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Favero A, Segatto I, Capuano A, Mattevi MC, Rampioni Vinciguerra GL, Musco L, D'Andrea S, Dall'Acqua A, Gava C, Perin T, Massarut S, Marchini C, Baldassarre G, Spessotto P, Belletti B. Loss of the extracellular matrix glycoprotein EMILIN1 accelerates Δ16HER2-driven breast cancer initiation in mice. NPJ Breast Cancer 2024; 10:5. [PMID: 38184660 PMCID: PMC10771445 DOI: 10.1038/s41523-023-00608-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is an important component of the tumor microenvironment and undergoes extensive remodeling during both initiation and progression of breast cancer (BC). EMILIN1 is an ECM glycoprotein, whose function has been linked to cancer and metastasis. However, EMILIN1 role during mammary gland and BC development has never been investigated. In silico and molecular analyses of human samples from normal mammary gland and BC showed that EMILIN1 expression was lower in tumors than in healthy mammary tissue and it predicted poor prognosis, particularly in HER2-positive BC. HER2+ BC accounts for 15-20% of all invasive BC and is characterized by high aggressiveness and poor prognosis. The Δ16HER2 isoform, a splice variant with very high oncogenic potential, is frequently expressed in HER2+ BC and correlates with metastatic disease. To elucidate the role of EMILIN1 in BC, we analyzed the phenotype of MMTV-Δ16HER2 transgenic mice, developing spontaneous multifocal mammary adenocarcinomas, crossed with EMILIN1 knock-out (KO) animals. We observed that Δ16HER2/EMILIN1 KO female mice exhibited an accelerated normal mammary gland development and a significantly anticipated appearance of palpable tumors (13.32 vs 15.28 weeks). This accelerated tumor initiation was corroborated by an increased number of tumor foci observed in mammary glands from Δ16HER2/EMILIN1 KO mice compared to the wild-type counterpart. Altogether our results underscore the centrality of ECM in the process of BC initiation and point to a role for EMILIN1 during normal mammary gland development and in protecting from HER2-driven breast tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Favero
- Unit of Molecular Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO) di Aviano, IRCCS, National Cancer Institute, 33081, Aviano, Italy
| | - Ilenia Segatto
- Unit of Molecular Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO) di Aviano, IRCCS, National Cancer Institute, 33081, Aviano, Italy
| | - Alessandra Capuano
- Unit of Molecular Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO) di Aviano, IRCCS, National Cancer Institute, 33081, Aviano, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Mattevi
- Unit of Molecular Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO) di Aviano, IRCCS, National Cancer Institute, 33081, Aviano, Italy
| | - Gian Luca Rampioni Vinciguerra
- Unit of Molecular Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO) di Aviano, IRCCS, National Cancer Institute, 33081, Aviano, Italy
- Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, University of Rome "Sapienza", Santo Andrea Hospital, 00189, Rome, Italy
| | - Lorena Musco
- Unit of Molecular Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO) di Aviano, IRCCS, National Cancer Institute, 33081, Aviano, Italy
| | - Sara D'Andrea
- Unit of Molecular Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO) di Aviano, IRCCS, National Cancer Institute, 33081, Aviano, Italy
| | - Alessandra Dall'Acqua
- Unit of Molecular Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO) di Aviano, IRCCS, National Cancer Institute, 33081, Aviano, Italy
| | - Chiara Gava
- Unit of Molecular Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO) di Aviano, IRCCS, National Cancer Institute, 33081, Aviano, Italy
- Medical Department, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Tiziana Perin
- Unit of Pathology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO) di Aviano, IRCCS, National Cancer Institute, 33081, Aviano, Italy
| | - Samuele Massarut
- Unit of Breast Surgery, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO) di Aviano, IRCCS, National Cancer Institute, 33081, Aviano, Italy
| | - Cristina Marchini
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, Biology Division, University of Camerino, via Gentile III da Varano, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - Gustavo Baldassarre
- Unit of Molecular Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO) di Aviano, IRCCS, National Cancer Institute, 33081, Aviano, Italy
| | - Paola Spessotto
- Unit of Molecular Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO) di Aviano, IRCCS, National Cancer Institute, 33081, Aviano, Italy
| | - Barbara Belletti
- Unit of Molecular Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO) di Aviano, IRCCS, National Cancer Institute, 33081, Aviano, Italy.
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Andreani C, Bartolacci C, Persico G, Casciaro F, Amatori S, Fanelli M, Giorgio M, Galié M, Tomassoni D, Wang J, Zhang X, Bick G, Coppari R, Marchini C, Amici A. SIRT6 promotes metastasis and relapse in HER2-positive breast cancer. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22000. [PMID: 38081972 PMCID: PMC10713583 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49199-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The histone deacetylase sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) has been endowed with anti-cancer capabilities in many tumor types. Here, we investigate the impact of SIRT6-overexpression (SIRT6-OE) in Delta16HER2 mice, which are a bona fide model of HER2-positive breast cancer. After an initial delay in the tumor onset, SIRT6-OE induces a more aggressive phenotype of Delta16HER2 tumors promoting the formation of higher number of tumor foci and metastases than controls. This phenotype of SIRT6-OE tumors is associated with cancer stem cell (CSC)-like features and tumor dormancy, and low senescence and oxidative DNA damage. Accordingly, a sub-set of HER2-positive breast cancer patients with concurrent SIRT6-OE has a significant poorer relapse-free survival (RFS) probability than patients with low expression of SIRT6. ChIP-seq, RNA-seq and RT-PCR experiments indicate that SIRT6-OE represses the expression of the T-box transcription factor 3 (Tbx3) by deacetylation of H3K9ac. Accordingly, loss-of-function mutations of TBX3 or low TBX3 expression levels are predictive of poor prognosis in HER2-positive breast cancer patients. Our work indicates that high levels of SIRT6 are indicative of poor prognosis and high risk of metastasis in HER2-positive breast cancer and suggests further investigation of TBX3 as a downstream target of SIRT6 and co-marker of poor-prognosis. Our results point to a breast cancer subtype-specific effect of SIRT6 and warrant future studies dissecting the mechanisms of SIRT6 regulation in different breast cancer subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Andreani
- Department of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy.
