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Abstract
The RAS family of proteins is among the most frequently mutated genes in human malignancies. In ovarian cancer (OC), the most lethal gynecological malignancy, RAS, especially KRAS mutational status at codons 12, 13, and 61, ranges from 6-65% spanning different histo-types. Normally RAS regulates several signaling pathways involved in a myriad of cellular signaling cascades mediating numerous cellular processes like cell proliferation, differentiation, invasion, and death. Aberrant activation of RAS leads to uncontrolled induction of several downstream signaling pathways such as RAF-1/MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase), PI3K phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)/AKT, RalGEFs, Rac/Rho, BRAF (v-Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B), MEK1 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1), ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase), PKB (protein kinase B) and PKC (protein kinase C) involved in cell proliferation as well as maintenance pathways thereby driving tumorigenesis and cancer cell propagation. KRAS mutation is also known to be a biomarker for poor outcome and chemoresistance in OC. As a malignancy with several histotypes showing varying histopathological characteristics, we focus on reviewing recent literature showcasing the involvement of oncogenic RAS in mediating carcinogenesis and chemoresistance in OC and its subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lubna Therachiyil
- Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar, 3050, Qatar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, 2713, Qatar
| | - Anjana Anand
- Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar, 3050, Qatar
| | | | | | - Hesham M. Korashy
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, 2713, Qatar
| | - Shahab Uddin
- Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar, 3050, Qatar
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2
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Ma H, Wu F, Bai Y, Wang T, Ma S, Guo L, Liu G, Leng G, Kong Y, Zhang Y. Licoricidin combats gastric cancer by targeting the ICMT/Ras pathway in vitro and in vivo. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:972825. [PMID: 36339587 PMCID: PMC9629146 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.972825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Licoricidin, a type of isoflavonoid, is extracted from the root of Glycyrrhiza glabra. It has been widely proven that licoricidin possesses multiple biological activities, including anti-cancer effects and a powerful antimicrobial effect against Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). However, the exact mechanism of licoricidin against gastric cancer remains unclear. In this study, we comprehensively explored the effects of licoricidin on MGC-803 gastric cancer cells in vitro and in vivo and further elucidated its mechanism of action. Our results revealed that licoricidin exhibited multiple anti-gastric cancer activities, including suppressing proliferation, inducing apoptosis, arresting the cell cycle in G0/G1 phase, and inhibiting the migration and invasion abilities of MGC-803 gastric cancer cells. In addition to this, a total of 5861 proteins were identified by quantitative proteomics research strategy of TMT labeling, of which 19 differential proteins (two upregulated and 17 downregulated) were screened out. Combining bioinformatics analyses and the reported roles in cancer progression of the 19 proteins, we speculated that isoprenyl carboxyl methyltransferase (ICMT) was the most likely target of licoricidin. Western blot assays and IHC assays subsequently proved that licoricidin significantly downregulated the expression of ICMT, both in MGC-803 cells and in xenograft tumors. Moreover, licoricidin effectively reduced the level of active Ras-GTP and blocked the phosphorylation of Raf and Erk, which may be involved in its anti-gastric cancer effects. In summary, we first demonstrated that licoricidin exerted favorable anti-gastric cancer activities via the ICMT/Ras pathway, which suggests that licoricidin, as a natural product, could be a novel candidate for the management of gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanwei Ma
- Laboratory of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic, Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Fahong Wu
- Laboratory of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic, Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Yinliang Bai
- Pharmacy Department, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Tianwei Wang
- Laboratory of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic, Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Shangxian Ma
- Laboratory of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic, Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Liuqing Guo
- Laboratory of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic, Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Guiyuan Liu
- Laboratory of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic, Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Guangxian Leng
- Laboratory of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic, Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Yin Kong
- Laboratory of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic, Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Youcheng Zhang
- Laboratory of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic, Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- *Correspondence: Youcheng Zhang,
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Isoprenylcysteine carboxyl methyltransferase is critical for glioblastoma growth and survival by activating Ras/Raf/Mek/Erk. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2022; 89:401-411. [PMID: 35171349 DOI: 10.1007/s00280-022-04401-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The poor outcomes in glioblastoma necessitate new therapeutic target. Isoprenylcysteine carboxyl methyltransferase (ICMT), a unique enzyme of the final step of prenylation that modifies activities of oncogenic proteins, represents a promising target for many cancers. METHODS Expression pattern, function and downstream pathway of ICMT in glioblastoma were analyzed using immunohistochemistry, ELISA, cellular assays and immunoblotting method. Combinatory effect was analyzed using Chou-Talalay approach. RESULTS Upregulation of ICMT expression is a common phenomenon in glioblastoma patients regardless of clinicopathological characteristics. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function analysis support the role of ICMT in glioblastoma growth and survival but not migration. Importantly, pharmacological inhibitors of ICMT are effectively against glioblastoma cells while sparing normal neuron cells, and furthermore that they act synergistically with chemotherapeutic drugs. Consistently, ICMT inhibitor UCM-1336 significantly inhibits glioblastoma growth without causing toxicity in mice. Mechanistic studies demonstrate that Ras/Raf/Mek/Erk rather than Ras/PI3K/Akt/mTOR is the downstream pathway of ICMT-mediated glioblastoma growth. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide the proof-of-concept of pharmacologically targeting ICMT in the treatment of glioblastoma via deactivation of Ras/Raf/Mek/Erk.
