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Zhang J, Zhou L, Zhao S, El-Deiry WS. Regorafenib synergizes with TAS102 against multiple gastrointestinal cancers and overcomes cancer stemness, trifluridine-induced angiogenesis, ERK1/2 and STAT3 signaling regardless of KRAS or BRAF mutational status. Oncotarget 2024; 15:424-438. [PMID: 38953895 PMCID: PMC11218792 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.28602] [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: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Single-agent TAS102 (trifluridine/tipiracil) and regorafenib are FDA-approved treatments for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). We previously reported that regorafenib combined with a fluoropyrimidine can delay disease progression in clinical case reports of multidrug-resistant mCRC patients. We hypothesized that the combination of TAS102 and regorafenib may be active in CRC and other gastrointestinal (GI) cancers and may in the future provide a treatment option for patients with advanced GI cancer. We investigated the therapeutic effect of TAS102 in combination with regorafenib in preclinical studies employing cell culture, colonosphere assays that enrich for cancer stem cells, and in vivo. TAS102 in combination with regorafenib has synergistic activity against multiple GI cancers in vitro including colorectal and gastric cancer, but not liver cancer cells. TAS102 inhibits colonosphere formation and this effect is potentiated by regorafenib. In vivo anti-tumor effects of TAS102 plus regorafenib appear to be due to anti-proliferative effects, necrosis and angiogenesis inhibition. Growth inhibition by TAS102 plus regorafenib occurs in xenografted tumors regardless of p53, KRAS or BRAF mutations, although more potent tumor suppression was observed with wild-type p53. Regorafenib significantly inhibits TAS102-induced angiogenesis and microvessel density in xenografted tumors, as well inhibits TAS102-induced ERK1/2 activation regardless of RAS or BRAF status in vivo. TAS102 plus regorafenib is a synergistic drug combination in preclinical models of GI cancer, with regorafenib suppressing TAS102-induced increase in microvessel density and p-ERK as contributing mechanisms. The TAS102 plus regorafenib drug combination may be further tested in gastric and other GI cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Zhang
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology and Experimental Cancer Therapeutics, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, RI 02912, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, RI 02912, USA
- The Joint Program in Cancer Biology, Brown University and Lifespan Health System, RI 02912, USA
- Cancer Center at Brown University, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, RI 02912, USA
| | - Lanlan Zhou
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology and Experimental Cancer Therapeutics, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, RI 02912, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, RI 02912, USA
- The Joint Program in Cancer Biology, Brown University and Lifespan Health System, RI 02912, USA
- Cancer Center at Brown University, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, RI 02912, USA
| | - Shuai Zhao
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology and Experimental Cancer Therapeutics, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, RI 02912, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, RI 02912, USA
- The Joint Program in Cancer Biology, Brown University and Lifespan Health System, RI 02912, USA
- Cancer Center at Brown University, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, RI 02912, USA
| | - Wafik S. El-Deiry
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology and Experimental Cancer Therapeutics, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, RI 02912, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, RI 02912, USA
- The Joint Program in Cancer Biology, Brown University and Lifespan Health System, RI 02912, USA
- Cancer Center at Brown University, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, RI 02912, USA
- Hematology-Oncology Division, Department of Medicine, Lifespan Health System and Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, RI 02912, USA
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Ma D, Liu S, Liu K, He Q, Hu L, Shi W, Cao Y, Zhang G, Xin Q, Wang Z, Wu J, Jiang C. CuET overcomes regorafenib resistance by inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition through suppression of the ERK pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma. Transl Oncol 2024; 47:102040. [PMID: 38954975 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2024.102040] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Regorafenib was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients showing progress on sorafenib treatment. However, there is an inevitably high rate of drug resistance associated with regorafenib, which reduces its effectiveness in clinical treatment. Thus, there is an urgent need to find a potential way to solve the problem of regorafenib resistance. The metabolite of disulfiram complexed with copper, the Diethyldithiocarbamate-copper complex (CuET), has been found to be an effective anticancer drug candidate. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of CuET on regorafenib resistance in HCC and uncover the associated mechanism. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Regorafenib-resistant HCC strains were constructed by applying an increasing concentration gradient. This study employed a comprehensive range of methodologies, including the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, colony formation assay, cell cycle analysis, wound healing assay, Transwell assay, tumor xenograft model, and immunohistochemical analysis. These methods were utilized to investigate the antitumor activity of CuET, assess the combined effect of regorafenib and CuET, and elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying CuET-mediated regorafenib resistance. KEY RESULTS The inhibitory effect of regorafenib on cell survival, proliferation and migration was decreased in regorafenib-resistant MHCC-97H (MHCC-97H/REGO) cells compared with parental cells. CuET demonstrated significant inhibitory effects on cell survival, proliferation, and migration of various HCC cell lines. CuET restored the sensitivity of MHCC-97H/REGO HCC cells to regorafenib in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, CuET reverses regorafenib resistance in HCC by suppressing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through inhibition of the ERK signaling pathway. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Taken together, the results of this study demonstrated that CuET inhibited the activation of the ERK signaling pathway, leading to the suppression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and subsequently reversing regorafenib resistance in HCC both in vivo and in vitro. This study provides a new idea and potential strategy to improve the treatment of regorafenib-resistant HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ding Ma
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, Shandong 250117, China; Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China; Department of Gastroenterology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Shuwen Liu
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, Shandong 250117, China; State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, National Institute of Healthcare Data Science at Nanjing University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210093 China; Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Kua Liu
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, Shandong 250117, China; State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, National Institute of Healthcare Data Science at Nanjing University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210093 China; Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Qinyu He
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, Shandong 250117, China; State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, National Institute of Healthcare Data Science at Nanjing University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210093 China; Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Lili Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Weiwei Shi
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, Shandong 250117, China; State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, National Institute of Healthcare Data Science at Nanjing University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210093 China; Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Yin Cao
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, Shandong 250117, China; Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Guang Zhang
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, Shandong 250117, China; Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Qilei Xin
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, Shandong 250117, China; State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, National Institute of Healthcare Data Science at Nanjing University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210093 China
| | - Zhongxia Wang
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, Shandong 250117, China; Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China.
| | - Junhua Wu
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, Shandong 250117, China; State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, National Institute of Healthcare Data Science at Nanjing University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210093 China.
| | - Chunping Jiang
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, Shandong 250117, China; State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, National Institute of Healthcare Data Science at Nanjing University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210093 China; Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China.
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3
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Zheng Y, Ye S, Huang S, Cheng Y, Zhang Y, Leng Y, He M, Wu E, Chen J, Kong L, Zhang H. Lefamulin Overcomes Acquired Drug Resistance via Regulating Mitochondrial Homeostasis by Targeting ILF3 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024:e2401789. [PMID: 38874478 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202401789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Acquired resistance represents a critical clinical challenge to molecular targeted therapies such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) treatment in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, it is urgent to explore new mechanisms and therapeutics that can overcome or delay resistance. Here, a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved pleuromutilin antibiotic is identified that overcomes sorafenib resistance in HCC cell lines, cell line-derived xenograft (CDX) and hydrodynamic injection mouse models. It is demonstrated that lefamulin targets interleukin enhancer-binding factor 3 (ILF3) to increase the sorafenib susceptibility of HCC via impairing mitochondrial function. Mechanistically, lefamulin directly binds to the Alanine-99 site of ILF3 protein and interferes with acetyltransferase general control non-depressible 5 (GCN5) and CREB binding protein (CBP) mediated acetylation of Lysine-100 site, which disrupts the ILF3-mediated transcription of mitochondrial ribosomal protein L12 (MRPL12) and subsequent mitochondrial biogenesis. Clinical data further confirm that high ILF3 or MRPL12 expression is associated with poor survival and targeted therapy efficacy in HCC. Conclusively, this findings suggest that ILF3 is a potential therapeutic target for overcoming resistance to TKIs, and lefamulin may be a novel combination therapy strategy for HCC treatment with sorafenib and regorafenib.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Shengtao Ye
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Shiyu Huang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yang Cheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yanqiu Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yingrong Leng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Mengmeng He
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Enyi Wu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Junxin Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Lingyi Kong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
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4
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Dong R, Wang T, Dong W, Zhu H, Liu Q, Liang H, Chen X, Zhang B, Zhang X. Inhibition of PTPRE suppresses tumor progression and improves sorafenib response in hepatocellular carcinoma. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 173:116366. [PMID: 38458013 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116366] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a poor prognosis, and the efficacy of current therapeutic strategies is extremely limited in advanced diseases. Our previous study reported that protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor epsilon (PTPRE) is a promoting factor in HCC progression. In this study, our objective was to evaluate the treatment effect of PTPRE inhibitors in different HCC preclinical models. Our results indicated that the PTPRE inhibitory compound 63 (Cpd-63) inhibited tumor cell proliferation, migration, and HCC organoid growth. Mechanism research revealed that Cpd-63 could inhibit the expression of MYC and MYC targets by inhibiting the activation of SRC. Additionally, we found that Cpd-63 could improve the response of sorafenib in HCC cells. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the PTPRE inhibitors represented a potential therapeutic agent for HCC management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renshun Dong
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Hubei Province for the Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Tianci Wang
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Hubei Province for the Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Wei Dong
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Hubei Province for the Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education; NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - He Zhu
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Hubei Province for the Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education; NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Qiumeng Liu
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Hubei Province for the Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education; NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Huifang Liang
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Hubei Province for the Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education; NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Xiaoping Chen
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Hubei Province for the Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education; NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
| | - Bixiang Zhang
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Hubei Province for the Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education; NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
| | - Xuewu Zhang
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Hubei Province for the Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education; NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
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5
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Xie Y, Wu H, He Y, Liu L, Huang IB, Zhou L, Lin CY, Leung RWH, Loh JJ, Lee TKW, Ding J, Man K, Ma S, Tong M. Targeting AXL induces tumor-intrinsic immunogenic response in tyrosine kinase inhibitor-resistant liver cancer. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:110. [PMID: 38310091 PMCID: PMC10838288 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06493-0] [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: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive malignancy without effective therapeutic approaches. Here, we evaluate the tumor-intrinsic mechanisms that attenuate the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) that is observed in patients with advanced HCC who progress on first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy. Upregulation of AXL observed in sorafenib- and lenvatinib-resistant HCCs is correlated with poor response towards TKI and ICI treatments. AXL upregulation protects sorafenib-resistant HCC cells from oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and accompanying immunogenic cell death through suppressed tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and STING-type I interferon pathways. Pharmacological inhibition of AXL abrogates the protective effect and re-sensitizes TKI-resistant HCC tumors to anti-PD-1 treatment. We suggest that targeting AXL in combination with anti-PD-1 may provide an alternative treatment scheme for HCC patients who progress on TKI treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunong Xie
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Haofeng Wu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yimiao He
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Linglin Liu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ianto Bosheng Huang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lei Zhou
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Precision Medicine Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cheuk-Yin Lin
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Rainbow Wing-Hei Leung
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jia-Jian Loh
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Terence Kin-Wah Lee
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jin Ding
- Clinical Cancer Institute, Center for Translational Medicine, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kwan Man
- Department of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Stephanie Ma
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
- Hong Kong University-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Man Tong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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6
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Huang J, Wei W, Kang F, Tan S, Li Y, Lu X, Wang N. ANXA3, associated with YAP1 regulation, participates in the proliferation and chemoresistance of cervical cancer cells. Genes Genomics 2023; 45:1575-1586. [PMID: 37843781 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-023-01461-y] [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: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cervical cancer, as one of the most common cancers in women, remains a major health threat worldwide. Annexin A3 (ANXA3), a component of the annexin family, is upregulated in numerous cancers, with no explicit role in cervical cancer. OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate the function of ANXA3 in cervical cancer. METHODS Differential expression genes between the cervical cancer tissues of patients and the controls were analyzed in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) database. Using transfection approaches to either upregulate or downregulate ANXA3, its role in cell proliferation and chemosensitivity of human cervical cancer cell lines (HeLa and C33A) was evaluated. Furthermore, the binding activity between YAP1 and ANXA3 was also explored. RESULTS Genomics analysis indicated that differential genes were mostly associated with cell cycle progression and DNA replication. ANXA3 was highly expressed in the cervical cancer tissues and closely linked to malignancy degree. Knockdown of ANXA3 in cervical cancer cells inhibited cell cycle progression. A similar result was observed in the reduction of cyclin D, CDK4, cyclin E, and CDK2 in cervical cancer cells with ANXA3 silencing. Cervical cancer cells obtained high sensitivity to cisplatin (DDP) when ANXA3 was downregulated. Conversely, these capabilities were the opposite in cervical cancer cells overexpressing ANXA3. Furthermore, the expression levels of ANXA3 and YAP1 were positively correlated. YAP1 upregulation was positively connected with malignant behaviors, which were reversed by ANXA3 downregulation. CONCLUSION In light of our findings, targeting ANXA3 expressed in cervical cancer might contribute to more potential therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiazhen Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467, Zhongshan Road, Dalian, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467, Zhongshan Road, Dalian, People's Republic of China
| | - Fuli Kang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467, Zhongshan Road, Dalian, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuang Tan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467, Zhongshan Road, Dalian, People's Republic of China
| | - Yibing Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467, Zhongshan Road, Dalian, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaohang Lu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467, Zhongshan Road, Dalian, People's Republic of China
| | - Ning Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467, Zhongshan Road, Dalian, People's Republic of China.
