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Villamor-Payà M, Sanchiz-Calvo M, Smak J, Pais L, Sud M, Shankavaram U, Lovgren AK, Austin-Tse C, Ganesh VS, Gay M, Vilaseca M, Arauz-Garofalo G, Palenzuela L, VanNoy G, O’Donnell-Luria A, Stracker TH. De novo TLK1 and MDM1 mutations in a patient with a neurodevelopmental disorder and immunodeficiency. iScience 2024; 27:109984. [PMID: 38868186 PMCID: PMC11166698 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The Tousled-like kinases 1 and 2 (TLK1/TLK2) regulate DNA replication, repair and chromatin maintenance. TLK2 variants underlie the neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) 'Intellectual Disability, Autosomal Dominant 57' (MRD57), characterized by intellectual disability and microcephaly. Several TLK1 variants have been reported in NDDs but their functional significance is unknown. A male patient presenting with ID, seizures, global developmental delay, hypothyroidism, and primary immunodeficiency was determined to have a heterozygous TLK1 variant (c.1435C>G, p.Q479E), as well as a mutation in MDM1 (c.1197dupT, p.K400∗). Cells expressing TLK1 p.Q479E exhibited reduced cytokine responses and elevated DNA damage, but not increased radiation sensitivity or DNA repair defects. The TLK1 p.Q479E variant impaired kinase activity but not proximal protein interactions. Our study provides the first functional characterization of NDD-associated TLK1 variants and suggests that, such as TLK2, TLK1 variants may impact development in multiple tissues and should be considered in the diagnosis of rare NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Villamor-Payà
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research, Radiation Oncology Branch, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - María Sanchiz-Calvo
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordann Smak
- National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research, Radiation Oncology Branch, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Lynn Pais
- Division of Genetics & Genomics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Malika Sud
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Uma Shankavaram
- National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research, Radiation Oncology Branch, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Alysia Kern Lovgren
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Christina Austin-Tse
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Vijay S. Ganesh
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Marina Gay
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Vilaseca
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gianluca Arauz-Garofalo
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lluís Palenzuela
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Grace VanNoy
- Division of Genetics & Genomics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Anne O’Donnell-Luria
- Division of Genetics & Genomics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Travis H. Stracker
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research, Radiation Oncology Branch, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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2
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Sun RC, Li J, Li YX, Wang HZ, Dal E, Wang ML, Li YX. Tousled-like kinase 1 promotes gastric cancer progression by regulating the tumor growth factor-beta signaling pathway. World J Gastroenterol 2023; 29:5919-5934. [PMID: 38111505 PMCID: PMC10725561 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i44.5919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The role of Tousled-like kinase 1 (TLK1) in in gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear. AIM To investigate the expression, biological function, and underlying mechanisms of TLK1 in GC. METHODS We measured TLK1 protein expression levels and localized TLK1 in GC cells and tissues by western blot and immunofluorescence, respectively. We transfected various GC cells with lentiviruses to create TLK1 overexpression and knockdown lines and established the functional roles of TLK1 through in vitro colony formation, 5-ethynyl-2`-deoxyuridine, and Transwell assays as well as flow cytometry. We applied bioinformatics to elucidate the signaling pathways associated with TLK1. We performed in vivo validation of TLK1 functions by inducing subcutaneous xenograft tumors in nude mice. RESULTS TLK1 was significantly upregulated in GC cells and tissues compared to their normal counterparts and was localized mainly to the nucleus. TLK1 knockdown significantly decreased colony formation, proliferation, invasion, and migration but increased apoptosis in GC cells. TLK1 overexpression had the opposite effects. Bioinformatics revealed, and subsequent experiments verified, that the tumor growth factor-beta signaling pathway was implicated in TLK1-mediated GC progression. The in vivo assays confirmed that TLK1 promotes tumorigenesis in GC. CONCLUSION The findings of the present study indicated that TLK1 plays a crucial role in GC progression and is, therefore, promising as a therapeutic target against this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruo-Chuan Sun
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China
| | - Jing Li
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China
| | - Ya-Xian Li
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China
| | - Hui-Zhen Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China
| | - Emre Dal
- Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, United States
| | - Ming-Liang Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China
| | - Yong-Xiang Li
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China
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Bhoir S, Ogundepo O, Yu X, Shi R, De Benedetti A. Exploiting TLK1 and Cisplatin Synergy for Synthetic Lethality in Androgen-Insensitive Prostate Cancer. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2987. [PMID: 38001987 PMCID: PMC10669050 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11112987] [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: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular organisms possess intricate DNA damage repair and tolerance pathways to manage various DNA lesions arising from endogenous or exogenous sources. The dysregulation of these pathways is associated with cancer development and progression. Synthetic lethality (SL), a promising cancer therapy concept, involves exploiting the simultaneous functional loss of two genes for selective cell death. PARP inhibitors (PARPis) have demonstrated success in BRCA-deficient tumors. Cisplatin (CPT), a widely used chemotherapy agent, forms DNA adducts and crosslinks, rendering it effective against various cancers, but less so for prostate cancer (PCa) due to resistance and toxicity. Here, we explore the therapeutic potential of TLK1, a kinase upregulated in androgen-insensitive PCa cells, as a target for enhancing CPT-based therapy. TLK1 phosphorylates key homologous recombination repair (HRR) proteins, RAD54L and RAD54B, which are critical for HRR alongside RAD51. The combination of CPT with TLK1 inhibitor J54 exhibits SL in androgen-insensitive PCa cells. The formation of double-strand break intermediates during inter-strand crosslink processing necessitates HRR for effective repair. Therefore, targeting TLK1 with J54 enhances the SL of CPT by impeding HRR, leading to increased sensitivity in PCa cells. These findings suggest a promising approach for improving CPT-based therapies in PCa, particularly in androgen-insensitive cases. By elucidating the role of TLK1 in CPT resistance, this study provides valuable insights into potential therapeutic targets to overcome PCa resistance to CPT chemotherapy. Further investigations into TLK1 inhibition in combination with other DNA-damaging agents may pave the way for more effective and targeted treatments for PCa and other cancers that exhibit resistance to traditional chemotherapy agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siddhant Bhoir
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSU Health Shreveport, 1501 Kings Hwy, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA; (S.B.); (O.O.); (X.Y.)
| | - Oluwatobi Ogundepo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSU Health Shreveport, 1501 Kings Hwy, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA; (S.B.); (O.O.); (X.Y.)
| | - Xiuping Yu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSU Health Shreveport, 1501 Kings Hwy, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA; (S.B.); (O.O.); (X.Y.)
| | - Runhua Shi
- Department of Medicine, LSU Health Shreveport, 1501 Kings Hwy, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA
| | - Arrigo De Benedetti
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSU Health Shreveport, 1501 Kings Hwy, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA; (S.B.); (O.O.); (X.Y.)
