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Liu N, Zhang J, Chen W, Ma W, Wu T. RBM39 Enhances Cholangiocarcinoma Growth Through EZH2-mediated WNT7B/β-catenin Pathway. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2024:101404. [PMID: 39278404 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2024.101404] [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: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 09/08/2024] [Accepted: 09/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS The RNA-binding motif protein 39 (RBM39) functions as both an RNA-binding protein and a splicing factor in a variety of cancer types. However, the function of RBM39 in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) remains undefined. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of RBM39 in CCA and explore its potential as a therapeutic target. METHODS The expression of RBM39 in CCA was investigated by analyzing human CCA tumor specimens. CRISPR/Cas9 or shRNA-mediated depletion of RBM39 was performed in vitro and in vivo to document the oncogenic role of RBM39 in CCA. The anti-tumor effect of the RBM39 inhibitor, Indisulam, in combination with the EZH2 degrader MS177 was assessed in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS RBM39 is significantly increased in human CCA tissues and associated with a poor prognosis in patients with CCA. Depletion of RBM39 by CRISPR/Cas9 or shRNA inhibited CCA cell proliferation in vitro and prevented CCA development and tumor growth in mice. Mechanistically, our results showed that depletion of RBM39 suppressed EZH2 expression via disrupting its mRNA splicing. RBM39-regulated EZH2 controls WNT7B/β-catenin activity. Pharmacological co-targeting of RBM39 (with Indisulam) and EZH2 (with MS177) resulted in a synergistic antitumor effect, both in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION This study discloses a novel RBM39-EZH2-β-catenin signaling axis that is crucial for CCA growth. Our findings suggest that simultaneous inhibition of RBM39 and EZH2 presents a promising therapeutic strategy for CCA treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nianli Liu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana; Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jinqiang Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Weina Chen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Wenbo Ma
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Tong Wu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana.
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2
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Wang R, Wu M, Zhang X, Jiang T, Wei Z. Methylation of microRNA genes and its effect on secondary xylem development of stem in poplar. THE PLANT GENOME 2024; 17:e20446. [PMID: 38528365 DOI: 10.1002/tpg2.20446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and DNA methylation are both vital regulators of gene expression. DNA methylation can affect the transcription of miRNAs, just like coding genes, through methylating the CpG islands in the gene regions of miRNAs. Although previous studies have shown that DNA methylation and miRNAs can each be involved in the process of wood formation, the relationship between the two has been relatively little studied in plant wood formation. Studies have shown that the second internode (IN2) (from top to bottom) of 3-month-old poplar trees can represent the primary stage of poplar stem development and IN8 can represent the secondary stage. There were also significant differences in DNA methylation patterns and miRNA expression patterns obtained from PS and SS. In this study, we first interactively analyzed methylation and miRNA sequencing data to identify 43 differentially expressed miRNAs regulated by differential methylation from the primary stage and secondary stage, which were found to be involved in multiple biological processes related to wood formation by enrichment analysis. In addition, six miRNA/target gene modules were finally identified as potentially involved in secondary xylem development of poplar stems through degradome sequencing and functional analysis. In conclusion, this study provides important reference information on the mechanism of interaction between different regulatory pathways of wood formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Meixuan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Tingbo Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Zhigang Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- Engineering Research Center of Agricultural Microbiology Technology, Ministry of Education, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, China
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3
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Mehrzad N, Zamani MS, Rahimi A, Shamaei M, Karimipoor M. Methylation Status of miR-34a and miR-126 in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Tumor Tissues. IRANIAN BIOMEDICAL JOURNAL 2024; 28:53-8. [PMID: 38445462 PMCID: PMC10994634 DOI: 10.61186/ibj.3845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Background MiR-34a and miR-126 mainly act as tumor suppressors and are often downregulated in various cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We aimed to determine the methylation status of miR-34a and miR-126 in NSCLC patients. Methods The current study included 63 paraffin-embedded NSCLC and paired adjacent normal tissues. After DNA extraction and bisulfite treatment, the methylation status of miR-34a and miR-126 were evaluated using the MSP method. Results There was no statistically significant difference between tumor and normal tissues regarding the methylation status of miR-34a and miR-126 (p > 0.05). Moreover, we found no significant correlation between the methylation status of miR-34a and miR-126 with patients’ demographic parameters, including gender, age, and pathology subtype (p > 0.05). Conclusion Considering the low expression of mir-126 and mir-34 in NSCLC, more sensitive methods are recommended to be exploited for detecting the level of methylation or underlying mechanisms other than promoter hypermethylation in silencing these genes in NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazanin Mehrzad
- Molecular Medicine Department, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Saber Zamani
- Molecular Medicine Department, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amirabbas Rahimi
- Molecular Medicine Department, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoud Shamaei
- Mesih Deneshvari Hospital Shahid Beheshti Medical Sciences University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Morteza Karimipoor
- Molecular Medicine Department, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
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Zhong B, Liao Q, Wang X, Wang X, Zhang J. The roles of epigenetic regulation in cholangiocarcinogenesis. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 166:115290. [PMID: 37557012 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115290] [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: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a heterogeneous malignancy of bile duct epithelial cells, is characterized by aggressiveness, difficult diagnosis, and poor prognosis due to limited understanding and lack of effective therapeutic strategies. Genetic and epigenetic alterations accumulated in CCA cells can cause the aberrant regulation of oncogenes and tumor suppressors. Epigenetic alterations with histone modification, DNA methylation, and noncoding RNA modulation are associated with the carcinogenesis of CCA. Mutation or silencing of genes by various mechanisms can be a frequent event during CCA development. Alterations in histone acetylation/deacetylation at the posttranslational level, DNA methylation at promoters, and noncoding RNA regulation contribute to the heterogeneity of CCA and drive tumor development. In this review article, we mainly focus on the roles of epigenetic regulation in cholangiocarcinogenesis. Alterations in epigenetic modification can be potential targets for the therapeutic management of CCA, and epigenetic targets may become diagnostic biomarkers of CCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baiyin Zhong
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Qicheng Liao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Xiaonong Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Jianhong Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China; Ganzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China.
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5
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Kałafut J, Czerwonka A, Czapla K, Przybyszewska-Podstawka A, Hermanowicz JM, Rivero-Müller A, Borkiewicz L. Regulation of Notch1 Signalling by Long Non-Coding RNAs in Cancers and Other Health Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12579. [PMID: 37628760 PMCID: PMC10454443 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Notch1 signalling plays a multifaceted role in tissue development and homeostasis. Currently, due to the pivotal role of Notch1 signalling, the relationship between NOTCH1 expression and the development of health disorders is being intensively studied. Nevertheless, Notch1 signalling is not only controlled at the transcriptional level but also by a variety of post-translational events. First is the ligand-dependent mechanical activation of NOTCH receptors and then the intracellular crosstalk with other signalling molecules-among those are long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). In this review, we provide a detailed overview of the specific role of lncRNAs in the modulation of Notch1 signalling, from expression to activity, and their connection with the development of health disorders, especially cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Kałafut
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, Aleje Raławickie 1, 20-059 Lublin, Poland; (J.K.); (A.C.); (K.C.); (A.P.-P.)
| | - Arkadiusz Czerwonka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, Aleje Raławickie 1, 20-059 Lublin, Poland; (J.K.); (A.C.); (K.C.); (A.P.-P.)
| | - Karolina Czapla
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, Aleje Raławickie 1, 20-059 Lublin, Poland; (J.K.); (A.C.); (K.C.); (A.P.-P.)
| | - Alicja Przybyszewska-Podstawka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, Aleje Raławickie 1, 20-059 Lublin, Poland; (J.K.); (A.C.); (K.C.); (A.P.-P.)
| | - Justyna Magdalena Hermanowicz
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Medical University of Bialystok, Mickiewicza 2C, 15-222 Bialystok, Poland;
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Medical University of Bialystok, Waszyngtona 15, 15-274 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Adolfo Rivero-Müller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, Aleje Raławickie 1, 20-059 Lublin, Poland; (J.K.); (A.C.); (K.C.); (A.P.-P.)
| | - Lidia Borkiewicz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, Aleje Raławickie 1, 20-059 Lublin, Poland; (J.K.); (A.C.); (K.C.); (A.P.-P.)
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Deng P, Hu H. HSP90-Dependent Upregulation of EZH2 Promotes Hypoxia/Reoxygenation-Induced Pyroptosis by Inhibiting miR-22 in Endothelial Cells. J Inflamm Res 2023; 16:2615-2630. [PMID: 37360624 PMCID: PMC10289174 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s403531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Endothelial cell pyroptosis induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of myocardial infarction (MI). However, the underlying mechanism is not clearly elucidated. Methods Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) exposed to H/R acted as in vitro model to investigate the mechanism of H/R-induced endothelial cell pyroptosis. CCK-8 assays were performed to investigate the viability of HUVECs. Calcein-AM/PI staining was carried out to quantify the death of HUVECs. The expression level of miR-22 was measured by RT-qPCR. The protein expression levels of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit (EZH2), NLRP3, cleaved caspase-1 (c-caspase-1), GSDMD-N and heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) were measured by Western blot. Levels of IL-1β and IL-18 in culture medium were detected by ELISA. The intracellular localization of EZH2 was detected by immunofluorescence staining. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay was used to detect the enrichment of EZH2 and H3K27me3 in the miR-22 promoter region. The binding between miR-22 and NLRP3 in HUVECs was confirmed by the dual luciferase assay. Reciprocal coimmunoprecipitation was conducted to detect the direct interaction between HSP90 and EZH2. Results H/R increased EZH2 expression, and the EZH2 siRNA could inhibit H/R-induced pyroptosis in HUVECs. H/R reduced miR-22 expression, which was reversed by EZH2 siRNA. Silencing of miR-22 by its inhibitor reversed EZH2 siRNA-induced pyroptosis inhibition in H/R-exposed HUVECs. Upregulation of miR-22 by its mimic suppressed EZH2 overexpression-enhanced pyroptosis in H/R-exposed HUVECs. ChIP assay confirmed that EZH2 bound to the miR-22 promoter region and repressed miR-22 expression through H3K27me3. Furthermore, luciferase reporter assay indicated that NLRP3 was a direct target of miR- 22 in HUVECs. Finally, HSP90 siRNA inhibited H/R-induced EZH2 expression, miR-22 downregulation, and pyroptosis in HUVECs. Conclusion H/R induces pyroptosis via the HSP90/EZH2/miR-22/NLRP3 signaling axis in endothelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paihe Deng
- Clinical Laboratory Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210011, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huimin Hu
- Clinical Laboratory Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210011, People’s Republic of China
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7
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Liu Y, Yang Q. The roles of EZH2 in cancer and its inhibitors. Med Oncol 2023; 40:167. [PMID: 37148376 PMCID: PMC10162908 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-02025-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is encoded by the Enhancer of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit gene. EZH2 is involved in the cell cycle, DNA damage repair, cell differentiation, autophagy, apoptosis, and immunological modulation. The main function of EZH2 is to catalyze the methylation of H3 histone of H3K27Me3, which inhibits the transcription of target genes, such as tumor suppressor genes. EZH2 also forms complexes with transcriptions factors or directly binds to the promoters of target genes, leading to regulate gene transcriptions. EZH2 has been as a prominent target for cancer therapy and a growing number of potential targeting medicines have been developed. This review summarized the mechanisms that EZH2 regulates gene transcription and the interactions between EZH2 and important intracellular signaling molecules (Wnt, Notch, MEK, Akt) and as well the clinical applications of EZH2-targeted drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuankai Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Qiong Yang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
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8
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Zaki MB, Abulsoud AI, Elshaer SS, Fathi D, Abdelmaksoud NM, El-Mahdy HA, Ismail A, Elsakka EG, Sallam AAM, Doghish AS. The interplay of signaling pathways with miRNAs in cholangiocarcinoma pathogenicity and targeted therapy. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 245:154437. [PMID: 37030167 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), the second most frequent liver cancer after hepatocellular carcinoma, has been rising worldwide in recent epidemiological research. This neoplasia's pathogenesis is poorly understood. Yet, recent advances have illuminated the molecular processes of cholangiocyte malignancy and growth. Late diagnosis, ineffective therapy, and resistance to standard treatments contribute to this malignancy's poor prognosis. So, to develop efficient preventative and therapy methods, the molecular pathways that cause this cancer must be better understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding ribonucleic acids (ncRNAs) that influence gene expression. Biliary carcinogenesis involves abnormally expressed miRNAs that act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors (TSs). The miRNAs regulate multiple gene networks and are involved in cancer hallmarks like reprogramming of cellular metabolism, sustained proliferative signaling, evasion of growth suppressors, replicative immortality, induction/access to the vasculature, activation of invasion and metastasis, and avoidance of immune destruction. In addition, numerous ongoing clinical trials are demonstrating the efficacy of therapeutic strategies based on miRNAs as powerful anticancer agents. Here, we will update the research on CCA-related miRNAs and explain their regulation involved in the molecular pathophysiology of this malignancy. Eventually, we will disclose their potential as clinical biomarkers and therapeutic tools in CCA.