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, 45219, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| | - Caterina Bartolacci
- Department of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, 45219, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Giuseppe Persico
- Department of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS-European Institute of Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139, Milano, Italy
| | - Francesca Casciaro
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Stefano Amatori
- Molecular Pathology Laboratory "PaoLa", Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, 61032, Fano, Italy
| | - Mirco Fanelli
- Molecular Pathology Laboratory "PaoLa", Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, 61032, Fano, Italy
| | - Marco Giorgio
- Department of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS-European Institute of Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139, Milano, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Mirco Galié
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement, Section of Anatomy and Histology, University of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Daniele Tomassoni
- Department of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - Junbiao Wang
- Department of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - Xiaoting Zhang
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati, 45219, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Gregory Bick
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati, 45219, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Roberto Coppari
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
- Diabetes Center of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Cristina Marchini
- Department of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy.
| | - Augusto Amici
- Department of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy
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Shang Y, Mo J, Huo R, Li X, Fang G, Wei Z, Gu G, Zhu X, Zhang C, Liu C, Yan D. Investigation of the prevalence and clinical implications of ERBB2 exon 16 skipping mutations in Chinese pan-cancer patients. Front Oncol 2023; 12:1064598. [PMID: 36686783 PMCID: PMC9859631 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1064598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Although rare, ERBB2 exon 16 skipping mutations (ERBB2ΔEx16) have been implicated in resistance to anti-HER2 and anti-EGFR targeted agents. Our study investigated the prevalence and clinical significance of ERBB2ΔEx16 in Chinese pan-cancer patients. Methods We retrospectively screened 40996 patients, spanning 19 cancer types, who had available genomic profiles acquired with DNA-based next-generation sequencing (NGS). We characterized the clinical and molecular features of the ERBB2ΔEx16-positive patients. Furthermore, we also analyzed a pan-cancer dataset from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA; n=8705). Results A total of 22 patients were detected with ERBB2ΔEx16, resulting in an overall prevalence rate of 0.054% (22/40996). Of them, 16 patients had lung cancer (LC; 0.05%, 16/30890), five patients had gastric cancer (GC; 0.35%, 5/1448), and one patient had ovarian cancer (0.12%, 1/826). Among the 16 LC patients, ERBB2ΔEx16 was detected in four treatment-naïve EGFR/ALK-negative patients and 12 EGFR-positive patients after the onset of resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). The treatment-naïve patients harbored no LC-associated oncogenic drivers except ERBB2 amplification, suggesting a potential oncogenic role for ERBB2ΔEx16. Consistently, ERBB2ΔEx16+ patients from TCGA data also carried no known drivers despite various concurrent alterations. In the 12 EGFR TKI-resistant LC patients, relative variant frequencies for ERBB2ΔEx16 were lower than in untreated patients, suggesting ERBB2ΔEx16 as secondary alterations following TKI treatment and thereby implicating ERBB2ΔEx16 in mediating therapeutic resistance. Conclusions Our study identified an overall ERBB2ΔEx16 prevalence rate of 0.054% and provided insights into the clinical implications of ERBB2ΔEx16 in Chinese pan-cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhong Shang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Cancer Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy, Baoding, China
| | - Jianming Mo
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ran Huo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Cancer Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy, Baoding, China
| | - Xiaofang Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Cancer Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy, Baoding, China
| | - Guotao Fang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Cancer Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy, Baoding, China
| | - Zichun Wei
- Thoracic Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Guomin Gu
- Second Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
| | - Xiaodan Zhu
- Second Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
| | - Chan Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Chunling Liu
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xinjiang Medical, Urumqi, China,*Correspondence: Dong Yan, ; Chunling Liu,
| | - Dong Yan
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Dong Yan, ; Chunling Liu,
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Protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance in malignant tumors: molecular mechanisms and future perspective. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:329. [PMID: 36115852 PMCID: PMC9482625 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01168-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractProtein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) are a class of proteins with tyrosine kinase activity that phosphorylate tyrosine residues of critical molecules in signaling pathways. Their basal function is essential for maintaining normal cell growth and differentiation. However, aberrant activation of PTKs caused by various factors can deviate cell function from the expected trajectory to an abnormal growth state, leading to carcinogenesis. Inhibiting the aberrant PTK function could inhibit tumor growth. Therefore, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), target-specific inhibitors of PTKs, have been used in treating malignant tumors and play a significant role in targeted therapy of cancer. Currently, drug resistance is the main reason for limiting TKIs efficacy of cancer. The increasing studies indicated that tumor microenvironment, cell death resistance, tumor metabolism, epigenetic modification and abnormal metabolism of TKIs were deeply involved in tumor development and TKI resistance, besides the abnormal activation of PTK-related signaling pathways involved in gene mutations. Accordingly, it is of great significance to study the underlying mechanisms of TKIs resistance and find solutions to reverse TKIs resistance for improving TKIs efficacy of cancer. Herein, we reviewed the drug resistance mechanisms of TKIs and the potential approaches to overcome TKI resistance, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for improving the efficacy of TKIs.
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HER2-Displaying M13 Bacteriophages induce Therapeutic Immunity against Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14164054. [PMID: 36011047 PMCID: PMC9406369 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14164054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The high incidence and death rates of breast cancer make the development of new therapies an urgent need. The introduction into the clinic of the anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody trastuzumab considerably improved the overall survival and time-to-disease progression of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. However, many patients do not benefit from it because of resistance to therapy. Cancer vaccines, by inducing into the patient an anti-cancer specific immunity, might represent an alternative immunotherapeutic approach, but despite promises, so far no anti-HER2 cancer vaccine has been approved for human use. In this study, we propose therapeutic phage-based vaccines, against HER2 and its aggressive isoform Δ16HER2, able to elicit a protective immunity and potentially capable of preventing relapse in HER2-positive breast cancer patients, even in those who develop trastuzumab resistance. Abstract The advent of trastuzumab has significantly improved the prognosis of HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer patients; nevertheless, drug resistance limits its clinical benefit. Anti-HER2 active immunotherapy represents an attractive alternative strategy, but effective immunization needs to overcome the patient’s immune tolerance against the self-HER2. Phage display technology, taking advantage of phage intrinsic immunogenicity, permits one to generate effective cancer vaccines able to break immune tolerance to self-antigens. In this study, we demonstrate that both preventive and therapeutic vaccination with M13 bacteriophages, displaying the extracellular (EC) and transmembrane (TM) domains of human HER2 or its Δ16HER2 splice variant on their surface (ECTM and Δ16ECTM phages), delayed mammary tumor onset and reduced tumor growth rate and multiplicity in ∆16HER2 transgenic mice, which are tolerant to human ∆16HER2. This antitumor protection correlated with anti-HER2 antibody production. The molecular mechanisms underlying the anticancer effect of vaccine-elicited anti-HER2 antibodies were analyzed in vitro against BT-474 human breast cancer cells, sensitive or resistant to trastuzumab. Immunoglobulins (IgG) purified from immune sera reduced cell viability mainly by impairing ERK phosphorylation and reactivating retinoblastoma protein function in both trastuzumab-sensitive and -resistant BT-474 cells. In conclusion, we demonstrated that phage-based HER2 vaccines impair mammary cancer onset and progression, opening new perspectives for HER2+ breast cancer treatment.
