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Guan C, Zou X, Yang C, Shi W, Gao J, Ge Y, Xu Z, Bi S, Zhong X. Polyribonucleotide nucleotidyltransferase 1 participates in metabolic-associated fatty liver disease pathogenesis by affecting lipid metabolism and mitochondrial homeostasis. Mol Metab 2024; 89:102022. [PMID: 39218215 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2024.102022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2024] [Revised: 08/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) represents one of the most prevalent chronic liver conditions worldwide, but its precise pathogenesis remains unclear. This research endeavors to elucidate the involvement and molecular mechanisms of polyribonucleotide nucleotidyltransferase 1 (PNPT1) in the progression of MAFLD. METHODS The study employed western blot and qRT-PCR to evaluate PNPT1 levels in liver specimens from individuals diagnosed with MAFLD and in mouse models subjected to a high-fat diet. Cellular studies investigated the effects of PNPT1 on lipid metabolism, apoptosis, and mitochondrial stability in hepatocytes. Immunofluorescence was utilized to track the subcellular movement of PNPT1 under high lipid conditions. RNA immunoprecipitation and functional assays were conducted to identify interactions between PNPT1 and Mcl-1 mRNA. The role of PPARα as an upstream transcriptional regulator of PNPT1 was investigated. Recombinant adenoviral vectors were utilized to modulate PNPT1 expression in vivo. RESULTS PNPT1 was found to be markedly reduced in liver tissues from MAFLD patients and HFD mice. In vitro, PNPT1 directly regulated hepatic lipid metabolism, apoptosis, and mitochondrial stability. Under conditions of elevated lipids, PNPT1 relocated from mitochondria to cytoplasm, modifying its physiological functions. RNA immunoprecipitation revealed that the KH and S1 domains of PNPT1 bind to and degrade Mcl-1 mRNA, which in turn affects mitochondrial permeability. The transcriptional regulator PPARα was identified as a significant influencer of PNPT1, impacting both its expression and subsequent cellular functions. Alterations in PNPT1 expression were directly correlated with the progression of MAFLD in mice. CONCLUSIONS The study confirms the pivotal function of PNPT1 in the development of MAFLD through its interactions with Mcl-1 and its regulatory effects on lipid metabolism and mitochondrial stability. These insights highlight the intricate association between PNPT1 and MAFLD, shedding light on its molecular pathways and presenting a potential new therapeutic avenue for MAFLD management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Canghai Guan
- General Surgery Department, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 148 Baojian Street, Harbin 150086, Heilongjiang Province, China; The Key Laboratory of Myocardial Ischemia, Harbin Medical University, Ministry of Education, 148 Baojian Street, Harbin 150086, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xinlei Zou
- General Surgery Department, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 148 Baojian Street, Harbin 150086, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Chengru Yang
- General Surgery Department, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 148 Baojian Street, Harbin 150086, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Wujiang Shi
- General Surgery Department, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 148 Baojian Street, Harbin 150086, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Jianjun Gao
- General Surgery Department, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 148 Baojian Street, Harbin 150086, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Yifei Ge
- General Surgery Department, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 148 Baojian Street, Harbin 150086, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Zhaoqiang Xu
- General Surgery Department, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 148 Baojian Street, Harbin 150086, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Shaowu Bi
- General Surgery Department, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 148 Baojian Street, Harbin 150086, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Xiangyu Zhong
- General Surgery Department, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 148 Baojian Street, Harbin 150086, Heilongjiang Province, China.