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9
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Zhang J, Chen W, Ma W, Han C, Song K, Kwon H, Wu T. EZH2 Promotes Cholangiocarcinoma Development and Progression through Histone Methylation and microRNA-Mediated Down-Regulation of Tumor Suppressor Genes. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2022; 192:1712-1724. [PMID: 36456043 PMCID: PMC9765312 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2022.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly malignant cancer of the biliary tree. Although studies have implicated enhancer of Zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) in CCA growth, the role of EZH2 in CCA development has not been investigated, and the mechanism for EZH2-regulated gene expression in CCA remains to be further defined. The current study used a mouse model of CCA induced by hydrodynamic tail vein injection of Notch1 intracellular domain and myristoylated-AKT plasmids. Mice with liver-specific EZH2 knockout displayed reduced CCA development. In a xenograft model, EZH2 knockdown significantly decreased CCA progression. Administration of the EZH2 inhibitor GSK126 decreased CCA tumor burden in mice. Accordingly, EZH2 depletion or inhibition reduced the growth and colony formation capability of CCA cells. Analysis of high-throughput data identified a set of 12 tumor-inhibiting genes as targets of EZH2 in CCA. The experimental results suggest that EZH2 may down-regulate these tumor-inhibiting genes through methylation of lysine 27 on histone H3 (H3K27) in the gene louses and through regulation of specific miRNAs. High mobility group box 1 was shown to facilitate the methyltransferase activity of EZH2, which is implicated in the regulation of CCA cell growth. The study shows that EZH2 promotes CCA development and progression through a complicated regulatory network involving tumor-inhibiting genes, miRNAs, and high mobility group box 1, which support targeting EZH2 as a potentially effective strategy for CCA treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinqiang Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana.
| | - Weina Chen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Wenbo Ma
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Chang Han
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Kyoungsub Song
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Hyunjoo Kwon
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Tong Wu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana.
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O’Brien KA, Murray AJ, Simonson TS. Notch Signaling and Cross-Talk in Hypoxia: A Candidate Pathway for High-Altitude Adaptation. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:437. [PMID: 35330188 PMCID: PMC8954738 DOI: 10.3390/life12030437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia triggers complex inter- and intracellular signals that regulate tissue oxygen (O2) homeostasis, adjusting convective O2 delivery and utilization (i.e., metabolism). Human populations have been exposed to high-altitude hypoxia for thousands of years and, in doing so, have undergone natural selection of multiple gene regions supporting adaptive traits. Some of the strongest selection signals identified in highland populations emanate from hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) pathway genes. The HIF pathway is a master regulator of the cellular hypoxic response, but it is not the only regulatory pathway under positive selection. For instance, regions linked to the highly conserved Notch signaling pathway are also top targets, and this pathway is likely to play essential roles that confer hypoxia tolerance. Here, we explored the importance of the Notch pathway in mediating the cellular hypoxic response. We assessed transcriptional regulation of the Notch pathway, including close cross-talk with HIF signaling, and its involvement in the mediation of angiogenesis, cellular metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress, relating these functions to generational hypoxia adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie A. O’Brien
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK;
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Andrew J. Murray
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK;
| | - Tatum S. Simonson
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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Dynamical Analysis of a Boolean Network Model of the Oncogene Role of lncRNA ANRIL and lncRNA UFC1 in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12030420. [PMID: 35327612 PMCID: PMC8946683 DOI: 10.3390/biom12030420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) such as ANRIL and UFC1 have been verified as oncogenic genes in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It is well known that the tumor suppressor microRNA-34a (miR-34a) is downregulated in NSCLC. Furthermore, miR-34a induces senescence and apoptosis in breast, glioma, cervical cancer including NSCLC by targeting Myc. Recent evidence suggests that these two lncRNAs act as a miR-34a sponge in corresponding cancers. However, the biological functions between these two non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have not yet been studied in NSCLC. Therefore, we present a Boolean model to analyze the gene regulation between these two ncRNAs in NSCLC. We compared our model to several experimental studies involving gain- or loss-of-function genes in NSCLC cells and achieved an excellent agreement. Additionally, we predict three positive circuits involving miR-34a/E2F1/ANRIL, miR-34a/E2F1/UFC1, and miR-34a/Myc/ANRIL. Our circuit- perturbation analysis shows that these circuits are important for regulating cell-fate decisions such as senescence and apoptosis. Thus, our Boolean network permits an explicit cell-fate mechanism associated with NSCLC. Therefore, our results support that ANRIL and/or UFC1 is an attractive target for drug development in tumor growth and aggressive proliferation of NSCLC, and that a valuable outcome can be achieved through the miRNA-34a/Myc pathway.
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12
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Vanaroj P, Chaijaroenkul W, Na-Bangchang K. Notch signaling in the pathogenesis, progression and identification of potential targets for cholangiocarcinoma (Review). Mol Clin Oncol 2022; 16:66. [PMID: 35154706 PMCID: PMC8825743 DOI: 10.3892/mco.2022.2499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is an aggressive type of bile duct cancer that is characterized by a high mortality rate due to its late diagnosis and ineffective treatment. The aim of the present systematic review was to analyze the association between Notch signaling and CCA in terms of its pathogenesis, progression and potential treatment targets. Relevant information was gathered from the PubMed, ScienceDirect and Scopus databases using the search terms 'cholangiocarcinoma' AND 'Notch signaling'. Of the 90 articles identified, 28 fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were included in the analysis. It was concluded that overexpression/upregulation of Notch ligands, such as Jagged1 and Notch receptors (Notch1, Notch2 and Notch3), as well as upregulation of the upstream Notch signaling pathway, promoted CCA development and progression. In addition, downregulation of Notch1 signaling through several possible interventions appears to be a promising strategy for inhibition of CCA development and progression. Therefore, the Notch signaling pathway may be considered as a potential target for CCA control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peeranate Vanaroj
- Graduate Program in Bioclinical Sciences, Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathumthani, 12120 Thailand
| | - Wanna Chaijaroenkul
- Graduate Program in Bioclinical Sciences, Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathumthani, 12120 Thailand
| | - Kesara Na-Bangchang
- Graduate Program in Bioclinical Sciences, Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathumthani, 12120 Thailand.,Center of Excellence in Pharmacology and Molecular Biology of Malaria and Cholangiocarcinoma, Thammasat University, Pathumthani, 12120 Thailand
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13
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Han Y, Yang Y, Huang S, Yao L, Wu L. The miR-34a/WNT7B modulates the sensitivity of cholangiocarcinoma cells to p53-mediated photodynamic therapy toxicity. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 591:54-61. [PMID: 34999254 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.12.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) provides apparent survival benefits for unresectable cholangiocarcinoma patients. the insufficient sensitivity of cancer cell to PDT treatment limits the clinical application. In this study, according to the GEO datasets, WNT7B expression was decreased by PDT treatment in cholangiocarcinoma samples. In cholangiocarcinoma cells, PDT treatment inhibited Wnt signaling, suppressed cell viability, and enhanced cell apoptosis. Within cholangiocarcinoma cells, PDT treatment induced p53 and miR-34a-5p expression. Under PDT treatment, p53 knockdown downregulated miR-34a-5p expression, whereas the inhibition effect of p53 knockdown on miR-34a-5p could be partially attenuated by agomir-34a-5p. p53 knockdown enhanced cell viability and suppressed cell apoptosis, whereas miR-34a-5p overexpression exerted opposite effects; miR-34a-5p overexpression partially attenuated p53 knockdown effects on PDT-treated cholangiocarcinoma cells. miR-34a-5p directly targeted WNT7B and inhibited WNT7B expression. Under PDT treatment, WNT7B knockdown inhibited the Wnt signaling and cell viability, and promoted cell apoptosis, while miR-34a-5p suppression showed the opposite trends; WNT7B knockdown partially attenuated miR-34a-5p inhibition effects on PDT-treated cholangiocarcinoma cells. In conclusion, PDT treatment induces p53-induced miR-34a transactivation to inhibit cholangiocarcinoma cell proliferation; the miR-34a-5p/WNT7B axis and Wnt signaling are involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanshan Han
- Medical Experimental Innovation Center, The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Hunan Cancer Hospital, Changsha, China
| | - Sanqian Huang
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Hunan Cancer Hospital, Changsha, China
| | - Lei Yao
- Academician Expert Workstation of Sichuan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Lile Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
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14
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Zhang J, Chen W, Ma W, Song K, Lee S, Han C, Wu T. Epigenetic Silencing of 15-Hydroxyprostaglandin Dehydrogenase by Histone Methyltransferase EHMT2/G9a in Cholangiocarcinoma. Mol Cancer Res 2021; 20:350-360. [PMID: 34880125 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-21-0536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a lethal malignancy with few therapeutic options. NAD+-dependent 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) has been shown to inhibit CCA cell growth in vitro and in xenograft models. However, the role of 15-PGDH in CCA development has not been investigated and the mechanism for 15-PGDH gene regulation remains unclear. Here, we evaluated the role of 15-PGDH in CCA development by using a mouse model with hydrodynamic tail vein injection of transposase-based plasmids expressing Notch1 intracellular domain and myr-Akt, with or without co-injection of 15-PGDH expression plasmids. Our results reveal that 15-PGDH overexpression effectively prevents CCA development. Through patient data mining and experimental approaches, we provide novel evidences that 15-PGDH is epigenetically silenced by histone methyltransferase G9a. We observe that 15-PGDH and G9a expressions are inversely correlated in both human and mouse CCAs. By using CCA cells and mouse models, we show that G9a inhibition restores 15-PGDH expression and inhibited CCA in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, our data indicate that G9a is recruited to 15-PGDH gene promoter via protein-protein interaction with the E-box binding Myc/Max heterodimer. The recruited G9a then silences 15-PGDH gene through enhanced methylation of H3K9. Our further experiments have led to the identification of STAT4 as a key transcription factor involved in the regulation of 15-PGDH by G9a. Collectively, our findings disclose a novel G9a-15PGDH signaling axis which is importantly implicated in CCA development and progression. Implications: The current study describes a novel G9a-15PGDH signaling axis which is importantly implicated in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) development and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinqiang Zhang
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine
| | | | - Wenbo Ma
- Tulane University School of Medicine
| | - Kyoungsub Song