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HER2-PI9 and HER2-I12: two novel and functionally active splice variants of the oncogene HER2 in breast cancer. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2021; 147:2893-2912. [PMID: 34136934 PMCID: PMC8397700 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-021-03689-1] [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: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
In this study, two novel alternative splice variants of HER2, named HER2-PI9 and HER2-I12, were identified in breast cancer cell lines and breast tumour tissues. Whilst HER2-P19 arises from the inclusion of an 117 bp cassette-exon of intron 9 of HER2, HER2-I12 results from intron 12 inclusion. In silico analyses were performed to predict the amino acid sequences of these two HER2 novel variants. To confirm their protein expression, plasmid vectors were generated and transfected into the HER2 negative breast cancer cell line, MCF-7. Additionally, their functional properties in oncogenic signalling were confirmed. Expression of HER2-PI9 and HER2-I12 was successful and matched the in silico predictions. Importantly, these splice variants can modulate the phosphorylation levels of extracellular signal-related kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and Akt/protein kinase B (Akt) signalling in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Enhanced cellular proliferation, migration and invasion were observed in the case of the HER2-I12 expressing model. In human tissues and breast carcinoma tumours both variants were present. This study reveals two novel splice variants of HER2. Additionally, the potential biological activity for HER2-PI9 and HER2-I12 in breast cancer cells is also reported..
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Hart V, Gautrey H, Kirby J, Tyson-Capper A. HER2 splice variants in breast cancer: investigating their impact on diagnosis and treatment outcomes. Oncotarget 2020; 11:4338-4357. [PMID: 33245725 PMCID: PMC7679030 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Overexpression of the HER2 receptor occurs in approximately 20% of breast cancer patients. HER2 positivity is associated with poor prognosis and aggressive tumour phenotypes, which led to rapid progress in HER2 targeted therapeutics and diagnostic testing. Whilst these advances have greatly increased patients' chances of survival, resistance to HER2 targeted therapies, be that intrinsic or acquired, remains a problem. Different forms of the HER2 protein exist within tumours in tandem and can display altered biological activities. Interest in HER2 variants in breast cancer increased when links between resistance to anti-HER2 therapies and a particular variant, Δ16-HER2, were identified. Moreover, the P100 variant potentially reduces the efficacy of the anti-HER2 therapy trastuzumab. Another variant, Herstatin, exhibits 'auto-inhibitory' behaviour. More recently, new HER2 variants have been identified and are currently being assessed for their pro- and anti-cancer properties. It is important when directing the care of patients to consider HER2 variants collectively. This review considers HER2 variants in the context of the tumour environment where multiple variants are co-expressed at altered ratios. This study also provides an up to date account of the landscape of HER2 variants and links this to patterns of resistance against HER2 therapies and treatment plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vic Hart
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Hannah Gautrey
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - John Kirby
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Alison Tyson-Capper
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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Canonical ErbB-2 isoform and ErbB-2 variant c located in the nucleus drive triple negative breast cancer growth. Oncogene 2020; 39:6245-6262. [PMID: 32843720 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-01430-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) refers to tumors that do not express clinically significant levels of estrogen and progesterone receptors, and lack membrane overexpression or gene amplification of ErbB-2/HER2, a receptor tyrosine kinase. Transcriptome and proteome heterogeneity of TNBC poses a major challenge to precision medicine. Clinical biomarkers and targeted therapies for this disease remain elusive, so chemotherapy has been the standard of care for early and metastatic TNBC. Our present findings placed ErbB-2 in an unanticipated scenario: the nucleus of TNBC (NErbB-2). Our study on ErbB-2 alternative splicing events, using a PCR-sequencing approach combined with an RNA interference strategy, revealed that TNBC cells express either the canonical (wild-type) ErbB-2, encoded by transcript variant 1, or the non-canonical ErbB-2 isoform c, encoded by alternative variant 3 (RefSeq), or both. These ErbB-2 isoforms function in the nucleus as transcription factors. Evicting both from the nucleus or silencing isoform c only, blocks TN cell and tumor growth. This reveals not only NErbB-2 canonical and alternative isoforms role as targets of therapy in TNBC, but also isoform c dominant oncogenic potential. Furthermore, we validated our findings in the clinic and observed that NErbB-2 correlates with poor prognosis in primary TN tumors, disclosing NErbB-2 as a novel biomarker for TNBC. Our discoveries challenge the present scenario of drug development for personalized BC medicine that focuses on wild-type RefSeq proteins, which conserve the canonical domains and are located in their classical cellular compartments.