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Rah B, Shafarin J, Karim A, Bajbouj K, Hamad M, Muhammad JS. Iron Overloading Potentiates the Antitumor Activity of 5-Fluorouracil by Promoting Apoptosis and Ferroptosis in Colorectal Cancer Cells. Cell Biochem Biophys 2024:10.1007/s12013-024-01463-x. [PMID: 39097854 DOI: 10.1007/s12013-024-01463-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
Resistance to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) remains a significant challenge in colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment. Ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) is commonly used as an iron supplement due to its food-fortification properties; however, its potential role as a chemosensitizer in cancer therapy has not been studied. In this study, we explored the ability of FAC to sensitize CRC cells and increase their susceptibility to 5-FU-mediated anticancer effects. We assessed cell viability, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, ferroptosis, and iron metabolism-related protein expression using two CRC cell lines. Additionally, we conducted in silico analyses to compare iron markers in normal colon and CRC tumor tissues. Compared to controls, CRC cells pretreated with FAC and then treated with 5-FU exhibited significantly reduced growth and viability, along with increased ROS-mediated ferroptosis. Mechanistically, FAC-pretreated then 5-FU-treated CRC cells showed enhanced apoptosis, increased Bak/Bax expression, MMP depolarization, and decreased antiapoptotic protein levels (Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL). This combined treatment also led to G2/M cell cycle arrest, upregulation of p21 and p27, and downregulation of cyclin D1, c-Myc, survivin, and GPX4. Analysis of human colon tumor tissue revealed decreased expression of IRP-1, HMOX-1, and FTH1 but increased HAMP expression. In contrast, FAC-pretreated/5-FU-treated CRC cells exhibited a reverse pattern, suggesting that FAC-induced chemosensitization enhances 5-FU-mediated anticancer activity in CRC by disrupting iron homeostasis. These findings highlight the potential of iron overload as a chemosensitization strategy for improving CRC chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bilal Rah
- Iron Biology Research Group, Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Jasmin Shafarin
- Iron Biology Research Group, Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Asima Karim
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Khuloud Bajbouj
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mawieh Hamad
- Iron Biology Research Group, Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Jibran Sualeh Muhammad
- Iron Biology Research Group, Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
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3
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Dolnikova A, Kazantsev D, Klanova M, Pokorna E, Sovilj D, Kelemen CD, Tuskova L, Hoferkova E, Mraz M, Helman K, Curik N, Machova Polakova K, Andera L, Trneny M, Klener P. Blockage of BCL-XL overcomes venetoclax resistance across BCL2+ lymphoid malignancies irrespective of BIM status. Blood Adv 2024; 8:3532-3543. [PMID: 38713893 PMCID: PMC11261020 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2024012906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Venetoclax (VEN), a B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) inhibitor, has a promising single-agent activity in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and large BCLs, but remissions were generally short, which call for rational drug combinations. Using a panel of 21 lymphoma and leukemia cell lines and 28 primary samples, we demonstrated strong synergy between VEN and A1155463, a BCL-XL inhibitor. Immunoprecipitation experiments and studies on clones with knockout of expression or transgenic expression of BCL-XL confirmed its key role in mediating inherent and acquired VEN resistance. Of note, the VEN and A1155463 combination was synthetically lethal even in the cell lines with lack of expression of the proapoptotic BCL2L11/BIM and in the derived clones with genetic knockout of BCL2L11/BIM. This is clinically important because BCL2L11/BIM deletion, downregulation, or sequestration results in VEN resistance. Immunoprecipitation experiments further suggested that the proapoptotic effector BAX belongs to principal mediators of the VEN and A1155463 mode of action in the BIM-deficient cells. Lastly, the efficacy of the new proapoptotic combination was confirmed in vivo on a panel of 9 patient-derived lymphoma xenografts models including MCL (n = 3), B-ALL (n = 2), T-ALL (n = 1), and diffuse large BCL (n = 3). Because continuous inhibition of BCL-XL causes thrombocytopenia, we proposed and tested an interrupted 4 days on/3 days off treatment regimen, which retained the desired antitumor synergy with manageable platelet toxicity. The proposed VEN and A1155463 combination represents an innovative chemotherapy-free regimen with significant preclinical activity across diverse BCL2+ hematologic malignancies irrespective of the BCL2L11/BIM status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Dolnikova
- Institute of Pathological Physiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Dmitry Kazantsev
- Institute of Pathological Physiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Magdalena Klanova
- Institute of Pathological Physiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- First Department of Medicine, Department of Hematology, Charles University General Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Pokorna
- Institute of Pathological Physiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Dana Sovilj
- Institute of Biotechnology Czech Academy of Sciences/Biotechnology and Biomedicine Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Charles University, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Cristina Daniela Kelemen
- Institute of Biotechnology Czech Academy of Sciences/Biotechnology and Biomedicine Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Charles University, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Liliana Tuskova
- Institute of Pathological Physiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- First Department of Medicine, Department of Hematology, Charles University General Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Hoferkova
- Molecular Medicine, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Mraz