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine
| | - Sean Lee
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine
| | - Chang Han
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine
| | - Tong Wu
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University
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15
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Rimini M, Puzzoni M, Pedica F, Silvestris N, Fornaro L, Aprile G, Loi E, Brunetti O, Vivaldi C, Simionato F, Zavattari P, Scartozzi M, Burgio V, Ratti F, Aldrighetti L, Cascinu S, Casadei-Gardini A. Cholangiocarcinoma: new perspectives for new horizons. Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021; 15:1367-1383. [PMID: 34669536 DOI: 10.1080/17474124.2021.1991313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Biliary tract cancer represents a heterogeneous group of malignancies characterized by dismal prognosis and scarce therapeutic options. AREA COVERED In the last years, a growing interest in BTC pathology has emerged, thus highlighting a significant heterogeneity of the pathways underlying the carcinogenesis process, from both a molecular and genomic point of view. A better understanding of these differences is mandatory to deepen the behavior of this complex disease, as well as to identify new targetable target mutations, with the aim to improve the survival outcomes. The authors decided to provide a comprehensive overview of the recent highlights on BTCs, with a special focus on the genetic, epigenetic and molecular alterations, which may have an interesting clinical application in the next future. EXPERT OPINION In the last years, the efforts resulted from international collaborations have led to the identification of new promising targets for precision medicine approaches in the BTC setting. Further investigations and prospective trials are needed, but the hope is that these new knowledge in cooperation with the new technologies and procedures, including bio-molecular and genomic analysis as well radiomic studies, will enrich the therapeutic armamentarium thus improving the survival outcomes in a such lethal and complex disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Rimini
- Department of Oncology and Hematology, Division of Oncology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Marco Puzzoni
- Medical Oncology, University and University Hospital of Cagliari, Italy
| | - Federica Pedica
- Department of Pathology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Nicola Silvestris
- Department of oncology, Instituto Di Ricovero E Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo Ii" of Bari, Bari, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Aldo Moro University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Fornaro
- Department of medical oncology, U.O. Oncologia Medica 2 Universitaria, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Aprile
- Department of Oncology, San Bortolo General Hospital, Azienda ULSS8 Berica, Vicenza, Italy
| | - Eleonora Loi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Biology and Genetics, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Oronzo Brunetti
- Department of oncology, Instituto Di Ricovero E Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo Ii" of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Caterina Vivaldi
- Department of medical oncology, U.O. Oncologia Medica 2 Universitaria, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Simionato
- Department of Oncology, San Bortolo General Hospital, Azienda ULSS8 Berica, Vicenza, Italy
| | - Patrizia Zavattari
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Biology and Genetics, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Mario Scartozzi
- Medical Oncology, University and University Hospital of Cagliari, Italy
| | - Valentina Burgio
- Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Ratti
- Hepatobiliary Surgery Division, IRCCS San Raffaele and Vita-Salute University, Italy
| | - Luca Aldrighetti
- Hepatobiliary Surgery Division, IRCCS San Raffaele and Vita-Salute University, Italy
| | - Stefano Cascinu
- Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute Hospital, Milan, Italy
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16
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Protein profiling reveals potential isomiR-associated cross-talks among RNAs in cholangiocarcinoma. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:5722-5734. [PMID: 34745457 PMCID: PMC8551523 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein profiling identified crucial genes that were used to screen related ncRNAs. Both miRNAs and isomiRs were involved in coding-non-coding RNA regulatory network. IsomiR-associated ceRNA networks implied the complex interactions among RNAs.
Cholangiocarcinomas (CCAs) are tumors that arise from the cholangiocytes. Although some genes have been shown with important roles in pathological process, interactions or cross-talks among different RNAs are important to understand the detailed molecular mechanisms in cancer development, especially discussing cross-talks among isomiRs and other RNAs. Herein, to characterize crucial genes in CCA, the protein expression profile was performed to survey potential crucial mRNAs and related non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in mRNA-ncRNA network, mainly including miRNAs/isomiRs and lncRNAs. Deregulated mRNAs were firstly obtained if consistent expression patterns were found at protein and mRNA levels, and related miRNAs/isomiRs were screened according to regulatory relationships. Diverse isomiRs from a given miRNA locus also contributed to interactions between the small RNAs and target mRNAs, and miRNAs were further used to survey related lncRNAs to expand the interactions. Thus, several groups of RNAs were constructed as candidate competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks. Finally, we found that RAB11FIP1:miR-101-3p:MIR3142HG may be a potential ceRNA network, and the interactions among them may be more complex due to variety of isomiRs. Simultaneously, RAB11FIP1 and miR-194-5p were also detected other related lncRNAs (FBXL19-AS1, SNHG1 and PVT1) that may be crucial in coding-non-coding RNA regulatory network. Our results show that diverse isomiRs with sequence and expression heterogeneities contribute to ceRNA regulatory network that may have crucial roles in CCA, which will expand our understanding of interactions among diverse RNAs and their contributions in cancer development.
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Key Words
- BLCA, bladder urothelial carcinoma
- BRCA, breast invasive carcinoma
- CHOL, cholangiocarcinoma
- COAD, colon adenocarcinoma
- Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA)
- Cross-talk
- ESCA, esophageal carcinoma
- HNSC, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
- KICH, kidney chromophobe
- KIRC, Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma
- KIRP, kidney renal papillary cell carcinoma
- LIHC, liver hepatocellular carcinoma
- LUAD, lung adenocarcinoma
- LUSC, lung squamous cell carcinoma
- Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA)
- PRAD, prostate adenocarcinoma
- Protein profiling
- STAD, stomach adenocarcinoma
- THCA, thyroid carcinoma
- UCEC, uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma
- isomiR
- microRNA (miRNA)
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17
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Zhdanovskaya N, Firrincieli M, Lazzari S, Pace E, Scribani Rossi P, Felli MP, Talora C, Screpanti I, Palermo R. Targeting Notch to Maximize Chemotherapeutic Benefits: Rationale, Advanced Strategies, and Future Perspectives. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13205106. [PMID: 34680255 PMCID: PMC8533696 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13205106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The Notch signaling pathway regulates cell proliferation, apoptosis, stem cell self-renewal, and differentiation in a context-dependent fashion both during embryonic development and in adult tissue homeostasis. Consistent with its pleiotropic physiological role, unproper activation of the signaling promotes or counteracts tumor pathogenesis and therapy response in distinct tissues. In the last twenty years, a wide number of studies have highlighted the anti-cancer potential of Notch-modulating agents as single treatment and in combination with the existent therapies. However, most of these strategies have failed in the clinical exploration due to dose-limiting toxicity and low efficacy, encouraging the development of novel agents and the design of more appropriate combinations between Notch signaling inhibitors and chemotherapeutic drugs with improved safety and effectiveness for distinct types of cancer. Abstract Notch signaling guides cell fate decisions by affecting proliferation, apoptosis, stem cell self-renewal, and differentiation depending on cell and tissue context. Given its multifaceted function during tissue development, both overactivation and loss of Notch signaling have been linked to tumorigenesis in ways that are either oncogenic or oncosuppressive, but always context-dependent. Notch signaling is critical for several mechanisms of chemoresistance including cancer stem cell maintenance, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, tumor-stroma interaction, and malignant neovascularization that makes its targeting an appealing strategy against tumor growth and recurrence. During the last decades, numerous Notch-interfering agents have been developed, and the abundant preclinical evidence has been transformed in orphan drug approval for few rare diseases. However, the majority of Notch-dependent malignancies remain untargeted, even if the application of Notch inhibitors alone or in combination with common chemotherapeutic drugs is being evaluated in clinical trials. The modest clinical success of current Notch-targeting strategies is mostly due to their limited efficacy and severe on-target toxicity in Notch-controlled healthy tissues. Here, we review the available preclinical and clinical evidence on combinatorial treatment between different Notch signaling inhibitors and existent chemotherapeutic drugs, providing a comprehensive picture of molecular mechanisms explaining the potential or lacking success of these combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadezda Zhdanovskaya
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (N.Z.); (M.F.); (S.L.); (E.P.); (P.S.R.); (C.T.)
| | - Mariarosaria Firrincieli
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (N.Z.); (M.F.); (S.L.); (E.P.); (P.S.R.); (C.T.)
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Lazzari
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (N.Z.); (M.F.); (S.L.); (E.P.); (P.S.R.); (C.T.)
| | - Eleonora Pace
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (N.Z.); (M.F.); (S.L.); (E.P.); (P.S.R.); (C.T.)
| | - Pietro Scribani Rossi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (N.Z.); (M.F.); (S.L.); (E.P.); (P.S.R.); (C.T.)
| | - Maria Pia Felli
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Claudio Talora
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (N.Z.); (M.F.); (S.L.); (E.P.); (P.S.R.); (C.T.)
| | - Isabella Screpanti
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (N.Z.); (M.F.); (S.L.); (E.P.); (P.S.R.); (C.T.)
- Correspondence: (I.S.); (R.P.)
| | - Rocco Palermo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (N.Z.); (M.F.); (S.L.); (E.P.); (P.S.R.); (C.T.)
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 00161 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: (I.S.); (R.P.)
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18
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The Role of microRNAs in Cholangiocarcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22147627. [PMID: 34299246 PMCID: PMC8306241 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), an aggressive malignancy, is typically diagnosed at an advanced stage. It is associated with dismal 5-year postoperative survival rates, generating an urgent need for prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNAs that are associated with cancer regulation, including modulation of cell cycle progression, apoptosis, metastasis, angiogenesis, autophagy, therapy resistance, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Several miRNAs have been found to be dysregulated in CCA and are associated with CCA-related risk factors. Accumulating studies have indicated that the expression of altered miRNAs could act as oncogenic or suppressor miRNAs in the development and progression of CCA and contribute to clinical diagnosis and prognosis prediction as potential biomarkers. Furthermore, miRNAs and their target genes also contribute to targeted therapy development and aid in the determination of drug resistance mechanisms. This review aims to summarize the roles of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of CCA, their potential use as biomarkers of diagnosis and prognosis, and their utilization as novel therapeutic targets in CCA.
