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Chang Z, Gao Y, Chen P, Gao W, Zhao W, Wu D, Liang W, Chen Z, Chen L, Xi H. THBS2 promotes gastric cancer progression and stemness via the Notch signaling pathway. Am J Cancer Res 2024; 14:3433-3450. [PMID: 39113869 PMCID: PMC11301304 DOI: 10.62347/uxwk4038] [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: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Thrombospondin-2 (THBS2), a secreted extracellular matrix protein, plays a crucial role in various biological processes including angiogenesis, tissue remodeling, and inflammation. Our study focuses on its function in human gastric cancer (GC). Through bioinformatics and tumor tissue analysis, we compared THBS2 expression in GC tissues and adjacent tissues, and predicted regulatory upstream and downstream molecules. The direct regulatory effect of miR-29b-3p on THBS2 was evaluated through dual-luciferase reporter assays, showing that miR-29b-3p targets the 3'-UTR of THBS2 mRNA, reducing its expression in GC cells. The influence of THBS2 on tumorigenesis and stemness was examined on protein expression levels via Western blot. In vivo, THBS2's role was investigated through xenograft and metastasis assays in nude mice, demonstrating that downregulation of THBS2 impairs GC tumorigenesis and liver metastasis. Our study identified THBS2 as a highly expressed prognostic factor in GC patients. Functionally, THBS2 promotes GC progression through the Notch signaling pathway by regulating Notch3, NEY1, and HES1 proteins, and sustains cancer stem cell-like characteristics by Notch3, including the expression of CD44, Nanog, OCT4, and SOX2. In sum, our study reveals that THBS2 promotes GC progression and stemness, modulated negatively by miR-29b-3p. This suggests potential therapeutic targets within the THBS2/Notch signaling axis for combating gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengyao Chang
- Medical School of Chinese PLABeijing 100853, China
- Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General HospitalBeijing 100853, China
| | - Yunhe Gao
- Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General HospitalBeijing 100853, China
| | - Peng Chen
- Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General HospitalBeijing 100853, China
| | - Wenxing Gao
- Medical School of Chinese PLABeijing 100853, China
- Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General HospitalBeijing 100853, China
| | - Wen Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General HospitalBeijing 100853, China
- School of Medicine, Nankai UniversityTianjin 300071, China
| | - Di Wu
- Medical School of Chinese PLABeijing 100853, China
- Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General HospitalBeijing 100853, China
| | - Wenquan Liang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General HospitalBeijing 100853, China
| | - Zhida Chen
- Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General HospitalBeijing 100853, China
| | - Lin Chen
- Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General HospitalBeijing 100853, China
| | - Hongqing Xi
- Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General HospitalBeijing 100853, China
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Hanitrarimalala V, Bednarska I, Murakami T, Papadakos KS, Blom AM. Intracellular cartilage oligomeric matrix protein augments breast cancer resistance to chemotherapy. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:480. [PMID: 38965233 PMCID: PMC11224260 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06872-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Chemotherapy persists as the primary intervention for breast cancer, with chemoresistance posing the principal obstacle to successful treatment. Herein, we show that cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) expression leads to increased cancer cell survival and attenuated apoptosis under treatment with several chemotherapeutic drugs, anti-HER2 targeted treatment, and endocrine therapy in several breast cancer cell lines tested. The COMP-induced chemoresistance was independent of the breast cancer subtype. Extracellularly delivered recombinant COMP failed to rescue cells from apoptosis while endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-restricted COMP-KDEL conferred resistance to apoptosis, consistent with the localization of COMP in the ER, where it interacted with calpain. Calpain activation was reduced in COMP-expressing cells and maintained at a lower level of activation during treatment with epirubicin. Moreover, the downstream caspases of calpain, caspases -9, -7, and -3, exhibited significantly reduced activation in COMP-expressing cells under chemotherapy treatment. Chemotherapy, when combined with calpain activators, rendered the cells expressing COMP more chemosensitive. Also, the anti-apoptotic proteins phospho-Bcl2 and survivin were increased in COMP-expressing cells upon chemotherapy. Cells expressing a mutant COMP lacking thrombospondin repeats exhibited reduced chemoresistance compared to cells expressing full-length COMP. Evaluation of calcium levels in the ER, cytosol, and mitochondria revealed that COMP expression modulates intracellular calcium homeostasis. Furthermore, patients undergoing chemotherapy or endocrine therapy demonstrated significantly reduced overall survival time when tumors expressed high levels of COMP. This study identifies a novel role of COMP in chemoresistance and calpain inactivation in breast cancer, a discovery with potential implications for anti-cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Izabela Bednarska
- Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, S-214 28, Sweden
| | - Takashi Murakami
- Department of Microbiology, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, 350-0495, Japan
| | | | - Anna M Blom
- Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, S-214 28, Sweden
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3
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Gorji-Bahri G, Krishna BM, Hagerling C, Orimo A, Jirström K, Papadakos KS, Blom AM. Stromal cartilage oligomeric matrix protein as a tumorigenic driver in ovarian cancer via Notch3 signaling and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. J Transl Med 2024; 22:351. [PMID: 38615020 PMCID: PMC11016227 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05083-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), an extracellular matrix glycoprotein, is vital in preserving cartilage integrity. Further, its overexpression is associated with the aggressiveness of several types of solid cancers. This study investigated COMP's role in ovarian cancer, exploring clinicopathological links and mechanistic insights. METHODS To study the association of COMP expression in cancer cells and stroma with clinicopathological features of ovarian tumor patients, we analyzed an epithelial ovarian tumor cohort by immunohistochemical analysis. Subsequently, to study the functional mechanisms played by COMP, an in vivo xenograft mouse model and several molecular biology techniques such as transwell migration and invasion assay, tumorsphere formation assay, proximity ligation assay, and RT-qPCR array were performed. RESULTS Based on immunohistochemical analysis of epithelial ovarian tumor tissues, COMP expression in the stroma, but not in cancer cells, was linked to worse overall survival (OS) of ovarian cancer patients. A xenograft mouse model showed that carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) expressing COMP stimulate the growth and metastasis of ovarian tumors through the secretion of COMP. The expression of COMP was upregulated in CAFs stimulated with TGF-β. Functionally, secreted COMP by CAFs enhanced the migratory capacity of ovarian cancer cells. Mechanistically, COMP activated the Notch3 receptor by enhancing the Notch3-Jagged1 interaction. The dependency of the COMP effect on Notch was confirmed when the migration and tumorsphere formation of COMP-treated ovarian cancer cells were inhibited upon incubation with Notch inhibitors. Moreover, COMP treatment induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and upregulation of active β-catenin in ovarian cancer cells. CONCLUSION This study suggests that COMP secretion by CAFs drives ovarian cancer progression through the induction of the Notch pathway and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilar Gorji-Bahri
- Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - B Madhu Krishna
- Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | | | - Akira Orimo
- Department of Pathology and Oncology, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Karin Jirström
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Anna M Blom
- Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
- Division of Medical Protein Chemistry, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
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4
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Papadakos KS, Gorji-Bahri G, Gialeli C, Hedner C, Hagerling C, Svensson MC, Jeremiasen M, Borg D, Fristedt R, Jirström K, Blom AM. The prognostic and potentially immunomodulatory role of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein in patients with gastric and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2024; 73:93. [PMID: 38563861 PMCID: PMC10987352 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-024-03656-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: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is a novel regulator of the tumor microenvironment. Studies in colon cancer and pancreatobiliary adenocarcinoma have revealed COMP expression to be associated with decreased infiltration of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. Herein, the expression of COMP was investigated in gastric and esophageal adenocarcinoma with particular reference to its the relationship with the immune microenvironment. METHODS COMP expression was evaluated in tissue microarrays representing primary tumors from 159 patients with chemo- and radiotherapy naïve esophageal and gastric adenocarcinoma and 67 matched samples of lymph node metastases using immunohistochemistry. Additionally, collagen fibers were stained with Sirius Red and evaluated with the FIJI macro TWOMBLI algorithm. RESULTS The expression of COMP in cancer cells in the entire cohort was associated with shorter overall survival (OS) (p = 0.013) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (p = 0.029), while COMP expression in the stroma was correlated with shorter RFS (p = 0.042). Similar correlations were found for patients with gastric adenocarcinoma, whereas COMP expression was not prognostic in esophageal adenocarcinoma. Further, in the entire cohort, the expression of COMP in the stroma was correlated with exclusion of different populations of immune cells (CD8+, CD3+, FoxP3+, CD20+) from the tumor microenvironment. Finally, higher density and alignment of collagen fibers were correlated with the expression of COMP in the stroma. CONCLUSIONS Expression of COMP in gastric and esophageal adenocarcinoma was correlated with shorter OS and RFS. A reduced number of immune cells infiltrated the tumor microenvironment when COMP expression was detected. This phenomenon could be attributed to the denser collagen deposits, a hallmark of tumor fibrosis observed in COMP-expressing tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos S Papadakos
- Division of Medical Protein Chemistry, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Inga Maria Nilsson's Street 53, 214 28, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Gilar Gorji-Bahri
- Division of Medical Protein Chemistry, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Inga Maria Nilsson's Street 53, 214 28, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Chrysostomi Gialeli
- Division of Medical Protein Chemistry, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Inga Maria Nilsson's Street 53, 214 28, Malmö, Sweden
- Cardiovascular Research - Translational Studies, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Charlotta Hedner
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology and Therapeutic Pathology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Maria C Svensson
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology and Therapeutic Pathology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Martin Jeremiasen
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Surgery, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - David Borg
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology and Therapeutic Pathology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Richard Fristedt
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Surgery, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Karin Jirström
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology and Therapeutic Pathology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Anna M Blom
- Division of Medical Protein Chemistry, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Inga Maria Nilsson's Street 53, 214 28, Malmö, Sweden.
