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Liu R, Liu Y, Zhang W, Zhang G, Zhang Z, Huang L, Tang N, Wang K. PCK1 attenuates tumor stemness via activating the Hippo signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma. Genes Dis 2024; 11:101114. [PMID: 38560500 PMCID: PMC10978540 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2023.101114] [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: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer stem cells were found to rely on glycolysis as the preferred metabolic program. Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase 1 (PCK1), a gluconeogenic metabolic enzyme, is down-regulated in hepatocellular carcinoma and is closely related to poor prognosis. The oncogenesis and progression of tumors are closely related to cancer stem cells. It is not completely clear whether the PCK1 deficiency increases the stemness of hepatoma cells and promotes the oncogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Herein, the results showed that PCK1 inhibited the self-renewal property of hepatoma cells, reduced the mRNA level of cancer stem cell markers, and inhibited tumorigenesis. Moreover, PCK1 increased the sensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma cells to sorafenib. Furthermore, we found that PCK1 activated the Hippo pathway by enhancing the phosphorylation of YAP and inhibiting its nuclear translocation. Verteporfin reduced the stemness of hepatoma cells and promoted the pro-apoptotic effect of sorafenib. Thus, combined treatment with verteporfin and sorafenib may be a potential anti-tumor strategy in hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Yi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Wenlu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Guiji Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Zhirong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Luyi Huang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Ni Tang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Kai Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
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Canonical WNT Signaling Activated by WNT7B Contributes to L-HBs-Mediated Sorafenib Resistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Inhibiting Mitophagy. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14235781. [PMID: 36497264 PMCID: PMC9741164 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14235781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer death globally, with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection accounting for over half of all cases. HBV leads to the development of HCC according to a body of literature. Our previous research and other studies also suggest that HBV causes chemotherapeutic treatment resistance, however, the mechanism is uncertain. The WNT family, which encodes secreted signaling molecules, has been linked to carcinogenesis in a variety of malignancies, including HCC. However, little is known regarding WNT7B, a WNT ligand, in the development of HCC and HBV-induced chemoresistance. In this study, the bioinformatics analysis and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining of clinical samples revealed that WNT7B was overexpressed in HBV-associated HCC tissues versus nontumor liver tissues, which was related to HCC patient survival. Further study in vitro showed that WNT7B and its receptor frizzled-4 (FZD4) were upregulated in response to large hepatitis B surface antigens (L-HBs). L-HBs increased canonical WNT signaling in HCC cells through WNT7B/FZD4. According to functional experiments, WNT7B enhanced the cell proliferation and metastasis in HCC. In vivo and in vitro studies investigated whether L-HBs induced sorafenib resistance by WNT7B in HCC. Interestingly, L-HBs suppressed sorafenib-induced mitophagy by increasing WNT7B/CTNNB1 signaling, resulting in chemoresistance. The findings revealed that WNT7B could be a promising molecular therapeutic target as well as a predictor of sorafenib resistance in HBV-related HCC. The suppression of HBV structural proteins such as L-HBs may play a crucial role in systemic chemotherapy resistance in HBV-associated HCC.
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Leung RWH, Lee TKW. Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling as a Driver of Stemness and Metabolic Reprogramming in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14215468. [PMID: 36358885 PMCID: PMC9656505 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14215468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling has been reported to play crucial role in pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this review, we focus on the regulatory role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in cancer stemness and metabolic reprogramming, which are two emerging hallmarks of cancer. Understanding the role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in regulation of the above processes reveals novel therapeutic strategy against this deadly disease. Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of cancer death worldwide due to its high rates of tumor recurrence and metastasis. Aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling has been shown to play a significant role in HCC development, progression and clinical impact on tumor behavior. Accumulating evidence has revealed the critical involvement of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in driving cancer stemness and metabolic reprogramming, which are regarded as emerging cancer hallmarks. In this review, we summarize the regulatory mechanism of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and its role in HCC. Furthermore, we provide an update on the regulatory roles of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in metabolic reprogramming, cancer stemness and drug resistance in HCC. We also provide an update on preclinical and clinical studies targeting Wnt/β-catenin signaling alone or in combination with current therapies for effective cancer therapy. This review provides insights into the current opportunities and challenges of targeting this signaling pathway in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rainbow Wing Hei Leung
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Terence Kin Wah Lee
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +852-3400-8799; Fax: +852-2364-9932
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Machida K. HCV and tumor-initiating stem-like cells. Front Physiol 2022; 13:903302. [PMID: 36187761 PMCID: PMC9520593 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.903302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Neoplasms contain tumor-initiating stem-like cells (TICs) that are characterized by increased drug resistance. The incidence of many cancer types have trended downward except for few cancer types, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore mechanism of HCC development and therapy resistance needs to be understood. These multiple hits by hepatitis C virus (HCV) eventually promotes transformation and TIC genesis, leading to HCC development. This review article describes links between HCV-associated HCC and TICs. This review discusses 1) how HCV promotes genesis of TICs and HCC development; 2) how this process avails itself as a novel therapeutic target for HCC treatment; and 3) ten hall marks of TIC oncogenesis and HCC development as targets for novel therapeutic modalities.
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Huang M, Lin Y, Wang C, Deng L, Chen M, Assaraf YG, Chen ZS, Ye W, Zhang D. New insights into antiangiogenic therapy resistance in cancer: Mechanisms and therapeutic aspects. Drug Resist Updat 2022; 64:100849. [PMID: 35842983 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2022.100849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Angiogenesis is a hallmark of cancer and is required for tumor growth and progression. Antiangiogenic therapy has been revolutionarily developing and was approved for the treatment of various types of cancer for nearly two decades, among which bevacizumab and sorafenib continue to be the two most frequently used antiangiogenic drugs. Although antiangiogenic therapy has brought substantial survival benefits to many cancer patients, resistance to antiangiogenic drugs frequently occurs during clinical treatment, leading to poor outcomes and treatment failure. Cumulative evidence has demonstrated that the intricate interplay among tumor cells, bone marrow-derived cells, and local stromal cells critically allows for tumor escape from antiangiogenic therapy. Currently, drug resistance has become the main challenge that hinders the therapeutic efficacies of antiangiogenic therapy. In this review, we describe and summarize the cellular and molecular mechanisms conferring tumor drug resistance to antiangiogenic therapy, which was predominantly associated with redundancy in angiogenic signaling molecules (e.g., VEGFs, GM-CSF, G-CSF, and IL17), alterations in biological processes of tumor cells (e.g., tumor invasiveness and metastasis, stemness, autophagy, metabolic reprogramming, vessel co-option, and vasculogenic mimicry), increased recruitment of bone marrow-derived cells (e.g., myeloid-derived suppressive cells, tumor-associated macrophages, and tumor-associated neutrophils), and changes in the biological functions and features of local stromal cells (e.g., pericytes, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and endothelial cells). We also review potential biomarkers to predict the response to antiangiogenic therapy in cancer patients, which mainly consist of imaging biomarkers, cellular and extracellular proteins, a certain type of bone marrow-derived cells, local stromal cell content (e.g., pericyte coverage) as well as serum or plasma biomarkers (e.g., non-coding RNAs). Finally, we highlight the recent advances in combination strategies with the aim of enhancing the response to antiangiogenic therapy in cancer patients and mouse models. This review introduces a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms and biomarkers associated with the evasion of antiangiogenic therapy in cancer, providing an outlook for developing more effective approaches to promote the therapeutic efficacy of antiangiogenic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maohua Huang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China; Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Postdoctoral Research Station, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yuning Lin
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Chenran Wang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Lijuan Deng
- Formula-Pattern Research Center, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Minfeng Chen
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yehuda G Assaraf
- The Fred Wyszkowski Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Zhe-Sheng Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Institute for Biotechnology, St. John's University, NY 11439, USA.
