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Seiboldt T, Zeiser C, Nguyen D, Celikyürekli S, Herter S, Najafi S, Stroh-Dege A, Meulenbroeks C, Mack N, Salem-Altintas R, Westermann F, Schlesner M, Milde T, Kool M, Holland-Letz T, Vogler M, Peterziel H, Witt O, Oehme I. Synergy of retinoic acid and BH3 mimetics in MYC(N)-driven embryonal nervous system tumours. Br J Cancer 2024; 131:763-777. [PMID: 38942989 PMCID: PMC11333474 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-024-02740-5] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Certain paediatric nervous system malignancies have dismal prognoses. Retinoic acid (RA) is used in neuroblastoma treatment, and preclinical data indicate potential benefit in selected paediatric brain tumour entities. However, limited single-agent efficacy necessitates combination treatment approaches. METHODS We performed drug sensitivity profiling of 76 clinically relevant drugs in combination with RA in 16 models (including patient-derived tumouroids) of the most common paediatric nervous system tumours. Drug responses were assessed by viability assays, high-content imaging, and apoptosis assays and RA relevant pathways by RNAseq from treated models and patient samples obtained through the precision oncology programme INFORM (n = 2288). Immunoprecipitation detected BCL-2 family interactions, and zebrafish embryo xenografts were used for in vivo efficacy testing. RESULTS Group 3 medulloblastoma (MBG3) and neuroblastoma models were highly sensitive to RA treatment. RA induced differentiation and regulated apoptotic genes. RNAseq analysis revealed high expression of BCL2L1 in MBG3 and BCL2 in neuroblastomas. Co-treatments with RA and BCL-2/XL inhibitor navitoclax synergistically decreased viability at clinically achievable concentrations. The combination of RA with navitoclax disrupted the binding of BIM to BCL-XL in MBG3 and to BCL-2 in neuroblastoma, inducing apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSIONS RA treatment primes MBG3 and NB cells for apoptosis, triggered by navitoclax cotreatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Till Seiboldt
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology (B310), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Constantia Zeiser
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology (B310), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Duy Nguyen
- Bioinformatics and Omics Data Analytics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Simay Celikyürekli
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology (B310), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology and Pulmonology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sonja Herter
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology (B310), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sara Najafi
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology (B310), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology and Pulmonology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexandra Stroh-Dege
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology (B310), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Norman Mack
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rabia Salem-Altintas
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology (B310), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Frank Westermann
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Neuroblastoma Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Matthias Schlesner
- Bioinformatics and Omics Data Analytics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Biomedical Informatics, Data Mining and Data Analytics, Faculty of Applied Computer Science and Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Till Milde
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology (B310), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology and Pulmonology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marcel Kool
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Tim Holland-Letz
- Division of Biostatistics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Meike Vogler
- Institute for Experimental Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) partner site Frankfurt/Mainz, a partnership between DKFZ and University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- University Cancer Center Frankfurt (UCT), University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Heike Peterziel
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology (B310), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Olaf Witt
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology (B310), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology and Pulmonology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ina Oehme
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology (B310), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany.
- National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
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Smart SK, Yeung TY, Santos MO, McSwain LF, Wang X, Frye SV, Earp HS, DeRyckere D, Graham DK. MERTK Is a Potential Therapeutic Target in Ewing Sarcoma. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2831. [PMID: 39199601 PMCID: PMC11352666 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16162831] [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: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 07/27/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Outcomes are poor in patients with advanced or relapsed Ewing sarcoma (EWS) and current treatments have significant short- and long-term side effects. New, less toxic and more effective treatments are urgently needed. MER proto-oncogene tyrosine kinase (MERTK) promotes tumor cell survival, metastasis, and resistance to cytotoxic and targeted therapies in a variety of cancers. MERTK was ubiquitously expressed in five EWS cell lines and five patient samples. Moreover, data from CRISPR-based library screens indicated that EWS cell lines are particularly dependent on MERTK. Treatment with MRX-2843, a first-in-class, MERTK-selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor currently in clinical trials, decreased the phosphorylation of MERTK and downstream signaling in a dose-dependent manner in A673 and TC106 cells and provided potent anti-tumor activity against all five EWS cell lines, with IC50 values ranging from 178 to 297 nM. Inhibition of MERTK correlated with anti-tumor activity, suggesting MERTK inhibition as a therapeutic mechanism of MRX-2843. Combined treatment with MRX-2843 and BCL-2 inhibitors venetoclax or navitoclax provided enhanced therapeutic activity compared to single agents. These data highlight MERTK as a promising therapeutic target in EWS and provide rationale for the development of MRX-2843 for the treatment of EWS, especially in combination with BCL-2 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherri K. Smart
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; (S.K.S.); (T.Y.Y.); (L.F.M.); (D.D.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Tsz Y. Yeung
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; (S.K.S.); (T.Y.Y.); (L.F.M.); (D.D.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | | | - Leon F. McSwain
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; (S.K.S.); (T.Y.Y.); (L.F.M.); (D.D.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Xiaodong Wang
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (X.W.); (S.V.F.)
| | - Stephen V. Frye
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (X.W.); (S.V.F.)
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA;
| | - H. Shelton Earp
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA;
- Departments of Medicine and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Deborah DeRyckere
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; (S.K.S.); (T.Y.Y.); (L.F.M.); (D.D.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Douglas K. Graham
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; (S.K.S.); (T.Y.Y.); (L.F.M.); (D.D.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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Ebrahimnezhad M, Asl SH, Rezaie M, Molavand M, Yousefi B, Majidinia M. lncRNAs: New players of cancer drug resistance via targeting ABC transporters. IUBMB Life 2024. [PMID: 39091106 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2888] [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: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Cancer drug resistance poses a significant obstacle to successful chemotherapy, primarily driven by the activity of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, which actively efflux chemotherapeutic agents from cancer cells, reducing their intracellular concentrations and therapeutic efficacy. Recent studies have highlighted the pivotal role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in regulating this resistance, positioning them as crucial modulators of ABC transporter function. lncRNAs, once considered transcriptional noise, are now recognized for their complex regulatory capabilities at various cellular levels, including chromatin modification, transcription, and post-transcriptional processing. This review synthesizes current research demonstrating how lncRNAs influence cancer drug resistance by modulating the expression and activity of ABC transporters. lncRNAs can act as molecular sponges, sequestering microRNAs that would otherwise downregulate ABC transporter genes. Additionally, they can alter the epigenetic landscape of these genes, affecting their transcriptional activity. Mechanistic insights reveal that lncRNAs contribute to the activity of ABC transporters, thereby altering the efflux of chemotherapeutic drugs and promoting drug resistance. Understanding these interactions provides a new perspective on the molecular basis of chemoresistance, emphasizing the regulatory network of lncRNAs and ABC transporters. This knowledge not only deepens our understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying drug resistance but also suggests novel therapeutic strategies. In conclusion, the intricate interplay between lncRNAs and ABC transporters is crucial for developing innovative solutions to combat cancer drug resistance, underscoring the importance of continued research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Ebrahimnezhad
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Sanaz Hassanzadeh Asl
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz Azad University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Maede Rezaie
- Immunology research center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mehran Molavand
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Bahman Yousefi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Molecular research center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Maryam Majidinia
- Solid Tumor Research Center, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Institute, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
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Shin HE, Han JH, Shin S, Bae GH, Son B, Kim TH, Park HH, Park CG, Park W. M1-polarized macrophage-derived cellular nanovesicle-coated lipid nanoparticles for enhanced cancer treatment through hybridization of gene therapy and cancer immunotherapy. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:3169-3183. [PMID: 39027257 PMCID: PMC11252390 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.03.004] [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: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Optimum genetic delivery for modulating target genes to diseased tissue is a major obstacle for profitable gene therapy. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), considered a prospective vehicle for nucleic acid delivery, have demonstrated efficacy in human use during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study introduces a novel biomaterial-based platform, M1-polarized macrophage-derived cellular nanovesicle-coated LNPs (M1-C-LNPs), specifically engineered for a combined gene-immunotherapy approach against solid tumor. The dual-function system of M1-C-LNPs encapsulates Bcl2-targeting siRNA within LNPs and immune-modulating cytokines within M1 macrophage-derived cellular nanovesicles (M1-NVs), effectively facilitating apoptosis in cancer cells without impacting T and NK cells, which activate the intratumoral immune response to promote granule-mediating killing for solid tumor eradication. Enhanced retention within tumor was observed upon intratumoral administration of M1-C-LNPs, owing to the presence of adhesion molecules on M1-NVs, thereby contributing to superior tumor growth inhibition. These findings represent a promising strategy for the development of targeted and effective nanoparticle-based cancer genetic-immunotherapy, with significant implications for advancing biomaterial use in cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ha Eun Shin
- Department of Integrative Biotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, Gyeonggi 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun-Hyeok Han
- Department of Integrative Biotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, Gyeonggi 16419, Republic of Korea
- Deparment of Inteligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, SKKU, Suwon, Gyeonggi 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Seungyong Shin
- Department of Integrative Biotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, Gyeonggi 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Ga-Hyun Bae
- Department of Integrative Biotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, Gyeonggi 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of MetaBioHealth, SKKU Institute for Convergence, SKKU, Suwon, Gyeonggi 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Boram Son
- Department of Bioengineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Hyung Kim
- Department of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Ho Park
- Department of Bioengineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Chun Gwon Park
- Deparment of Inteligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, SKKU, Suwon, Gyeonggi 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, SKKU, Suwon, Gyeonggi 16419, Republic of Korea
- Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Wooram Park
- Department of Integrative Biotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, Gyeonggi 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of MetaBioHealth, SKKU Institute for Convergence, SKKU, Suwon, Gyeonggi 16419, Republic of Korea
- Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
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Liu S, Liu C, Wang Y, Chen J, He Y, Hu K, Li T, Yang J, Peng J, Hao L. The role of programmed cell death in osteosarcoma: From pathogenesis to therapy. Cancer Med 2024; 13:e7303. [PMID: 38800967 PMCID: PMC11129166 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.7303] [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: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma (OS) is a prevalent bone solid malignancy that primarily affects adolescents, particularly boys aged 14-19. This aggressive form of cancer often leads to deadly lung cancer due to its high migration ability. Experimental evidence suggests that programmed cell death (PCD) plays a crucial role in the development of osteosarcoma. Various forms of PCD, including apoptosis, ferroptosis, autophagy, necroptosis, and pyroptosis, contribute significantly to the progression of osteosarcoma. Additionally, different signaling pathways such as STAT3/c-Myc signal pathway, JNK signl pathway, PI3k/AKT/mTOR signal pathway, WNT/β-catenin signal pathway, and RhoA signal pathway can influence the development of osteosarcoma by regulating PCD in osteosarcoma cell. Therefore, targeting PCD and the associated signaling pathways could offer a promising therapeutic approach for treating osteosarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suqing Liu
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical CollegeNanchang UniversityNanchangChina
- Queen Marry CollegeNanchang UniversityNanchangChina
| | - Chengtao Liu
- Shandong Wendeng Osteopathic HospitalWeihaiChina
| | - Yian Wang
- Queen Marry CollegeNanchang UniversityNanchangChina
| | - Jiewen Chen
- Queen Marry CollegeNanchang UniversityNanchangChina
| | - Yujin He
- Queen Marry CollegeNanchang UniversityNanchangChina
| | - Kaibo Hu
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Jiangxi Medical CollegeNanchang UniversityNanchangChina
| | - Ting Li
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Jiangxi Medical CollegeNanchang UniversityNanchangChina
| | - Junmei Yang
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Jiangxi Medical CollegeNanchang UniversityNanchangChina
| | - Jie Peng
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical CollegeNanchang UniversityNanchangChina
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Jiangxi Medical CollegeNanchang UniversityNanchangChina
- Department of Sports Medicine, Huashan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Liang Hao
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical CollegeNanchang UniversityNanchangChina
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McAloney CA, Makkawi R, Budhathoki Y, Cannon MV, Franz EM, Gross AC, Cam M, Vetter TA, Duhen R, Davies AE, Roberts RD. Host-derived growth factors drive ERK phosphorylation and MCL1 expression to promote osteosarcoma cell survival during metastatic lung colonization. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2024; 47:259-282. [PMID: 37676378 PMCID: PMC10899530 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-023-00867-w] [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] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE For patients with osteosarcoma, disease-related mortality most often results from lung metastasis-a phenomenon shared with many solid tumors. While established metastatic lesions behave aggressively, very few of the tumor cells that reach the lung will survive. By identifying mechanisms that facilitate survival of disseminated tumor cells, we can develop therapeutic strategies that prevent and treat metastasis. METHODS We analyzed single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNAseq) data from murine metastasis-bearing lungs to interrogate changes in both host and tumor cells during colonization. We used these data to elucidate pathways that become activated in cells that survive dissemination and identify candidate host-derived signals that drive activation. We validated these findings through live cell reporter systems, immunocytochemistry, and fluorescent immunohistochemistry. We then validated the functional relevance of key candidates using pharmacologic inhibition in models of metastatic osteosarcoma. RESULTS Expression patterns suggest that the MAPK pathway is significantly elevated in early and established metastases. MAPK activity correlates with expression of anti-apoptotic genes, especially MCL1. Niche cells produce growth factors that increase ERK phosphorylation and MCL1 expression in tumor cells. Both early and established metastases are vulnerable to MCL1 inhibition, but not MEK inhibition in vivo. Combining MCL1 inhibition with chemotherapy both prevented colonization and eliminated established metastases in murine models of osteosarcoma. CONCLUSION Niche-derived growth factors drive MAPK activity and MCL1 expression in osteosarcoma, promoting metastatic colonization. Although later metastases produce less MCL1, they remain dependent on it. MCL1 is a promising target for clinical trials in both human and canine patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille A McAloney
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Center for Childhood Cancers and Blood Diseases, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Rawan Makkawi
- Knight Cancer Institute's, Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Yogesh Budhathoki
- Center for Childhood Cancers and Blood Diseases, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Matthew V Cannon
- Center for Childhood Cancers and Blood Diseases, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Emily M Franz
- Center for Childhood Cancers and Blood Diseases, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Amy C Gross
- Center for Childhood Cancers and Blood Diseases, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Maren Cam
- Center for Childhood Cancers and Blood Diseases, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Tatyana A Vetter
- Center for Gene Therapy, Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Rebekka Duhen
- Knight Cancer Institute's, Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Alexander E Davies
- Knight Cancer Institute's, Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
| | - Ryan D Roberts
- Center for Childhood Cancers and Blood Diseases, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA.
- Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and BMT, Nationwide Children's Hospital, 700 Children's Drive, Columbus, OH, 43205, USA.
- The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA.
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7
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Jacob M, Wiedemann S, Brücher D, Pieper NM, Birkhold M, Särchen V, Jeroch J, Demes MC, Gretser S, Braun Y, Gradhand E, Rothweiler F, Michaelis M, Cinatl J, Vogler M. Increased MCL1 dependency leads to new applications of BH3-mimetics in drug-resistant neuroblastoma. Br J Cancer 2023; 129:1667-1678. [PMID: 37723317 PMCID: PMC10646009 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02430-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuroblastoma is a paediatric cancer that is characterised by poor prognosis for chemoresistant disease, highlighting the need for better treatment options. Here, we asked whether BH3-mimetics inhibiting BCL2 proteins may eliminate chemoresistant neuroblastoma cells. METHODS We utilised cisplatin-adapted neuroblastoma cell lines as well as patient tissues before and after relapse to study alterations of BCL2 proteins upon chemoresistance. RESULTS In a direct comparison of cisplatin-resistant cells we identified a prominent loss of sensitivity to BCL2/BCL-XL inhibitors that is associated with an increase in MCL1 dependency and high expression of MCL1 in patient tumour tissues. Screening of FDA-approved anti-cancer drugs in chemoresistant cells identified therapeutics that may be beneficial in combination with the clinically tested BH3-mimetic ABT263, but no synergistic drug interactions with the selective MCL1 inhibitor S63845. Further exploration of potential treatment options for chemoresistant neuroblastoma identified immunotherapy based on NK cells as highly promising, since NK cells are able to efficiently kill both parental and chemoresistant cells. CONCLUSIONS These data highlight that the application of BH3-mimetics may differ between first line treatment and relapsed disease. Combination of NK cell-based immunotherapy with BH3-mimetics may further increase killing of chemoresistant neuroblastoma, outlining a new treatment strategy for relapsed neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen Jacob
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sara Wiedemann
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Daniela Brücher
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Nadja M Pieper
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Moni Birkhold
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Vinzenz Särchen
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jan Jeroch
- Dr. Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Melanie C Demes
- Dr. Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Steffen Gretser
- Department of Pediatric and Perinatal Pathology, Dr. Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Yannick Braun
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Elise Gradhand
- Department of Pediatric and Perinatal Pathology, Dr. Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Florian Rothweiler
- Institute for Medical Virology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Dr. Petra Joh-Forschungshaus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Martin Michaelis
- Dr. Petra Joh-Forschungshaus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Jindrich Cinatl
- Institute for Medical Virology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Dr. Petra Joh-Forschungshaus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Meike Vogler
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site Frankfurt/Mainz, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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8
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Fitzgerald MC, O'Halloran PJ, Kerrane SA, Ní Chonghaile T, Connolly NMC, Murphy BM. The identification of BCL-XL and MCL-1 as key anti-apoptotic proteins in medulloblastoma that mediate distinct roles in chemotherapy resistance. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:705. [PMID: 37898609 PMCID: PMC10613306 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06231-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant paediatric brain tumour, representing 20% of all paediatric intercranial tumours. Current aggressive treatment protocols and the use of radiation therapy in particular are associated with high levels of toxicity and significant adverse effects, and long-term sequelae can be severe. Therefore, improving chemotherapy efficacy could reduce the current reliance on radiation therapy. Here, we demonstrated that systems-level analysis of basal apoptosis protein expression and their signalling interactions can differentiate between medulloblastoma cell lines that undergo apoptosis in response to chemotherapy, and those that do not. Combining computational predictions with experimental BH3 profiling, we identified a therapeutically-exploitable dependence of medulloblastoma cells on BCL-XL, and experimentally validated that BCL-XL targeting, and not targeting of BCL-2 or MCL-1, can potentiate cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity in medulloblastoma cell lines with low sensitivity to cisplatin treatment. Finally, we identified MCL-1 as an anti-apoptotic mediator whose targeting is required for BCL-XL inhibitor-induced apoptosis. Collectively, our study identifies that BCL-XL and MCL-1 are the key anti-apoptotic proteins in medulloblastoma, which mediate distinct protective roles. While BCL-XL has a first-line role in protecting cells from apoptosis basally, MCL-1 represents a second line of defence that compensates for BCL-XL upon its inhibition. We provide rationale for the further evaluation of BCL-XL and MCL-1 inhibitors in the treatment of medulloblastoma, and together with current efforts to improve the cancer-specificity of BCL-2 family inhibitors, these novel treatment strategies have the potential to improve the future clinical management of medulloblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Claire Fitzgerald
- Department of Physiology & Medical Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 31A York Street, Dublin, D02 YN77, Ireland
- National Children's Research Centre at the Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin, Dublin, D12 N512, Ireland
| | - Philip J O'Halloran
- Department of Physiology & Medical Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 31A York Street, Dublin, D02 YN77, Ireland
- Department of Neurosurgery, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, UK
| | - Sean A Kerrane
- Department of Physiology & Medical Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 31A York Street, Dublin, D02 YN77, Ireland
- National Children's Research Centre at the Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin, Dublin, D12 N512, Ireland
| | - Triona Ní Chonghaile
- Department of Physiology & Medical Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 31A York Street, Dublin, D02 YN77, Ireland
| | - Niamh M C Connolly
- Department of Physiology & Medical Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 31A York Street, Dublin, D02 YN77, Ireland
- Centre for Systems Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 31A York Street, Dublin, D02 YN77, Ireland
| | - Brona M Murphy
- Department of Physiology & Medical Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 31A York Street, Dublin, D02 YN77, Ireland.