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Gong Y, Lou Y, Han X, Chen K, Zhao Y, Zhang H, Zhang J, Xiong Y, Fu W, Ding S. Serum proteomic profiling of precancerous gastric lesions and early gastric cancer reveals signatures associated with systemic inflammatory response and metaplastic differentiation. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1252058. [PMID: 38584705 PMCID: PMC10995311 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1252058] [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: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The noninvasive detection technique using serum for large-scale screening is useful for the early diagnosis of gastric cancer (GC). Herein, we employed liquid chromatography mass spectrometry to determine the serum proteome signatures and related pathways in individuals with gastric precancerous (pre-GC) lesions and GC and explore the effect of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Differentially expressed proteins in GC and pre-GC compared with non-atrophic gastritis (NAG) group were identified. APOA4, a protein associated with metaplastic differentiation, and COMP, an extracellular matrix protein, were increased in the serum of patients with pre-GC lesions and GC. In addition, several inflammation-associated proteins, such as component C3, were decreased in the GC and pre-GC groups, which highlight a tendency for the inflammatory response to converge at the gastric lesion site during the GC cascade. Moreover, the abundance of proteins associated with oxidant detoxification was higher in the GC group compared with that in the NAG group, and these proteins were also increased in the serum of the H. pylori-positive GC group compared with that in the H. pylori-negative GC patients, reflecting the importance of oxidative stress pathways in H. pylori infection. Collectively, the findings of this study highlight pathways that play important roles in GC progression, and may provide potential diagnostic biomarkers for the detection of pre-GC lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueqing Gong
- Department of Gastroenterology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Helicobacter Pylori Infection and Upper Gastrointestinal Diseases (BZ0371), Beijing, China
| | - Yaxin Lou
- Medical and Health Analytical Center, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiurui Han
- Department of Gastroenterology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Helicobacter Pylori Infection and Upper Gastrointestinal Diseases (BZ0371), Beijing, China
| | - Keyan Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Helicobacter Pylori Infection and Upper Gastrointestinal Diseases (BZ0371), Beijing, China
| | - Yang Zhao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Hejun Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Helicobacter Pylori Infection and Upper Gastrointestinal Diseases (BZ0371), Beijing, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Helicobacter Pylori Infection and Upper Gastrointestinal Diseases (BZ0371), Beijing, China
| | - Ying Xiong
- Department of Gastroenterology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Helicobacter Pylori Infection and Upper Gastrointestinal Diseases (BZ0371), Beijing, China
| | - Weiwei Fu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Helicobacter Pylori Infection and Upper Gastrointestinal Diseases (BZ0371), Beijing, China
| | - Shigang Ding
- Department of Gastroenterology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Helicobacter Pylori Infection and Upper Gastrointestinal Diseases (BZ0371), Beijing, China
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Abdullah AR, Gamal El-Din AM, El-Mahdy HA, Ismail Y, El-Husseiny AA. The crucial role of fascin-1 in the pathogenesis, metastasis, and chemotherapeutic resistance of breast cancer. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 254:155079. [PMID: 38219494 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.155079] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the most common type of cancer in women to be diagnosed, and it is also the second leading cause of cancer death in women globally. It is the disease that causes the most life years adjusted for disability lost among women, making it a serious worldwide health issue. Understanding and interpreting carcinogenesis and metastatic pathways is critical for curing malignancy. Fascin-1 was recognized as an actin-bundling protein with parallel, rigid bundles as a result of the cross-linking of F-actin microfilaments. Increasing levels of fascin-1 have been associated with bad prognostic profiles, aggressiveness of clinical courses, and poor survival outcomes in a variety of human malignancies. Cancer cells that overexpress fascin-1 have higher capabilities for proliferation, invasion, migration, and metastasis. Fascin-1 is being considered as a potential target for therapy as well as a potential biomarker for diagnostics in a variety of cancer types. This review aims to provide an overview of the FSCN1 gene and its protein structure, elucidate its physiological and pathological roles, and throw light on its involvement in the initiation, development, and chemotherapeutic resistance of BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed R Abdullah
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Nasr City 11231, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Ayman M Gamal El-Din
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Nasr City 11231, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hesham A El-Mahdy
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Nasr City 11231, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Yahia Ismail
- Medical Oncology Department, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Cairo University, Cairo 11796, Egypt
| | - Ahmed A El-Husseiny
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Nasr City 11231, Cairo, Egypt; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Egyptian Russian University, Badr City 11829, Cairo, Egypt.
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7
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Ong KH, Hsieh YY, Lai HY, Sun DP, Chen TJ, Huang SKH, Tian YF, Chou CL, Shiue YL, Wu HC, Chan TC, Tsai HH, Li CF, Su PA, Kuo YH. Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein overexpression is an independent poor prognostic indicator in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17444. [PMID: 37838792 PMCID: PMC10576746 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43006-z] [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: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) interacts with various extracellular matrix proteins in tissues. Elevated COMP levels recently linked to worse overall survival in multiple cancer types. COMP's significance in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) remains uncertain. Here we report a retrospective study to explore COMP's impact on iCCA outcomes. We collected 182 patients' iCCA tumor tissues. COMP overexpression was associated with adverse factors like R1 resection (p = 0.008), advanced T stage (p < 0.001), large duct type (p = 0.004), and poorly differentiated histology (p = 0.002). COMP overexpression correlates with poorer DFS (HR, 3.651; p = 0.001), OS (HR, 1.827; p = 0.023), LRFS (HR, 4.077; p < 0.001), and MFS (HR, 3.718; p < 0.001). High COMP expression ties to worse overall survival (p = 0.0001), DSS (p < 0.0001), LRFS (p < 0.0001), and MFS (p < 0.0001). In conclusion, COMP overexpression links to poor prognosis and pathological features in iCCA, indicating its potential as a biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khaa Hoo Ong
- Division of Gastroenterology and General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 710, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Medical Technology, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, Tainan, 717, Taiwan, ROC
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yao-Yu Hsieh
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, 23561, Taiwan, ROC
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hong-Yue Lai
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 404, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ding-Ping Sun
- Division of Gastroenterology and General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 710, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Tzu-Ju Chen
- Department of Medical Technology, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, Tainan, 717, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 710, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Steven Kuan-Hua Huang
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 710, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Medical Science Industries, College of Health Sciences, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan, 711, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yu-Feng Tian
- Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 710, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chia-Ling Chou
- Department of Medical Technology, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, Tainan, 717, Taiwan, ROC
- Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 710, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yow-Ling Shiue
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan, ROC
- Institute of Precision Medicine, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hung-Chang Wu
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 71004, Taiwan, ROC
- College of Pharmacy and Science, Chia Nan University, Tainan, 71710, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ti-Chun Chan
- Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 710, Taiwan, ROC
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan, 704, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hsin-Hwa Tsai
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, 404, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chien-Feng Li
- Institute of Precision Medicine, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 710, Taiwan, ROC
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan, 704, Taiwan, ROC
- Trans-Omic Laboratory for Precision Medicine, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 710, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Po-An Su
- Department of Infectious Disease, Chi Mei Medical Center, No.901, Zhonghua Rd. Yongkang Dist, Tainan City, 71004, Taiwan, ROC.
| | - Yu-Hsuan Kuo
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan, ROC.
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 71004, Taiwan, ROC.
- College of Pharmacy and Science, Chia Nan University, Tainan, 71710, Taiwan, ROC.
