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Beretta GL, Corno C, Zaffaroni N, Perego P. Role of FoxO Proteins in Cellular Response to Antitumor Agents. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11010090. [PMID: 30646603 PMCID: PMC6356788 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11010090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
FoxO proteins (FoxOs) are transcription factors with a common DNA binding domain that confers selectivity for DNA interaction. In human cells, four proteins (FoxO1, FoxO3, FoxO4 and FoxO6), with redundant activity, exhibit mainly a positive effect on genes involved in cell cycle, apoptosis regulation and drug resistance. Thus, FoxOs can affect cell response to antitumor agent treatment. Their transcriptional activity depends on post-translational modifications, including phosphorylation, acetylation, and mono/poly-ubiquitination. Additionally, alterations in microRNA network impact on FoxO transcripts and in turn on FoxO levels. Reduced expression of FoxO1 has been associated with resistance to conventional agents (e.g., cisplatin) and with reduced efficacy of drug combinations in ovarian carcinoma cells. FoxO3 has been shown as a mediator of cisplatin toxicity in colorectal cancer. A requirement for FoxO3-induced apoptosis has been reported in cells exposed to targeted agents (e.g., gefitinib). Recently, the possibility to interfere with FoxO1 localization has been proposed as a valuable approach to improve cell sensitivity to cisplatin, because nuclear retention of FoxO1 may favor the induction of pro-apoptotic genes. This review focuses on the role of FoxOs in drug treatment response in tumor cells and discusses the impact of the expression of these transcription factors on drug resistance/sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Luca Beretta
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Department of Applied Research and Technological Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Cristina Corno
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Department of Applied Research and Technological Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Nadia Zaffaroni
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Department of Applied Research and Technological Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Paola Perego
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Department of Applied Research and Technological Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
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Wolff DW, Lee MH, Jothi M, Mal M, Li F, Mal AK. Camptothecin exhibits topoisomerase1-independent KMT1A suppression and myogenic differentiation in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma cells. Oncotarget 2018; 9:25796-25807. [PMID: 29899822 PMCID: PMC5995248 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.25376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [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: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (aRMS) is an aggressive subtype of the most common soft tissue cancer in children. A hallmark of aRMS tumors is incomplete myogenic differentiation despite expression of master myogenic regulators such as MyoD. We previously reported that histone methyltransferase KMT1A suppresses MyoD function to maintain an undifferentiated state in aRMS cells, and that loss of KMT1A is sufficient to induce differentiation and suppress malignant phenotypes in these cells. Here, we develop a chemical compound screening approach using MyoD-responsive luciferase reporter myoblast cells to identify compounds that alleviate suppression of MyoD-mediated differentiation by KMT1A. A screen of pharmacological compounds yielded the topoisomerase I (TOP1) poison camptothecin (CPT) as the strongest hit in our assay system. Furthermore, treatment of aRMS cells with clinically relevant CPT derivative irinotecan restores MyoD function, and myogenic differentiation in vitro and in a xenograft model. This differentiated phenotype was associated with downregulation of the KMT1A protein. Remarkably, loss of KMT1A in CPT-treated cells occurs independently of its well-known anti-TOP1 mechanism. We further demonstrate that CPT can directly inhibit KMT1A activity in vitro. Collectively, these findings uncover a novel function of CPT that downregulates KMT1A independently of CPT-mediated TOP1 inhibition and permits differentiation of aRMS cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W. Wolff
- Department of Cell Stress Biology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
| | - Min-Hyung Lee
- Department of Cell Stress Biology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
- Current address: Division of Biotechnology Review and Research IV, Office of Biotechnology Products, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA
| | - Mathivanan Jothi
- Department of Cell Stress Biology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
- Current address: Department of Human Genetics, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, KA 560029, India
| | - Munmun Mal
- Department of Cell Stress Biology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
| | - Fengzhi Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
| | - Asoke K. Mal
- Department of Cell Stress Biology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
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Li Y, Bakke J, Finkelstein D, Zeng H, Wu J, Chen T. HNRNPH1 is required for rhabdomyosarcoma cell growth and survival. Oncogenesis 2018; 7:9. [PMID: 29362363 PMCID: PMC5833419 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-017-0024-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is an aggressive and difficult to treat cancer characterized by a muscle-like phenotype. Although the average 5-y survival rate is 65% for newly diagnosed RMS, the treatment options for metastatic disease are limited in efficacy, with the 5-y survival rate plummeting to 30%. Heterogenous nuclear ribonucleoprotein H1 (HNRNPH1) is an RNA-binding protein that is highly expressed in many cancers, including RMS. To determine the role HNRNPH1 plays in RMS tumorigenesis, we investigated its expression and effect on growth in three cellular models of RMS: RD, RH30, and RH41 cells. Upon knockdown of HNRNPH1, growth of all cell lines was reduced, most likely through a combination of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. We then recapitulated this finding by performing in vivo xenograft studies, in which knockdown of HNRNPH1 resulted in a reduction of tumor formation and growth. We used RNA sequencing to identify changes in gene expression after HNRNPH1 knockdown and found altered splicing of some oncogenes. Our data contribute to understanding the role of HNRNPH1 in RMS development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfeng Li
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jesse Bakke
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - David Finkelstein
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Hu Zeng
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Jing Wu
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Taosheng Chen
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.