- National Children's Research Centre at the Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin, Dublin, D12 N512, Ireland.
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9
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Oliveira RC, Gama J, Casanova J. B-cell lymphoma 2 family members and sarcomas: a promising target in a heterogeneous disease. EXPLORATION OF TARGETED ANTI-TUMOR THERAPY 2023; 4:583-599. [PMID: 37720343 PMCID: PMC10501895 DOI: 10.37349/etat.2023.00154] [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: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeting the B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family proteins has been the backbone for hematological malignancies with overall survival improvements. The Bcl-2 family is a major player in apoptosis regulation and, has captured the researcher's interest in the treatment of solid tumors. Sarcomas are a heterogeneous group of diseases, comprising several entities, with high morbidity and mortality and with few specific therapies available. The treatment for sarcomas is based on platinum regimens, with variable results and poor outcomes, especially in advanced lesions. The high number of different sarcoma entities makes treatment standardization as well as the performance of clinical trials difficult. The use of Bcl-2 family members modifiers has revealed promising results in in vitro and in vivo models and may be a valid option, especially when used in combination with chemotherapy. In this article, a revision of these results and possibilities for the use of Bcl-2 family members inhibitors in sarcomas was performed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Caetano Oliveira
- Centro de Anatomia Patológica Germano de Sousa, 3000 Coimbra, Portugal
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), 3000 Coimbra, Portugal
- Centre of Investigation on Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), 3000 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João Gama
- Pathology Department, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, 3000 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - José Casanova
- Centre of Investigation on Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), 3000 Coimbra, Portugal
- Orthopedic Oncology Department, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, 3000 Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Coimbra, 3000 Coimbra, Portugal
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10
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Vaidya S, Mohod A, Eedara AC, Andugulapati SB, Pabbaraja S. Synthesis and Characterization of a New Cationic Lipid: Efficient siRNA Delivery and Anticancer Activity of Survivin-siRNA Lipoplexes for the Treatment of Lung and Breast Cancers. ChemMedChem 2023; 18:e202300097. [PMID: 37306531 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202300097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Survivin has been shown to be widely expressed in most tumor cells, including lung and breast cancers. Due to limited siRNA delivery, it is more challenging to target survivin using knockdown-based techniques. Designing and developing new, bifunctional chemical molecules with both selective anti-proliferative activity and effective siRNA transfection capabilities by targeting a particular gene is important to treat aggressive tumors like triple-negative breast tumors (TNBC). The cationic lipids deliver small interfering RNA (siRNA) and also display inherent anti-cancer activities; therefore, cationic lipid therapies have become very popular for treating malignant cancers. In the current study, we attempted to synthesize a series of acid-containing cationic lipids, anthranilic acid-containing mef lipids, and indoleacetic acid-containing etodo lipids etc. Further, we elucidated their bi-functional activity for their anticancer activity and survivin siRNA-mediated anti-cancer activity. Our results showed that lipoplexes with siRNA-Etodo: Dotap (ED) and siRNA-Mef: Dotap (MD) exhibited homogeneous particle size and positive zeta potential. Further, biological investigations resulted in enhanced survivin siRNA delivery with high stability, improved transfection efficiency, and anti-cancer activity. Additionally, our findings showed that survivin siRNA lipoplexes (ED and MD) in A549 cells and 4T1 cells exhibited stronger survivin knockdown, enhanced apoptosis, and G1 or G2/M phase arrest in both cell types. In vivo results revealed that treatment with survivin complexed lipoplexes significantly reduced tumor growth and tumor weight compared to control. Thus, our novel quaternary amine-based liposome formulations are predicted to open up new possibilities in the development of a simple and widely utilized platform for siRNA delivery and anti-cancer activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep Vaidya
- Department of Organic Synthesis and Process Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad, 500007, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Annie Mohod
- Department of Applied Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad, 500007, India
| | - Abhisheik Chowdary Eedara
- Department of Applied Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad, 500007, India
| | - Sai Balaji Andugulapati
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
- Department of Applied Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad, 500007, India
| | - Srihari Pabbaraja
- Department of Organic Synthesis and Process Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad, 500007, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
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11
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Kong S, Moharil P, Handly‐Santana A, Boehnke N, Panayiotou R, Gomerdinger V, Covarrubias G, Pires IS, Zervantonakis I, Brugge J, Hammond PT. Synergistic combination therapy delivered via layer-by-layer nanoparticles induces solid tumor regression of ovarian cancer. Bioeng Transl Med 2023; 8:e10429. [PMID: 36925689 PMCID: PMC10013771 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The majority of patients with high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) develop recurrent disease and chemotherapy resistance. To identify drug combinations that would be effective in treatment of chemotherapy resistant disease, we examined the efficacy of drug combinations that target the three antiapoptotic proteins most commonly expressed in HGSOC-BCL2, BCL-XL, and MCL1. Co-inhibition of BCL2 and BCL-XL (ABT-263) with inhibition of MCL1 (S63845) induces potent synergistic cytotoxicity in multiple HGSOC models. Since this drug combination is predicted to be toxic to patients due to the known clinical morbidities of each drug, we developed layer-by-layer nanoparticles (LbL NPs) that co-encapsulate these inhibitors in order to target HGSOC tumor cells and reduce systemic toxicities. We show that the LbL NPs can be designed to have high association with specific ovarian tumor cell types targeted in these studies, thus enabling a more selective uptake when delivered via intraperitoneal injection. Treatment with these LbL NPs displayed better potency than free drugs in vitro and resulted in near-complete elimination of solid tumor metastases of ovarian cancer xenografts. Thus, these results support the exploration of LbL NPs as a strategy to deliver potent drug combinations to recurrent HGSOC. While these findings are described for co-encapsulation of a BCL2/XL and a MCL1 inhibitor, the modular nature of LbL assembly provides flexibility in the range of therapies that can be incorporated, making LbL NPs an adaptable vehicle for delivery of additional combinations of pathway inhibitors and other oncology drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Kong
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMassachusettsUnited States
- Department of Chemical EngineeringMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMassachusettsUnited States
| | - Pearl Moharil
- Harvard Medical SchoolHarvard UniversityBostonMassachusettsUnited States
| | | | - Natalie Boehnke
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMassachusettsUnited States
| | - Richard Panayiotou
- Harvard Medical SchoolHarvard UniversityBostonMassachusettsUnited States
| | - Victoria Gomerdinger
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMassachusettsUnited States
- Department of Chemical EngineeringMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMassachusettsUnited States
| | - Gil Covarrubias
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMassachusettsUnited States
| | - Ivan S. Pires
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMassachusettsUnited States
- Department of Chemical EngineeringMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMassachusettsUnited States
| | - Ioannis Zervantonakis
- Harvard Medical SchoolHarvard UniversityBostonMassachusettsUnited States
- Department of BioengineeringUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUnited States
| | - Joan Brugge
- Harvard Medical SchoolHarvard UniversityBostonMassachusettsUnited States
| | - Paula T. Hammond
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMassachusettsUnited States
- Department of Chemical EngineeringMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMassachusettsUnited States
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12
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Grissenberger S, Sturtzel C, Wenninger-Weinzierl A, Radic-Sarikas B, Scheuringer E, Bierbaumer L, Etienne V, Némati F, Pascoal S, Tötzl M, Tomazou EM, Metzelder M, Putz EM, Decaudin D, Delattre O, Surdez D, Kovar H, Halbritter F, Distel M. High-content drug screening in zebrafish xenografts reveals high efficacy of dual MCL-1/BCL-X L inhibition against Ewing sarcoma. Cancer Lett 2023; 554:216028. [PMID: 36462556 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2022.216028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma is a pediatric bone and soft tissue cancer with an urgent need for new therapies to improve disease outcome. To identify effective drugs, phenotypic drug screening has proven to be a powerful method, but achievable throughput in mouse xenografts, the preclinical Ewing sarcoma standard model, is limited. Here, we explored the use of xenografts in zebrafish for high-throughput drug screening to discover new combination therapies for Ewing sarcoma. We subjected xenografts in zebrafish larvae to high-content imaging and subsequent automated tumor size analysis to screen single agents and compound combinations. We identified three drug combinations effective against Ewing sarcoma cells: Irinotecan combined with either an MCL-1 or an BCL-XL inhibitor and in particular dual inhibition of the anti-apoptotic proteins MCL-1 and BCL-XL, which efficiently eradicated tumor cells in zebrafish xenografts. We confirmed enhanced efficacy of dual MCL-1/BCL-XL inhibition compared to single agents in a mouse PDX model. In conclusion, high-content screening of small compounds on Ewing sarcoma zebrafish xenografts identified dual MCL-1/BCL-XL targeting as a specific vulnerability and promising therapeutic strategy for Ewing sarcoma, which warrants further investigation towards clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Caterina Sturtzel
- St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute (CCRI), Vienna, Austria; Zebrafish Platform Austria for Preclinical Drug Screening (ZANDR), Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrea Wenninger-Weinzierl
- St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute (CCRI), Vienna, Austria; Zebrafish Platform Austria for Preclinical Drug Screening (ZANDR), Vienna, Austria
| | - Branka Radic-Sarikas
- St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute (CCRI), Vienna, Austria; Department of Pediatric Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Scheuringer
- St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute (CCRI), Vienna, Austria; Zebrafish Platform Austria for Preclinical Drug Screening (ZANDR), Vienna, Austria
| | - Lisa Bierbaumer
- St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute (CCRI), Vienna, Austria
| | - Vesnie Etienne
- Laboratory of Preclinical Investigation, Department of Translational Research, Institut Curie, PSL University, Paris, France
| | - Fariba Némati
- Laboratory of Preclinical Investigation, Department of Translational Research, Institut Curie, PSL University, Paris, France
| | - Susana Pascoal
- St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute (CCRI), Vienna, Austria; Zebrafish Platform Austria for Preclinical Drug Screening (ZANDR), Vienna, Austria
| | - Marcus Tötzl
- St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute (CCRI), Vienna, Austria
| | - Eleni M Tomazou
- St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute (CCRI), Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Metzelder
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva M Putz
- St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute (CCRI), Vienna, Austria
| | - Didier Decaudin
- Laboratory of Preclinical Investigation, Department of Translational Research, Institut Curie, PSL University, Paris, France; Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Curie Research Centre, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Delattre
- INSERM U830, Équipe Labellisée LNCC, Diversity and Plasticity of Childhood Tumors Lab, PSL Research University, SIREDO Oncology Centre, Institut Curie Research Centre, Paris, France
| | - Didier Surdez
- INSERM U830, Équipe Labellisée LNCC, Diversity and Plasticity of Childhood Tumors Lab, PSL Research University, SIREDO Oncology Centre, Institut Curie Research Centre, Paris, France; Balgrist University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Heinrich Kovar
- St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute (CCRI), Vienna, Austria; Dept. Pediatrics, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Martin Distel
- St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute (CCRI), Vienna, Austria; Zebrafish Platform Austria for Preclinical Drug Screening (ZANDR), Vienna, Austria.