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Mallick AM, Biswas A, Mishra S, Jadhav S, Chakraborty K, Tripathi A, Mukherjee A, Roy RS. Engineered vitamin E-tethered non-immunogenic facial lipopeptide for developing improved siRNA based combination therapy against metastatic breast cancer. Chem Sci 2023; 14:7842-7866. [PMID: 37502330 PMCID: PMC10370593 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc01071f] [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: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA interference based therapeutic gene silencing is an emerging platform for managing highly metastatic breast cancer. Cytosolic delivery of functional siRNA remains the key obstacle for efficient RNAi therapy. To overcome the challenges of siRNA delivery, we have engineered a vitamin E-tethered, short, optimum protease stabilized facial lipopeptide based non-immunogenic, biocompatible siRNA transporter to facilitate the clinical translation in future. Our designed lipopeptide has an Arginine-Sarcosine-Arginine segment for providing optimum protease-stability, minimizing adjacent arginine-arginine repulsion and reducing intermolecular aggregation and α-tocopherol as the lipidic moiety for facilitating cellular permeabilization. Interestingly, our designed non-immunogenic siRNA transporter has exhibited significantly better long term transfection efficiency than HiPerFect and can transfect hard to transfect primary cell line, HUVEC. Our engineered siRNA therapeutics demonstrated high efficacy in managing metastasis against triple negative breast cancer by disrupting the crosstalk of endothelial cells and MDA-MB-231 and reduced stemness and metastatic markers, as evidenced by downregulating critical oncogenic pathways. Our study aimed at silencing Notch1 signalling to achieve "multi-targeted" therapy with a single putative molecular medicine. We have further developed mechanistically rational combination therapy combining Notch1 silencing with a repurposed drug m-TOR inhibitor, metformin, which demonstrated synergistic interaction and enhanced antitumor efficacy against cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Argha Mario Mallick
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata Mohanpur 741246 India
| | - Abhijit Biswas
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata Mohanpur 741246 India
| | - Sukumar Mishra
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata Mohanpur 741246 India
| | - Sonali Jadhav
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune Pune 411008 India
| | - Kasturee Chakraborty
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata Mohanpur 741246 India
| | - Archana Tripathi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata Mohanpur 741246 India
| | - Arnab Mukherjee
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune Pune 411008 India
| | - Rituparna Sinha Roy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata Mohanpur 741246 India
- Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata Mohanpur 741246 India
- Centre for Climate and Environmental Studies, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata Mohanpur 741246 India
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9
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Bu J, Zhang Y, Wu S, Li H, Sun L, Liu Y, Zhu X, Qiao X, Ma Q, Liu C, Niu N, Xue J, Chen G, Yang Y, Liu C. KK-LC-1 as a therapeutic target to eliminate ALDH + stem cells in triple negative breast cancer. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2602. [PMID: 37147285 PMCID: PMC10163259 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38097-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Failure to achieve complete elimination of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) stem cells after adjuvant therapy is associated with poor outcomes. Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) is a marker of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs), and its enzymatic activity regulates tumor stemness. Identifying upstream targets to control ALDH+ cells may facilitate TNBC tumor suppression. Here, we show that KK-LC-1 determines the stemness of TNBC ALDH+ cells via binding with FAT1 and subsequently promoting its ubiquitination and degradation. This compromises the Hippo pathway and leads to nuclear translocation of YAP1 and ALDH1A1 transcription. These findings identify the KK-LC-1-FAT1-Hippo-ALDH1A1 pathway in TNBC ALDH+ cells as a therapeutic target. To reverse the malignancy due to KK-LC-1 expression, we employ a computational approach and discover Z839878730 (Z8) as an small-molecule inhibitor which may disrupt KK-LC-1 and FAT1 binding. We demonstrate that Z8 suppresses TNBC tumor growth via a mechanism that reactivates the Hippo pathway and decreases TNBC ALDH+ cell stemness and viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawen Bu
- Cancer Stem Cell and Translation Medicine Lab, Department of Oncology, Innovative Cancer Drug Research and Development Engineering Center of Liaoning Province, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Yixiao Zhang
- Cancer Stem Cell and Translation Medicine Lab, Department of Oncology, Innovative Cancer Drug Research and Development Engineering Center of Liaoning Province, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Sijin Wu
- Cancer Stem Cell and Translation Medicine Lab, Department of Oncology, Innovative Cancer Drug Research and Development Engineering Center of Liaoning Province, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
- Shenzhen Jingtai Technology Co., Ltd. (XtalPi), International Biomedical Industrial Park (Phase II) 3F, 2 Hongliu Rd, Futian District, 16023, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haonan Li
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, 116023, Dalian, China
| | - Lisha Sun
- Cancer Stem Cell and Translation Medicine Lab, Department of Oncology, Innovative Cancer Drug Research and Development Engineering Center of Liaoning Province, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Yang Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 110016, Shenyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 110016, Shenyang, China
| | - Xudong Zhu
- Cancer Stem Cell and Translation Medicine Lab, Department of Oncology, Innovative Cancer Drug Research and Development Engineering Center of Liaoning Province, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Xinbo Qiao
- Cancer Stem Cell and Translation Medicine Lab, Department of Oncology, Innovative Cancer Drug Research and Development Engineering Center of Liaoning Province, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Qingtian Ma
- Cancer Stem Cell and Translation Medicine Lab, Department of Oncology, Innovative Cancer Drug Research and Development Engineering Center of Liaoning Province, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Cancer Stem Cell and Translation Medicine Lab, Department of Oncology, Innovative Cancer Drug Research and Development Engineering Center of Liaoning Province, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Nan Niu
- Cancer Stem Cell and Translation Medicine Lab, Department of Oncology, Innovative Cancer Drug Research and Development Engineering Center of Liaoning Province, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Jinqi Xue
- Cancer Stem Cell and Translation Medicine Lab, Department of Oncology, Innovative Cancer Drug Research and Development Engineering Center of Liaoning Province, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Guanglei Chen
- Cancer Stem Cell and Translation Medicine Lab, Department of Oncology, Innovative Cancer Drug Research and Development Engineering Center of Liaoning Province, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Yongliang Yang
- Cancer Stem Cell and Translation Medicine Lab, Department of Oncology, Innovative Cancer Drug Research and Development Engineering Center of Liaoning Province, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China.
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, 116023, Dalian, China.
| | - Caigang Liu
- Cancer Stem Cell and Translation Medicine Lab, Department of Oncology, Innovative Cancer Drug Research and Development Engineering Center of Liaoning Province, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China.
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Liao Y, Luo Z, Liu Y, Xue W, He S, Chen X, Ren H, Yang X, Zhu D, Su Z, Huang Q, Guo H. Total flavonoids of Litchi seed attenuate stem cell-like properties in breast cancer by regulating Notch3 signaling pathway. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 305:116133. [PMID: 36603788 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Breast cancer has been the most commonly-diagnosed cancer worldwide, and the treatment and prognosis of which are often limited by breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs). Litchi seeds have shown good anti-cancer activity in various cancers including prostate cancer, lung cancer and breast cancer. However, the activity and underlying mechanism of Litchi seeds against BCSCs remain unknown. AIM OF THE STUDY To investigate the activity and mechanism of total flavonoids of litchi seed (TFLS) against BCSCs in vitro and in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS Two orthotopic xenograft mouse models were established using HCC1806 cells pretreated or untreated with TFLS to determine whether TFLS could target BCSCs in vivo. Mammosphere formation and flow cytometry assays were employed to evaluate the effect of TFLS on BCSCs in vitro. The underlying mechanism was investigated using RT-qPCR, Western blot, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence experiments. RESULTS TFLS could significantly inhibit the viability of HCC1806, MCF-7 and HCC1937 cells in vitro and suppress the growth of HCC1806 cells in vivo. TFLS attenuated stem cell-like properties of breast cancer through reducing the percentage of CD44+CD24-/low cells, inhibiting the mammospheres formation and down-regulating the mRNA and protein levels of cancer stem cells related markers (Oct4, Nanog, Sox2) in MCF-7 and HCC1806 cells. Meanwhile, TFLS suppressed the tumor-initiating ability of BCSCs via reducing the percentage of CD44+CD24-/low cells in tumor and lowering tumor incidence rate in orthotopic xenograft mice. In addition, TFLS treatments restricted the expression and nuclear translocation of Notch3, subsequently down-regulated Hes1 and Runx2 expressions. CONCLUSIONS TFLS could suppress the growth of breast cancer and eliminate breast cancer stem cells by inhibiting the Notch3 signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunnuo Liao
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation & Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China; Key Laboratory of Longevity and Aging-related Diseases of Chinese Ministry of Education, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Zhuo Luo
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation & Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Key Laboratory of Longevity and Aging-related Diseases of Chinese Ministry of Education, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China; Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, 179 Mingxiu Dong Road, Nanning, 530001, China
| | - Wei Xue
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation & Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China; Department of Pharmacy, Ruikang Hospital Affiliated to Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, 530011, China
| | - Songhua He
- Guangxi Institute for Food and Drug Control, 9 Qinghu Road, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation & Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China; Key Laboratory of Longevity and Aging-related Diseases of Chinese Ministry of Education, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Hong Ren
- Key Laboratory of Longevity and Aging-related Diseases of Chinese Ministry of Education, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China; The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Xin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Longevity and Aging-related Diseases of Chinese Ministry of Education, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Dan Zhu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation & Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Zhiheng Su
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation & Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China.
| | - Qiuju Huang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation & Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China.
| | - Hongwei Guo
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation & Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China; Key Laboratory of Longevity and Aging-related Diseases of Chinese Ministry of Education, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China.