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Martinez-Cruzado L, Tornin J, Rodriguez A, Santos L, Allonca E, Fernandez-Garcia MT, Astudillo A, Garcia-Pedrero JM, Rodriguez R. Trabectedin and Campthotecin Synergistically Eliminate Cancer Stem Cells in Cell-of-Origin Sarcoma Models. Neoplasia 2017; 19:460-470. [PMID: 28494349 PMCID: PMC5421973 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2017.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Revised: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Trabectedin has been approved for second-line treatment of soft tissue sarcomas. However, its efficacy to target sarcoma initiating cells has not been addressed yet. Here, we used pioneer models of myxoid/round cell liposarcoma (MRCLS) and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) developed from transformed human mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) to evaluate the effect of trabectedin in the cell type responsible for initiating sarcomagenesis and their derived cancer stem cells (CSC) subpopulations. We found that low nanomolar concentrations of trabectedin efficiently inhibited the growth of sarcoma-initiating cells, induced cell cycle arrest, DNA damage and apoptosis. Interestingly, trabectedin treatment repressed the expression of multiple genes responsible for the development of the CSC phenotype, including pluripotency factors, CSC markers and related signaling pathways. Accordingly, trabectedin induced apoptosis and reduced the survival of CSC-enriched tumorsphere cultures with the same efficiency that inhibits the growth of bulk tumor population. In vivo, trabectedin significantly reduced the mitotic index of MRCLS xenografts and inhibited tumor growth at a similar extent to that observed in doxorubicin-treated tumors. Combination of trabectedin with campthotecin (CPT), a chemotherapeutic drug that shows a robust anti-tumor activity when combined with alkylating agents, resulted in a very strong synergistic inhibition of tumor cell growth and highly increased DNA damage and apoptosis induction. Importantly, the enhanced anti-tumor activity of this combination was also observed in CSC subpopulations. These data suggest that trabectedin and CPT combination may constitute a novel strategy to effectively target both the cell-of-origin and CSC subpopulations in sarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Martinez-Cruzado
- Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias - Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Asturias; Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Juan Tornin
- Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias - Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Asturias; Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Aida Rodriguez
- Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias - Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Asturias
| | - Laura Santos
- Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias - Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Asturias
| | - Eva Allonca
- Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias - Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Asturias; Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
| | | | - Aurora Astudillo
- Servicio de Anatomía Patológica, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Juana Maria Garcia-Pedrero
- Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias - Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Asturias; Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain; CIBER en oncología (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rene Rodriguez
- Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias - Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Asturias; Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain; CIBER en oncología (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain.