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7
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Gao Y, Tong M, Wong TL, Ng KY, Xie YN, Wang Z, Yu H, Loh JJ, Li M, Ma S. Long Noncoding RNA URB1-Antisense RNA 1 (AS1) Suppresses Sorafenib-Induced Ferroptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Driving Ferritin Phase Separation. ACS NANO 2023; 17:22240-22258. [PMID: 37966480 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c01199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Sorafenib, a first-line molecular-target drug for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), has been shown to be a potent ferroptosis inducer in HCC. However, we found that there was a lower level of ferroptosis in sorafenib-resistant HCC samples than in sorafenib-sensitive HCC samples, suggesting that sorafenib resistance in HCC may be a result of ferroptosis suppression. Recent reports have shown that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in programmed cell death (PCD), including apoptosis and ferroptosis. This study aimed to investigate the roles and underlying molecular mechanisms of lncRNAs in sorafenib-induced ferroptosis in HCC cells. Using lncRNA sequencing, we identified a ferroptosis-related lncRNA, URB1-antisense RNA 1 (AS1), which was highly expressed in sorafenib-resistant HCC samples and predicted poor survival in HCC. Furthermore, URB1-AS1 mitigates sorafenib-induced ferroptosis by inducing ferritin phase separation and reducing the cellular free iron content. Hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1α was identified as a key factor promoting URB1-AS1 expression in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. Notably, we found that specifically inhibiting the expression of URB1-AS1 with N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)-small interfering (si)URB1-AS1 successfully enhanced the sensitivity of HCC cells to sorafenib in an in vivo tumor model. Our study uncovered a critical role for URB1-AS1 in the repression of ferroptosis, suggesting URB1-AS1 targeting may represent a potential approach to overcome sorafenib resistance in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Gao
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Biotechnology Center, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710000, China
| | - Man Tong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Tin-Lok Wong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kai-Yu Ng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yu-Nong Xie
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Zhaowei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Biotechnology Center, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710000, China
| | - Huajian Yu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jia-Jian Loh
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Meng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Biotechnology Center, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710000, China
| | - Stephanie Ma
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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8
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Li H, Deng X, Zhang Z, Yang Z, Huang H, Ye X, Zhong L, Xu G, Liu R, Fang Y. Nitric oxide/paclitaxel micelles enhance anti-liver cancer effects and paclitaxel sensitivity by inducing ferroptosis, endoplasmic reticulum stress and pyroptosis. RSC Adv 2023; 13:31772-31784. [PMID: 37908648 PMCID: PMC10613954 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra04861f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the anticancer activities of biodegradable polymeric micelles composed of monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol), polylactic acid, and nitric oxide (mPEG-PLA-NO) loaded with paclitaxel (PTX) as a nanomedicine delivery system. We aimed to compare the anticancer effects of these NO/PTX micelles with PTX alone and elucidate their mechanism of action. We evaluated the impact of NO/PTX and PTX on cell viability using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) assays conducted on the Bel-7402 liver cancer cell line. Additionally, we employed H22 xenografted mice to assess the in vivo tumor growth inhibitory activity of NO/PTX. To examine the cytotoxicity of NO/PTX, the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the expression of ferroptosis-related proteins, we conducted experiments in the presence of the ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) or the ROS inhibitor N-acetyl cysteine (NAC). Furthermore, we investigated the expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and apoptosis-associated proteins. Our results demonstrated that NO/PTX exhibited enhanced anticancer effects compared to PTX alone in both Bel-7402 cells and H22 xenografted mice. The addition of Fer-1 or NAC reduced the anticancer activity of NO/PTX, indicating the involvement of ferroptosis and ROS in its mechanism of action. Furthermore, NO/PTX modulated the expression of proteins related to ERS and apoptosis, indicating the activation of these cellular pathways. The anticancer effects of NO/PTX in liver cancer cells were mediated through the induction of ferroptosis, pyroptosis, ERS, and apoptosis-associated networks. Ferroptosis and pyroptosis were activated by treatment of NO/PTX at low concentration, whereas ERS was induced to trigger apoptosis at high concentration. The superior anti-tumor effect of NO/PTX may be attributed to the downregulation of a multidrug resistance transporter and the sensitization of cells to PTX chemotherapy. In summary, our study highlights the potential of mPEG-PLA-NO micelles loaded with PTX as a nanomedicine delivery system for liver cancer treatment. The observed enhancement in anticancer activity, combined with the modulation of key cellular pathways, provides valuable insights into the therapeutic potential of NO/PTX in overcoming resistance and improving treatment outcomes in liver cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huilan Li
- National Engineering Research Center for Manufacturing Technology of TCM Solid Preparation, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330006 China
| | - Xiaoyu Deng
- College of Pharmacy, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004 China
| | - Ziwei Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004 China
| | - Zunhua Yang
- College of Pharmacy, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004 China
| | - Hesong Huang
- National Engineering Research Center for Manufacturing Technology of TCM Solid Preparation, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330006 China
| | - Xide Ye
- College of Pharmacy, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004 China
| | - Linyun Zhong
- College of Pharmacy, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004 China
| | - Guoliang Xu
- College of Pharmacy, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004 China
| | - Ronghua Liu
- College of Pharmacy, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004 China
| | - Yuanying Fang
- National Engineering Research Center for Manufacturing Technology of TCM Solid Preparation, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330006 China
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9
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Yang J, Pei T, Su G, Duan P, Liu X. AnnexinA6: a potential therapeutic target gene for extracellular matrix mineralization. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1201200. [PMID: 37727505 PMCID: PMC10506415 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1201200] [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: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The mineralization of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is an essential and crucial process for physiological bone formation and pathological calcification. The abnormal function of ECM mineralization contributes to the worldwide risk of developing mineralization-related diseases; for instance, vascular calcification is attributed to the hyperfunction of ECM mineralization, while osteoporosis is due to hypofunction. AnnexinA6 (AnxA6), a Ca2+-dependent phospholipid-binding protein, has been extensively reported as an essential target in mineralization-related diseases such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, atherosclerosis, osteosarcoma, and calcific aortic valve disease. To date, AnxA6, as the largest member of the Annexin family, has attracted much attention due to its significant contribution to matrix vesicles (MVs) production and release, MVs-ECM interaction, cytoplasmic Ca2+ influx, and maturation of hydroxyapatite, making it an essential target in ECM mineralization. In this review, we outlined the recent advancements in the role of AnxA6 in mineralization-related diseases and the potential mechanisms of AnxA6 under normal and mineralization-related pathological conditions. AnxA6 could promote ECM mineralization for bone regeneration in the manner described previously. Therefore, AnxA6 may be a potential osteogenic target for ECM mineralization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Xiaoheng Liu
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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10
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Yan H, Wu W, Hu Y, Li J, Xu J, Chen X, Xu Z, Yang X, Yang B, He Q, Luo P. Regorafenib inhibits EphA2 phosphorylation and leads to liver damage via the ERK/MDM2/p53 axis. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2756. [PMID: 37179400 PMCID: PMC10182995 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38430-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The hepatotoxicity of regorafenib is one of the most noteworthy concerns for patients, however the mechanism is poorly understood. Hence, there is a lack of effective intervention strategies. Here, by comparing the target with sorafenib, we show that regorafenib-induced liver injury is mainly due to its nontherapeutic target Eph receptor A2 (EphA2). EphA2 deficiency attenuated liver damage and cell apoptosis under regorafenib treatment in male mice. Mechanistically, regorafenib inhibits EphA2 Ser897 phosphorylation and reduces ubiquitination of p53 by altering the intracellular localization of mouse double minute 2 (MDM2) by affecting the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/MDM2 axis. Meanwhile, we found that schisandrin C, which can upregulate the phosphorylation of EphA2 at Ser897 also has protective effect against the toxicity in vivo. Collectively, our findings identify the inhibition of EphA2 Ser897 phosphorylation as a key cause of regorafenib-induced hepatotoxicity, and chemical activation of EphA2 Ser897 represents a potential therapeutic strategy to prevent regorafenib-induced hepatotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Yan
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research of Zhejiang University, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Wentong Wu
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research of Zhejiang University, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yuhuai Hu
- Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310018, China
- Laboratory of Fruit Quality Biology/Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology/The State Agriculture Ministry Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Jinjin Li
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research of Zhejiang University, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Jiangxin Xu
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research of Zhejiang University, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xueqin Chen
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hangzhou Cancer Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310002, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Zhifei Xu
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research of Zhejiang University, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xiaochun Yang
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research of Zhejiang University, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Qiaojun He
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research of Zhejiang University, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310018, China
| | - Peihua Luo
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research of Zhejiang University, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310018, China.