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Blom AM, Gialeli C, Hagerling C, Berntsson J, Jirström K, Papadakos KS. Expression of Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein in colorectal cancer is an adverse prognostic factor and correlates negatively with infiltrating immune cells and PD-L1 expression. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1167659. [PMID: 37207219 PMCID: PMC10188999 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1167659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein (COMP) is an oncogenic protein that has been associated with a decrease in infiltrating T-cells in periampullary adenocarcinoma. This study aimed to investigate whether this is also the case for colorectal cancer (CRC) and to evaluate the relationship between COMP expression and clinopathological features. Methods Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the expression levels of COMP in tumor cells and stroma in primary tumors from a cohort of 537 CRC patients. The expression of immune cell markers, including CD3+, CD8+, FoxP3+, CD68+, CD56+, CD163+, and PD-L1, was evaluated previously. Tumor fibrosis was assessed by Sirius Red staining and evaluation of collagen fiber organization. Results COMP expression correlated positively with TNM-stage and grade of differentiation. Patients with CRC expressing high levels of COMP had significantly shorter OS than those with low COMP expression (p<0.0001), and fewer infiltrating T-cells were detected in tumors with high COMP expression. Additionally, a negative correlation was identified between the expression of COMP and PD-L1 on both tumor cells and immune cells. Cox regression analysis showed that tumors expressing high levels of COMP had significantly shorter OS, independent of all evaluated immune cell markers. Tumor fibrosis was correlated with high expression of COMP in the stroma (p<0.0001), and tumors with high levels of COMP expression and denser fibrosis displayed more sparse immune cell infiltration. Discussion The results suggest that COMP expression in CRC may exert an immune regulatory effect by increasing dense fibrosis and decreasing immune cell infiltration. These findings support the notion that COMP is an important factor in the development and progression of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M. Blom
- Division of Medical Protein Chemistry, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- *Correspondence: Anna M. Blom,
| | - Chrysostomi Gialeli
- Cardiovascular Research - Translational Studies, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Catharina Hagerling
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jonna Berntsson
- Oncology and Therapeutic Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Karin Jirström
- Oncology and Therapeutic Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Konstantinos S. Papadakos
- Division of Medical Protein Chemistry, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
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Papadakos KS, Lundgren S, Gialeli C, Micke P, Mezheyeuski A, Elebro J, Jirström K, Blom AM. Expression of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein in periampullary adenocarcinoma is associated with pancreatobiliary-type morphology, higher levels of fibrosis and immune cell exclusion. Oncoimmunology 2022; 11:2111906. [PMID: 35990519 PMCID: PMC9389925 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2022.2111906] [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: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is an emerging regulator of tumor progression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of COMP in periampullary adenocarcinoma with respect to prognostic value for survival and relapse, levels of fibrosis and infiltrating immune cells. COMP expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry in primary tumors and subsets of paired lymph node metastases in tissue microarrays including 175 patients with periampullary adenocarcinoma. Collagen content was assessed with Sirius Red-Fast Green staining. High COMP levels were detected in cancer cells and in stroma, in 46% and 57% of the patients, respectively. High COMP expression was strongly associated with more aggressive pancreatobiliary-type (PB-type) compared to intestinal-type tumors (p < .0001). Importantly, high expression of COMP correlated with the exclusion of cytotoxic T-cells from the cancer cell compartment of the tumors, particularly in PB-type tumors. Higher levels of fibrosis measured by the density of collagen fibers correlated with high COMP levels in both cancer cells and stroma. This in turn could lead to exclusion of cytotoxic T-cells from accessing the cancer cells, a recognized immunotherapy resistance mechanism. Targeting COMP could therefore be considered as a novel therapeutic strategy in PB-type periampullary adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos S. Papadakos
- Division of Medical Protein Chemistry, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Lundgren
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology and Therapeutic Pathology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Chrysostomi Gialeli
- Division of Medical Protein Chemistry, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- Cardiovascular Research - Translational Studies, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Sweden
| | - Patrick Micke
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Artur Mezheyeuski
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Jacob Elebro
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology and Therapeutic Pathology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Karin Jirström
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology and Therapeutic Pathology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Anna M. Blom
- Division of Medical Protein Chemistry, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
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Ma H, Qiu Q, Tan D, Chen Q, Liu Y, Chen B, Wang M. The Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts-Related Gene COMP Is a Novel Predictor for Prognosis and Immunotherapy Efficacy and Is Correlated with M2 Macrophage Infiltration in Colon Cancer. Biomolecules 2022; 13:biom13010062. [PMID: 36671447 PMCID: PMC9856124 DOI: 10.3390/biom13010062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colon cancer is characterized by a sophisticated tumor microenvironment (TME). Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which make up the majority of the stromal cells in TME, participate in tumor development and immune regulation. Further investigations of CAFs would facilitate an in-depth understanding of its role in colon cancer TME. METHODS In this study, we estimated CAF abundance based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases using the Microenvironment Cell Populations-counter (MCP-counter) algorithm. CAF-related genes were identified by differential gene expression analysis combined with weighted gene coexpression network analysis. For further selection, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)-Cox regression was used, and the prognostic value of the selected gene was confirmed in numerous external cohorts. The function enrichment, immunological characteristics, tumor mutation signature, immunotherapy response, and drug sensitivity of the selected gene were subsequently explored. The bioinformatics analysis results were validated using immunohistochemistry on clinical samples from our institution. RESULTS According to our findings, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) was uncovered as a candidate CAFs-driven biomarker in colon cancer and plays an important role in predicting prognosis in colon cancer. COMP upregulation was associated with enhanced stromal and immune activation, and immune cell infiltration, especially M2 macrophages. Genes that mutated differently between the high- and low-COMP expression subgroups may be correlated with TME change. Following verification, COMP reliably predicted the immunotherapy response and drug response. In addition, our experimental validation demonstrated that COMP overexpression is associated with colon cancer carcinogenesis and is strongly associated with CAFs and M2 macrophage infiltration. CONCLUSION Our study uncovered that COMP was a key CAFs-driven gene associated with M2 macrophage infiltration and acted as a convincing predictor for prognosis and immunotherapy response in colon cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Ma
- Department of General Surgery, RuiJin Hospital Lu Wan Branch, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200020, China
| | - Qingqing Qiu
- Department of General Surgery, RuiJin Hospital Lu Wan Branch, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200020, China
| | - Dan Tan
- Department of General Surgery, RuiJin Hospital Lu Wan Branch, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200020, China
| | - Qiaofeng Chen
- Department of General Surgery, RuiJin Hospital Lu Wan Branch, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200020, China
| | - Yaping Liu
- Department of General Surgery, RuiJin Hospital Lu Wan Branch, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200020, China
| | - Bing Chen
- Central Laboratory, RuiJin Hospital Lu Wan Branch, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200020, China
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
- Correspondence: (B.C.); (M.W.)
| | - Mingliang Wang
- Department of General Surgery, RuiJin Hospital Lu Wan Branch, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200020, China
- Department of General Surgery, RuiJin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
- Correspondence: (B.C.); (M.W.)
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Guo B, Wang Y, Liu W, Zhang S. Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein acts as a molecular biomarker in multiple cancer types. Clin Transl Oncol 2022; 25:535-554. [DOI: 10.1007/s12094-022-02968-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
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15
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Jurj A, Ionescu C, Berindan-Neagoe I, Braicu C. The extracellular matrix alteration, implication in modulation of drug resistance mechanism: friends or foes? J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:276. [PMID: 36114508 PMCID: PMC9479349 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02484-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is an important component of the tumor microenvironment (TME), having several important roles related to the hallmarks of cancer. In cancer, multiple components of the ECM have been shown to be altered. Although most of these alterations are represented by the increased or decreased quantity of the ECM components, changes regarding the functional alteration of a particular ECM component or of the ECM as a whole have been described. These alterations can be induced by the cancer cells directly or by the TME cells, with cancer-associated fibroblasts being of particular interest in this regard. Because the ECM has this wide array of functions in the tumor, preclinical and clinical studies have assessed the possibility of targeting the ECM, with some of them showing encouraging results. In the present review, we will highlight the most relevant ECM components presenting a comprehensive description of their physical, cellular and molecular properties which can alter the therapy response of the tumor cells. Lastly, some evidences regarding important biological processes were discussed, offering a more detailed understanding of how to modulate altered signalling pathways and to counteract drug resistance mechanisms in tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ancuta Jurj
- Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400337, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Calin Ionescu
- 7Th Surgical Department, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 8 Victor Babes Street, 400012, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Surgical Department, Municipal Hospital, 400139, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Ioana Berindan-Neagoe
- Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400337, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
| | - Cornelia Braicu
- Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400337, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
- Research Center for Oncopathology and Translational Medicine (CCOMT), George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology, 540139, Targu Mures, Romania.
