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Merjaneh N, Hajjar M, Lan YW, Kalinichenko VV, Kalin TV. The Promise of Combination Therapies with FOXM1 Inhibitors for Cancer Treatment. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:756. [PMID: 38398147 PMCID: PMC10886945 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16040756] [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: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) is a transcription factor in the forkhead (FOX) family, which is required for cellular proliferation in normal and neoplastic cells. FOXM1 is highly expressed in many different cancers, and its expression is associated with a higher tumor stage and worse patient-related outcomes. Abnormally high expression of FOXM1 in cancers compared to normal tissue makes FOXM1 an attractive target for pharmacological inhibition. FOXM1-inhibiting agents and specific FOXM1-targeted small-molecule inhibitors have been developed in the lab and some of them have shown promising efficacy and safety profiles in mouse models. While the future goal is to translate FOXM1 inhibitors to clinical trials, potential synergistic drug combinations can maximize anti-tumor efficacy while minimizing off-target side effects. Hence, we discuss the rationale and efficacy of all previously studied drug combinations with FOXM1 inhibitors for cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nawal Merjaneh
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Phoenix, AZ 85016, USA
- Department of Child Health, Division of Hematology and Oncology, The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
| | - Mona Hajjar
- The Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA;
| | - Ying-Wei Lan
- Phoenix Children’s Research Institute, The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA; (Y.-W.L.)
| | - Vladimir V. Kalinichenko
- Phoenix Children’s Research Institute, The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA; (Y.-W.L.)
- Division of Neonatology, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Phoenix, AZ 85016, USA
| | - Tanya V. Kalin
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Phoenix, AZ 85016, USA
- Department of Child Health, Division of Hematology and Oncology, The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
- Phoenix Children’s Research Institute, The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA; (Y.-W.L.)
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2
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Yu W, Wang G, Li LX, Zhang H, Gui X, Zhou JX, Calvet JP, Li X. Transcription factor FoxM1 promotes cyst growth in PKD1 mutant ADPKD. Hum Mol Genet 2023; 32:1114-1126. [PMID: 36322156 PMCID: PMC10026255 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is driven by mutations in the PKD1 and PKD2 genes, and it is characterized by renal cyst formation, inflammation and fibrosis. Forkhead box protein M1 (FoxM1), a transcription factor of the Forkhead box (Fox) protein super family, has been reported to promote tumor formation, inflammation and fibrosis in many organs. However, the role and mechanism of FoxM1 in regulation of ADPKD progression is still poorly understood. Here, we show that FoxM1 is an important regulator of cyst growth in ADPKD. FoxM1 is upregulated in cyst-lining epithelial cells in Pkd1 mutant mouse kidneys and human ADPKD kidneys. FoxM1 promotes cystic renal epithelial cell proliferation by increasing the expression of Akt and Stat3 and the activation of ERK and Rb. FoxM1 also regulates cystic renal epithelial cell apoptosis through NF-κB signaling pathways. In addition, FoxM1 regulates the recruitment and retention of macrophages in Pkd1 mutant mouse kidneys, a process that is associated with FoxM1-mediated upregulation of monocyte chemotactic protein 1. Targeting FoxM1 with its specific inhibitor, FDI-6, delays cyst growth in rapidly progressing and slowly progressing Pkd1 mutant mouse kidneys. This study suggests that FoxM1 is a central and upstream regulator of ADPKD pathogenesis and provides a rationale for targeting FoxM1 as a therapeutic strategy for ADPKD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyan Yu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Research Center for Differentiation and Development of TCM Basic Theory, Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of TCM Etiopathogenesis, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330004, China
| | - Guojuan Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of University of Jiangxi of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Linda Xiaoyan Li
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Hongbing Zhang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Eye Institute of Shaanxi Province; Xi’an First Hospital, Xi’an 710002, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Xuehong Gui
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Julie Xia Zhou
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - James P Calvet
- Research Center for Differentiation and Development of TCM Basic Theory, Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of TCM Etiopathogenesis, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330004, China