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Wang J, Iannarelli R, Pucciarelli S, Laudadio E, Galeazzi R, Giangrossi M, Falconi M, Cui L, Navia AM, Buccioni M, Marucci G, Tomassoni D, Serini L, Sut S, Maggi F, Dall'Acqua S, Marchini C, Amici A. Acetylshikonin isolated from Lithospermum erythrorhizon roots inhibits dihydrofolate reductase and hampers autochthonous mammary carcinogenesis in Δ16HER2 transgenic mice. Pharmacol Res 2020; 161:105123. [PMID: 32822867 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.105123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in women and, among different BC subtypes, triple negative (TN) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive BCs have the worst prognosis. In this study, we investigated the anticancer activity of the root ethanolic and hexane extracts from Lithospermum erythrorhizon, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine known also as tzu ts'ao or tzu-ken, against in vitro and in vivo models of TNBC and HER2-positive BC. Treatment with L. erythrorhizon root extracts resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of BC cell viability and in a significant reduction of the growth of TNBC cells transplanted in syngeneic mice. Acetylshikonin, a naphthoquinone, was identified as the main bioactive component in extracts and was responsible for the observed antitumor activity, being able to decrease BC cell viability and to interfere with autochthonous mammary carcinogenesis in Δ16HER2 transgenic mice. Acetylshikonin anticancer effect depends on its ability to act as a potent inhibitor of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), to down-regulate key mediators governing cancer growth and progression, such as HER2, Src and STAT3, and to induce apoptosis by caspase-3 activation. The accumulation of acetylshikonin in blood samples as well as in brain, kidney, liver and tumor tissues was also investigated by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) highlighting that L. erythrorhizon treatment is effective in delivering the active compound into the target tissues. These results provide evidence that L. erythrorhizon extract and in particular its main component acetylshikonin are effective against aggressive BC subtypes and reveal new acetylshikonin mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junbiao Wang
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | | | - Stefania Pucciarelli
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - Emiliano Laudadio
- Dipartimento Scienze e Ingegneria della Materia, dell'Ambiente ed Urbanistica, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, 60128, Italy
| | - Roberta Galeazzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, 60128, Italy
| | - Mara Giangrossi
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - Maurizio Falconi
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - Lishan Cui
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | | | - Michela Buccioni
- School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | | | - Daniele Tomassoni
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - Laura Serini
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - Stefania Sut
- DAFNAE Dipartimento di Agronomia, Animali, Alimenti, Risorse naturali e Ambiente, University of Padova, 35020, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Filippo Maggi
- School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - Stefano Dall'Acqua
- DSF Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, 35121, Padova, Italy.
| | - Cristina Marchini
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy.
| | - Augusto Amici
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy
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Crosby EJ, Acharya CR, Haddad AF, Rabiola CA, Lei G, Wei JP, Yang XY, Wang T, Liu CX, Wagner KU, Muller WJ, Chodosh LA, Broadwater G, Hyslop T, Shepherd JH, Hollern DP, He X, Perou CM, Chai S, Ashby BK, Vincent BG, Snyder JC, Force J, Morse MA, Lyerly HK, Hartman ZC. Stimulation of Oncogene-Specific Tumor-Infiltrating T Cells through Combined Vaccine and αPD-1 Enable Sustained Antitumor Responses against Established HER2 Breast Cancer. Clin Cancer Res 2020; 26:4670-4681. [PMID: 32732224 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-20-0389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Despite promising advances in breast cancer immunotherapy, augmenting T-cell infiltration has remained a significant challenge. Although neither individual vaccines nor immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) have had broad success as monotherapies, we hypothesized that targeted vaccination against an oncogenic driver in combination with ICB could direct and enable antitumor immunity in advanced cancers. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Our models of HER2+ breast cancer exhibit molecular signatures that are reflective of advanced human HER2+ breast cancer, with a small numbers of neoepitopes and elevated immunosuppressive markers. Using these, we vaccinated against the oncogenic HER2Δ16 isoform, a nondriver tumor-associated gene (GFP), and specific neoepitopes. We further tested the effect of vaccination or anti-PD-1, alone and in combination. RESULTS We found that only vaccination targeting HER2Δ16, a driver of oncogenicity and HER2-therapeutic resistance, could elicit significant antitumor responses, while vaccines targeting a nondriver tumor-specific antigen or tumor neoepitopes did not. Vaccine-induced HER2-specific CD8+ T cells were essential for responses, which were more effective early in tumor development. Long-term tumor control of advanced cancers occurred only when HER2Δ16 vaccination was combined with αPD-1. Single-cell RNA sequencing of tumor-infiltrating T cells revealed that while vaccination expanded CD8 T cells, only the combination of vaccine with αPD-1 induced functional gene expression signatures in those CD8 T cells. Furthermore, we show that expanded clones are HER2-reactive, conclusively demonstrating the efficacy of this vaccination strategy in targeting HER2. CONCLUSIONS Combining oncogenic driver targeted vaccines with selective ICB offers a rational paradigm for precision immunotherapy, which we are clinically evaluating in a phase II trial (NCT03632941).
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika J Crosby
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, Duke University, Durham North Carolina
| | - Chaitanya R Acharya
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, Duke University, Durham North Carolina
| | - Anthony-Fayez Haddad
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, Duke University, Durham North Carolina
| | - Christopher A Rabiola
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, Duke University, Durham North Carolina
| | - Gangjun Lei
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, Duke University, Durham North Carolina
| | - Jun-Ping Wei
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, Duke University, Durham North Carolina
| | - Xiao-Yi Yang
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, Duke University, Durham North Carolina
| | - Tao Wang
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, Duke University, Durham North Carolina
| | - Cong-Xiao Liu
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, Duke University, Durham North Carolina
| | - Kay U Wagner
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, Michigan
| | - William J Muller
- Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine, Goodman Cancer Center, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec
| | - Lewis A Chodosh
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Gloria Broadwater
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Terry Hyslop
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Jonathan H Shepherd
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Daniel P Hollern
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Xiaping He
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Charles M Perou
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Shengjie Chai
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Benjamin K Ashby
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Benjamin G Vincent
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Computational Medicine Program, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Joshua C Snyder
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, Duke University, Durham North Carolina.,Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Jeremy Force
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Michael A Morse
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Herbert K Lyerly
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, Duke University, Durham North Carolina.,Department of Immunology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.,Department of Pathology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Zachary C Hartman
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, Duke University, Durham North Carolina. .,Department of Pathology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
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11