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Chen L, Ballout F, Lu H, Hu T, Zhu S, Chen Z, Peng D. Differential Expression of NEK Kinase Family Members in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma and Barrett's Esophagus. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4821. [PMID: 37835513 PMCID: PMC10571661 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15194821] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) has risen rapidly during the past four decades, making it the most common type of esophageal cancer in the USA and Western countries. The NEK (Never in mitosis A (NIMA) related kinase) gene family is a group of serine/threonine kinases with 11 members. Aberrant expression of NEKs has been recently found in a variety of human cancers and plays important roles in tumorigenesis, progression, and drug-resistance. However, the expression of the NEKs in EAC and its precancerous condition (Barrett's esophagus, BE) has not been investigated. In the present study, we first analyzed the TCGA and 9 GEO databases (a total of 10 databases in which 8 contain EAC and 6 contain BE) using bioinformatic approaches for NEKs expression in EAC and BE. We identified that several NEK members, such as NEK2 (7/8), NEK3 (6/8), and NEK6 (6/8), were significantly upregulated in EAC as compared to normal esophagus samples. Alternatively, NEK1 was downregulated in EAC as compared to the normal esophagus. On the contrary, genomic alterations of these NEKs are not frequent in EAC. We validated the above findings using qRT-PCR and the protein expression of NEKs in EAC cell lines using Western blotting and in primary EAC tissues using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Our data suggest that frequent upregulation of NEK2, NEK3, and NEK7 may be important in EAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Chen
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
| | - Farah Ballout
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
| | - Heng Lu
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Tianling Hu
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
| | - Shoumin Zhu
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
| | - Zheng Chen
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Dunfa Peng
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL 33136, USA
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Ghosh I, De Benedetti A. Untousling the Role of Tousled-like Kinase 1 in DNA Damage Repair. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13369. [PMID: 37686173 PMCID: PMC10487508 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA damage repair lies at the core of all cells' survival strategy, including the survival strategy of cancerous cells. Therefore, targeting such repair mechanisms forms the major goal of cancer therapeutics. The mechanism of DNA repair has been tousled with the discovery of multiple kinases. Recent studies on tousled-like kinases have brought significant clarity on the effectors of these kinases which stand to regulate DSB repair. In addition to their well-established role in DDR and cell cycle checkpoint mediation after DNA damage or inhibitors of replication, evidence of their suspected involvement in the actual DSB repair process has more recently been strengthened by the important finding that TLK1 phosphorylates RAD54 and regulates some of its activities in HRR and localization in the cell. Earlier findings of its regulation of RAD9 during checkpoint deactivation, as well as defined steps during NHEJ end processing, were earlier hints of its broadly important involvement in DSB repair. All this has opened up new avenues to target cancer cells in combination therapy with genotoxins and TLK inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arrigo De Benedetti
- Department of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Louisiana Health Science Center-Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA;
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6
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Villamor-Payà M, Sanchiz-Calvo M, Smak J, Pais L, Sud M, Shankavaram U, Lovgren AK, Austin-Tse C, Ganesh VS, Gay M, Vilaseca M, Arauz-Garofalo G, Palenzuela L, VanNoy G, O'Donnell-Luria A, Stracker TH. Identification of a de novo mutation in TLK1 associated with a neurodevelopmental disorder and immunodeficiency. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.08.22.23294267. [PMID: 37662408 PMCID: PMC10473813 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.22.23294267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Background The Tousled-like kinases 1 and 2 (TLK1/TLK2) regulate DNA replication, repair and chromatin maintenance. TLK2 variants are associated with 'Intellectual Disability, Autosomal Dominant 57' (MRD57), a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) characterized by intellectual disability (ID), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and microcephaly. Several TLK1 variants have been reported in NDDs but their functional significance is unknown. Methods A male patient presenting with ID, seizures, global developmental delay, hypothyroidism, and primary immunodeficiency was determined to have a novel, heterozygous variant in TLK1 (c.1435C>G, p.Q479E) by genome sequencing (GS). Single cell gel electrophoresis, western blot, flow cytometry and RNA-seq were performed in patient-derived lymphoblast cell lines. In silico, biochemical and proteomic analysis were used to determine the functional impact of the p.Q479E variant and previously reported NDD-associated TLK1 variant, p.M566T. Results Transcriptome sequencing in patient-derived cells confirmed expression of TLK1 transcripts carrying the p.Q479E variant and revealed alterations in genes involved in class switch recombination and cytokine signaling. Cells expressing the p.Q479E variant exhibited reduced cytokine responses and higher levels of spontaneous DNA damage but not increased sensitivity to radiation or DNA repair defects. The p.Q479E and p.M566T variants impaired kinase activity but did not strongly alter localization or proximal protein interactions. Conclusion Our study provides the first functional characterization of TLK1 variants associated with NDDs and suggests potential involvement in central nervous system and immune system development. Our results indicate that, like TLK2 variants, TLK1 variants may impact development in multiple tissues and should be considered in the diagnosis of rare NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Villamor-Payà
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona 08028, Spain
- National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research, Radiation Oncology Branch, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - María Sanchiz-Calvo
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Jordann Smak
- National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research, Radiation Oncology Branch, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Lynn Pais
- Division of Genetics & Genomics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Malika Sud
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Uma Shankavaram
- National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research, Radiation Oncology Branch, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Alysia Kern Lovgren
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Christina Austin-Tse
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Vijay S Ganesh
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Marina Gay
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Marta Vilaseca
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Gianluca Arauz-Garofalo
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Lluís Palenzuela
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Grace VanNoy
- Division of Genetics & Genomics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Anne O'Donnell-Luria
- Division of Genetics & Genomics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Travis H Stracker
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona 08028, Spain
- National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research, Radiation Oncology Branch, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Bhoir S, De Benedetti A. Targeting Prostate Cancer, the 'Tousled Way'. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11100. [PMID: 37446279 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241311100] [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: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has been the mainstay of prostate cancer (PCa) treatment, with success in developing more effective inhibitors of androgen synthesis and antiandrogens in clinical practice. However, hormone deprivation and AR ablation have caused an increase in ADT-insensitive PCas associated with a poor prognosis. Resistance to ADT arises through various mechanisms, and most castration-resistant PCas still rely on the androgen axis, while others become truly androgen receptor (AR)-independent. Our research identified the human tousled-like kinase 1 (TLK1) as a crucial early mediator of PCa cell adaptation to ADT, promoting androgen-independent growth, inhibiting apoptosis, and facilitating cell motility and metastasis. Although explicit, the growing role of TLK1 biology in PCa has remained underrepresented and elusive. In this review, we aim to highlight the diverse functions of TLK1 in PCa, shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying the transition from androgen-sensitive (AS) to an androgen-insensitive (AI) disease mediated by TLK1, and explore potential strategies to counteract this process. Targeting TLK1 and its associated signaling could prevent PCa progression to the incurable metastatic castration-resistant PCa (mCRPC) stage and provide a promising approach to treating PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siddhant Bhoir