| | - Xiaogang Li
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
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3
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Dong N, Liu WY. Regulatory mechanism of downregulation of SOD1 expression on cardiomyocyte function. Sleep Breath 2023; 27:399-410. [PMID: 35307768 DOI: 10.1007/s11325-022-02595-1] [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: 03/28/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many diseases are clinically related to oxidative stress. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disease with oxidative stress in clinical practice, which is mostly associated with cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. It has been shown that the level of oxidative stress increases and the level of antioxidant copper zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1) decreases in intermittent hypoxia (IH). SOD1 is one of the key antioxidant enzymes in organisms, and it can also be used as a signal transmission controller. Its abnormal expression further affects organ functions, but the specific mechanism is not yet fully clear. METHODS We downregulated the SOD1 gene in H9C2 cell line, using high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to find differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to cardiomyocyte function by using GO and KEGG databases to annotate, enrich and analyze the metabolic pathways of DEGs. RESULTS Through the analysis of these functional gene changes, we can understand the regulation of SOD1 downregulation on cardiomyocyte function. The results found 213 DEGs, of which 135 genes were upregulated and 78 genes were downregulated. The upregulated DEGs were mainly enriched in biological processes such as transcriptional regulation and metabolism. The expression levels of EGR1 and NR1D1 exceeded 1 in the samples. EGR1 was reported to be involved in oxidative stress and cardiac hypertrophy, and NR1D1 played an important regulatory role in regulating inflammatory responses and reducing ROS production. The biological processes involved in downregulated DEGs mainly involve metabolism and redox processes. Among them, SCD1 and CCL2 genes were highly expressed among the genes involved in the redox process involved in SOD1. SCD1 is an important player in the regulation of cardiometabolic processes; downregulation of CCL2 reduces atherosclerosis. We found that the TNF signaling pathway, NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, and chemokine signaling pathway, which were enriched in KEGG analysis, were all associated with inflammation, and the CXCL1 and CCL7 genes are all related to inflammation. CONCLUSION The gene and signaling pathways involved in oxidative stress and inflammatory response process regulated by SOD1 were demonstrated. SOD1 may affect the function of the heart by affecting myocardial contraction, inflammation, lipid metabolism, and other pathways. It is inferred that they may also play a role in the process of OSA-related myocardial injury, which is worthy of attention and further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Dong
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.,Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, Gansu, China
| | - Wei-Ying Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, Gansu, China.
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Lan C, Liu G, Huang L, Wang X, Tan J, Wang Y, Fan N, Zhu Y, Yu M, Liu X. Forkhead Domain Inhibitor-6 Suppresses Corneal Neovascularization and Subsequent Fibrosis After Alkali Burn in Rats. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2022; 63:14. [PMID: 35446346 PMCID: PMC9034725 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.63.4.14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Forkhead Domain Inhibitor-6 (FDI-6) on regulating inflammatory corneal angiogenesis and subsequent fibrosis induced by alkali burn. Methods A corneal alkali burn model was established in Sprague Dawley rats using NaOH and the rat eyes were topically treated with FDI-6 (40 µM) or a control vehicle four times daily for 7 days. Corneal neovascularization, inflammation and epithelial defects were observed on days 1, 4, and 7 under a slit lamp microscope after corneal alkali burn. Analysis of angiogenesis-, inflammation-, and fibrosis-related indicators was conducted on day 7. Murine macrophages (RAW264.7 cells) and mouse retinal microvascular endothelial cells (MRMECs) were used to examine the effects of FDI-6 on inflammatory angiogenesis in vitro. Results Topical delivery of FDI-6 significantly attenuated alkali burn-induced corneal inflammation, neovascularization, and fibrosis. FDI-6 suppressed the expression of angiogenic factors (vascular epidermal growth factor, CD31, matrix metalloproteinase-9, and endothelial NO synthase), fibrotic factors (α-smooth muscle actin and fibronectin), and pro-inflammatory factor interleukin-6 in alkali-injured corneas. FDI-6 downregulated the expression of monocyte chemotactic protein-1, pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-alpha), nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3, and vascular endothelial growth factor in RAW264.7 cells and inhibited the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of MRMECs in vitro. Conclusions FDI-6 can attenuate corneal neovascularization, inflammation, and fibrosis in alkali-injured corneas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunlin Lan