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Affiliated Hangzhou Cancer Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310002, China.
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11
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Erratum: Drug resistance mechanism of kinase inhibitors in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1188062. [PMID: 37077813 PMCID: PMC10107049 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1188062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1097277.].
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12
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Samavarchi Tehrani S, Esmaeili F, Shirzad M, Goodarzi G, Yousefi T, Maniati M, Taheri-Anganeh M, Anushiravani A. The critical role of circular RNAs in drug resistance in gastrointestinal cancers. Med Oncol 2023; 40:116. [PMID: 36917431 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-01980-4] [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: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Nowadays, drug resistance (DR) in gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, as the main reason for cancer-related mortality worldwide, has become a serious problem in the management of patients. Several mechanisms have been proposed for resistance to anticancer drugs, including altered transport and metabolism of drugs, mutation of drug targets, altered DNA repair system, inhibited apoptosis and autophagy, cancer stem cells, tumor heterogeneity, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Compelling evidence has revealed that genetic and epigenetic factors are strongly linked to DR. Non-coding RNA (ncRNA) interferences are the most crucial epigenetic alterations explored so far, and among these ncRNAs, circular RNAs (circRNAs) are the most emerging members known to have unique properties. Due to the absence of 5' and 3' ends in these novel RNAs, the two ends are covalently bonded together and are generated from pre-mRNA in a process known as back-splicing, which makes them more stable than other RNAs. As far as the unique structure and function of circRNAs is concerned, they are implicated in proliferation, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, metastasis, and DR. A clear understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for circRNAs-mediated DR in the GI cancers will open a new window to the management of GI cancers. Hence, in the present review, we will describe briefly the biogenesis, multiple features, and different biological functions of circRNAs. Then, we will summarize current mechanisms of DR, and finally, discuss molecular mechanisms through which circRNAs regulate DR development in esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadra Samavarchi Tehrani
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fataneh Esmaeili
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Moein Shirzad
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Golnaz Goodarzi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Tooba Yousefi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahmood Maniati
- Department of English, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mortaza Taheri-Anganeh
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Research Institute, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
| | - Amir Anushiravani
- Digestive Disease Research Center, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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13
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Huang H, Tsui YM, Ng IOL. Fueling HCC Dynamics: Interplay Between Tumor Microenvironment and Tumor Initiating Cells. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 15:1105-1116. [PMID: 36736664 PMCID: PMC10036749 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2023.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) is a common cancer worldwide. It is an aggressive cancer, with high rates of tumor relapse and metastasis, high chemoresistance, and poor prognosis. Liver tumor-initiating cells (LTICs) are a distinctive subset of liver cancer cells with self-renewal and differentiation capacities that contribute to intratumoral heterogeneity, tumor recurrence, metastasis, and chemo-drug resistance. LTICs, marked by different TIC markers, have high plasticity and use diverse signaling pathways to promote tumorigenesis and tumor progression. LTICs are nurtured in the tumor microenvironment (TME), where noncellular and cellular components participate to build an immunosuppressive and tumor-promoting niche. As a result, the TME has emerged as a promising anticancer therapeutic target, as exemplified by some successful applications of tumor immunotherapy. In this review, we discuss the plasticity of LTICs in terms of cellular differentiation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and cellular metabolism. We also discuss the various components of the TME, including its noncellular and cellular components. Thereafter, we discuss the mutual interactions between TME and LTICs, including recently reported molecular mechanisms. Lastly, we summarize and describe new ideas concerning novel approaches and strategies for liver cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyang Huang
- Department of Pathology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Yu-Man Tsui
- Department of Pathology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Irene Oi-Lin Ng
- Department of Pathology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
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14
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Oura K, Morishita A, Hamaya S, Fujita K, Masaki T. The Roles of Epigenetic Regulation and the Tumor Microenvironment in the Mechanism of Resistance to Systemic Therapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032805. [PMID: 36769116 PMCID: PMC9917861 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer and the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major histologic type with a poor prognosis owing to the difficulty in early detection, the chemotherapy resistance, and the high recurrence rate of the disease. Despite recent advancements in HCC prevention and diagnosis, over 50% of patients are diagnosed at Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Stage B or C. Systemic therapies are recommended for unresectable HCC (uHCC) with major vascular invasion, extrahepatic metastases, or intrahepatic lesions that have a limited response to transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, but the treatment outcome tends to be unsatisfactory due to acquired drug resistance. Elucidation of the mechanisms underlying the resistance to systemic therapies and the appropriate response strategies to solve this issue will contribute to improved outcomes in the multidisciplinary treatment of uHCC. In this review, we summarize recent findings on the mechanisms of resistance to drugs such as sorafenib, regorafenib, and lenvatinib in molecularly targeted therapy, with a focus on epigenetic regulation and the tumor microenvironment and outline the approaches to improve the therapeutic outcome for patients with advanced HCC.
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15
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Xie C, Gu A, Khan M, Yao X, Chen L, He J, Yuan F, Wang P, Yang Y, Wei Y, Tang F, Su H, Chen J, Li J, Cen B, Xu Z. Opportunities and challenges of hepatocellular carcinoma organoids for targeted drugs sensitivity screening. Front Oncol 2023; 12:1105454. [PMID: 36686807 PMCID: PMC9853547 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1105454] [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: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the malignancies worldwide with a high mortality rate and an increasing incidence. Molecular Targeted agents are its common first-line treatment. Organoid technology, as a cutting-edge technology, is gradually being applied in the development of therapeutic oncology. Organoid models can be used to perform sensitivity screening of targeted drugs to facilitate the development of innovative therapeutic agents for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the opportunities and challenges of hepatocellular carcinoma organoids in targeted drug sensitivity testing as well as a future outlook.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuiying Xie
- Clinical Pharmacy Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ancheng Gu
- Clinical Pharmacy Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Muhammad Khan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital and Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiangcao Yao
- Clinical Pharmacy Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Leping Chen
- Clinical Pharmacy Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiali He
- Clinical Pharmacy Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fumiao Yuan
- Clinical Pharmacy Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ping Wang
- Clinical Pharmacy Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yufan Yang
- Clinical Pharmacy Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yerong Wei
- Clinical Pharmacy Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fang Tang
- Clinical Pharmacy Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hualong Su
- Clinical Pharmacy Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiamin Chen
- Clinical Pharmacy Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinxia Li
- Clinical Pharmacy Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bohong Cen
- Clinical Pharmacy Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,Department of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital and Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China,*Correspondence: Bohong Cen, ; Zhongyuan Xu,
| | - Zhongyuan Xu
- Clinical Pharmacy Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Bohong Cen, ; Zhongyuan Xu,
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16
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Jiang L, Li L, Liu Y, Lu L, Zhan M, Yuan S, Liu Y. Drug resistance mechanism of kinase inhibitors in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1097277. [PMID: 36891274 PMCID: PMC9987615 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1097277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common form of primary liver cancer, and it usually occurs following chronic liver disease. Although some progress has been made in the treatment of HCC, the prognosis of patients with advanced HCC is not optimistic, mainly because of the inevitable development of drug resistance. Therefore, multi-target kinase inhibitors for the treatment of HCC, such as sorafenib, lenvatinib, cabozantinib, and regorafenib, produce small clinical benefits for patients with HCC. It is necessary to study the mechanism of kinase inhibitor resistance and explore possible solutions to overcome this resistance to improve clinical benefits. In this study, we reviewed the mechanisms of resistance to multi-target kinase inhibitors in HCC and discussed strategies that can be used to improve treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Jiang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated With Jinan University), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Luan Li
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yongzhuang Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ligong Lu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated With Jinan University), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Meixiao Zhan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated With Jinan University), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Shengtao Yuan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yanyan Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated With Jinan University), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
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17
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Zhang H, Zhang Z, Guo T, Chen G, Liu G, Song Q, Li G, Xu F, Dong X, Yang F, Cao C, Zhong D, Li S, Li Y, Wang M, Li B, Yang L. Annexin A protein family: Focusing on the occurrence, progression and treatment of cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1141331. [PMID: 36936694 PMCID: PMC10020606 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1141331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The annexin A (ANXA) protein family is a well-known tissue-specific multigene family that encodes Ca2+ phospholipid-binding proteins. A considerable amount of literature is available on the abnormal expression of ANXA proteins in various malignant diseases, including cancer, atherosclerosis and diabetes. As critical regulatory molecules in cancer, ANXA proteins play an essential role in cancer progression, proliferation, invasion and metastasis. Recent studies about their structure, biological properties and functions in different types of cancers are briefly summarised in this review. We further discuss the use of ANXA as new class of targets in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huhu Zhang
- Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Basic Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Basic Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Tingting Guo
- Health Science Center, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Guang Chen
- Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Basic Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Guoxiang Liu
- Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Basic Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Qinghang Song
- Health Science Center, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Guichun Li
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The People’s Hospital of Zhaoyuan City, Yantai, China
| | - Fenghua Xu
- Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Basic Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiaolei Dong
- Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Basic Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Fanghao Yang
- Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Basic Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Can Cao
- Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Basic Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Di Zhong
- Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Basic Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Shuang Li
- Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Basic Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Ya Li
- Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Basic Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Mengjun Wang
- Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Basic Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Bing Li
- Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Basic Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
- Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
- *Correspondence: Lina Yang, ; Bing Li,
| | - Lina Yang
- Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Basic Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
- *Correspondence: Lina Yang, ; Bing Li,
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18
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Wang J, Wu R, Sun JY, Lei F, Tan H, Lu X. An overview: Management of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Biosci Trends 2022; 16:405-425. [PMID: 36476621 DOI: 10.5582/bst.2022.01109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has constituted a significant health burden worldwide, and patients with advanced HCC, which is stage C as defined by the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging system, have a poor overall survival of 6-8 months. Studies have indicated the significant survival benefit of treatment based on sorafenib, lenvatinib, or atezolizumab-bevacizumab with reliable safety. In addition, the combination of two or more molecularly targeted therapies (first- plus second-line) has become a hot topic recently and is now being extensively investigated in patients with advanced HCC. In addition, a few biomarkers have been investigated and found to predict drug susceptibility and prognosis, which provides an opportunity to evaluate the clinical benefits of current therapies. In addition, many therapies other than tyrosine kinase inhibitors that might have additional survival benefits when combined with other therapeutic modalities, including immunotherapy, transarterial chemoembolization, radiofrequency ablation, hepatectomy, and chemotherapy, have also been examined. This review provides an overview on the current understanding of disease management and summarizes current challenges with and future perspectives on advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jincheng Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Rui Wu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jin-Yu Sun
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Feifei Lei
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Liver Disease Laboratory, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Huabing Tan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Liver Disease Laboratory, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaojie Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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19
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Peck AB, Ambrus JL. A Temporal Comparative RNA Transcriptome Profile of the Annexin Gene Family in the Salivary versus Lacrimal Glands of the Sjögren's Syndrome-Susceptible C57BL/6.NOD- Aec1Aec2 Mouse. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:11709. [PMID: 36233010 PMCID: PMC9570365 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
A generally accepted hypothesis for the initial activation of an immune or autoimmune response argues that alarmins are released from injured, dying and/or activated immune cells, and these products complex with receptors that activate signal transduction pathways and recruit immune cells to the site of injury where the recruited cells are stimulated to initiate immune and/or cellular repair responses. While there are multiple diverse families of alarmins such as interleukins (IL), heat-shock proteins (HSP), Toll-like receptors (TLR), plus individual molecular entities such as Galectin-3, Calreticulin, Thymosin, alpha-Defensin-1, RAGE, and Interferon-1, one phylogenetically conserved family are the Annexin proteins known to promote an extensive range of biomolecular and cellular products that can directly and indirectly regulate inflammation and immune activities. For the present report, we examined the temporal expression profiles of the 12 mammalian annexin genes (Anxa1-11 and Anxa13), applying our temporal genome-wide transcriptome analyses of ex vivo salivary and lacrimal glands from our C57BL/6.NOD-Aec1Aec2 mouse model of Sjögren's Syndrome (SS), a human autoimmune disease characterized primarily by severe dry mouth and dry eye symptoms. Results indicate that annexin genes Anax1-7 and -11 exhibited upregulated expressions and the initial timing for these upregulations occurred as early as 8 weeks of age and prior to any covert signs of a SS-like disease. While the profiles of the two glands were similar, they were not identical, suggesting the possibility that the SS-like disease may not be uniform in the two glands. Nevertheless, this early pre-clinical and concomitant upregulated expression of this specific set of alarmins within the immune-targeted organs represents a potential target for identifying the pre-clinical stage in human SS as well, a fact that would clearly impact future interventions and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ammon B Peck
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100125, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Julian L Ambrus
- Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, SUNY Buffalo School of Medicine, 875 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
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20
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Xu G, Chu J, Shi Y, Huang L, Fu J. The regulation of proliferation and apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma via insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor. Growth Horm IGF Res 2022; 66:101499. [PMID: 36084573 DOI: 10.1016/j.ghir.2022.101499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor of the insulin receptor family. Its expression is consistently increased in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissue, and it participates in hepatic carcinogenesis. Targeting IGF-1R may be a potential therapeutic approach against hepatocellular carcinoma. This study therefore aimed to explore the effect of IGF-1R on hepatocellular carcinoma cells. METHODS IGF-1R silencing cell lines were established by small-interfering RNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma cell line SMMC7721, after which the proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis of SMMC7721 was evaluated. The activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway and the expression of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 and BMP-7 were measured using Western blot analysis. RESULTS The results indicated that the knockdown of IGF-1R can inhibit the proliferation and invasion of HCC and promote the apoptosis of SMMC7721 by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Furthermore, depletion of IGF-1R was found to suppress the expression of BMP-2 and BMP-7. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that IGF-1R plays an important role in the progression of HCC. Therefore, IGF-1R is a potential target for the treatment of HCC in clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanjun Xu
- Department of Oncology, The Third People's Hospital of Jiujiang, Jiujiang 332000, China.
