resolution genome-wide techniques, which may be unable to capture rare events or both fusion partners. We investigate if RNA sequencing can overcome current limitations with traditional diagnostic techniques to identify gene fusion events. METHODS We first performed RNA sequencing on a validation cohort of 24 samples with a known gene fusion event, after which a prospective pan-pediatric cancer cohort (n = 244) was tested by RNA sequencing in parallel to existing diagnostic procedures. This cohort included hematologic malignancies, tumors of the CNS, solid tumors, and suspected neoplastic samples. All samples were processed in the routine diagnostic workflow and analyzed for gene fusions using standard-of-care methods and RNA sequencing. RESULTS We identified a clinically relevant gene fusion in 83 of 244 cases in the prospective cohort. Sixty fusions were detected by both routine diagnostic techniques and RNA sequencing, and one fusion was detected only in routine diagnostics, but an additional 24 fusions were detected solely by RNA sequencing. RNA sequencing, therefore, increased the diagnostic yield by 38%-39%. In addition, RNA sequencing identified both gene partners involved in the gene fusion, in contrast to most routine techniques. For two patients, the newly identified fusion by RNA sequencing resulted in treatment with targeted agents. CONCLUSION We show that RNA sequencing is sufficiently robust for gene fusion detection in routine diagnostics of childhood cancers and can make a difference in treatment decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marco J. Koudijs
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Department of Laboratories, Pharmacy and Biomedical Genetics, Section of Genome Diagnostics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | - Lennart A. Kester
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Marc van Tuil
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Eric Strengman
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Arjan Buijs
- Department of Laboratories, Pharmacy and Biomedical Genetics, Section of Genome Diagnostics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Valerie de Haas
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Ellen van de Geer
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Wendy de Leng
- Department of Laboratories, Pharmacy and Biomedical Genetics, Section Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | - Philip Lijnzaad
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | - Patrick Kemmeren
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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13
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Glenfield C, Innan H. Gene Duplication and Gene Fusion Are Important Drivers of Tumourigenesis during Cancer Evolution. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1376. [PMID: 34573358 PMCID: PMC8466788 DOI: 10.3390/genes12091376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromosomal rearrangement and genome instability are common features of cancer cells in human. Consequently, gene duplication and gene fusion events are frequently observed in human malignancies and many of the products of these events are pathogenic, representing significant drivers of tumourigenesis and cancer evolution. In certain subsets of cancers duplicated and fused genes appear to be essential for initiation of tumour formation, and some even have the capability of transforming normal cells, highlighting the importance of understanding the events that result in their formation. The mechanisms that drive gene duplication and fusion are unregulated in cancer and they facilitate rapid evolution by selective forces akin to Darwinian survival of the fittest on a cellular level. In this review, we examine current knowledge of the landscape and prevalence of gene duplication and gene fusion in human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hideki Innan
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, SOKENDAI, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Shonan Village, Hayama, Kanagawar 240-0193, Japan;
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14
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Regua AT, Arrigo A, Doheny D, Wong GL, Lo HW. Transgenic mouse models of breast cancer. Cancer Lett 2021; 516:73-83. [PMID: 34090924 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Transgenic breast cancer mouse models are critical tools for preclinical studies of human breast cancer. Genetic editing of the murine mammary gland allows for modeling of abnormal genetic events frequently found in human breast cancers. Genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) of breast cancer employ tissue-specific genetic manipulation for tumorigenic induction within the mammary tissue. Under the transcriptional control of mammary-specific promoters, transgenic mouse models can simulate spontaneous mammary tumorigenesis by expressing one or more putative oncogenes, such as MYC, HRAS, and PIK3CA. Alternatively, the Cre-Lox system allows for tissue-specific deletion of tumor suppressors, such as p53, Rb1, and Brca1, or specific knock-in of putative oncogenes. Thus, GEMMs can be designed to implement one or more genetic events to induce mammary tumorigenesis. Features of GEMMs, such as age of transgene expression, breeding quality, tumor latency, histopathological characteristics, and propensity for local and distant metastasis, are variable and strain-dependent. This review aims to summarize currently available transgenic breast cancer mouse models that undergo spontaneous mammary tumorigenesis upon genetic manipulation, their varying characteristics, and their individual genetic manipulations that model aberrant signaling events observed in human breast cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelina T Regua
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
| | - Austin Arrigo
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
| | - Daniel Doheny
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
| | - Grace L Wong
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
| | - Hui-Wen Lo
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Breast Cancer Center of Excellence, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
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15
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Naso FD, Boi D, Ascanelli C, Pamfil G, Lindon C, Paiardini A, Guarguaglini G. Nuclear localisation of Aurora-A: its regulation and significance for Aurora-A functions in cancer. Oncogene 2021; 40:3917-3928. [PMID: 33981003 PMCID: PMC8195736 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-01766-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The Aurora-A kinase regulates cell division, by controlling centrosome biology and spindle assembly. Cancer cells often display elevated levels of the kinase, due to amplification of the gene locus, increased transcription or post-translational modifications. Several inhibitors of Aurora-A activity have been developed as anti-cancer agents and are under evaluation in clinical trials. Although the well-known mitotic roles of Aurora-A point at chromosomal instability, a hallmark of cancer, as a major link between Aurora-A overexpression and disease, recent evidence highlights the existence of non-mitotic functions of potential relevance. Here we focus on a nuclear-localised fraction of Aurora-A with oncogenic roles. Interestingly, this pool would identify not only non-mitotic, but also kinase-independent functions of the kinase. We review existing data in the literature and databases, examining potential links between Aurora-A stabilisation and localisation, and discuss them in the perspective of a more effective targeting of Aurora-A in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Davide Naso
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, National Research Council of Italy, c/o Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Dalila Boi
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Georgiana Pamfil
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, National Research Council of Italy, c/o Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Catherine Lindon
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | | | - Giulia Guarguaglini
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, National Research Council of Italy, c/o Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
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16
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Enhancer-gene rewiring in the pathogenesis of Quebec platelet disorder. Blood 2021; 136:2679-2690. [PMID: 32663239 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2020005394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Quebec platelet disorder (QPD) is an autosomal dominant bleeding disorder with a unique, platelet-dependent, gain-of-function defect in fibrinolysis, without systemic fibrinolysis. The hallmark feature of QPD is a >100-fold overexpression of PLAU, specifically in megakaryocytes. This overexpression leads to a >100-fold increase in platelet stores of urokinase plasminogen activator (PLAU/uPA); subsequent plasmin-mediated degradation of diverse α-granule proteins; and platelet-dependent, accelerated fibrinolysis. The causative mutation is a 78-kb tandem duplication of PLAU. How this duplication causes megakaryocyte-specific PLAU overexpression is unknown. To investigate the mechanism that causes QPD, we used epigenomic profiling, comparative genomics, and chromatin conformation capture approaches to study PLAU regulation in cultured megakaryocytes from participants with QPD and unaffected controls. QPD duplication led to ectopic interactions between PLAU and a conserved megakaryocyte enhancer found within the same topologically associating domain (TAD). Our results support a unique disease mechanism whereby the reorganization of sub-TAD genome architecture results in a dramatic, cell-type-specific blood disorder phenotype.