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Guo Liu
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Longxiang Huang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Xizhen Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Junkai Tan
- Xiamen Eye Center, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Yun Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Ning Fan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yihua Zhu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Man Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Research Unit for Blindness Prevention of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU026), Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xuyang Liu
- Xiamen Eye Center, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.,Department of Ophthalmology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, the 2nd Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
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HELLS Is Negatively Regulated by Wild-Type P53 in Liver Cancer by a Mechanism Involving P21 and FOXM1. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14020459. [PMID: 35053620 PMCID: PMC8773711 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14020459] [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: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The tumor suppressor protein P53 is a major player in preventing liver cancer development and progression. In this study we could show that P53 negatively regulates the expression of Helicase, lymphoid specific (HELLS), previously described as an important pro-tumorigenic epigenetic regulator in hepatocarcinogenesis. The regulatory mechanism included induction of the P53 target gene P21 (CDKN1A) resulting in repression of HELLS via downregulation of the transcription factor Forkhead Box Protein M1 (FOXM1). Our in vitro and in vivo findings indicate an important additional aspect of the tumor suppressive function of P53 in liver cancer linked to epigenetic regulation. Abstract The major tumor suppressor P53 (TP53) acts primarily as a transcription factor by activating or repressing subsets of its numerous target genes, resulting in different cellular outcomes (e.g., cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and senescence). P53-dependent gene regulation is linked to several aspects of chromatin remodeling; however, regulation of chromatin-modifying enzymes by P53 is poorly understood in hepatocarcinogenesis. Herein, we identified Helicase, lymphoid specific (HELLS), a major epigenetic regulator in liver cancer, as a strong and selective P53 repression target within the SNF2-like helicase family. The underlying regulatory mechanism involved P53-dependent induction of P21 (CDKN1A), leading to repression of Forkhead Box Protein M1 (FOXM1) that in turn resulted in downregulation of HELLS expression. Supporting our in vitro data, we found higher expression of HELLS in murine HCCs arising in a Trp53−/− background compared to Trp53+/+ HCCs as well as a strong and highly significant correlation between HELLS and FOXM1 expression in different HCC patient cohorts. Our data suggest that functional or mutational inactivation of P53 substantially contributes to overexpression of HELLS in HCC patients and indicates a previously unstudied aspect of P53′s ability to suppress liver cancer formation.
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6
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Distinct roles of KLF4 in mesenchymal cell subtypes during lung fibrogenesis. Nat Commun 2021; 12:7179. [PMID: 34893592 PMCID: PMC8664937 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27499-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
During lung fibrosis, the epithelium induces signaling to underlying mesenchyme to generate excess myofibroblasts and extracellular matrix; herein, we focus on signaling in the mesenchyme. Our studies indicate that platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR)-β+ cells are the predominant source of myofibroblasts and Kruppel-like factor (KLF) 4 is upregulated in PDGFR-β+ cells, inducing TGFβ pathway signaling and fibrosis. In fibrotic lung patches, KLF4 is down-regulated, suggesting KLF4 levels decrease as PDGFR-β+ cells transition into myofibroblasts. In contrast to PDGFR-β+ cells, KLF4 reduction in α-smooth muscle actin (SMA)+ cells non-cell autonomously exacerbates lung fibrosis by inducing macrophage accumulation and pro-fibrotic effects of PDGFR-β+ cells via a Forkhead box M1 to C-C chemokine ligand 2-receptor 2 pathway. Taken together, in the context of lung fibrosis, our results indicate that KLF4 plays opposing roles in PDGFR-β+ cells and SMA+ cells and highlight the importance of further studies of interactions between distinct mesenchymal cell types.