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Hess KL, Jewell CM. Phage display as a tool for vaccine and immunotherapy development. Bioeng Transl Med 2020; 5:e10142. [PMID: 31989033 PMCID: PMC6971447 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria and coopt the cellular machinery to create more phage proteins, eventually resulting in the release of new phage particles. Phages are heavily utilized in bioengineering for applications ranging from tissue engineering scaffolds to immune signal delivery. Of specific interest to vaccines and immunotherapies, phages have demonstrated an ability to activate both the innate and adaptive immune systems. The genome of these viral particles can be harnessed for DNA vaccination, or the surface proteins can be exploited for antigen display. More specifically, genes that encode an antigen of interest can be spliced into the phage genome, allowing antigenic proteins or peptides to be displayed by fusion to phage capsid proteins. Phages therefore present antigens to immune cells in a highly ordered and repetitive manner. This review discusses the use of phage with adjuvanting activity as antigen delivery vehicles for vaccination against infectious disease and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krystina L. Hess
- U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological CenterAberdeen Proving GroundMaryland
| | - Christopher M. Jewell
- Fischell Department of BioengineeringUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMaryland
- Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical DevicesCollege ParkMaryland
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyUniversity of Maryland Medical SchoolBaltimoreMaryland
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer CenterBaltimoreMaryland
- U.S. Department of Veterans AffairsBaltimoreMaryland
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12
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Falconi M, Giangrossi M, Zabaleta ME, Wang J, Gambini V, Tilio M, Bencardino D, Occhipinti S, Belletti B, Laudadio E, Galeazzi R, Marchini C, Amici A. A novel 3'-tRNA Glu-derived fragment acts as a tumor suppressor in breast cancer by targeting nucleolin. FASEB J 2019; 33:13228-13240. [PMID: 31560576 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201900382rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) have been defined as a novel class of small noncoding RNAs. tRFs have been reported to be deregulated in cancer, but their biologic function remains to be fully understood. We have identified a new tRF (named tRF3E), derived from mature tRNAGlu, that is specifically expressed in healthy mammary glands but not in breast cancer (BC). Consistently, tRF3E levels significantly decrease in the blood of patients with epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive BC reflecting tumor status (control > early cancer > metastatic cancer). tRF3E down-regulation was recapitulated in Δ16HER2 transgenic mice, representing a BC preclinical model. Pulldown assays, used to search for proteins capable to selectively bind tRF3E, have shown that this tRF specifically interacts with nucleolin (NCL), an RNA-binding protein overexpressed in BC and able to repress the translation of p53 mRNA. The binding properties of NCL-tRF3E complex, predicted in silico and analyzed by EMSA assays, are congruent with a competitive displacement of p53 mRNA by tRF3E, leading to an increased p53 expression and consequently to a modulation of cancer cell growth. Here, we provide evidence that tRF3E plays an important role in the pathogenesis of BC displaying tumor-suppressor functions through a NCL-mediated mechanism.-Falconi, M., Giangrossi, M., Elexpuru Zabaleta, M., Wang, J., Gambini, V., Tilio, M., Bencardino, D., Occhipinti, S., Belletti, B., Laudadio, E., Galeazzi, R., Marchini, C., Amici, A. A novel 3'-tRNAGlu-derived fragment acts as a tumor suppressor in breast cancer by targeting nucleolin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Falconi
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Mara Giangrossi
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | | | - Junbiao Wang
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Valentina Gambini
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Martina Tilio
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Daniela Bencardino
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Sergio Occhipinti
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Center for Experimental Research and Medical Studies, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Barbara Belletti
- Division of Molecular Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy
| | - Emiliano Laudadio
- Dipartimento Scienze e Ingegneria della Materia, dell'Ambiente ed Urbanistica, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Roberta Galeazzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Cristina Marchini
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Augusto Amici
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
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13
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The d16HER2 Splice Variant: A Friend or Foe of HER2-Positive Cancers? Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11070902. [PMID: 31261614 PMCID: PMC6678616 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11070902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (ERBB2 or HER2) amplification/overexpression is associated with a particularly aggressive molecular subtype of breast cancer (BC), characterized by a poor prognosis, increased metastatic potential, and disease recurrence. As only approximately 50% of HER2-positive patients respond to HER2-targeted therapies, greater knowledge of the biology of HER2 and the mechanisms that underlie drug susceptibility is needed to improve cure rates. Evidence suggests that the coexistence of full-length, wild-type HER2 (wtHER2) and altered forms of HER2—such as carboxy-terminus-truncated fragments, activating mutations, and splice variants—significantly increases the heterogeneity of HER2-positive disease, affecting its biology, clinical course, and treatment response. In particular, expression of the d16HER2 splice variant in human HER2-positive BC has a crucial pathobiological function, wherein the absence of sixteen amino acids from the extracellular domain induces the formation of stable and constitutively active HER2 homodimers on the tumor cell surface. Notably, the d16HER2 variant significantly influences the initiation and aggressiveness of tumors, cancer stem cell properties, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), and the susceptibility of HER2-positive BC cells to trastuzumab compared with its wtHER2 counterpart, thus constituting a novel and potentially clinically useful biomarker. The aims of this review are to summarize the existing evidence regarding the pathobiological functions of the d16HER2 variant and discuss its current and future value with regard to risk assessment and treatment choices in HER2-positive disease.
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14
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Bordoni L, Nasuti C, Fedeli D, Galeazzi R, Laudadio E, Massaccesi L, López-Rodas G, Gabbianelli R. Early impairment of epigenetic pattern in neurodegeneration: Additional mechanisms behind pyrethroid toxicity. Exp Gerontol 2019; 124:110629. [PMID: 31175960 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2019.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid extensively used as anti-woodworm agent and for indoor and outdoor pest control. The main route of human exposure is through fruit, vegetable and milk intake. Low dosage exposure to permethrin during neonatal brain development (from postnatal day 6 to postnatal day 21) leads to dopamine decrease in rat striatum nucleus, oxidative stress and behavioural changes linked to the development of Parkinson's like neurodegeneration later in life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of genes involved in the dopaminergic pathway and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms in adolescent rats treated with permethrin during neonatal brain development. Furthermore, in order to shed light on the mechanisms associated with molecular impairments, in silico studies were performed. The outcomes show increased expression of genes related to the dopamine-synthesis pathway (Nurr1, Th, Snca), epigenetics (TET proteins and Mecp2) and exposure to toxicants (Pon1 and Pon2) in adolescent rats compared with control group. Furthermore, increased global 5mC and 5hmC levels were observed in the DNA extracted from striatum of early-life treated rats in comparison with controls. FAIRE-qPCR analysis shows that permethrin induces an enrichment of chromatin-free DNA at the level of Th and Nurr1 promoters, and ChIP-qPCR reveals a significant reduction in methylation levels at H3K9me3 position at both Th and Nurr1 promoter regions. In silico studies show that permethrin competes for the same two binding sites of known NURR1 agonists, with a lower binding free energy for permethrin, suggesting an important durable association of permethrin with the orphan receptor. Moreover, alpha-synuclein shows a strong affinity for NURR1, corroborating previous experimental outcomes on the interactions between them. This study focuses on an emerging role of early-life exposure to environmental pollutants in the regulation of late onset diseases through intriguing mechanisms that change crucial epigenetic patterns starting from adolescent age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Bordoni
- School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Camerino 62032, MC, Italy.