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17
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Habib S, Ariatti M, Singh M. Anti- c-myc RNAi-Based Onconanotherapeutics. Biomedicines 2020; 8:E612. [PMID: 33333729 PMCID: PMC7765184 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines8120612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Overexpression of the c-myc proto-oncogene features prominently in most human cancers. Early studies established that inhibiting the expression of oncogenic c-myc, produced potent anti-cancer effects. This gave rise to the notion that an appropriate c-myc silencing agent might provide a broadly applicable and more effective form of cancer treatment than is currently available. The endogenous mechanism of RNA interference (RNAi), through which small RNA molecules induce gene silencing by binding to complementary mRNA transcripts, represents an attractive avenue for c-myc inhibition. However, the development of a clinically viable, anti-c-myc RNAi-based platform is largely dependent upon the design of an appropriate carrier of the effector nucleic acids. To date, organic and inorganic nanoparticles were assessed both in vitro and in vivo, as carriers of small interfering RNA (siRNA), DICER-substrate siRNA (DsiRNA), and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) expression plasmids, directed against the c-myc oncogene. We review here the various anti-c-myc RNAi-based nanosystems that have come to the fore, especially between 2005 and 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Moganavelli Singh
- Nano-Gene and Drug Delivery Group, Discipline of Biochemistry, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag, Durban X54001, South Africa; (S.H.); (M.A.)
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18
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Deng M, Xu-Monette ZY, Pham LV, Wang X, Tzankov A, Fang X, Zhu F, Visco C, Bhagat G, Dybkaer K, Chiu A, Tam W, Zu Y, Hsi ED, You H, Huh J, Ponzoni M, Ferreri AJM, Møller MB, Parsons BM, Hagemeister F, van Krieken JH, Piris MA, Winter JN, Li Y, Xu B, Liu P, Young KH. Aggressive B-cell Lymphoma with MYC/TP53 Dual Alterations Displays Distinct Clinicopathobiological Features and Response to Novel Targeted Agents. Mol Cancer Res 2020; 19:249-260. [PMID: 33154093 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-20-0466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the major type of aggressive B-cell lymphoma. High-grade B-cell lymphoma (HGBCL) with MYC/BCL2 double-hit (DH) represents a distinct entity with dismal prognosis after standard immunochemotherapy in the current WHO lymphoma classification. However, whether TP53 mutation synergizes with MYC abnormalities (MYC rearrangement and/or Myc protein overexpression) contributing to HGBCL-like biology and prognosis is not well investigated. In this study, patients with DLBCL with MYC/TP53 abnormalities demonstrated poor clinical outcome, high-grade morphology, and distinct gene expression signatures. To identify more effective therapies for this distinctive DLBCL subset, novel MYC/TP53/BCL-2-targeted agents were investigated in DLBCL cells with MYC/TP53 dual alterations or HGBCL-MYC/BCL2-DH. A BET inhibitor INCB057643 effectively inhibited cell viability and induced apoptosis in DLBCL/HGBCL cells regardless of MYC/BCL2/TP53 status. Combining INCB057643 with a MDM2-p53 inhibitor DS3032b significantly enhanced the cytotoxic effects in HGBCL-DH without TP53 mutation, while combining with the BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax displayed potent therapeutic synergy in DLBCL/HGBCL cells with and without concurrent TP53 mutation. Reverse-phase protein arrays revealed the synergistic molecular actions by INCB057643, DS3032b and venetoclax to induce cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis and to inhibit AKT/MEK/ERK/mTOR pathways, as well as potential drug resistance mechanisms mediated by upregulation of Mcl-1 and RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK pathways. In summary, these findings support subclassification of DLBCL/HGBCL with dual MYC/TP53 alterations, which demonstrates distinct pathobiologic features and dismal survival with standard therapy, therefore requiring additional targeted therapies. IMPLICATIONS: The clinical and pharmacologic studies suggest recognizing DLBCL with concomitant TP53 mutation and MYC abnormalities as a distinctive entity necessary for precision oncology practice. VISUAL OVERVIEW: http://mcr.aacrjournals.org/content/molcanres/19/2/249/F1.large.jpg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manman Deng
- Duke University Medical Center, Division of Hematopathology and Department of Pathology, Durham, North Carolina.,Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Zijun Y Xu-Monette
- Duke University Medical Center, Division of Hematopathology and Department of Pathology, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Lan V Pham
- Phamacyclics, an Abbvie Company, San Francisco, California
| | - Xudong Wang
- Duke University Medical Center, Division of Hematopathology and Department of Pathology, Durham, North Carolina
| | | | - Xiaosheng Fang
- Duke University Medical Center, Division of Hematopathology and Department of Pathology, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Feng Zhu
- Duke University Medical Center, Division of Hematopathology and Department of Pathology, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Carlo Visco
- Department of Medicine and Division of Hematology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Govind Bhagat
- Columbia University Medical Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York
| | | | | | - Wayne Tam
- Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York
| | - Youli Zu
- The Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas
| | | | - Hua You
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jooryung Huh
- Asan Medical Center, Ulsan University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | | | | | | | | | - Fredrick Hagemeister
- Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - J Han van Krieken
- Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Miguel A Piris
- Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain
| | - Jane N Winter
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
| | - Phillip Liu
- Applied Technology Group, Incyte Research Institute, Wilmington, Delaware.
| | - Ken H Young
- Duke University Medical Center, Division of Hematopathology and Department of Pathology, Durham, North Carolina. .,Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, North Carolina
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19
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Zhang X, Meyerson M. Illuminating the noncoding genome in cancer. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 1:864-872. [DOI: 10.1038/s43018-020-00114-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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20
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Llabata P, Mitsuishi Y, Choi PS, Cai D, Francis JM, Torres-Diz M, Udeshi ND, Golomb L, Wu Z, Zhou J, Svinkina T, Aguilera-Jimenez E, Liu Y, Carr SA, Sanchez-Cespedes M, Meyerson M, Zhang X. Multi-Omics Analysis Identifies MGA as a Negative Regulator of the MYC Pathway in Lung Adenocarcinoma. Mol Cancer Res 2020; 18:574-584. [PMID: 31862696 PMCID: PMC7219472 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-19-0657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Genomic analysis of lung adenocarcinomas has revealed that the MGA gene, which encodes a heterodimeric partner of the MYC-interacting protein MAX, is significantly mutated or deleted in lung adenocarcinomas. Most of the mutations are loss of function for MGA, suggesting that MGA may act as a tumor suppressor. Here, we characterize both the molecular and cellular role of MGA in lung adenocarcinomas and illustrate its functional relevance in the MYC pathway. Although MGA and MYC interact with the same binding partner, MAX, and recognize the same E-box DNA motif, we show that the molecular function of MGA appears to be antagonistic to that of MYC. Using mass spectrometry-based affinity proteomics, we demonstrate that MGA interacts with a noncanonical PCGF6-PRC1 complex containing MAX and E2F6 that is involved in gene repression, while MYC is not part of this MGA complex, in agreement with previous studies describing the interactomes of E2F6 and PCGF6. Chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing and RNA sequencing assays show that MGA binds to and represses genes that are bound and activated by MYC. In addition, we show that, as opposed to the MYC oncoprotein, MGA acts as a negative regulator for cancer cell proliferation. Our study defines a novel MYC/MAX/MGA pathway, in which MYC and MGA play opposite roles in protein interaction, transcriptional regulation, and cellular proliferation. IMPLICATIONS: This study expands the range of key cancer-associated genes whose dysregulation is functionally equivalent to MYC activation and places MYC within a linear pathway analogous to cell-cycle or receptor tyrosine kinase/RAS/RAF pathways in lung adenocarcinomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Llabata
- Cancer Epigenetics and Biology Program-PEBC (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Yoichiro Mitsuishi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Peter S Choi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Diana Cai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Joshua M Francis
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Manuel Torres-Diz
- Cancer Epigenetics and Biology Program-PEBC (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Namrata D Udeshi
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Lior Golomb
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Zhong Wu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Jin Zhou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Tanya Svinkina
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Estrella Aguilera-Jimenez
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Yanli Liu