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSU Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA
| | - Arrigo De Benedetti
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSU Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA
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Zhu M, Sun Y, Xue H, Wu G, Wang Z, Shi J, Ma J, Gu B, Yan X. NEK6 Promotes the Progression of Osteosarcoma Through Activating STAT3 Signaling Pathway by Down-Regulation of miR-26a-5p. Int J Gen Med 2023; 16:2831-2848. [PMID: 37426517 PMCID: PMC10329465 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s413461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Osteosarcoma is a malignant tumor originating from the skeletal system. There is no effective treatment other than surgery and chemotherapy, which seriously endangers the health of children and adolescents. NEK6 is a novel discovered Serine/Threonine protein kinase that can regulate cell cycle and activate several oncogenic pathways. Methods NEK6 expression in pan-cancer including sarcoma was evaluated using analysis tools of TIMER, UALCNA and GEPIA with TCGA database, and its association with overall survival in patients with sarcoma was also analyzed. TargetScan, tarbase, microT-CDS and Starbase online software were used to predict NEK6-targeted miRNAs, including miR-26a-5p. Tumor tissues from patients with osteosarcoma were collected for NEK6 and miRNA detection using RT-qPCR. NEK6 down-regulated by siRNAs or miR-26a-5p in osteosarcoma cells was detected by RT-qPCR, Western blot and Immunofluorescence staining assays. Effects of NEK6 knockdown on proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells were detected by CCK-8, wound healing, transwell and flow cytometry, respectively. The expressions of STAT3, metastasis and apoptosis-related genes were detected by Western blot. Results High expression of NEK6 and low expression of miR-26a-5p were lowly expressed in osteosarcoma and they were negative correlation. NEK6 has been confirmed as a direct target for miR-26a-5p. In addition, NEK6 down-regulated by siRNAs or miR-26a-5p led to inhibition of cell proliferation, migration and invasion while promoting cell apoptosis. The levels of phosphorylated STAT3 and metastasis genes (MMP-2, MMP-9) were inhibited, while apoptotic gene Bax was promoted and Bcl2 was inhibited by miR-26a-5p upregulation. Conclusion NEK6 can promote osteosarcoma progression via activating STAT3 signaling pathway, which is inhibited by miR-26a-5p, suggesting that NEK6 is a potential oncogene and miR-26a-5p is a suppressor of osteosarcoma. The strategy of inhibiting of NEK6 by miR-26a-5p may be an effective approach for osteosarcoma therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Zhu
- Department of Spine Surgery, Nantong Third People’s Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuyu Sun
- Department of Spine Surgery, Nantong Third People’s Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huawei Xue
- Department of Spine Surgery, Nantong Third People’s Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Gang Wu
- Department of Spine Surgery, Nantong Third People’s Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Department of Spine Surgery, Nantong Third People’s Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Junfeng Shi
- Department of Spine Surgery, Nantong Third People’s Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiye Ma
- Department of Spine Surgery, Nantong Third People’s Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Baorong Gu
- Department of Spine Surgery, Nantong Third People’s Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoling Yan
- Department of Chemotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, People’s Republic of China
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9
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Ghosh I, Khalil MI, Mirza R, King J, Olatunde D, De Benedetti A. NEK1-Mediated Phosphorylation of YAP1 Is Key to Prostate Cancer Progression. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11030734. [PMID: 36979713 PMCID: PMC10045622 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11030734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The key to preventing mCRPC progression is understanding how androgen-dependent PCa cells progress to independence and modify their transcriptional repertoire accordingly. We recently identified a novel axis of the Hippo pathway characterized by the sequential kinase cascade induced by androgen deprivation, AR−>TLK1B>NEK1>pYAP1-Y407, leading to CRPC adaptation. Phosphorylation of YAP1-Y407 increases upon ADT or induction of DNA damage, correlated with the known increase in NEK1 expression/activity, and this is suppressed in the Y407F mutant. Dominant expression of YAP1-Y407F in Hek293 cells reprograms the YAP1-mediated transcriptome to reduce TEAD- and p73-regulated gene expression and mediates sensitivity to MMC. NEK1 haploinsufficient TRAMP mice display reduced YAP1 expression and, if castrated, fail to progress to overt prostate carcinomas, even while displaying reduced E-Cadherin (E-Cad) expression in hyperplastic ductules. YAP1 overexpression, but not the Y407F mutant, transforms LNCaP cells to androgen-independent growth with a mesenchymal morphology. Immunohistochemical examination of prostate cancer biopsies revealed that the pYAP1-Y407 nuclear signal is low in samples of low-grade cancer but elevated in high GS specimens. We also found that J54, a pharmacological inhibitor of the TLK1>NEK1>YAP1 nexus leading to degradation of YAP1, can suppress the transcriptional reprogramming of LNCaP cells to androgen-independent growth and EMT progression, even when YAP1-WT is overexpressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ishita Ghosh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Louisiana State University Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA
| | - Md Imtiaz Khalil
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Louisiana State University Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA
| | - Rusella Mirza
- Department of Pathology, Louisiana State University Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA
| | - Judy King
- Department of Pathology, Louisiana State University Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA
| | - Damilola Olatunde
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Louisiana State University Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA
| | - Arrigo De Benedetti
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Louisiana State University Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA
- Correspondence:
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10
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Panchal NK, Evan Prince S. The NEK family of serine/threonine kinases as a biomarker for cancer. Clin Exp Med 2023; 23:17-30. [PMID: 35037094 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-021-00782-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is defined by unrestrained cell proliferation due to impaired protein activity. Cell cycle-related proteins are likely to play a role in human cancers, including proliferation, invasion, and therapeutic resistance. The serine/threonine NEK kinases are the part of Never In Mitosis A Kinases (NIMA) family, which are less explored kinase family involved in the cell cycle, checkpoint regulation, and cilia biology. They comprise of eleven members, namely NEK1, NEK2, NEK3, NEK4, NEK5, NEK6, NEK7, NEK8, NEK9, NEK10, and NEK11, located in different cellular regions. Recent research has shown the role of NEK family in various cancers by perversely expressing. Therefore, this review aimed to provide a systematic account of our understanding of NEK kinases; structural details; and its role in the cell cycle regulation. Furthermore, we have comprehensively reviewed the NEK kinases in terms of their expression and regulation in different cancers. Lastly, we have emphasized on some of the potential NEK inhibitors reported so far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nagesh Kishan Panchal
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632 014, India
| | - Sabina Evan Prince
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632 014, India.