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Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein, Diseases, and Therapeutic Opportunities. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169253. [PMID: 36012514 PMCID: PMC9408827 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169253] [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] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is an extracellular matrix (ECM) glycoprotein that is critical for collagen assembly and ECM stability. Mutations of COMP cause endoplasmic reticulum stress and chondrocyte apoptosis, resulting in rare skeleton diseases. The bouquet-like structure of COMP allows it to act as a bridging molecule that regulates cellular phenotype and function. COMP is able to interact with many other ECM components and binds directly to a variety of cellular receptors and growth factors. The roles of COMP in other skeleton diseases, such as osteoarthritis, have been implied. As a well-established biochemical marker, COMP indicates cartilage turnover associated with destruction. Recent exciting achievements indicate its involvement in other diseases, such as malignancy, cardiovascular diseases, and tissue fibrosis. Here, we review the basic concepts of COMP and summarize its novel functions in the regulation of signaling events. These findings renew our understanding that COMP has a notable function in cell behavior and disease progression as a signaling regulator. Interestingly, COMP shows distinct functions in different diseases. Targeting COMP in malignancy may withdraw its beneficial effects on the vascular system and induce or aggravate cardiovascular diseases. COMP supplementation is a promising treatment for OA and aortic aneurysms while it may induce tissue fibrosis or cancer metastasis.
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Herbal Ingredients in the Prevention of Breast Cancer: Comprehensive Review of Potential Molecular Targets and Role of Natural Products. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:6044640. [PMID: 36017236 PMCID: PMC9398845 DOI: 10.1155/2022/6044640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Among various cancers, breast cancer is the most prevalent type in women throughout the world. Breast cancer treatment is challenging due to complex nature of the etiology of disease. Cell division cycle alterations are often encountered in a variety of cancer types including breast cancer. Common treatments include chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, and hormonal therapy; however, adverse effects and multidrug resistance lead to complications and noncompliance. Accordingly, there is an increasing demand for natural products from medicinal plants and foods. This review summarizes molecular mechanisms of signaling pathways in breast cancer and identifies mechanisms by which natural compounds may exert their efficacy in the treatment of breast cancer.
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Kuo YH, Lai HY, Chan TC, Hsing CH, Huang SK, Hsieh KL, Chen TJ, Li WS, Lu JC, Li CF. Upregulation of Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein Predicts Poor Prognosis in Urothelial Carcinoma. Onco Targets Ther 2022; 15:727-740. [PMID: 35795328 PMCID: PMC9252317 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s370028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is known as a large pentameric glycoprotein, which interacts with various extracellular matrix proteins in tissues. COMP has been reported to play a role in multiple connective tissue disorders. Recently, elevated COMP levels have been found to be associated with increased tumor size, metastases, faster recurrence of cancer, and overall poorer survival in several cancers. However, the clinical importance of COMP in urothelial carcinoma remains unclear. We investigated the association between COMP expression and clinical outcomes in urothelial carcinoma. Patients and Methods In this retrospective study, we collected urothelial carcinoma (UC) tissue from 340 upper urinary tract UC (UTUC) patients and 295 urinary bladder UC (UBUC) patients. Pearson's chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier analysis, and the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to examine the relationship between COMP expression and patient characteristics, pathological findings, and patient survival, such as metastasis-free survival (MFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). Results A total of 295 UBUC patients and 340 UTUC patients were recruited. The COMP mRNA level was significantly higher among invasive tumors (pT2-pT4) than in noninvasive tumors (pTa-T1) in UBUC groups (P < 0.01). COMP overexpression was associated with advanced T stage, nodal metastases, vascular invasion, perineural invasion, high histological grade, and high mitotic rate in both UBUC and UTUC cohorts. COMP overexpression was predictive of shorter DSS (hazard ratio [HR] in UBUC, 3.986, P < 0.001; in UTUC, 2.283, P = 0.027] and MFS (HR in UBUC, 6.813, P < 0.001; in UTUC, 4.070, P < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated high COMP expression associated with poor DSS and MFS in UTUC and UBUC groups (all P < 0.0001). Conclusion COMP overexpression was linked to poor clinical prognosis and poor pathological features in UC. These results suggest COMP as a biomarker for UC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Hsuan Kuo
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 71004, Taiwan
- College of Pharmacy and Science, Chia Nan University, Tainan, 71710, Taiwan
| | - Hong-Yue Lai
- Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 710, Taiwan
| | - Ti-Chun Chan
- Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 710, Taiwan
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan, 704, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Hsi Hsing
- Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 710, Taiwan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 710, Taiwan
| | - Steven K Huang
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 710, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Science Industries, College of Health Sciences, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Kun-Lin Hsieh
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 710, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Ju Chen
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 710, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Technology, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Wan-Shan Li
- Department of Medical Technology, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Pathology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 710, Taiwan
| | - Jhih-Cheng Lu
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Liouying, 736, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Feng Li
- Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 710, Taiwan
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan, 704, Taiwan
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High Levels of Expression of Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein in Lymph Node Metastases in Breast Cancer Are Associated with Reduced Survival. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13235876. [PMID: 34884987 PMCID: PMC8656813 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13235876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is an emerging independent prognostic marker for breast cancer patients. COMP expression by cancer cells affects their metabolism, metastases, and the abundance of cancer stem cell populations. This study assessed the levels of COMP in the sera of metastatic breast cancer patients. Further, matched tumor tissues from the primary tumor and metastases were stained for COMP expression with immunohistochemistry. The levels of serum COMP were highest in the blood of metastatic ER-positive and HER2-positive patients. The expression of COMP in primary tumors correlated with COMP expression in the metastatic loci. Lymph node metastases (LNM) with COMP expression were associated with reduced survival. The expression of COMP in LNM at the time of primary diagnosis could indicate later development of visceral and lung metastases. Abstract Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is a regulator of the extracellular matrix and is expressed primarily in the cartilage. Recently, COMP expression was also documented in breast cancer patients both in sera and tumor biopsies, in both of which it could serve as an independent prognostic marker. This study aimed to assess COMP as a potential biomarker in the group of metastatic breast cancer patients. Levels of COMP were measured by ELISA in serum samples of 141 metastatic breast cancer patients. Biopsies from primary tumors, synchronous lymph node metastases, and distant metastases were stained for COMP expression. The levels of serum COMP were higher in patients with ER- and HER2-positive tumors when compared to triple-negative tumors and correlated with the presence of bone and lung metastases, circulating tumor cell count, and clusters. Most of the primary tumors expressing COMP (70%) retained the expression also in the lymph node metastases, which correlated with visceral metastases and reduced survival. In conclusion, COMP appears as a valuable biomarker in metastatic breast cancer patients indicating a more severe stage of the disease. Serum COMP levels were associated with specific types of metastases in patients with metastatic breast cancer emphasizing that further studies are warranted to elucidate its potential role as a monitoring marker.