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Steven A Carr
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | | | - Matthew Meyerson
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Xiaoyang Zhang
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
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21
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Lathbridge A, Michalowska AS, Mason JM. Coupling Computational and Intracellular Screening and Selection Toward Co-compatible cJun and cFos Antagonists. Biochemistry 2020; 59:530-540. [PMID: 31804811 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.9b00631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Basic leucine-zipper (bZIP) proteins represent difficult, yet compelling, oncogenic targets since numerous cell-signaling cascades converge upon them, where they function to modulate the transcription of specific gene targets. bZIPs are widely recognized as important regulators of cellular processes that include cell proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation. Once such validated transcriptional regulator, activator protein-1, is typically composed of heterodimers of Fos and Jun family members, with cFos-cJun being the best described. It has been shown to be key in the progression and development of a number of different diseases. As a proof-of-principle for our approach, we describe the first use of a novel combined in silico/in cellulo peptide-library screening platform that facilitates the derivation of a sequence that displays high selectivity for cJun relative to cFos, while also avoiding homodimerization. In particular, >60 million peptides were computationally screened and all potential on/off targets ranked according to predicted stability, leading to a reduced size library that was further refined by intracellular selection. The derived sequence is predicted to have limited cross-talk with a second previously derived peptide antagonist that is selective for cFos in the presence of cJun. The study provides new insight into the use of multistate screening with the ability to combine computational and intracellular approaches in evolving multiple cocompatible peptides that are capable of satisfying conflicting design requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Lathbridge
- Department of Biology & Biochemistry , University of Bath , Claverton Down , Bath BA2 7AY , United Kingdom
| | - Anna S Michalowska
- Department of Biology & Biochemistry , University of Bath , Claverton Down , Bath BA2 7AY , United Kingdom
| | - Jody M Mason
- Department of Biology & Biochemistry , University of Bath , Claverton Down , Bath BA2 7AY , United Kingdom
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22
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Umek T, Sollander K, Bergquist H, Wengel J, Lundin KE, Smith CIE, Zain R. Oligonucleotide Binding to Non-B-DNA in MYC. Molecules 2019; 24:E1000. [PMID: 30871121 PMCID: PMC6429085 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24051000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
MYC, originally named c-myc, is an oncogene deregulated in many different forms of cancer. Translocation of the MYC gene to an immunoglobulin gene leads to an overexpression and the development of Burkitt's lymphoma (BL). Sporadic BL constitutes one subgroup where one of the translocation sites is located at the 5'-vicinity of the two major MYC promoters P₁ and P₂. A non-B-DNA forming sequence within this region has been reported with the ability to form an intramolecular triplex (H-DNA) or a G-quadruplex. We have examined triplex formation at this site first by using a 17 bp triplex-forming oligonucleotide (TFO) and a double strand DNA (dsDNA) target corresponding to the MYC sequence. An antiparallel purine-motif triplex was detected using electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Furthermore, we probed for H-DNA formation using the BQQ-OP based triplex-specific cleavage assay, which indicated the formation of the structure in the supercoiled plasmid containing the corresponding region of the MYC promoter. Targeting non-B-DNA structures has therapeutic potential; therefore, we investigated their influence on strand-invasion of anti-gene oligonucleotides (ON)s. We show that in vitro, non-B-DNA formation at the vicinity of the ON target site facilitates dsDNA strand-invasion of the anti-gene ONs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tea Umek
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 141 86 Huddinge, Sweden.
| | - Karin Sollander
- Department of Molecular Biology and Functional Genomics, Stockholm University, 171 65 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Helen Bergquist
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 141 86 Huddinge, Sweden.
| | - Jesper Wengel
- Biomolecular Nanoscale Engineerng Center, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, M5230 Odense, Denmark.
| | - Karin E Lundin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 141 86 Huddinge, Sweden.
| | - C I Edvard Smith
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 141 86 Huddinge, Sweden.
| | - Rula Zain
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 141 86 Huddinge, Sweden.
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Centre for Rare Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden.
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23
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Hung S, Saiakhova A, Faber ZJ, Bartels CF, Neu D, Bayles I, Ojo E, Hong ES, Pontius WD, Morton AR, Liu R, Kalady MF, Wald DN, Markowitz S, Scacheri PC. Mismatch repair-signature mutations activate gene enhancers across human colorectal cancer epigenomes. eLife 2019; 8:40760. [PMID: 30759065 PMCID: PMC6374075 DOI: 10.7554/elife.40760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Commonly-mutated genes have been found for many cancers, but less is known about mutations in cis-regulatory elements. We leverage gains in tumor-specific enhancer activity, coupled with allele-biased mutation detection from H3K27ac ChIP-seq data, to pinpoint potential enhancer-activating mutations in colorectal cancer (CRC). Analysis of a genetically-diverse cohort of CRC specimens revealed that microsatellite instable (MSI) samples have a high indel rate within active enhancers. Enhancers with indels show evidence of positive selection, increased target gene expression, and a subset is highly recurrent. The indels affect short homopolymer tracts of A/T and increase affinity for FOX transcription factors. We further demonstrate that signature mismatch-repair (MMR) mutations activate enhancers using a xenograft tumor metastasis model, where mutations are induced naturally via CRISPR/Cas9 inactivation of MLH1 prior to tumor cell injection. Our results suggest that MMR signature mutations activate enhancers in CRC tumor epigenomes to provide a selective advantage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stevephen Hung
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States
| | - Alina Saiakhova
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States
| | - Zachary J Faber
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States
| | - Cynthia F Bartels
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States
| | - Devin Neu
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States
| | - Ian Bayles
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States
| | - Evelyn Ojo
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States
| | - Ellen S Hong
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States
| | - W Dean Pontius
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, United States
| | - Andrew R Morton
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States
| | - Ruifu Liu
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States
| | - Matthew F Kalady
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, United States.,Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, United States.,Department of Colorectal Surgery, Digestive Disease and Surgery Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, United States
| | - David N Wald
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States.,Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States
| | - Sanford Markowitz
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States.,Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States.,Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States
| | - Peter C Scacheri
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States.,Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States
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24
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Lancho O, Herranz D. The MYC Enhancer-ome: Long-Range Transcriptional Regulation of MYC in Cancer. Trends Cancer 2018; 4:810-822. [PMID: 30470303 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2018.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Revised: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
MYC is one of the most important oncogenes in cancer. Indeed, MYC is upregulated in 50-60% of all tumors. MYC overexpression can be achieved through a variety of mechanisms, including gene duplications, chromosomal translocations, or somatic mutations leading to increased MYC stability. However, recent studies have identified numerous tissue-specific noncoding enhancers of MYC that play major roles in cancer, highlighting long-range transcriptional regulation of MYC as a critical novel mechanism leading to MYC hyperactivation and as a potential target for new therapeutic strategies in the near future. Here we summarize the regions and mechanisms involved in the long-range transcriptional regulation of MYC, underscoring the relevance of MYC enhancers both in normal physiological development and in MYC-driven cancer initiation and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Lancho
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Daniel Herranz
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
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25