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Teng X, Liu Y, Wang L, Wang G. Lidocaine exerts anticancer activity in bladder cancer by targeting isoprenylcysteine carboxylmethyltransferase ( ICMT). Transl Androl Urol 2022; 10:4219-4230. [PMID: 34984187 PMCID: PMC8661257 DOI: 10.21037/tau-21-893] [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: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bladder cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors among humans and has a high mortality. Clinically, lidocaine is the most commonly used local anesthetic, which can inhibit the proliferation of bladder cancer cells; however, its downstream specific molecular mechanisms are unclear. Methods The SwissTarget and TargetNet databases were used to analyze the target of lidocaine. The online public cancer transcriptome database UALCAN was used to analyze the up-regulated genes in The Cancer Genome Atlas Urothelial Bladder Carcinoma (TCGA-BLCA) data collection, and the intersection of the 2 was used to obtain the core target. The only target, isoprenylcysteine carboxylmethyltransferase (ICMT), was obtained by combining the correlation between the target and the clinical information of bladder cancer and the Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival curve. Then, UMUC3 and T24 cells were selected as research vectors in vitro. Cell proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis were detected by cell counting kit-8, colony formation, flow cytometry, and western blotting. Results Network pharmacology analysis showed that ICMT might be one of the targets of lidocaine, and the expression level of ICMT was closely related to the clinical phenotype of bladder cancer. Lidocaine treatment (4 and 8 mM) significantly inhibited the proliferation of UMUC3 and T24 cells, promoted apoptosis, and significantly inhibited the mass and volume of xenograft tumors. In vitro experiments showed that ICMT promoted the proliferation of UMUC3 and T24 cells. Lidocaine inhibited the expression of ICMT in UMUC3 and T24 cells in a concentration and time-dependent manner, and inhibited cell proliferation by down-regulating ICMT expression. Conclusions Lidocaine exerts anti-tumor effect by down-regulating the expression of ICMT in bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodan Teng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Liping Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Guonian Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
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Isoprenylcysteine carboxyl methyltransferase promotes the progression of tongue squamous cell carcinoma via the K-Ras and RhoA signaling pathways. Arch Oral Biol 2021; 134:105320. [PMID: 34875442 DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2021.105320] [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: 05/09/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This research investigated the biological role of isoprenylcysteine carboxyl methyltransferase (ICMT) in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) progression meanwhile to explore the conceivable mechanism. METHODS The mRNA and protein expression were measured using real-time PCR and Western blot. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, cycle distribution, migration and invasion were evaluated by CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, wound-healing assay and transwell assay. The anti-tumor activity of ICMT silencing was observed in nude mice. RESULTS Our results indicated that silencing of ICMT-mediated methylation effectively inhibited TSCC cells proliferation in vitro and reduced tumor growth in vivo. Moreover, ICMT knockdown also induced cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest of both CAL-27 and SCC-4 cells. In addition, CAL-27 and SCC-4 cells migration and invasion were weakened by ICMT siRNA. Mechanistically, ICMT deficiency significantly decreased the K-Ras and RhoA membrane targeting localization, leading to the suppression of K-Ras- and RhoA-mediated downstream signaling in CAL-27 and SCC-4 cells. CONCLUSIONS Altogether, our findings identified a crucial role played by ICMT in the progression of TSCC and the potential mechanisms by which exerted its effects, indicating that targeting ICMT may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for TSCC.