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Jafari N, Kolla M, Meshulam T, Shafran JS, Qiu Y, Casey AN, Pompa IR, Ennis CS, Mazzeo CS, Rabhi N, Farmer SR, Denis GV. Adipocyte-derived exosomes may promote breast cancer progression in type 2 diabetes. Sci Signal 2021; 14:eabj2807. [PMID: 34813359 PMCID: PMC8765301 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.abj2807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Obesity and metabolic diseases, such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D), are associated with metastatic breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Here, we investigated the critical cellular and molecular factors behind this link. We found that primary human adipocytes shed extracellular vesicles, specifically exosomes, that induced the expression of genes associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stem–like cell (CSC) traits in cocultured breast cancer cell lines. Transcription of these genes was further increased in cells exposed to exosomes shed from T2D patient–derived adipocytes or insulin-resistant adipocytes and required the epigenetic reader proteins BRD2 and BRD4 in recipient cells. The thrombospondin family protein TSP5, which is associated with cancer, was more abundant in exosomes from T2D or insulin-resistant adipocytes and partially contributed to EMT in recipient cells. Bioinformatic analysis of breast cancer patient tissue showed that greater coexpression of COMP (which encodes TSP5) and BRD2 or BRD3 correlated with poorer prognosis, specifically decreased distant metastasis–free survival. Our findings reveal a mechanism of exosome-mediated cross-talk between metabolically abnormal adipocytes and breast cancer cells that may promote tumor aggressiveness in patients with T2D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naser Jafari
- Boston University-Boston Medical Center Cancer Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Manohar Kolla
- Boston University-Boston Medical Center Cancer Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Tova Meshulam
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Jordan S. Shafran
- Boston University-Boston Medical Center Cancer Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- Current affiliation: Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL 60064, USA
| | - Yuhan Qiu
- Boston University-Boston Medical Center Cancer Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Allison N. Casey
- Boston University-Boston Medical Center Cancer Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- Current affiliation: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Isabella R. Pompa
- Boston University-Boston Medical Center Cancer Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Christina S. Ennis
- Boston University-Boston Medical Center Cancer Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Carla S. Mazzeo
- Section of Gastroenterology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Nabil Rabhi
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Stephen R. Farmer
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Gerald V. Denis
- Boston University-Boston Medical Center Cancer Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- Shipley Prostate Cancer Research Professor, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
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21
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Zhang W, Yu F, Weng J, Zheng Y, Lin J, Qi T, Wei Y, Wang D, Zeng H. SOX12 Promotes Stem Cell-Like Phenotypes and Osteosarcoma Tumor Growth by Upregulating JAGGED1. Stem Cells Int 2021; 2021:9941733. [PMID: 34725550 PMCID: PMC8557074 DOI: 10.1155/2021/9941733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
SOX12 plays a role in promoting the growth of some tumors; however, its role in osteosarcoma remains unclear. From gene expression omnibus (GEO) and tumor alterations relevant for genomics-driven therapy (TARGET) databases, Kaplan-Meier analyses were conducted to establish relationships between SOX12 expression and osteosarcoma survival and recurrence in osteosarcoma patients. We also performed in vitro and in vivo assays to determine SOX12 function in osteosarcoma etiology. SOX12 expression was increased in osteosarcoma; high SOX12 expression levels were related to a poor prognosis and a high disease recurrence in patients. Moreover, SOX12 expression in osteosarcoma cell lines was increased, similar to osteosarcoma cancer stem cells. We also observed that SOX12 knockdown inhibited the spheroidization and expression of stemness markers in osteosarcoma cells and tumor formation in nude mice. In addition, SOX12 knockdown inhibited JAGGED1 and HES1 expression. Similarly, JAGGED1 knockdown also inhibited the formation of osteosarcoma cancer stem cells into pellets and reduced the expression of stemness markers and tumor formation capabilities in nude mice. Finally, during SOX12 knockdown, JAGGED1 overexpression rescued osteosarcoma cells from spheroidizing. SOX12 promotes stem cell-like phenotypes and osteosarcoma tumor growth by upregulating JAGGED1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weifei Zhang
- Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Orthopedic Biomaterials, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Fei Yu
- Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Orthopedic Biomaterials, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Jian Weng
- Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Orthopedic Biomaterials, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Yien Zheng
- Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Orthopedic Biomaterials, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Jianjing Lin
- Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Orthopedic Biomaterials, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Tiantian Qi
- Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Orthopedic Biomaterials, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Yihao Wei
- Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Orthopedic Biomaterials, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Deli Wang
- Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Orthopedic Biomaterials, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Hui Zeng
- Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Orthopedic Biomaterials, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036, China
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22
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Chen J, Ali MW, Yan L, Dighe SG, Dai JY, Vaughan TL, Casey G, Buas MF. Prioritization and functional analysis of GWAS risk loci for Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 31:410-422. [PMID: 34505128 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified ~ 20 genetic susceptibility loci for esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), and its precursor, Barrett's esophagus (BE). Despite such advances, functional/causal variants and gene targets at these loci remain undefined, hindering clinical translation. A key challenge is that most causal variants map to non-coding regulatory regions such as enhancers, and typically, numerous potential candidate variants at GWAS loci require testing. We developed a systematic informatics pipeline for prioritizing candidate functional variants via integrative functional potential scores consolidated from multi-omics annotations, and used this pipeline to identify two high-scoring variants for experimental interrogation: chr9q22.32/rs11789015 and chr19p13.11/rs10423674. Minimal candidate enhancer regions spanning these variants were evaluated using luciferase reporter assays in two EAC cell lines. One of the two variants tested (rs10423674) exhibited allele-specific enhancer activity. CRISPR-mediated deletion of the putative enhancer region in EAC cell lines correlated with reduced expression of two genes-CREB-regulated transcription coactivator 1 (CRTC1) and Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP); expression of five other genes remained unchanged (CRLF1, KLHL26, TMEM59L, UBA52, RFXANK). Expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) mapping indicated that rs10423674 genotype correlated with CRTC1 and COMP expression in normal esophagus. This study represents the first experimental effort to bridge GWAS associations to biology in BE/EAC, and supports the utility of functional potential scores to guide variant prioritization. Our findings reveal a functional variant and candidate risk enhancer at chr19p13.11, and implicate CRTC1 and COMP as putative gene targets, suggesting that altered expression of these genes may underlie the BE/EAC risk association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhong Chen
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, 14263 USA
| | - Mourad Wagdy Ali
- Center for Public Health Genomics, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903 USA
| | - Li Yan
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, 14263 USA
| | - Shruti G Dighe
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, 14263 USA
| | - James Y Dai
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109 USA
| | - Thomas L Vaughan
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109 USA.,Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, School of Public Health, Seattle, Washington, 98195 USA
| | - Graham Casey
- Center for Public Health Genomics, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903 USA
| | - Matthew F Buas
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, 14263 USA
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Mao C, Ma Z, Jia Y, Li W, Xie N, Zhao G, Ma B, Yu F, Sun J, Zhou Y, Cui Q, Fu Y, Kong W. Nidogen-2 Maintains the Contractile Phenotype of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Prevents Neointima Formation via Bridging Jagged1-Notch3 Signaling. Circulation 2021; 144:1244-1261. [PMID: 34315224 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.120.053361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: How the extracellular matrix (ECM) microenvironment modulates the contractile phenotype of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and confers vascular homeostasis remains elusive. Methods: To explore the key ECM proteins in the maintenance of the contractile phenotype of VSMCs, we applied protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis to explore novel ECM proteins associated with the VSMC phenotype. By combining in vitro and in vivo genetic mice vascular injury model, we identified nidogen-2, a basement membrane (BM) glycoprotein, as a key ECM protein for maintenance of vascular smooth muscle cell identity. Results: We collected a VSMC phenotype-related gene dataset (VSMCPRG dataset) by using Gene Ontology (GO) annotation combined with a literature search. A computational analysis of protein-protein interactions between ECM protein genes and the genes from the VSMCPRG dataset revealed the candidate gene nidogen-2, a BM glycoprotein involved in regulation of the VSMC phenotype. Indeed, nidogen-2-deficient VSMCs exhibited loss of contractile phenotype in vitro, and compared with wild-type (WT) mice, nidogen-2-/- mice showed aggravated post-wire injury neointima formation of carotid arteries. Further bioinformatics analysis, co-immunoprecipitation assays and luciferase assays revealed that nidogen-2 specifically interacted with Jagged1, a conventional Notch ligand. Nidogen-2 maintained the VSMC contractile phenotype via Jagged1-Notch3 signaling but not Notch1 or Notch2 signaling. Notably, nidogen-2 enhanced Jagged1 and Notch3 interaction and subsequent Notch3 activation. Reciprocally, Jagged1 and Notch3 interaction, signaling activation, and Jagged1-triggered VSMC differentiation were significantly repressed in nidogen-2-deficient VSMCs. In accordance, the suppressive effect of Jagged1 overexpression on neointima formation was attenuated in nidogen-2-/- mice compared to wild-type mice. Conclusions: Nidogen-2 maintains the contractile phenotype of VSMCs through Jagged1-Notch3 signaling in vitro and in vivo. Nidogen-2 is required for Jagged1-Notch3 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenfeng Mao
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Science, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Zihan Ma
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Science, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Yiting Jia
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Science, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Weihao Li
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Nan Xie
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Science, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Guizhen Zhao
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Science, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Baihui Ma
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Science, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Fang Yu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Science, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Jinpeng Sun