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13
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Wu G, Yang F, Cheng X, Mai Z, Wang X, Chen T. Live-cell imaging analysis on the anti-apoptotic function of the Bcl-xL transmembrane carboxyl terminal domain. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 639:91-99. [PMID: 36476951 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.11.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The Transmembrane Carboxyl Terminal Domain (TMD) of some Bcl-2 family proteins has been demonstrated to play a key role in modulating apoptosis. We here ustilzed live-cell fluorescence imaging to evaluate how the Bcl-xL TMD (XT) regulate apoptosis. Cell viability assay revealed that XT had strong anti-apoptotic ability similarly to the full-length Bcl-xL. Fluorescence images of living cells co-expressing CFP-XT and Bad-YFP or YFP-Bax revealed that XT recruited Bad to mitochondria but prevented Bax translocation to mitochondria, and also significantly suppressed Bad/Bax-mediated apoptosis, indicating that XT prevents the pro-apoptotic function of Bad and Bax. Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) analyses determined that XT directly interacted with Bad and Bax, and deletion of XT completely eliminated the mitochondrial localization and homo-oligomerization of Bcl-xL. Fluorescence images of living cells co-expressing CFP-XT and YFP-Bax revealed that XT significantly prevented mitochondrial Bax oligomerization, resulting in cytosolic Bax distribution. Collectively, XT is necessary for the mitochondrial localization and anti-apoptotic capacity of Bcl-xL, and XT, similarly to the full-length Bcl-xL, forms homo-oligomers on mitochondria to directly interact with Bad and Bax to inhibit their apoptotic functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ge Wu
- Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, Ministry of Education, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510631, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510631, China
| | - Fangfang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, Ministry of Education, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510631, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510631, China
| | - Xuecheng Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, Ministry of Education, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510631, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510631, China
| | - Zihao Mai
- Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, Ministry of Education, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510631, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510631, China
| | - Xiaoping Wang
- Department of Pain Management, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 5610632, China.
| | - Tongsheng Chen
- Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, Ministry of Education, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510631, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510631, China; SCNU Qingyuan Institute of Science and Technology Innovation Co., Ltd., South China Normal University, Qingyuan, 511517, China.
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14
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Lai HT, Naumova N, Marchais A, Gaspar N, Geoerger B, Brenner C. Insight into the interplay between mitochondria-regulated cell death and energetic metabolism in osteosarcoma. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:948097. [PMID: 36072341 PMCID: PMC9441498 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.948097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma (OS) is a pediatric malignant bone tumor that predominantly affects adolescent and young adults. It has high risk for relapse and over the last four decades no improvement of prognosis was achieved. It is therefore crucial to identify new drug candidates for OS treatment to combat drug resistance, limit relapse, and stop metastatic spread. Two acquired hallmarks of cancer cells, mitochondria-related regulated cell death (RCD) and metabolism are intimately connected. Both have been shown to be dysregulated in OS, making them attractive targets for novel treatment. Promising OS treatment strategies focus on promoting RCD by targeting key molecular actors in metabolic reprogramming. The exact interplay in OS, however, has not been systematically analyzed. We therefore review these aspects by synthesizing current knowledge in apoptosis, ferroptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, and autophagy in OS. Additionally, we outline an overview of mitochondrial function and metabolic profiles in different preclinical OS models. Finally, we discuss the mechanism of action of two novel molecule combinations currently investigated in active clinical trials: metformin and the combination of ADI-PEG20, Docetaxel and Gemcitabine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Toan Lai
- CNRS, Institut Gustave Roussy, Aspects métaboliques et systémiques de l’oncogénèse pour de nouvelles approches thérapeutiques, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Nataliia Naumova
- CNRS, Institut Gustave Roussy, Aspects métaboliques et systémiques de l’oncogénèse pour de nouvelles approches thérapeutiques, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Antonin Marchais
- INSERM U1015, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Nathalie Gaspar
- INSERM U1015, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Birgit Geoerger
- INSERM U1015, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Catherine Brenner
- CNRS, Institut Gustave Roussy, Aspects métaboliques et systémiques de l’oncogénèse pour de nouvelles approches thérapeutiques, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
- *Correspondence: Catherine Brenner,
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15
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Shi D, Mu S, Pu F, Liu J, Zhong B, Hu B, Ni N, Wang H, Luu HH, Haydon RC, Shen L, Zhang Z, He T, Shao Z. Integrative analysis of immune-related multi-omics profiles identifies distinct prognosis and tumor microenvironment patterns in osteosarcoma. Mol Oncol 2022; 16:2174-2194. [PMID: 34894177 PMCID: PMC9168968 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignancy of bone. Epigenetic regulation plays a pivotal role in cancer development in various aspects, including immune response. In this study, we studied the potential association of alterations in the DNA methylation and transcription of immune-related genes with changes in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and tumor prognosis of OS. We obtained multi-omics data for OS patients from the Therapeutically Applicable Research to Generate Effective Treatments (TARGET) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. By referring to curated immune signatures and using a consensus clustering method, we categorized patients based on immune-related DNA methylation patterns (IMPs), and evaluated prognosis and TME characteristics of the resulting patient subgroups. Subsequently, we used a machine-learning approach to construct an IMP-associated prognostic risk model incorporating the expression of a six-gene signature (MYC, COL13A1, UHRF2, MT1A, ACTB, and GBP1), which was then validated in an independent patient cohort. Furthermore, we evaluated TME patterns, transcriptional variation in biological pathways, somatic copy number alteration, anticancer drug sensitivity, and potential responsiveness to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy with regard to our IMP-associated signature scoring model. By integrative IMP and transcriptomic analysis, we uncovered distinct prognosis and TME patterns in OS. Finally, we constructed a classifying model, which may aid in prognosis prediction and provide a potential rationale for targeted- and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in OS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deyao Shi
- Department of OrthopaedicsUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
- Molecular Oncology LaboratoryDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation MedicineThe University of Chicago Medical CenterILUSA
| | - Shidai Mu
- Institution of HematologyUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Feifei Pu
- Department of OrthopaedicsUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Jianxiang Liu
- Department of OrthopaedicsUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Binlong Zhong
- Department of OrthopaedicsUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Binwu Hu
- Department of OrthopaedicsUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Na Ni
- Molecular Oncology LaboratoryDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation MedicineThe University of Chicago Medical CenterILUSA
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Diagnostic MedicineDepartment of Clinical Biochemistrythe School of Laboratory MedicineChongqing Medical UniversityChina
| | - Hao Wang
- Molecular Oncology LaboratoryDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation MedicineThe University of Chicago Medical CenterILUSA
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Diagnostic MedicineDepartment of Clinical Biochemistrythe School of Laboratory MedicineChongqing Medical UniversityChina
| | - Hue H. Luu
- Molecular Oncology LaboratoryDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation MedicineThe University of Chicago Medical CenterILUSA
| | - Rex C. Haydon
- Molecular Oncology LaboratoryDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation MedicineThe University of Chicago Medical CenterILUSA
| | - Le Shen
- Molecular Oncology LaboratoryDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation MedicineThe University of Chicago Medical CenterILUSA
- Department of SurgeryThe University of Chicago Medical CenterILUSA
| | - Zhicai Zhang
- Department of OrthopaedicsUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Tong‐Chuan He
- Molecular Oncology LaboratoryDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation MedicineThe University of Chicago Medical CenterILUSA
- Department of SurgeryThe University of Chicago Medical CenterILUSA
| | - Zengwu Shao
- Department of OrthopaedicsUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
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16
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Ji T, Margulis BA, Wang Z, Song T, Guo Y, Pan H, Zhang Z. Structure-Based Design and Structure-Activity Relationship Analysis of Small Molecules Inhibiting Bcl-2 Family Members. Pharm Chem J 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11094-022-02639-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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17
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Dick TA, Sone ED, Uludağ H. Mineralized vectors for gene therapy. Acta Biomater 2022; 147:1-33. [PMID: 35643193 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.05.036] [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: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
There is an intense interest in developing materials for safe and effective delivery of polynucleotides using non-viral vectors. Mineralization of organic templates has long been used to produce complex materials with outstanding biocompatibility. However, a lack of control over mineral growth has limited the applicability of mineralized materials to a few in vitro applications. With better control over mineral growth and surface functionalization, mineralized vectors have advanced significantly in recent years. Here, we review the recent progress in chemical synthesis, physicochemical properties, and applications of mineralized materials in gene therapy, focusing on structure-function relationships. We contrast the classical understanding of the mineralization mechanism with recent ideas of mineralization. A brief introduction to gene delivery is summarized, followed by a detailed survey of current mineralized vectors. The vectors derived from calcium phosphate are articulated and compared to other minerals with unique features. Advanced mineral vectors derived from templated mineralization and specialty coatings are critically analyzed. Mineral systems beyond the co-precipitation are explored as more complex multicomponent systems. Finally, we conclude with a perspective on the future of mineralized vectors by carefully demarcating the boundaries of our knowledge and highlighting ambiguous areas in mineralized vectors. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Therapy by gene-based medicines is increasingly utilized to cure diseases that are not alleviated by conventional drug therapy. Gene medicines, however, rely on macromolecular nucleic acids that are too large and too hydrophilic for cellular uptake. Without tailored materials, they are not functional for therapy. One emerging class of nucleic acid delivery system is mineral-based materials. The fact that they can undergo controlled dissolution with minimal footprint in biological systems are making them attractive for clinical use, where safety is utmost importance. In this submission, we will review the emerging synthesis technology and the range of new generation minerals for use in gene medicines.
