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Han X, Qin H, Lu Y, Chen H, Yuan Z, Zhang Y, Yang X, Zheng L, Yan S. Post-translational modifications: The potential ways for killing cancer stem cells. Heliyon 2024; 10:e34015. [PMID: 39092260 PMCID: PMC11292267 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34015] [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: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
While strides in cancer treatment continue to advance, the enduring challenges posed by cancer metastasis and recurrence persist as formidable contributors to the elevated mortality rates observed in cancer patients. Among the multifaceted factors implicated in tumor recurrence and metastasis, cancer stem cells (CSCs) emerge as noteworthy entities due to their inherent resistance to conventional therapies and heightened invasive capacities. Characterized by their notable abilities for self-renewal, differentiation, and initiation of tumorigenesis, the eradication of CSCs emerges as a paramount objective. Recent investigations increasingly emphasize the pivotal role of post-translational protein modifications (PTMs) in governing the self-renewal and replication capabilities of CSCs. This review accentuates the critical significance of several prevalent PTMs and the intricate interplay of PTM crosstalk in regulating CSC behavior. Furthermore, it posits that the manipulation of PTMs may offer a novel avenue for targeting and eliminating CSC populations, presenting a compelling perspective on cancer therapeutics with substantial potential for future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuedan Han
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Road, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Hai Qin
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital Guizhou Hospital, No. 206, Sixian Street, Baiyun District, Guiyang City, 550014, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Yu Lu
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Road, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Haitao Chen
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Road, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Zhengdong Yuan
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Road, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Yiwen Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Road, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Xuena Yang
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Road, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Lufeng Zheng
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Road, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Simin Yan
- Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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2
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Gao H, Xi Z, Dai J, Xue J, Guan X, Zhao L, Chen Z, Xing F. Drug resistance mechanisms and treatment strategies mediated by Ubiquitin-Specific Proteases (USPs) in cancers: new directions and therapeutic options. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:88. [PMID: 38702734 PMCID: PMC11067278 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-02005-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: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Drug resistance represents a significant obstacle in cancer treatment, underscoring the need for the discovery of novel therapeutic targets. Ubiquitin-specific proteases (USPs), a subclass of deubiquitinating enzymes, play a pivotal role in protein deubiquitination. As scientific research advances, USPs have been recognized as key regulators of drug resistance across a spectrum of treatment modalities, including chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy. This comprehensive review examines the complex relationship between USPs and drug resistance mechanisms, focusing on specific treatment strategies and highlighting the influence of USPs on DNA damage repair, apoptosis, characteristics of cancer stem cells, immune evasion, and other crucial biological functions. Additionally, the review highlights the potential clinical significance of USP inhibitors as a means to counter drug resistance in cancer treatment. By inhibiting particular USP, cancer cells can become more susceptible to a variety of anti-cancer drugs. The integration of USP inhibitors with current anti-cancer therapies offers a promising strategy to circumvent drug resistance. Therefore, this review emphasizes the importance of USPs as viable therapeutic targets and offers insight into fruitful directions for future research and drug development. Targeting USPs presents an effective method to combat drug resistance across various cancer types, leading to enhanced treatment strategies and better patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongli Gao
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China
| | - Zhuo Xi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China
| | - Jingwei Dai
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China
| | - Jinqi Xue
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China
| | - Xin Guan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China
| | - Liang Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China.
| | - Zhiguang Chen
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China.
| | - Fei Xing
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China.
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3
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Xue Y, Xue C, Song W. Emerging roles of deubiquitinating enzymes in actin cytoskeleton and tumor metastasis. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2024:10.1007/s13402-024-00923-z. [PMID: 38324230 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-024-00923-z] [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: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metastasis accounts for the majority of cancer-related deaths. Actin dynamics and actin-based cell migration and invasion are important factors in cancer metastasis. Metastasis is characterized by actin polymerization and depolymerization, which are precisely regulated by molecular changes involving a plethora of actin regulators, including actin-binding proteins (ABPs) and signalling pathways, that enable cancer cell dissemination from the primary tumour. Research on deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) has revealed their vital roles in actin dynamics and actin-based migration and invasion during cancer metastasis. CONCLUSION Here, we review how DUBs drive tumour metastasis by participating in actin rearrangement and actin-based migration and invasion. We summarize the well-characterized and essential actin cytoskeleton signalling molecules related to DUBs, including Rho GTPases, Src kinases, and ABPs such as cofilin and cortactin. Other DUBs that modulate actin-based migration signalling pathways are also discussed. Finally, we discuss and address therapeutic opportunities and ongoing challenges related to DUBs with respect to actin dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Xue
- Department of Oncology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, PR China.
| | - Cong Xue
- School of Stomatology, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250117, PR China
| | - Wei Song
- Department of Oncology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, PR China.