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7
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Liu L, Zhao Q, Cheng C, Yi J, Sun H, Wang Q, Quan W, Xue Y, Sun L, Cong X, Zhang Y. Analysis of Bulk RNA Sequencing Data Reveals Novel Transcription Factors Associated With Immune Infiltration Among Multiple Cancers. Front Immunol 2021; 12:644350. [PMID: 34489925 PMCID: PMC8417605 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.644350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor-infiltrating immune cells shape the tumor microenvironment and are closely related to clinical outcomes. Several transcription factors (TFs) have also been reported to regulate the antitumor activity and immune cell infiltration. This study aimed to quantify the populations of different immune cells infiltrated in tumor samples based on the bulk RNA sequencing data obtained from 50 cancer patients using the CIBERSORT and the EPIC algorithm. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) identified eigengene modules strongly associated with tumorigenesis and the activation of CD4+ memory T cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages. TF genes FOXM1, MYBL2, TAL1, and ERG are central in the subnetworks of the eigengene modules associated with immune-related genes. The analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cancer data confirmed these findings and further showed that the expression of these potential TF genes regulating immune infiltration, and the immune-related genes that they regulated, was associated with the survival of patients within multiple cancers. Exome-seq was performed on 24 paired samples that also had RNA-seq data. The expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis showed that mutations were significantly more frequent in the regions flanking the TF genes compared with those of non-TF genes, suggesting a driver role of these TF genes regulating immune infiltration. Taken together, this study presented a practical method for identifying genes that regulate immune infiltration. These genes could be potential biomarkers for cancer prognosis and possible therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Liu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Qiuchen Zhao
- Center of Genome Analysis, ABLife BioBigData Institute, Wuhan, China.,College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Chao Cheng
- Center of Genome Analysis, ABLife BioBigData Institute, Wuhan, China
| | - Jingwen Yi
- Research Center of Agriculture and Medicine Gene Engineering of Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Hongyan Sun
- Tissue Bank, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Center of Genome Analysis, ABLife BioBigData Institute, Wuhan, China
| | - Weili Quan
- Center of Genome Analysis, ABLife BioBigData Institute, Wuhan, China
| | - Yaqiang Xue
- Center of Genome Analysis, ABLife BioBigData Institute, Wuhan, China
| | - Luguo Sun
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.,Research Center of Agriculture and Medicine Gene Engineering of Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Xianling Cong
- Tissue Bank, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Center of Genome Analysis, ABLife BioBigData Institute, Wuhan, China
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8
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Forkhead domain inhibitory-6 attenuates subconjunctival fibrosis in rabbit model with trabeculectomy. Exp Eye Res 2021; 210:108725. [PMID: 34375589 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2021.108725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Antiproliferative therapies are crucially important for improving the success rate of the glaucoma filtration surgeries. In this study, we investigated the potential efficacy of Forkhead Domain Inhibitory-6 (FDI-6) in inhibiting post-trabeculectomy subconjunctival fibrosis. In vitro, the effect of FDI-6 (10 μM) on fibrotic response and its underlying mechanism were investigated in rabbit tenon's fibroblasts (RTFs) treated with or without transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1, 20 ng/mL). In vivo, FDI-6 (40 μM) was injected subconjunctivally to a rabbit trabeculectomy model. Intraocular pressure (IOP) changes were monitored within the 14-day period post-surgery. Bleb morphology and subepithelial fibrosis at the operating area were evaluated with slit lamp and confocal microscopic examinations and with histologic examinations. The results showed that, in cell culture studies, FDI-6 suppressed the proliferation, migration, collagen gel contraction and the expression levels of fibronectin (FN) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in RTFs with TGF-β treatment by down-regulating the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling pathway. In animal studies, the IOPs of the FDI-6-treated group were significantly lower than those of the saline-treated group after trabeculectomy. The FDI-6-treated eyes showed a better bleb appearance with fewer blood vessels compared to the saline-treated eyes. The analysis of confocal microscopy in vivo and histopathology revealed that subconjunctival fibrosis after trabeculectomy was significantly attenuated in the FDI-6-treated group compared to the controls. In conclusion, our studies indicate that FDI-6 exerts an inhibitory effect on subconjunctival fibrosis caused by trabeculectomy, holding potentials as a new antiproliferative agent used in anti-glaucoma filtration surgeries in the future.