| | - Cinzia Nasuti
- School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Camerino 62032, MC, Italy.
| | - Donatella Fedeli
- School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Camerino 62032, MC, Italy.
| | - Roberta Galeazzi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60128, AN, Italy.
| | - Emiliano Laudadio
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60128, AN, Italy.
| | - Luca Massaccesi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60128, AN, Italy.
| | - Gerardo López-Rodas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Valencia and INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Valencia, Spain.
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15
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Ogunwa TH, Laudadio E, Galeazzi R, Miyanishi T. Insights into the Molecular Mechanisms of Eg5 Inhibition by (+)-Morelloflavone. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2019; 12:ph12020058. [PMID: 30995725 PMCID: PMC6630617 DOI: 10.3390/ph12020058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
(+)-Morelloflavone (MF) is an antitumor biflavonoid that is found in the Garcinia species. Recently, we reported MF as a novel inhibitor of ATPase and microtubules-gliding activities of the kinesin spindle protein (Eg5) in vitro. Herein, we provide dynamical insights into the inhibitory mechanisms of MF against Eg5, which involves binding of the inhibitor to the loop5/α2/α3 allosteric pocket. Molecular dynamics simulations were carried out for 100 ns on eight complexes: Eg5-Adenosine diphosphate (Eg5-ADP), Eg5-ADP-S-trityl-l-cysteine (Eg5-ADP-STLC), Eg5-ADP-ispinesib, Eg5-ADP-MF, Eg5-Adenosine triphosphate (Eg5-ATP), Eg5-ATP-STLC, Eg5-ATP-ispinesib, and Eg5-ATP-MF complexes. Structural and energetic analyses were done using Umbrella sampling, Molecular Mechanics Poisson–Boltzmann Surface Area (MM/PBSA) method, GROMACS analysis toolkit, and virtual molecular dynamics (VMD) utilities. The results were compared with those of the known Eg5 inhibitors; ispinesib, and STLC. Our data strongly support a stable Eg5-MF complex, with significantly low binding energy and reduced flexibility of Eg5 in some regions, including loop5 and switch I. Furthermore, the loop5 Trp127 was trapped in a downward position to keep the allosteric pocket of Eg5 in the so-called “closed conformation”, comparable to observations for STLC. Altered structural conformations were also visible within various regions of Eg5, including switch I, switch II, α2/α3 helices, and the tubulin-binding region, indicating that MF might induce modifications in the Eg5 structure to compromise its ATP/ADP binding and conversion process as well as its interaction with microtubules. The described mechanisms are crucial for understanding Eg5 inhibition by MF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomisin Happy Ogunwa
- Department of Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan.
| | - Emiliano Laudadio
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy.
| | - Roberta Galeazzi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy.
| | - Takayuki Miyanishi
- Department of Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan.
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16
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Montes M, Sanford BL, Comiskey DF, Chandler DS. RNA Splicing and Disease: Animal Models to Therapies. Trends Genet 2019; 35:68-87. [PMID: 30466729 PMCID: PMC6339821 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Revised: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alternative splicing of pre-mRNA increases genetic diversity, and recent studies estimate that most human multiexon genes are alternatively spliced. If this process is not highly regulated and accurate, it leads to mis-splicing events, which may result in proteins with altered function. A growing body of work has implicated mis-splicing events in a range of diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and muscular dystrophies. Understanding the mechanisms that cause aberrant splicing events and how this leads to disease is vital for designing effective therapeutic strategies. In this review, we focus on advances in therapies targeting splicing, and highlight the animal models developed to recapitulate disease phenotypes as a model for testing these therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matías Montes
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Graduate Program and The Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Brianne L Sanford
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Daniel F Comiskey
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Graduate Program and The Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Dawn S Chandler
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Graduate Program and The Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA.