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4
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Wang WD, Guo YY, Yang ZL, Su GL, Sun ZJ. Sniping Cancer Stem Cells with Nanomaterials. ACS NANO 2023; 17:23262-23298. [PMID: 38010076 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c07828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) drive tumor initiation, progression, and therapeutic resistance due to their self-renewal and differentiation capabilities. Despite encouraging progress in cancer treatment, conventional approaches often fail to eliminate CSCs, necessitating the development of precise targeted strategies. Recent advances in materials science and nanotechnology have enabled promising CSC-targeted approaches, harnessing the power of tailoring nanomaterials in diverse therapeutic applications. This review provides an update on the current landscape of nanobased precision targeting approaches against CSCs. We elucidate the nuanced application of organic, inorganic, and bioinspired nanomaterials across a spectrum of therapeutic paradigms, encompassing targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and multimodal synergistic therapies. By examining the accomplishments and challenges in this potential field, we aim to inform future efforts to advance nanomaterial-based therapies toward more effective "sniping" of CSCs and tumor clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Da Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Yan-Yu Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Zhong-Lu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Guang-Liang Su
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Zhi-Jun Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
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5
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Jiao D, Chen Y, Liu X, Tang X, Chen J, Liu Y, Jiang C, Chen Q. Targeting MET endocytosis or degradation to overcome HGF-induced gefitinib resistance in EGFR-sensitive mutant lung adenocarcinoma. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 682:371-380. [PMID: 37844446 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.10.037] [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: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
The overexpression of hepatic growth factor(HGF) is one of the important reasons for the development of gefitinib resistance in EGFR-sensitive mutant lung adenocarcinoma cells. Targeting the HGF receptor MET through endocytosis inhibition or degradation induction has been proposed as a potential strategy to overcome this resistance. However, the effectiveness of this approach remains needs to be evaluated. In this study, we observed that MET receptors undergo persistent endocytosis but rarely enter the degradation pathway in HGF-overexpressing cells. We showed that MET endocytosis can be inhibited by using gene silence method or MET inhibitors. CHC or DNM2 gene silence slightly increases the sensitivity of resistant cells to gefitinib without affecting MET activity, while GRB2 gene silence can simultaneously inhibit MET endocytosis and reduce MET activity, resulting in a significant reversal effect of gefitinib resistance. Similarly, MET inhibitors significantly reverse drug resistance, accompanied by simultaneous inhibition of MET endocytosis and activity, highlighting the importance of both endocytosis and activity in HGF-induced gefitinib resistance. Additionally, we demonstrated that promoting MET degradation through deubiquitinase (USP8 or USP32) gene silence is another effective method for reversing drug resistance. Overall, our findings suggest that targeting MET receptor endocytosis and degradation is an attractive strategy for overcoming HGF-induced gefitinib resistance in EGFR-sensitive mutant lung adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Demin Jiao
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The 903rd Hospital of PLA (Xihu Hospital Affiliated to Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, 310013, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The 903rd Hospital of PLA (Xihu Hospital Affiliated to Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, 310013, China
| | - Xiang Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The 903rd Hospital of PLA (Xihu Hospital Affiliated to Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, 310013, China
| | - Xiali Tang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The 903rd Hospital of PLA (Xihu Hospital Affiliated to Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, 310013, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The 903rd Hospital of PLA (Xihu Hospital Affiliated to Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, 310013, China
| | - Yongyang Liu
- The First Clinical Medical College, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Chunyan Jiang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The 903rd Hospital of PLA (Xihu Hospital Affiliated to Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, 310013, China.
| | - Qingyong Chen
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The 903rd Hospital of PLA (Xihu Hospital Affiliated to Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, 310013, China; The First Clinical Medical College, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China.