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11
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The TLK1-MK5 Axis Regulates Motility, Invasion, and Metastasis of Prostate Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14235728. [PMID: 36497211 PMCID: PMC9736944 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14235728] [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: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Metastatic dissemination of prostate cancer (PCa) accounts for the majority of PCa-related deaths. However, the exact mechanism of PCa cell spread is still unknown. We uncovered a novel interaction between two unrelated promotility factors, tousled-like kinase 1 (TLK1) and MAPK-activated protein kinase 5 (MK5), that initiates a signaling cascade promoting metastasis. In PCa, TLK1−MK5 signaling might be crucial, as androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) leads to increased expression of both TLK1 and MK5 in metastatic patients, but in this work, we directly investigated the motility, invasive, and metastatic capacity of PCa cells following impairment of the TLK1 > MK5 axis. Results: We conducted scratch wound repair and transwell invasion assays with LNCaP and PC3 cells to determine if TLK1 and MK5 can regulate motility and invasion. Both genetic depletion and pharmacologic inhibition of TLK1 and MK5 resulted in reduced migration and invasion through a Matrigel plug. We further elucidated the potential mechanisms underlying these effects and found that this is likely due to the reorganization of the actin fibers at lamellipodia and the focal adhesions network, in conjunction with increased expression of some MMPs that can affect penetration through the ECM. PC3, a highly metastatic cell line when assayed in xenografts, was further tested in a tail-vein injection/lung metastasis model, and we showed that, following inoculation, treatment with GLPG0259 (MK5 specific inhibitor) or J54 (TLK1 inhibitor) resulted in the lung tumor nodules being greatly diminished in number, and for J54, also in size. Conclusion: Our data support that the TLK1−MK5 axis is functionally involved in driving PCa cell metastasis and clinical aggressiveness; hence, disruption of this axis may inhibit the metastatic capacity of PCa.
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Khalil MI, De Benedetti A. Tousled-like kinase 1: a novel factor with multifaceted role in mCRPC progression and development of therapy resistance. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2022; 5:93-101. [PMID: 35582542 PMCID: PMC8992593 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2021.109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Standard treatment for advanced Prostate Cancer (PCa) consists of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), but ultimately fails, resulting in the incurable phase of the disease: metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Targeting PCa cells before their progression to mCRPC would greatly improve the outcome, if strategies could be devised selectively targeting androgen receptor (AR)-dependent and/or independent compensatory pathways which promote mCRPC development. Combination therapy by targeting the DNA damage response (DDR) along with ADT has been limited by general toxicity, and a goal of clinical trials is how to target the DDR more specifically. In recent years, our lab has identified a key role for the DDR kinase, TLK1, in mediating key aspects of adaptation to ADT, first by promoting a cell cycle arrest (through the TLK1>NEK1>ATR>Chk1 kinase cascade) under the unfavorable growth conditions (androgen deprivation), and then by reprogramming the PCa cells to adapt to androgen-independent growth via the NEK1>YAP/AR>CRPC conversion. In addition, TLK1 plays a key anti-apoptotic role via the NEK1>VDAC1 regulation on the intrinsic mitochondrial apoptotic pathway when the DDR is activated. Finally, TLK1 was recently identified as having an important role in motility and metastasis via regulation of the kinases MK5/PRAK and AKT (indirectly via AKTIP).
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Imtiaz Khalil
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA
| | - Arrigo De Benedetti
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA
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13
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Steffens Reinhardt L, Moira Morás A, Gustavo Henn J, Ricardo Arantes P, Bernardes Ferro M, Braganhol E, Oliveira de Souza P, de Oliveira Merib J, Ramos Borges G, Silveira Dalanhol C, Cox Holanda de Barros Dias M, Nugent M, Jaqueline Moura D. Nek1-inhibitor and temozolomide-loaded microfibers as a co-therapy strategy for glioblastoma treatment. Int J Pharm 2022; 617:121584. [PMID: 35202726 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2022.121584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Malignant glioblastoma (GB) is the predominant primary brain tumour in adults, but despite the efforts towards novel therapies, the median survival of GB patients has not significantly improved in the last decades. Therefore, localised approaches that treat GB straight into the tumour site provide an alternative to enhance chemotherapy bioavailability and efficacy, reducing systemic toxicity. Likewise, the discovery of protein targets, such as the NIMA-related kinase 1 (Nek1), which was previously shown to be associated with temozolomide (TMZ) resistance in GB, has stimulated the clinical development of target therapy approaches to treat GB patients. In this study, we report an electrospun polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) microfiber (MF) brain-implant prepared for the controlled release of Nek1 protein inhibitor (iNek1) and TMZ or TMZ-loaded nanoparticles. The formulations revealed adequate stability and drug loading, which prolonged the drugs' release allowing a sustained exposure of the GB cells to the treatment and enhancing the drugs' therapeutic effects. TMZ-loaded MF provided the highest concentration of TMZ within the brain of tumour-bearing rats, and it was statistically significant when compared to TMZ via intraperitoneal (IP). All animals treated with either co-therapy formulation (TMZ + iNek1 MF or TMZ nanoparticles + iNek1 MF) survived until the endpoint (60 days), whereas the Blank MF (drug-unloaded), TMZ MF and TMZ IP-treated rats' median survival was found to be 16, 31 and 25 days, respectively. The tumour/brain area ratio of the rats implanted with either MF co-therapy was found to be reduced by 5-fold when compared to Blank MF-implanted rats. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that Nek1 is an important GB oncotarget and the inhibition of Nek1's activity significantly decreases GB cells' viability and tumour size when combined with TMZ treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiza Steffens Reinhardt
- Laboratory of Genetic Toxicology, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Biosciences Graduation Course, UFCSPA, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Ana Moira Morás
- Laboratory of Genetic Toxicology, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Biosciences Graduation Course, UFCSPA, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Jeferson Gustavo Henn
- Laboratory of Genetic Toxicology, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Biosciences Graduation Course, UFCSPA, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | | | - Matheus Bernardes Ferro
- Laboratory of Genetic Toxicology, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Elizandra Braganhol
- Biosciences Graduation Course, UFCSPA, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Michael Nugent
- Materials Research Institute, TUS, Athlone, Co. Westmeath, Ireland.