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18
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Fitzgerald MC, O’Halloran PJ, Connolly NMC, Murphy BM. Targeting the apoptosis pathway to treat tumours of the paediatric nervous system. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:460. [PMID: 35568716 PMCID: PMC9107479 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04900-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
New, more effective therapeutics are required for the treatment of paediatric cancers. Current treatment protocols of cytotoxic treatments including chemotherapy trigger cancer-cell death by engaging the apoptosis pathway, and chemotherapy efficacy is frequently impeded by apoptosis dysregulation. Apoptosis dysregulation, through genetic or epigenetic mechanisms, is a feature of many cancer types, and contributes to reduced treatment response, disease progression and ultimately treatment resistance. Novel approaches are required to overcome dysregulated apoptosis signalling, increase the efficacy of cancer treatment and improve patient outcomes. Here, we provide an insight into current knowledge of how the apoptosis pathway is dysregulated in paediatric nervous system tumours, with a focus on TRAIL receptors, the BCL-2 proteins and the IAP family, and highlight preclinical evidence demonstrating that pharmacological manipulation of the apoptosis pathway can restore apoptosis signalling and sensitise cancer cells to treatment. Finally, we discuss the potential clinical implications of these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Claire Fitzgerald
- grid.4912.e0000 0004 0488 7120Department of Physiology & Medical Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 31A York Street, Dublin, D02 YN77 Ireland ,grid.417322.10000 0004 0516 3853National Children’s Research Centre at Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin, Dublin, D12 N512 Ireland
| | - Philip J. O’Halloran
- grid.417322.10000 0004 0516 3853National Children’s Research Centre at Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin, Dublin, D12 N512 Ireland ,grid.415490.d0000 0001 2177 007XDepartment of Neurosurgery, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, UK
| | - Niamh M. C. Connolly
- grid.4912.e0000 0004 0488 7120Department of Physiology & Medical Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 31A York Street, Dublin, D02 YN77 Ireland ,grid.4912.e0000 0004 0488 7120Centre for Systems Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 31A York Street, Dublin, D02 YN77 Ireland
| | - Brona M. Murphy
- grid.4912.e0000 0004 0488 7120Department of Physiology & Medical Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 31A York Street, Dublin, D02 YN77 Ireland ,grid.417322.10000 0004 0516 3853National Children’s Research Centre at Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin, Dublin, D12 N512 Ireland ,grid.4912.e0000 0004 0488 7120Centre for Systems Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 31A York Street, Dublin, D02 YN77 Ireland
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19
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Montero J, Haq R. Adapted to Survive: Targeting Cancer Cells with BH3 Mimetics. Cancer Discov 2022; 12:1217-1232. [PMID: 35491624 PMCID: PMC9306285 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-21-1334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
A hallmark of cancer is cell death evasion, underlying suboptimal responses to chemotherapy, targeted agents, and immunotherapies. The approval of the antiapoptotic BCL2 antagonist venetoclax has finally validated the potential of targeting apoptotic pathways in patients with cancer. Nevertheless, pharmacologic modulators of cell death have shown markedly varied responses in preclinical and clinical studies. Here, we review emerging concepts in the use of this class of therapies. Building on these observations, we propose that treatment-induced changes in apoptotic dependency, rather than pretreatment dependencies, will need to be recognized and targeted to realize the precise deployment of these new pharmacologic agents. SIGNIFICANCE Targeting antiapoptotic family members has proven efficacious and tolerable in some cancers, but responses are infrequent, particularly for patients with solid tumors. Biomarkers to aid patient selection have been lacking. Precision functional approaches that overcome adaptive resistance to these compounds could drive durable responses to chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan Montero
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain.,Corresponding Authors: Rizwan Haq, Department of Medical Oncology M423A, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215. Phone: 617-632-6168; E-mail: ; and Joan Montero, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), c/Baldiri Reixac 15-21, Barcelona 08028, Spain. Phone: 34-93-403-9956; E-mail:
| | - Rizwan Haq
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Division of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Corresponding Authors: Rizwan Haq, Department of Medical Oncology M423A, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215. Phone: 617-632-6168; E-mail: ; and Joan Montero, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), c/Baldiri Reixac 15-21, Barcelona 08028, Spain. Phone: 34-93-403-9956; E-mail:
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20
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Abdul Rahman SF, Azlan A, Lo KW, Azzam G, Mohana-Kumaran N. Dual inhibition of anti-apoptotic proteins BCL-XL and MCL-1 enhances cytotoxicity of Nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Discov Oncol 2022; 13:9. [PMID: 35201512 PMCID: PMC8814124 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-022-00470-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the many strategies that cancer cells evade death is through up-regulation of the BCL-2 anti-apoptotic proteins. Hence, these proteins have become attractive therapeutic targets. Given that different cell populations rely on different anti-apoptotic proteins for survival, it is crucial to determine which proteins are important for Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell survival. Here we determined the survival requirements for the NPC cells using a combination of the CRISPR/Cas9 technique and selective BH3-mimetics. A human apoptosis RT2 Profiler PCR Array was first employed to profile the anti-apoptotic gene expressions in NPC cell lines HK-1 and C666-1. The HK-1 cells expressed all the anti-apoptotic genes (MCL-1, BFL-1, BCL-2, BCL-XL, and BCL-w). Similarly, the C666-1 cells expressed all the anti-apoptotic genes except BFL-1 (undetectable level). Notably, both cell lines highly expressed MCL-1. Deletion of MCL-1 sensitized the NPC cells to BCL-XL selective inhibitor A-1331852, suggesting that MCL-1 and BCL-XL may be important for NPC cell survival. Co-inhibition of MCL-1 and BCL-2 with MCL-1 selective inhibitor S63845 and BCL-2 selective inhibitor ABT-199 inhibited NPC cell proliferation but the effect on cell viability was more profound with co-inhibition of MCL-1 and BCL-XL with S63845 and A-1331852, implying that MCL-1 and BCL-XL are crucial for NPC cell survival. Furthermore, co-inhibition of MCL-1 and BCL-XL inhibited the growth and invasion of NPC spheroids. Deletion of BFL-1 sensitized NPC cells to A-1331852 suggesting that BFL-1 may play a role in NPC cell survival. Taken together co-inhibition of BCL-XL and MCL-1/BFL-1 could be potential treatment strategies for NPC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Azali Azlan
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Kwok-Wai Lo
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology and State Key Laboratory in Oncology in South China, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Central Ave, Hong Kong
| | - Ghows Azzam
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia
- Malaysia Genome and Vaccine Institute, 43000, Selangor, Malaysia
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21
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Li M, Li S, Li Y, Li X, Yang G, Li M, Xie Y, Su W, Wu J, Jia L, Li S, Ma W, Li H, Guo N, Yu P. Cationic liposomes co-deliver chemotherapeutics and siRNA for the treatment of breast cancer. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 233:114198. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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22
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Winkler M, Friedrich J, Boedicker C, Dolgikh N. Co-targeting MCL-1 and ERK1/2 kinase induces mitochondrial apoptosis in rhabdomyosarcoma cells. Transl Oncol 2022; 16:101313. [PMID: 34906889 PMCID: PMC8681038 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2021.101313] [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: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The RAS/MEK/ERK genetic axis is commonly altered in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), indicating high activity of downstream effector ERK1/2 kinase. Previously, we have demonstrated that inhibition of the RAS/MEK/ERK signaling pathway in RMS is insufficient to induce cell death due to residual pro-survival MCL-1 activity. Here, we show that the combination of ERK1/2 inhibitor Ulixertinib and MCL-1 inhibitor S63845 is highly synergistic and induces apoptotic cell death in RMS in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, Ulixertinib/S63845 co-treatment suppresses long-term survival of RMS cells, induces rapid caspase activation and caspase-dependent apoptosis. Mechanistically, Ulixertinib-mediated upregulation of BIM and BMF in combination with MCL-1 inhibition by S63845 shifts the balance of BCL-2 proteins towards a pro-apoptotic state resulting in apoptosis induction. A genetic silencing approach reveals that BIM, BMF, BAK and BAX are all required for Ulixertinib/S63845-induced apoptosis. Overexpression of BCL-2 rescues cell death triggered by Ulixertinib/S63845 co-treatment, confirming that combined inhibition of ERK1/2 and MCL-1 effectively induces cell death of RMS cells via the intrinsic mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Thus, this study is the first to demonstrate the cytotoxic potency of co-inhibition of ERK1/2 and MCL-1 for RMS treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marius Winkler
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Komturstr. 3a, 60528 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Juliane Friedrich
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Komturstr. 3a, 60528 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Cathinka Boedicker
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Komturstr. 3a, 60528 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Nadezda Dolgikh
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Komturstr. 3a, 60528 Frankfurt, Germany.
