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Zhang L, Ren C, Liu J, Huang S, Wu C, Zhang J. Development and therapeutic implications of small molecular inhibitors that target calcium-related channels in tumor treatment. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:103995. [PMID: 38670255 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.103995] [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: 02/03/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Calcium ion dysregulation exerts profound effects on various physiological activities such as tumor proliferation, migration, and drug resistance. Calcium-related channels play a regulatory role in maintaining calcium ion homeostasis, with most channels being highly expressed in tumor cells. Additionally, these channels serve as potential drug targets for the development of antitumor medications. In this review, we first discuss the current research status of these pathways, examining how they modulate various tumor functions such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), metabolism, and drug resistance. Simultaneously, we summarize the recent progress in the study of novel small-molecule drugs over the past 5 years and their current status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linxi Zhang
- China Medical University-Queen's University of Belfast Joint College, China Medical University, Shenyang 110000, Liaoning, China
| | - Changyu Ren
- Department of Pharmacy, Chengdu Fifth People's Hospital, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Jiao Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Chengdu Fifth People's Hospital, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Shuai Huang
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, China.
| | - Chengyong Wu
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neuro-system and Multimorbidity and Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China.
| | - Jifa Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neuro-system and Multimorbidity and Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China.
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2
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Bacsa B, Hopl V, Derler I. Synthetic Biology Meets Ca 2+ Release-Activated Ca 2+ Channel-Dependent Immunomodulation. Cells 2024; 13:468. [PMID: 38534312 DOI: 10.3390/cells13060468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Many essential biological processes are triggered by the proximity of molecules. Meanwhile, diverse approaches in synthetic biology, such as new biological parts or engineered cells, have opened up avenues to precisely control the proximity of molecules and eventually downstream signaling processes. This also applies to a main Ca2+ entry pathway into the cell, the so-called Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channel. CRAC channels are among other channels are essential in the immune response and are activated by receptor-ligand binding at the cell membrane. The latter initiates a signaling cascade within the cell, which finally triggers the coupling of the two key molecular components of the CRAC channel, namely the stromal interaction molecule, STIM, in the ER membrane and the plasma membrane Ca2+ ion channel, Orai. Ca2+ entry, established via STIM/Orai coupling, is essential for various immune cell functions, including cytokine release, proliferation, and cytotoxicity. In this review, we summarize the tools of synthetic biology that have been used so far to achieve precise control over the CRAC channel pathway and thus over downstream signaling events related to the immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernadett Bacsa
- Division of Medical Physics und Biophysics, Medical University of Graz, A-8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Valentina Hopl
- Institute of Biophysics, JKU Life Science Center, Johannes Kepler University Linz, A-4020 Linz, Austria
| | - Isabella Derler
- Institute of Biophysics, JKU Life Science Center, Johannes Kepler University Linz, A-4020 Linz, Austria
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3
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Ong HL, Ambudkar IS. "Gatekeepers of heaven" breaking bad. Cell Calcium 2024; 118:102842. [PMID: 38211552 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2023.102842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Hwei Ling Ong
- Secretory Physiology Section, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Indu S Ambudkar