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19
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Yoshida K, Yamamoto Y, Ochiya T. miRNA signaling networks in cancer stem cells. Regen Ther 2021; 17:1-7. [PMID: 33598508 PMCID: PMC7848775 DOI: 10.1016/j.reth.2021.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small cell subpopulation in many cancer types and are involved in various processes of tumor progression, such as initiation, metastasis and recurrence. The distinguished features of CSCs include a variety of biological properties, including self-renewal, multidifferentiation, stemness marker expression, and resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Despite their great potential of clinical importance, the CSC signaling pathways are not well understood at the molecular level. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenous noncoding RNAs that play an important role in the regulation of several cellular, physiological, and developmental processes. Aberrant miRNA expression is associated with many human diseases, including cancer. miRNAs have been implicated in the regulation of CSC properties; therefore, a better understanding of miRNA-induced modulation of CSC gene expression could aid in the identification of promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets. In the present review, we summarize the major findings of the impacts of miRNAs on CSC signaling networks; we then discuss the recent advances that have improved our understanding of CSC regulation by miRNA-mediated signaling networks and that may lead to the development of miRNA therapeutics specifically targeting CSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kosuke Yoshida
- Division of Cellular Signaling, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yusuke Yamamoto
- Division of Cellular Signaling, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takahiro Ochiya
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
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20
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Ding R, Zheng J, Li N, Cheng Q, Zhu M, Wang Y, Zhou X, Zhang Z, Shi G. DZNep, an inhibitor of the histone methyltransferase EZH2, suppresses hepatic fibrosis through regulating miR-199a-5p/SOCS7 pathway. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11374. [PMID: 34040893 PMCID: PMC8127960 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatic fibrosis is a common response to chronic liver injury. Recently, the role of DZNep (a histone methyltransferase EZH2 inhibitor) in repressing pulmonary and renal fibrosis was verified. However, the potential effect of DZNep on hepatic fibrosis has not been elucidated. Methods The hepatic fibrosis model was established in rats treated with CCl4 and in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) treated with TGF-β1. The liver tissues were stained with H&E and Masson’s trichrome. The expression of EZH2, SOCS7, collagen I, αSMA mRNA and miR-199-5p was assessed using qPCR, immunohistochemical or western blot analysis. A dual-luciferase reporter assay was carried out to validate the regulatory relationship of miR-199a-5p with SOCS7. Results The EZH2 level was increased in CCl4-treated rats and in TGF-β1-treated HSCs, whereas DZNep treatment significantly inhibited EZH2 expression. DZNep repressed hepatic fibrosis in vivo and in vitro, as evidenced by the decrease of hepatic fibrosis markers (α-SMA and Collagen I). Moreover, miR-199a-5p expression was repressed by DZNep in TGF-β1-activated HSCs. Notably, downregulation of miR-199a-5p decreased TGF-β1-induced expression of fibrosis markers. SOCS7 was identified as a direct target of miR-199a-5p. The expression of SOCS7 was decreased in TGF-β1-activated HSCs, but DZNep treatment restore d SOCS7 expression. More importantly, SOCS7 knockdown decreased the effect of DZNep on collagen I and α SMA expression in TGF-β1-activated HSCs. Conclusions DZNep suppresses hepatic fibrosis through regulating miR-199a-5p/SOCS7 axis, suggesting that DZNep may represent a novel treatment for fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongrong Ding
- Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Hepatobiliary Medicine, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianming Zheng
- Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ning Li
- Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Cheng
- Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengqi Zhu
- Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanbing Wang
- Hepatobiliary Medicine, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinlan Zhou
- Hepatobiliary Medicine, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhanqing Zhang
- Hepatobiliary Medicine, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guangfeng Shi
- Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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21
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Li S, Wei X, He J, Cao Q, Du D, Zhan X, Zeng Y, Yuan S, Sun L. The comprehensive landscape of miR-34a in cancer research. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2021; 40:925-948. [PMID: 33959850 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-021-09973-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNA-34 (miR-34) plays central roles in human diseases, especially cancers. Inactivation of miR-34 is detected in cancer cell lines and tumor tissues versus normal controls, implying its potential tumor-suppressive effect. Clinically, miR-34 has been identified as promising prognostic indicators for various cancers. In fact, members of the miR-34 family, especially miR-34a, have been convincingly proved to affect almost the whole cancer progression process. Here, a total of 512 (miR-34a, 10/21), 85 (miR-34b, 10/16), and 114 (miR-34c, 10/14) putative targets of miR-34a/b/c are predicted by at least ten miRNA databases, respectively. These targets are further analyzed in gene ontology (GO), KEGG pathway, and the Reactome pathway dataset. The results suggest their involvement in the regulation of signal transduction, macromolecule metabolism, and protein modification. Also, the targets are implicated in critical signaling pathways, such as MAPK, Notch, Wnt, PI3K/AKT, p53, and Ras, as well as apoptosis, cell cycle, and EMT-related pathways. Moreover, the upstream regulators of miR-34a, mainly including transcription factors (TFs), lncRNAs, and DNA methylation, will be summarized. Meanwhile, the potential TF upstream of miR-34a/b/c will be predicted by PROMO, JASPAR, Animal TFDB 3.0, and GeneCard databases. Notably, miR-34a is an attractive target for certain cancers. In fact, miR-34a-based systemic delivery combined with chemotherapy or radiotherapy can more effectively control tumor progression. Collectively, this review will provide a panorama for miR-34a in cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijing Li
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Xiaohui Wei
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Jinyong He
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
- China Cell-Gene Therapy Translational Medicine Research Center, Biotherapy Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Quanquan Cao
- MARBEC, Université Montpellier, UM-CNRS-IRD-IFREMER, cc 092, Place E. Bataillon, 34095, Montpellier Cedex 05, France
| | - Danyu Du
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Xiaoman Zhan
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yuqi Zeng
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Shengtao Yuan
- Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Li Sun
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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22
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Geng X, Zou Y, Li S, Qi R, Jing C, Ding X, Li J, Yu H. Electroacupuncture promotes the recovery of rats with spinal cord injury by suppressing the Notch signaling pathway via the H19/EZH2 axis. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2021; 9:844. [PMID: 34164478 PMCID: PMC8184438 DOI: 10.21037/atm-21-1526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a life-changing event with an extremely poor prognosis. In our preliminary studies, electroacupuncture (EA) was found to promote the repair of SCI, which was closely related to the Notch signaling pathway. Therefore, in the present study, we hypothesized that EA protects against SCI by inhibiting the Notch signaling pathway and sought to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods Rat and cell models of SCI were established. The expression of long non-coding RNA H19 was measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The expression levels of EZH2, Notch1, Notch3, Notch4, Hes1, and PS1 protein were measured by western blot. Cell apoptosis and viability were analyzed using flow cytometry and Cell Counting Kit-8 assays, respectively. The expressions of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and nestin were detected by immunofluorescence staining. Results The expressions of H19, EZH2, and GFAP were significantly increased after SCI but were inhibited by EA; in contrast, nestin expression was significantly decreased by SCI but was restored by EA. Moreover, oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) treatment elevated the expression of H19, EZH2, and Notch-related factors as well as apoptosis in PC-12 cells, while suppressing cell viability. Suppressing H19 alleviated the effects of OGD on cell viability and apoptosis, and inhibited the expression of EZH2 and Notch-related factors expression; these effects were reversed by EZH2 overexpression. Finally, EA promoted the recovery of SCI rats and neural stem cell (NSC) proliferation by inhibiting the Notch signaling pathway, which was reversed by H19 overexpression. Conclusions Our results demonstrated that EA promotes the recovery of SCI rats and increases the proliferation and differentiation of NSCs by suppressing the Notch signaling pathway via modulating the H19/EZH2 axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Geng
- Second Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Yanghong Zou
- Second Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Shipeng Li
- Second Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Renli Qi
- Second Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Cong Jing
- Second Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Xiangqian Ding
- Second Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Jinghui Li
- Second Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Hualin Yu
- Second Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
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23
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Guan X, Shi A, Zou Y, Sun M, Zhan Y, Dong Y, Fan Z. EZH2-Mediated microRNA-375 Upregulation Promotes Progression of Breast Cancer via the Inhibition of FOXO1 and the p53 Signaling Pathway. Front Genet 2021; 12:633756. [PMID: 33854524 PMCID: PMC8041054 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.633756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the most common gynecologic tumor worldwide where aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) is frequently involved. Here, we evaluated the function of miR-375 on BC development and the molecules implicated. Differentially expressed genes between tumor and paired normal tissues from BC patients were screened out by microarray analyses. miR-375 was abundantly expressed in BC tissues and cells, and it was correlated with the poor prognosis of patients. Downregulation of miR-375 was introduced into BC cell lines MCF-7 and HCC1954, after which the viability, colony formation, migration, and invasion were suppressed, while the apoptosis of cells was increased, and the xenograft tumors in nude mice were reduced as well. EZH2 increased methylation and phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and increased transcription activity of miR-375, while miR-375 directly targeted FOXO1. Either overexpression of EZH2 or downregulation of FOXO1 blocked the functions of anti-miR-375 in cells and animals. FOXO1 was found as an activator of the p53 signaling pathway. This study showed that miR-375 is an important oncogene in BC. EZH2 is an upstream regulator of miR-375 through mediating the methylation of STAT3, while FOXO1 is a downstream target mRNA of miR-375 that activates the p53 signaling pathway to suppress BC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Guan
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Aiping Shi
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yabin Zou
- Department of Pathology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Meiyang Sun
- The Second Department of Breast Surgery, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Yue Zhan
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yi Dong
- The Second Department of Breast Surgery, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Zhimin Fan
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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Gregorova J, Vychytilova-Faltejskova P, Sevcikova S. Epigenetic Regulation of MicroRNA Clusters and Families during Tumor Development. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:1333. [PMID: 33809566 PMCID: PMC8002357 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13061333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs are small non-coding single-stranded RNA molecules regulating gene expression on a post-transcriptional level based on the seed sequence similarity. They are frequently clustered; thus, they are either simultaneously transcribed into a single polycistronic transcript or they may be transcribed independently. Importantly, microRNA families that contain the same seed region and thus target related signaling proteins, may be localized in one or more clusters, which are in a close relationship. MicroRNAs are involved in basic physiological processes, and their deregulation is associated with the origin of various pathologies, including solid tumors or hematologic malignancies. Recently, the interplay between the expression of microRNA clusters and families and epigenetic machinery was described, indicating aberrant DNA methylation or histone modifications as major mechanisms responsible for microRNA deregulation during cancerogenesis. In this review, the most studied microRNA clusters and families affected by hyper- or hypomethylation as well as by histone modifications are presented with the focus on particular mechanisms. Finally, the diagnostic and prognostic potential of microRNA clusters and families is discussed together with technologies currently used for epigenetic-based cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Gregorova
- Babak Myeloma Group, Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic;
| | - Petra Vychytilova-Faltejskova
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic;
| | - Sabina Sevcikova
- Babak Myeloma Group, Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic;
- Department of Clinical Hematology, University Hospital Brno, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
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Liu T, Cai J, Cai J, Wang Z, Cai L. EZH2-miRNA Positive Feedback Promotes Tumor Growth in Ovarian Cancer. Front Oncol 2021; 10:608393. [PMID: 33718109 PMCID: PMC7947696 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.608393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhancer of zester homolog 2 (EZH2), a histone methyl transferase that mediates H3K27me3 through polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), is overexpressed in ovarian cancer and promotes malignant proliferation. However, the underlying mechanism of maintaining high EZH2 expression remains elusive. Here we showed that microRNA(miRNA) inhibited EZH2 by binding to the 3′-UTR of EZH2 mRNA; conversely, EZH2 can inhibit miRNA expression. We confirmed that a feedback loop exists between EZH2 and miRNA that maintained EZH2 overexpression, thus promoting ovarian cancer proliferation in vivo and in vitro. We further explored that EZH2 inhibited miRNA expression through PRC2, as determined by CHIP (chromatin immunoprecipitation), and EZH2 decreased the expression of p21, p53, and RUNX3. These results suggest that EZH2 inhibits the expression of Et-miRNAs (EZH2-targeting miRNAs) through the H3K27me3 pathway, thus forming an EZH2-miRNA positive feedback loop that maintains the high expression of EZH2 and promotes the malignant proliferation of cancer cells by regulating the expression of cell proliferation-related proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jian Cai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jing Cai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zehua Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Liqiong Cai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Unlocking the Secrets of Cancer Stem Cells with γ-Secretase Inhibitors: A Novel Anticancer Strategy. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26040972. [PMID: 33673088 PMCID: PMC7917912 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26040972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The dysregulation of Notch signaling is associated with a wide variety of different human cancers. Notch signaling activation mostly relies on the activity of the γ-secretase enzyme that cleaves the Notch receptors and releases the active intracellular domain. It is well-documented that γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs) block the Notch activity, mainly by inhibiting the oncogenic activity of this pathway. To date, several GSIs have been introduced clinically for the treatment of various diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and various cancers, and their impacts on Notch inhibition have been found to be promising. Therefore, GSIs are of great interest for cancer therapy. The objective of this review is to provide a systematic review of in vitro and in vivo studies for investigating the effect of GSIs on various cancer stem cells (CSCs), mainly by modulation of the Notch signaling pathway. Various scholarly electronic databases were searched and relevant studies published in the English language were collected up to February 2020. Herein, we conclude that GSIs can be potential candidates for CSC-targeting therapy. The outcome of our study also indicates that GSIs in combination with anticancer drugs have a greater inhibitory effect on CSCs.