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23
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Ahmed AA, Farooqi MS, Habeebu SS, Gonzalez E, Flatt TG, Wilson AL, Barr FG. NanoString Digital Molecular Profiling of Protein and microRNA in Rhabdomyosarcoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14030522. [PMID: 35158790 PMCID: PMC8833805 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14030522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary NanoString digital profiling methods are novel techniques to identify biologic markers from human formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded cancer tissue. We have applied NanoString Digital spatial profiling and microRNA profiling methods in non-alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a common soft tissue tumor in young adults and children with variable prognosis. Our results have highlighted aberrant miRNA expression and over-expression of several members of PI3-AKT, MAPK and apoptosis signaling pathways in fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma, particularly in tumors with unfavorable prognosis. INPP4B, an entry molecule in the PI3/AKT pathway, was significantly over-expressed in tumors with poor prognosis, confirmed by traditional immunohistochemistry. Several microRNAs had increased expression in association with poor patient prognosis. These results highlight the utility of NanoString digital profiling as a screening method to identify prognostic biomarkers of interest in rhabdomyosarcoma from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue. Abstract Purpose: Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) exhibits a complex prognostic algorithm based on histologic, biologic and clinical parameters. The embryonal (ERMS) and spindle cell-sclerosing RMS (SRMS) histologic subtypes warrant further studies due to their heterogenous genetic background and variable clinical behavior. NanoString digital profiling methods have been previously highlighted as robust novel methods to detect protein and microRNA expression in several cancers but not in RMS. Methods/Patients: To identify prognostic biomarkers, we categorized 12 ERMS and SRMS tumor cases into adverse (n = 5) or favorable (n = 7) prognosis groups and analyzed their signaling pathways and microRNA profiles. The digital spatial profiling of protein and microRNA analysis was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor tissue using NanoString technology. Results: The detectable expression of several component members of the PI3K/AKT, MAPK and apoptosis signaling pathways was highlighted in RMS, including INPP4B, Pan-AKT, MET, Pan-RAS, EGFR, phospho-p90 RSK, p44/42 ERK1/2, BAD, BCL-XL, cleaved caspase-9, NF1, PARP and p53. Compared to cases with favorable prognosis, the adverse-prognosis tumor samples had significantly increased expression of INPP4B, which was confirmed with traditional immunohistochemistry. The analysis of microRNA profiles revealed that, out of 798 microRNAs assessed, 228 were overexpressed and 134 downregulated in the adverse prognosis group. Significant over-expression of oncogenic/tumor suppressor miR-3144-3p, miR-612, miR-302d-3p, miR-421, miR-548ar-5p and miR-548y (p < 0.05) was noted in the adverse prognosis group. Conclusion: This study highlights the utility of NanoString digital profiling methods in RMS, where it can detect distinct molecular signatures with the expression of signaling pathways and microRNAs from FFPE tumor tissue that may help identify prognostic biomarkers of interest. The overexpression of INPP4B and miR-3144-3p, miR-612, miR-302d-3p, miR-421, miR-548y and miR-548ar-5p may be associated with worse overall survival in ERMS and SRMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atif A. Ahmed
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children’s Mercy Hospital/University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA; (M.S.F.); (S.S.H.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-816-234-3000
| | - Midhat S. Farooqi
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children’s Mercy Hospital/University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA; (M.S.F.); (S.S.H.)
| | - Sultan S. Habeebu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children’s Mercy Hospital/University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA; (M.S.F.); (S.S.H.)
| | - Elizabeth Gonzalez
- Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Children’s Mercy Hospital/University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA; (E.G.); (T.G.F.)
| | - Terrie G. Flatt
- Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Children’s Mercy Hospital/University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA; (E.G.); (T.G.F.)
| | | | - Frederic G. Barr
- Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
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24
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Yuan J, Li X, Yu S. CDK7-dependent transcriptional addiction in bone and soft tissue sarcomas: Present and Future. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2022; 1877:188680. [PMID: 35051528 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Cancer arises from genetic alterations that invariably contribute to dysregulated transcriptional programs. These dysregulated programs establish and maintain specific cancer cell states, leading to an intensive dependence on a set of certain regulators of gene expression. The CDK7 functions as the core of transcription, and governs RNA polymerase II and the downstream oncogenes expression in cancers. CDK7 inhibition leads to reduced recruitment of super-enhancers-driven oncogenic transcription factors, and the depression of these associated oncogenes expression, which indicates the dependence of transcriptional addiction of cancers on CDK7. Given that specified oncoproteins of sarcomas commonly function at oncogenic transcription, targeting CDK7-denpendent transcriptional addiction may be of guiding significance for the treatment of sarcomas. In this review, we summarize the advances in mechanism of targeted CDK7-dependent transcriptional addiction and discuss the path ahead to potential application discovery in bone and soft tissue sarcomas, providing theoretical considerations for bio-orthogonal therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Yuan
- Department of Orthopedics, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyang Li
- Department of Orthopedics, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
| | - Shengji Yu
- Department of Orthopedics, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
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25
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Särchen V, Shanmugalingam S, Kehr S, Reindl LM, Greze V, Wiedemann S, Boedicker C, Jacob M, Bankov K, Becker N, Wehner S, Theilen TM, Gretser S, Gradhand E, Kummerow C, Ullrich E, Vogler M. Pediatric multicellular tumor spheroid models illustrate a therapeutic potential by combining BH3 mimetics with Natural Killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapy. Cell Death Dis 2022; 8:11. [PMID: 35013156 PMCID: PMC8748928 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-021-00812-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The induction of apoptosis is a direct way to eliminate tumor cells and improve cancer therapy. Apoptosis is tightly controlled by the balance of pro- and antiapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins. BH3 mimetics neutralize the antiapoptotic function of Bcl-2 proteins and are highly promising compounds inducing apoptosis in several cancer entities including pediatric malignancies. However, the clinical application of BH3 mimetics in solid tumors is impeded by the frequent resistance to single BH3 mimetics and the anticipated toxicity of high concentrations or combination treatments. One potential avenue to increase the potency of BH3 mimetics is the development of immune cell-based therapies to counteract the intrinsic apoptosis resistance of tumor cells and sensitize them to immune attack. Here, we describe spheroid cultures of pediatric cancer cells that can serve as models for drug testing. In these 3D models, we were able to demonstrate that activated allogeneic Natural Killer (NK) cells migrated into tumor spheroids and displayed cytotoxicity against a wide range of pediatric cancer spheroids, highlighting their potential as anti-tumor effector cells. Next, we investigated whether treatment of tumor spheroids with subtoxic concentrations of BH3 mimetics can increase the cytotoxicity of NK cells. Notably, the cytotoxic effects of NK cells were enhanced by the addition of BH3 mimetics. Treatment with either the Bcl-XL inhibitor A1331852 or the Mcl-1 inhibitor S63845 increased the cytotoxicity of NK cells and reduced spheroid size, while the Bcl-2 inhibitor ABT-199 had no effect on NK cell-mediated killing. Taken together, this is the first study to describe the combination of BH3 mimetics targeting Bcl-XL or Mcl-1 with NK cell-based immunotherapy, highlighting the potential of BH3 mimetics in immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinzenz Särchen
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Senthan Shanmugalingam
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sarah Kehr
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Lisa Marie Reindl
- Children's Hospital, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Experimental Immunology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Victoria Greze
- Children's Hospital, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Experimental Immunology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sara Wiedemann
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Cathinka Boedicker
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Maureen Jacob
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Katrin Bankov
- Dr. Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Nina Becker
- Dr. Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,University Cancer Center Frankfurt (UCT), University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sibylle Wehner
- Children's Hospital, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Till M Theilen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Steffen Gretser
- Department of Pediatric and Perinatal Pathology, Dr. Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Elise Gradhand
- Department of Pediatric and Perinatal Pathology, Dr. Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Carsten Kummerow
- Department of Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
| | - Evelyn Ullrich
- Children's Hospital, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Experimental Immunology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,University Cancer Center Frankfurt (UCT), University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) partner site Frankfurt/Mainz, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Meike Vogler
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. .,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) partner site Frankfurt/Mainz, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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26
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Kawiak A, Kostecka A. Regulation of Bcl-2 Family Proteins in Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer and Their Implications in Endocrine Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:279. [PMID: 35053443 PMCID: PMC8773933 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14020279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer accounts for around two-thirds of breast cancer occurrences, with endocrine therapy serving as first-line therapy in most cases. Targeting estrogen signaling pathways, which play a central role in regulating ER+ breast cell proliferation and survival, has proven to improve patient outcomes. However, despite the undeniable advantages of endocrine therapy, a subset of breast cancer patients develop acquired or intrinsic resistance to ER-targeting agents, limiting their efficacy. The activation of downstream ER signaling pathways upregulates pro-survival mechanisms that have been shown to influence the response of cells to endocrine therapy. The Bcl-2 family proteins play a central role in cell death regulation and have been shown to contribute to endocrine therapy resistance, supporting the survival of breast cancer cells and enhancing cell death evasion. Due to the overexpression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins in ER-positive breast cancer, the role of these proteins as potential targets in hormone-responsive breast cancer is growing in interest. In particular, recent advances in the development of BH3 mimetics have enabled their evaluation in preclinical studies with ER+ breast cancer models, and BH3 mimetics have entered early ER+ breast cancer clinical trials. This review summarizes the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of Bcl-2 family proteins in ER+ breast cancer. Furthermore, an overview of recent advances in research regarding the efficacy of BH3 mimetics in ER+ breast cancer has been provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kawiak
- Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk, Abrahama 58, 80-307 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Anna Kostecka
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Gdansk, Hallera 107, 80-416 Gdansk, Poland;
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27