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Zimmerman MW, Liu Y, He S, Durbin AD, Abraham BJ, Easton J, Shao Y, Xu B, Zhu S, Zhang X, Li Z, Weichert-Leahey N, Young RA, Zhang J, Look AT. MYC Drives a Subset of High-Risk Pediatric Neuroblastomas and Is Activated through Mechanisms Including Enhancer Hijacking and Focal Enhancer Amplification. Cancer Discov 2018; 8:320-335. [PMID: 29284669 PMCID: PMC5856009 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-17-0993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2017] [Revised: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The amplified MYCN gene serves as an oncogenic driver in approximately 20% of high-risk pediatric neuroblastomas. Here, we show that the family member MYC is a potent transforming gene in a separate subset of high-risk neuroblastoma cases (∼10%), based on (i) its upregulation by focal enhancer amplification or genomic rearrangements leading to enhancer hijacking, and (ii) its ability to transform neuroblastoma precursor cells in a transgenic animal model. The aberrant regulatory elements associated with oncogenic MYC activation include focally amplified distal enhancers and translocation of highly active enhancers from other genes to within topologically associating domains containing the MYC gene locus. The clinical outcome for patients with high levels of MYC expression is virtually identical to that of patients with amplification of the MYCN gene, a known high-risk feature of this disease. Together, these findings establish MYC as a bona fide oncogene in a clinically significant group of high-risk childhood neuroblastomas.Significance: Amplification of the MYCN oncogene is a recognized hallmark of high-risk pediatric neuroblastoma. Here, we demonstrate that MYC is also activated as a potent oncogene in a distinct subset of neuroblastoma cases through either focal amplification of distal enhancers or enhancer hijacking mediated by chromosomal translocation. Cancer Discov; 8(3); 320-35. ©2017 AACR.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 253.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark W Zimmerman
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Shuning He
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Adam D Durbin
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Brian J Abraham
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - John Easton
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Ying Shao
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Beisi Xu
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Shizhen Zhu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Xiaoling Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Zhaodong Li
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nina Weichert-Leahey
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Richard A Young
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Jinghui Zhang
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.
| | - A Thomas Look
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.
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26
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Zhang X, Choi PS, Francis JM, Gao GF, Campbell JD, Ramachandran A, Mitsuishi Y, Ha G, Shih J, Vazquez F, Tsherniak A, Taylor AM, Zhou J, Wu Z, Berger AC, Giannakis M, Hahn WC, Cherniack AD, Meyerson M. Somatic Superenhancer Duplications and Hotspot Mutations Lead to Oncogenic Activation of the KLF5 Transcription Factor. Cancer Discov 2018; 8:108-125. [PMID: 28963353 PMCID: PMC5760289 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-17-0532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Revised: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The Krüppel-like family of transcription factors plays critical roles in human development and is associated with cancer pathogenesis. Krüppel-like factor 5 gene (KLF5) has been shown to promote cancer cell proliferation and tumorigenesis and to be genomically amplified in cancer cells. We recently reported that the KLF5 gene is also subject to other types of somatic coding and noncoding genomic alterations in diverse cancer types. Here, we show that these alterations activate KLF5 by three distinct mechanisms: (i) Focal amplification of superenhancers activates KLF5 expression in squamous cell carcinomas; (ii) Missense mutations disrupt KLF5-FBXW7 interactions to increase KLF5 protein stability in colorectal cancer; (iii) Cancer type-specific hotspot mutations within a zinc-finger DNA binding domain of KLF5 change its DNA binding specificity and reshape cellular transcription. Utilizing data from CRISPR/Cas9 gene knockout screening, we reveal that cancer cells with KLF5 overexpression are dependent on KLF5 for their proliferation, suggesting KLF5 as a putative therapeutic target.Significance: Our observations, together with previous studies that identified oncogenic properties of KLF5, establish the importance of KLF5 activation in human cancers, delineate the varied genomic mechanisms underlying this occurrence, and nominate KLF5 as a putative target for therapeutic intervention in cancer. Cancer Discov; 8(1); 108-25. ©2017 AACR.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyang Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Peter S Choi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Joshua M Francis
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Galen F Gao
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Joshua D Campbell
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Aruna Ramachandran
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Yoichiro Mitsuishi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Gavin Ha
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Juliann Shih
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Francisca Vazquez
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Aviad Tsherniak
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Alison M Taylor
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Jin Zhou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Zhong Wu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ashton C Berger
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Marios Giannakis
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - William C Hahn
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Center for Cancer Genome Discovery, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Andrew D Cherniack
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Matthew Meyerson
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Center for Cancer Genome Discovery, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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27
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Goetzman ES, Prochownik EV. The Role for Myc in Coordinating Glycolysis, Oxidative Phosphorylation, Glutaminolysis, and Fatty Acid Metabolism in Normal and Neoplastic Tissues. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2018; 9:129. [PMID: 29706933 PMCID: PMC5907532 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
That cancer cells show patterns of metabolism different from normal cells has been known for over 50 years. Yet, it is only in the past decade or so that an appreciation of the benefits of these changes has begun to emerge. Altered cancer cell metabolism was initially attributed to defective mitochondria. However, we now realize that most cancers do not have mitochondrial mutations and that normal cells can transiently adopt cancer-like metabolism during periods of rapid proliferation. Indeed, an encompassing, albeit somewhat simplified, conceptual framework to explain both normal and cancer cell metabolism rests on several simple premises. First, the metabolic pathways used by cancer cells and their normal counterparts are the same. Second, normal quiescent cells use their metabolic pathways and the energy they generate largely to maintain cellular health and organelle turnover and, in some cases, to provide secreted products necessary for the survival of the intact organism. By contrast, undifferentiated cancer cells minimize the latter functions and devote their energy to producing the anabolic substrates necessary to maintain high rates of unremitting cellular proliferation. Third, as a result of the uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells, a larger fraction of the metabolic intermediates normally used by quiescent cells purely as a source of energy are instead channeled into competing proliferation-focused and energy-consuming anabolic pathways. Fourth, cancer cell clones with the most plastic and rapidly adaptable metabolism will eventually outcompete their less well-adapted brethren during tumor progression and evolution. This attribute becomes increasingly important as tumors grow and as their individual cells compete in a constantly changing and inimical environment marked by nutrient, oxygen, and growth factor deficits. Here, we review some of the metabolic pathways whose importance has gained center stage for tumor growth, particularly those under the control of the c-Myc (Myc) oncoprotein. We discuss how these pathways differ functionally between quiescent and proliferating normal cells, how they are kidnapped and corrupted during the course of transformation, and consider potential therapeutic strategies that take advantage of common features of neoplastic and metabolic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric S. Goetzman
- Division of Medical Genetics, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Edward V. Prochownik
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- University of Pittsburgh Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- *Correspondence: Edward V. Prochownik,
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28
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Abstract
Our understanding of how DNA copy number changes contribute to disease, including cancer, has to a large degree been focused on the changes in gene dosage that they generate and has neglected the effects of the DNA rearrangements that lead to their formation. A new study reports an innovative analytical framework for copy number alterations that are oncogenic primarily owing to the genomic rearrangements that underlie them.