| | - Jiesheng Chu
- Department of Oncology, The Third People's Hospital of Jiujiang, Jiujiang 332000, China
| | - Yu Shi
- Department of Oncology, The Third People's Hospital of Jiujiang, Jiujiang 332000, China
| | - Longzhang Huang
- Department of Oncology, The Third People's Hospital of Jiujiang, Jiujiang 332000, China
| | - Jingzhong Fu
- Department of Oncology, The Third People's Hospital of Jiujiang, Jiujiang 332000, China
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21
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Lai Y, Lu N, Luo S, Wang H, Zhang P. A Photoactivated Sorafenib-Ruthenium(II) Prodrug for Resistant Hepatocellular Carcinoma Therapy through Ferroptosis and Purine Metabolism Disruption. J Med Chem 2022; 65:13041-13051. [PMID: 36134739 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The curative effect of sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is limited and sorafenib resistance remains a major obstacle for HCC. To overcome this obstacle, a new photoactive sorafenib-Ru(II) complex Ru-Sora has been designed. Upon irradiation (λ = 465 nm), Ru-Sora rapidly releases sorafenib and generates reactive oxygen species, which can oxidize intracellular substances such as GSH. Cellular experiments show that irradiated Ru-Sora is highly cytotoxic toward Hep-G2 cells, including sorafenib-resistant Hep-G2-SR cells. Compared to sorafenib, Ru-Sora has a significant photoactivated chemotherapeutic effect against Hep-G2-SR cancer cells and 3D Hep-G2 multicellular tumor spheroids. Furthermore, Ru-Sora inducing apoptosis and ferroptosis is proved by GSH depletion, GPX4 downregulation, and lipid peroxide accumulation. Metabolomics results suggest that Ru-Sora exerts photocytotoxicity by disrupting the purine metabolism, which is expected to inhibit tumor development. This study provides a promising strategy for enhancing chemotherapy and combating drug-resistant HCC disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidan Lai
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Nong Lu
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Shuangling Luo
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Haobing Wang
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Pingyu Zhang
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
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22
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Tong M, Ma S. Protocols to culture and harvest hepatic tumor organoids for metabolic assays. STAR Protoc 2022; 3:101597. [PMID: 35942348 PMCID: PMC9356172 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101597] [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: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional organoids, which resemble the pathophysiology and structural architecture of the original tissues, are a preferable in vitro model system for assessing metabolic activities in response to various environmental or nutritional changes. Here, we describe step-by-step protocols to establish and culture mouse and human hepatic tumor organoids. We also describe two straightforward and efficient approaches to harvest tumor organoids for investigating the effects of metabolites/drugs on viability and metabolic functions of tumor organoids. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Tong et al. (2018), Leung et al. (2020), Tong et al. (2021), and Xu et al. (2021). Protocol to culture mouse and human hepatic tumor organoids in metabolic assays Two optimized approaches to harvest organoids for downstream functional assays Straightforward and efficient testing of candidate metabolites/drugs in organoids
Publisher’s note: Undertaking any experimental protocol requires adherence to local institutional guidelines for laboratory safety and ethics.
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23
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Mechanisms of resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors in liver cancer stem cells and potential therapeutic approaches. Essays Biochem 2022; 66:371-386. [PMID: 35818992 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The administration of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for the treatment of advanced-stage patients is common in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, therapy resistance is often encountered, and its emergence eventually curtails long-term clinical benefits. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are essential drivers of tumor recurrence and therapy resistance; thus, the elucidation of key hallmarks of resistance mechanisms of liver CSC-driven HCC may help improve patient outcomes and reduce relapse. The present review provides a comprehensive summary of the intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms of TKI resistance in liver CSCs, which mediate treatment failure, and discusses potential strategies to overcome TKI resistance from a preclinical perspective.
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24
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Huang M, Lin Y, Wang C, Deng L, Chen M, Assaraf YG, Chen ZS, Ye W, Zhang D. New insights into antiangiogenic therapy resistance in cancer: Mechanisms and therapeutic aspects. Drug Resist Updat 2022; 64:100849. [PMID: 35842983 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2022.100849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Angiogenesis is a hallmark of cancer and is required for tumor growth and progression. Antiangiogenic therapy has been revolutionarily developing and was approved for the treatment of various types of cancer for nearly two decades, among which bevacizumab and sorafenib continue to be the two most frequently used antiangiogenic drugs. Although antiangiogenic therapy has brought substantial survival benefits to many cancer patients, resistance to antiangiogenic drugs frequently occurs during clinical treatment, leading to poor outcomes and treatment failure. Cumulative evidence has demonstrated that the intricate interplay among tumor cells, bone marrow-derived cells, and local stromal cells critically allows for tumor escape from antiangiogenic therapy. Currently, drug resistance has become the main challenge that hinders the therapeutic efficacies of antiangiogenic therapy. In this review, we describe and summarize the cellular and molecular mechanisms conferring tumor drug resistance to antiangiogenic therapy, which was predominantly associated with redundancy in angiogenic signaling molecules (e.g., VEGFs, GM-CSF, G-CSF, and IL17), alterations in biological processes of tumor cells (e.g., tumor invasiveness and metastasis, stemness, autophagy, metabolic reprogramming, vessel co-option, and vasculogenic mimicry), increased recruitment of bone marrow-derived cells (e.g., myeloid-derived suppressive cells, tumor-associated macrophages, and tumor-associated neutrophils), and changes in the biological functions and features of local stromal cells (e.g., pericytes, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and endothelial cells). We also review potential biomarkers to predict the response to antiangiogenic therapy in cancer patients, which mainly consist of imaging biomarkers, cellular and extracellular proteins, a certain type of bone marrow-derived cells, local stromal cell content (e.g., pericyte coverage) as well as serum or plasma biomarkers (e.g., non-coding RNAs). Finally, we highlight the recent advances in combination strategies with the aim of enhancing the response to antiangiogenic therapy in cancer patients and mouse models. This review introduces a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms and biomarkers associated with the evasion of antiangiogenic therapy in cancer, providing an outlook for developing more effective approaches to promote the therapeutic efficacy of antiangiogenic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maohua Huang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China; Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Postdoctoral Research Station, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yuning Lin
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Chenran Wang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Lijuan Deng
- Formula-Pattern Research Center, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Minfeng Chen
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yehuda G Assaraf
- The Fred Wyszkowski Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Zhe-Sheng Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Institute for Biotechnology, St. John's University, NY 11439, USA.