| | - Wencai Ye
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
| | - Dongmei Zhang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
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6
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Bian R, Zhao J, Yao Z, Cai Y, Shou C, Lou D, Zhou L, Qian Y. Knockdown of Obg-like ATPase 1 enhances sorafenib sensitivity by inhibition of GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. J Gastrointest Oncol 2022; 13:1255-1265. [PMID: 35837205 PMCID: PMC9274060 DOI: 10.21037/jgo-22-458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To clarify the molecular mechanism of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), conducive to developing an effective HCC therapy. Owing to the severe drug resistance, the clinical use of sorafenib, which is approved for HCC treatment, is limited. The precise molecular mechanisms of sorafenib drug resistance remain unclear. In the current work, we evaluated the role of Obg-like ATPase 1 (OLA1) in sorafenib resistance in HCC. METHODS The survival of HCC patients between OLA1 expression and sorafenib treatment was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier plotter. Cell viability was measured by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and colony formation assays. Cell death was detected by propidium iodide (PI) and trypan blue staining. The mRNA and protein levels were measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot (WB), respectively. RESULTS We found that OLA1 was highly correlated with sorafenib resistance of HCC through a public database. Further study showed that knockdown of OLA1 enhanced cell proliferation inhibition and cell death induced by sorafenib, along with a reduction of proliferation-associated proteins (c-Myc and cyclin D1) and increase of apoptosis-related proteins (cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved PARP) in HCC cells. In addition, knockdown of OLA1 reduced the activation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β)/β-catenin. CONCLUSIONS Our results proved that OLA1 can be a potential target to enhance sorafenib sensitivity in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Bian
- Medication Department, Zhuji People’s Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Shaoxing, China
| | - Jinkai Zhao
- Medication Department, Zhuji People’s Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Shaoxing, China
| | - Zhongcai Yao
- Medication Department, Zhuji People’s Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Shaoxing, China
| | - Yajun Cai
- Medication Department, Zhuji People’s Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Shaoxing, China
| | - Chenting Shou
- Medication Department, Zhuji People’s Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Shaoxing, China
| | - Dayong Lou
- Medication Department, Zhuji People’s Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Shaoxing, China
| | - Liqin Zhou
- Medication Department, Zhuji People’s Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Shaoxing, China
| | - Yuanyuan Qian
- Basic Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
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7
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Xu C, Xu Z, Zhang Y, Evert M, Calvisi DF, Chen X. β-Catenin signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Clin Invest 2022; 132:154515. [PMID: 35166233 PMCID: PMC8843739 DOI: 10.1172/jci154515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Deregulated Wnt/β-catenin signaling is one of the main genetic alterations in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Comprehensive genomic analyses have revealed that gain-of-function mutation of CTNNB1, which encodes β-catenin, and loss-of-function mutation of AXIN1 occur in approximately 35% of human HCC samples. Human HCCs with activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway demonstrate unique gene expression patterns and pathological features. Activated Wnt/β-catenin synergizes with multiple signaling cascades to drive HCC formation, and it functions through its downstream effectors. Therefore, strategies targeting Wnt/β-catenin have been pursued as possible therapeutics against HCC. Here, we review the genetic alterations and oncogenic roles of aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling during hepatocarcinogenesis. In addition, we discuss the implication of this pathway in HCC diagnosis, classification, and personalized treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanrui Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhong Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Matthias Evert
- Institute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Diego F Calvisi
- Institute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Liver Center, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA
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8
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Liu C, Pan J, Liu H, Lin R, Chen Y, Zhang C. Daphnetin inhibits the survival of hepatocellular carcinoma cells through regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Drug Dev Res 2022; 83:952-960. [PMID: 35132666 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.21920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Evidence has demonstrated that Daphnetin has antiangiogenesis activity, indicating it might be a new multi-targeted medication for cancer therapy. Here, we aimed to reveal Daphnetin role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression and the underlying mechanism. Huh7 and SK-HEP-1, two human HCC cell lines were used in this study. MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide), colony formation, flow cytometry, and tumor-bearing experiments were applied to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of Daphnetin on cell viability, apoptosis, cell cycle, and in vivo tumor formation, respectively. Real-time PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)and western blotting were applied to measure the mRNA and protein levels of β-catenin. We observed that Daphnetin inhibited cell viability and tumorigenesis, promoted cell apoptosis, and induced a G1 phase arrest in a dose-dependent manner in both Huh7 and SK-HEP-1 cells, which were rescued by SKL2001, an activator of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Taken together, this study reveals that Daphnetin exerts an antitumor role in HCC through the inactivation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaohui Liu
- Department of General Surgery, The 910th Hospital, Quanzhou, China
| | - Jiansheng Pan
- Department of General Surgery, The 910th Hospital, Quanzhou, China
| | - Hongyu Liu
- Department of General Surgery, The 910th Hospital, Quanzhou, China
| | - Rongkai Lin
- Department of General Surgery, The 910th Hospital, Quanzhou, China
| | - Yijie Chen
- Department of General Surgery, The 910th Hospital, Quanzhou, China
| | - Chenghua Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The 910th Hospital, Quanzhou, China
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9
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Öcal O, Rössler D, Gasbarrini A, Berg T, Klümpen HJ, Bargellini I, Peynircioglu B, van Delden O, Schulz C, Schütte K, Iezzi R, Pech M, Malfertheiner P, Sangro B, Ricke J, Seidensticker M. Gadoxetic acid uptake as a molecular imaging biomarker for sorafenib resistance in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a post hoc analysis of the SORAMIC trial. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2022; 148:2487-2496. [PMID: 34541612 PMCID: PMC9349099 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-021-03803-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Gadoxetic acid uptake on hepatobiliary phase MRI has been shown to correlate with ß-catenin mutation in patients with HCC, which is associated with resistance to certain therapies. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of gadoxetic acid uptake on hepatobiliary phase MRI in patients with advanced HCC receiving sorafenib. METHODS 312 patients with available baseline hepatobiliary phase MRI images received sorafenib alone or following selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) within SORAMIC trial. The signal intensity of index tumor and normal liver parenchyma were measured on the native and hepatobiliary phase MRI images, and relative tumor enhancement higher than relative liver enhancement were accepted as high gadoxetic acid uptake, and its prognostic value was assessed using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS The median OS of the study population was 13.4 (11.8-14.5) months. High gadoxetic acid uptake was seen in 51 (16.3%) patients, and none of the baseline characteristics was associated with high uptake. In univariate analysis, high gadoxetic acid uptake was significantly associated with shorter overall survival (10.7 vs. 14.0 months, p = 0.005). Multivariate analysis confirmed independent prognostic value of high gadoxetic acid uptake (HR, 1.7 [1.21-2.3], p = 0.002), as well as Child-Pugh class (p = 0.033), tumor diameter (p = 0.002), and ALBI grade (p = 0.015). CONCLUSION In advanced HCC patients receiving sorafenib (alone or combined with SIRT), high gadoxetic acid uptake of the tumor on pretreatment MRI, a surrogate of ß-catenin mutation, correlates with shorter survival. Gadoxetic acid uptake status might serve in treatment decision-making process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osman Öcal
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel Rössler
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Antonio Gasbarrini
- Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS, Università' Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy
| | - Thomas Berg
- Klinik Und Poliklinik Für Gastroenterologie, Sektion Hepatologie, Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Heinz-Josef Klümpen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Irene Bargellini
- Department of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Otto van Delden
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Christian Schulz
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Kerstin Schütte
- Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, Niels-Stensen-Kliniken Marienhospital, Osnabrück, Germany
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, Otto-Von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Roberto Iezzi
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, UOC Di Radiologia, Dipartimento Di Diagnostica Per Immagini, Radioterapia Oncologica ed Ematologia, Roma, Italy
| | - Maciej Pech
- Departments of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | | | - Bruno Sangro
- Liver Unit, Clínica Universidad de Navarra-IDISNA and CIBEREHD, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Jens Ricke
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Max Seidensticker
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.
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Moldogazieva NT, Zavadskiy SP, Sologova SS, Mokhosoev IM, Terentiev AA. Predictive biomarkers for systemic therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma. Expert Rev Mol Diagn 2021; 21:1147-1164. [PMID: 34582293 DOI: 10.1080/14737159.2021.1987217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer and the third cancer-related cause of death worldwide. In recent years, several systemic therapy drugs including sorafenib, lenvatinib, regorafenib, cabozantinib, ramucicurab, nivilumab, and pembrolizumab have been approved by FDA for advanced HCC. However, their insufficient efficacy, toxicity, and drug resistance require clinically applicable and validated predictive biomarkers.Areas covered: Our review covers the recent advancements in the identification of proteomic/genomic/epigenomic/transcriptomic biomarkers for predicting HCC treatment efficacy with the use of multi-kinase inhibitors (MKIs), CDK4/6 inhibitors, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Alpha-fetoprotein, des-carboxyprothrombin, vascular endothelial growth factor, angiopoietin-2, and dysregulated MTOR, VEGFR2, c-KIT, RAF1, PDGFRβ have the potential of proteomic/genomic biomarkers for sorafenib treatment. Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and albumin-bilirubin grade can predict the efficacy of other MKIs. Rb, p16, and Ki-67, and genes involved in cell cycle regulation, CDK1-4, CCND1, CDKN1A, and CDKN2A have been proposed for CD4/6 inhibitors, while dysregulated TERT, CTNNB1, TP53 FGF19, and TP53 are found to be predictors for ICI efficacy.Expert opinion: There are still limited clinically applicable and validated predictive biomarkers to identify HCC patients who benefit from systemic therapy. Further prospective biomarker validation studies for HCC personalized systemic therapy are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurbubu T Moldogazieva
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Institute of Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, I.m. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University);, Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergey P Zavadskiy
- Department of Pharmacology, Nelyubin Institute of Pharmacy, I.m. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Russia, Russia
| | - Susanna S Sologova
- Department of Pharmacology, Nelyubin Institute of Pharmacy, I.m. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Russia, Russia
| | - Innokenty M Mokhosoev
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, N.i. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander A Terentiev
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, N.i. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
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11
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Gan G, Shi Z, Liu D, Zhang S, Zhu H, Wang Y, Mi J. 3-hydroxyanthranic acid increases the sensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma to sorafenib by decreasing tumor cell stemness. Cell Death Discov 2021; 7:173. [PMID: 34230478 PMCID: PMC8260721 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-021-00561-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Sorafenib is the FDA-approved first-line target drug for HCC patients. However, sorafenib only confers 3–5 months of survival benefit with <30% of HCC patients. Thus, it is necessary to develop a sensitizer for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to sorafenib. Here, we report that in representative HCC cell lines (SMMC-7721 and PLC8024) that are insensitive to sorafenib, 3-HAA (50 μM) significantly enhances cell sensitivity to sorafenib to an extent that could not be explained by additive effects. In nude mice carrying HCC xenograft, tumor growth is inhibited by sorafenib (10 mg/kg/day) or 3-HAA (100 mg/kg/day) alone. When used in combination, the treatment effectively prevents the xenograft from growing. In a set of mechanistic experiments, we find enhanced AKT activation and increased proportion of CD44+CD133+ cells in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells and tissues. The proportion of CD44+CD133+ cells is reduced upon 3-HAA treatment in both cultured cells and mouse xenografts, suggesting that 3-HAA could decrease the stemness of HCC. We also detect decreased phosphorylation of AKT, a regulator of the GSK3β/β-catenin signaling upon 3-HAA treatment. The AKT activator SC79 activates GSK3 β/β-catenin signaling while the Wnt inhibitor XAV-939 abolishes 3-HAA inhibition of HCC growth in vitro and in mice. The current study demonstrates that 3-HAA sensitizes HCC cells to sorafenib by reducing tumor stemness, suggesting it is a promising molecule for HCC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guifang Gan
- Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Department of Clinical Laboratories, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200011, Shanghai, China.,Basic Medical Institute, Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine, Tongren Hospital, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhaopeng Shi
- Basic Medical Institute, Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine, Tongren Hospital, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Dan Liu
- Basic Medical Institute, Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine, Tongren Hospital, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Shaoyi Zhang
- Basic Medical Institute, Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine, Tongren Hospital, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Zhu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong, China.