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Qinghua Cui
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Fu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Science, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Kong
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Science, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
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24
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Waluyo Y, Soraya GV, Kusuma SH, Anwar F, Wahyuni IN. Incidental Finding of Elevated Serum Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein (sCOMP) in Knee Osteoarthritis Patient with Undiagnosed Colon Cancer: A Case Report. Int Med Case Rep J 2021; 14:455-458. [PMID: 34262360 PMCID: PMC8275040 DOI: 10.2147/imcrj.s283797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The clinical utility of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker is currently under intense study. COMP has been associated primarily with musculoskeletal disorders such as rheumatoid and osteoarthritis (OA) or muscular and ligament trauma. Aside from its established role as a biomarker of arthritis, an increasing number of studies have also suggested the role of COMP in tumorigenesis, based on findings of its expression in breast, prostate, and colon cancers. Case Presentation We described the case of a 61-year-old man with knee osteoarthritis and was prescribed physical therapy and a course of prolotherapy injection. We found elevated sCOMP levels in our patient (twice higher than average). After a month of follow-up, he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Conclusion It makes us wonder about other conditions of the patients. There is no standard COMP parameter to differentiate OA patients from colorectal cancer patients, but it considers the increase is higher in colorectal cancer patients. We suggest to clinicians who use the COMP level to monitor OA condition to be aware of other conditions when the level is much higher than average OA patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yose Waluyo
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia
| | - Gita Vita Soraya
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia
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25
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Ren A, Prassas I, Sugumar V, Soosaipillai A, Bernardini M, Diamandis EP, Kulasingam V. Comparison of two multiplexed technologies for profiling >1,000 serum proteins that may associate with tumor burden. F1000Res 2021; 10:509. [PMID: 34868557 PMCID: PMC8609392 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.53364.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: In this pilot study, we perform a preliminary comparison of two targeted multiplex proteomics technologies for discerning serum protein concentration changes that may correlate to tumor burden in ovarian cancer (OC) patients. Methods: Using the proximity extension assay (PEA) and Quantibody® Kiloplex Array (QKA), we measured >1,000 proteins in the pre-surgical and post-surgical serum from nine OC patients (N=18 samples). We expect that proteins that have decreased significantly in the post-surgical serum concentration may correlate to tumor burden in each patient. Duplicate sera from two healthy individuals were used as controls (N=4 samples). We employed in-house ELISAs to measure five proteins with large serum concentration changes in pre- and post-surgical sera, from four of the original nine patients and the two original controls. Results: Both platforms showed a weak correlation with clinical cancer antigen 125 (CA125) data. The two multiplexed platforms showed a significant correlation with each other for >400 overlapping proteins. PEA uncovered 15 proteins, while QKA revealed 11 proteins, with more than a two-fold post-surgical decrease in at least six of the nine patients. Validation using single enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) showed at least a two-fold post-surgical decrease in serum concentration of the same patients, as indicated by the two multiplex assays. Conclusion: Both methods identified proteins that had significantly decreased in post-surgical serum concentration, as well as recognizing proteins that had been implicated in OC patients. Our findings from a limited sample size suggest that novel targeted proteomics platforms are promising tools for identifying candidate serological tumor-related proteins. However further studies are essential for the improvement of accuracy and avoidance of false results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Ren
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ioannis Prassas
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vijithan Sugumar
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Antoninus Soosaipillai
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marcus Bernardini
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Eleftherios P Diamandis
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vathany Kulasingam
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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26
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Xiu M, Wang Y, Li B, Wang X, Xiao F, Chen S, Zhang L, Zhou B, Hua F. The Role of Notch3 Signaling in Cancer Stemness and Chemoresistance: Molecular Mechanisms and Targeting Strategies. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:694141. [PMID: 34195229 PMCID: PMC8237348 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.694141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant Notch signaling profoundly affects cancer progression. Especially the Notch3 receptor was found to be dysregulated in cancer, where its expression is correlated with worse clinicopathological features and poor prognosis. The activation of Notch3 signaling is closely related to the activation of cancer stem cells (CSCs), a small subpopulation in cancer that is responsible for cancer progression. In addition, Notch3 signaling also contributes to tumor chemoresistance against several drugs, including doxorubicin, platinum, taxane, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)–tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and gemcitabine, through complex mechanisms. In this review, we mainly focus on discussing the molecular mechanisms by which Notch3 modulates cancer stemness and chemoresistance, as well as other cancer behaviors including metastasis and angiogenesis. What’s more, we propose potential treatment strategies to block Notch3 signaling, such as non-coding RNAs, antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates, providing a comprehensive reference for research on precise targeted cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengxi Xiu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.,Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
| | - Yongbo Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.,Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
| | - Baoli Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.,Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
| | - Xifeng Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Fan Xiao
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.,Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
| | - Shoulin Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.,Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
| | - Lieliang Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.,Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
| | - Bin Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.,Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
| | - Fuzhou Hua
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.,Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
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27
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Lu Y, Kong X, Zhong W, Hu M, Li C. Diagnostic, Therapeutic, and Prognostic Value of the Thrombospondin Family in Gastric Cancer. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:647095. [PMID: 33996903 PMCID: PMC8113821 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.647095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth leading cancer in the world. The dysregulated expressions of the thrombospondin (THBS) family were reported to associate with GC, but their relations with tumor stage, prognosis, and correlations with tumor immunity have not been systematically reported. Methods: We used versatile public databases such as Oncomine, GEPIA, UALCAN, Kaplan–Meier Plotter, LinkedOmics, STRING, cBioPortal, TIMER, and TISIDB to analyze the expression and mutations of different THBSs in GC, along with their functional networks, survival analysis, and tumor–immune interactions. Results: The mRNA levels of THBS2, THBS4, and COMP were significantly higher in the tumor tissues; the expression levels of THBS1, THBS2, and THBS4 were higher in stages 2–4 than that of stage 1; patients with high expression of THBS1, THBS2, THBS4, and COMP had poor OS; the genes correlated with THBSs were enriched in focal adhesion, glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis, ECM-receptor interaction, and hedgehog signaling pathway; THBS1 and THBS4 expression had significant correlations with tumor purity, and all the THBSs expression correlated with macrophage and dendritic cells infiltration. Conclusions: THBS2, THBS4, and COMP were potentially diagnostic markers for GC; THBS1, THBS2, THBS4, and COMP were potentially prognostic markers for GC; investigating the relations of THBSs and tumor immunology might help in immunotherapy of GC, while more studies are needed to confirm these results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Lu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xianhe Kong
- Department of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weijie Zhong
- Department of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Minhui Hu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chujun Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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28
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Zhang R, Tu J, Liu S. Novel molecular regulators of breast cancer stem cell plasticity and heterogeneity. Semin Cancer Biol 2021; 82:11-25. [PMID: 33737107 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Tumors consist of heterogeneous cell populations, and tumor heterogeneity plays key roles in regulating tumorigenesis, metastasis, recurrence and resistance to anti-tumor therapies. More and more studies suggest that cancer stem cells (CSCs) promote tumorigenesis, metastasis, recurrence and drug resistance as well as are the major source for heterogeneity of cancer cells. CD24-CD44+ and ALDH+ are the most common markers for breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs). Previous studies showed that different BCSC markers label different BCSC populations, indicating the heterogeneity of BCSCs. Therefore, defining the regulation mechanisms of heterogeneous BCSCs is essential for precisely targeting BCSCs and treating breast cancer. In this review, we summarized the novel regulators existed in BCSCs and their niches for BCSC heterogeneity which has been discovered in recent years, and discussed their regulation mechanisms and the latest corresponding cancer treatments, which will extend our understanding on BCSC heterogeneity and plasticity, and provide better prognosis prediction and more efficient novel therapeutic strategies for breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Zhang
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center & Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Cancer Institutes, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, The Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, The International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Juchuanli Tu
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center & Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Cancer Institutes, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, The Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, The International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Suling Liu