| | - Wencai Ye
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
| | - Dongmei Zhang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
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25
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Ozturk A. Role of annexin A3 in breast cancer (Review). Mol Clin Oncol 2022; 16:111. [PMID: 35620213 PMCID: PMC9112397 DOI: 10.3892/mco.2022.2544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Annexins are a large group of proteins occurring in numerous cell types. Annexins have roles in events such as coagulation inhibition, endocytosis, exocytosis, signal transduction, proliferation and programmed cell death. The association of annexins with numerous diseases has been reported. There are 12 annexin proteins in total and the association of annexin A3 (ANXA3) with numerous malignant tumor types, such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer and colon cancer, has been reported. Studies investigating the relationship between ANXA3 and breast cancer were analyzed in the present review and it was observed that ANXA3 is expressed at higher levels in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, high ANXA3 levels are a poor prognostic factor, increase the invasion ability of breast cancer cells and may be a novel therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alpaslan Ozturk
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Amasya University Faculty of Medicine, Amasya 05100, Turkey
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26
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Tian Y, Lei Y, Fu Y, Sun H, Wang J, Xia F. Molecular Mechanisms of Resistance to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Associated with Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2022; 22:454-462. [PMID: 35362393 DOI: 10.2174/1568009622666220330151725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death, which can be attributed to the high incidence and first diagnosis at an advanced stage. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), a class of small-molecule targeting drugs, are primarily used for the clinical treatment of HCC after chemotherapy because they show significant clinical efficacy and low incidence of clinical adverse reactions. However, resistance to sorafenib and other TKIs, which can be used to treat advanced HCC, poses a significant challenge. Recent mechanistic studies have shown that epithelial-mesenchymal transition or transformation (EMT), ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters, hypoxia, autophagy, and angiogenesis are involved in apoptosis, angiogenesis, HCC cell proliferation, and TKI resistance in patients with HCC. Exploring and overcoming such resistance mechanisms is essential to extend the therapeutic benefits of TKIs to patients with TKI-resistant HCC. This review aims to summarize the potential resistance mechanism proposed in recent years and methods to reverse TKI resistance in the context of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Tian
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Southwest Hospital, the First Hospital Affiliated to AMU (Southwest Hospital), Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Yongrong Lei
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Southwest Hospital, the First Hospital Affiliated to AMU (Southwest Hospital), Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Yuna Fu
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Heng Sun
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Jianhua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Feng Xia
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Southwest Hospital, the First Hospital Affiliated to AMU (Southwest Hospital), Chongqing, 400038, China
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27
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Sofer S, Lamkiewicz K, Armoza Eilat S, Partouche S, Marz M, Moskovits N, Stemmer SM, Shlomai A, Sklan EH. A genome-wide CRISPR activation screen reveals Hexokinase 1 as a critical factor in promoting resistance to multi-kinase inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. FASEB J 2022; 36:e22191. [PMID: 35147243 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202101507rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often diagnosed at an advanced stage and is, therefore, treated with systemic drugs, such as tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKIs). These drugs, however, offer only modest survival benefits due to the rapid development of drug resistance. To identify genes implicated in TKI resistance, a cluster of regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 activation screen was performed in hepatoma cells treated with regorafenib, a TKI used as second-line therapy for advanced HCC. The screen results show that Hexokinase 1 (HK1), catalyzing the first step in glucose metabolism, is a top candidate for conferring TKI resistance. Compatible with this, HK1 was upregulated in regorafenib-resistant cells. Using several experimental approaches, both in vitro and in vivo, we show that TKI resistance correlates with HK1 expression. Furthermore, an HK inhibitor resensitized resistant cells to TKI treatment. Together, our data indicate that HK1 may function as a critical factor modulating TKI resistance in hepatoma cells and, therefore, may serve as a biomarker for treatment success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Summer Sofer
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Kevin Lamkiewicz
- RNA Bioinformatics and High-Throughput Analysis, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany.,European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Jena, Germany
| | - Shir Armoza Eilat
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Shirly Partouche
- Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petah-Tikva, Israel
| | - Manja Marz
- RNA Bioinformatics and High-Throughput Analysis, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany.,European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Jena, Germany.,Leibniz Institute for Age Research-Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Neta Moskovits
- PDX Laboratory, Felsenstein Medical Research Center and the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Salomon M Stemmer
- PDX Laboratory, Felsenstein Medical Research Center and the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.,Institute of Oncology, Davidoff Center, Rabin Medical Center, Petah-Tikva, Israel
| | - Amir Shlomai
- Felsenstein Medical Research Center and the Department of Medicine D, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petah-Tikva, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Ella H Sklan
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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28
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Marin JJG, Romero MR, Herraez E, Asensio M, Ortiz-Rivero S, Sanchez-Martin A, Fabris L, Briz O. Mechanisms of Pharmacoresistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: New Drugs but Old Problems. Semin Liver Dis 2022; 42:87-103. [PMID: 34544160 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1735631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy with poor prognosis when diagnosed at advanced stages in which curative treatments are no longer applicable. A small group of these patients may still benefit from transarterial chemoembolization. The only therapeutic option for most patients with advanced HCC is systemic pharmacological treatments based on tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immunotherapy. Available drugs only slightly increase survival, as tumor cells possess additive and synergistic mechanisms of pharmacoresistance (MPRs) prior to or enhanced during treatment. Understanding the molecular basis of MPRs is crucial to elucidate the genetic signature underlying HCC resistome. This will permit the selection of biomarkers to predict drug treatment response and identify tumor weaknesses in a personalized and dynamic way. In this article, we have reviewed the role of MPRs in current first-line drugs and the combinations of immunotherapeutic agents with novel TKIs being tested in the treatment of advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose J G Marin
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM), University of Salamanca, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain.,Center for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta R Romero
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM), University of Salamanca, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain.,Center for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elisa Herraez
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM), University of Salamanca, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain.,Center for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maitane Asensio
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM), University of Salamanca, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain.,Center for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Ortiz-Rivero
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM), University of Salamanca, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Anabel Sanchez-Martin
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM), University of Salamanca, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Luca Fabris
- Department of Molecular Medicine (DMM), University of Padua, Padua, Italy.,Department of Internal Medicine, Yale Liver Center (YLC), School of Medicine, Yale University New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Oscar Briz
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM), University of Salamanca, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain.,Center for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
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29
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Yamada K, Yoshida K. Multiple subcellular localizations and functions of protein kinase Cδ in liver cancer. World J Gastroenterol 2022; 28:188-198. [PMID: 35110944 PMCID: PMC8776529 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i2.188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein kinase Cδ (PKCδ) is a member of the PKC family, and its implications have been reported in various biological and cancerous processes, including cell proliferation, cell death, tumor suppression, and tumor progression. In liver cancer cells, accumulating reports show the bi-functional regulation of PKCδ in cell death and survival. PKCδ function is defined by various factors, such as phosphorylation, catalytic domain cleavage, and subcellular localization. PKCδ has multiple intracellular distribution patterns, ranging from the cytosol to the nucleus. We recently found a unique extracellular localization of PKCδ in liver cancer and its growth factor-like function in liver cancer cells. In this review, we first discuss the structural features of PKCδ and then focus on the functional diversity of PKCδ based on its subcellular localization, such as the nucleus, cell surface, and extracellular space. These findings improve our knowledge of PKCδ involvement in the progression of liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohji Yamada
- Department of Biochemistry, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan
| | - Kiyotsugu Yoshida
- Department of Biochemistry, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan
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30
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Cancer stem cells in hepatocellular carcinoma - from origin to clinical implications. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 19:26-44. [PMID: 34504325 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-021-00508-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 187] [Impact Index Per Article: 93.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive disease with a poor clinical outcome. The cancer stem cell (CSC) model states that tumour growth is powered by a subset of tumour stem cells within cancers. This model explains several clinical observations in HCC (as well as in other cancers), including the almost inevitable recurrence of tumours after initial successful chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, as well as the phenomena of tumour dormancy and treatment resistance. The past two decades have seen a marked increase in research on the identification and characterization of liver CSCs, which has encouraged the design of novel diagnostic and treatment strategies for HCC. These studies revealed novel aspects of liver CSCs, including their heterogeneity and unique immunobiology, which are suggestive of opportunities for new research directions and potential therapies. In this Review, we summarize the present knowledge of liver CSC markers and the regulators of stemness in HCC. We also comprehensively describe developments in the liver CSC field with emphasis on experiments utilizing single-cell transcriptomics to understand liver CSC heterogeneity, lineage-tracing and cell-ablation studies of liver CSCs, and the influence of the CSC niche and tumour microenvironment on liver cancer stemness, including interactions between CSCs and the immune system. We also discuss the potential application of liver CSC-based therapies for treatment of HCC.
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31
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Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a very deadly disease. HCC initiation and progression involve multiple genetic events, including the activation of proto-oncogenes and disruption of the function of specific tumor suppressor genes. Activation of oncogenes stimulates cell growth and survival, while loss-of-function mutations of tumor suppressor genes result in unrestrained cell growth. In this review, we summarize the new findings that identified novel proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressors in HCC over the past five years. These findings may inspire the development of novel therapeutic strategies to improve the outcome of HCC patients.
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32