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Paul S, Ruiz-Manriquez LM, Ledesma-Pacheco SJ, Benavides-Aguilar JA, Torres-Copado A, Morales-Rodríguez JI, De Donato M, Srivastava A. Roles of microRNAs in chronic pediatric diseases and their use as potential biomarkers: A review. Arch Biochem Biophys 2021; 699:108763. [PMID: 33460581 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2021.108763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding highly conserved RNA molecules that can act as master regulators of gene expression in a sequence-specific manner either by translation repression or mRNA degradation, influencing a wide range of biologic processes that are essential for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Chronic pediatric diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide among children and the recent evidence indicates that aberrant miRNA expression significantly contributes to the development of chronic pediatric diseases. This review focuses on the role of miRNAs in five major chronic pediatric diseases including bronchial asthma, congenital heart diseases, cystic fibrosis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and epilepsy, and their potential use as novel biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujay Paul
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Queretaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, 76130, Queretaro, Mexico.
| | - Luis M Ruiz-Manriquez
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Queretaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, 76130, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - S Janin Ledesma-Pacheco
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Queretaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, 76130, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Javier A Benavides-Aguilar
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Queretaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, 76130, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Andrea Torres-Copado
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Queretaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, 76130, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Jonathan I Morales-Rodríguez
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Queretaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, 76130, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Marcos De Donato
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Queretaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, 76130, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Aashish Srivastava
- Section of Bioinformatics, Clinical Laboratory, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, 5021, Norway; Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, 5021, Norway
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Laschos K, Lampropoulou DI, Aravantinos G, Piperis M, Filippou D, Theodoropoulos G, Gazouli M. Exosomal noncoding RNAs in cholangiocarcinoma: Laboratory noise or hope? World J Gastrointest Surg 2020; 12:407-424. [PMID: 33194090 PMCID: PMC7642347 DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.v12.i10.407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Currently, extracellular vesicles and particularly exosomes have gained a lot of research interest due to their unique roles in several biological processes. Noncoding RNAs (microRNAs, long noncoding RNAs and circular RNAs) represent a class of functional RNA with distinct regulatory roles in tumorigenesis and cancer progression. Cholangiocarcinoma is a rare but highly aggressive type of malignancy that is very challenging to diagnose, especially in early stages; surgical resection still represents the sole potentially curative treatment option. Hence, there is an urgent need for the discovery of novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Hereby, we provide a comprehensive review of the most recent discoveries that focus on exosomal noncoding RNAs in cholangio-carcinoma with the aim to identify new molecular players that could be used as biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Laschos
- Second Department of Medical Oncology, General Oncology Hospital of Kifissia “Agioi Anargiroi”, Athens 14564, Greece
| | - Dimitra Ioanna Lampropoulou
- Second Department of Medical Oncology, General Oncology Hospital of Kifissia “Agioi Anargiroi”, Athens 14564, Greece
| | - Gerasimos Aravantinos
- Second Department of Medical Oncology, General Oncology Hospital of Kifissia “Agioi Anargiroi”, Athens 14564, Greece
| | - Maria Piperis
- Radiation Therapy Department, Iatropolis, Athens 15231, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Filippou
- Department of Anatomy and Surgical Anatomy, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
| | - George Theodoropoulos
- 1st Propaedeutic University Surgery Clinic, Hippocratio General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
| | - Maria Gazouli
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Laboratory of Biology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
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29
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Ma W, Han C, Zhang J, Song K, Chen W, Kwon H, Wu T. The Histone Methyltransferase G9a Promotes Cholangiocarcinogenesis Through Regulation of the Hippo Pathway Kinase LATS2 and YAP Signaling Pathway. Hepatology 2020; 72:1283-1297. [PMID: 31990985 PMCID: PMC7384937 DOI: 10.1002/hep.31141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly malignant epithelial tumor of the biliary tree with poor prognosis. In the current study, we present evidence that the histone-lysine methyltransferase G9a is up-regulated in human CCA and that G9a enhances CCA cell growth and invasiveness through regulation of the Hippo pathway kinase large tumor suppressor 2 (LATS2) and yes-associated protein (YAP) signaling pathway. APPROACH AND RESULTS Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that high G9a expression is associated with poor prognosis of CCA patients. In experimental systems, depletion of G9a by small interfering RNA/short hairpin RNA or inhibition of G9a by specific pharmacological inhibitors (UNC0642 and UNC0631) significantly inhibited human CCA cell growth in vitro and in severe combined immunodeficient mice. Increased G9a expression was also observed in mouse CCA induced by hydrodynamic tail vein injection of notch intracellular domain (NICD) and myr-Akt. Administration of the G9a inhibitor UNC0642 to NICD/Akt-injected mice reduced the growth of CCA, in vivo. These findings suggest that G9a inhibition may represent an effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of CCA. Mechanistically, our data show that G9a-derived dimethylated H3K9 (H3K9me2) silenced the expression of the Hippo pathway kinase LATS2, and this effect led to subsequent activation of oncogenic YAP. Consequently, G9a depletion or inhibition reduced the level of H3K9me2 and restored the expression of LATS2 leading to YAP inhibition. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide evidence for an important role of G9a in cholangiocarcinogenesis through regulation of LATS2-YAP signaling and suggest that this pathway may represent a potential therapeutic target for CCA treatment.
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Rauff B, Malik A, Bhatti YA, Chudhary SA, Qadri I, Rafiq S. Notch signalling pathway in development of cholangiocarcinoma. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2020; 12:957-974. [PMID: 33005291 PMCID: PMC7509998 DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v12.i9.957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) comprises of extra-hepatic cholangiocarcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cancers as a result of inflammation of epithelium cell lining of the bile duct. The incidence rate is increasing dramatically worldwide with highest rates in Eastern and South Asian regions. Major risk factors involve chronic damage and inflammation of bile duct epithelium from primary sclerosing cholangitis, chronic hepatitis virus infection, gallstones and liver fluke infection. Various genetic variants have also been identified and as CCA develops on the background of biliary inflammation, diverse range of molecular mechanisms are involved in its progression. Among these, the Notch signalling pathway acts as a major driver of cholangiocarcinogenesis and its components (receptors, ligands and downstream signalling molecules) represent a promising therapeutic targets. Gamma-Secretase Inhibitors have been recognized in inhibiting the Notch pathway efficiently. A comprehensive knowledge of the molecular pathways activated by the Notch signalling cascade as well as its functional crosstalk with other signalling pathways provide better approach in developing innovative therapies against CCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bisma Rauff
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Arif Malik
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Yasir Ali Bhatti
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Shafiq Ahmad Chudhary
- Institute of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Ishtiaq Qadri
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University Jeddah Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Shafquat Rafiq
- Department of Gastrointestinal medicine, Croydon University Hospital, Croydon CR7 7YE, United Kingdom
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Starzyńska T, Karczmarski J, Paziewska A, Kulecka M, Kuśnierz K, Żeber-Lubecka N, Ambrożkiewicz F, Mikula M, Kos-Kudła B, Ostrowski J. Differences between Well-Differentiated Neuroendocrine Tumors and Ductal Adenocarcinomas of the Pancreas Assessed by Multi-Omics Profiling. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E4470. [PMID: 32586046 PMCID: PMC7352720 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21124470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Most pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) are indolent, while pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs) are particularly aggressive. To elucidate the basis for this difference and to establish the biomarkers, by using the deep sequencing, we analyzed somatic variants across coding regions of 409 cancer genes and measured mRNA/miRNA expression in nine PNETs, eight PDACs, and four intestinal neuroendocrine tumors (INETs). There were 153 unique somatic variants considered pathogenic or likely pathogenic, found in 50, 57, and 24 genes in PDACs, PNETs, and INETs, respectively. Ten and 11 genes contained a pathogenic mutation in at least one sample of all tumor types and in PDACs and PNETs, respectively, while 28, 34, and 11 genes were found to be mutated exclusively in PDACs, PNETs, and INETs, respectively. The mRNA and miRNA transcriptomes of PDACs and NETs were distinct: from 54 to 1659 differentially expressed mRNAs and from 117 to 250 differentially expressed miRNAs exhibited high discrimination ability and resulted in models with an area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC-ROC) >0.9 for both miRNA and mRNA. Given the miRNAs high stability, we proposed exploring that class of RNA as new pancreatic tumor biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Starzyńska
- Department of Gastroenterology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, 70-204 Szczecin, Poland;
| | - Jakub Karczmarski
- Department of Genetics, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02-781 Warsaw, Poland; (J.K.); (A.P.); (M.K.); (F.A.); (M.M.)
| | - Agnieszka Paziewska
- Department of Genetics, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02-781 Warsaw, Poland; (J.K.); (A.P.); (M.K.); (F.A.); (M.M.)
