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Cao C, Sheng J, Wang J, Zhou X, Li W, Kong Y, Zhang C. 1-Ethoxycarbonyl-beta-carboline inhibits the M2 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages: A study based on network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 131:111907. [PMID: 38520786 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.111907] [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: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
AIM Through network pharmacology, molecular docking, molecular dynamics in combination with experimentation, we explored the mechanism whereby 1-ethoxycarbonyl-beta-carboline (EBC) regulates the M2 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages. METHODS Network pharmacology was adopted for analyzing the targets and signaling pathways related to the M2 polarization of EBC-macrophages, small molecular-protein docking was employed to analyze the possibility of EBC bonding to related protein, and molecular dynamics was introduced to analyze the binding energy between EBC and HDAC2. The M2 polarization of RAW264.7 macrophages was triggered in vitro by IL-4. After EBC intervention, the expressions of M1/M2 polarization-related cytokines were detected, and the mechanism of EBC action was explored in HDAC2-knockout RAW264.7 macrophages. A tumor-bearing mouse model was established in vitro to find the impact of EBC on tumor-associated M2 macrophages. RESULTS As revealed by the network pharmacology, molecular docking and molecular dynamics analyses, EBC was associated with 51 proteins, including HDAC2, NF-κB and HDAC4. Molecular docking and dynamics analyses suggested that HDAC2 was the main target of EBC. In vitro experiments discovered that EBC could hinder the M2 polarization of RAW264.7 macrophages, which exerted insignificant effect on the M1-associated cytokines, but could lower the levels of M2-associated cytokines. After knocking out HDAC2, EBC could not further inhibit the M2 polarization of macrophages. At the mouse level, EBC could hinder the tumor growth and the tissue levels of M2 macrophages, whose effect was associated with HDAC2. CONCLUSION Our study combining multiple methods finds that EBC inhibits the HDAC2-mediated M2 polarization of macrophages, thereby playing an anti-tumor role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenxi Cao
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, 314001, China
| | - Jian Sheng
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, 314001, China
| | - Jin Wang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, 314001, China
| | - Xiaohong Zhou
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, 314001, China
| | - Wenyan Li
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, 314001, China
| | - Yun Kong
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, 314001, China
| | - Caiqun Zhang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, 314001, China.
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Fu Z, Chen Z, Ye J, Ji J, Ni W, Lin W, Lin H, Lu L, Zhu G, Xie Q, Yan F, Chen G, Liu F. Identifying PLAUR as a Pivotal Gene of Tumor Microenvironment and Regulating Mesenchymal Phenotype of Glioblastoma. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:840. [PMID: 38398231 PMCID: PMC10887327 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16040840] [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: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The mesenchymal (MES) phenotype of glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive and therapy-resistant subtype of GBM. The MES phenotype transition during tumor progression results from both tumor-intrinsic genetic alterations and tumor-extrinsic microenvironmental factors. In this study, we sought to identify genes that can modulate the MES phenotype via both mechanisms. By integrating weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and the differential expression analysis of hypoxia-immunosuppression-related genes, we identified the plasminogen activator, urokinase receptor (PLAUR) as the hub gene. Functional enrichment analysis and GSVA analysis demonstrated that PLAUR was associated with the MES phenotype of glioma and the hypoxia-immunosuppression-related microenvironmental components. Single-cell sequencing analysis revealed that PLAUR mediated the ligand-receptor interaction between tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and glioma cells. Functional experiments in vitro with cell lines or primary glioma cells and xenograft models using BALB/c nude mice confirmed the role of PLAUR in promoting the MES phenotype of GBM. Our findings indicate that PLAUR regulates both glioma cells and tumor cell-extrinsic factors that favor the MES phenotype and suggest that PLAUR might be a potential target for GBM therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaixiang Fu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; (Z.F.); (Z.C.); (J.Y.); (J.J.); (W.N.); (W.L.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (Q.X.); (F.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Precise Treatment and Clinical Translational Research of Neurological Diseases, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Zihang Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; (Z.F.); (Z.C.); (J.Y.); (J.J.); (W.N.); (W.L.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (Q.X.); (F.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Precise Treatment and Clinical Translational Research of Neurological Diseases, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Jingya Ye
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; (Z.F.); (Z.C.); (J.Y.); (J.J.); (W.N.); (W.L.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (Q.X.); (F.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Precise Treatment and Clinical Translational Research of Neurological Diseases, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Jianxiong Ji
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; (Z.F.); (Z.C.); (J.Y.); (J.J.); (W.N.); (W.L.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (Q.X.); (F.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Precise Treatment and Clinical Translational Research of Neurological Diseases, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Weifang Ni
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; (Z.F.); (Z.C.); (J.Y.); (J.J.); (W.N.); (W.L.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (Q.X.); (F.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Precise Treatment and Clinical Translational Research of Neurological Diseases, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Weibo Lin
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; (Z.F.); (Z.C.); (J.Y.); (J.J.); (W.N.); (W.L.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (Q.X.); (F.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Precise Treatment and Clinical Translational Research of Neurological Diseases, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Haopu Lin
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; (Z.F.); (Z.C.); (J.Y.); (J.J.); (W.N.); (W.L.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (Q.X.); (F.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Precise Treatment and Clinical Translational Research of Neurological Diseases, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Liquan Lu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; (Z.F.); (Z.C.); (J.Y.); (J.J.); (W.N.); (W.L.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (Q.X.); (F.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Precise Treatment and Clinical Translational Research of Neurological Diseases, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Ganggui Zhu
- Department of Lung Transplantation, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310052, China;
| | - Qin Xie
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; (Z.F.); (Z.C.); (J.Y.); (J.J.); (W.N.); (W.L.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (Q.X.); (F.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Precise Treatment and Clinical Translational Research of Neurological Diseases, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Feng Yan
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; (Z.F.); (Z.C.); (J.Y.); (J.J.); (W.N.); (W.L.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (Q.X.); (F.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Precise Treatment and Clinical Translational Research of Neurological Diseases, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Gao Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; (Z.F.); (Z.C.); (J.Y.); (J.J.); (W.N.); (W.L.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (Q.X.); (F.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Precise Treatment and Clinical Translational Research of Neurological Diseases, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Fuyi Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; (Z.F.); (Z.C.); (J.Y.); (J.J.); (W.N.); (W.L.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (Q.X.); (F.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Precise Treatment and Clinical Translational Research of Neurological Diseases, Hangzhou 310000, China
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