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5
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Tenga A, Beard JA, Takwi A, Wang YM, Chen T. Regulation of Nuclear Receptor Nur77 by miR-124. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0148433. [PMID: 26840408 PMCID: PMC4739595 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2015] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The nuclear receptor Nur77 is commonly upregulated in adult cancers and has oncogenic functions. Nur77 is an immediate-early response gene that acts as a transcription factor to promote proliferation and protect cells from apoptosis. Conversely, Nur77 can translocate to the mitochondria and induce apoptosis upon treatment with various cytotoxic agents. Because Nur77 is upregulated in cancer and may have a role in cancer progression, it is of interest to understand the mechanism controlling its expression. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are responsible for inhibiting translation of their target genes by binding to the 3'UTR and either degrading the mRNA or preventing it from being translated into protein, thereby making these non-coding endogenous RNAs vital regulators of every cellular process. Several miRNAs have been predicted to target Nur77; however, strong evidence showing the regulation of Nur77 by any miRNA is lacking. In this study, we used a luciferase reporter assay containing the 3'UTR of Nur77 to screen 296 miRNAs and found that miR-124, which is the most abundant miRNA in the brain and has a role in promoting neuronal differentiation, caused the greatest reduction in luciferase activity. Interestingly, we discovered an inverse relationship in Daoy medulloblastoma cells and undifferentiated granule neuron precursors in which Nur77 is upregulated and miR-124 is downregulated. Exogenous expression to further elevate Nur77 levels in Daoy cells increased proliferation and viability, but knocking down Nur77 via siRNA resulted in the opposite phenotype. Importantly, exogenous expression of miR-124 reduced Nur77 expression, cell viability, proliferation, and tumor spheroid size in 3D culture. In all, we have discovered miR-124 to be downregulated in instances of medulloblastoma in which Nur77 is upregulated, resulting in a proliferative state that abets cancer progression. This study provides evidence for increasing miR-124 expression as a potential therapy for cancers with elevated levels of Nur77.
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MESH Headings
- 3' Untranslated Regions
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cell Proliferation
- Cell Survival/genetics
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Humans
- Medulloblastoma/genetics
- Medulloblastoma/metabolism
- Medulloblastoma/pathology
- MicroRNAs/genetics
- MicroRNAs/metabolism
- Mitochondria/genetics
- Mitochondria/metabolism
- Mitochondria/pathology
- Neoplasm Proteins/genetics
- Neoplasm Proteins/metabolism
- Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 1/genetics
- Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 1/metabolism
- Protein Transport
- RNA, Neoplasm/genetics
- RNA, Neoplasm/metabolism
- Spheroids, Cellular/metabolism
- Spheroids, Cellular/pathology
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexa Tenga
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States of America
- Integrated Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States of America
| | - Jordan A. Beard
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States of America
- Integrated Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States of America
| | - Apana Takwi
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States of America
| | - Yue-Ming Wang
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States of America
| | - Taosheng Chen
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States of America
- Integrated Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States of America
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6
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Smith SM, Coleman J, Bridge JA, Iwenofu OH. Molecular diagnostics in soft tissue sarcomas and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. J Surg Oncol 2015; 111:520-31. [PMID: 25772665 DOI: 10.1002/jso.23882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2014] [Accepted: 12/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Soft tissue sarcomas are rare malignant heterogenous tumors of mesenchymal origin with over fifty subtypes. The use of hematoxylin and eosin stained sections (and immunohistochemistry) in the morphologic assessment of these tumors has been the bane of clinical diagnosis until recently. The last decade has witnessed considerable progress in the understanding and application of molecular techniques in refining the current understanding of soft tissue sarcomas and gastrointestinal stromal tumors beyond the limits of traditional approaches. Indeed, the identification of reciprocal chromosomal translocations and fusion genes in some subsets of sarcomas with potential implications in the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment has been revolutionary. The era of molecular targeted therapy presents a platform that continues to drive biomarker discovery and personalized medicine in soft tissue sarcomas and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. In this review, we highlight how the different molecular techniques have enhanced the diagnosis of these tumors with prognostic and therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen M Smith
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Wexner Medical Center at The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
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7