| | - Dinara Jaqueline Moura
- Laboratory of Genetic Toxicology, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
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14
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Khalil MI, Singh V, King J, De Benedetti A. TLK1-mediated MK5-S354 phosphorylation drives prostate cancer cell motility and may signify distinct pathologies. Mol Oncol 2022; 16:2537-2557. [PMID: 35064619 PMCID: PMC9251878 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastases account for the majority of prostate cancer (PCa) deaths, and targeting them is a major goal of systemic therapy. We identified a novel interaction between two kinases: tousled‐like kinase 1 (TLK1) and MAP kinase‐activated protein kinase 5 (MK5) that promotes PCa spread. In PCa progression, TLK1–MK5 signalling appears to increase following antiandrogen treatment and in metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients. Determinations of motility rates (2D and 3D) of different TLK1‐ and MK5‐perturbed cells, including knockout (KO) and knockdown (KD), as well as the use of specific inhibitors, showed the importance of these two proteins for in vitro dissemination. We established that TLK1 phosphorylates MK5 on three residues (S160, S354 and S386), resulting in MK5 activation, and additionally, mobility shifts of MK5 also supported its phosphorylation by TLK1 in transfected HEK 293 cells. Expression of MK5‐S354A or kinase‐dead MK5 in MK5‐depleted mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cells failed to restore their motility compared with that of wild‐type (WT) MK5‐rescued MK5−/− MEF cells. A pMK5‐S354 antiserum was used to establish this site as an authentic TLK1 target in androgen‐sensitive human prostate adenocarcinoma (LNCaP) cells, and was used in immunohistochemistry (IHC) studies of age‐related PCa sections from TRAMP (transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate) mice and to probe a human tissue microarray (TMA), which revealed pMK5‐S354 level is correlated with disease progression (Gleason score and nodal metastases). In addition, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) analyses of PCa expression and genome‐wide association study (GWAS) relations identify TLK1 and MK5 as potential drivers of advanced PCa and as markers of mCRPC. Our work suggests that TLK1–MK5 signalling is functionally involved in driving PCa cell motility and clinical features of aggressiveness; hence, disruption of this axis may inhibit the metastatic spread of PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vibha Singh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
| | - Judy King
- Deparment of Pathology and Translational Pathobiology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, USA
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15
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Martins MB, Perez AM, Bohr VA, Wilson DM, Kobarg J. NEK1 deficiency affects mitochondrial functions and the transcriptome of key DNA repair pathways. Mutagenesis 2021; 36:223-236. [PMID: 33740813 DOI: 10.1093/mutage/geab011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have indicated important roles for NIMA-related kinase 1 (NEK1) in modulating DNA damage checkpoints and DNA repair capacity. To broadly assess the contributions of NEK1 to genotoxic stress and mitochondrial functions, we characterised several relevant phenotypes of NEK1 CRISPR knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) HAP1 cells. Our studies revealed that NEK1 KO cells resulted in increased apoptosis and hypersensitivity to the alkylator methyl methanesulfonate, the radiomimetic bleomycin and UVC light, yet increased resistance to the crosslinker cisplatin. Mitochondrial functionalities were also altered in NEK1 KO cells, with phenotypes of reduced mitophagy, increased total mitochondria, elevated levels of reactive oxygen species, impaired complex I activity and higher amounts of mitochondrial DNA damage. RNA-seq transcriptome analysis coupled with quantitative real-time PCR studies comparing NEK1 KO cells with NEK1 overexpressing cells revealed that the expression of genes involved in DNA repair pathways, such as base excision repair, nucleotide excision repair and double-strand break repair, are altered in a way that might influence genotoxin resistance. Together, our studies underline and further support that NEK1 serves as a hub signalling kinase in response to DNA damage, modulating DNA repair capacity, mitochondrial activity and cell fate determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Bonjiorno Martins
- Departamento de Bioquímica e de Biologia Tecidual, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Arina Marina Perez
- Laboratory of Molecular Gerontology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224-6825, USA
| | - Vilhelm A Bohr
- Laboratory of Molecular Gerontology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224-6825, USA
| | - David M Wilson
- Neurosciences Group, Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Jörg Kobarg
- Departamento de Bioquímica e de Biologia Tecidual, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.,Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
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16
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Baumann G, Meckel T, Böhm K, Shih YH, Dickhaut M, Reichardt T, Pilakowski J, Pehl U, Schmidt B. Illuminating a Dark Kinase: Structure-Guided Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of a Potent Nek1 Inhibitor and Its Effects on the Embryonic Zebrafish Pronephros. J Med Chem 2021; 65:1265-1282. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c02118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Georg Baumann
- Clemens Schöpf−Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Tobias Meckel
- Clemens Schöpf−Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Kevin Böhm
- Clemens Schöpf−Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Yung-Hsin Shih
- Clemens Schöpf−Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Mirco Dickhaut
- Clemens Schöpf−Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Torben Reichardt
- Clemens Schöpf−Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Johannes Pilakowski
- Clemens Schöpf−Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Ulrich Pehl
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Biopharma R&D, Discovery and Development Technologies, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Boris Schmidt
- Clemens Schöpf−Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
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17
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Pavan ICB, Peres de Oliveira A, Dias PRF, Basei FL, Issayama LK, Ferezin CDC, Silva FR, Rodrigues de Oliveira AL, Alves dos Reis Moura L, Martins MB, Simabuco FM, Kobarg J. On Broken Ne(c)ks and Broken DNA: The Role of Human NEKs in the DNA Damage Response. Cells 2021; 10:cells10030507. [PMID: 33673578 PMCID: PMC7997185 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