- Secretory Physiology Section, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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Suzuki S, Wakano C, Monteilh-Zoller MK, Cullen AJ, Fleig A, Penner R. Cannabigerolic Acid (CBGA) Inhibits the TRPM7 Ion Channel Through its Kinase Domain. FUNCTION 2023; 5:zqad069. [PMID: 38162115 PMCID: PMC10757070 DOI: 10.1093/function/zqad069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Cannabinoids are a major class of compounds produced by the plant Cannabis sativa. Previous work has demonstrated that the main cannabinoids cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can have some beneficial effects on pain, inflammation, epilepsy, and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. While CBD and THC represent the two major plant cannabinoids, some hemp varieties with enzymatic deficiencies produce mainly cannabigerolic acid (CBGA). We recently reported that CBGA has a potent inhibitory effect on both Store-Operated Calcium Entry (SOCE) via inhibition of Calcium Release-Activated Calcium (CRAC) channels as well as currents carried by the channel-kinase TRPM7. Importantly, CBGA prevented kidney damage and suppressed mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines through inhibition of these mechanisms in an acute nephropathic mouse model. In the present study, we investigate the most common major and minor cannabinoids to determine their potential efficacy on TRPM7 channel function. We find that approximately half of the tested cannabinoids suppress TRPM7 currents to some degree, with CBGA having the strongest inhibitory effect on TRPM7. We determined that the CBGA-mediated inhibition of TRPM7 requires a functional kinase domain, is sensitized by both intracellular Mg⋅ATP and free Mg2+ and reduced by increases in intracellular Ca2+. Finally, we demonstrate that CBGA inhibits native TRPM7 channels in a B lymphocyte cell line. In conclusion, we demonstrate that CBGA is the most potent cannabinoid in suppressing TRPM7 activity and possesses therapeutic potential for diseases in which TRPM7 is known to play an important role such as cancer, stroke, and kidney disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayuri Suzuki
- Center for Biomedical Research, The Queen’s Medical Center, 1301 Punchbowl St., Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Clay Wakano
- Center for Biomedical Research, The Queen’s Medical Center, 1301 Punchbowl St., Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | | | - Aaron J Cullen
- Center for Biomedical Research, The Queen’s Medical Center, 1301 Punchbowl St., Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Andrea Fleig
- Center for Biomedical Research, The Queen’s Medical Center, 1301 Punchbowl St., Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
- University of Hawaii Cancer Center, 651 Ilalo St., Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
- John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, 651 Ilalo St., Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Reinhold Penner
- Center for Biomedical Research, The Queen’s Medical Center, 1301 Punchbowl St., Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
- University of Hawaii Cancer Center, 651 Ilalo St., Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
- John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, 651 Ilalo St., Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
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Zhou Y, Jennette MR, Ma G, Kazzaz SA, Baraniak JH, Nwokonko RM, Groff ML, Velasquez-Reynel M, Huang Y, Wang Y, Gill DL. An apical Phe-His pair defines the Orai1-coupling site and its occlusion within STIM1. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6921. [PMID: 37903816 PMCID: PMC10616141 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42254-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Ca2+ signal-generation through inter-membrane junctional coupling between endoplasmic reticulum (ER) STIM proteins and plasma membrane (PM) Orai channels, remains a vital but undefined mechanism. We identify two unusual overlapping Phe-His aromatic pairs within the STIM1 apical helix, one of which (F394-H398) mediates important control over Orai1-STIM1 coupling. In resting STIM1, this locus is deeply clamped within the folded STIM1-CC1 helices, likely near to the ER surface. The clamped environment in holo-STIM1 is critical-positive charge replacing Phe-394 constitutively unclamps STIM1, mimicking store-depletion, negative charge irreversibly locks the clamped-state. In store-activated, unclamped STIM1, Phe-394 mediates binding to the Orai1 channel, but His-398 is indispensable for transducing STIM1-binding into Orai1 channel-gating, and is spatially aligned with Phe-394 in the exposed Sα2 helical apex. Thus, the Phe-His locus traverses between ER and PM surfaces and is decisive in the two critical STIM1 functions-unclamping to activate STIM1, and conformational-coupling to gate the Orai1 channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yandong Zhou
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA.
| | - Michelle R Jennette
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
| | - Guolin Ma
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Sarah A Kazzaz
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
| | - James H Baraniak
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
| | - Robert M Nwokonko
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Mallary L Groff
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
| | - Marcela Velasquez-Reynel
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
| | - Yun Huang
- Center for Epigenetics and Disease Prevention, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Youjun Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resources and Molecular Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, PR China
| | - Donald L Gill
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA.