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Loh JJ, Li TW, Zhou L, Wong TL, Liu X, Ma VWS, Lo CM, Man K, Lee TK, Ning W, Tong M, Ma S. FSTL1 Secreted by Activated Fibroblasts Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Metastasis and Stemness. Cancer Res 2021; 81:5692-5705. [PMID: 34551961 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-4226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment plays a critical role in maintaining the immature phenotype of tumor-initiating cells (TIC) to promote cancer. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a unique disease in that it develops in the setting of fibrosis and cirrhosis. This pathologic state commonly shows an enrichment of stromal myofibroblasts, which constitute the bulk of the tumor microenvironment and contribute to disease progression. Follistatin-like 1 (FSTL1) has been widely reported as a proinflammatory mediator in different fibrosis-related and inflammatory diseases. Here we show FSTL1 expression to be closely correlated with activated fibroblasts and to be elevated in regenerative, fibrotic, and disease liver states in various mouse models. Consistently, FSTL1 lineage cells gave rise to myofibroblasts in a CCL4-induced hepatic fibrosis mouse model. Clinically, high FSTL1 in fibroblast activation protein-positive (FAP+) fibroblasts were significantly correlated with more advanced tumors in patients with HCC. Although FSTL1 was expressed in primary fibroblasts derived from patients with HCC, it was barely detectable in HCC cell lines. Functional investigations revealed that treatment of HCC cells and patient-derived 3D organoids with recombinant FSTL1 or with conditioned medium collected from hepatic stellate cells or from cells overexpressing FSTL1 could promote HCC growth and metastasis. FSTL1 bound to TLR4 receptor, resulting in activation of AKT/mTOR/4EBP1 signaling. In a preclinical mouse model, blockade of FSTL1 mitigated HCC malignancy and metastasis, sensitized HCC tumors to sorafenib, prolonged survival, and eradicated the TIC subset. Collectively, these data suggest that FSTL1 may serve as an important novel diagnostic/prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in HCC. SIGNIFICANCE: This study shows that FSTL1 secreted by activated fibroblasts in the liver microenvironment augments hepatocellular carcinoma malignancy, providing a potential new strategy to improve treatment of this aggressive disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Jian Loh
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Tsz-Wai Li
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Lei Zhou
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Tin-Lok Wong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Xue Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Victor W S Ma
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Chung-Mau Lo
- Department of Surgery, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Kwan Man
- Department of Surgery, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Terence K Lee
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
| | - Wen Ning
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Man Tong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong. .,State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Stephanie Ma
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong. .,State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
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33
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Zhou M, Chen X, Bai H, Sun Y, Zhang Z, Li S, Wang X, Zeng M. RABL2A-CCDC34 Axis Promotes Sorafenib Resistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. DNA Cell Biol 2021; 40:1418-1427. [PMID: 34767735 DOI: 10.1089/dna.2021.0473] [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] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we examined the regulatory role of CCDC34 in the sorafenib sensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its functional partners. Wide-type Huh7 and Hep3B and induced sorafenib-resistant (SR) Huh7/SR and Hep3B/SR cells were used as in vitro cell models. Immunofluorescent staining and coimmunoprecipitation were performed to check protein-protein interaction. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL), PI/Annexin V staining, and western blot analysis were performed to assess cell response to sorafenib. The results showed that CCDC34 upregulation in HCC was associated with poor survival. Huh7/SR and Hep3B/SR cells had significantly higher CCDC34 expression than the parental cell lines. RABL2A expression was significantly upregulated in SR HCC cells and interacted with CCDC34 in its GTP-bound state in Huh7/SR and Hep3B/SR cells. RABL2A depletion sensitized Huh7/SR and Hep3B/SR cells to sorafenib. RABL2A Q80L mutant (GTP-bound state locked), but not S35N mutant (GDP-bound state locked) overexpression increased sorafenib IC50 of Huh7 and Hep3B cells. CCDC34 depletion nearly abrogated the protective effects of RABL2A Q80L overexpression both in vitro and in vivo. RABL2A Q80L overexpression significantly increased the expression of p-p38 and p-JNK, the effects of which were significantly attenuated by CCDC34 depletion. In summary, we infer that the RABL2A-CCDC34 axis plays an important role in mediating p38/MAPK and JNK/MAPK signaling, thereby contributing to acquired sorafenib resistance in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingxiu Zhou
- Cancer Center, Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China.,School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xue Chen
- Cancer Center, Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China.,School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Hansong Bai
- Cancer Center, Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China.,School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuemei Sun
- Cancer Center, Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Zican Zhang
- Cancer Center, Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Simin Li
- Cancer Center, Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaoshan Wang
- Cancer Center, Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Ming Zeng
- Cancer Center, Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China.,School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,Cancer Center, Chengdu BOE Hospital, Chengdu, China
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34
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Abstract
Annexin A3 (ANXA3), an annexin family member, contains 36 kDa and 33 kDa isoforms. Similar to other annexin members, ANXA3 plays an important role in the development of human diseases. Recent studies have reported that abnormal ANXA3 expression is closely associated with the development, progression, metastasis, drug resistance and prognosis of several malignant tumours, such as breast cancer, lung cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. ANXA3 exerts its role by regulating cell proliferation, migration and apoptosis via the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/Akt, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), c-JUN N-terminal kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 signalling pathways. ANXA3 may act as a novel target for the early diagnosis and treatment of tumours. The present review summarises the recent progress in the role of ANXA3 and its regulatory pathways in tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Liu
- Clinical Laboratory, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, P.R. China
| | - Nannan Li
- Clinical Laboratory, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, P.R. China
| | - Guijian Liu
- Clinical Laboratory, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, P.R. China
| | - Xue Feng
- Clinical Laboratory, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, P.R. China
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35
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Xu F, Tong M, Tong CSW, Chan BKC, Chu HY, Wong TL, Fong JHC, Cheung MSH, Mak KHM, Pardeshi L, Huang Y, Wong KH, Choi GCG, Ma S, Wong ASL. A combinatorial CRISPR-Cas9 screen identifies ifenprodil as an adjunct to sorafenib for liver cancer treatment. Cancer Res 2021; 81:6219-6232. [PMID: 34666996 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-21-1017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Systematic testing of existing drugs and their combinations is an attractive strategy to exploit approved drugs for repurposing and identify the best actionable treatment options. To expedite the search among many possible drug combinations, we designed a combinatorial CRISPR-Cas9 screen to inhibit druggable targets. Co-blockade of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) with targets of first-line kinase inhibitors reduced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell growth. Clinically, HCC patients with low NMDAR1 expression showed better survival. The clinically approved NMDAR antagonist ifenprodil synergized with sorafenib to induce the unfolded protein response, trigger cell cycle arrest, downregulate genes associated with WNT signaling and stemness, and reduce self-renewal ability of HCC cells. In multiple HCC patient-derived organoids and human tumor xenograft models, the drug combination, but neither single drug alone, markedly reduced tumor-initiating cancer cell frequency. Since ifenprodil has an established safety history for its use as a vasodilator in humans, our findings support the repurposing of this drug as an adjunct for HCC treatment to improve clinical outcome and reduce tumor recurrence. These results also validate an approach for readily discovering actionable combinations for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Xu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Hong Kong
| | - Man Tong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Hong Kong
| | | | | | - Hoi Yee Chu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Hong Kong
| | - Tin Lok Wong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Hong Kong
| | - John H C Fong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Hong Kong
| | | | | | | | - Yuanhua Huang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Hong Kong
| | | | - Gigi C G Choi
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Hong Kong
| | - Stephanie Ma
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Hong Kong
| | - Alan S L Wong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Hong Kong
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36
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Moldogazieva NT, Zavadskiy SP, Sologova SS, Mokhosoev IM, Terentiev AA. Predictive biomarkers for systemic therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma. Expert Rev Mol Diagn 2021; 21:1147-1164. [PMID: 34582293 DOI: 10.1080/14737159.2021.1987217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer and the third cancer-related cause of death worldwide. In recent years, several systemic therapy drugs including sorafenib, lenvatinib, regorafenib, cabozantinib, ramucicurab, nivilumab, and pembrolizumab have been approved by FDA for advanced HCC. However, their insufficient efficacy, toxicity, and drug resistance require clinically applicable and validated predictive biomarkers.Areas covered: Our review covers the recent advancements in the identification of proteomic/genomic/epigenomic/transcriptomic biomarkers for predicting HCC treatment efficacy with the use of multi-kinase inhibitors (MKIs), CDK4/6 inhibitors, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Alpha-fetoprotein, des-carboxyprothrombin, vascular endothelial growth factor, angiopoietin-2, and dysregulated MTOR, VEGFR2, c-KIT, RAF1, PDGFRβ have the potential of proteomic/genomic biomarkers for sorafenib treatment. Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and albumin-bilirubin grade can predict the efficacy of other MKIs. Rb, p16, and Ki-67, and genes involved in cell cycle regulation, CDK1-4, CCND1, CDKN1A, and CDKN2A have been proposed for CD4/6 inhibitors, while dysregulated TERT, CTNNB1, TP53 FGF19, and TP53 are found to be predictors for ICI efficacy.Expert opinion: There are still limited clinically applicable and validated predictive biomarkers to identify HCC patients who benefit from systemic therapy. Further prospective biomarker validation studies for HCC personalized systemic therapy are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurbubu T Moldogazieva
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Institute of Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, I.m. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University);, Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergey P Zavadskiy
- Department of Pharmacology, Nelyubin Institute of Pharmacy, I.m. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Russia, Russia
| | - Susanna S Sologova
- Department of Pharmacology, Nelyubin Institute of Pharmacy, I.m. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Russia, Russia
| | - Innokenty M Mokhosoev
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, N.i. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander A Terentiev
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, N.i. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
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37
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Resistomycin Induced Apoptosis and Cycle Arrest in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Activating p38 MAPK Pathway In Vitro and In Vivo. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14100958. [PMID: 34681182 PMCID: PMC8537932 DOI: 10.3390/ph14100958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Resistomycin, a quinone-related natural antibiotic, has shown strong inhibitory activity against human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in vitro. Here, we investigated the role of p38 MAPK in the pro-apoptotic and G2/M phase arrest action of HCC HepG2 cells upon treatment with resistomycin in vitro and in vivo. Our results showed that resistomycin dose- and time-dependently reduced the viability of HepG2 cells and also showed lower cytotoxicity in normal human kidney cells (293T) and hepatocyte cells (HL-7702). Resistomycin treatment induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in HepG2 cells, accompanied by changes in the expression of related proteins, including Bax, Cyclin B1, etc. Surprisingly, resistomycin-mediated apoptotic cell death and cell cycle arrest were impeded by SB203580 (an inhibitor of p38 catalytic activity), suggesting that p38 MAPK signaling may play an important role that impedes eventual cell death. In this connection, data in vitro and in vivo demonstrated that resistomycin increased the phosphorylation of p38 and MAPKAPK-2 in HepG2 cells. Furthermore, we provided evidence that p38 signaling is involved in resistomycin-induced p38 MAPK pathway effects in HCC, using computer docking models. Our study indicated that resistomycin activates the p38 MAPK signaling pathway by which the growth of HepG2 cells is suppressed for apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest in vitro and in vivo, and it is a promising therapeutic leading compound for drug development in HCC treatment.