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Guo JN, Xia BR, Deng SH, Yang C, Pi YN, Cui BB, Jin WL. Deubiquitinating Enzymes Orchestrate the Cancer Stem Cell-Immunosuppressive Niche Dialogue: New Perspectives and Therapeutic Potential. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:680100. [PMID: 34179009 PMCID: PMC8220152 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.680100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are sparks for igniting tumor recurrence and the instigators of low response to immunotherapy and drug resistance. As one of the important components of tumor microenvironment, the tumor associated immune microenvironment (TAIM) is driving force for the heterogeneity, plasticity and evolution of CSCs. CSCs create the inhibitory TAIM (ITAIM) mainly through four stemness-related signals (SRSs), including Notch-nuclear factor-κB axis, Hedgehog, Wnt and signal transducer and activator of transcription. Ubiquitination and deubiquitination in proteins related to the specific stemness of the CSCs have a profound impact on the regulation of ITAIM. In regulating the balance between ubiquitination and deubiquitination, it is crucial for deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) to cleave ubiquitin chains from substrates. Ubiquitin-specific peptidases (USPs) comprise the largest family of DUBs. Growing evidence suggests that they play novel functions in contribution of ITAIM, including regulating tumor immunogenicity, activating stem cell factors, upregulating the SRSs, stabilizing anti-inflammatory receptors, and regulating anti-inflammatory cytokines. These overactive or abnormal signaling may dampen antitumor immune responses. The inhibition of USPs could play a regulatory role in SRSs and reversing ITAIM, and also have great potential in improving immune killing ability against tumor cells, including CSCs. In this review, we focus on the USPs involved in CSCs signaling pathways and regulating ITAIM, which are promising therapeutic targets in antitumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Nan Guo
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Bai-Rong Xia
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Anhui Provincial Cancer Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Shen-Hui Deng
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Chang Yang
- Department of Gynecology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Ya-Nan Pi
- Department of Gynecology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Bin-Bin Cui
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Wei-Lin Jin
- Medical Frontier Innovation Research Center, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Institute of Cancer Neuroscience, The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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7
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USP47 maintains the stemness of colorectal cancer cells and is inhibited by parthenolide. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 562:21-28. [PMID: 34030041 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer stem cells (CCSCs) are implicated in colorectal tumor initiation, invasion, recurrence and treatment resistance, so elucidation of the mechanism underlying the cancer stem cells induction and development of drugs targeting CCSCs are vital for cancer treatment. Growing evidence shows that dysregulated deubiquitinase (DUBs) expression is frequently associated with stemness and maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSCs). In the current study, we found that upregulation of USP47 is associated with tumorigenesis and poor prognosis in clinical patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Besides, USP47 was highly expressed in CCSCs enriched by serum-free culture. Further investigation showed that USP47 is closely involved in the maintenance of the stemness of CCSCs. USP47 silencing reduces proliferation and migration of colorectal cancer cells and suppresses the self-renewal of CCSCs by downregulating the expression of cancer stem cell markers, including CD44, CD133, CD166, OCT4 and NANOG. Furthermore, we identified Parthenolide (PTL), a natural sesquiterpene lactone, as a novel USP47 inhibitor. PTL diminishes CCSCs self-renewal and induces apoptosis of CCSCs. Taken together, our findings highlighted a novel DUB involved in the modulation of CCSCs stemness and the potential of PTL in the CRC treatment by targeting CCSCs as the USP47 inhibitor.
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8
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The deubiquitylase UCHL3 maintains cancer stem-like properties by stabilizing the aryl hydrocarbon receptor. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2020; 5:78. [PMID: 32546741 PMCID: PMC7297794 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-020-0181-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) exhibit highly aggressive and metastatic features and resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) expression varies among non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs), and the mechanisms that support abnormal AhR expression in CSCs remain elusive. Here, we identified ubiquitin carboxyl terminal hydrolase L3 (UCHL3), a DUB enzyme in the UCH protease family, as a bona fide deubiquitylase of the AhR in NSCLC. UCHL3 was shown to interact with, deubiquitylate, and stabilize AhR in a manner dependent on its deubiquitylation activity. Moreover, we showed that UCHL3 promotes the stem-like characteristics and potent tumorigenic capacity of NSCLC cells. UCHL3 increased AhR stability and the binding of AhR to the promoter regions of the “stemness” genes ATP-binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2), KLF4, and c-Myc. Depletion of UCHL3 markedly downregulated the “stemness” genes ABCG2, KLF4, and c-Myc, leading to the loss of self-renewal and tumorigenesis in NSCLCs. Furthermore, the UCHL3 inhibitor TCID induced AhR degradation and exhibited significantly attenuated efficacy in NSCLC cells with stem cell-like properties. Additionally, UCHL3 was shown to indicate poor prognosis in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. In general, our results reveal that the UCHL3 deubiquitylase is pivotal for AhR protein stability and a potential target for NSCLC-targeted therapy.