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6
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Pathak T, Benson JC, Johnson MT, Xin P, Abdelnaby AE, Walter V, Koltun WA, Yochum GS, Hempel N, Trebak M. Loss of STIM2 in colorectal cancer drives growth and metastasis through metabolic reprogramming and PERK-ATF4 endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.02.560521. [PMID: 37873177 PMCID: PMC10592933 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.02.560521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stores large amounts of calcium (Ca2+), and the controlled release of ER Ca2+ regulates a myriad of cellular functions. Although altered ER Ca2+ homeostasis is known to induce ER stress, the mechanisms by which ER Ca2+ imbalance activate ER stress pathways are poorly understood. Stromal-interacting molecules STIM1 and STIM2 are two structurally homologous ER-resident Ca2+ sensors that synergistically regulate Ca2+ influx into the cytosol through Orai Ca2+ channels for subsequent signaling to transcription and ER Ca2+ refilling. Here, we demonstrate that reduced STIM2, but not STIM1, in colorectal cancer (CRC) is associated with poor patient prognosis. Loss of STIM2 causes SERCA2-dependent increase in ER Ca2+, increased protein translation and transcriptional and metabolic rewiring supporting increased tumor size, invasion, and metastasis. Mechanistically, STIM2 loss activates cMyc and the PERK/ATF4 branch of ER stress in an Orai-independent manner. Therefore, STIM2 and PERK/ATF4 could be exploited for prognosis or in targeted therapies to inhibit CRC tumor growth and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trayambak Pathak
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- Vascular Medicine Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - J. Cory Benson
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- Vascular Medicine Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Martin T. Johnson
- Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | - Ping Xin
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- Vascular Medicine Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Ahmed Emam Abdelnaby
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- Vascular Medicine Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Vonn Walter
- Department of Public Health Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States
- Penn State Cancer Institute. The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, United States
| | - Walter A. Koltun
- Department of Surgery, Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, United States
| | - Gregory S. Yochum
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, United States
- Department of Surgery, Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, United States
| | - Nadine Hempel
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Mohamed Trebak
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- Vascular Medicine Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
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7
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Dhaouadi N, Vitto VAM, Pinton P, Galluzzi L, Marchi S. Ca 2+ signaling and cell death. Cell Calcium 2023; 113:102759. [PMID: 37210868 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2023.102759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Multiple forms of regulated cell death (RCD) have been characterized, each of which originates from the activation of a dedicated molecular machinery. RCD can occur in purely physiological settings or upon failing cellular adaptation to stress. Ca2+ions have been shown to physically interact with - and hence regulate - various components of the RCD machinery. Moreover, intracellular Ca2+ accumulation can promote organellar dysfunction to degree that can be overtly cytotoxic or sensitize cells to RCD elicited by other stressors. Here, we provide an overview of the main links between Ca2+and different forms of RCD, including apoptosis, mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT)-driven necrosis, necroptosis, ferroptosis, lysosome-dependent cell death, and parthanatos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nada Dhaouadi
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Pinton
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy; GVM Care & Research, Maria Cecilia Hospital, Cotignola, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Galluzzi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA; Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Caryl and Israel Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Saverio Marchi
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy.
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8
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Li J, Li X, Huang H, Tao L, Zhang C, Xie Y, Jiang Y. Role of SERCA3 in the Prognosis and Immune Function in Pan-Cancer. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:9359879. [PMID: 36385955 PMCID: PMC9652089 DOI: 10.1155/2022/9359879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
The sarcoendoplasmic reticulum calcium adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) 3 (SERCA3), a member of the SERCA protein family, is located at the endoplasmic reticulum. Its main function is to pump Ca2+ into the endoplasmic reticulum and is involved in maintaining intracellular calcium homeostasis and signal transduction, which are very important factors impacting cancer development and progression. However, the specific role of SERCA3 in cancer remains unclear. Our study, for the first time, comprehensively analyzed the SERCA3 expression profile in multiple cancers and its prognostic value in different cancers using bioinformatics. Furthermore, TCGA database was applied to evaluate the certain correlation of SERCA3 expression with immune modulator genes, immune checkpoints, immune cell infiltration, TMB, and MSI. The results revealed that in many cancers, SERCA3 expression was markedly decreased, which was related to poor prognosis. Additionally, we noticed that SERCA3 expression was correlated with TNM classification and WHO cancer stages in some cancer types. The Pearson correlation analysis showed that SERCA3 expression was closely associated with chemokines, chemokine receptors, MHC, immune activation genes, and immunosuppressive genes. In most cancer types, SERCA3 expression was also associated with immune checkpoints, including PDCD1 and CTLA-4. Further analysis suggested that SERCA3 was significantly correlated with CD8+ T cells, and regulatory T cells. Additionally, pan-cancer analysis confirmed that SERCA3 expression was related to TMB and MSI. In conclusion, these results offer a new insight into the functions and effects of SERCA3 in pan-cancer, and further provide some basis for considering SERCA3 as a potential cancer treatment target and biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajia Li