NIMA-related kinases, or NEKs, are a family of Ser/Thr protein kinases involved in cell cycle and mitosis, centrosome disjunction, primary cilia functions, and DNA damage responses among other biological functional contexts in vertebrate cells. In human cells, there are 11 members, termed NEK1 to 11, and the research has mainly focused on exploring the more predominant roles of NEKs in mitosis regulation and cell cycle. A possible important role of NEKs in DNA damage response (DDR) first emerged for NEK1, but recent studies for most NEKs showed participation in DDR. A detailed analysis of the protein interactions, phosphorylation events, and studies of functional aspects of NEKs from the literature led us to propose a more general role of NEKs in DDR. In this review, we express that NEK1 is an activator of ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR), and its activation results in cell cycle arrest, guaranteeing DNA repair while activating specific repair pathways such as homology repair (HR) and DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair. For NEK2, 6, 8, 9, and 11, we found a role downstream of ATR and ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) that results in cell cycle arrest, but details of possible activated repair pathways are still being investigated. NEK4 shows a connection to the regulation of the nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) repair of DNA DSBs, through recruitment of DNA-PK to DNA damage foci. NEK5 interacts with topoisomerase IIβ, and its knockdown results in the accumulation of damaged DNA. NEK7 has a regulatory role in the detection of oxidative damage to telomeric DNA. Finally, NEK10 has recently been shown to phosphorylate p53 at Y327, promoting cell cycle arrest after exposure to DNA damaging agents. In summary, this review highlights important discoveries of the ever-growing involvement of NEK kinases in the DDR pathways. A better understanding of these roles may open new diagnostic possibilities or pharmaceutical interventions regarding the chemo-sensitizing inhibition of NEKs in various forms of cancer and other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isadora Carolina Betim Pavan
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Andressa Peres de Oliveira
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Pedro Rafael Firmino Dias
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Fernanda Luisa Basei
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Luidy Kazuo Issayama
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Camila de Castro Ferezin
- Graduate Program in “Biologia Funcional e Molecular”, Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-857, Brazil;
| | - Fernando Riback Silva
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Ana Luisa Rodrigues de Oliveira
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Lívia Alves dos Reis Moura
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Mariana Bonjiorno Martins
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
- Graduate Program in “Biologia Funcional e Molecular”, Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-857, Brazil;
| | | | - Jörg Kobarg
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
- Graduate Program in “Biologia Funcional e Molecular”, Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-857, Brazil;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-19-3521-8143
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Khalil MI, Ghosh I, Singh V, Chen J, Zhu H, De Benedetti A. NEK1 Phosphorylation of YAP Promotes Its Stabilization and Transcriptional Output. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12123666. [PMID: 33297404 PMCID: PMC7762262 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary We earlier described the involvement of the TLK1>NEK1>ATR>Chk1 axis as a key determinant of cell cycle arrest in androgen-dependent prostate cancer (PCa) cells after androgen deprivation. We now report that the TLK1>NEK1 axis is also involved in stabilization of yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1), the transcriptional co-activator in the Hippo pathway, presumably facilitating reprogramming of the cells toward castration-resistant PCa (CRPC). NEK1 interacts with YAP1 physically resulting in its phosphorylation of 6 residues, which enhance its stability and activity. Analyses of cancer Protein Atlas and TCGA expression panels revealed a link between activated NEK1 and YAP1 expression and several YAP transcription targets. Abstract Most prostate cancer (PCa) deaths result from progressive failure in standard androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), leading to metastatic castration-resistant PCa (mCRPC); however, the mechanism and key players leading to this are not fully understood. While studying the role of tousled-like kinase 1 (TLK1) and never in mitosis gene A (NIMA)-related kinase 1 (NEK1) in a DNA damage response (DDR)-mediated cell cycle arrest in LNCaP cells treated with bicalutamide, we uncovered that overexpression of wt-NEK1 resulted in a rapid conversion to androgen-independent (AI) growth, analogous to what has been observed when YAP1 is overexpressed. We now report that overexpression of wt-NEK1 results in accumulation of YAP1, suggesting the existence of a TLK1>NEK1>YAP1 axis that leads to adaptation to AI growth. Further, YAP1 is co-immunoprecipitated with NEK1. Importantly, NEK1 was able to phosphorylate YAP1 on six residues in vitro, which we believe are important for stabilization of the protein, possibly by increasing its interaction with transcriptional partners. In fact, knockout (KO) of NEK1 in NT1 PCa cells resulted in a parallel decrease of YAP1 level and reduced expression of typical YAP-regulated target genes. In terms of cancer potential implications, the expression of NEK1 and YAP1 proteins was found to be increased and correlated in several cancers. These include PCa stages according to Gleason score, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and glioblastoma, suggesting that this co-regulation is imparted by increased YAP1 stability when NEK1 is overexpressed or activated by TLK1, and not through transcriptional co-expression. We propose that the TLK1>NEK1>YAP1 axis is a key determinant for cancer progression, particularly during the process of androgen-sensitive to -independent conversion during progression to mCRPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Imtiaz Khalil
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA 71130, USA; (M.I.K.); (I.G.); (V.S.)
| | - Ishita Ghosh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA 71130, USA; (M.I.K.); (I.G.); (V.S.)
| | - Vibha Singh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA 71130, USA; (M.I.K.); (I.G.); (V.S.)
| | - Jing Chen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry and Proteomics Core, Center for Structural Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA; (J.C.); (H.Z.)
| | - Haining Zhu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry and Proteomics Core, Center for Structural Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA; (J.C.); (H.Z.)