| | - Yugang Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200025, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jun Mi
- Basic Medical Institute, Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine, Tongren Hospital, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200025, Shanghai, China. .,Department of Nuclear Medicine, Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200025, Shanghai, China.
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12
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Huang D, Yang B, Yao Y, Liao M, Zhang Y, Zeng Y, Zhang F, Wang N, Tong G. Autophagic Inhibition of Caveolin-1 by Compound Phyllanthus urinaria L. Activates Ubiquitination and Proteasome Degradation of β-catenin to Suppress Metastasis of Hepatitis B-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:659325. [PMID: 34168559 PMCID: PMC8217966 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.659325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Compound Phyllanthus urinaria L. (CP) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula for cancer treatment in the clinic, particularly during progression of hepatitis B-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-associated HCC). Nevertheless, its anti-metastatic action and mechanisms are not well elucidated. In this study, CP was found to exert remarkable inhibitory effects on the proliferation, migration and invasion of HBV-associated HCC cells. The following network and biological analyses predicted that CP mainly targeted Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) to induce anti-metastatic effects, and Wnt/β-catenin pathway was one of the core mechanisms of CP action against HBV-associated HCC. Further experimental validation implied that Cav-1 overexpression promoted metastasis of HBV-associated HCC by stabilizing β-catenin, while CP administration induced autophagic degradation of Cav-1, activated the Akt/GSK3β-mediated proteasome degradation of β-catenin via ubiquitination activation, and subsequently attenuated the metastasis-promoting effect of Cav-1. In addition, the anti-cancer and anti-metastatic action of CP was further confirmed by in vivo and ex vivo experiments. It was found that CP inhibited the tumor growth and metastasis of HBV-associated HCC in both mice liver cancer xenograft and zebrafish xenotransplantation models. Taken together, our study not only highlights the novel function of CP formula in suppressing metastasis of HBV-associated HCC, but it also addresses the critical role of Cav-1 in mediating Akt/GSK3β/β-catenin axis to control the late-phase of cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danping Huang
- Department of Hepatology, Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, The Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bowen Yang
- The Research Center for Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yaoyao Yao
- The Research Center for Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mianmian Liao
- The Research Center for Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- The Research Center for Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yihao Zeng
- The Research Center for Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fengxue Zhang
- The Research Center for Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Neng Wang
- The Research Center for Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guangdong Tong
- Department of Hepatology, Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, The Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
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13
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Comprehensive Analysis of SFRP Family Members Prognostic Value and Immune Infiltration in Gastric Cancer. LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 11:life11060522. [PMID: 34205081 PMCID: PMC8228899 DOI: 10.3390/life11060522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common cancer globally. Secreted frizzled-related proteins (SFRP) are important elements associated with the Wnt signaling pathway, and its dysregulated expression is found in multiple cancers. However, the function of distinct SFRPs in GC remains poorly understood. We investigated the differential expression, prognostic value, and immune cell infiltration of SFRPs in gastric cancer patients from the Oncomine, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), UALCAN, Kaplan-Meier plotter, cBioPortal, STRING, Gene-MANIA, DAVID, MethSurv, and TIMER databases. We found that the expression levels of SFRP2 and SFRP4 were significantly increased in GC tissues, whereas the SFRP1 and SFRP5 expressions were reduced. SFRP1, SFRP2, and SFRP5 were significantly correlated with the clinical cancer stage in GC patients. Higher expression of SFRPs was associated with short overall survival (OS) in GC patients. Besides, high SFRPs methylation showed favorable OS in GC patients. The functions of SFRPs were primarily related to the Wnt signaling pathway, immune system development, and basal cell carcinoma. The expression of SFRPs was strongly correlated with immune infiltrating cells, including CD4+ T cells and macrophages in GC. Our study indicated that SFRPs could be potential targets of precision therapy and prognostic biomarkers for the survival of GC patients.
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Phase 1 study of CWP232291 in patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. Blood Adv 2021; 4:2032-2043. [PMID: 32396615 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2019000757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
CWP232291 (CWP291) is a small-molecule inhibitor of Wnt signaling that causes degradation of β-catenin via apoptosis induction through endoplasmic reticulum stress activation. This first-in-human, open-label, dose-escalation study to evaluate the safety, maximum tolerated dose (MTD), and preliminary efficacy of CWP291 enrolled 69 patients with hematologic malignancies (acute myeloid leukemia [AML], n = 64; myelodysplastic syndrome, n = 5) in 15 dose-escalation cohorts of 4 to 334 mg/m2 using a modified 3+3 design and 1 dose-expansion cohort. CWP291 was administered IV daily for 7 days every 21 days. The most common treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were nausea (n = 44, 64%), vomiting (n = 32, 46%), diarrhea (n = 25, 36%), and infusion-related reactions (n = 20, 29%). Grade ≥3 TEAEs in >3 patients (5%) were pneumonia (n = 8, 12%); hypophosphatemia (n = 6, 8%); leukocytosis, nausea, cellulitis, sepsis, and hypokalemia (n = 5 each, 7% each); and hypertension (n = 4, 6%). Dose-limiting toxicities included nausea (n = 3) and abdominal pain, anaphylactic reaction, myalgia, and rash (n = 1, each); the MTD was defined at 257 mg/m2. CWP232204, the active metabolite of CWP291, showed pharmacokinetic linearity on both days 1 and 7, and a terminal half-life of ∼12 hours. Among 54 response-evaluable AML patients, there was one complete response at a dose of 153 mg/m2 and one partial response at 198 mg/m2; bone marrow blast percentage reduced from a median of 58.3% to 3.5% and 15.0% to 4.2%, respectively. Future studies will explore CWP291, with a mechanism of action aimed at eradication of earlier progenitors via Wnt pathway blockade, as combination therapy. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01398462.
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15
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Recent advances of sorafenib nanoformulations for cancer therapy: Smart nanosystem and combination therapy. Asian J Pharm Sci 2020; 16:318-336. [PMID: 34276821 PMCID: PMC8261086 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajps.2020.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Sorafenib, a molecular targeted multi-kinase inhibitor, has received considerable interests in recent years due to its significant profiles of efficacy in cancer therapy. However, poor pharmacokinetic properties such as limited water solubility, rapid elimination and metabolism lead to low bioavailability, restricting its further clinical application. Over the past decade, with substantial progress achieved in the development of nanotechnology, various types of smart sorafenib nanoformulations have been developed to improve the targetability as well as the bioavailability of sorafenib. In this review, we summarize various aspects from the preparation and characterization to the evaluation of antitumor efficacy of numerous stimuli-responsive sorafenib nanodelivery systems, particularly with emphasis on their mechanism of drug release and tumor microenvironment response. In addition, this review makes great effort to summarize the nanosystem-based combination therapy of sorafenib with other antitumor agents, which can provide detailed information for further synergistic cancer therapy. In the final section of this review, we also provide a detailed discussion of future challenges and prospects of designing and developing ideal sorafenib nanoformulations for clinical cancer therapy.