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29
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England CG, Rui L, Cai W. Lymphoma: current status of clinical and preclinical imaging with radiolabeled antibodies. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2016; 44:517-532. [PMID: 27844106 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-016-3560-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Lymphoma is a complex disease that arises from cells of the immune system with an intricate pathology. While lymphoma may be classified as Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin, each type of tumor is genetically and phenotypically different and highly invasive tissue biopsies are the only method to investigate these differences. Noninvasive imaging strategies, such as immunoPET, can provide a vital insight into disease staging, monitoring treatment response in patients, and dose planning in radioimmunotherapy. ImmunoPET imaging with radiolabeled antibody-based tracers may also assist physicians in optimizing treatment strategies and enhancing patient stratification. Currently, there are two common biomarkers for molecular imaging of lymphoma, CD20 and CD30, both of which have been considered for investigation in preclinical imaging studies. In this review, we examine the current status of both preclinical and clinical imaging of lymphoma using radiolabeled antibodies. Additionally, we briefly investigate the role of radiolabeled antibodies in lymphoma therapy. As radiolabeled antibodies play critical roles in both imaging and therapy of lymphoma, the development of novel antibodies and the discovery of new biomarkers may greatly affect lymphoma imaging and therapy in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher G England
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1111 Highland Ave, Madison, WI, 53705-2275, USA.
| | - Lixin Rui
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Weibo Cai
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1111 Highland Ave, Madison, WI, 53705-2275, USA.
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
- Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Room 7137, 1111 Highland Ave, Madison, WI, 53705-2275, USA.
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30
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Narayanan A, Pullepu D, Kabir MA. The interactome of CCT complex - A computational analysis. Comput Biol Chem 2016; 64:396-402. [PMID: 27614400 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2016.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Revised: 07/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The eukaryotic chaperonin, CCT (Chaperonin Containing TCP1 or TriC-TCP-1 Ring Complex) has been subjected to physical and genetic analyses in S. cerevisiae which can be extrapolated to human CCT (hCCT), owing to its structural and functional similarities with yeast CCT (yCCT). Studies on hCCT and its interactome acquire an additional dimension, as it has been implicated in several disease conditions like neurodegeneration and cancer. We attempt to study its stress response role in general, which will be reflected in the aspects of human diseases and yeast physiology, through computational analysis of the interactome. Towards consolidating and analysing the interactome data, we prepared and compared the unique CCT-interacting protein lists for S. cerevisiae and H. sapiens, performed GO term classification and enrichment studies which provide information on the diversity in CCT interactome, in terms of protein classes in the data set. Enrichment with disease-associated proteins and pathways highlight the medical importance of CCT. Different analyses converge, suggesting the significance of WD-repeat proteins, protein kinases and cytoskeletal proteins in the interactome. The prevalence of proteasomal subunits and ribosomal proteins suggest a possible cross-talk between protein-synthesis, folding and degradation machinery. A network of chaperones and chaperonins that function in combination can also be envisaged from the CCT interactome-Hsp70 interactome analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aswathy Narayanan
- Molecular Genetics Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Calicut, Calicut 673601, Kerala, India
| | - Dileep Pullepu
- Molecular Genetics Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Calicut, Calicut 673601, Kerala, India
| | - M Anaul Kabir
- Molecular Genetics Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Calicut, Calicut 673601, Kerala, India.
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31
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Rezzoug F, Thomas SD, Rouchka EC, Miller DM. Discovery of a Family of Genomic Sequences Which Interact Specifically with the c-MYC Promoter to Regulate c-MYC Expression. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0161588. [PMID: 27551915 PMCID: PMC4995011 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
G-quadruplex forming sequences are particularly enriched in the promoter regions of eukaryotic genes, especially of oncogenes. One of the most well studied G-quadruplex forming sequences is located in the nuclease hypersensitive element (NHE) III1 of the c-MYC promoter region. The oncoprotein c-MYC regulates a large array of genes which play important roles in growth regulation and metabolism. It is dysregulated in >70% of human cancers. The silencer NHEIII1 located upstream of the P1 promoter regulates up-to 80% of c-MYC transcription and includes a G-quadruplex structure (Pu27) that is required for promoter inhibition. We have identified, for the first time, a family of seventeen G-quadruplex-forming motifs with >90% identity with Pu27, located on different chromosomes throughout the human genome, some found near or within genes involved in stem cell maintenance or neural cell development. Notably, all members of the Pu27 family interact specifically with NHEIII1 sequence, in vitro. Crosslinking studies demonstrate that Pu27 oligonucleotide binds specifically to the C-rich strand of the NHEIII1 resulting in the G-quadruplex structure stabilization. Pu27 homologous sequences (Pu27-HS) significantly inhibit leukemic cell lines proliferation in culture. Exposure of U937 cells to the Pu27-HS induces cell growth inhibition associated with cell cycle arrest that is most likely due to downregulation of c-MYC expression at the RNA and/or protein levels. Expression of SOX2, another gene containing a Pu27-HS, was affected by Pu27-HS treatment as well. Our data suggest that the oligonucleotides encoding the Pu27 family target complementary DNA sequences in the genome, including those of the c-MYC and SOX2 promoters. This effect is most likely cell type and cell growth condition dependent. The presence of genomic G-quadruplex-forming sequences homologous to Pu27 of c-MYC silencer and the fact that they interact specifically with the parent sequence suggest a common regulatory mechanism for genes whose promoters contain these sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francine Rezzoug
- James Graham Brown Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville Kentucky, United States of America
- * E-mail: (FR); (DMM)
| | - Shelia D. Thomas
- James Graham Brown Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Eric C. Rouchka
- Department of Computer Engineering and Computer Science, Speed School of Engineering, University of Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Donald M. Miller
- James Graham Brown Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville Kentucky, United States of America
- * E-mail: (FR); (DMM)
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32
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Altman BJ. Cancer Clocks Out for Lunch: Disruption of Circadian Rhythm and Metabolic Oscillation in Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2016; 4:62. [PMID: 27500134 PMCID: PMC4971383 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2016.00062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2016] [Accepted: 06/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Circadian rhythms are 24-h oscillations present in most eukaryotes and many prokaryotes that synchronize activity to the day-night cycle. They are an essential feature of organismal and cell physiology that coordinate many of the metabolic, biosynthetic, and signal transduction pathways studied in biology. The molecular mechanism of circadian rhythm is controlled both by signal transduction and gene transcription as well as by metabolic feedback. The role of circadian rhythm in cancer cell development and survival is still not well understood, but as will be discussed in this Review, accumulated research suggests that circadian rhythm may be altered or disrupted in many human cancers downstream of common oncogenic alterations. Thus, a complete understanding of the genetic and metabolic alterations in cancer must take potential circadian rhythm perturbations into account, as this disruption itself will influence how gene expression and metabolism are altered in the cancer cell compared to its non-transformed neighbor. It will be important to better understand these circadian changes in both normal and cancer cell physiology to potentially design treatment modalities to exploit this insight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian J Altman