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center & Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Cancer Institutes, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, The Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, The International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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Zhang X, Powell K, Li L. Breast Cancer Stem Cells: Biomarkers, Identification and Isolation Methods, Regulating Mechanisms, Cellular Origin, and Beyond. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E3765. [PMID: 33327542 PMCID: PMC7765014 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite recent advances in diagnosis and treatment, breast cancer (BC) is still a major cause of cancer-related mortality in women. Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are a small but significant subpopulation of heterogeneous breast cancer cells demonstrating strong self-renewal and proliferation properties. Accumulating evidence has proved that BCSCs are the driving force behind BC tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, drug resistance, and recurrence. As a heterogeneous disease, BC contains a full spectrum of different BC subtypes, and different subtypes of BC further exhibit distinct subtypes and proportions of BCSCs, which correspond to different treatment responses and disease-specific outcomes. This review summarized the current knowledge of BCSC biomarkers and their clinical relevance, the methods for the identification and isolation of BCSCs, and the mechanisms regulating BCSCs. We also discussed the cellular origin of BCSCs and the current advances in single-cell lineage tracing and transcriptomics and their potential in identifying the origin and lineage development of BCSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 320B Lincoln Tower, 1800 Cannon Dr., Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | | | - Lang Li
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 320B Lincoln Tower, 1800 Cannon Dr., Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
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Yao F, Yan C, Zhang Y, Shen L, Zhou D, Ni J. Identification of blood protein biomarkers for breast cancer staging by integrative transcriptome and proteome analyses. J Proteomics 2020; 230:103991. [PMID: 32971305 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2020.103991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy for women. Accurate prediction of breast cancer and its pathological stages is important for treatment decision-making. Although many studies have focused on discovering circulating biomarkers of breast cancer, no such biomarkers have been reported for different stages of this disease. In this study, we identified blood protein biomarkers for each stage of breast cancer by analyzing transcriptome and proteome data from patients. Analysis of the TCGA transcriptome datasets revealed that a large number of genes were differentially expressed in tumor samples of each stage of breast cancer compared with adjacent normal tissues. Blood-secretory proteins encoded by these genes were then predicted by bioinformatics programs. Furthermore, iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis was conducted for plasma samples of breast cancer patients with different stages. A portion of predicted blood-secretory proteins could be detected and verified differentially expressed. Finally, several proteins were chosen as potential blood protein biomarkers for different stages of breast cancer due to their consistent expression patterns at both mRNA and protein levels. Overall, our data provide new insights into diagnosis and classification of breast cancer as well as selection of optimal treatments. SIGNIFICANCE: We identified blood protein biomarkers for each stage of breast cancer by analyzing tissue-based transcriptome and blood-based proteome data from patients. To our knowledge, this is the first time to try to identify blood protein biomarkers for different stages of breast cancer via these integrative analyses. Our data may provide new insights into diagnosis and classification of breast cancer as well as selection of optimal treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Yao
- College of Life Science and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Chen Yan
- Department of Breast Surgery, The Second Clinical Medical College (Shenzhen People's Hospital) of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China; Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Postdoctoral Research Station, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- College of Life Science and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Liming Shen
- College of Life Science and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Dongxian Zhou
- Department of Breast Surgery, The Second Clinical Medical College (Shenzhen People's Hospital) of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiazuan Ni
- College of Life Science and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
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31
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Zhong W, Hou H, Liu T, Su S, Xi X, Liao Y, Xie R, Jin G, Liu X, Zhu L, Zhang H, Song X, Yang C, Sun T, Cao H, Wang B. Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition by interacting with Transgelin in Colorectal Cancer. Am J Cancer Res 2020; 10:8790-8806. [PMID: 32754278 PMCID: PMC7392026 DOI: 10.7150/thno.44456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose: The role of the cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in tumor progression has been studied, but its exact regulatory mechanism remains unknown. Methods: The interaction between COMP and the actin-binding protein transgelin (TAGLN) was identified by interaction protein prediction and co-immunoprecipitation and verified through the stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) and duolink experiments. Western blot and immunofluorescence analyses were conducted to detect the changes in EMT-related markers after COMP overexpression and knockdown. Molecular docking and Biacore of the interaction interface of COMP/TAGLN revealed that Chrysin directly targeted COMP. The promotion of COMP and the Chrysin inhibition of EMT were detected through the cell migration, invasion, apoptosis, and xenotransplantation of nude mice. Results: COMP interacts with TAGLN in EMT in colorectal cancer to regulate cytoskeletal remodeling and promote malignant progression. COMP is highly expressed in highly malignant colorectal cancer and positively correlated with TAGLN expression. COMP knockdown can inhibit colorectal cancer metastasis and invasion, whereas COMP overexpression promotes EMT in colorectal cancer. Through virtual screening of the protein interaction interface, Chrysin, a flavonoid compound extracted from Oroxylum indicum, was found to have the highest docking score to the COMP/TAGLN complex. Chrysin inhibited COMP, thereby preventing EMT and the malignant progression of colorectal cancer. Conclusions: This study illustrated the role of COMP in EMT and suggested that COMP/TAGLN may be a potential tumor therapeutic target. Chrysin exhibits obvious antitumor effects. This work provides a preliminary antitumor therapy to target COMP or its interaction protein to inhibit EMT.
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32
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The oncogenic role of Jagged1/Notch signaling in cancer. Biomed Pharmacother 2020; 129:110416. [PMID: 32593969 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant activation of Notch signaling plays an oncogenic role in cancer development. Jagged1 (JAG1) is an important Notch ligand that triggers Notch signaling through cell-cell interactions. JAG1 overexpression has been reported in many different types of cancer and correlates with a poor clinical prognosis. JAG1/Notch signaling controls oncogenic processes in different cell types and cellular contexts. Furthermore, JAG1/Notch signaling cascades activate a number of oncogenic factors that regulate cellular functions such as proliferation, metastasis, drug-resistance, and angiogenesis. To suppress the severe toxicity of pan-Notch inhibitors, JAG1 is attracting increasing attention as a source of therapeutic targets for cancers. In this review, the oncogenic role of JAG1/Notch signaling in cancer is discussed, as well as implications of strategies to inhibit JAG1/Notch signaling activity.
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Papadakos KS, Darlix A, Jacot W, Blom AM. High Levels of Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein in the Serum of Breast Cancer Patients Can Serve as an Independent Prognostic Marker. Front Oncol 2019; 9:1141. [PMID: 31737569 PMCID: PMC6831625 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.01141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is a pentameric cartilage protein also expressed in breast cancer tumors. A high expression of COMP evaluated by immunohistochemical staining is as an independent prognostic marker associated with poor patients' prognosis. Methods: Herein, levels of COMP were analyzed using an IVD approved ELISA in serum samples from 233 well-characterized breast cancer patients; 176 with metastatic breast cancer; and 57 in an early stage of the disease. Results: The metastatic patients had double the concentration of serum COMP compared with those with early breast cancer. High levels of COMP in sera of metastatic patients were associated with the histological subtype (p = 0.025) and estrogen receptor positivity (p = 0.019) at the time of breast cancer diagnosis. Further, correlation was observed between the serum levels of COMP and the presence of liver (p = 0.010) or bone (p = 0.010) metastases in this population. Most importantly, elevated serum levels of COMP appear to serve as an independent prognostic marker of survival as assessed by Cox proportional hazard regression analysis (p = 0.001) for the metastatic patients. Among metastatic patients treated with taxanes (Docetaxel-Paclitaxel) as part of their first metastatic line (n = 25), those with high levels of serum COMP detected in the metastatic stage of the disease had a shorter median survival (0.2 years) compared with those with low levels of serum COMP (1.1 years) (p = 0.001). Conclusions: Taken together, the serum levels of COMP are elevated in the metastatic patients and may be a potential novel biomarker for the evaluation of the prognosis in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos S Papadakos
- Division of Medical Protein Chemistry, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Amélie Darlix
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Régional du Cancer Montpellier ICM, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - William Jacot
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Régional du Cancer Montpellier ICM, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Anna M Blom
- Division of Medical Protein Chemistry, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
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Yousefnia S, Seyed Forootan F, Seyed Forootan S, Nasr Esfahani MH, Gure AO, Ghaedi K. Activated coagulation time in monitoring heparinized dogs. Am J Vet Res 1981; 10:452. [PMID: 32426267 PMCID: PMC7212408 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are the minor population of breast cancer (BC) cells that exhibit several phenotypes such as migration, invasion, self-renewal, and chemotherapy as well as radiotherapy resistance. Recently, BCSCs have been more considerable due to their capacity for recurrence of tumors after treatment. Recognition of signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms involved in stemness phenotypes of BCSCs could be effective for discovering novel treatment strategies to target BCSCs. This review introduces BCSC markers, their roles in stemness phenotypes, and the dysregulated signaling pathways involved in BCSCs such as mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, PI3K/Akt/nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB), TGF-β, hedgehog (Hh), Notch, Wnt/β-catenin, and Hippo pathway. In addition, this review presents recently discovered molecular mechanisms implicated in chemotherapy and radiotherapy resistance, migration, metastasis, and angiogenesis of BCSCs. Finally, we reviewed the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in BCSCs as well as several other therapeutic strategies such as herbal medicine, biological agents, anti-inflammatory drugs, monoclonal antibodies, nanoparticles, and microRNAs, which have been more considerable in the last decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saghar Yousefnia
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Farzad Seyed Forootan
- Department of Cellular Biotechnology at Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute of Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
- Legal Medicine Research Center, Legal Medicine Organization, Tehran, Iran
- *Correspondence: Farzad Seyed Forootan ;
| | - Shiva Seyed Forootan
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, MRC Centre for Drug Safety Science, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Mohammad Hossein Nasr Esfahani
- Department of Cellular Biotechnology at Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute of Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Ali Osmay Gure
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
- Ali Osmay Gure
| | - Kamran Ghaedi
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
- Department of Cellular Biotechnology at Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute of Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
- Kamran Ghaedi ; ;
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