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Deng L, Meng T, Chen L, Wei W, Wang P. The role of ubiquitination in tumorigenesis and targeted drug discovery. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2020; 5:11. [PMID: 32296023 PMCID: PMC7048745 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-020-0107-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 345] [Impact Index Per Article: 86.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Ubiquitination, an important type of protein posttranslational modification (PTM), plays a crucial role in controlling substrate degradation and subsequently mediates the "quantity" and "quality" of various proteins, serving to ensure cell homeostasis and guarantee life activities. The regulation of ubiquitination is multifaceted and works not only at the transcriptional and posttranslational levels (phosphorylation, acetylation, methylation, etc.) but also at the protein level (activators or repressors). When regulatory mechanisms are aberrant, the altered biological processes may subsequently induce serious human diseases, especially various types of cancer. In tumorigenesis, the altered biological processes involve tumor metabolism, the immunological tumor microenvironment (TME), cancer stem cell (CSC) stemness and so on. With regard to tumor metabolism, the ubiquitination of some key proteins such as RagA, mTOR, PTEN, AKT, c-Myc and P53 significantly regulates the activity of the mTORC1, AMPK and PTEN-AKT signaling pathways. In addition, ubiquitination in the TLR, RLR and STING-dependent signaling pathways also modulates the TME. Moreover, the ubiquitination of core stem cell regulator triplets (Nanog, Oct4 and Sox2) and members of the Wnt and Hippo-YAP signaling pathways participates in the maintenance of CSC stemness. Based on the altered components, including the proteasome, E3 ligases, E1, E2 and deubiquitinases (DUBs), many molecular targeted drugs have been developed to combat cancer. Among them, small molecule inhibitors targeting the proteasome, such as bortezomib, carfilzomib, oprozomib and ixazomib, have achieved tangible success. In addition, MLN7243 and MLN4924 (targeting the E1 enzyme), Leucettamol A and CC0651 (targeting the E2 enzyme), nutlin and MI-219 (targeting the E3 enzyme), and compounds G5 and F6 (targeting DUB activity) have also shown potential in preclinical cancer treatment. In this review, we summarize the latest progress in understanding the substrates for ubiquitination and their special functions in tumor metabolism regulation, TME modulation and CSC stemness maintenance. Moreover, potential therapeutic targets for cancer are reviewed, as are the therapeutic effects of targeted drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Deng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling Shaanxi, 712100, China.
| | - Tong Meng
- Division of Spine, Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, 389 Xincun Road, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Division of Laboratory Safety and Services, Northwest A&F University, Yangling Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Wenyi Wei
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Ping Wang
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital of Tongji University, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.
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10
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Li L, Hu M, Wang T, Chen H, Xu L. Repositioning Aspirin to Treat Lung and Breast Cancers and Overcome Acquired Resistance to Targeted Therapy. Front Oncol 2020; 9:1503. [PMID: 31993373 PMCID: PMC6971167 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.01503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The major limitation of targeted cancer therapy is development of acquired resistance. Intratumoral heterogeneity and coexist of multiple resistance mechanisms make combination therapies targeting one specific mechanism inefficient. Methods: Transcriptional signature obtained from GEO was used to reposition FDA-approved drugs to treat lung and breast cancers as well as overcome acquired resistance to EGFR TKIs in lung cancer and to tamoxifen in breast cancer via CMap. In vitro and in vivo models were used to examine candidate drugs for their anti-cancer and anti-resistance efficacy and underlying mechanisms. Results: We found that aspirin, the most commonly used drug, not only inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis of cancer cells, but also delayed and overcame acquired resistance to targeted therapy using in vitro and in vivo models. The underlying mechanism could be attributed to enhanced cancer stemness and activated NF-κB signaling in acquired resistant tumors, both of which were suppressed by aspirin and rendered resistant tumors more sensitive to aspirin. Conclusions: Our data identify aspirin as a potential candidate for combination therapy for lung and breast cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengdi Hu
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongzhuan Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Biomedical Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lu Xu
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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11