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16
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Fan G, Wei X, Xu X. Is the era of sorafenib over? A review of the literature. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2020; 12:1758835920927602. [PMID: 32518599 PMCID: PMC7252361 DOI: 10.1177/1758835920927602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most severe diseases worldwide. For the different stages of HCC, there are different clinical treatment strategies, such as surgical therapy for the early stage, and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) for intermediate-stage disease. Systemic treatment, which uses mainly targeted drugs, is the standard therapy against advanced HCC. Sorafenib is an important first-line therapy for advanced HCC. As a classically effective drug, sorafenib can increase overall survival markedly. However, it still has room for improvement because of the heterogeneity of HCC and acquired resistance. Scientists have reported the acquired sorafenib resistance is associated with the anomalous expression of certain genes, most of which are also related with HCC onset and development. Combining sorafenib with inhibitors targeting these genes may be an effective treatment. Combined treatment may not only overcome drug resistance, but also inhibit the expression of carcinoma-related genes. This review focuses on the current status of sorafenib in advanced HCC, summarizes the inhibitors that can combine with sorafenib in the treatment against HCC, and provides the rationale for clinical trials of sorafenib in combination with other inhibitors in HCC. The era of sorafenib in the treatment of HCC is far from over, as long as we find better methods of medication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanghan Fan
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine; NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation; Key Laboratory of the diagnosis and treatment of organ Transplantation, CAMS; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xuyong Wei
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine; NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation; Key Laboratory of the diagnosis and treatment of organ Transplantation, CAMS; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiao Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine; NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation; Key Laboratory of the diagnosis and treatment of organ Transplantation, CAMS; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Zhejiang Province, 79 QingChun Road, Hangzhou, 310003, China
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17
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Zhao Z, Liu H, Li Y, Tian J, Deng S. Wnt-C59 Attenuates Pressure Overload-Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy via Interruption of Wnt Pathway. Med Sci Monit 2020; 26:e923025. [PMID: 32279067 PMCID: PMC7171430 DOI: 10.12659/msm.923025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cardiac hypertrophy usually results in heart failure and is an important cause of mortality worldwide. Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway hyper-activation is involved in the pathogenesis and progression of cardiac hypertrophy. Wnt-C59 is a small molecular compound, which strongly and specifically targets at Porcupine to pharmacologically inhibit Wnt palmitoylation, secretion, and other biological activities. However, the role of Wnt-C59 in cardiac hypertrophy remains unknown. Material/Methods We performed transverse aortic constriction (TAC) in adult male mice to induce pressure overload and establish an in vivo model of cardiac hypertrophy. Angiotensin II (Ang-II) was utilized to culture cardiomyocyte to establish a model of in vitro cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Daily administration of Porcupine inhibitor Wnt-C59 was performed for 4 weeks after TAC surgery. Results Wnt-C59 significantly improved cardiac function and enhanced survival of mice subjected to TAC surgery. Histologically, Wnt-C59 attenuated TAC-induced increase in heart mass, cross-section area of cardiomyocyte, cardiac fibrosis, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and expression of the hypertrophic biomarkers β-MHC, ANP, and BNP. TAC-induced oxidative stress was also ameliorated by Wnt-C59. Wnt-C59 attenuated Ang-II-induced in vitro cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, as indicated by decreased cell size and lower expression of ANP, BNP, and β-MHC. Moreover, Wnt/β-catenin activation was blocked by Wnt-C59 in cardiac hypertrophy, as indicated by decreased protein expression of Wnt3a and β-catenin and the Wnt target genes cyclin D1 and c-Myc. Conclusions Collectively, Porcupine inhibitor Wnt-C59 attenuates pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophic via interruption of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and it might be a promising drug for patients with cardiac hypertrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengbo Zhao
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China (mainland).,Department of Cardiology, Jiulongpo District People's Hospital, Chongqing, China (mainland)
| | - Han Liu
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China (mainland)
| | - Yu Li
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China (mainland)
| | - Jingxiu Tian
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China (mainland)
| | - Songbai Deng
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China (mainland)
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18
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Han L, Fang S, Li G, Wang M, Yu R. Total flavonoids suppress lung cancer growth via the COX-2-mediated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Oncol Lett 2020; 19:1824-1830. [PMID: 32194676 PMCID: PMC7039044 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2020.11271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to explore the anti-cancer effects of total flavonoids (TF) on lung cancer and to investigate the underlying mechanism. The inhibitory effect of TF on the proliferation of A549 cells in vitro was measured using an MTT assay. The apoptotic rate of TF-treated A549 cells was analyzed using flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated biotinylated UTP nick end labeling. Migration and invasion assays were performed to investigate the anti-migration effect of TF on A549 cells. Reverse-transcription quantitative PCR was used to analyze BCL2-like 2, BCL2, Bax, Bad, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), Wnt and β-catenin mRNA expression levels in A549 cells. The in vivo anti-cancer effect of TF was investigated in a subcutaneous xenograft model of lung cancer in BALB/c nude mice. The results obtained in the present study revealed that TF exerted a significant inhibitory effect on the proliferation of A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.01). TF induced apoptosis of A549 cells, which exhibited increased and decreased expression of pro- and anti- apoptotic genes, respectively. Furthermore, TF had a significant inhibitory effect on the migration and invasion of A549 cells (P<0.01). The mRNA expression levels of COX-2, Wnt and β-catenin were significantly downregulated in TF-treated A549 cells compared with controls. Additionally, treatment with TF inhibited tumor growth in mice, with a tumor inhibition rate of 64.07% compared with the controls. TF exhibited significant tumor inhibitory effects in vivo by promoting the apoptosis of tumor cells. In conclusion, the results suggested that TF may regulate lung cancer growth via the COX-2-Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. TF may serve as a novel anti-cancer agent for the treatment of lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Han
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Mudanjiang Medical University Affiliated Hongqi Hospital, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157000, P.R. China
| | - Shu Fang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Mudanjiang Medical University Affiliated Hongqi Hospital, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157000, P.R. China
| | - Guangtao Li
- Community Health Service Center, Mudanjiang Medical University Affiliated Hongqi Hospital, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157000, P.R. China
| | - Minghuan Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Kangan Hospital, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157000, P.R. China
| | - Renzhi Yu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Mudanjiang Medical University Affiliated Hongqi Hospital, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157000, P.R. China
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19
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Jin XF, Spöttl G, Maurer J, Nölting S, Auernhammer CJ. Inhibition of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in Neuroendocrine Tumors in vitro: Antitumoral Effects. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12020345. [PMID: 32033025 PMCID: PMC7072467 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12020345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2019] [Revised: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and aims: Inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling by specific inhibitors is currently being investigated as an antitumoral strategy for various cancers. The role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in neuroendocrine tumors still needs to be further investigated. Methods: This study investigated the antitumor activity of the porcupine (PORCN) inhibitor WNT974 and the β-catenin inhibitor PRI-724 in human neuroendocrine tumor (NET) cell lines BON1, QGP-1, and NCI-H727 in vitro. NET cells were treated with WNT974, PRI-724, or small interfering ribonucleic acids against β-catenin, and subsequent analyses included cell viability assays, flow cytometric cell cycle analysis, caspase3/7 assays and Western blot analysis. Results: Treatment of NET cells with WNT974 significantly reduced NET cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner by inducing NET cell cycle arrest at the G1 and G2/M phases without inducing apoptosis. WNT974 primarily blocked Wnt/β-catenin signaling by the dose- and time-dependent downregulation of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6) phosphorylation and non-phosphorylated β-catenin and total β-catenin, as well as the genes targeting the latter (c-Myc and cyclinD1). Furthermore, the WNT974-induced reduction of NET cell viability occurred through the inhibition of GSK-3-dependent or independent signaling (including pAKT/mTOR, pEGFR and pIGFR signaling). Similarly, treatment of NET cells with the β-catenin inhibitor PRI-724 caused significant growth inhibition, while the knockdown of β-catenin expression by siRNA reduced NET tumor cell viability of BON1 cells but not of NCI-H727 cells. Conclusions: The PORCN inhibitor WNT974 possesses antitumor properties in NET cell lines by inhibiting Wnt and related signaling. In addition, the β-catenin inhibitor PRI-724 possesses antitumor properties in NET cell lines. Future studies are needed to determine the role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in NET as a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi-Feng Jin
- Department of Internal Medicine 4, University-Hospital, Klinikum der Universitaet Muenchen, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany; (X.-F.J.); (G.S.); (J.M.); (S.N.)
| | - Gerald Spöttl
- Department of Internal Medicine 4, University-Hospital, Klinikum der Universitaet Muenchen, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany; (X.-F.J.); (G.S.); (J.M.); (S.N.)
| | - Julian Maurer
- Department of Internal Medicine 4, University-Hospital, Klinikum der Universitaet Muenchen, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany; (X.-F.J.); (G.S.); (J.M.); (S.N.)
| | - Svenja Nölting
- Department of Internal Medicine 4, University-Hospital, Klinikum der Universitaet Muenchen, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany; (X.-F.J.); (G.S.); (J.M.); (S.N.)