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Ju SJ, Zhao Y, Chang X, Guo L. Orexin A protects cells from apoptosis by regulating FoxO1 and mTORC1 through the OX1R/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in hepatocytes. Int J Mol Med 2014; 34:153-9. [PMID: 24807827 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2014.1769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2014] [Accepted: 04/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Orexin A and B are multifunctional neuropeptides that are involved in the regulation of food intake, energy metabolism, glucose regulation and wakefulness. They signal through two G-protein‑coupled receptors (GPCR): orexin receptor 1 (OX1R) and orexin receptor 2 (OX2R). Previous studies have shown that orexins interact with PI3K/AKT signaling pathways through OX1R-coupling in other cell types, but are seldom involved in hepatocytes. In the present study, reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and western blot analysis revealed that OX1R mRNA expression and activation in rat hepatocytes in vitro were upregulated by exogenous orexin A (10(-10) to 10(-6) M) in a dose-dependent manner. The result showed that orexin A affects increasing cell proliferation and protects cells from apoptosis. Additionally, inhibition studies showed that orexin A induced forkhead box O1 (FoxO1) and mammalian target of rapamycin 1 (mTORC1) phosphorylation, while OX1R antagonist (SB334867, 10(-6) M), AKT antagonist (PF-04691502, 10(-6) M), Foxo1 inhibitor (AS1842856, 10(-6) M) or mTORC1 inhibitor (everolimus, 10(-5) M) blocked these effects of orexin A. The results of the present study showed a possible effect of orexin A on cell apoptosis in regulating Foxo1 and mTORC1 through the OX1R/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in rat hepatocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Jing Ju
- Department of Endocrinology, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China
| | - Yuyan Zhao
- Department of Endocrinology, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China
| | - Xiaocen Chang
- Department of Endocrinology, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China
| | - Lei Guo
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China
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8
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Fendler A, Jung M, Stephan C, Erbersdobler A, Jung K, Yousef GM. The antiapoptotic function of miR-96 in prostate cancer by inhibition of FOXO1. PLoS One 2013; 8:e80807. [PMID: 24260486 PMCID: PMC3834337 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2013] [Accepted: 10/16/2013] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
microRNAs (miRNAs) are small molecules that regulate gene expression posttranscriptionally. In a previous study, we identified miR-96 to be upregulated in prostate cancer specimens in comparison to normal adjacent tissue and to be an independent marker of biochemical relapse in a multivariate prediction model. Therefore, we investigated the functional role of miR-96 in prostate carcinogenesis. LNCaP and DU145 prostate cancer cells were transiently transfected with miR-96 precursors and phenotypic changes were analyzed. The miR-96 increased proliferation and impaired apoptosis induced by camptothecine in these cells. In silico target prediction analysis identified FOXO1 as potential pro-apoptotic miR-96 target. miR-96 was able to bind to both bindings sites in the FOXO1 3' UTR in a luciferase reporter gene assay. Overexpression of miR-96 in LNCaP cells resulted in a reduced FOXO1 expression. Overexpression of FOXO1 induced a strong apoptotic phenotype that was partially rescued by coexpression of miR-96. RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry of 69 prostate cancer specimens revealed a downregulation of FOXO1 and an inverse correlation of miR-96 and FOXO1 protein expression. In conclusion, we show that miR-96 can regulate apoptosis in prostate cancer, by inhibiting the FOXO1 transcription factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Fendler
- Department of Urology, Charité – University Hospital, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Urologic Research, Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Monika Jung
- Department of Urology, Charité – University Hospital, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carsten Stephan
- Department of Urology, Charité – University Hospital, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Urologic Research, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Klaus Jung
- Department of Urology, Charité – University Hospital, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Urologic Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - George M. Yousef
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, and the Keenan Research Centre in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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9
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Jothi M, Mal M, Keller C, Mal AK. Small molecule inhibition of PAX3-FOXO1 through AKT activation suppresses malignant phenotypes of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. Mol Cancer Ther 2013; 12:2663-74. [PMID: 24107448 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-13-0277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma comprises a rare highly malignant tumor presumed to be associated with skeletal muscle lineage in children. The hallmark of the majority of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma is a chromosomal translocation that generates the PAX3-FOXO1 fusion protein, which is an oncogenic transcription factor responsible for the development of the malignant phenotype of this tumor. Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma cells are dependent on the oncogenic activity of PAX3-FOXO1, and its expression status in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma tumors correlates with worst patient outcome, suggesting that blocking this activity of PAX3-FOXO1 may be an attractive therapeutic strategy against this fusion-positive disease. In this study, we screened small molecule chemical libraries for inhibitors of PAX3-FOXO1 transcriptional activity using a cell-based readout system. We identified the Sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPases (SERCA) inhibitor thapsigargin as an effective inhibitor of PAX3-FOXO1. Subsequent experiments in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma cells showed that activation of AKT by thapsigargin inhibited PAX3-FOXO1 activity via phosphorylation. Moreover, this AKT activation appears to be associated with the effects of thapsigargin on intracellular calcium levels. Furthermore, thapsigargin inhibited the binding of PAX3-FOXO1 to target genes and subsequently promoted its proteasomal degradation. In addition, thapsigargin treatment decreases the growth and invasive capacity of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma cells while inducing apoptosis in vitro. Finally, thapsigargin can suppress the growth of an alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma xenograft tumor in vivo. These data reveal that thapsigargin-induced activation of AKT is an effective mechanism to inhibit PAX3-FOXO1 and a potential agent for targeted therapy against alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathivanan Jothi
- Corresponding Author: Asoke K. Mal, Department of Cell Stress Biology, BLSC-L3-319 Roswell Park Cancer Institute Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY 14263.