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Di Nunno V, Frega G, Santoni M, Gatto L, Fiorentino M, Montironi R, Battelli N, Brandi G, Massari F. BAP1 in solid tumors. Future Oncol 2019; 15:2151-2162. [PMID: 31159579 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2018-0915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the most attractive cancer-related genes under investigation is BAP1. Reasons of this growing interest are related to the wide spectrum of pathways directly or indirectly modulated by this gene and shared by several solid tumors. Programmed cell-death, cell metabolisms, immune cells development, ferroptosis and defects in DNA damage response are only some of the multitude of processes depending on BAP1. Loss of this gene seems to occur in different times of tumor history. Moreover, times of BAP1 loss strongly diverge among primary tumors suggesting the presence of several and different triggering factors. Regardless of when it happens, BAP1 loss usually results in prognosis worsening and in the acquisition of more aggressive clinical features by cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giorgio Frega
- Oncology Unit, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic & Specialty Medicine, Sant'Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Matteo Santoni
- Department of Oncology, Macerata Hospital, Macerata, Italy
| | - Lidia Gatto
- Oncology Unit, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic & Specialty Medicine, Sant'Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Michelangelo Fiorentino
- Pathology Service, Addarii Institute of Oncology, S-Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy
| | - Rodolfo Montironi
- Section of Pathological Anatomy, Polytechnic University of the Marche Region, School of Medicine, United Hospitals, Ancona, Italy
| | | | - Giovanni Brandi
- Oncology Unit, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic & Specialty Medicine, Sant'Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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12
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Young MJ, Hsu KC, Lin TE, Chang WC, Hung JJ. The role of ubiquitin-specific peptidases in cancer progression. J Biomed Sci 2019; 26:42. [PMID: 31133011 PMCID: PMC6537419 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-019-0522-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein ubiquitination is an important mechanism for regulating the activity and levels of proteins under physiological conditions. Loss of regulation by protein ubiquitination leads to various diseases, such as cancer. Two types of enzymes, namely, E1/E2/E3 ligases and deubiquitinases, are responsible for controlling protein ubiquitination. The ubiquitin-specific peptidases (USPs) are the main members of the deubiquitinase family. Many studies have addressed the roles of USPs in various diseases. An increasing number of studies have indicated that USPs are critical for cancer progression, and some USPs have been used as targets to develop inhibitors for cancer prevention. Herein we collect and organize most of the recent studies on the roles of USPs in cancer progression and discuss the development of USP inhibitors for cancer therapy in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Jer Young
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701, Taiwan
| | - Kai-Cheng Hsu
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Ph.D. Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Biomedical Commercialization Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tony Eight Lin
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Chang Chang
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jan-Jong Hung
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701, Taiwan. .,The Ph.D. Program for Neural Regenerative Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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13
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Zhao Y, Wang Z, Ho C, Zhang G, Li Q. Ubiquitin-Specific Protease 15 Maintains Transforming Growth Factor-β Pathway Activity by Deubiquitinating Transforming Growth Factor-β Receptor I during Wound Healing. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2019; 189:1351-1362. [PMID: 30980801 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2019.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Revised: 12/31/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Wound healing is a process of cutaneous barrier reconstruction that occurs after skin injury and involves diverse cytokines and cell types. Similar to several deubiquitinating enzymes, ubiquitin-specific protease 15 (USP15) can remove ubiquitin chains from specific proteins to rescue them from degradation. However, the regulatory role of USP15 in wound healing remains unclear. We investigated the dynamic function of USP15 in wound healing. First, in USP15 knockout mice, we observed a significant delay in wound closure. In addition, inhibition of cell proliferation and migration was observed in USP15-silenced human dermal fibroblasts. Through RNA sequencing, it was revealed that the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway was suppressed after USP15 knockdown. Furthermore, coimmunoprecipitation demonstrated that USP15 could interact with TGF-β receptor I and promote its deubiquitination, thereby maintaining TGF-β signaling pathway activity by enhancing TGF-β receptor I stability. These observations shed light on the function and mechanisms of USP15-mediated modulation of the TGF-β signaling pathway during wound healing, thus providing a novel potential target for the treatment of refractory wounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixuan Zhao