- Molecular Medicine, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Helman
- Faculty of Informatics and Statistics, University of Economics, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Nikola Curik
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Ladislav Andera
- Institute of Biotechnology Czech Academy of Sciences/Biotechnology and Biomedicine Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Charles University, Vestec, Czech Republic
- Institute of Molecular Genetics CAS, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Trneny
- First Department of Medicine, Department of Hematology, Charles University General Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Klener
- Institute of Pathological Physiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- First Department of Medicine, Department of Hematology, Charles University General Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
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4
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El Fawal G, Sobhy SE, Hafez EE. Biological activities of fig latex -loaded cellulose acetate/poly(ethylene oxide) nanofiber for potential therapeutics: Anticancer and antioxidant material. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 270:132176. [PMID: 38750845 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132176] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Cancer is a fatal disease, and unfortunately, the anticancer drugs harm normal cells. Plant's extracts are the golden key to solving this issue. In this research, fig latex - from Ficus carica- was encapsulated using cellulose acetate (CA) and poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) polymers via electrospinning method (Fig@CA/PEO). Fig@CA/PEO nanofiber scaffold was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The average fiber diameter was decreased with an increase in latex concentration from 715 nm to 583 nm. FT-IR spectroscopy indicated the presence of fig latex in Fig@CA/PEO nanofibers. Compared to 5-fluorouracil, Fig@CA/PEO nanofiber scaffold considered safe towards normal cells (WI-38). Moreover, the nanofiber scaffold was efficient against colon cancer cells (Caco) and liver cancer cells (HepG2) as it demonstrated IC50 values for cells by 23.97 μg/mL and 23.96 μg/mL, respectively. Besides, the nanofiber scaffold revealed mechanistic variations in apoptotic oncogenes; described by the upregulation of BCL2 and P21, combined by downregulation of p53 and TNF. Moreover, the nanofiber scaffold showed antioxidant activity counting 33.4, 36 and 41 % of DPPH scavenging as the fig latex concentration increased. The results demonstrate that the Fig@CA/PEO nanofiber scaffold is a promising substitute to traditional chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gomaa El Fawal
- Polymer Materials Research Department, Advanced Technology and New Materials Research Institute (ATNMRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab City, 21934, Alexandria, Egypt.
| | - Sherien E Sobhy
- Plant Protection and Bimolecular Diagnosis Department, Arid Lands Cultivation Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg EL-Arab City, 21934, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Elsayed E Hafez
- Plant Protection and Bimolecular Diagnosis Department, Arid Lands Cultivation Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg EL-Arab City, 21934, Alexandria, Egypt
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5
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Sarwar MF, Waseem QUA, Awan MF, Ali S, Ahmad A, Malook SU, Ali Q. In-silico characterization of LSDV132 protein divulged its BCL-2-like nature. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27657. [PMID: 38510042 PMCID: PMC10951589 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27657] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) belongs to Poxviridae family. This virus possesses various proteins which impart potential functions to it including assembly of newly synthesized viruses in the replication cycle and forming their structure. LSDV132 protein is also one of such proteins. Its key characteristics were unknown because, no any relevant study was reported about it. This study aimed to investigate its characteristic features and essential functions using several bioinformatics techniques. These analyses included physiochemical characterization and exploring the crucial functional and structural perspectives. Upon analysis of the physiochemical properties, the instability index was computed to be 30.89% which proposed LSDV132 protein to be a stable protein. Afterwards, the phosphorylation sites were explored. Several sites were found in this regard which led to the hypothesis that it might be involved in the regulation of apoptosis and cell signaling, among other cellular processes. Furthermore, the KEGG analysis and the analysis of protein family classification confirmed that the LSDV132 protein possessed Poxvirus-BCL-2-like motifs, indicating that it might be responsible in modulating the apoptosis of host cells. This crucial finding suggested that the protein under study possessed BCL-2-like features. Proceeding this very important finding, the molecular docking analysis was performed. In this context, various viral BCL-2 inhibitors were retrieved from the ChEMBL database for docking purpose. The docking results revealed that pelcitoclax exhibited best docking scores i.e., -9.1841 kcal/mol, among all of the other docked complexes. This fact signified that this compound might serve as an inhibitor of LSDV132 protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Farhan Sarwar
- Department of Biotechnology, Knowledge Unit of Science, University of Management and Technology (UMT) Sialkot, Pakistan
| | - Qurat ul Ain Waseem
- Department of Biotechnology, Knowledge Unit of Science, University of Management and Technology (UMT) Sialkot, Pakistan
| | - Mudassar Fareed Awan
- Department of Biotechnology, Knowledge Unit of Science, University of Management and Technology (UMT) Sialkot, Pakistan
| | - Sajed Ali
- Department of Biotechnology, Knowledge Unit of Science, University of Management and Technology (UMT) Sialkot, Pakistan
| | - Ajaz Ahmad
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, 11451 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saif ul Malook
- Department of Entomology & Nematology, University of Florida, USA
| | - Qurban Ali
- Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
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6