- Interdisciplinary Center of Neuroendocrine Tumors of the GastroEnteroPancreatic System (GEPNET-KUM), Klinikum der Universitaet Muenchen, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Campus Grosshadern, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Christoph Josef Auernhammer
- Department of Internal Medicine 4, University-Hospital, Klinikum der Universitaet Muenchen, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany; (X.-F.J.); (G.S.); (J.M.); (S.N.)
- Interdisciplinary Center of Neuroendocrine Tumors of the GastroEnteroPancreatic System (GEPNET-KUM), Klinikum der Universitaet Muenchen, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Campus Grosshadern, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Correspondence:
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20
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Zhao G, Ma Y, Li H, Li S, Zhu Y, Liu X, Xiong S, Liu Y, Miao J, Fei S, Zheng M, Zhao X. A novel plasma based early colorectal cancer screening assay base on methylated SDC2 and SFRP2. Clin Chim Acta 2020; 503:84-89. [PMID: 31962098 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2020.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Methylated SFRP2 was previously reported as a non-invasive biomarker for colorectal cancer (CRC) detection with a relatively low sensitivity for early stage CRC. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of a new plasma based CRC screening assay, SpecColon test, which tested methylated SFRP2 and SDC2 simultaneously in a single qPCR reaction, in detecting CRC and advanced adenomas (AA). METHOD One milliliter plasma of 122 CRC patients, 12 AA patients, 93 patients with benign polyps, and 91 normal individuals were collected from the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, and all samples were examined by SpecColon test. RESULTS The sensitivities for detecting AA and CRC by methylated SFRP2 alone were 50.0% (95% CI: 22.2-77.7%) and 63.1% (95% CI: 53.9-71.5%) with a specificity of 90.1% (95% CI: 81.6-95.1%). The sensitivities by methylated SDC2 alone were 33.3% (95% CI: 11.3-64.6%) and 56.6% (95% CI: 47.3-65.4%) with a specificity of 95.6% (95% CI: 88.5-98.6%). However, when methylated SFRP2 and methylated SDC2 were combined, the sensitivities for AA and CRC detection improved to 58.3% (95% CI: 28.6-83.5%) and 76.2% (95% CI: 67.5-83.3%) with a specificity of 87.9% (95% CI: 79.0-93.5%). The positive detection rates of benign polyp group and normal control group showed no significant difference (p > 0.01), whereas AA and CRC groups had significantly higher positive detection rates than normal individual group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION The sensitivities for AA and early stage CRC by combined test of methylated SFRP2 and methylated SDC2, the so called SpecColon test, improved upon those by either biomarker alone without significant impact on the specificity. It has the potential to become a powerful, convenient and highly effective screening tool for early CRC screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guodong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China; Zhejiang University Kunshan Biotechnology Laboratory, Zhejiang University Kunshan Innovation Institute, Kunshan, Jiangsu 215300, China; Suzhou VersaBio Technologies Co. Ltd., Kunshan, Jiangsu 215300, China
| | - Yong Ma
- Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
| | - Shiming Li
- Zhejiang University Kunshan Biotechnology Laboratory, Zhejiang University Kunshan Innovation Institute, Kunshan, Jiangsu 215300, China
| | - Yun Zhu
- Zhejiang University Kunshan Biotechnology Laboratory, Zhejiang University Kunshan Innovation Institute, Kunshan, Jiangsu 215300, China
| | - Xiaoyu Liu
- Zhejiang University Kunshan Biotechnology Laboratory, Zhejiang University Kunshan Innovation Institute, Kunshan, Jiangsu 215300, China
| | - Shangmin Xiong
- Zhejiang University Kunshan Biotechnology Laboratory, Zhejiang University Kunshan Innovation Institute, Kunshan, Jiangsu 215300, China; Suzhou VersaBio Technologies Co. Ltd., Kunshan, Jiangsu 215300, China
| | - Yi Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
| | - Jin Miao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
| | - Sujuan Fei
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China.
| | - Minxue Zheng
- Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China.
| | - Xiangwei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China.
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21
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Fan X, Song J, Zhao Z, Chen M, Tu J, Lu C, Wu F, Zhang D, Weng Q, Zheng L, Xu M, Ji J. Piplartine suppresses proliferation and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma by LINC01391-modulated Wnt/β-catenin pathway inactivation through ICAT. Cancer Lett 2019; 460:119-127. [PMID: 31207322 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2019.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Although piplartine is regarded as an anticancer agent, the relationship between long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are involved in various diseases (e.g., tumors) and piplartine in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. We identified LINC01391 using microarray analysis and validated its expression by qRT-PCR. Functional assays were applied to evaluate the biological effects of LINC01391 and inhibitory of β-catenin and T-cell factor (ICAT) on HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells. The binding relationship between LINC01391 and ICAT was determined by RNA pull-down and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP). Results showed that piplartine attenuated cell proliferation and invasion but promoted cell apoptosis. Upregulation of LINC01391 induced by piplartine inhibited HCC cell proliferation, invasion in vitro, and tumor growth in vivo. LINC01391 interacted with ICAT and promoted its inhibitory effect on the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, as enhanced interaction between β-catenin and ICAT, and dampened interaction of β-catenin and TCF/LEF were induced by overexpression of LINC01391. Knockdown of ICAT also promoted cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Our study supported a role for piplartine and LINC01391 in HCC treatment. We found that LINC01391 inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and suppressed tumor growth via ICAT.
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MESH Headings
- Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/genetics
- Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/metabolism
- Animals
- Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/pharmacology
- Apoptosis/drug effects
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/drug therapy
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/genetics
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/metabolism
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology
- Cell Movement/drug effects
- Cell Proliferation/drug effects
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Hep G2 Cells
- Humans
- Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Liver Neoplasms/genetics
- Liver Neoplasms/metabolism
- Liver Neoplasms/pathology
- Mice, Nude
- Neoplasm Invasiveness
- Piperidones/pharmacology
- RNA, Long Noncoding/genetics
- RNA, Long Noncoding/metabolism
- Tumor Burden/drug effects
- Wnt Signaling Pathway/drug effects
- Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxi Fan
- Key Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China; Department of Radiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China
| | - Jingjing Song
- Key Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China; Department of Radiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China
| | - Zhongwei Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China; Department of Radiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China
| | - Minjiang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China; Department of Radiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China
| | - Jianfei Tu
- Key Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China; Department of Radiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China
| | - Chenying Lu
- Key Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China; Department of Radiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China
| | - Fazong Wu
- Key Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China; Department of Radiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China
| | - Dengke Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China; Department of Radiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China
| | - Qiaoyou Weng
- Key Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China; Department of Radiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China
| | - Liyun Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China; Department of Radiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China
| | - Min Xu
- Key Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China; Department of Radiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China.
| | - Jiansong Ji
- Key Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China; Department of Radiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, Lishui, 323000, China.
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22
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Deng L, Sun J, Chen X, Liu L, Wu D. Nek2 augments sorafenib resistance by regulating the ubiquitination and localization of β-catenin in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2019; 38:316. [PMID: 31319849 PMCID: PMC6639974 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-019-1311-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sorafenib is the first-line treatment for advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Several studies have shown that the up-regulation of β-catenin plays a role in sorafenib resistance in HCC; however, the mechanism associated with this phenomenon remains elusive. METHODS Western blotting, flow cytometry, and an evaluation of IC50 values were used to confirm the role of β-catenin in HCC sorafenib resistance. Immunoprecipitation and western blotting were then performed to identify regulatory interactions between β-catenin and Nek2. Further, western blotting, flow cytometry, and an in vivo xenograft model were used to evaluate the function of Nek2 in HCC sorafenib resistance, whereas rescue experiments were performed to confirm that Nek2 induces sorafenib resistance via β-catenin. Finally, western blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate the expression level of Nek2 in paired HCC and non-tumor tissues. RESULTS We showed that β-catenin could suppress sorafenib-induced apoptosis and cell growth inhibition in HCC cell lines. By screening β-catenin-interacting proteins, we found that Nek2 could bind β-catenin in sorafenib-treated HCC cell lines. Our results also showed that Nek2 stabilizes β-catenin and promotes its translocation to the nucleus, consequently activating the transcription of downstream target genes. We further confirmed that Nek2 could induce sorafenib resistance in HCC cell lines, and that β-catenin was the key element involved in this process. Further, a xenograft tumor model showed that Nek2 knockdown could improve the anti-tumor effect of sorafenib, whereas an analysis of tumor proteins showed that Nek2 regulates β-catenin protein levels and its nuclear translocation in vivo. In addition, Nek2 was found to be up-regulated in HCC tissue, and especially in advanced-stage disease. CONCLUSIONS Our study proves that Nek2 induces HCC sorafenib resistance via β-catenin and suggests a novel therapeutic strategy to improve the anti-tumor effects of sorafenib in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Deng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515 China
| | - Jingyuan Sun
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515 China
| | - Xiaohui Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515 China
| | - Li Liu
- Hepatology Unit and Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhoudadaobei Road, Guangzhou, Guangzhou, 510515 China
| | - Dehua Wu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515 China
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23
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Wu JY, Shih YL, Lin SP, Hsieh TY, Lin YW. YC-1 Antagonizes Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Through the EBP1 p42 Isoform in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11050661. [PMID: 31086087 PMCID: PMC6562864 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11050661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Novel drugs targeting Wnt signaling are gradually being developed for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment. In this study, we used a Wnt-responsive Super-TOPflash (STF) luciferase reporter assay to screen a new compound targeting Wnt signaling. 3-(5'-Hydroxymethyl-2'-furyl)-1-benzylindazole (YC-1) was identified as a small molecule inhibitor of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Our coimmunoprecipitation (co-IP) data showed that YC-1 did not affect the β-catenin/TCF interaction. Then, by mass spectrometry, we identified the ErbB3 receptor-binding protein 1 (EBP1) interaction with the β-catenin/TCF complex upon YC-1 treatment. EBP1 encodes two splice isoforms, p42 and p48. We further demonstrated that YC-1 enhances p42 isoform binding to the β-catenin/TCF complex and reduces the transcriptional activity of the complex. The suppression of colony formation by YC-1 was significantly reversed after knockdown of both isoforms (p48 and p42); however, the inhibition of colony formation was maintained when only EBP1 p48 was silenced. Taken together, these results suggest that YC-1 treatment results in a reduction in Wnt-regulated transcription through EBP1 p42 and leads to the inhibition of tumor cell proliferation. These data imply that YC-1 is a drug that antagonizes Wnt/β-catenin signaling in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju-Yun Wu
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan.