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Zi Wang
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Chiakang Ho
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Guoyou Zhang
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qingfeng Li
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
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14
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Jin MZ, Xia BR, Xu Y, Jin WL. Curaxin CBL0137 Exerts Anticancer Activity via Diverse Mechanisms. Front Oncol 2018; 8:598. [PMID: 30581774 PMCID: PMC6292929 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy with or without radiation remains the first choice for most cancers. However, intolerant side effects and conventional drug resistance restrict actual clinical efficacy. Curaxin CBL0137 is designed to regulate p53 and nuclear factor-κB simultaneously and to prevent the resistance caused by a single target. Functionally, CBL0137 exhibits an antitumor activity in multiple cancers, including glioblastoma, renal cell carcinoma, melanoma, neuroblastoma, and small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Mechanistically, CBL0137 is originally identified to act by facilitates chromatin transcription (FACT) complex. Further investigations reveal that several pathways, such as NOTCH1 and heat shock factor 1 (HSF1), are involved in the process. CBL0137 has been reported to target cancer stem cells (CSCs) and enhance chemotherapy/monotherapy efficacy. The translational advance of CBL0137 into clinical practice is expected to provide a promising future for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Zhu Jin
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bai-Rong Xia
- Department of Gynecology, The Affiliated Tumor Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yu Xu
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei-Lin Jin
- Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of Ministry of Education, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment Instrument, School of Electronic Information and Electronic Engineering, Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,National Center for Translational Medicine, Collaborative Innovational Center for System Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders and Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China
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15
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Gu J, Mao W, Ren W, Xu F, Zhu Q, Lu C, Lin Z, Zhang Z, Chu Y, Liu R, Ge D. Ubiquitin-protein ligase E3C maintains non-small-cell lung cancer stemness by targeting AHNAK-p53 complex. Cancer Lett 2018; 443:125-134. [PMID: 30503554 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2018.11.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Revised: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) are regarded as sources of tumorigenesis, metastasis, and drug resistance, which limits current cancer therapies. Elucidating the molecular modes governing CSC properties is necessary to optimize therapeutic approaches. In this study, we discovered that ubiquitin-protein ligase E3C (UBE3C)-mediated ubiquitination is a key posttranslational mechanism involved in maintaining CSC properties of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). UBE3C was overexpressed in stem-like NSCLC cells and acted as a stemness enhancer. Knockdown of UBE3C reduced NSCLC stemness and tumorigenesis both in vivo and in vitro. We further identified AHNAK as a novel UBE3C substrate, finding that UBE3C maintained stemness by ubiquitinating and promoting AHNAK degradation. AHNAK functioned as a cofactor assisting p53 binding to stemness-related gene promoters to inhibit transcription. Subsequent downregulation of AHNAK by UBE3C overexpression removed p53-mediated inhibition of gene expression, resulting in enhanced stemness. Clinical significance was investigated in 208 NSCLC patients and confirmed that attenuated UBE3C activity and elevated AHNAK protein levels correlated with extended survival time. Collectively, findings reveal the first global characterization of UBE3C-mediated ubiquitination as a key regulator of CSCs, with results suggesting involvement of the AHNAK-p53 complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Gu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, PR China; Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, and Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
| | - Wei Mao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, PR China; Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, and Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
| | - Wenjia Ren
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
| | - Fengkai Xu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
| | - Qiaoliang Zhu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
| | - Chunlai Lu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
| | - Zongwu Lin
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
| | - Zhilong Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai XuHui District Central Hospital, Shanghai, 200031, PR China
| | - Yiwei Chu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, and Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
| | - Ronghua Liu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, and Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, PR China.
| | - Di Ge
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, PR China.