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Zhu Y, Ferri-Borgogno S, Sheng J, Yeung TL, Burks JK, Cappello P, Jazaeri AA, Kim JH, Han GH, Birrer MJ, Mok SC, Wong STC. SIO: A Spatioimageomics Pipeline to Identify Prognostic Biomarkers Associated with the Ovarian Tumor Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:1777. [PMID: 33917869 PMCID: PMC8068305 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13081777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Stromal and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) have been shown to directly affect high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) malignant phenotypes, however, how these cells interact to influence HGSC patients' survival remains largely unknown. To investigate the cell-cell communication in such a complex TME, we developed a SpatioImageOmics (SIO) pipeline that combines imaging mass cytometry (IMC), location-specific transcriptomics, and deep learning to identify the distribution of various stromal, tumor and immune cells as well as their spatial relationship in TME. The SIO pipeline automatically and accurately segments cells and extracts salient cellular features to identify biomarkers, and multiple nearest-neighbor interactions among tumor, immune, and stromal cells that coordinate to influence overall survival rates in HGSC patients. In addition, SIO integrates IMC data with microdissected tumor and stromal transcriptomes from the same patients to identify novel signaling networks, which would lead to the discovery of novel survival rate-modulating mechanisms in HGSC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhu
- Center for Modeling Cancer Development, Houston Methodist Cancer Center, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (Y.Z.); (J.S.)
- Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Radiology, Houston Methodist Hospital, Weill Cornell Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sammy Ferri-Borgogno
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (S.F.-B.); (T.-L.Y.); (A.A.J.)
| | - Jianting Sheng
- Center for Modeling Cancer Development, Houston Methodist Cancer Center, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (Y.Z.); (J.S.)
- Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Radiology, Houston Methodist Hospital, Weill Cornell Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Tsz-Lun Yeung
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (S.F.-B.); (T.-L.Y.); (A.A.J.)
| | - Jared K. Burks
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Paola Cappello
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy;
| | - Amir A. Jazaeri
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (S.F.-B.); (T.-L.Y.); (A.A.J.)
| | - Jae-Hoon Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea; (J.-H.K.); (G.H.H.)
| | - Gwan Hee Han
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea; (J.-H.K.); (G.H.H.)
| | - Michael J. Birrer
- Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA;
| | - Samuel C. Mok
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (S.F.-B.); (T.-L.Y.); (A.A.J.)
| | - Stephen T. C. Wong
- Center for Modeling Cancer Development, Houston Methodist Cancer Center, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (Y.Z.); (J.S.)
- Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Radiology, Houston Methodist Hospital, Weill Cornell Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Wang SR, Sun W, Zhou N, Zhao K, Li WJ, Chi ZP, Wang Y, Wang QM, Tong L, He ZX, Han HY, Chen ZG. Effects of isoprenylcysteine carboxyl methyltransferase silencing on the proliferation and apoptosis of tongue squamous cell carcinoma. HUA XI KOU QIANG YI XUE ZA ZHI = HUAXI KOUQIANG YIXUE ZAZHI = WEST CHINA JOURNAL OF STOMATOLOGY 2021; 39:64-73. [PMID: 33723939 DOI: 10.7518/hxkq.2021.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to explore the effects of silencing isoprenylcysteine carboxyl methyltransfe-rase (Icmt) through small interfering RNA (siRNA) interference on the proliferation and apoptosis of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC). METHODS Three siRNA were designed and constructed for the Icmt gene sequence and were then transfected into TSCC cells CAL-27 and SCC-4 to silence Icmt expression. The tested cells were divided as follows: RNA interference groups Icmt-siRNA-1, Icmt-siRNA-2, and Icmt-siRNA-3, negative control group, and blank control group. The transfection efficiency of siRNA was detected by the fluorescent group Cy3-labeled siRNA, and the expression of Icmt mRNA was screened by quantitive real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) selected the experimental group for subsequent experiments. The expression of Icmt, RhoA, Cyclin D1, p21, extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK), and phospho-extracellular regulated protein kinases (p-ERK) were analyzed by Western blot. The proliferation abilities of TSCC cells were determined by cell counting kit-8 assay. The change in apoptosis was detected by AnnexinV-APC/propidium staining (PI) assay. Cell-cycle analysis was conducted by flow cytometry. RESULTS The expression of Icmt mRNA and protein in TSCC cells significantly decreased after Icmt-siRNA transfection (P<0.05). No significant difference in RhoA mRNA and protein expression was detected (P>0.05), but the expression of RhoA membrane protein decreased compared with the negative control group and blank control groups (P<0.05). Cyclin D1 expression decreased, whereas p21 expression significantly increased and the relative expression of ERK protein in the experimental group did not significantly different that in the control group (P>0.05). However, the phosphorylation level of ERK was significantly reduced (P<0.05). The cell cycles of TSCC CAL-27 and SCC-4 were altered in G1/S, cell proliferation activity was inhibited, and apoptosis was induced (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Silencing Icmt can effectively downregulate its expression in TSCC cells, reduce the RhoA membrane targeting localization and cell proliferation, and induce apoptosis. Thus, Icmt may be a potential gene therapy target for TSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shao-Ru Wang