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Lu H, Fan L, Zhang W, Chen G, Xiang A, Wang L, Lu Z, Zhai Y. The mitochondrial genome-encoded peptide MOTS-c interacts with Bcl-2 to alleviate nonalcoholic steatohepatitis progression. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113587. [PMID: 38206815 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113587] [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: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a metabolism-associated fatty liver disease with accumulated mitochondrial stress, and targeting mitochondrial function is a potential therapy. The mitochondrial genome-encoded bioactive peptide MOTS-c plays broad physiological roles, but its effectiveness and direct targets in NASH treatment are still unclear. Here, we show that long-term preventive and short-term therapeutic effects of MOTS-c treatments alleviate NASH-diet-induced liver steatosis, cellular apoptosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. Mitochondrial oxidative capacity and metabolites profiling analysis show that MOTS-c significantly reverses NASH-induced mitochondrial metabolic deficiency. Moreover, we identify that MOTS-c directly interacts with the BH3 domain of antiapoptotic B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), increases Bcl-2 protein stability, and suppresses Bcl-2 ubiquitination. By using a Bcl-2 inhibitor or adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated Bcl-2 knockdown, we further confirm that MOTS-c improves NASH-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and fibrosis, which are dependent on Bcl-2 function. Therefore, our findings show that MOTS-c is a potential therapeutic agent to inhibit the progression of NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanyu Lu
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, the Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment, School of Public Health, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China; State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Biopharmaceutics, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Linni Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital and School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wenli Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Biopharmaceutics, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China; Translational Medicine Center, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, China; The College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Guo Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Biopharmaceutics, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China; Translational Medicine Center, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - An Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Biopharmaceutics, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Biopharmaceutics, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zifan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Biopharmaceutics, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China; Translational Medicine Center, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, China.
| | - Yue Zhai
- Department of Cell Biology, National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
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Xu J, Dong X, Huang DCS, Xu P, Zhao Q, Chen B. Current Advances and Future Strategies for BCL-2 Inhibitors: Potent Weapons against Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4957. [PMID: 37894324 PMCID: PMC10605442 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15204957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeting the intrinsic apoptotic pathway regulated by B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) antiapoptotic proteins can overcome the evasion of apoptosis in cancer cells. BCL-2 inhibitors have evolved into an important means of treating cancers by inducing tumor cell apoptosis. As the most extensively investigated BCL-2 inhibitor, venetoclax is highly selective for BCL-2 and can effectively inhibit tumor survival. Its emergence and development have significantly influenced the therapeutic landscape of hematological malignancies, especially in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia, in which it has been clearly incorporated into the recommended treatment regimens. In addition, the considerable efficacy of venetoclax in combination with other agents has been demonstrated in relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma and certain lymphomas. Although venetoclax plays a prominent antitumor role in preclinical experiments and clinical trials, large individual differences in treatment outcomes have been characterized in real-world patient populations, and reduced drug sensitivity will lead to disease recurrence or progression. The therapeutic efficacy may vary widely in patients with different molecular characteristics, and key genetic mutations potentially result in differential sensitivities to venetoclax. The identification and validation of more novel biomarkers are required to accurately predict the effectiveness of BCL-2 inhibition therapy. Furthermore, we summarize the recent research progress relating to the use of BCL-2 inhibitors in solid tumor treatment and demonstrate that a wealth of preclinical models have shown promising results through combination therapies. The applications of venetoclax in solid tumors warrant further clinical investigation to define its prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxuan Xu
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, China-Australia Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China; (J.X.); (X.D.); (P.X.)
| | - Xiaoqing Dong
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, China-Australia Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China; (J.X.); (X.D.); (P.X.)
| | - David C. S. Huang
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia;
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Peipei Xu
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, China-Australia Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China; (J.X.); (X.D.); (P.X.)
| | - Quan Zhao
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, China-Australia Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China; (J.X.); (X.D.); (P.X.)
| | - Bing Chen
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, China-Australia Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China; (J.X.); (X.D.); (P.X.)