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16
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Qin T, Li B, Feng X, Fan S, Liu L, Liu D, Mao J, Lu Y, Yang J, Yu X, Zhang Q, Zhang J, Song B, Li M, Li L. Abnormally elevated USP37 expression in breast cancer stem cells regulates stemness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cisplatin sensitivity. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2018; 37:287. [PMID: 30482232 PMCID: PMC6258492 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-018-0934-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Background Recent studies have indicated that deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) are related to the stem-cell pathway network and chemo-resistance in cancer. Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 37 (USP37), a novel DUB, was identified to be a potential factor associated with tumor progression. However, the biological functions of USP37 in breast cancer remain unclear. Methods The distribution of USP37 expression in breast cancer and the correlation between USP37 expression and the overall survival rate were detected by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was utilized to evaluate potential mechanism of USP37 in breast cancer. The USP37 expression in breast cancer tissues and breast cancer cell lines were detected by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Sorting of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) were by using MACS assay. In vitro and in vivo assays were performed to examine the biological functions of USP37 in breast cancer cells. MG132, CHX chase, immunofluorescence staining and co-immunoprecipitation assays were used to test the interaction between USP37 and Gli-1. Results Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that USP37 gene was elevated in breast cancer tissues and its overexpression was strongly correlated with the increased mortality rate. GSEA analysis showed that USP37 expression was positively associated with cell growth and metastasis while negatively related to cell apoptosis in the TCGA breast cancer samples. USP37 expression was elevated in breast cancer tissues and breast cancer cell lines. Moreover, we also detected that USP37 was overexpressed in BCSCs. USP37 regulated the ability of cell invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), stemness and cisplatin sensitivity in breast cancer cell lines. Additionally, USP37 knockdown inhibited tumorigenicity and increased anticancer effect of cisplatin in vivo. Knockdown of USP37 significantly decreased hedgehog (Hh) pathway components Smo and Gli-1. Gli-1 was stabilized by USP37 and they interacted with each other. Further studies indicated that USP37 knockdown could inhibit the stemness, cell invasion and EMT in breast cancer via downregulation of Hh pathway. Conclusions These findings reveal that USP37 is highly expressed in BCSCs and is correlated with poor prognosis in breast cancer patients. USP37 can regulate the stemness, cell invasion and EMT via Hh pathway, and decreased USP37 confers sensitivity to cisplatin in breast cancer cells. USP37 is required for the regulation of breast cancer progression, as well as a critical target for clinical treatment of breast cancer. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-018-0934-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Qin
- Department of Pathology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, People's Republic of China.,The Key Laboratory of Tumor Stem Cell Research of Liaoning Province, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, People's Republic of China
| | - Bai Li
- Department of Pathology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, People's Republic of China.,The Key Laboratory of Tumor Stem Cell Research of Liaoning Province, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyue Feng
- Department of Pathology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, People's Republic of China.,The Key Laboratory of Tumor Stem Cell Research of Liaoning Province, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, People's Republic of China
| | - Shujun Fan
- Department of Pathology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, People's Republic of China.,The Key Laboratory of Tumor Stem Cell Research of Liaoning Province, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Liu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, People's Republic of China
| | - Dandan Liu
- Department of Pathology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, People's Republic of China.,The Key Laboratory of Tumor Stem Cell Research of Liaoning Province, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Mao
- Department of Pathology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, People's Republic of China.,The Key Laboratory of Tumor Stem Cell Research of Liaoning Province, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Lu
- Teaching Laboratory of Morphology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinfeng Yang
- Department of Pathology, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Xiangyang, 441000, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaotang Yu
- Department of Pathology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingqing Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Department of Dean, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Song
- Department of Pathology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, People's Republic of China.,The Key Laboratory of Tumor Stem Cell Research of Liaoning Province, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, People's Republic of China
| | - Man Li
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116023, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China.
| | - Lianhong Li
- Department of Pathology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, People's Republic of China. .,The Key Laboratory of Tumor Stem Cell Research of Liaoning Province, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, People's Republic of China.