| | - Yu-Lueng Shih
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan.
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan.
| | - Shih-Ping Lin
- Department and Graduate Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan.
| | - Tsai-Yuan Hsieh
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan.
| | - Ya-Wen Lin
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan.
- Department and Graduate Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan.
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan.
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24
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Li H, Wang Z, Zhao G, Ma Y, Chen Y, Xue Q, Zheng M, Fei S. Performance of a MethyLight assay for methylated SFRP2 DNA detection in colorectal cancer tissue and serum. Int J Biol Markers 2019; 34:54-59. [PMID: 30852954 DOI: 10.1177/1724600818820536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer is one of the five most common cancers in China, and its incidence is steadily increasing. An accurate and non-invasive screening method is needed to increase the population uptake of colorectal cancer screening. Secreted frizzled-related protein 2 ( SFRP2) has been found to be hypermethylated in most colorectal cancer patients, and it may fulfill the role of a non-invasive biomarker for colorectal cancer screening. METHODS Methylation status of SFRP2 was examined in 17 cancer tissues and paired adjacent paracancer tissues by a new SFRP2 MethyLight assay, which was also used to test the serum of 62 patients with colorectal cancer and 55 normal individuals. RESULTS The limit of detection of the SFRP2 MethyLight assay was about 200 pg per reaction. The SFRP2 methylation level was higher in 94.1% colorectal cancer tissues than in paired adjacent paracancer tissues ( P<0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of SFRP2 for detecting colorectal cancer in serum were 69.4% (95% confidence interval (CI) 56.2, 80.1%) and 87.3% (95% CI 74.9, 94.3%), respectively. CONCLUSION SFRP2 methylation in serum has the potential to be a non-invasive biomarker for colorectal cancer screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Li
- 1 Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhenzhen Wang
- 2 School of Medical Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Jiangsu, China.,3 Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou Jiangsu, China
| | - Guodong Zhao
- 4 Zhejiang University Kunshan Biotechnology Laboratory, Zhejiang University Kunshan Innovation Institute, Kunshan Jiangsu, China.,5 VersaBio Technologies Co. Ltd., Kunshan Jiangsu, China
| | - Yong Ma
- 3 Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou Jiangsu, China
| | - Ying Chen
- 2 School of Medical Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Jiangsu, China
| | - Qi Xue
- 6 Department of Medical Technology, College of Medicine, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan Hebei, China
| | - Minxue Zheng
- 3 Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou Jiangsu, China
| | - Sujuan Fei
- 1 Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Jiangsu, China
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25
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Qiu J, Liu D, Yan Z, Jiang W, Zhang Q, Li N, Deng W, Ding K. Therapeutic effect and adverse reaction of sorafenib in the treatment of advanced renal cancer. Oncol Lett 2019; 17:1547-1550. [PMID: 30675211 PMCID: PMC6341818 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.9776] [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: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Efficacy and safety of sorafenib in patients with advanced renal cancer were evaluated. Seventy-four patients with advanced renal cancer treated with sorafenib + interferon from January 2010 to August 2013 were included as the observation group. Another 53 renal cancer patients treated with interferon alone were included in the control group. Clinical data of those patients were retrospectively analyzed. Treatment plan: initial dose was 400 mg, twice a day. Additionally, patients in the interferon group were treated with another 300 MU every other day. Efficacy was evaluated according to RECIST criteria, and progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and incidence of adverse reactions were recorded. In the observation group, a median OS was 15.3 months (range, 9–60 months), and a median PFS was 8.2 months (range, 2–36 months). There were 4 cases of complete remission (CR) (5.41%), 16 cases of partial remission (PR) (21.62%), 42 cases of stable disease (SD) (56.76%), 12 cases of disease progression (16.22%), and disease control rate (DCR) was 83.78% (62 cases). In the control group, median OS time was 12.5 months (range, 8–60 months), and the median PFS time was 9.3 months (range, 2–40 months). There were 2 cases of CR (3.77%), 11 cases of PR (20.75%), 20 cases of SD (37.74%), 20 cases of disease progression (37.74%), and DCR was 62.26% (33 cases). Disease control rate in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). Main adverse events in the groups were skin reaction, fever, diarrhea, fatigue, rash, loss of appetite, hypertension, hair loss and liver function abnormality. Sorafenib-based targeted therapy for the treatment of advanced renal cancer has a higher rate of disease control, and the adverse reactions are controllable and tolerable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juhui Qiu
- Department of Urology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, P.R. China
| | - Dongjian Liu
- Department of Urology, Dongying People's Hospital, Dongying, Shandong 257091, P.R. China
| | - Zaichun Yan
- Department of Urology, Dongying People's Hospital, Dongying, Shandong 257091, P.R. China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Department of Urology, Dongying People's Hospital, Dongying, Shandong 257091, P.R. China
| | - Qinglei Zhang
- Department of Urology, Tengzhou Central People's Hospital, Zaozhuang, Shandong 277500, P.R. China
| | - Ning Li
- Department of Urology, Guangrao County Hospital of TCM, Dongying, Shandong 257300, P.R. China
| | - Wentao Deng
- Department of Urology, Dongying People's Hospital, Dongying, Shandong 257091, P.R. China
| | - Kejia Ding
- Department of Urology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, P.R. China
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26
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Huynh H, Ong R, Goh KY, Lee LY, Puehler F, Scholz A, Politz O, Mumberg D, Ziegelbauer K. Sorafenib/MEK inhibitor combination inhibits tumor growth and the Wnt/β‑catenin pathway in xenograft models of hepatocellular carcinoma. Int J Oncol 2019; 54:1123-1133. [PMID: 30747223 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2019.4693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations affecting the Wnt/β‑catenin pathway have been identified in 26‑40% of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases. Aberrant activation of this pathway leads to uncontrolled cell proliferation and survival. Thus, identifying Wnt/β‑catenin pathway inhibitors may benefit a subset of patients with HCC. In the present study, the effects of sorafenib and a MEK inhibitor on tumor growth and Wnt/β‑catenin signaling in HCC models were evaluated. A β‑catenin mutant and β‑catenin wild‑type HCC models were treated once daily with i) 10 mg/kg sorafenib, ii) 15 mg/kg refametinib (or 25 mg/kg selumetinib), or iii) sorafenib/refametinib. Western blotting was employed to determine changes in biomarkers relevant to Wnt/β‑catenin signaling. Apoptosis, cell proliferation and β‑catenin localization were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Sorafenib/refametinib markedly inhibited tumor growth and cell proliferation, and caused cell death in naïve and sorafenib‑resistant HCC models. Despite similar total β‑catenin levels, significant reductions in phosphorylated (p)‑RanBP3 Ser58, p‑β‑catenin Tyr142, active β‑catenin and β‑catenin target genes were observed in sorafenib/refametinib‑treated tumors. Greater levels of β‑catenin in sorafenib/refametinib‑treated tumors were accumulated at the membrane, as compared with in the control. In vitro, sorafenib/refametinib inhibited the Wnt/β‑catenin pathway and suppressed Wnt‑3A‑induced p‑low‑density lipoprotein receptor‑related protein 6 Ser1490, p‑RanBP3 Ser58 and p‑β‑catenin Tyr142 in HCC cells. Combination of sorafenib and refametinib inhibits the growth of naïve and sorafenib resistant HCC tumors in association with active suppression of β‑catenin signaling regardless of β‑catenin mutational status. Thus, the sorafenib/MEK inhibitor combination may represent an alternative treatment for patients with HCC whose tumors develop resistance to sorafenib therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hung Huynh
- Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology, Division of Molecular and Cellular Research, National Cancer Centre, Singapore 169610, Republic of Singapore
| | - Richard Ong
- Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology, Division of Molecular and Cellular Research, National Cancer Centre, Singapore 169610, Republic of Singapore
| | - Kah Yong Goh
- Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology, Division of Molecular and Cellular Research, National Cancer Centre, Singapore 169610, Republic of Singapore
| | - Liek Yeow Lee
- Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology, Division of Molecular and Cellular Research, National Cancer Centre, Singapore 169610, Republic of Singapore
| | | | - Arne Scholz
- R&D Pharmaceuticals, Bayer AG, D‑13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Oliver Politz
- R&D Pharmaceuticals, Bayer AG, D‑13353 Berlin, Germany
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27