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10
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Grishko VV, Tolmacheva IA, Galaiko NV, Pereslavceva AV, Anikina LV, Volkova LV, Bachmetyev BA, Slepukhin PA. Synthesis, transformation and biological evaluation of 2,3-secotriterpene acetylhydrazones and their derivatives. Eur J Med Chem 2013; 68:203-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2013.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2013] [Revised: 07/08/2013] [Accepted: 07/22/2013] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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11
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Liu L, Wu J, Ong SS, Chen T. Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 phosphorylates and positively regulates PAX3-FOXO1 in human alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma cells. PLoS One 2013; 8:e58193. [PMID: 23469153 PMCID: PMC3585270 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2012] [Accepted: 02/03/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) is an aggressive childhood muscle sarcoma with a 5-year survival rate of less than 30%. More than 80% of ARMSs harbor a PAX3-FOXO1 fusion transcription factor. However, expression of PAX3-FOXO1 in muscle cells alone is not sufficient and requires the loss of function of Ink4a/ARF to promote malignant proliferation of muscle cells in vitro or initiate ARMS tumor formation in vivo. This prompted us to examine the signaling pathways required to activate the function of PAX3-FOXO1 and to explore the functional interaction between the Ink4a/ARF and PAX3-FOXO1 signaling pathways. Here we report that inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (Cdk4) by fascaplysin (a small molecule selective inhibitor of Cdk4/cyclin D1 that we identified in a screen for compounds that inhibit PAX3-FOXO1) led to inhibition of the transcriptional activity of PAX3-FOXO1 in ARMS cell line Rh30. Consistent with this finding, activation of Cdk4 enhanced the activity of PAX3-FOXO1. In vitro kinase assays revealed that Cdk4 directly phosphorylated PAX3-FOXO1 at Ser(430). Whereas fascaplysin did not affect the protein level of PAX3-FOXO1, it did increase the cytoplasmic level of PAX3-FOXO1 in a portion of cells. Our findings indicate that Cdk4 phosphorylates and positively regulates PAX3-FOXO1 and suggest that inhibition of Cdk4 activity should be explored as a promising avenue for developing therapy for ARMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingling Liu
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Jing Wu
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Su Sien Ong
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Taosheng Chen
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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12
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Olanich ME, Barr FG. A call to ARMS: targeting the PAX3-FOXO1 gene in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2013; 17:607-23. [PMID: 23432728 DOI: 10.1517/14728222.2013.772136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Expression of fusion oncoproteins generated by recurrent chromosomal translocations represents a major tumorigenic mechanism characteristic of multiple cancers, including one-third of all sarcomas. Oncogenic fusion genes provide novel targets for therapeutic intervention. The PAX3-FOXO1 oncoprotein in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) is presented as a paradigm to examine therapeutic strategies for targeting sarcoma-associated fusion genes. AREAS COVERED This review discusses the role of PAX3-FOXO1 in ARMS tumors. Besides evaluating various approaches to molecularly target PAX3-FOXO1 itself, this review highlights therapeutically attractive downstream genes activated by PAX3-FOXO1. EXPERT OPINION Oncogenic fusion proteins represent desirable therapeutic targets because their expression is specific to tumor cells, but these fusions generally characterize rare malignancies. Full development and testing of potential drugs targeted to these fusions are complicated by the small numbers of patients in these disease categories. Although efforts to develop targeted therapies against fusion proteins should continue, molecular targets that are applicable to a broader tumor landscape should be pursued. A shift of the traditional paradigm to view therapeutic intervention as target-specific rather than tumor-specific will help to circumvent the challenges posed by rare tumors and maximize the possibility of developing successful new treatments for patients with these rare translocation-associated sarcomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary E Olanich