- Dept. of Stomatology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China.,School of Stomatology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Wei Sun
- Dept. of Stomatology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Nan Zhou
- College of Stomatology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261021, China
| | - Kai Zhao
- School of Stomatology, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Wen-Jian Li
- School of Stomatology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Zeng-Peng Chi
- College of Stomatology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261021, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Dept. of Stomatology, Fourth People,s Hospital of Jinan, Jinan 250031, China
| | - Qi-Min Wang
- Dept. of Stomatology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Lei Tong
- Dept. of Stomatology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Zong-Xuan He
- Dept. of Oral and Maxillafacial Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266005, China
| | - Hong-Yu Han
- Dept. of Stomatology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Zheng-Gang Chen
- Dept. of Stomatology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
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Borini Etichetti CM, Arel Zalazar E, Cocordano N, Girardini J. Beyond the Mevalonate Pathway: Control of Post-Prenylation Processing by Mutant p53. Front Oncol 2020; 10:595034. [PMID: 33224889 PMCID: PMC7674641 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.595034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Missense mutations in the TP53 gene are among the most frequent alterations in human cancer. Consequently, many tumors show high expression of p53 point mutants, which may acquire novel activities that contribute to develop aggressive tumors. An unexpected aspect of mutant p53 function was uncovered by showing that some mutants can increase the malignant phenotype of tumor cells through alteration of the mevalonate pathway. Among metabolites generated through this pathway, isoprenoids are of particular interest, since they participate in a complex process of posttranslational modification known as prenylation. Recent evidence proposes that mutant p53 also enhances this process through transcriptional activation of ICMT, the gene encoding the methyl transferase responsible for the last step of protein prenylation. In this way, mutant p53 may act at different levels to promote prenylation of key proteins in tumorigenesis, including several members of the RAS and RHO families. Instead, wild type p53 acts in the opposite way, downregulating mevalonate pathway genes and ICMT. This oncogenic circuit also allows to establish potential connections with other metabolic pathways. The demand of acetyl-CoA for the mevalonate pathway may pose limitations in cell metabolism. Likewise, the dependence on S-adenosyl methionine for carboxymethylation, may expose cells to methionine stress. The involvement of protein prenylation in tumor progression offers a novel perspective to understand the antitumoral effects of mevalonate pathway inhibitors, such as statins, and to explore novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Evelyn Arel Zalazar
- Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental de Rosario, IDICER, CONICET-UNR, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Nabila Cocordano
- Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental de Rosario, IDICER, CONICET-UNR, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Javier Girardini
- Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental de Rosario, IDICER, CONICET-UNR, Rosario, Argentina
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Xu J, Zhu Y, Wang F, Zhou Y, Xia G, Xu W. ICMT contributes to hepatocellular carcinoma growth, survival, migration and chemoresistance via multiple oncogenic pathways. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 518:584-589. [PMID: 31451223 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.08.094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Isoprenylcysteine carboxylmethyltransferase (Icmt) which catalyzes the final step of prenylation of many oncoproteins, such as Ras. Despite studies on Icmt and its regulation in biological activities of various cancers, little is known on the expression, function and mechanisms of the impact of Icmt on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We report here the findings that Icmt is critical for HCC growth, migration, survival and chemoresistance by multiple oncogenic pathways. Expression analysis on primary patient and cell line samples demonstrated that Icmt protein level was significantly higher in the majority (∼70%) of HCC tissues and cells than corresponding normal counterparts. Icmt depletion inhibited growth, survival and migration in HCC cells, and augmented the inhibitory effects of doxorubicin. Consistently, Icmt also inhibited growth, and migration, and induced apoptosis in HCC cells that are resistant to doxorubicin. In contrast, Icmt overexpression promoted growth and migration in normal liver cells. Mechanistically, Icmt inhibition suppressed Ras/Raf/Mek/Erk signaling and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in HCC cells. Several different approaches demonstrated that Icmt was critical for HCC biological activities with the predominant role in cell response to chemotherapy. This previously unappreciated function of Icmt can be targeted to enhance chemotherapy in particular those HCC patients with high Icmt expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianguo Xu