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Fang F, VanCleave A, Helmuth R, Torres H, Rickel K, Wollenzien H, Sun H, Zeng E, Zhao J, Tao J. Targeting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in human osteosarcoma cells. Oncotarget 2018; 9:36780-36792. [PMID: 30613366 PMCID: PMC6298399 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.26377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant activation of Wnt signaling has been implicated in human osteosarcoma, which may provide a genetic vulnerability that can be targeted in osteosarcoma treatment. To test whether Wnt activation is necessary for osteosarcoma growth, colony formation, invasion, and metastasis, we treated human osteosarcoma cells with a small molecule inhibitor of Wnt/β-catenin, PRI-724, which suppresses Wnt/β-catenin-mediated transcription. We found increased protein levels of endogenous active-β-catenin in five human osteosarcoma cell lines. Treatment with PRI-724 was sufficient to inhibit human osteosarcoma 143B and SJSA-1 cell proliferation. Suppressed Wnt signaling was confirmed by decreased protein levels of the Wnt target Cyclin D1. Furthermore, we revealed significant inhibitory effects on cell migration, invasion, and colony formation in the human osteosarcoma cells. Using deposited data from next generation sequencing studies, we analyzed somatic mutations and gene expression of components in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. We found somatic mutations and upregulated gene expression of many components in the Wnt/ β-catenin pathway, indicating activated Wnt signaling. Taken together, our results illustrate the critical role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in human osteosarcoma pathogenesis and growth, as well as the therapeutic potential of Wnt inhibitors in the treatment of human osteosarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Fang
- Cancer Biology and Immunotherapies Group, Sanford Research, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
| | - Ashley VanCleave
- Cancer Biology and Immunotherapies Group, Sanford Research, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
| | - Ralph Helmuth
- Cancer Biology and Immunotherapies Group, Sanford Research, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
- BRIN Scholar from Dakota Wesleyan University, Sanford Research, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
| | - Haydee Torres
- Cancer Biology and Immunotherapies Group, Sanford Research, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA
| | - Kirby Rickel
- Cancer Biology and Immunotherapies Group, Sanford Research, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
| | - Hannah Wollenzien
- Cancer Biology and Immunotherapies Group, Sanford Research, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
- Basic Biomedical Sciences, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA
| | - Hongli Sun
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Erliang Zeng
- Departments of Preventive & Community Dentistry, Biomedical Engineering, and Biostatistics, Division of Biostatistics and Computational Biology of College of Dentistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Jing Zhao
- Population Health Group, Sanford Research, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
| | - Jianning Tao
- Cancer Biology and Immunotherapies Group, Sanford Research, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA
- Basic Biomedical Sciences, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
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28
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Wu G, Cao L, Zhu J, Tan Z, Tang M, Li Z, Hu Y, Yu R, Zhang S, Song L, Li J. Loss of RBMS3 Confers Platinum Resistance in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer via Activation of miR-126-5p/β-catenin/CBP signaling. Clin Cancer Res 2018; 25:1022-1035. [PMID: 30279231 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-18-2554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Revised: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The development of resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy remains the unsurmountable obstacle in cancer treatment and consequently leads to tumor relapse. This study aims to investigate the mechanism by which loss of RBMS3 induced chemoresistance in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN FISH and IHC were used to determine deletion frequency and expression of RBMS3 in 15 clinical EOC tissues and 150 clinicopathologically characterized EOC specimens. The effects of RBMS3 deletion and CBP/β-catenin antagonist PRI-724 in chemoresistance were examined by clone formation and Annexin V assays in vitro, and by intraperitoneal tumor model in vivo. The mechanism by which RBMS3 loss sustained activation of miR-126-5p/β-catenin/CBP signaling and the effects of RBMS3 and miR-126-5p competitively regulating DKK3, AXIN1, BACH1, and NFAT5 was explored using CLIP-seq, RIP, electrophoretic mobility shift, and immunoblotting and immunofluorescence assays. RESULTS Loss of RBMS3 in EOC was correlated with the overall and relapse-free survival. Genetic ablation of RBMS3 significantly enhanced, whereas restoration of RBMS3 reduced, the chemoresistance ability of EOC cells both in vitro and in vivo. RBMS3 inhibited β-catenin/CBP signaling through directly associating with and stabilizing multiple negative regulators, including DKK3, AXIN1, BACH1, and NFAT5, via competitively preventing the miR-126-5p-mediated repression of these transcripts. Importantly, cotherapy of CBP/β-catenin antagonist PRI-724 induced sensitization of RBMS3-deleted EOC to platinum therapy. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that genetic ablation of RBMS3 contributes to chemoresistance and PRI-724 may serve as a potential tailored treatment for patients with RBMS3-deleted EOC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geyan Wu
- RNA Biomedical Institute, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Lixue Cao
- RNA Biomedical Institute, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jinrong Zhu
- RNA Biomedical Institute, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhanyao Tan
- RNA Biomedical Institute, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Miaoling Tang
- RNA Biomedical Institute, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ziwen Li
- RNA Biomedical Institute, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yameng Hu
- RNA Biomedical Institute, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ruyuan Yu
- RNA Biomedical Institute, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shuxia Zhang
- RNA Biomedical Institute, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Libing Song
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jun Li
- RNA Biomedical Institute, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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Brown ZJ, Heinrich B, Greten TF. Mouse models of hepatocellular carcinoma: an overview and highlights for immunotherapy research. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2018; 15:536-554. [PMID: 29904153 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-018-0033-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Mouse models are the basis of preclinical and translational research in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Multiple methods exist to induce tumour formation in mice, including genetically engineered mouse models, chemotoxic agents, intrahepatic or intrasplenic injection of tumour cells and xenograft approaches. Additionally, as HCC generally develops in the context of diseased liver, methods exist to induce liver disease in mice to mimic viral hepatitis, fatty liver disease, fibrosis, alcohol-induced liver disease and cholestasis. Similar to HCC in humans, response to therapy in mouse models is monitored with imaging modalities such as CT or MRI, as well as additional techniques involving bioluminescence. As immunotherapy is increasingly applied to HCC, mouse models for these approaches are required for preclinical data. In studying cancer immunotherapy, it is important to consider aspects of antitumour immune responses and to produce a model that mimics the complexity of the immune system. This Review provides an overview of the different mouse models of HCC, presenting techniques to prepare an HCC mouse model and discussing different approaches to help researchers choose an appropriate model for a specific hypothesis. Specific aspects of immunotherapy research in HCC and the applied mouse models in this field are also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary J Brown
- Gastrointestinal Malignancy Section, Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Bernd Heinrich
- Gastrointestinal Malignancy Section, Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Tim F Greten
- Gastrointestinal Malignancy Section, Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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30
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Li P, Yu Z, He L, Zhou D, Xie S, Hou H, Geng X. Knockdown of FOXK1 inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Biomed Pharmacother 2018; 92:270-276. [PMID: 28551547 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.05.087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Revised: 05/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
FOXK1 (forkhead box k1), a member of the FOX family, is overexpressed in several types of solid tumors. However, the biological function of FOXK1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the expression status and functional roles of FOXK1 in HCC. Our results demonstrated that the expression of FOXK1 was significantly up-regulated in human HCC tissues and cell lines. In addition, down-regulation of FOXK1 suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cells in vitro, as well as attenuated tumor growth in nude mice model. We further elucidated that knockdown of FOXK1 down-regulated the protein expression levels of β-catenin, c-myc and cyclin D1 in HepG2 cells. In conclusion, the present study indicated that FOXK1 may act as an oncogene in human HCC, and knockdown of FOXK1 significantly inhibited HCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion, partly through the inactivation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. These findings suggest that FOXK1 may be a novel therapeutic target to treat HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peikun Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, PR China
| | - Zhongshan Yu
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, PR China
| | - Liang He
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, PR China
| | - Dachen Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, PR China
| | - Shengxue Xie
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, PR China
| | - Hui Hou
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, PR China
| | - Xiaoping Geng
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, PR China.