- National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research, Laboratory of Pathology , Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Liu L, Wang YD, Wu J, Cui J, Chen T. Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A): a transcriptional target of PAX3-FKHR and mediates PAX3-FKHR-dependent motility in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma cells. BMC Cancer 2012; 12:154. [PMID: 22533991 PMCID: PMC3453510 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-12-154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2011] [Accepted: 04/25/2012] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) has a high propensity to metastasize, leading to its aggressiveness and a poor survival rate among those with the disease. More than 80% of aggressive ARMSs harbor a PAX3-FKHR fusion transcription factor, which regulates cell migration and promotes metastasis, most likely by regulating the fusion protein’s transcriptional targets. Therefore, identifying druggable transcription targets of PAX3-FKHR that are also downstream effectors of PAX3-FKHR–mediated cell migration and metastasis may lead to novel therapeutic approaches for treating ARMS. Methods To identify genes whose expression is directly affected by the level of PAX3-FKHR in an ARMS cellular-context, we first developed an ARMS cell line in which PAX3-FKHR is stably down-regulated, and showed that stably downregulating PAX3-FKHR in ARMS cells significantly decreased the cells’ motility. We used microarray analysis to identify genes whose expression level decreased when PAX3-FKHR was downregulated. We used mutational analysis, promoter reporter assays, and electrophoretic mobility shift assays to determine whether PAX3-FKHR binds to the promoter region of the target gene. We used siRNA and pharmacologic inhibitor to downregulate the target gene of PAX3-FKHR and investigated the effect of such downregulation on cell motility. Results We found that when PAX3-FKHR was downregulated, the expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A) decreased. We showed that PAX3-FKHR binds to a paired-domain binding-site in the CPT1A promoter region, indicating that CPT1A is a novel transcriptional target of PAX3-FKHR. Furthermore, downregulating CPT1A decreased cell motility in ARMS cells, indicating that CPT1A is a downstream effector of PAX3-FKHR–mediated cell migration and metastasis. Conclusions Taken together, we have identified CPT1A as a novel transcriptional target of PAX3-FKHR and revealed the novel function of CPT1A in promoting cell motility. CPT1A may represent a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of ARMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingling Liu
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St, Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
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Liu L, Chen T. PAX3-FKHR regulates the expression of pleiotrophin to mediate motility in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma cells. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 1. [PMID: 24348888 DOI: 10.6000/1929-2279.2012.01.01.09] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
More than 80% of the aggressive alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMSs) harbor a PAX3-FKHR fusion transcription factor, which regulates cell motility and promotes metastasis. Our hypothesis is that PAX3-FKHR regulates cell motility by regulating the expression of its transcriptional targets that are also its downstream effectors, which if identified, may lead to novel therapeutic approaches for treating ARMS. Here we report that PAX3-FKHR regulates the expression of pleiotrophin (PTN) by binding specifically to a paired-box domain binding-site in the PTN promoter, indicating that PTN is a transcriptional target of PAX3-FKHR. Significantly, we show that PTN regulates ARMS cell motility. Taken together, we have identified PTN as a novel transcriptional target of PAX3-FKHR that promotes ARMS cell motility. PTN may be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of ARMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingling Liu
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Taosheng Chen
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
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A simple protocol for using a LDH-based cytotoxicity assay to assess the effects of death and growth inhibition at the same time. PLoS One 2011; 6:e26908. [PMID: 22125603 PMCID: PMC3219643 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0026908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2011] [Accepted: 10/06/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Analyzing the effects on cell growth inhibition and/or cell death has been an important component of biological research. The MTS assay and LDH-based cytotoxicity assays are two of the most commonly used methods for this purpose. However, data here showed that MTS cell proliferation assay could not distinguish the effects of cell death or cell growth inhibition. In addition, the original LDH-based cytotoxicity protocol grossly underestimated the proportion of dead cells in conditions with growth inhibition. To overcome the limitation, we present here a simple modified LDH-based cytotoxicity protocol by adding additional condition-specific controls. This modified protocol thus can provide more accurate measurement of killing effects in addition to the measurement of overall effects, especially in conditions with growth inhibition. In summary, we present here a simple, modified cytotoxicity assay, which can determine the overall effects, percentage of cell killing and growth inhibition in one 96-well based assay. This is a viable option for primary screening for many laboratories, and could be adapted for high throughput screening.