- Department of Liver Disease Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Ying Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
| | - Fang Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yan Zhou
- Information Management Section, Bethune International Peace Hospital, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei province, China
| | - Guili Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Wen Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
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Isoprenylcysteine carboxylmethyltransferase is associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma chemoresistance and Ras activation. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 516:784-789. [PMID: 31253403 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.06.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Development of chemo-resistance in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) poses the therapeutic challenge and its mechanisms are still poorly understood. In this work, we demonstrate that targeting isoprenylcysteine carboxylmethyltransferase (Icmt) is a therapeutic strategy to overcome NPC chemo-resistance. We found that Icmt mRNA and protein levels were increased in NPC cells after prolonged exposure to chemotherapy. Using pharmacological inhibitor cysmethynil or genetic siRNA approaches, we showed that Icmt inhibition was more effective against chemoresistant compared to chemosensitive NPC cells, suggesting that chemoresistant NPC cells is more dependent on Icmt function. The combination of Icmt inhibition with 5-FU or cisplatin resulted in greater efficacy than single chemotherapeutic agent alone in NPC. Notably, we demonstrated that the in vitro observations were translatable to in vivo NPC cancer xenograft mouse model. Mechanism analysis indicated that Icmt inhibition decreased Ras and RhoA activities, leading to the suppression of Ras and RhoA-mediated downstream signaling in NPC cells. The reverse of the inhibitory effects of cysmethynil by constitutively active Ras suggests that Ras is the critical effector of Icmt in NPC cells. Our work is the first to show that Icmt plays an important role in the development of NPC chemoresistance. Our findings also suggest that targeting Icmt represents a promising strategy to inhibit Ras function.
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Liu Q, Zhao Y, Xing H, Li L, Li R, Dai J, Li Q, Fang S. The role of R-spondin 1 through activating Wnt/β-catenin in the growth, survival and migration of ovarian cancer cells. Gene 2018; 689:124-130. [PMID: 30572097 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2018.11.098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Aberrant activation of the Wnt/β-catenin has been shown to promote progression in various cancers, including ovarian cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in Wnt/β-catenin activation are not well elucidated. In the work, we identify that R-spondin 1 is an upstream regulator in Wnt/β-catenin pathway to promote growth, survival and migration in ovarian cancer cells. We observe the upregulation of transcript and protein levels of R-spondin 1 in ovarian cancer cell lines and tissues compared to normal counterparts. R-spondin 1 upregulation via genetic (overexpression) and pharmacological (recombinant protein) approaches facilitates growth and migration of normal ovarian cells. R-spondin 1 downregulation via siRNA knockdown decreases proliferation and migration, and induces apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells. In addition, recombinant R-spondin 1 protects ovarian cancer cell against chemotherapy whereas R-spondin 1 knockdown sensitizes ovarian cancer cell response to chemotherapy. Importantly, increased β-catenin activities and mRNA expression levels of Wnt/β-catenin-targeted genes are detected in normal ovarian cells overexpressing R-spondin 1. In contrast, R-spondin 1 inhibition suppresses Wnt/β-catenin signaling in ovarian cancer cells. We further identify that R-spondin 1 regulates ovarian cancer biological activities via activating Wnt/β-catenin. Our work is the first to highlight the critical roles of R-spondin 1 in ovarian cancer progression and chemoresistance. Our work also provides a proper understanding on the regulation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Ying Zhao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Hui Xing
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Lin Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Rongxia Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Jie Dai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Quan Li
- Department of Oncology, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China.
| | - Shanshan Fang
- Department of Oncology, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China.
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