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Diepstraten ST, Anderson MA, Czabotar PE, Lessene G, Strasser A, Kelly GL. The manipulation of apoptosis for cancer therapy using BH3-mimetic drugs. Nat Rev Cancer 2022; 22:45-64. [PMID: 34663943 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-021-00407-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 76.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Apoptosis is a form of programmed cell death that is regulated by the balance between prosurvival and proapoptotic BCL-2 protein family members. Evasion of apoptosis is a hallmark of cancer that arises when this balance is tipped in favour of survival. One form of anticancer therapeutic, termed 'BH3-mimetic drugs', has been developed to directly activate the apoptosis machinery in malignant cells. These drugs bind to and inhibit specific prosurvival BCL-2 family proteins, thereby mimicking their interaction with the BH3 domains of proapoptotic BCL-2 family proteins. The BCL-2-specific inhibitor venetoclax is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and many regulatory authorities worldwide for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and acute myeloid leukaemia. BH3-mimetic drugs targeting other BCL-2 prosurvival proteins have been tested in preclinical models of cancer, and drugs targeting MCL-1 or BCL-XL have advanced into phase I clinical trials for certain cancers. As with all therapeutics, efficacy and tolerability need to be carefully balanced to achieve a therapeutic window whereby there is significant anticancer activity with an acceptable safety profile. In this Review, we outline the current state of BH3-mimetic drugs targeting various prosurvival BCL-2 family proteins and discuss emerging data regarding primary and acquired resistance to these agents and approaches that may overcome this. We highlight issues that need to be addressed to further advance the clinical application of BH3-mimetic drugs, both alone and in combination with additional anticancer agents (for example, standard chemotherapeutic drugs or inhibitors of oncogenic kinases), for improved responses in patients with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah T Diepstraten
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Mary Ann Anderson
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Clinical Haematology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Peter E Czabotar
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Guillaume Lessene
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Andreas Strasser
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Gemma L Kelly
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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Luan J, Hu B, Wang S, Liu H, Lu S, Li W, Sun X, Shi J, Wang J. Selectivity mechanism of BCL-XL/2 inhibition through in silico investigation. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:17105-17115. [DOI: 10.1039/d2cp01755e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BCL-XL protein is among the most important members of the anti-apoptotic subfamily of BCL-2 protein family, as currently a promising new target for anti-tumor drug research, even though BCL-XL/2 proteins...
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Selective BH3 mimetics synergize with BET inhibition to induce mitochondrial apoptosis in rhabdomyosarcoma cells. Neoplasia 2021; 24:109-119. [PMID: 34959030 PMCID: PMC8718565 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2021.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Co-inhibition of BET proteins and anti-apoptotic BCL-2 proteins induces apoptosis in RMS. JQ1 and BH3-mimetics synergistically induce cell death in RMS. Cell death is caspase-dependent and displays hallmarks of intrinsic apoptosis. JQ1/A-1331852-mediated apoptosis is dependent on BIM and NOXA. JQ1/S638450-mediated apoptosis is dependent on BIM but not NOXA.
BH3 mimetics are promising novel anticancer therapeutics. By selectively inhibiting BCL-2, BCL-xL, or MCL-1 (i.e. ABT-199, A-1331852, S63845) they shift the balance of pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins in favor of apoptosis. As Bromodomain and Extra Terminal (BET) protein inhibitors promote pro-apoptotic rebalancing, we evaluated the potential of the BET inhibitor JQ1 in combination with ABT-199, A-1331852 or S63845 in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) cells. The strongest synergistic interaction was identified for JQ1/A-1331852 and JQ1/S63845 co-treatment, which reduced cell viability and long-term clonogenic survival. Mechanistic studies revealed that JQ1 upregulated BIM and NOXA accompanied by downregulation of BCL-xL, promoting pro-apoptotic rebalancing of BCL-2 proteins. JQ1/A-1331852 and JQ1/S63845 co-treatment enhanced this pro-apoptotic rebalancing and triggered BAK- and BAX-dependent apoptosis since a) genetic silencing of BIM, BAK or BAX, b) inhibition of caspase activity with zVAD.fmk and c) overexpression of BCL-2 all rescued JQ1/A-1331852- and JQ1/S63845-induced cell death. Interestingly, NOXA played a different role in both treatments, as genetic silencing of NOXA significantly rescued from JQ1/A-1331852-mediated apoptosis but not from JQ1/S63845-mediated apoptosis. In summary, JQ1/A-1331852 and JQ1/S63845 co-treatment represent new promising therapeutic strategies to synergistically trigger mitochondrial apoptosis in RMS.
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Xie Y, Song A, Zhu Y, Jiang A, Peng W, Zhang C, Meng X. Effects and mechanisms of probucol on aging-related hippocampus-dependent cognitive impairment. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 144:112266. [PMID: 34634555 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of probucol on aging-related hippocampus-dependent cognitive impairment and explore the potential mechanisms. METHODS D-galactose (100 mg/kg, once daily for 6 weeks) was subcutaneously injected to induce aging in mice. Then the mice were administered with probucol or vehicle once a day for 2 weeks. The hippocampus-related cognition was evaluated with Morris water maze test, novel object recognition test, and contextual fear conditioning test. Moreover, synaptic plasticity was assessed, and RNA-sequencing was applied to further explore the molecular mechanisms. RESULTS Aging mice induced by D-galactose showed conspicuous learning and memory impairment, which was significantly ameliorated by probucol. Meanwhile, probucol enhanced the spine density and dendritic branches, improved long-term potentiation, and increased the expression of PSD95 of aging mice. Probucol regulated 70 differentially expressed genes compared to D-galactose group, of which 38 genes were upregulated and 32 genes were downregulated. At last, RNA-sequencing results were verified by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. CONCLUSIONS Probucol improved learning and memory in aging mice through enhancing synaptic plasticity and regulating gene expression, indicating the potential application of probucol to prevent and treat aging-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaru Xie
- Department of Nephrology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Brain Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Anni Song
- Department of Nephrology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Yuting Zhu
- Department of Nephrology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Anni Jiang
- Department of Nephrology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Wenpeng Peng
- Department of cardiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Chun Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Xianfang Meng
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Brain Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
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31
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Aslam M, Kanthlal SK, Panonummal R. Peptides: A Supercilious Candidate for Activating Intrinsic Apoptosis by Targeting Mitochondrial Membrane Permeability for Cancer Therapy. Int J Pept Res Ther 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-021-10297-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Yang X, Shang P, Yu B, Jin Q, Liao J, Wang L, Ji J, Guo X. Combination therapy with miR34a and doxorubicin synergistically inhibits Dox-resistant breast cancer progression via down-regulation of Snail through suppressing Notch/NF- κB and RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signaling pathway. Acta Pharm Sin B 2021; 11:2819-2834. [PMID: 34589399 PMCID: PMC8463267 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Resistance to breast cancer (BCa) chemotherapy severely hampers the patient's prognosis. MicroRNAs provide a potential therapeutic prospect for BCa. In this study, the reversal function of microRNA34a (miR34a) on doxorubicin (Dox) resistance of BCa and the possible mechanism was investigated. We found that the relative level of miR34a was significantly decreased in Dox-resistant breast cancer cell MCF-7 (MCF-7/A) compared with Dox-sensitive MCF-7 cells. Transfection with miR34a significantly suppressed the invasion, migration, adhesion of MCF-7/A cells without inhibiting their growth obviously. The combination of miR34a and Dox could significantly inhibit the proliferation, migration, invasion and induce the apoptosis of MCF-7/A cells. The synergistic effect of this combination on resistant MCF-7/A cells has no obvious relation with the expressions of classical drug-resistant proteins P-GP, MRP and GST-π, while closely related with the down-regulation on TOP2A and BCRP. Moreover, we found both protein and mRNA expression of Snail were significantly up-regulated in MCF-7/A cells in comparison with MCF-7 cells. Transfection with small interfering RNA (siRNA) of Snail could inhibit the invasion, migration and adhesion of drug-resistant MCF-7/A cells, while high-expression of Snail could remarkably promote the invasion, migration and adhesion of MCF-7 cells, which might be related with regulation of N-cadherin and E-cadherin. Transfection with miR34a in MCF-7/A cells induced a decrease of Snail expression. The potential binding sites of miR34a with 3' UTR of Snail were predicted by miRDB target prediction software, which was confirmed by luciferase reporter gene method. Results showed that the relative activity of luciferase was reduced in MCF-7/A cells after co-transfection of miR34a and wild type (wt)-Snail, while did not change by co-transfection with miR34a and 3' UTR mutant type (mut) Snail. Combination of miR34a and Dox induced a stronger decrease of Snail in MCF-7/A cells in comparison to miR34a or Dox treatment alone. What' more, for the first time, we also found miR34a combined with Dox could obviously inhibit the expression of Snail through suppressing Notch/NF-κB and RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK pathway in MCF-7/A cells. In vivo study indicated that combination of miR34a and Dox significantly slowed down tumor growth in MCF-7/A nude mouse xenograft model compared with Dox alone, which was manifested by the down-regulation of Snail and pro-apoptosis effect in tumor xenografts. These results together underline the relevance of miR34a-driven regulation of Snail in drug resistance and co-administration of miR34a and Dox may produce an effective therapy outcome in the future in clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxia Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Drug Screening Unit Platform, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Pengfei Shang
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Drug Screening Unit Platform, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Bingfang Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Drug Screening Unit Platform, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Qiuyang Jin
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Drug Screening Unit Platform, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Jing Liao
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Drug Screening Unit Platform, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Drug Screening Unit Platform, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Jianbo Ji
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Drug Screening Unit Platform, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Xiuli Guo
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Drug Screening Unit Platform, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
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It's time to die: BH3 mimetics in solid tumors. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2021; 1868:118987. [PMID: 33600840 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2021.118987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The removal of cells by apoptosis is an essential process regulating tissue homeostasis. Cancer cells acquire the ability to circumvent apoptosis and survive in an unphysiological tissue context. Thereby, the Bcl-2 protein family plays a key role in the initiation of apoptosis, and overexpression of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins is one of the molecular mechanisms protecting cancer cells from apoptosis. Recently, small molecules targeting the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins have been identified, and with venetoclax the first of these BH3 mimetics has been approved for the treatment of leukemia. In solid tumors the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins Mcl-1 and Bcl-xL are frequently overexpressed or genetically amplified. In this review, we summarize the role of Mcl-1 and Bcl-xL in solid tumors and compare the different BH3 mimetics targeting Mcl-1 or Bcl-xL.