- Abramson Family Cancer Research InstitutePhiladelphia, PA, USA; Abramson Cancer CenterPhiladelphia, PA, USA; Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of MedicinePhiladelphia, PA, USA
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33
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Contreras JR, Palanichamy JK, Tran TM, Fernando TR, Rodriguez-Malave NI, Goswami N, Arboleda VA, Casero D, Rao DS. MicroRNA-146a modulates B-cell oncogenesis by regulating Egr1. Oncotarget 2016; 6:11023-37. [PMID: 25906746 PMCID: PMC4484436 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.3433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
miR-146a is a NF-κB induced microRNA that serves as a feedback regulator of this critical pathway. In mice, deficiency of miR-146a results in hematolymphoid cancer at advanced ages as a consequence of constitutive NF-κB activity. In this study, we queried whether the deficiency of miR-146a contributes to B-cell oncogenesis. Combining miR-146a deficiency with transgenic expression of c-Myc led to the development of highly aggressive B-cell malignancies. Mice transgenic for c-Myc and deficient for miR-146a were characterized by significantly shortened survival, increased lymph node involvement, differential involvement of the spleen and a mature B-cell phenotype. High-throughput sequencing of the tumors revealed significant dysregulation of approximately 250 genes. Amongst these, the transcription factor Egr1 was consistently upregulated in mice deficient for miR-146a. Interestingly, transcriptional targets of Egr1 were enriched in both the high-throughput dataset and in a larger set of miR-146a-deficient tumors. miR-146a overexpression led to downregulation of Egr1 and downstream targets with concomitant decrease in cell growth. Direct targeting of the human EGR1 by miR-146a was seen by luciferase assay. Together our findings illuminate a bona fide role for miR-146a in the modulation of B-cell oncogenesis and reveal the importance of understanding microRNA function in a cell- and disease-specific context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge R Contreras
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Cellular and Molecular Pathology Ph.D. Program, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Tiffany M Tran
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Thilini R Fernando
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Norma I Rodriguez-Malave
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Cellular and Molecular Pathology Ph.D. Program, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Neha Goswami
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Valerie A Arboleda
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - David Casero
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Dinesh S Rao
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Broad Stem Cell Research Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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34
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Identification of focally amplified lineage-specific super-enhancers in human epithelial cancers. Nat Genet 2015; 48:176-82. [PMID: 26656844 PMCID: PMC4857881 DOI: 10.1038/ng.3470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 261] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2015] [Accepted: 11/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Whole genome analysis approaches are revealing recurrent cancer-associated somatic alterations in non-coding DNA regions. We combined somatic copy number analysis of 12 tumor types with tissue-specific epigenetic profiling to identify significant regions of focal amplification harboring super-enhancers. Copy-number gains of non-coding regions harboring super-enhancers near KLF5, USP12, PARD6B and MYC are associated with over-expression of these cancer-related genes. We show that two distinct focal amplifications of super-enhancers 3′ to MYC in lung adenocarcinoma (MYC-LASE) and endometrial carcinoma (MYC-ECSE), are physically associated with the MYC promoter and correlate with MYC over-expression. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated repression or deletion of a constituent enhancer within the MYC-LASE region led to significant reductions in the expression of MYC and its target genes, and to the impairment of anchorage-independent and clonogenic growth, consistent with an oncogenic function. Our results demonstrate that genomic amplification of super-enhancers represents a common mechanism to activate cancer driver genes in multiple cancer types.
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Parker HG, Gilbert SF. From caveman companion to medical innovator: genomic insights into the origin and evolution of domestic dogs. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 5:239-255. [PMID: 28490917 DOI: 10.2147/agg.s57678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The phenotypic and behavioral diversity of the domestic dog has yet to be matched by any other mammalian species. In their current form, which comprises more than 350 populations known as breeds, there is a size range of two orders of magnitude and morphological features reminiscent of not only different species but also different phylogenetic families. The range of both appearance and behavior found in the dog is the product of millennia of human interference, and though humans created the diversity it remains a point of fascination to both lay and scientific communities. In this review we summarize the current understanding of the history of dog domestication based on molecular data. We will examine the ways that canine genetic and genomic studies have evolved and look at examples of dog genetics in the light of human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi G Parker
- National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD, 20892 USA
| | - Samuel F Gilbert
- National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD, 20892 USA
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Khaleghian M, Jahanzad I, Shakoori A, Ardalan FA, Azimi C. Study of C-MYC amplification and expression in Iranian gastric cancer samples using CISH and IHC methods. Adv Biomed Res 2015; 4:116. [PMID: 26261818 PMCID: PMC4513308 DOI: 10.4103/2277-9175.157841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2014] [Accepted: 09/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Gastric cancer is the fourth most frequent malignancy and the second cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. It has been suggested that in gastric carcinogenesis, the C-MYC gene has an important function. The objective of this study is to establish the preference of Chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) and Immunohistochemistry (IHC) in the diagnosis and prognosis of gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: Samples comprised of 50 randomly selected patients of whom 40 were male and 10 female. To evaluate the MYC copy number and its protein expression, CISH and IHC analyses were performed for 50 gastric adenocarcinomas, in Iran. Results: The location of the tumor in 64% of the patients was the fundus, and in 72% of patients, the tumors were of a diffuse type; 22 samples showed no amplification, and 28 samples were with amplification. MYC immunoreactivity was observed in 13 samples. Twelve samples showed both MYC amplification and MYC immunoreactivity. In addition, among the 28 CISH+ samples, 12 samples had positive signals for IHC and 16 samples had negative signals for IHC. A majority of the IHC-negative patients had no amplification, but only one patient with IHC positive had no amplification. Conclusion: Our conclusion was that for the management and treatment of gastric cancer, and for special attention of clinicians, for prognosis and tumor progression, the CISH was a better and more feasible test than IHC, in regard to the sensitivity and specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malihea Khaleghian
- Department of Medical Genetics, Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Issa Jahanzad
- Department of Pathology, Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Shakoori