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8
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Hsieh YC, Dai YC, Cheng KT, Yang WT, Ramani MV, Subbaraju GV, Chen YJ, Chang CC. Blockade of the SRC/STAT3/BCL-2 Signaling Axis Sustains the Cytotoxicity in Human Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines Induced by Dehydroxyhispolon Methyl Ether. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2530. [PMID: 37760971 PMCID: PMC10526010 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11092530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most prevalent human cancer globally. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU)-based systemic chemotherapy is the primary strategy for advanced CRC treatment, yet is limited by poor response rate. Deregulated activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is fundamental to driving CRC malignant transformation and a poor prognostic marker for CRC, underscoring STAT3 as a promising CRC drug target. Dehydroxyhispolon methyl ether (DHME) is an analog of Hispolon, an anticancer polyphenol abundant in the medicinal mushroom Phellinus linteus. Previously, we have established DHME's cytotoxic effect on human CRC cell lines by eliciting apoptosis through the blockade of WNT/β-catenin signaling, a preeminent CRC oncogenic pathway. Herein, we unraveled that compared with 5-FU, DHME is a more potent killer of CRC cells while being much less toxic to normal colon epithelial cells. DHME suppressed both constitutive and interleukin 6 (IL-6)-induced STAT3 activation represented by tyrosine 705 phosphorylation of STAT3 (p-STAT3 (Y705)); notably, DHME-induced CRC apoptosis and clonogenicity limitation were abrogated by ectopic expression of STAT3-C, a dominant-active STAT3 mutant. Additionally, we proved that BCL-2 downregulation caused by DHME-mediated STAT3 blockage is responsible for DHME-induced CRC cell apoptosis. Lastly, DHME inhibited SRC activation, and v-src overexpression restored p-STAT3 (Y705) levels along with lowering the levels of apoptosis in DHME-treated CRC cells. We conclude DHME provokes CRC cell apoptosis by blocking the SRC/STAT3/BCL-2 axis besides thwarting WNT/β-catenin signaling. The notion that DHME targets two fundamental CRC signaling pathways underpins the potential of DHME as a CRC chemotherapy agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Chu Hsieh
- Doctoral Program in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402202, Taiwan;
| | - Yuan-Chang Dai
- Department of Pathology, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi 600566, Taiwan;
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi 600566, Taiwan
- Doctoral Program in Translational Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402202, Taiwan
| | - Kur-Ta Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan;
| | - Wei-Ting Yang
- Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402202, Taiwan;
| | - Modukuri V. Ramani
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam 530003, India; (M.V.R.); (G.V.S.)
| | | | - Yi-Ju Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung 407219, Taiwan
- Department of Post-Baccalaureate Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402202, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Che Chang
- Doctoral Program in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402202, Taiwan;
- Doctoral Program in Translational Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402202, Taiwan
- Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402202, Taiwan;
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Doctoral Program in Translational Medicine, Rong Hsing Research Center for Translational Medicine, The iEGG and Animal Biotechnology Research Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402202, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung 413305, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404333, Taiwan
- Traditional Herbal Medicine Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
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9
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Bcl-2 pathway inhibition in solid tumors: a review of clinical trials. CLINICAL & TRANSLATIONAL ONCOLOGY : OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE FEDERATION OF SPANISH ONCOLOGY SOCIETIES AND OF THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE OF MEXICO 2023; 25:1554-1578. [PMID: 36639602 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-022-03070-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Due to their key role in the pathogenesis of cancer through the regulation of apoptosis, the B-cell leukemia/lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) family proteins have been an attractive target for cancer therapy for the past decades. Throughout the years, many Bcl-2 family inhibitors have been developed, with Venetoclax being now successfully used in treating hematological malignancies. Although their effectiveness in the treatment of solid tumors is yet to be established, some preclinical evidence indicates their possible clinical application. This review aims to summarize current data from completed clinical trials that used Bcl-2 protein family inhibitors as monotherapy or in combination with other agents for the treatment of solid malignancies. We managed to include clinical trials of various phases which analyze the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the drugs, as well as the effectiveness and adverse effects. Active and recruiting clinical trials are also briefly presented and future prospects and challenges are discussed.
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