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Kepp O, Galluzzi L, Lipinski M, Yuan J, Kroemer G. Cell death assays for drug discovery. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2011; 10:221-37. [PMID: 21358741 DOI: 10.1038/nrd3373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 384] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cell death has an important role in many human diseases, and strategies aimed at modulating the associated pathways have been successfully applied to treat various disorders. Indeed, several clinically promising cytotoxic and cytoprotective agents with potential applications in cancer, ischaemic and neurodegenerative diseases have recently been identified by high-throughput screening (HTS), based on appropriate cell death assays. Given that different cell death modalities may be dysregulated in different diseases, it is becoming increasingly clear that such assays need to not only quantify the extent of cell death, but they must also be able to distinguish between the various pathways. Here, we systematically describe approaches to accurately quantify distinct cell death pathways, discuss their advantages and pitfalls, and focus on those techniques that are amenable to HTS.
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Pondugula SR, Tong AA, Wu J, Cui J, Chen T. Protein phosphatase 2Cbetal regulates human pregnane X receptor-mediated CYP3A4 gene expression in HepG2 liver carcinoma cells. Drug Metab Dispos 2010; 38:1411-6. [PMID: 20538721 DOI: 10.1124/dmd.110.032128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The human pregnane X receptor (hPXR) regulates the expression of CYP3A4, which plays a vital role in hepatic drug metabolism and has considerably reduced expression levels in proliferating hepatocytes. We have recently shown that cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) negatively regulates hPXR-mediated CYP3A4 gene expression. CDK2 can be dephosphorylated and inactivated by protein phosphatase type 2C beta isoform long (PP2Cbetal), a unique phosphatase that was originally cloned from human liver. In this study, we sought to determine whether PP2Cbetal is involved in regulating hPXR's transactivation activity and whether PP2Cbetal affects CDK2 regulation of this activity in HepG2 liver carcinoma cells. In transactivation assays, transiently coexpressed PP2Cbetal significantly enhanced the hPXR-mediated CYP3A4 promoter activity and decreased the inhibitory effect of CDK2 on hPXR transactivation activity. In addition, shRNA-mediated down-regulation of endogenous PP2Cbetal promoted cell proliferation, inhibited the interaction of hPXR with steroid receptor coactivator-1, and attenuated the hPXR transcriptional activity. The levels of PP2Cbetal did not affect hPXR expression. Our results show for the first time that PP2Cbetal is essential for hPXR activity and can positively regulate this activity by counteracting the inhibitory effect of CDK2. Our results implicate a novel and important role for PP2Cbetal in regulating hPXR activity and CYP3A4 expression by inhibiting or desensitizing signaling pathways that negatively regulate the function of pregnane X receptor in liver cells and are consistent with the notion that both the activity of hPXR and the expression of CYP3A4 are regulated in a cell cycle-dependent and cell proliferation-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satyanarayana R Pondugula
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
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Zeng FY, Dong H, Cui J, Liu L, Chen T. Glycogen synthase kinase 3 regulates PAX3-FKHR-mediated cell proliferation in human alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2009; 391:1049-55. [PMID: 19995556 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2009.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2009] [Accepted: 12/03/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Patients with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) have poorer response to conventional chemotherapy and lower survival rates than those with embryonal RMS (ERMS). To identify compounds that preferentially block the growth of ARMS, we conducted a small-scale screen of 160 kinase inhibitors against the ARMS cell line Rh30 and ERMS cell line RD and identified inhibitors of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3), including TWS119 as ARMS-selective inhibitors. GSK3 inhibitors inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis more effectively in Rh30 than RD cells. Ectopic expression of fusion protein PAX3-FKHR in RD cells significantly increased their sensitivity to TWS119. Down-regulation of GSK3 by GSK3 inhibitors or siRNA significantly reduced the transcriptional activity of PAX3-FKHR. These results suggest that GSK3 is directly involved in regulating the transcriptional activity of PAX3-FKHR. Also, GSK3 phosphorylated PAX3-FKHR in vitro, suggesting that GSK3 might regulate PAX3-FKHR activity via phosphorylation. These findings support a novel mechanism of PAX3-FKHR regulation by GSK3 and provide a novel strategy to develop GSK inhibitors as anti-ARMS therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu-Yue Zeng
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
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