- Department of Oncology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
- Department of Nephrology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Xionghui Li
- Department of Critical Medicine, Hunan Provincial Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Hong Huang
- Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541000, China
| | - Lijian Tao
- Department of Nephrology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Chenzi Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Yanyun Xie
- Department of Nephrology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Yupeng Jiang
- Department of Oncology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
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Identification of Calcium Channel-Related Gene P2RX2 for Prognosis and Immune Infiltration in Prostate Cancer. DISEASE MARKERS 2022; 2022:8058160. [PMID: 36246559 PMCID: PMC9553555 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8058160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignancies in men. Calcium signaling is implicated in the progression of prostate cancer and plays a critical role in immune cell function. However, whether specific calcium channel-related genes play a crucial role in the immune cell infiltration levels of prostate cancer requires further research. In this study, we performed an integrated analysis of transcriptional, clinical, and somatic mutation data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database and identified the hub calcium channel-related gene P2RX2 to be associated with the prognosis and immune infiltration of prostate cancer. P2RX2 expression was positively correlated with immune cell infiltration levels and the expression of immune checkpoint genes, and downregulation of P2RX2 led to poor survival in patients with prostate cancer. Furthermore, we validated the molecular and clinical characteristics of P2RX2 by using multiple databases and conducting in-vitro experiments. Additionally, drug sensitivity analysis revealed that patients with low P2RX2 expression were sensitive to docetaxel and Bicalutamide. In conclusion, we revealed an association between calcium channel-related genes and prostate cancer, and identified P2RX2 as a biomarker for early diagnosis, prognosis prediction, and aiding treatment decisions for patients with prostate cancer.
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Store-Operated Ca2+ Entry Is Up-Regulated in Tumour-Infiltrating Lymphocytes from Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14143312. [PMID: 35884372 PMCID: PMC9315763 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14143312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) has long been known to regulate the differentiation and effector functions of T cells as well as to be instrumental to the ability of cytotoxic T lymphocytes to target cancer cells. Currently, no information is available regarding the expression and function of SOCE in tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) that have been expanded in vitro for adoptive cell therapy (ACT). This study provides the first evidence that SOCE is up-regulated in ex vivo-expanded TILs from metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients. The up-regulation of SOCE mainly depends on diacylglycerol kinase (DGK), which prevents the protein kinase C-dependent inhibition of Ca2+ entry in normal T cells. Of note, the pharmacological blockade of SOCE with the selective inhibitor, BTP-2, during target cell killing significantly increases cytotoxic activity at low TIL density, i.e., when TILs-mediated cancer cell death is rarer. This study, albeit preliminary, could lay the foundation to propose an alternative strategy to effect ACT. It has been shown that ex vivo-expanded TILs did not improve the disease-free survival rate in mCRC patients. Our results strongly suggest that pre-treating autologous TILs with a SOCE or DGK inhibitor before being infused into the patient could improve their cytotoxic activity against cancer cells. Abstract (1) Background: Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) drives the cytotoxic activity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) against cancer cells. However, SOCE can be enhanced in cancer cells due to an increase in the expression and/or function of its underlying molecular components, i.e., STIM1 and Orai1. Herein, we evaluated the SOCE expression and function in tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) from metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients. (2) Methods: Functional studies were conducted in TILs expanded ex vivo from CRC liver metastases. Peripheral blood T cells from healthy donors (hPBTs) and mCRC patients (cPBTs) were used as controls. (3) Results: SOCE amplitude is enhanced in TILs compared to hPBTs and cPBTs, but the STIM1 protein is only up-regulated in TILs. Pharmacological manipulation showed that the increase in SOCE mainly depends on tonic modulation by diacylglycerol kinase, which prevents the protein kinase C-dependent inhibition of SOCE activity. The larger SOCE caused a stronger Ca2+ response to T-cell receptor stimulation by autologous mCRC cells. Reducing Ca2+ influx with BTP-2 during target cell killing significantly increases cytotoxic activity at low target:effector ratios. (4) Conclusions: SOCE is enhanced in ex vivo-expanded TILs deriving from mCRC patients but decreasing Ca2+ influx with BTP-2 increases cytotoxic activity at a low TIL density.
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