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Oncology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, 01-813 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Maria Kulecka
- Department of Genetics, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02-781 Warsaw, Poland; (J.K.); (A.P.); (M.K.); (F.A.); (M.M.)
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Oncology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, 01-813 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Katarzyna Kuśnierz
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Medical University of Silesia, 40-514 Katowice, Poland;
| | - Natalia Żeber-Lubecka
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Oncology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, 01-813 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Filip Ambrożkiewicz
- Department of Genetics, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02-781 Warsaw, Poland; (J.K.); (A.P.); (M.K.); (F.A.); (M.M.)
| | - Michał Mikula
- Department of Genetics, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02-781 Warsaw, Poland; (J.K.); (A.P.); (M.K.); (F.A.); (M.M.)
| | - Beata Kos-Kudła
- Department of Endocrinology and Neuroendocrine Tumors, ENETS Center of Excelence, Department of Pathophysiology and Endocrinology, Medical University of Silesia, 40-514 Katowice, Poland;
| | - Jerzy Ostrowski
- Department of Genetics, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02-781 Warsaw, Poland; (J.K.); (A.P.); (M.K.); (F.A.); (M.M.)
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Oncology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, 01-813 Warsaw, Poland;
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Lv Y, Wang Z, Zhao K, Zhang G, Huang S, Zhao Y. Role of noncoding RNAs in cholangiocarcinoma (Review). Int J Oncol 2020; 57:7-20. [PMID: 32319584 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2020.5047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a malignant tumour originating from biliary epithelial cells, and is increasing in incidence. Radical surgery is the main treatment. However, the pathogenesis of CCA is unclear. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are non‑protein‑coding RNAs produced by genomic transcription that include microRNAs (miRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). They play important roles in gene expression, epigenetic modification, cell proliferation, differentiation and reproduction. ncRNAs also serve key roles in cancer development. Numerous studies have been carried out on ncRNAs, and associated publications have shown that ncRNAs are closely associated with the physiological and pathological mechanisms of CCA. The findings of these studies can provide new insights into the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of CCA. The present review summarizes the pathophysiological mechanisms of different types of ncRNAs, including miRNAs, circRNAs and lncRNAs in CCA, and their applications in the diagnosis and treatment of CCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinghao Lv
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 476100, P.R. China
| | - Zhenzhen Wang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 476100, P.R. China
| | - Kun Zhao
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 476100, P.R. China
| | - Guokun Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 476100, P.R. China
| | - Shuai Huang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 476100, P.R. China
| | - Yongfu Zhao
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 476100, P.R. China
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Weihua Z, Guorong Z, Xiaolong C, Weizhan L. MiR-33a functions as a tumor suppressor in triple-negative breast cancer by targeting EZH2. Cancer Cell Int 2020; 20:85. [PMID: 32206036 PMCID: PMC7079399 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-020-1160-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Increasing reports have confirmed that microRNAs play an important role in breast cancer progression, particularly in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The aim of our study was to investigate the role of miR-33a in TNBC progression. Methods PCR assays were performed to detect miR-33a and EZH2 expression in TNBC tissues, adjacent nontumor tissues and cell lines. Western blot, CCK8, Transwell, cell colony formation and EdU cell proliferation, cell cycle analysis and luciferase reporter assays were used to determine the regulation of miR-33a/EZH2 in TNBC progression. Results MiR-33a was significantly downregulated in TNBC tissues and cell lines. MiR-33a overexpression in TNBC cells significantly inhibited cell growth and mobility and induced G1 cell cycle arrest. The luciferase reporter assay revealed that EZH2 is a direct target of miR-33a and that it was upregulated in TNBC tissues and cell lines. There was a negative correlation between miR-33a and EZH2 expression in TNBC tissues. EZH2 knockdown exerted similar inhibitory effects, while ectopic expression of EZH2 showed suppressive effects on malignant behaviors induced by miR-33a overexpression in TNBC cells. Conclusions These findings revealed that miR-33a is a tumor-suppressive miRNA in TNBC and can inhibit proliferation and mobility and induce G1 cell cycle arrest by directly targeting EZH2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeng Weihua
- Department of Oncology, Panyu District Cancer Institute, Guangzhou Panyu Central Hospital, No. 8, Fuyu East Road, Qiaonan Street, Panyu District, Guangzhou, 511486 People's Republic of China
| | - Zou Guorong
- Department of Oncology, Panyu District Cancer Institute, Guangzhou Panyu Central Hospital, No. 8, Fuyu East Road, Qiaonan Street, Panyu District, Guangzhou, 511486 People's Republic of China
| | - Cao Xiaolong
- Department of Oncology, Panyu District Cancer Institute, Guangzhou Panyu Central Hospital, No. 8, Fuyu East Road, Qiaonan Street, Panyu District, Guangzhou, 511486 People's Republic of China
| | - Li Weizhan
- Department of Oncology, Panyu District Cancer Institute, Guangzhou Panyu Central Hospital, No. 8, Fuyu East Road, Qiaonan Street, Panyu District, Guangzhou, 511486 People's Republic of China
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Wang S, Cai L, Zhang F, Shang X, Xiao R, Zhou H. Inhibition of EZH2 Attenuates Sorafenib Resistance by Targeting NOTCH1 Activation-Dependent Liver Cancer Stem Cells via NOTCH1-Related MicroRNAs in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Transl Oncol 2020; 13:100741. [PMID: 32092673 PMCID: PMC7036423 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2020.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Acquired resistance and intrinsic to sorafenib therapy represents a major hurdle in improving the management of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which has been recently shown to be associated with the emergence of liver cancer stem cells (CSCs). However, it remains largely unknown whether and how histone posttranslational modifications, especially H3K27me3, are causally linked to the maintenance of self-renewal ability in sorafenib-resistant HCC. Here, we found that NOTCH1 signaling was activated in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells and NOTCH1 activation conferred hepatoma cells sorafenib resistance through enhanced self-renewal and tumorigenecity. Besides, the overexpression of EZH2 was required for the emergence of cancer stem cells following prolonged sorafenib treatment. As such, modulating EZH2 expression or activity suppressed activation of NOTCH1 pathway by elevating the expression of NOTCH1-related microRNAs, hsa-miR-21-5p and has-miR-26a-1-5p, via H3K27me3, and consequently weakened self-renewal ability and tumorigenecity and restored the anti-tumor effects of sorafenib. Overall, our results highlight the role of EZH2/NICD1 axis, and also suggest that EZH2 and NOTCH1 pathway are rational targets for therapeutic intervention in sorafenib-resistant HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Wang
- Central Laboratory, Zhejiang Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Integrated Hospital (Hangzhou Red Cross Hospital), 208 Huancheng Dong Road, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China.
| | - Long Cai
- Central Laboratory, Zhejiang Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Integrated Hospital (Hangzhou Red Cross Hospital), 208 Huancheng Dong Road, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Fengwei Zhang
- Central Laboratory, Zhejiang Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Integrated Hospital (Hangzhou Red Cross Hospital), 208 Huancheng Dong Road, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuechai Shang
- Central Laboratory, Zhejiang Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Integrated Hospital (Hangzhou Red Cross Hospital), 208 Huancheng Dong Road, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Rong Xiao
- Central Laboratory, Zhejiang Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Integrated Hospital (Hangzhou Red Cross Hospital), 208 Huancheng Dong Road, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongjuan Zhou
- Central Laboratory, Zhejiang Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Integrated Hospital (Hangzhou Red Cross Hospital), 208 Huancheng Dong Road, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
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CUL4B contributes to cancer stemness by repressing tumor suppressor miR34a in colorectal cancer. Oncogenesis 2020; 9:20. [PMID: 32054830 PMCID: PMC7018700 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-020-0206-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Given that colorectal cancer stem cells (CCSCs) play key roles in the tumor dormancy, metastasis, and relapse, targeting CCSCs is a promising strategy in cancer therapy. Here, we aimed to identify the new regulators of CCSCs and found that Cullin 4B (CUL4B), which possesses oncogenic properties in multiple solid tumors, drives the development and metastasis of colon cancer by sustaining cancer stem-like features. Elevated expression of CUL4B was confirmed in colon tumors and was associated with poor overall survival. Inhibition of CUL4B in cancer cell lines and patient-derived tumor organoids led to reduced sphere formation, proliferation and metastasis capacity. Mechanistically, CUL4B coordinates with PRC2 complex to repress miR34a expression, thus upregulates oncogenes including MYCN and NOTCH1, which are targeted by miR34a. Furthermore, we found that elevated CUL4B expression is associated with miR34a downregulation and upregulation of miR34a target genes in colon cancer specimens. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that CUL4B functions to repress miR34a in maintaining cancer stemness in CRC and provides a potential therapeutic target.