| | - Arrigo De Benedetti
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA 71130, USA; (M.I.K.); (I.G.); (V.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-31-8675-5668
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19
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Hussain J, Angira D, Hans T, Dubey P, Kirubakaran S, Thiruvenkatam V. Synthesis and characterization of a new class of phenothiazine molecules with 10H-substituted morpholine & piperidine derivatives: A structural insight. J Mol Struct 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2020.128546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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20
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Yang DP, Huang WY, Chen G, Chen SW, Yang J, He RQ, Huang SN, Gan TQ, Ma J, Yang LJ, Song JH, Mo JX, Tang ZQ, Li CB, Zhou HF, Kong JL. Clinical significance of transcription factor RUNX2 in lung adenocarcinoma and its latent transcriptional regulating mechanism. Comput Biol Chem 2020; 89:107383. [PMID: 33032037 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2020.107383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
RUNX family transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) overexpression has been found in various human malignancies. However, the expression levels of RUNX2 mRNA and protein in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) were not investigated. This study aims to thoroughly analysis the expression level and potential mechanisms of RUNX2 mRNA in LUAD. We applied in-house immunohistochemistry, high-throughput RNA-sequencing, and gene microarrays to comprehensively investigate the expression level of RUNX2 in LUAD. A pool standard mean difference (SMD) and summary receiver operating characteristic curves (SROC) were calculated to assess the integrated expression value of RUNX2 in LUAD. The hazard ratios (HRs) were integrated to evaluate the overall prognostic effect of RUNX2 on the LUAD patients. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of LUAD, the potential target genes of RUNX2, and its co-expressed genes were overlapped to obtain a set of specific genes for GO and KEGG enrichment analyses. RUNX2 overexpression in LUAD was validated using a large number of cases (2 418 LUAD and 1 574 non-tumor lung samples). The pooled SMD was 0.85 (95 % CI: 0.64-1.05) and the area under the curve (AUC) of the SROC was 0.86 (95 %CI: 0.83-0.89). The integrated HR was 1.20 [1.04-1.38], indicating that increased expression of RUNX2 was an independent risk factor for the poor survival of the LUAD patients. RUNX2 and its transcriptionally regulates potential target genes may promote cell proliferation and drug resistance of LUAD by modulating the cell cycle and MAPK signaling pathways. RUNX2 can provide new research directions for targeted drug therapy and drug resistance for LUAD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da-Ping Yang
- Department of Pathology, Guigang People's Hospital of Guangxi/The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guigang, Guangxi 537100, PR China.
| | - Wan-Ying Huang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, PR China.
| | - Gang Chen
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, PR China.
| | - Shang-Wei Chen
- Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, PR China.
| | - Jie Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, PR China.
| | - Rong-Quan He
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, PR China.
| | - Su-Ning Huang
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, PR China.
| | - Ting-Qing Gan
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, PR China.
| | - Jie Ma
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, PR China.
| | - Lin-Jie Yang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, PR China.
| | - Jian-Hua Song
- Department of Pathology, Guigang People's Hospital of Guangxi/The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guigang, Guangxi 537100, PR China.
| | - Jun-Xian Mo
- Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University / Wuzhou Gongren Hospital, Wuzhou, Guangxi 543000, PR China.
| | - Zhong-Qing Tang
- Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University / Wuzhou Gongren Hospital, Wuzhou, Guangxi 543000, PR China.
| | - Chang-Bo Li
- Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University / Wuzhou Gongren Hospital, Wuzhou, Guangxi 543000, PR China.
| | - Hua-Fu Zhou
- Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, PR China.
| | - Jin-Liang Kong
- Ward of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, PR China.
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21
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Singh V, Bhoir S, Chikhale RV, Hussain J, Dwyer D, Bryce RA, Kirubakaran S, De Benedetti A. Generation of Phenothiazine with Potent Anti-TLK1 Activity for Prostate Cancer Therapy. iScience 2020; 23:101474. [PMID: 32905878 PMCID: PMC7486443 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Through in vitro kinase assays and docking studies, we report the synthesis and biological evaluation of a phenothiazine analog J54 with potent TLK1 inhibitory activity for prostate cancer (PCa) therapy. Most PCa deaths result from progressive failure in standard androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), leading to metastatic castration-resistant PCa. Treatments that can suppress the conversion to mCRPC have high potential to be rapidly implemented in the clinics. ADT results in increased expression of TLK1B, a key kinase upstream of NEK1 and ATR and mediating the DNA damage response that typically results in temporary cell-cycle arrest of androgen-responsive PCa cells, whereas its abrogation leads to apoptosis. We studied J54 as a potent inhibitor of this axis and as a mediator of apoptosis in vitro and in LNCaP xenografts, which has potential for clinical investigation in combination with ADT. J54 has low affinity for the dopamine receptor in modeling and competition studies and weak detrimental behavioral effects in mice and C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vibha Singh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, USA
| | - Siddhant Bhoir
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, India
| | - Rupesh V. Chikhale
- Division of Pharmacy & Optometry, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Javeena Hussain
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, India
| | - Donard Dwyer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, USA
| | - Richard A. Bryce
- Division of Pharmacy & Optometry, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Sivapriya Kirubakaran
- Department of Biological Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, India
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, India
| | - Arrigo De Benedetti
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, USA
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22
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Fractionation-Dependent Radiosensitization by Molecular Targeting of Nek1. Cells 2020; 9:cells9051235. [PMID: 32429458 PMCID: PMC7291120 DOI: 10.3390/cells9051235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
NIMA (never-in-mitosis gene A)-related kinase 1 (Nek1) is shown to impact on different cellular pathways such as DNA repair, checkpoint activation, and apoptosis. Its role as a molecular target for radiation sensitization of malignant cells, however, remains elusive. Stably transduced doxycycline (Dox)-inducible Nek1 shRNA HeLa cervix and siRNA-transfected HCT-15 colorectal carcinoma cells were irradiated in vitro and 3D clonogenic radiation survival, residual DNA damage, cell cycle distribution, and apoptosis were analyzed. Nek1 knockdown (KD) sensitized both cell lines to ionizing radiation following a single dose irradiation and more pronounced in combination with a 6 h fractionation (3 × 2 Gy) regime. For preclinical analyses we focused on cervical cancer. Nek1 shRNA HeLa cells were grafted into NOD/SCID/IL-2Rγc−/− (NSG) mice and Nek1 KD was induced by Dox-infused drinking water resulting in a significant cytostatic effect if combined with a 6 h fractionation (3 × 2 Gy) regime. In addition, we correlated Nek1 expression in biopsies of patients with cervical cancer with histopathological parameters and clinical follow-up. Our results indicate that elevated levels of Nek1 were associated with an increased rate of local or distant failure, as well as with impaired cancer-specific and overall survival in univariate analyses and for most endpoints in multivariable analyses. Finally, findings from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) validation cohort confirmed a significant association of high Nek1 expression with a reduced disease-free survival. In conclusion, we consider Nek1 to represent a novel biomarker and potential therapeutic target for drug development in the context of optimized fractionation intervals.