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38
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Wang H, Chen X, Calvisi DF. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC): the most promising therapeutic targets in the preclinical arena based on tumor biology characteristics. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2021; 25:645-658. [PMID: 34477018 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2021.1976142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION : Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant liver tumor characterized by high molecular heterogeneity, which has hampered the development of effective targeted therapies severely. Recent experimental data have unraveled novel promising targets for HCC treatment. AREAS COVERED : Eligible articles were retrieved from PubMed and Web of Science databases up to July 2021. This review summarizes the established targeted therapies for advanced HCC, focusing on the strategies to overcome drug resistance and the search for combinational treatments. In addition, conventional biomarkers holding the promises for HCC treatments and novel therapeutic targets from the research field are discussed. EXPERT OPINION : HCC is a molecularly complex disease, with several and distinct pathways playing critical roles in different tumor subtypes. Experimental models recapitulating the features of each tumor subset would be highly beneficial to design novel and more effective therapies against this disease. Furthermore, a deeper understanding of combinatorial drug synergism and the role of the tumor microenvironment in HCC will lead to improved therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haichuan Wang
- Liver Transplantation Division, Department of Liver Surgery and Laboratory of Liver Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Liver Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Liver Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Diego F Calvisi
- Institute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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39
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Karabicici M, Azbazdar Y, Ozhan G, Senturk S, Firtina Karagonlar Z, Erdal E. Changes in Wnt and TGF-β Signaling Mediate the Development of Regorafenib Resistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Line HuH7. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:639779. [PMID: 34458250 PMCID: PMC8386122 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.639779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive, chemo resistant neoplasm with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Exploring activated pathways upon drug treatment can be used to discover more effective anticancer agents to overcome therapy resistance and enhance therapeutic outcomes for patients with advanced HCC. Human tumor-derived cell lines recapitulate HCC diversity and are widely used for studying mechanisms that drive drug resistance in HCC. In this study, we show that regorafenib treatment activates Wnt/β-catenin signaling only in hepatoblast-like HCC cell lines and induces enrichment of markers associated with hepatic stem/progenitor cells. Moreover, activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling via Wnt3a/R-Spo1 treatment protects these cells from regorafenib induced apoptosis. On the other hand, regorafenib resistant cells established by long-term regorafenib treatment demonstrate diminished Wnt/β-catenin signaling activity while TGF-β signaling activity of these cells is significantly enhanced. Regorafenib resistant cells (RRCs) also show increased expression of several mesenchymal genes along with an induction of CD24 and CD133 cancer stem cell markers. Moreover, regorafenib resistant cells also exhibit significantly augmented in vitro and in vivo migration capacity which could be reversed by TGF-β type 1 receptor (TGFb -R1) inhibition. When combined with regorafenib treatment, TGFβ-R1 inhibition also significantly decreased colony formation ability and augmented cell death in resistant spheroids. Importantly, when we knocked down TGFβ-R1 using a lentiviral plasmid, regorafenib resistant cells entered senescence indicating that this pathway is important for their survival. Treatment of RRCs with TGFβ-R1 inhibitor and regorafenib significantly abolished pSTAT3, pSMAD2 and pERK (44/42) expression suggesting the involvement of both canonical and non-canonical pathways. In conclusion, our data suggest that HCC tumors with aberrant activation in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, might have higher intrinsic regorafenib resistance and the inhibition of this pathway along with regorafenib administration might increase regorafenib-induced cell death in combinational therapies. However, to resolve acquired regorafenib resistance developed in HCC patients, the combined use of TGF-β pathway inhibitors and Regorafenib constitute a promising approach that can increase regorafenib sensitization and prevent tumor recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa Karabicici
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG), Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, Izmir, Turkey.,Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute (IBG-Izmir), Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Yagmur Azbazdar
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG), Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, Izmir, Turkey.,Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute (IBG-Izmir), Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Gunes Ozhan
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG), Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, Izmir, Turkey.,Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute (IBG-Izmir), Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Serif Senturk
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG), Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, Izmir, Turkey.,Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute (IBG-Izmir), Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
| | | | - Esra Erdal
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG), Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, Izmir, Turkey.,Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
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40
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Tong M, Wong TL, Zhao H, Zheng Y, Xie YN, Li CH, Zhou L, Che N, Yun JP, Man K, Lee TKW, Cai Z, Ma S. Loss of tyrosine catabolic enzyme HPD promotes glutamine anaplerosis through mTOR signaling in liver cancer. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109617. [PMID: 34433044 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The liver plays central roles in coordinating different metabolic processes, such as the catabolism of amino acids. In this study, we identify a loss of tyrosine catabolism and a concomitant increase in serum tyrosine levels during liver cancer development. Liver cells with disordered tyrosine catabolism, as exemplified by the suppression of a tyrosine catabolic enzyme 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPD), display augmented tumorigenic and proliferative potentials. Metabolomics profiling and isotope tracing reveal the metabolic reliance of HPD-silenced cells on glutamine, coupled with increased tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolites and their associated amino acid pools. Mechanistically, HPD silencing reduces ketone bodies, which regulate the proliferative and metabolic phenotypes via the AMPK/mTOR/p70S6 kinase pathway and mTOR-dependent glutaminase (GLS) activation. Collectively, our results demonstrate a metabolic link between tyrosine and glutamine metabolism, which could be exploited as a potentially promising anticancer therapy for liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Tong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Tin-Lok Wong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hongzhi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yu-Nong Xie
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Cheuk-Hin Li
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lei Zhou
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Noélia Che
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jing-Ping Yun
- Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kwan Man
- The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China; Department of Surgery, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Terence Kin-Wah Lee
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zongwei Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Stephanie Ma
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
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41
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Qing X, Xu W, Zong J, Du X, Peng H, Zhang Y. Emerging treatment modalities for systemic therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. Biomark Res 2021; 9:64. [PMID: 34419152 PMCID: PMC8380325 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-021-00319-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has long been a major global clinical problem as one of the most common malignant tumours with a high rate of recurrence and mortality. Although potentially curative therapies are available for the early and intermediate stages, the treatment of patients with advanced HCC remains to be resolved. Fortunately, the past few years have shown the emergence of successful systemic therapies to treat HCC. At the molecular level, HCC is a heterogeneous disease, and current research on the molecular characteristics of HCC has revealed numerous therapeutic targets. Targeted agents based on signalling molecules have been successfully supported in clinical trials, and molecular targeted therapy has already become a milestone for disease management in patients with HCC. Immunotherapy, a viable approach for the treatment of HCC, recognizes the antigens expressed by the tumour and treats the tumour using the immune system of the host, making it both selective and specific. In addition, the pipeline for HCC is evolving towards combination therapies with promising clinical outcomes. More drugs designed to focus on specific pathways and immune checkpoints are being developed in the clinic. It has been demonstrated that some drugs can improve the prognosis of patients with HCC in first- or second-line settings, and these drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration or are nearing approval. This review describes targeting pathways and systemic treatment strategies in HCC and summarizes effective targeted and immune-based drugs for patients with HCC and the problems encountered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Qing
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Wenjing Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Jingjing Zong
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Xuanlong Du
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Hao Peng
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yewei Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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42
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Li TT, Mou J, Pan YJ, Huo FC, Du WQ, Liang J, Wang Y, Zhang LS, Pei DS. MicroRNA-138-1-3p sensitizes sorafenib to hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting PAK5 mediated β-catenin/ABCB1 signaling pathway. J Biomed Sci 2021; 28:56. [PMID: 34340705 PMCID: PMC8327419 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-021-00752-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sorafenib is a kinase inhibitor that is used as a first-line therapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. However, the existence of sorafenib resistance has limited its therapeutic effect. Through RNA sequencing, we demonstrated that miR-138-1-3p was downregulated in sorafenib resistant HCC cell lines. This study aimed to investigate the role of miR-138-1-3p in sorafenib resistance of HCC. Methods In this study, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and Western Blot were utilized to detect the levels of PAK5 in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells and parental cells. The biological functions of miR-138-1-3p and PAK5 in sorafenib-resistant cells and their parental cells were explored by cell viability assays and flow cytometric analyses. The mechanisms for the involvement of PAK5 were examined via co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP), immunofluorescence, dual luciferase reporter assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). The effects of miR-138-1-3p and PAK5 on HCC sorafenib resistant characteristics were investigated by a xenotransplantation model. Results We detected significant down-regulation of miR-138-1-3p and up-regulation of PAK5 in sorafenib-resistance HCC cell lines. Mechanistic studies revealed that miR-138-1-3p reduced the protein expression of PAK5 by directly targeting the 3′-UTR of PAK5 mRNA. In addition, we verified that PAK5 enhanced the phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of β-catenin that increased the transcriptional activity of a multidrug resistance protein ABCB1. Conclusions PAK5 contributed to the sorafenib resistant characteristics of HCC via β-catenin/ABCB1 signaling pathway. Our findings identified the correlation between miR-138-1-3p and PAK5 and the molecular mechanisms of PAK5-mediated sorafenib resistance in HCC, which provided a potential therapeutic target in advanced HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong-Tong Li
- Department of Pathology, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221004, People's Republic of China.,Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Jiangsu Vocational College of Medicine, Yancheng, 224005, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jie Mou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, 221006, China
| | - Yao-Jie Pan
- Department of Pathology, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221004, People's Republic of China
| | - Fu-Chun Huo
- Department of Pathology, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221004, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Qi Du
- Department of Pathology, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221004, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia Liang
- Department of Pathology, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221004, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Pathology, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221004, People's Republic of China
| | - Lan-Sheng Zhang
- Department of Oncological Radiotherapy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.
| | - Dong-Sheng Pei
- Department of Pathology, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221004, People's Republic of China.
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43
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Yang L, Lu P, Yang X, Li K, Qu S. Annexin A3, a Calcium-Dependent Phospholipid-Binding Protein: Implication in Cancer. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:716415. [PMID: 34355022 PMCID: PMC8329414 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.716415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Annexin A3 (ANXA3), also known as lipocortin III and placental anticoagulant protein III, has been reported to be dysregulated in tumor tissues and cancer cell lines, and harbors pronounced diagnostic and prognostic value for certain malignancies, such as breast, prostate, colorectal, lung and liver cancer. Aberrant expression of ANXA3 promotes tumor cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, and therapy resistance to multiple chemotherapeutic drugs including platinum-based agents, fluoropyrimidines, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and docetaxel. Genetic alterations on the ANXA3 gene have also been reported to be associated with the propensity to form certain inherited, familial tumors. These diverse functions of ANXA3 in tumors collectively indicate that ANXA3 may serve as an attractive target for novel anticancer therapies and a powerful diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for early tumor detection and population risk screening. In this review, we dissect the role of ANXA3 in cancer in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liu Yang
- Key Laboratory of High-Incidence Tumor Prevention and Treatment (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Pingan Lu
- Faculty of Medicine, Amsterdam Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Xiaohui Yang
- Key Laboratory of High-Incidence Tumor Prevention and Treatment (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Kaiguo Li
- Key Laboratory of High-Incidence Tumor Prevention and Treatment (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Song Qu
- Key Laboratory of High-Incidence Tumor Prevention and Treatment (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
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44
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Fornari F, Giovannini C, Piscaglia F, Gramantieri L. Elucidating the Molecular Basis of Sorafenib Resistance in HCC: Current Findings and Future Directions. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2021; 8:741-757. [PMID: 34239844 PMCID: PMC8260177 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s285726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Sorafenib is the first multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved for HCC and it has represented the standard of care for advanced HCC for almost 10 years, offering a survival benefit when compared to placebo. However, this benefit is limited, showing rare objective responses and a disease control rate approaching 50–60%, with most patients experiencing disease progression at 6 months. These scant results dictate the urgent need for strategies to overcome both primary and acquired resistance. Herein we report several mechanisms supporting resistance to sorafenib in HCC patients, including activation of oncogenic pathways. Among these, the AKT/mTOR pathway plays a crucial role being at the crossroad of multiple driving events. Autophagy, multidrug-resistant phenotype, hypoxia-related mechanisms and endoplasmic reticulum stress are gaining more and more relevance as crucial events driving the response to anticancer drugs, including sorafenib. Several HCC-specific miRNAs take part to the regulation of these cellular processes. Remarkably, molecularly targeted strategies able to overcome resistance in these settings have also been reported. So far, the vast majority of data has been derived from laboratory studies, which means the need for an extensive validation. Indeed, most of the possible drug associations displaying promising effects in improving sorafenib efficacy herein described derive from preclinical explorations. Notably, data obtained in animal models can be inconsistent with regard to the human disease for efficacy, safety, side effects, best formulation and pharmacokinetics. However, they represent the necessary preliminary step to improve the management of advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Fornari
- Centre for Applied Biomedical Research - CRBA, University of Bologna, St. Orsola Hospital, Bologna, Italy.,Department for Life Quality Studies, University of Bologna, Rimini, Italy
| | - Catia Giovannini
- Centre for Applied Biomedical Research - CRBA, University of Bologna, St. Orsola Hospital, Bologna, Italy.,Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, 40138, Italy
| | - Fabio Piscaglia
- Division of Internal Medicine, Hepatobiliary and Immunoallergic Diseases, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.,Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Laura Gramantieri
- Division of Internal Medicine, Hepatobiliary and Immunoallergic Diseases, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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45
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Annexin A3 as a Marker Protein for Microglia in the Central Nervous System of Rats. Neural Plast 2021; 2021:5575090. [PMID: 34221002 PMCID: PMC8211522 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5575090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The parenchymal microglia possess different morphological characteristics in cerebral physiological and pathological conditions; thus, visualizing these cells is useful as a means of further investigating parenchymal microglial function. Annexin A3 (ANXA3) is expressed in microglia, but it is unknown whether it can be used as a marker protein for microglia and its physiological function. Here, we compared the distribution and morphology of parenchymal microglia labeled by ANXA3, cluster of differentiation 11b (CD11b), and ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1) and measured the expression of ANXA3 in nonparenchymal macrophages (meningeal and perivascular macrophages). We also investigated the spatiotemporal expression of ANXA3, CD11b, and Iba1 in vivo and in vitro and the cellular function of ANXA3 in microglia. We demonstrated that ANXA3-positive cells were abundant and evenly distributed throughout the whole brain tissue and spinal cord of adult rats. The morphology and distribution of ANXA3-labeled microglia were quite similar to those labeled by the microglial-specific markers CD11b and Iba1 in the central nervous system (CNS). ANXA3 was expressed in the cytoplasm of microglia, and its expression was significantly increased in activated microglia. ANXA3 was almost undetectable in the nonparenchymal macrophages. Meanwhile, the protein and mRNA expression levels of ANXA3 in different regions of the CNS were different from those of CD11b and Iba1. Moreover, knockdown of ANXA3 inhibited the proliferation and migration of microglia, while overexpression of ANXA3 enhanced these activities. This study confirms that ANXA3 may be a novel marker for parenchymal microglia in the CNS of adult rats and enriches our understanding of ANXA3 from expression patterns to physiological function.