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Wasson CW, Abignano G, Hermes H, Malaab M, Ross RL, Jimenez SA, Chang HY, Feghali-Bostwick CA, Del Galdo F. Long non-coding RNA HOTAIR drives EZH2-dependent myofibroblast activation in systemic sclerosis through miRNA 34a-dependent activation of NOTCH. Ann Rheum Dis 2020; 79:507-517. [PMID: 32041748 PMCID: PMC7147169 DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2019-216542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Background Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is characterised by autoimmune activation, tissue and vascular fibrosis in the skin and internal organs. Tissue fibrosis is driven by myofibroblasts, that are known to maintain their phenotype in vitro, which is associated with epigenetically driven trimethylation of lysine 27 of histone 3 (H3K27me3). Methods Full-thickness skin biopsies were surgically obtained from the forearms of 12 adult patients with SSc of recent onset. Fibroblasts were isolated and cultured in monolayers and protein and RNA extracted. HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) was expressed in healthy dermal fibroblasts by lentiviral induction employing a vector containing the specific sequence. Gamma secretase inhibitors were employed to block Notch signalling. Enhancer of zeste 2 (EZH2) was blocked with GSK126 inhibitor. Results SSc myofibroblasts in vitro and SSc skin biopsies in vivo display high levels of HOTAIR, a scaffold long non-coding RNA known to direct the histone methyltransferase EZH2 to induce H3K27me3 in specific target genes. Overexpression of HOTAIR in dermal fibroblasts induced EZH2-dependent increase in collagen and α-SMA expression in vitro, as well as repression of miRNA-34A expression and consequent NOTCH pathway activation. Consistent with these findings, we show that SSc dermal fibroblast display decreased levels of miRNA-34a in vitro. Further, EZH2 inhibition rescued miRNA-34a levels and mitigated the profibrotic phenotype of both SSc and HOTAIR overexpressing fibroblasts in vitro. Conclusions Our data indicate that the EZH2-dependent epigenetic phenotype of myofibroblasts is driven by HOTAIR and is linked to miRNA-34a repression-dependent activation of NOTCH signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher W Wasson
- Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
| | - Giuseppina Abignano
- Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK.,Rheumatology Department of Lucania San Carlo Hospital, Potenza, Italy, Rheumatology Institute of Lucania (IReL), Potenza, Italy.,Scleroderma Programme, NIHR Leeds Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Centre, Leeds, UK
| | - Heidi Hermes
- Jefferson Institute of Molecular Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Maya Malaab
- Rheumatology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charlestown, South Carolina, USA
| | - Rebecca L Ross
- Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
| | - Sergio A Jimenez
- Jefferson Institute of Molecular Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Howard Y Chang
- Center for Personal Dynamic Regulomes, University of Stanford, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Francesco Del Galdo
- Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK .,Scleroderma Programme, NIHR Leeds Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Centre, Leeds, UK
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Cao Y, Liu Y, Shang L, Wei W, Shen Y, Gu Q, Xie X, Dong W, Lin Y, Yue Y, Wang F, Gu W. Decitabine and all-trans retinoic acid synergistically exhibit cytotoxicity against elderly AML patients via miR-34a/MYCN axis. Biomed Pharmacother 2020; 125:109878. [PMID: 32006898 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.109878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and mechanism of decitabine (DAC) and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) in elderly acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients and cultured cells. Our clinical trial enrolled 36 elderly patients who were judged ineligible for conventional chemotherapy, receiving DAC and ATRA regimen (DAC 20 mg/m2 days 1-5; ATRA 20 mg/m2 days 4-28 in the first cycle and days 1-28 in the subsequent cycle). Treated with a median of 3 cycles (range 1-6), 44.4 % of patients achieved complete remission (CR), 11.1 % achieved CR with incomplete peripheral count recovery (CRi) and 13.9 % achieved partial remission (PR). The median overall survival (OS) was 12.1 months; the 1-year and 2-year OS rates were 49.6 % and 17.2 %. In addition, our in vitro studies indicated that the antineoplastic activities of DAC and ATRA mutually reinforced, which induced growth inhibition, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of AML cells. Meanwhile, we found DAC and ATRA inhibited DNMT1, activated miR-34a via promoter hypomethylation, down-regulated its target MYCN and thus exerted a synergistic antineoplastic effect. In conclusion, DAC plus ATRA regimen might be effective and well-tolerated for elderly patients partially through modulating miR-34a/MYCN axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Cao
- Department of Hematology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, 213003, PR China
| | - Yue Liu
- Department of Hematology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, 213003, PR China
| | - Limei Shang
- Department of Hematology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, 213003, PR China
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of Hematology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, 213003, PR China
| | - Yangling Shen
- Department of Hematology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, 213003, PR China
| | - Quan Gu
- Department of Hematology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, 213003, PR China
| | - Xiaobao Xie
- Department of Hematology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, 213003, PR China
| | - Weimin Dong
- Department of Hematology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, 213003, PR China
| | - Yan Lin
- Department of Hematology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, 213003, PR China
| | - Yanhua Yue
- Department of Hematology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, 213003, PR China
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Hematology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, 213003, PR China
| | - Weiying Gu
- Department of Hematology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, 213003, PR China.
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Magenta A, Lorde R, Syed SB, Capogrossi MC, Puca A, Madeddu P. Molecular therapies delaying cardiovascular aging: disease- or health-oriented approaches. VASCULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 2:R45-R58. [PMID: 32923974 PMCID: PMC7439942 DOI: 10.1530/vb-19-0029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Regenerative medicine is a new therapeutic modality that aims to mend tissue damage by encouraging the reconstitution of physiological integrity. It represents an advancement over conventional therapies that allow reducing the damage but result in disease chronicization. Age-related decline in spontaneous capacity of repair, especially in organs like the heart that have very limited proliferative capacity, contributes in reducing the benefit of conventional therapy. ncRNAs are emerging as key epigenetic regulators of cardiovascular regeneration. Inhibition or replacement of miRNAs may offer reparative solutions to cardiovascular disease. The first part of this review article is devoted to illustrating novel therapies emerging from research on miRNAs. In the second part, we develop new therapeutic concepts emerging from genetics of longevity. Prolonged survival, as in supercentenarians, denotes an exceptional capacity to repair and cope with risk factors and diseases. These characteristics are shared with offspring, suggesting that the regenerative phenotype is heritable. New evidence indicates that genetic traits responsible for prolongation of health span in humans can be passed to and benefit the outcomes of animal models of cardiovascular disease. Genetic studies have also focused on determinants of accelerated senescence and related druggable targets. Evolutionary genetics assessing the genetic basis of adaptation and comparing successful and unsuccessful genetic changes in response to selection within populations represent a powerful basis to develop novel therapies aiming to prolong cardiovascular and whole organism health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Reggio Lorde
- Bristol Medical School (Translational Health Sciences), Bristol Heart Institute, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Sunayana Begum Syed
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Science, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Maurizio C Capogrossi
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Science, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Annibale Puca
- Ageing Unit, IRCCS MultiMedica, Milan, Italy.,Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, 'Scuola Medica Salernitana' University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Paolo Madeddu
- Bristol Medical School (Translational Health Sciences), Bristol Heart Institute, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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DNA methylation directs microRNA biogenesis in mammalian cells. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5657. [PMID: 31827083 PMCID: PMC6906426 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13527-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2017] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNA (miRNA) biogenesis initiates co-transcriptionally, but how the Microprocessor machinery pinpoints the locations of short precursor miRNA sequences within long flanking regions of the transcript is not known. Here we show that miRNA biogenesis depends on DNA methylation. When the regions flanking the miRNA coding sequence are highly methylated, the miRNAs are more highly expressed, have greater sequence conservation, and are more likely to drive cancer-related phenotypes than miRNAs encoded by unmethylated loci. We show that the removal of DNA methylation from miRNA loci leads to their downregulation. Further, we found that MeCP2 binding to methylated miRNA loci halts RNA polymerase II elongation, leading to enhanced processing of the primary miRNA by Drosha. Taken together, our data reveal that DNA methylation directly affects miRNA biogenesis.
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Zhang KL, Shen QQ, Fang YF, Sun YM, Ding J, Chen Y. AZD9291 inactivates the PRC2 complex to mediate tumor growth inhibition. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2019; 40:1587-1595. [PMID: 31171828 PMCID: PMC7468275 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-019-0248-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Deregulated Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is intimately involved in tumorigenesis and progression, making it an invaluable target for epigenetic cancer therapy. Disrupting the EZH2–EED interaction, which is required for PRC2 enzymatic activity, is a promising strategy for cancer treatment. However, this kind of inhibitors are still limited. The in-cell protein–protein interaction screening was conducted for approximately 1300 compounds by NanoBRET technology. Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), protein thermal shift assay (PTSA), and cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) were performed to investigate the regulation of PRC2 by AZD9291. The anti-tumor effects of AZD9291 on breast cancer (BC) cells and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cells were detected. MicroRNA array assay, luciferase reporter assay, and qRT-PCR were conducted to identify the interaction and regulation among AZD9291, EZH2, and miR-34a. We discovered that, AZD9291, a potent and selective EGFR inhibitor, disrupted the interaction of EZH2–EED, leading to impairment of PRC2 activity and downregulation of EZH2 protein. In addition, AZD9291 declined EZH2 mRNA expression via upregulating the expression of a tumor suppressor, miR-34a. Our results suggest that AZD9291 can serve as a lead compound for further development of antagonist of PRC2 protein–protein interactions and EZH2 mRNA may be a direct target of miR-34a through non-canonical base pairing.
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Chen PC, Yu CC, Huang WY, Huang WH, Chuang YM, Lin RI, Lin JMJ, Lin HY, Jou YC, Shen CH, Chan MWY. c-Myc Acts as a Competing Endogenous RNA to Sponge miR-34a, in the Upregulation of CD44, in Urothelial Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11101457. [PMID: 31569404 PMCID: PMC6826510 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11101457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to play a crucial role in the progression of human cancers, including urothelial carcinoma (UC), the sixth-most common cancer in the world. Among them, miR-34a has been implicated in the regulation of cancer stem cells (CSCs); however, its role in UC has yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, bioinformatics and experimental analysis confirmed that miR-34a targets CD44 (a CSC surface marker) and c-Myc (a well-known cell cycle regulator) in UC. We found that, surprisingly, most UC cell lines and patient samples did express miR-34a, although epigenetic silencing by promoter hypermethylation of miR-34a expression was observed only in UMUC3 cells, and a subset of patient samples. Importantly, overexpression of c-Myc, a frequently amplified oncogene in UC, was shown to upregulate CD44 expression through a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) mechanism, such that overexpression of the c-Myc 3'UTR upregulated CD44, and vice versa. Importantly, we observed a positive correlation between the expression of c-Myc and CD44 in clinical samples obtained from UC patients. Moreover, overexpression of a dominant-negative p53 mutant downregulated miR-34a, but upregulated c-Myc and CD44, in UC cell lines. Functionally, the ectopic expression of miR-34a was shown to significantly suppress CD44 expression, and subsequently, suppression of cell growth and invasion capability, while also reducing chemoresistance. In conclusion, it appears that aberrant promoter methylation, and c-Myc-mediated ceRNA mechanisms, may attenuate the function of miR-34a, in UC. The tumor suppressive role of miR-34a in controlling CSC phenotypes in UC deserves further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pie-Che Chen
- Department of Urology, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chiayi Christian Hospital, Chia-Yi 600, Taiwan; (P.-C.C.); (Y.-C.J.)
| | - Chih-Chia Yu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Chia-Yi 62247, Taiwan; (C.-C.Y.); (R.-I.L.); (H.-Y.L.)
| | - Wen-Yu Huang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Min Hsiung, Chia-Yi 62102, Taiwan (W.-H.H.); (Y.-M.C.); (J.M.J.L.)
| | - Wan-Hong Huang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Min Hsiung, Chia-Yi 62102, Taiwan (W.-H.H.); (Y.-M.C.); (J.M.J.L.)
- Epigenomics and Human Disease Research Center, National Chung Cheng University, Min Hsiung, Chia-Yi 62102, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Ming Chuang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Min Hsiung, Chia-Yi 62102, Taiwan (W.-H.H.); (Y.-M.C.); (J.M.J.L.)
- Epigenomics and Human Disease Research Center, National Chung Cheng University, Min Hsiung, Chia-Yi 62102, Taiwan
| | - Ru-Inn Lin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Chia-Yi 62247, Taiwan; (C.-C.Y.); (R.-I.L.); (H.-Y.L.)
| | - Jora M. J. Lin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Min Hsiung, Chia-Yi 62102, Taiwan (W.-H.H.); (Y.-M.C.); (J.M.J.L.)
| | - Hon-Yi Lin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Chia-Yi 62247, Taiwan; (C.-C.Y.); (R.-I.L.); (H.-Y.L.)
| | - Yeong-Chin Jou
- Department of Urology, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chiayi Christian Hospital, Chia-Yi 600, Taiwan; (P.-C.C.); (Y.-C.J.)
| | - Cheng-Huang Shen
- Department of Urology, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chiayi Christian Hospital, Chia-Yi 600, Taiwan; (P.-C.C.); (Y.-C.J.)
- Department of Health and Nutrition Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung 41354, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (C.-H.S.); (M.W.Y.C.); Tel.: +886-5-2765041 (C.-H.S.); +886-5-2720411 (ext. 66510) (M.W.Y.C.); Fax: +886-5-2722871 (M.W.Y.C.)
| | - Michael W. Y. Chan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Min Hsiung, Chia-Yi 62102, Taiwan (W.-H.H.); (Y.-M.C.); (J.M.J.L.)