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17
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Bartolacci C, Andreani C, Curcio C, Occhipinti S, Massaccesi L, Giovarelli M, Galeazzi R, Iezzi M, Tilio M, Gambini V, Wang J, Marchini C, Amici A. Phage-Based Anti-HER2 Vaccination Can Circumvent Immune Tolerance against Breast Cancer. Cancer Immunol Res 2018; 6:1486-1498. [DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-18-0179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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18
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Zhang Y, Yang W, Li D, Yang JY, Guan R, Yang MQ. Toward the precision breast cancer survival prediction utilizing combined whole genome-wide expression and somatic mutation analysis. BMC Med Genomics 2018; 11:104. [PMID: 30454048 DOI: 10.1109/bibm.2017.8217762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer is the most common type of invasive cancer in woman. It accounts for approximately 18% of all cancer deaths worldwide. It is well known that somatic mutation plays an essential role in cancer development. Hence, we propose that a prognostic prediction model that integrates somatic mutations with gene expression can improve survival prediction for cancer patients and also be able to reveal the genetic mutations associated with survival. METHOD Differential expression analysis was used to identify breast cancer related genes. Genetic algorithm (GA) and univariate Cox regression analysis were applied to filter out survival related genes. DAVID was used for enrichment analysis on somatic mutated gene set. The performance of survival predictors were assessed by Cox regression model and concordance index(C-index). RESULTS We investigated the genome-wide gene expression profile and somatic mutations of 1091 breast invasive carcinoma cases from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We identified 118 genes with high hazard ratios as breast cancer survival risk gene candidates (log rank p < 0.0001 and c-index = 0.636). Multiple breast cancer survival related genes were found in this gene set, including FOXR2, FOXD1, MTNR1B and SDC1. Further genetic algorithm (GA) revealed an optimal gene set consisted of 88 genes with higher c-index (log rank p < 0.0001 and c-index = 0.656). We validated this gene set on an independent breast cancer data set and achieved a similar performance (log rank p < 0.0001 and c-index = 0.614). Moreover, we revealed 25 functional annotations, 15 gene ontology terms and 14 pathways that were significantly enriched in the genes that showed distinct mutation patterns in the different survival risk groups. These functional gene sets were used as new features for the survival prediction model. In particular, our results suggested that the Fanconi anemia pathway had an important role in breast cancer prognosis. CONCLUSIONS Our study indicated that the expression levels of the gene signatures remain the effective indicators for breast cancer survival prediction. Combining the gene expression information with other types of features derived from somatic mutations can further improve the performance of survival prediction. The pathways that were associated with survival risk suggested by our study can be further investigated for improving cancer patient survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Zhang
- MidSouth Bioinformatics Center and Joint Bioinformatics Ph.D. Program of University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Univ. of Arkansas Medical Sciences, 2801 S. Univ. Ave, Little Rock, 72204, USA
| | - William Yang
- Department of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science, 5000 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, 24105, USA
| | - Dan Li
- MidSouth Bioinformatics Center and Joint Bioinformatics Ph.D. Program of University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Univ. of Arkansas Medical Sciences, 2801 S. Univ. Ave, Little Rock, 72204, USA
| | - Jack Y Yang
- MidSouth Bioinformatics Center and Joint Bioinformatics Ph.D. Program of University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Univ. of Arkansas Medical Sciences, 2801 S. Univ. Ave, Little Rock, 72204, USA
| | - Renchu Guan
- MidSouth Bioinformatics Center and Joint Bioinformatics Ph.D. Program of University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Univ. of Arkansas Medical Sciences, 2801 S. Univ. Ave, Little Rock, 72204, USA
| | - Mary Qu Yang
- MidSouth Bioinformatics Center and Joint Bioinformatics Ph.D. Program of University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Univ. of Arkansas Medical Sciences, 2801 S. Univ. Ave, Little Rock, 72204, USA.
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19
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Wang M, Hu Y, Yu T, Ma X, Wei X, Wei Y. Pan-HER-targeted approach for cancer therapy: Mechanisms, recent advances and clinical prospect. Cancer Lett 2018; 439:113-130. [PMID: 30218688 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2018.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 07/08/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor family is composed of 4 structurally related receptor tyrosine kinases that are involved in many human cancers. The efficacy and safety of HER inhibitors have been compared in a wide range of clinical trials, suggesting the superior inhibitory ability of multiple- HER-targeting blockade compared with single receptor antagonists. However, many patients are currently resistant to current therapeutic treatment and novel strategies are warranted to conquer the resistance. Thus, we performed a critical review to summarize the molecular involvement of HER family receptors in tumour progression, recent anti-HER drug development based on clinical trials, and the potential resistance mechanisms of anti-HER therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manni Wang
- Lab of Aging Research and Nanotoxicology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, PR China
| | - Yuzhu Hu
- Lab of Aging Research and Nanotoxicology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, PR China
| | - Ting Yu
- Lab of Aging Research and Nanotoxicology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, PR China
| | - Xuelei Ma
- Lab of Aging Research and Nanotoxicology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, PR China
| | - Xiawei Wei
- Lab of Aging Research and Nanotoxicology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, PR China.
| | - Yuquan Wei
- Lab of Aging Research and Nanotoxicology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, PR China
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20
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Urbanski L, Leclair N, Anczuków O. Alternative-splicing defects in cancer: Splicing regulators and their downstream targets, guiding the way to novel cancer therapeutics. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2018; 9:e1476. [PMID: 29693319 PMCID: PMC6002934 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 221] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Defects in alternative splicing are frequently found in human tumors and result either from mutations in splicing-regulatory elements of specific cancer genes or from changes in the regulatory splicing machinery. RNA splicing regulators have emerged as a new class of oncoproteins and tumor suppressors, and contribute to disease progression by modulating RNA isoforms involved in the hallmark cancer pathways. Thus, dysregulation of alternative RNA splicing is fundamental to cancer and provides a potentially rich source of novel therapeutic targets. Here, we review the alterations in splicing regulatory factors detected in human tumors, as well as the resulting alternatively spliced isoforms that impact cancer hallmarks, and discuss how they contribute to disease pathogenesis. RNA splicing is a highly regulated process and, as such, the regulators are themselves tightly regulated. Differential transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of splicing factors modulates their levels and activities in tumor cells. Furthermore, the composition of the tumor microenvironment can also influence which isoforms are expressed in a given cell type and impact drug responses. Finally, we summarize current efforts in targeting alternative splicing, including global splicing inhibition using small molecules blocking the spliceosome or splicing-factor-modifying enzymes, as well as splice-switching RNA-based therapeutics to modulate cancer-specific splicing isoforms. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing.
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Yang Y, Zhou X, Xu M, Piao J, Zhang Y, Lin Z, Chen L. β-lapachone suppresses tumour progression by inhibiting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in NQO1-positive breast cancers. Sci Rep 2017; 7:2681. [PMID: 28578385 PMCID: PMC5457413 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-02937-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2016] [Accepted: 04/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
NQO1 is a FAD-binding protein that can form homodimers and reduce quinones to hydroquinones, and a growing body of evidence currently suggests that NQO1 is dramatically elevated in solid cancers. Here, we demonstrated that NQO1 was elevated in breast cancer and that its expression level was positively correlated with invasion and reduced disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates. Next, we found that β-lapachone exerted significant anti-proliferation and anti-metastasis effects in breast cancer cell lines due to its effects on NQO1 expression. Moreover, we revealed that the anti-cancer effects of β-lapachone were mediated by the inactivation of the Akt/mTOR pathway. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that NQO1 could be a useful prognostic biomarker for patients with breast cancer, and its bioactivatable drug, β-lapachone represented a promising new development and an effective strategy for indicating the progression of NQO1-positive breast cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- Department of Pathology & Cancer Research Center, Yanbian University Medical College, Yanji, 133002, China
| | - Xianchun Zhou
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yanbian University Hospital, Yanji, 133000, China
| | - Ming Xu
- Department of Pathology & Cancer Research Center, Yanbian University Medical College, Yanji, 133002, China
| | - Junjie Piao
- Department of Pathology & Cancer Research Center, Yanbian University Medical College, Yanji, 133002, China.,Department of Internal Medicine, Yanbian University Hospital, Yanji, 133000, China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Department of Pathology & Cancer Research Center, Yanbian University Medical College, Yanji, 133002, China
| | - Zhenhua Lin
- Department of Pathology & Cancer Research Center, Yanbian University Medical College, Yanji, 133002, China.
| | - Liyan Chen
- Department of Pathology & Cancer Research Center, Yanbian University Medical College, Yanji, 133002, China.