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46
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Loong JH, Wong TL, Tong M, Sharma R, Zhou L, Ng KY, Yu HJ, Li CH, Man K, Lo CM, Guan XY, Lee TK, Yun JP, Ma SK. Glucose deprivation-induced aberrant FUT1-mediated fucosylation drives cancer stemness in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Clin Invest 2021; 131:143377. [PMID: 33878034 PMCID: PMC8159685 DOI: 10.1172/jci143377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapidly growing tumors often experience hypoxia and nutrient (e.g., glucose) deficiency because of poor vascularization. Tumor cells respond to the cytotoxic effects of such stresses by inducing molecular adaptations that promote clonal selection of a more malignant tumor-initiating cell phenotype, especially in the innermost tumor regions. Here, we report a regulatory mechanism involving fucosylation by which glucose restriction promotes cancer stemness to drive drug resistance and tumor recurrence. Using hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as a model, we showed that restricted glucose availability enhanced the PERK/eIF2α/ATF4 signaling axis to drive fucosyltransferase 1 (FUT1) transcription via direct binding of ATF4 to the FUT1 promoter. FUT1 overexpression is a poor prognostic indicator for HCC. FUT1 inhibition could mitigate tumor initiation, self-renewal, and drug resistance. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that CD147, ICAM-1, EGFR, and EPHA2 are glycoprotein targets of FUT1, in which such fucosylation would consequently converge on deregulated AKT/mTOR/4EBP1 signaling to drive cancer stemness. Treatment with an α-(1,2)-fucosylation inhibitor sensitized HCC tumors to sorafenib, a first-line molecularly targeted drug used for advanced HCC patients, and reduced the tumor-initiating subset. FUT1 overexpression and/or CD147, ICAM-1, EGFR, and EPHA2 fucosylation may be good prognostic markers and therapeutic targets for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane H.C. Loong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine
| | - Tin-Lok Wong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine
| | - Man Tong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research
| | - Rakesh Sharma
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Core Facility, Centre for PanorOmic Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, and
| | - Lei Zhou
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine
| | - Kai-Yu Ng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine
| | - Hua-Jian Yu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine
| | - Chi-Han Li
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine
| | - Kwan Man
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research
- Department of Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- The University of Hong Kong – Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chung-Mau Lo
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research
- Department of Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- The University of Hong Kong – Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xin-Yuan Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research
- The University of Hong Kong – Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Terence K. Lee
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jing-Ping Yun
- Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Stephanie K.Y. Ma
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research
- The University of Hong Kong – Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
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47
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Yang T, Huo J, Xu R, Zhang Y. Synergistic effect of toosendanin and regorafenib against cell proliferation and migration by regulating WWOX signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma. Phytother Res 2021; 35:4567-4578. [PMID: 34058790 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7174] [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: 11/29/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Regorafenib (RGF), a second-line multi-kinase inhibitor in the treatment of HCC (hepatocellular carcinoma) after sorafenib failure, exposes to the risk of drug resistance and subsequent progression of HCC patients. Toosendanin (TSN), a triterpenoid has presented excellent inhibition on several tumors. The purpose of this study is to investigate the inhibitory effect of the combination of TSN and RGF on HCC cells. We identified that TSN and RGF combination (TRC) synergistically inhibited the proliferation and migration of MHCC-97L cells. The upregulation of WWOX (WW-domain containing oxidoreductase) played a vital role in the HCC cell growth treated with TRC. TRC suppressed the phosphorylation of Stat3 and expression of DVL2, negatively regulated the activity of β-catenin by promoting the phosphorylation of GSK3β. In addition, the intranuclear proteins, including MMP2, MMP9, and C-MYC were significantly inhibited by TRC. The in vivo xenograft models confirmed that TRC effectually prevented the tumor growth through upregulating WWOX. Therefore, the treatment of TRC may be a potential solution of RGF resistance and promising therapeutic method in malignant HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianfeng Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.,State Key Laboratory of Shaanxi for Natural Medicines Research and Engineering, Xi'an, China
| | - Jian Huo
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.,State Key Laboratory of Shaanxi for Natural Medicines Research and Engineering, Xi'an, China
| | - Rui Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.,State Key Laboratory of Shaanxi for Natural Medicines Research and Engineering, Xi'an, China
| | - Yanmin Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.,State Key Laboratory of Shaanxi for Natural Medicines Research and Engineering, Xi'an, China
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48
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Granito A, Marinelli S, Forgione A, Renzulli M, Benevento F, Piscaglia F, Tovoli F. Regorafenib Combined with Other Systemic Therapies: Exploring Promising Therapeutic Combinations in HCC. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2021; 8:477-492. [PMID: 34079777 PMCID: PMC8165211 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s251729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Regorafenib was the first drug to demonstrate a survival benefit as a second-line agent after sorafenib failure in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recent studies have shown that its mechanism of action is not only limited to its very broad spectrum of inhibition of angiogenesis, tumor proliferation, spread, and metastasis, but also to its immunomodulatory properties that have favorable effects on the very intricate role that the tumor microenvironment plays in carcinogenesis and tumor growth. In this review, we discuss rationale and evidence supporting regorafenib efficacy in HCC and that led to its approval as a second-line treatment, after sorafenib failure. We also discuss the evidence from clinical practice studies that confirm the results previously achieved in clinical trials. Finally, we analyze the potential role of regorafenib in emerging combined treatment approach with immunotherapy strategies using immune checkpoint blockade and its potential extension to patient categories not included in the registrative study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Granito
- Division of Internal Medicine, Hepatobiliary and Immunoallergic Diseases, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sara Marinelli
- Division of Internal Medicine, Hepatobiliary and Immunoallergic Diseases, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Antonella Forgione
- Division of Internal Medicine, Hepatobiliary and Immunoallergic Diseases, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Matteo Renzulli
- Radiology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesca Benevento
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Fabio Piscaglia
- Division of Internal Medicine, Hepatobiliary and Immunoallergic Diseases, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesco Tovoli
- Division of Internal Medicine, Hepatobiliary and Immunoallergic Diseases, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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Zhang Z, Deng M, Huang J, Wu J, Li Z, Xing M, Wang J, Guo Q, Zou W. Microglial annexin A3 downregulation alleviates bone cancer-induced pain through inhibiting the Hif-1α/vascular endothelial growth factor signaling pathway. Pain 2021; 161:2750-2762. [PMID: 32569086 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Bone cancer-induced pain (BCP) is a challenging clinical problem because traditional therapies are often only partially effective. Annexin A3 (ANXA3) is highly expressed in microglia in the spinal cord, and its expression is upregulated during BCP. However, the roles of microglial ANXA3 in the development and maintenance of BCP and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study was performed on male mice using a metastatic lung BCP model. Adeno-associated virus shANXA3 (AAV-shANXA3) was injected intrathecally 14 days before and 7 days after bone cancer induction, and relevant pain behaviors were assessed by measuring the paw withdrawal mechanical threshold, paw withdrawal thermal latency, and spontaneous hind limb lifting. ANXA3 protein expression was downregulated in microglial N9 cells by lentiviral transfection (LV-shANXA3). ANXA3, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (Hif-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression levels, and Hif-1α transactivation activity regulated by ANXA3 were measured. As a result, ANXA3 was expressed in microglia, and its expression significantly increased during BCP. ANXA3 knockdown reversed pain behaviors but did not prevent pain development. Moreover, ANXA3 knockdown significantly reduced Hif-1α and VEGF expression levels in vitro and in vivo. And overexpression of Hif-1α or VEGF blocked the effects of AAV-shANXA3 on BCP. ANXA3 knockdown in N9 cells significantly decreased the p-PKC protein expression in the cocultured neurons. Finally, ANXA3 overexpression significantly increased Hif-1α transactivation activity in 293T cells. Therefore, microglial ANXA3 downregulation alleviates BCP by inhibiting the Hif-1α/VEGF signaling pathway, which indicates that ANXA3 may be a potential target for the treatment of BCP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengli Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Meiling Deng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jiangju Huang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhengyiqi Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Manyu Xing
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Qulian Guo
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Wangyuan Zou
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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50
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Chen S, Du Y, Xu B, Li Q, Yang L, Jiang Z, Zeng Z, Chen L. Vaccinia-related kinase 2 blunts sorafenib's efficacy against hepatocellular carcinoma by disturbing the apoptosis-autophagy balance. Oncogene 2021; 40:3378-3393. [PMID: 33875785 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-01780-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a lethal malignancy with limited treatment options. Sorafenib is the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved first-line targeted drug for the treatment of advanced HCC. However, its effect on patient survival is limited. Recently, studies have demonstrated that the imbalance between apoptosis and autophagy plays a critical role in chemoresistance, and it is hypothesised that restoring the balance between these processes is a potential treatment strategy for improving chemoresistance in cancer. However, there is currently no evidence supporting this hypothesis. We aimed to investigate if vaccinia-related kinase 2 (VRK2), a serine/threonine protein kinase, confers sorafenib resistance in HCC cells. Here, we found that VRK2 was enriched in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells and patient-derived xenografts. Both in vivo and in vitro evidences showed that VRK2 blunts the efficacy of sorafenib against hepatocellular carcinoma by disturbing the balance between apoptosis and autophagy. Mechanistically, VRK2 promotes the phosphorylation of Bcl-2 by activating JNK1/MAPK8, thereby enhancing the dissociation of Bcl-2 from Beclin-1 and promoting the formation of the Beclin-1-Atg14-Vps34 complex, which facilitates autophagy. Furthermore, VRK2-induced phosphorylation of Bcl-2 promotes the interaction of Bcl-2 with BAX, thereby inhibiting apoptosis. In conclusion, targeting VRK2 for modulation of the balance between autophagy and apoptosis may be a novel strategy for overcoming sorafenib resistance in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sisi Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yunyan Du
- Department of Medical, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Bin Xu
- Department of Burns, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Pathology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Le Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Zi Jiang
- Department of Pharmacy, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Zhaoxia Zeng
- Department of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Leifeng Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
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