- Department of Medical Genetics, Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farid Azmoudeh Ardalan
- Department of Pathology, Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Cyrus Azimi
- Department of Medical Genetics, Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Ramakrishna S, Kim KS, Baek KH. Posttranslational modifications of defined embryonic reprogramming transcription factors. Cell Reprogram 2014; 16:108-20. [PMID: 24568610 DOI: 10.1089/cell.2013.0077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from somatic cells by expressing ectopic reprogramming transcriptional factors such as Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4, c-Myc, and Nanog is one of the cutting-edge discoveries in stem cell and cancer research. This discovery has raised several safety issues regarding the use of iPSC technology for human disease research. Tumorigenesis is the major obstacle observed for iPSC-mediated transplantation therapy. Recently, a new method to generate human iPSCs either by a chemical method or by direct delivery of reprogramming factors has become a promising approach for future customized cell therapy of human disorders. These reprogramming transcriptional factors play critical roles in diverse cellular functions such as transactivation, cellular proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and tumorigenesis. Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) (phosphorylation, ubiquitination, acetylation, sumoylation, and so on) of these proteins act as a regulatory signal to control protein activity, expression, and stability in a wide variety of cellular processes. We attempt to summarize the accumulated evidence to address the role of PTMs of Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4, c-Myc, and Nanog in regulating their biological functions. This review allows us to understand the importance of PTMs and their application in developing an efficient and safe reprogramming method without cancer development for cell therapy. Finally, we discuss the importance of PTMs of reprogramming factors in tumor pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suresh Ramakrishna
- 1 Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University , Bundang CHA Hospital, Gyeonggi-Do, 463-840, Republic of Korea
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Kumtepe Y, Halici Z, Sengul O, Kunak CS, Bayir Y, Kilic N, Cadirci E, Pulur A, Bayraktutan Z. High serum HTATIP2/TIP30 level in serous ovarian cancer as prognostic or diagnostic marker. Eur J Med Res 2013; 18:18. [PMID: 23800048 PMCID: PMC3695774 DOI: 10.1186/2047-783x-18-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2012] [Accepted: 05/31/2013] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human HIV-1 TAT interactive protein 2 (HTATIP2/TIP30) is an evolutionarily conserved gene that is expressed ubiquitously in human tissues and some tumor tissues. This protein has been found to be associated with some gynecological cancers; as such, this study aimed to investigate blood HTATIP2/TIP30 levels in patients with ovarian cancer. METHODS Twenty-three women with ovarian cancer and 18 patients with various non-cancerous gynecological complaints (for example, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, fibroids, and urinary incontinence) were included in the study. The pathological diagnosis of ovarian cancer was adenocarcinoma. HTATIP2/TIP30 concentration in the patients' blood samples was determined using ELISA kits. RESULTS The HTATIP2/TIP30 level was significantly higher in the cancer group than in the control group (1.84 ± 0.82 versus 0.57 ± 0.13 ng/ml, mean ± SD). CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated the potential role of HTATIP2/TIP30 in ovarian cancer for the first time, thereby enlightening future studies targeting HTATIP2/TIP30 in ovarian cancer treatment, diagnosis, and prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yakup Kumtepe
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ataturk University, Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum 25240, Turkey
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Sionov RV. MicroRNAs and Glucocorticoid-Induced Apoptosis in Lymphoid Malignancies. ISRN HEMATOLOGY 2013; 2013:348212. [PMID: 23431463 PMCID: PMC3569899 DOI: 10.1155/2013/348212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2012] [Accepted: 11/14/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The initial response of lymphoid malignancies to glucocorticoids (GCs) is a critical parameter predicting successful treatment. Although being known as a strong inducer of apoptosis in lymphoid cells for almost a century, the signaling pathways regulating the susceptibility of the cells to GCs are only partly revealed. There is still a need to develop clinical tests that can predict the outcome of GC therapy. In this paper, I discuss important parameters modulating the pro-apoptotic effects of GCs, with a specific emphasis on the microRNA world comprised of small players with big impacts. The journey through the multifaceted complexity of GC-induced apoptosis brings forth explanations for the differential treatment response and raises potential strategies for overcoming drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronit Vogt Sionov
- The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Institute for Medical Research-Israel-Canada, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Ein-Kerem, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel
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40
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Havelange V, Ameye G, Théate I, Callet-Bauchu E, Mugneret F, Michaux L, Dastugue N, Penther D, Barin C, Collonge-Rame MA, Baranger L, Terré C, Nadal N, Lippert E, Laï JL, Cabrol C, Tigaud I, Herens C, Hagemeijer A, Raphael M, Libouton JM, Poirel HA. Patterns of genomic aberrations suggest that Burkitt lymphomas with complex karyotype are distinct from other aggressive B-cell lymphomas withMYCrearrangement. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2012; 52:81-92. [DOI: 10.1002/gcc.22008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2011] [Revised: 08/13/2012] [Accepted: 08/15/2012] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
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41
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Singh DP, Bhargavan B, Chhunchha B, Kubo E, Kumar A, Fatma N. Transcriptional protein Sp1 regulates LEDGF transcription by directly interacting with its cis-elements in GC-rich region of TATA-less gene promoter. PLoS One 2012; 7:e37012. [PMID: 22615874 PMCID: PMC3353957 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0037012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2012] [Accepted: 04/11/2012] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
LEDGF/p75 interacts with DNA/protein to regulate gene expression and function. Despite the recognized diversity of function of LEDGF/p75, knowledge of its transregulation is in its infancy. Here we report that LEDGF/p75 gene is TATA-less, contains GC-rich cis elements and is transcriptionally regulated by Sp1 involving small ubiquitin-like modifier (Sumo1). Using different cell lines, we showed that Sp1 overexpression increased the level of LEDGF/p75 protein and mRNA expression in a concentration-dependent fashion. In contrast, RNA interference depletion of intrinsic Sp1 or treatment with artemisinin, a Sp1 inhibitor, reduced expression of LEDGF/p75, suggesting Sp1-mediated regulation of LEDGF/p75. In silico analysis disclosed three evolutionarily conserved, putative Sp1 sites within LEDGF/p75 proximal promoter (−170/+1 nt). DNA-binding and transactivation assays using deletion and point mutation constructs of LEDGF/p75 promoter-CAT revealed that all Sp1 sites (−50/−43, −109/−102 and −146/−139) differentially regulate LEDGF/p75. Cotransfection studies with Sp1 in Drosophila cells that were Sp1-deficient, showed increased LEDGF/p75 transcription, while in lens epithelial cells (LECs) promoter activity was inhibited by artemisinin. These events were correlated with levels of endogenous Sp1-dependent LEDGF/p75 expression, and higher resistance to UVB-induced cell death. ChIP and transactivation assays showed that Sumoylation of Sp1 repressed its transcriptional activity as evidenced through its reduced binding to GC-box and reduced ability to activate LEDGF/p75 transcription. As whole, results revealed the importance of Sp1 in regulating expression of LEDGF/p75 gene and add to our knowledge of the factors that control LEDGF/p75 within cellular microenvironments, potentially providing a foundation for LEDGF/p75 expression-based transcription therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhirendra P Singh
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America.