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Rajak S, Raza S, Tewari A, Yadav S, Ghosh S, Yen PM, Sinha RA. Autophagic protein ULK1 regulates FOXM1 signalling in human hepatoma cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 532:570-575. [PMID: 32900486 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.08.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular cancer (HCC) is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Unfortunately, a limited choice of anti-cancer drugs is available for treatment, owing to their minimal efficacy and development of acquired resistance. Autophagy, a cellular survival pathway, often exhibits a pleiotropic role in HCC progression. Studies show increased autophagy in established HCC, promoting the survival of HCC cells in the tumour microenvironment. Therefore, novel anti-autophagy drugs hold promise for preventing HCC progression. Here, using a non-biased transcriptomics analysis in HepG2 cells we demonstrate the existence of an autophagy-FOXM1 nexus regulating growth in HepG2 cells. Additionally, we show that suppression of autophagy by an Unc-51 Like Autophagy Activating Kinase 1(ULK1) inhibitor not only attenuates the expression of FOXM1 and its transcriptional targets, but also has a synergistic effect on the inhibition of HepG2 growth when combined with FOXM1 inhibitors. Thus, the autophagic protein, ULK1, is a promising candidate for preventing HCC progression. Collectively, our results provide new insight into the role of autophagy in HCC growth and are a proof-of concept for combinatorial therapy using ULK1 and FOXM1 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangam Rajak
- Department of Endocrinology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, 226014, India
| | - Sana Raza
- Department of Endocrinology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, 226014, India
| | - Archana Tewari
- Department of Endocrinology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, 226014, India
| | - Shivmurat Yadav
- Department of Endocrinology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, 226014, India
| | - Sujoy Ghosh
- Centre for Computational Biology, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, 169857, Singapore
| | - Paul M Yen
- Program of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, 169587, Singapore
| | - Rohit A Sinha
- Department of Endocrinology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, 226014, India.
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10
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Zhu S, Deng Y, Gao H, Huang K, Nie Z. miR‐877‐5p alleviates chondrocyte dysfunction in osteoarthritis models via repressing FOXM1. J Gene Med 2020; 22:e3246. [PMID: 32584470 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.3246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shaobo Zhu
- Department of Orthopaedic Trauma and Microsurgery Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University Wuhan Hubei Province China
| | - Yu Deng
- Department of Orthopaedic Trauma and Microsurgery Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University Wuhan Hubei Province China
| | - Hui Gao
- Department of Orthopaedic Trauma and Microsurgery Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University Wuhan Hubei Province China
| | - Kaiyuan Huang
- Department of Orthopaedic Huangshi No. 4 Hospital Huangshi Hubei Province China
| | - Zhongjie Nie
- Department of Orthopaedic Huangshi No. 4 Hospital Huangshi Hubei Province China
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11
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Jeng KS, Lu SJ, Wang CH, Chang CF. Liver Fibrosis and Inflammation under the Control of ERK2. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21113796. [PMID: 32471201 PMCID: PMC7312875 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21113796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic liver injury could lead the formation of liver fibrosis, eventually some would develop to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the leading malignancies worldwide. The aim of the study is to dissect the role of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) signaling in liver fibrosis and inflammation. The choline-deficient, ethionine-supplemented (CDE) diet could lead to fatty livers and generate oval cells, activate hepatocyte stellate cell (HSC) and recruit immune cells as the liver fibrosis model mice. WT and ERK2 deficient (ERK2−/−) mice were compared in terms of liver weight/body weight, liver function, liver fibrosis markers and the differential gene expression in hepatotoxicity. ERK2−/− mice display the less degree of liver fibrosis when compared to WT mice. The protein level of alpha smooth muscle (α-SMA) was reduced and several hepatocellular carcinoma-related genes such as MMP9, FoxM1 were down-regulated. In addition, the cell proliferation and the percentages of activated T cells were reduced in ERK2−/− mice upon liver injury. Therefore, ERK2 plays an important role in regulating liver cirrhosis and inflammation.
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12
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Filliol A, Schwabe RF. FoxM1 Induces CCl2 Secretion From Hepatocytes Triggering Hepatic Inflammation, Injury, Fibrosis, and Liver Cancer. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020; 9:555-556. [PMID: 32008983 PMCID: PMC7078446 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2020.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert F Schwabe
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York; Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University, New York, New York.
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