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23
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Peres de Oliveira A, Kazuo Issayama L, Betim Pavan IC, Riback Silva F, Diniz Melo-Hanchuk T, Moreira Simabuco F, Kobarg J. Checking NEKs: Overcoming a Bottleneck in Human Diseases. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25081778. [PMID: 32294979 PMCID: PMC7221840 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25081778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In previous years, several kinases, such as phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK), have been linked to important human diseases, although some kinase families remain neglected in terms of research, hiding their relevance to therapeutic approaches. Here, a review regarding the NEK family is presented, shedding light on important information related to NEKs and human diseases. NEKs are a large group of homologous kinases with related functions and structures that participate in several cellular processes such as the cell cycle, cell division, cilia formation, and the DNA damage response. The review of the literature points to the pivotal participation of NEKs in important human diseases, like different types of cancer, diabetes, ciliopathies and central nervous system related and inflammatory-related diseases. The different known regulatory molecular mechanisms specific to each NEK are also presented, relating to their involvement in different diseases. In addition, important information about NEKs remains to be elucidated and is highlighted in this review, showing the need for other studies and research regarding this kinase family. Therefore, the NEK family represents an important group of kinases with potential applications in the therapy of human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andressa Peres de Oliveira
- Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Tecidual, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil; (A.P.d.O.); (L.K.I.); (I.C.B.P.); (F.R.S.); (T.D.M.-H.)
| | - Luidy Kazuo Issayama
- Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Tecidual, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil; (A.P.d.O.); (L.K.I.); (I.C.B.P.); (F.R.S.); (T.D.M.-H.)
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-871, Brazil
| | - Isadora Carolina Betim Pavan
- Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Tecidual, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil; (A.P.d.O.); (L.K.I.); (I.C.B.P.); (F.R.S.); (T.D.M.-H.)
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-871, Brazil
- Laboratório Multidisciplinar em Alimentos e Saúde, Faculdade de Ciências Aplicadas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, São Paulo 13484-350, Brazil;
| | - Fernando Riback Silva
- Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Tecidual, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil; (A.P.d.O.); (L.K.I.); (I.C.B.P.); (F.R.S.); (T.D.M.-H.)
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-871, Brazil
| | - Talita Diniz Melo-Hanchuk
- Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Tecidual, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil; (A.P.d.O.); (L.K.I.); (I.C.B.P.); (F.R.S.); (T.D.M.-H.)
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-871, Brazil
| | - Fernando Moreira Simabuco
- Laboratório Multidisciplinar em Alimentos e Saúde, Faculdade de Ciências Aplicadas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, São Paulo 13484-350, Brazil;
| | - Jörg Kobarg
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-871, Brazil
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-19-3521-8143
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Singh V, Khalil MI, De Benedetti A. The TLK1/Nek1 axis contributes to mitochondrial integrity and apoptosis prevention via phosphorylation of VDAC1. Cell Cycle 2020; 19:363-375. [PMID: 31914854 PMCID: PMC7028156 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2019.1711317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The TLK1/Nek1 axis contributes to cell cycle arrest and implementation of the DDR to mediate survival upon DNA damage. However, when the damage is too severe, the cells typically are forced into apoptosis, and the contribution of TLKs in this process has not been investigated. In contrast, it is known that Nek1 may play a role by phosphorylating VDAC1 maintaining proper opening and closure of the channel and thus mitochondrial integrity. We now show that the activating phosphorylation of Nek1-T141 by TLK1 contributes to the phosphorylation and stability of VDAC1 and thereby to mitochondrial permeability and integrity. Treatment of three different cell lines model that overexpress Nek1-T141A mutant with doxorubicin showed exquisite sensitivity to the drug, with implementation of rapid accumulation of cells with subG1 DNA content (apoptotic) and other alterations in the cell cycle. In addition, these cells displayed reduced oxygen consumption under normal conditions and less reliance on mitochondria and more dependence on glycolysis for energy production. Consistent with greater apoptosis, upon treatment with low doses of doxorubicin, cells overexpressing Nek1-T141A displayed leakage of Cyt-C into the cytoplasmic fraction. This suggests that inhibiting the TLK1/Nek1/VDAC1 nexus could sensitize cancer cells to apoptotic killing in combination with an appropriate DNA damaging agent. We in fact have previously reported that Nek1 expression is elevated in advanced Prostate Cancer (PCa) and we now report that VDAC1 expression is elevated and correlated with disease stage, thereby making the TLK1/Nek1/VDAC1 nexus a very attractive target for PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vibha Singh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Md Imtiaz Khalil
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Arrigo De Benedetti
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, USA
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25
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Segura-Bayona S, Stracker TH. The Tousled-like kinases regulate genome and epigenome stability: implications in development and disease. Cell Mol Life Sci 2019; 76:3827-3841. [PMID: 31302748 PMCID: PMC11105529 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03208-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The Tousled-like kinases (TLKs) are an evolutionarily conserved family of serine-threonine kinases that have been implicated in DNA replication, DNA repair, transcription, chromatin structure, viral latency, cell cycle checkpoint control and chromosomal stability in various organisms. The functions of the TLKs appear to depend largely on their ability to regulate the H3/H4 histone chaperone ASF1, although numerous TLK substrates have been proposed. Over the last few years, a clearer picture of TLK function has emerged through the identification of new partners, the definition of specific roles in development and the elucidation of their structural and biochemical properties. In addition, the TLKs have been clearly linked to human disease; both TLK1 and TLK2 are frequently amplified in human cancers and TLK2 mutations have been identified in patients with neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by intellectual disability (ID), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and microcephaly. A better understanding of the substrates, regulation and diverse roles of the TLKs is needed to understand their functions in neurodevelopment and determine if they are viable targets for cancer therapy. In this review, we will summarize current knowledge of TLK biology and its potential implications in development and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Segura-Bayona
- Department of Oncology, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, C/Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
| | - Travis H Stracker
- Department of Oncology, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, C/Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
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