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Baresova P, Pitha PM, Lubyova B. Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus vIRF-3 protein binds to F-box of Skp2 protein and acts as a regulator of c-Myc protein function and stability. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:16199-208. [PMID: 22453922 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m111.335216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) has been linked to Kaposi sarcoma, body cavity-based lymphoma, and Castleman disease. vIRF-3 is a KSHV latent gene that is critical for proliferation of KSHV-positive lymphoid cells. Furthermore, vIRF-3 contributes to KSHV-associated pathogenesis by stimulating c-Myc transcription activity. Here we show that vIRF-3 can associate with Skp2, a key component of the SCF(skp2) ubiquitin ligase complex. Skp2 is a transcriptional co-factor for c-Myc that was shown to regulate the stability of c-Myc protein as well as c-Myc-dependent transcription. In this study, we show that vIRF-3 binds to the F-box of Skp2 and recruits it to c-Myc-regulated promoters to activate c-Myc-dependent transcription. Additionally, cells overexpressing vIRF-3 exhibit higher levels of c-Myc ubiquitylation, suggesting that ubiquitylation is necessary for c-Myc-mediated transcription. Moreover, vIRF-3 can stabilize the c-Myc protein by increasing its half-life. Collectively, these results indicate that vIRF-3 can effectively manipulate c-Myc stability and function and thus contribute to c-Myc-induced KSHV-associated lymphomagenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Baresova
- Institute of Immunology and Microbiology, First Medical Faculty of Charles University, 12800 Prague, Czech Republic
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Stovold R, Blackhall F, Meredith S, Hou J, Dive C, White A. Biomarkers for small cell lung cancer: neuroendocrine, epithelial and circulating tumour cells. Lung Cancer 2011; 76:263-8. [PMID: 22177533 DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2011.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2011] [Revised: 10/28/2011] [Accepted: 11/12/2011] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is characterised by an aggressive clinical course with invariable resistance to chemotherapy despite initially high response rates. There has been little improvement in outcome over the past few decades, with no breakthrough yet in targeted therapies. Recent preclinical data and studies of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) highlight distinct cellular heterogeneity within SCLC. Better understanding of how these phenotypes contribute to metastasis and tumour progression might pave the way for development of more successful targeted therapies. Here we review these studies, their implications for future research and for the incorporation of biomarkers reflecting neuroendocrine, epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes in clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Stovold
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester, AV Hill Building, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
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Thorsen K, Schepeler T, Øster B, Rasmussen MH, Vang S, Wang K, Hansen KQ, Lamy P, Pedersen JS, Eller A, Mansilla F, Laurila K, Wiuf C, Laurberg S, Dyrskjøt L, Ørntoft TF, Andersen CL. Tumor-specific usage of alternative transcription start sites in colorectal cancer identified by genome-wide exon array analysis. BMC Genomics 2011; 12:505. [PMID: 21999571 PMCID: PMC3208247 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-12-505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2011] [Accepted: 10/14/2011] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Approximately half of all human genes use alternative transcription start sites (TSSs) to control mRNA levels and broaden the transcriptional output in healthy tissues. Aberrant expression patterns promoting carcinogenesis, however, may arise from alternative promoter usage. RESULTS By profiling 108 colorectal samples using exon arrays, we identified nine genes (TCF12, OSBPL1A, TRAK1, ANK3, CHEK1, UGP2, LMO7, ACSL5, and SCIN) showing tumor-specific alternative TSS usage in both adenoma and cancer samples relative to normal mucosa. Analysis of independent exon array data sets corroborated these findings. Additionally, we confirmed the observed patterns for selected mRNAs using quantitative real-time reverse-transcription PCR. Interestingly, for some of the genes, the tumor-specific TSS usage was not restricted to colorectal cancer. A comprehensive survey of the nine genes in lung, bladder, liver, prostate, gastric, and brain cancer revealed significantly altered mRNA isoform ratios for CHEK1, OSBPL1A, and TCF12 in a subset of these cancer types.To identify the mechanism responsible for the shift in alternative TSS usage, we antagonized the Wnt-signaling pathway in DLD1 and Ls174T colorectal cancer cell lines, which remarkably led to a shift in the preferred TSS for both OSBPL1A and TRAK1. This indicated a regulatory role of the Wnt pathway in selecting TSS, possibly also involving TP53 and SOX9, as their transcription binding sites were enriched in the promoters of the tumor preferred isoforms together with their mRNA levels being increased in tumor samples. Finally, to evaluate the prognostic impact of the altered TSS usage, immunohistochemistry was used to show deregulation of the total protein levels of both TCF12 and OSBPL1A, corresponding to the mRNA levels observed. Furthermore, the level of nuclear TCF12 had a significant correlation to progression free survival in a cohort of 248 stage II colorectal cancer samples. CONCLUSIONS Alternative TSS usage in colorectal adenoma and cancer samples has been shown for nine genes, and OSBPL1A and TRAK1 were found to be regulated in vitro by Wnt signaling. TCF12 protein expression was upregulated in cancer samples and correlated with progression free survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasper Thorsen
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
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Yan B, Abdelli LS, Singla DK. Transplanted Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Improve Cardiac Function and Induce Neovascularization in the Infarcted Hearts of db/db Mice. Mol Pharm 2011; 8:1602-10. [DOI: 10.1021/mp2003576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Binbin Yan
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32817, United States
| | - Latifa S. Abdelli
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32817, United States
| | - Dinender K. Singla
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32817, United States
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Tcf-1 gene silence suppresses downstream gene expression in CD4(+) T cells from bone marrow of aplastic anemia patients. Ann Hematol 2011; 91:353-8. [PMID: 21881822 DOI: 10.1007/s00277-011-1314-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2010] [Accepted: 08/18/2011] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
CD4(+) T cells play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of acquired aplastic anemia (AA). Tcf-1 gene regulates T cell development and function, and it is significantly upregulated in the bone marrow CD4(+) T cells from patients with acquired AA. To explore the role of Tcf-1 in the pathogenesis of AA, we knocked down Tcf-1 gene in CD4(+) T cells of AA patients and studied the effects of Tcf-1 silencing on its downstream gene expression. Upon transfection of psiRNA into marrow CD4(+) T cells from bone marrow of aplastic anemia patients, the expression of Tcf-1 was significantly knocked down; consequently, expressions of c-Myc and CD44 were also significantly reduced. Our results suggest that Tcf-1 may contribute to pathogenesis of AA by regulating downstream gene expression such as c-myc and CD44.
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D'Angelo SP, Pietanza MC. [The molecular pathogenesis of small cell lung cancer]. ZHONGGUO FEI AI ZA ZHI = CHINESE JOURNAL OF LUNG CANCER 2010; 13:C46-57. [PMID: 21081036 PMCID: PMC6134416 DOI: 10.3779/j.issn.1009-3419.2010.11.18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra P D'Angelo
- Department of Medicine, Thoracic Oncology Service, Division of Solid Tumor Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and the Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
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48
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Nuclear imaging in three dimensions: A unique tool in cancer research. Ann Anat 2010; 192:292-301. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2010.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2010] [Accepted: 07/18/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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49
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Epigenetic mechanisms regulating normal and malignant haematopoiesis: new therapeutic targets for clinical medicine. Expert Rev Mol Med 2010; 12:e6. [PMID: 20152067 DOI: 10.1017/s1462399410001377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
It is now well established that epigenetic phenomena and aberrant gene regulation play a major role in carcinogenesis. These include aberrant gene silencing by imposing inactive histone marks on promoters, aberrant methylation of DNA at CpG islands, and the active repression of promoters by oncoproteins. In addition, many malignant cells also show aberrant gene activation due to constitutively active signalling. The next frontier in cancer research will be to examine how, at the molecular level, small mutations that alter the regulatory phenotype of a cell give rise after a number of cell divisions to the vast deregulation phenomena seen in malignant cells. This review outlines recent insights into how normal cell differentiation in the haematopoietic system is subverted in leukaemia and it introduces the molecular players involved in this process. It also summarises the results of recent clinical trials trying to reverse aberrant epigenetic regulation by employing agents influencing global epigenetic regulators.
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Lin CP, Liu CR, Lee CN, Chan TS, Liu HE. Targeting c-Myc as a novel approach for hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Hepatol 2010; 2:16-20. [PMID: 21160952 PMCID: PMC2999263 DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v2.i1.16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2009] [Revised: 01/08/2010] [Accepted: 01/15/2010] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocelluar carcinoma (HCC) is the most lethal cancer in the world. Most HCC over-express c-Myc, which plays a critical role in regulating cellular growth, differentiation and apoptosis in both normal and neoplastic cells. c-Myc is among the most frequently overexpressed genes in human cancers. Overexpression of c-Myc in hepatic cells leads to development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Here, we review the current progress in understanding physiologic function and regulation of c-Myc as well as its role in hepatic carcinogenesis and discuss the association of c-Myc activation in chronic hepatitis B infection and the upregulation of HIF-1/VEGF. We also explore the possibility of treating HCC by inhibiting c-Myc and examine the pros and cons of such an approach. Although this strategy is currently not available in clinics, with recent advances in better drug design, pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenetics, inhibition of c-Myc might become a novel therapy for HCC in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Che-Pin Lin
- Che-Pin Lin, Chien-Ru Liu, Department of Medicine, Taipei City Hospital, Ren-Ai Branch, Taipei 106, Taiwan
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