- Epigenomics and Human Disease Research Center, National Chung Cheng University, Min Hsiung, Chia-Yi 62102, Taiwan
- Center for Innovative Research on Aging Society (CIRAS), National Chung Cheng University, Min-Hsiung, Chia-Yi 62102, Taiwan
- Research Center for Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (C.-H.S.); (M.W.Y.C.); Tel.: +886-5-2765041 (C.-H.S.); +886-5-2720411 (ext. 66510) (M.W.Y.C.); Fax: +886-5-2722871 (M.W.Y.C.)
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Xiong J, Tu Y, Feng Z, Li D, Yang Z, Huang Q, Li Z, Cao Y, Jie Z. Epigenetics mechanisms mediate the miR-125a/BRMS1 axis to regulate invasion and metastasis in gastric cancer. Onco Targets Ther 2019; 12:7513-7525. [PMID: 31571904 PMCID: PMC6753057 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s210376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Altered expression of breast cancer metastasis suppressor 1 (BRMS1), is a tumor suppressor, which is found in many types of cancers, including gastric cancer (GC), but the mechanism by which BRMS1 inhibits invasion and metastasis in GC is unknown. The aim of the study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms of miR-125a/BRMS1 in GC. Materials and methods The expression of BRMS1 and miR-125a were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and analyzed by bioinformatics. BSP and MSP were used to detecte the methylation status of miR-125a and BRMS1 which was treated by 5-Aza or not. Western Blot and qRT-PCR were used to analyze the expression of BRMS1 and EZH2. Transwell was performed to explore the invasion and metastasis ability of GC cells. The nude mice were used for the tumor formation assay. Results BRMS1 may be regulated by copy number variation (CNV), methylation and miR-125a-5p. As one of the essential components of PRC2, EZH2 is an important regulatory factor resulting in the low expression of miR-125a. An epigenetic mechanism mediates the miR-125a/BRMS1 axis to inhibit the invasion and metastasis of GC cells. In vivo experiments, it is also showed that BRMS1 is involved in invasion and metastasis but not the proliferation in GC. Conclusion These studies shed light on the mechanism of BRMS1 inhibition of GC invasion and metastasis and the development of new drugs targeting the miR-125a/BRMS1 axis, which will be a promising therapeutic strategy for GC and other human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianbo Xiong
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Tu
- Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zongfeng Feng
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Daojiang Li
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhouwen Yang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiuxia Huang
- Department of Nursing, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhengrong Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Cao
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhigang Jie
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, People's Republic of China
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Yu Q, Cao S, Tang H, Li J, Guo W, Zhang S. Clinical significance of aberrant DEUP1 promoter methylation in hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncol Lett 2019; 18:1356-1364. [PMID: 31423198 PMCID: PMC6607367 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2019.10421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulating studies have shown that methylation of tumor suppressor genes plays an important role in tumorigenesis. Deuterosome assembly protein 1 (DEUP1) has been implicated as a suppressor gene in some tumors and promoter methylation led to silencing of its expression. However, the roles of DEUP1 promoter methylation and expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are not clear. In the present study, the expression and methylation of the DEUP1 promoter in HCC was investigated and the correlations with HCC occurrence and development were explored. A total of 60 HCC tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissues were included in this study. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, bisulfite PCR sequencing, immunohistochemistry and western blotting were applied to detect the methylation status of the DEUP1 promoter and its expression, and to analyze their associations with clinicopathological data. The results showed that the mRNA and protein expression of DEUP1 in adjacent non-tumor tissues was significantly increased compared with in the HCC tissues. DEUP1 promoter methylation was detected in 46/60 (76.7%) tumor tissues and there was a negative correlation between promoter methylation and DEUP1 protein expression (P<0.05). Analysis of the clinicopathological data revealed that the mRNA and protein expression of DEUP1, and its promoter methylation status, was associated with tumor node metastasis stage and tumor differentiation. Taken together, the results of the present study suggested that methylation of the DEUP1 promoter maybe an important mechanism for gene inactivation and has a critical role in the occurrence and development of liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiwen Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, P.R. China
| | - Shengli Cao
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, P.R. China
| | - Hongwei Tang
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, P.R. China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, P.R. China
| | - Wenzhi Guo
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, P.R. China
| | - Shuijun Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, P.R. China
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Reece AS, Hulse GK. Impacts of cannabinoid epigenetics on human development: reflections on Murphy et. al. 'cannabinoid exposure and altered DNA methylation in rat and human sperm' epigenetics 2018; 13: 1208-1221. Epigenetics 2019; 14:1041-1056. [PMID: 31293213 PMCID: PMC6773386 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2019.1633868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent data from the Kollins lab (‘Cannabinoid exposure and altered DNA methylation in rat and human sperm’ Epigenetics 2018; 13: 1208–1221) indicated epigenetic effects of cannabis use on sperm in man parallel those in rats and showed substantial shifts in both hypo- and hyper-DNA methylation with the latter predominating. This provides one likely mechanism for the transgenerational transmission of epigenomic instability with sperm as the vector. It therefore contributes important pathophysiological insights into the probable mechanisms underlying the epidemiology of prenatal cannabis exposure potentially explaining diverse features of cannabis-related teratology including effects on the neuraxis, cardiovasculature, immune stimulation, secondary genomic instability and carcinogenesis related to both adult and pediatric cancers. The potentially inheritable and therefore multigenerational nature of these defects needs to be carefully considered in the light of recent teratological and neurobehavioural trends in diverse jurisdictions such as the USA nationally, Hawaii, Colorado, Canada, France and Australia, particularly relating to mental retardation, age-related morbidity and oncogenesis including inheritable cancerogenesis. Increasing demonstrations that the epigenome can respond directly and in real time and retain memories of environmental exposures of many kinds implies that the genome-epigenome is much more sensitive to environmental toxicants than has been generally realized. Issues of long-term multigenerational inheritance amplify these concerns. Further research particularly on the epigenomic toxicology of many cannabinoids is also required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Stuart Reece
- Division of Psychiatry, University of Western Australia , Crawley , Western Australia Australia.,School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University , Joondalup , Western Australia , Australia
| | - Gary Kenneth Hulse
- Division of Psychiatry, University of Western Australia , Crawley , Western Australia Australia.,School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University , Joondalup , Western Australia , Australia
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O'Rourke CJ, Lafuente-Barquero J, Andersen JB. Epigenome Remodeling in Cholangiocarcinoma. Trends Cancer 2019; 5:335-350. [PMID: 31208696 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2019.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2018] [Revised: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) comprises a heterogeneous collection of malignancies arising within the biliary tract, characterized by late diagnosis, innate chemoresistance, and abysmal prognosis. Sequencing data have uncovered recurrent mutations in diverse epigenetic regulators, implicating epigenetic destabilization at the root of these tumors. However, few studies have characterized biliary tumor epigenomes. In this Opinion article, we argue that an epigenome-oriented approach to CCA could establish diverse interconnections between many key aspects of research on this disease, including molecular heterogeneity, diverse cells of origin, and prominent tumor microenvironments. Moreover, we discuss plausible causes of epigenome dysregulation in biliary tumors, including genetic, epigenetic, metabolic, microenvironmental, and physiological factors. Lastly, we assess the translational potential of epigenomics in CCA to uncover robust biomarkers and therapeutic opportunities for this growing group of patients with limited treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colm J O'Rourke
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), Department of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Juan Lafuente-Barquero
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), Department of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Jesper B Andersen
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), Department of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark.
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46
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Xiu MX, Liu YM. The role of oncogenic Notch2 signaling in cancer: a novel therapeutic target. Am J Cancer Res 2019; 9:837-854. [PMID: 31218097 PMCID: PMC6556604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Deregulated Notch signaling is a key factor thought to facilitate the stem-like proliferation of cancer cells, thereby facilitating disease progression. Four subtypes of Notch receptor have been described to date, with each playing a distinct role in cancer development and progression, therefore warranting a careful and comprehensive examination of the targeting of each receptor subtype in the context of oncogenesis. Clinical efforts to translate the DAPT, which blocks Notch signaling, have been unsuccessful due to a combination of serious gastrointestinal side effects and a lack of complete blocking efficacy. There is therefore a clear need to identify better therapeutic strategies for targeting and manipulating Notch signaling. Notch2 is a Notch receptor that is commonly overexpressed in a range of cancers, and which is linked to a unique oncogenic mechanism. Successful efforts to block Notch2 signaling will depend upon doing so both efficiently and specifically in patients. As such, in the present review we will explore the role of Notch2 signaling in the development and progression of cancer, and we will assess agents and strategies with the potential to effectively disrupt Notch2 signaling and thereby yield novel cancer treatment regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Xi Xiu
- Medical School of Nanchang University Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yuan-Meng Liu
- Medical School of Nanchang University Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
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Abstract
Scleroderma (SSc) is a complex disease that involves activation of the immune system, vascular complications, and tissue fibrosis. The histone methyltransferase enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) mediates trimethylation of lysine 27 of histone 3 (H3K27me3), which acts as a repressive epigenetic mark. Both EZH2 and H3K27me3 were elevated in SSc dermal fibroblasts and endothelial cells compared with healthy controls. EZH2 inhibitor DZNep halted fibrosis both in vitro and in vivo. In SSc fibroblasts, DZNep dose-dependently reduced the expression of profibrotic genes and inhibited migratory activity of SSc fibroblasts. We show that epigenetic dysregulation and overexpression of LRRC16A explains EZH2-mediated fibroblast migration in SSc. In endothelial cells, inhibition of EZH2 restored normal angiogenesis in SSc via activating the Notch pathway, specifically by up-regulating the Notch ligand DLL4. Our results demonstrate that overexpression of EZH2 in SSc fibroblasts and endothelial cells is profibrotic and antiangiogenic. Targeting EZH2 or EZH2-regulated genes might be of therapeutic potential in SSc.
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48
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Long noncoding RNAs in cancer cells. Cancer Lett 2019; 419:152-166. [PMID: 29414303 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2018.01.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Revised: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) has recently been investigated as key modulators that regulate many biological processes in human cancers via diverse mechanisms. LncRNAs can interact with macromolecules such as DNA, RNA, or protein to exert cellular effects and to act as either tumor promoters or tumor suppressors in various malignancies. Moreover, the aberrant expression of lncRNAs may be detected in multiple cancer phenotypes by employing the rapidly developing modern gene chip technology and bioinformatics analysis. Herein, we highlight the mechanisms of action of lncRNAs, their functional cellular roles and their involvement in cancer progression. Finally, we provide an overview of recent progress in the lncRNA field and future potential for lncRNAs as cancer diagnostic markers and therapeutics.
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49
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The Role of Nucleosomes in Epigenetic Gene Regulation. Clin Epigenetics 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-8958-0_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
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50
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Li Q, Song W, Wang J. TUG1 confers Adriamycin resistance in acute myeloid leukemia by epigenetically suppressing miR-34a expression via EZH2. Biomed Pharmacother 2019; 109:1793-1801. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
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