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Palladini A, Nicoletti G, Lamolinara A, Dall'Ora M, Balboni T, Ianzano ML, Laranga R, Landuzzi L, Giusti V, Ceccarelli C, Santini D, Taffurelli M, Di Oto E, Asioli S, Amici A, Pupa SM, De Giovanni C, Tagliabue E, Iezzi M, Nanni P, Lollini PL. HER2 isoforms co-expression differently tunes mammary tumor phenotypes affecting onset, vasculature and therapeutic response. Oncotarget 2017; 8:54444-54458. [PMID: 28903354 PMCID: PMC5589593 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.17088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Full-length HER2 oncoprotein and splice variant Delta16 are co-expressed in human breast cancer. We studied their interaction in hybrid transgenic mice bearing human full-length HER2 and Delta16 (F1 HER2/Delta16) in comparison to parental HER2 and Delta16 transgenic mice. Mammary carcinomas onset was faster in F1 HER2/Delta16 and Delta16 than in HER2 mice, however tumor growth was slower, and metastatic spread was comparable in all transgenic mice. Full-length HER2 tumors contained few large vessels or vascular lacunae, whereas Delta16 tumors presented a more regular vascularization with numerous endothelium-lined small vessels. Delta16-expressing tumors showed a higher accumulation of i.v. injected doxorubicin than tumors expressing full-length HER2. F1 HER2/Delta16 tumors with high full-length HER2 expression made few large vessels, whereas tumors with low full-length HER2 and high Delta16 contained numerous small vessels and expressed higher levels of VEGF and VEGFR2. Trastuzumab strongly inhibited tumor onset in F1 HER2/Delta16 and Delta16 mice, but not in full-length HER2 mice. Addiction of F1 tumors to Delta16 was also shown by long-term stability of Delta16 levels during serial transplants, in contrast full-length HER2 levels underwent wide fluctuations. In conclusion, full-length HER2 leads to a faster tumor growth and to an irregular vascularization, whereas Delta16 leads to a faster tumor onset, with more regular vessels, which in turn could better transport cytotoxic drugs within the tumor, and to a higher sensitivity to targeted therapeutic agents. F1 HER2/Delta16 mice are a new immunocompetent mouse model, complementary to patient-derived xenografts, for studies of mammary carcinoma onset, prevention and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Palladini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giordano Nicoletti
- Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute, Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Massimiliano Dall'Ora
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Tania Balboni
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marianna L Ianzano
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Roberta Laranga
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Lorena Landuzzi
- Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute, Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Bologna, Italy
| | - Veronica Giusti
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Claudio Ceccarelli
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.,Pathology Unit, Policlinico S.Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital, Bologna, Italy
| | - Donatella Santini
- Pathology Unit, Policlinico S.Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital, Bologna, Italy
| | - Mario Taffurelli
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Enrico Di Oto
- Anatomic Pathology, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Bellaria Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sofia Asioli
- Anatomic Pathology, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Bellaria Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | | | - Carla De Giovanni
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Manuela Iezzi
- Aging Research Centre, "Gabriele d'Annunzio" University, Chieti, Italy
| | - Patrizia Nanni
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Pier-Luigi Lollini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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Andreani C, Bartolacci C, Wijnant K, Crinelli R, Bianchi M, Magnani M, Hysi A, Iezzi M, Amici A, Marchini C. Resveratrol fuels HER2 and ERα-positive breast cancer behaving as proteasome inhibitor. Aging (Albany NY) 2017; 9:508-523. [PMID: 28238967 PMCID: PMC5361678 DOI: 10.18632/aging.101175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Accepted: 02/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The phytoestrogen resveratrol has been reported to possess cancer chemo-preventive activity on the basis of its effects on tumor cell lines and xenograft or carcinogen-inducible in vivo models. Here we investigated the effects of resveratrol on spontaneous mammary carcinogenesis using Δ16HER2 mice as HER2+/ERα+ breast cancer model. Instead of inhibiting tumor growth, resveratrol treatment (0.0001% in drinking water; daily intake of 4μg/mouse) shortened tumor latency and enhanced tumor multiplicity in Δ16HER2 mice. This in vivo tumor-promoting effect of resveratrol was associated with up-regulation of Δ16HER2 and down-regulation of ERα protein levels and was recapitulated in vitro by murine (CAM6) and human (BT474) tumor cell lines. Our results demonstrate that resveratrol, acting as a proteasome inhibitor, leads to Δ16HER2 accumulation which favors the formation of Δ16HER2/HER3 heterodimers. The consequential activation of downstream mTORC1/p70S6K/4EBP1 pathway triggers cancer growth and proliferation. This study provides evidence that resveratrol mechanism of action (and hence its effects) depends on the intrinsic molecular properties of the cancer model under investigation, exerting a tumor-promoting effect in luminal B breast cancer subtype models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Andreani
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino, 62032, Italy
| | - Caterina Bartolacci
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino, 62032, Italy
| | - Kathleen Wijnant
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino, 62032, Italy
| | - Rita Crinelli
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Section of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Urbino “Carlo Bo”, Urbino, 61029, Italy
| | - Marzia Bianchi
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Section of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Urbino “Carlo Bo”, Urbino, 61029, Italy
| | - Mauro Magnani
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Section of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Urbino “Carlo Bo”, Urbino, 61029, Italy
| | - Albana Hysi
- Aging Research Centre, G. d'Annunzio University, Chieti, 66100, Italy
| | - Manuela Iezzi
- Aging Research Centre, G. d'Annunzio University, Chieti, 66100, Italy
| | - Augusto Amici
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino, 62032, Italy
| | - Cristina Marchini
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino, 62032, Italy
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