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31
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Li J, Duan B, Guo Y, Zhou R, Sun J, Bie B, Yang S, Huang C, Yang J, Li Z. Baicalein sensitizes hepatocellular carcinoma cells to 5-FU and Epirubicin by activating apoptosis and ameliorating P-glycoprotein activity. Biomed Pharmacother 2018; 98:806-812. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2017] [Revised: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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32
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Wang BM, Li N. Effect of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway on apoptosis, migration, and invasion of transplanted hepatocellular carcinoma cells after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in rats. J Cell Biochem 2018; 119:4050-4060. [PMID: 29232009 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.26576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the influence of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway on apoptosis, migration, and invasion of transplanted hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in rat models. A total of 80 rats were grouped into sham, TACE, Wnt-C59, and TACE + Wnt-C59 groups (n = 20). Ten days after model establishment, 10 rats in each group were executed to perform pathological examination and follow-up experiment, and the remaining 10 rats in each group were reared to observe the survival condition. RT-qPCR and Western blotting were applied to determine the expressions of Wnt1, β-catenin, cyclin D1, c-met, vimentin, E-cadherin, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). ELISA was performed to measure the serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) content of rats. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate cell apoptosis rate and transwell assay to examine cell migration and invasion. Compared with the TACE group, the Wnt-C59 and TACE + Wnt-C59 groups showed increased apoptosis and survival time (the TACE + Wnt-C59 group > the Wnt-C59 group). Compared with the sham group, the TACE + Wnt-C59 groups showed decreased cancer tissue weight and expressions of Wnt1, β-catenin, cyclin D1, vimentin, c-met, and VEGF, but increased E-cadherin expression. Compared with the TACE group, the Wnt-C59 and TACE + Wnt-C59 groups showed decreased AFP level, migration, and invasion (the TACE + Wnt-C59 group < the Wnt-C59 group). These findings indicate inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway improves therapeutic effect on TACE via suppressing migration, invasion, and promoting apoptosis of transplanted HCC cells in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao-Ming Wang
- Interventional Department, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, P. R. China
| | - Nuo Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, P. R. China
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Identification of WT1 as determinant of heptatocellular carcinoma and its inhibition by Chinese herbal medicine Salvia chinensis Benth and its active ingredient protocatechualdehyde. Oncotarget 2017; 8:105848-105859. [PMID: 29285297 PMCID: PMC5739684 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.22406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2017] [Accepted: 09/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Candidates from Chinese herbal Medicine might be preferable in drug discovery as the abundant experiences of traditional use usually hint the clinical efficacy. In this study, we screened the anti-tumour effect of several commonly used Chinese herbal Medicines on human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HCC). We identified that Salvia chinensia Benth. (Shijianchuan in Chinese, SJC) exhibited prominent in vitro inhibition of HCC cells and suppressed the orthotopic growth of HCC in the liver of mice and repressed the lung metastasis of tumour cells. Using a pathway-specific PCR array and Gene Ontology analysis, we identified that Wnt/β-catenin pathway was associated with the suppressive effect of SJC on HCC cell proliferation and cell cycle progression. SJC repressed transcription activity of Wnt/β-catenin pathway and reduced expression of β-catenin in GSK-3β-independent but promoter-specific transcription inhibition mechanism. The suppressive effect of SJC on β-catenin expression and its transcription activity was associated with Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1) protein. WT1 was overexpressed in HCC tissues, and was negatively correlated to the overall survival of HCC patients. WT1 promoted proliferation and invasion of HCC cells, as well as β-catenin-dependent transcription activation of Wnt products, while knockdown of WT1 had the opposite effect. Docking experiment revealed that protocatechualdehyde (PCA) might be the active component of the herb. PCA suppressed transcription activity of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in WT1-dependent manner. Our study sheds light on the potential of PCA from commonly used anti-cancer Chinese herbal Medicine SJC as a lead compound targeting WT1 in the discovery of anti-HCC drugs.
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Chen S, Wang L, Yao X, Chen H, Xu C, Tong L, Shah A, Huang T, Chen G, Chen J, Liu TL, Li XT, Zheng JH, Li L. miR-195-5p is critical in REGγ-mediated regulation of wnt/β-catenin pathway in renal cell carcinoma. Oncotarget 2017; 8:63986-64000. [PMID: 28969047 PMCID: PMC5609979 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.19256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most prevalent malignancy of kidney and accounts for approximately 4% of all cancer diagnoses in adults. Previous studies demonstrated microRNA-195-5p (miR-195-5p) as a tumor suppressor which is deregulated in many human cancers. However, the role of miR-195-5p in RCC is largely unknown. In the present study, we demonstrated that miR-195-5p was downregulated and negatively correlated with advanced clinical stage in RCC. Overexpression of miR-195-5p significantly suppressed RCC cells growth in vitro and in vivo, induced apoptosis and enhanced chemosensitivity to sorafenib. Conversely, suppression of miR-195-5p exhibited a reverse effect. REGγ, a proteasome activator, was identified as a novel downstream target of miR-195-5p in RCC. Knockdown of REGγ inhibited proliferation, induced apoptosis, increased sorafenib chemosensitivity and suppressed the wnt/β-catenin pathway in RCC cells. Moreover, restoration of REGγ markedly abolished the effects of miR-195-5p in RCC, and the wnt/β-catenin pathway was suppressed by miR-195-5p overexpression while activated by miR-195-5p inhibition in RCC cells. Our findings suggest that miR-195-5p is critical in REGγ-mediated regulation of wnt/β-catenin pathway in RCC development and may serve as a novel target for RCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaojun Chen
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Longsheng Wang
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Xudong Yao
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Hui Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Chen Xu
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Lu Tong
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Abdussaboor Shah
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Tingmei Huang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Geng Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Jiwei Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Tie-Long Liu
- Department of Orthopedic Oncology, Changzheng Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200003, China
| | - Xiao-Tao Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Jun-Hua Zheng
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Lei Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
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Zheng Y, Jiang L, Hu Y, Xiao C, Xu N, Zhou J, Zhou X. Metallothionein 1H (MT1H) functions as a tumor suppressor in hepatocellular carcinoma through regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. BMC Cancer 2017; 17:161. [PMID: 28241806 PMCID: PMC5330125 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-017-3139-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2016] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metallothionein 1H (MT1H) expression level is downregulated in several kinds of tumors, including hepatocellular cancer (HCC). However, its biological functions and underlying mechanisms in HCC is largely unknown. The current study aimed to demonstrate the expression status, biological roles and potential mechanisms of MT1H in HCC. METHODS We investigated the expression level of MT1H in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset and a panel of 12 paired tumor/non-tumor tissues. In vitro, gain-of-function experiments were performed to examine the role of MT1H on HCC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. Using bioinformatics assay, reporter assays, quantitative real-time PCR, and western blotting, we explored the possible mechanisms underlying the role of MT1H in HCC cells. In vivo nude mice experiments were performed to assess the anti-proliferative role of MT1H in HCC. RESULTS Downregulation of MT1H was observed in TCGA dataset and a panel of 12 paired tumor/non-tumor tissues. Ectopic overexpression of MT1H in HepG2 and Hep3B cells inhibited cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) showed that MT1H might involve in regulation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Top/Fop reporter assay confirmed that MT1H had an effect on Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Real-time PCR showed MT1H expression decreased the expression of Wnt/β-catenin target genes. Western blotting assay showed that overexpression of MT1H inhibited the nuclear translocation of β-catenin and that the Akt/GSK-3β axis mediated the modulatory role of MT1H on Wnt/β-catenin signaling in HCC. In vivo nude mice experiments demonstrated that MT1H suppressed the proliferation of HCC cells. Taken together, MT1H suppressed the proliferation, invasion and migration of HCC cells via regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that through inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin pathway, MT1H suppresses the proliferation and invasion of HCC cells. MT1H may be a potential target for HCC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulong Zheng
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Lihua Jiang
- Department of Neurology, The Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 31006, China
| | - Yongxian Hu
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Cheng Xiao
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Nong Xu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Jianying Zhou
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, China.
| | - Xinhui Zhou
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, China.
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36
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Liu Y, Zhou Q, Zhou D, Huang C, Meng X, Li J. Secreted frizzled-related protein 2-mediated cancer events: Friend or foe? Pharmacol Rep 2017; 69:403-408. [PMID: 28273499 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharep.2017.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Revised: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Secreted frizzled-related protein (SFRP)2, an identified member of the SFRPs family of molecules, is often methylated in human cancers and its down-regulation is closely related to Wnt signaling activity and tumor progression. Although the blocker of the Wnt signaling has not been fully used in clinical trial, interest has been further enhanced by the realization of SFRPs' potential as targets to modulate Wnt signaling and cancer cell growth. Emerging evidence showed that SFRP2 was an anti-oncogene, however, a steady flow of research has indicated that it may also have tumor promotion effects in some cancer types. Furthermore, SFRP2 methylation was shown to accelerate cancer cell invasion and growth in tumor progression. In this review, we define recent understanding of the diverse roles of SFRP2 in tumorigenesis, and it might promote the development of novel drugs for curing cancer by targeting SFRP2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhui Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Qun Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Dexi Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Cheng Huang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Xiaoming Meng
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Jun Li
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Hefei 230032, China.
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Wang A, Qu L, Wang L. At the crossroads of cancer stem cells and targeted therapy resistance. Cancer Lett 2017; 385:87-96. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2016.10.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Revised: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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