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Zhang X, Su Q, Zhou J, Yang Z, Liu Z, Ji L, Gao H, Jiang G. To betray or to fight? The dual identity of the mitochondria in cancer. Future Oncol 2021; 17:723-743. [DOI: 10.2217/fon-2020-0362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles that provide energy for oxidative phosphorylation in cells. Equally, they are the major sites for the metabolism of amino acids, lipids and iron. When cells become cancerous, the morphology, cellular location and metabolic mode of the mitochondria change accordingly. These mitochondrial changes can have two opposing effects on cancer: procancer and anticancer effects. Specifically, mitochondria play roles in the fight against cancer by participating in processes such as ferroptosis, mitophagy and antitumor immunity. Contrastingly, cancer cells can also enslave mitochondria to give them the conditions necessary for growth and metastasis. Moreover, through mitochondria, cancer cells can escape from immune surveillance, resulting in their immune escape and enhanced malignant transformation ability. At present, cancer-related studies of mitochondria are one-sided; therefore, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding by systematically reviewing the two-sided cancer-related properties of mitochondria. Mitochondrial-targeted drugs are gradually emerging and showing significant advantages in cancer treatment; thus, our in-depth exploration of mitochondria in cancer will help to provide theoretical support for the future provision of efficient and low-toxicity cancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyi Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, PR China
| | - Quanzhong Su
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, PR China
| | - Ji Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, PR China
| | - Zhihong Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, PR China
| | - Zhantao Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, PR China
| | - Lixia Ji
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, PR China
| | - Hui Gao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, PR China
| | - Guohui Jiang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, PR China
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Li Y, Niu D, Wu Y, Dong Z, Li J. Integrated analysis of transcriptomic and metabolomic data to evaluate responses to hypersalinity stress in the gill of the razor clam (Sinonovacula constricta). COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY D-GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2021; 38:100793. [PMID: 33513539 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2021.100793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Salinity is an important ecological factor that affects physiological metabolism, survival, and distribution of marine organisms. Despite changes in the osmolarity and composition of the cytosol during salinity shifts, marine mollusks are able to maintain their metabolic function. The razor clam (Sinonovacula constricta) survives the wide range of salinity in the intertidal zone via changes in behavior and physiology. To explore the stress responses and mechanisms of salinity tolerance in razor clams, we collected transcriptomic and metabolomic data from a control group (salinity 20‰, S20) and a salinity-stress group (salinity 35‰, S35). The transcriptome data showed that genes related to the immune system, cytoskeleton remodeling, and signal transduction pathways dominated in the S35 group to counteract hypersalinity stress in the gill. The metabolomic analysis showed that 142 metabolites were significantly different between the S35 and S20 groups and that amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism were affected by hypersalinity stress. Levels of amino acids and energy substances, such as l-proline, isoleucine, and fructose, were higher in the gill of the S35 group. The combination of transcriptomic and metabolomic data indicated that metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates, and lipids was enhanced in the gill during adaptation to high salinity. These results clarified the complex physiological processes involved in the response to hyperosmotic stress and maintenance of metabolism in the gill of razor clams. These findings provide a reference for further study of the biological responses of euryhaline shellfish to hyperosmotic stress and a molecular basis for the search for populations with high salinity tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Li
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Donghong Niu
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Centre of Aquaculture, Shanghai 201306, China; Co-Innovation Center of Jiangsu Marine Bio-industry Technology, Huaihai Institute of Technology, Lianyungang 222005, China.
| | - Yinghan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Zhiguo Dong
- Co-Innovation Center of Jiangsu Marine Bio-industry Technology, Huaihai Institute of Technology, Lianyungang 222005, China
| | - Jiale Li
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Centre of Aquaculture, Shanghai 201306, China; Co-Innovation Center of Jiangsu Marine Bio-industry Technology, Huaihai Institute of Technology, Lianyungang 222005, China.
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Alcon C, Manzano-Muñoz A, Prada E, Mora J, Soriano A, Guillén G, Gallego S, Roma J, Samitier J, Villanueva A, Montero J. Sequential combinations of chemotherapeutic agents with BH3 mimetics to treat rhabdomyosarcoma and avoid resistance. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:634. [PMID: 32801295 PMCID: PMC7429859 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-02887-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in childhood and adolescence. Refractory/relapsed RMS patients present a bad prognosis that combined with the lack of specific biomarkers impairs the development of new therapies. Here, we utilize dynamic BH3 profiling (DBP), a functional predictive biomarker that measures net changes in mitochondrial apoptotic signaling, to identify anti-apoptotic adaptations upon treatment. We employ this information to guide the use of BH3 mimetics to specifically inhibit BCL-2 pro-survival proteins, defeat resistance and avoid relapse. Indeed, we found that BH3 mimetics that selectively target anti-apoptotic BCL-xL and MCL-1, synergistically enhance the effect of clinically used chemotherapeutic agents vincristine and doxorubicin in RMS cells. We validated this strategy in vivo using a RMS patient-derived xenograft model and observed a reduction in tumor growth with a tendency to stabilization with the sequential combination of vincristine and the MCL-1 inhibitor S63845. We identified the molecular mechanism by which RMS cells acquire resistance to vincristine: an enhanced binding of BID and BAK to MCL-1 after drug exposure, which is suppressed by subsequently adding S63845. Our findings validate the use of DBP as a functional assay to predict treatment effectiveness in RMS and provide a rationale for combining BH3 mimetics with chemotherapeutic agents to avoid tumor resistance, improve treatment efficiency, and decrease undesired secondary effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Alcon
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Albert Manzano-Muñoz
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Estela Prada
- Developmental Tumor Biology Laboratory, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, 08950, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
- Department of Haematology and Oncology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona, 08950, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Jaume Mora
- Developmental Tumor Biology Laboratory, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, 08950, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
- Department of Haematology and Oncology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona, 08950, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Aroa Soriano
- Group of Translational Research in Child and Adolescent Cancer, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08035, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gabriela Guillén
- Group of Translational Research in Child and Adolescent Cancer, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08035, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Surgery, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Soledad Gallego
- Group of Translational Research in Child and Adolescent Cancer, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08035, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep Roma
- Group of Translational Research in Child and Adolescent Cancer, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08035, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep Samitier
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Electronics and Biomedical Engineering, University of Barcelona (UB), 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Networking Biomedical Research Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Villanueva
- Program against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), IDIBELL, Catalan Institute of Oncology, l'Hospitalet del Llobregat, 08907, Barcelona, Spain
- Xenopat S.L., Business Bioincubator, Bellvitge Health Science Campus, l'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08907, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Montero
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
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D’Aguanno S, Del Bufalo D. Inhibition of Anti-Apoptotic Bcl-2 Proteins in Preclinical and Clinical Studies: Current Overview in Cancer. Cells 2020; 9:cells9051287. [PMID: 32455818 PMCID: PMC7291206 DOI: 10.3390/cells9051287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The dynamic interplay between pro-death and pro-survival Bcl-2 family proteins is responsible for a cell’s fate. Due to the recognized relevance of this family in cancer progression and response to therapy, different efforts have made in recent years in order to develop small molecules able to target anti-apoptotic proteins such as Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and Mcl-1. The limitations of the first Bcl-2 family targeted drugs, regarding on-target and off-target toxicities, have been overcome with the development of venetoclax (ABT-199), the first BH3 mimetic inhibitor approved by the FDA. The purpose of this review is to discuss the state-of-the-art in the development of drugs targeting Bcl-2 anti-apoptotic proteins and to highlight the potential of their application as single agents or in combination for improving anti-cancer therapy, focusing in particular on solid tumors.
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