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17
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Yuan T, Yan F, Ying M, Cao J, He Q, Zhu H, Yang B. Inhibition of Ubiquitin-Specific Proteases as a Novel Anticancer Therapeutic Strategy. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:1080. [PMID: 30319415 PMCID: PMC6171565 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.01080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Dysfunction or dysregulation of the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is closely related to tumorigenesis and the development of multiple cancers. Targeting the UPS provides a new anticancer therapeutic strategy, but clinically available UPS-targeted inhibitors, including lenalidomide and bortezomib, are limited to treat solid tumors. Under physiological conditions, deubiquitinases or deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) play vital roles in the UPS by removing ubiquitin from substrate proteins and regulating their proteasomal degradation and sub-localization, thus maintaining the balance between ubiquitination and deubiquitination for protein quality control and homeostasis. The aberrant expression or function of DUBs generally leads to the occurrence and progression of a series of disorders, including malignant tumors. Therefore, targeting DUBs is a novel anticancer therapeutic strategy. Ubiquitin-specific proteases (USPs) are the largest subfamily of DUBs which have attracted considerable interest as anticancer targets. Most of USPs are abnormally activated or expressed in a variety of malignant tumors or in the tumor microenvironment, making them ideal anticancer target candidates, which indicates that USPs inhibitors may be a class of potential anticancer therapeutic agents. However, there are no relevant inhibitors targeting USPs have entered clinical trial so far. In this review, we will summarize the roles and mechanisms of USPs in malignant transformation and progression as well as recent advances of small-molecule inhibitors targeting USPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Yuan
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fangjie Yan
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Meidan Ying
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ji Cao
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiaojun He
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hong Zhu
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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18
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Emerging functional markers for cancer stem cell-based therapies: Understanding signaling networks for targeting metastasis. Semin Cancer Biol 2018; 53:90-109. [PMID: 29966677 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2018.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis is one of the most challenging issues in cancer patient management, and effective therapies to specifically target disease progression are missing, emphasizing the urgent need for developing novel anti-metastatic therapeutics. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) gained fast attention as a minor population of highly malignant cells within liquid and solid tumors that are responsible for tumor onset, self-renewal, resistance to radio- and chemotherapies, and evasion of immune surveillance accelerating recurrence and metastasis. Recent progress in the identification of their phenotypic and molecular characteristics and interactions with the tumor microenvironment provides great potential for the development of CSC-based targeted therapies and radical improvement in metastasis prevention and cancer patient prognosis. Here, we report on newly uncovered signaling mechanisms controlling CSC's aggressiveness and treatment resistance, and CSC-specific agents and molecular therapeutics, some of which are currently under investigation in clinical trials, gearing towards decisive functional CSC intrinsic or surface markers. One special research focus rests upon subverted regulatory pathways such as insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor signaling and its interactors in metastasis-initiating cell populations directly related to the gain of stem cell- and EMT-associated properties, as well as key components of the E2F transcription factor network regulating metastatic progression, microenvironmental changes, and chemoresistance. In addition, the study provides insight into systems biology tools to establish complex molecular relationships behind the emergence of aggressive phenotypes from high-throughput data that rely on network-based analysis and their use to investigate immune escape mechanisms or predict clinical outcome-relevant CSC receptor signaling signatures. We further propose that customized vector technologies could drastically enhance systemic drug delivery to target sites, and summarize recent progress and remaining challenges. This review integrates available knowledge on CSC biology, computational modeling approaches, molecular targeting strategies, and delivery techniques to envision future clinical therapies designed to conquer metastasis-initiating cells.
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19
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Qiu GZ, Mao XY, Ma Y, Gao XC, Wang Z, Jin MZ, Sun W, Zou YX, Lin J, Fu HL, Jin WL. Ubiquitin-specific protease 22 acts as an oncoprotein to maintain glioma malignancy through deubiquitinating B cell-specific Moloney murine leukemia virus integration site 1 for stabilization. Cancer Sci 2018; 109:2199-2210. [PMID: 29788550 PMCID: PMC6029839 DOI: 10.1111/cas.13646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Revised: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ubiquitin‐specific protease 22 (USP22) is a member of the “death‐from‐cancer” signature, which plays a key role in cancer progression. Previous evidence has shown that USP22 is overexpressed and correlates with poor prognosis in glioma. The effect and mechanism of USP22 in glioma malignancy, especially cancer stemness, remain elusive. Herein, we find USP22 is more enriched in stem‐like tumorspheres than differentiated glioma cells. USP22 knockdown inhibits cancer stemness in glioma cell lines. With a cell‐penetrating TAT‐tag protein, B cell‐specific Moloney murine leukemia virus integration site 1 (BMI1), a robust glioma stem‐cell marker, is found to mediate the effect of USP22 on glioma stemness. By immunofluorescence, USP22 and BMI1 are found to share similar intranuclear expression in glioma cells. By analysis with immunohistochemistry and bioinformatics, USP22 is found to positively correlate with BMI1 at the post‐translational level only rather than at the transcriptional level. By immunoprecipitation and in vivo deubiquitination assay, USP22 is found to interact with and deubiquitinate BMI1 for protein stabilization. Microarray analysis shows that USP22 and BMI1 mutually regulate a series of genes involved in glioma stemness such as POSTN,HEY2,PDGFRA and ATF3. In vivo study with nude mice confirms the role of USP22 in promoting glioma tumorigenesis by regulating BMI1. All these findings indicate USP22 as a novel deubiquitinase of BMI1 in glioma. We propose a working model of the USP22‐BMI1 axis, which promotes glioma stemness and tumorigenesis through oncogenic activation. Thus, targeting USP22 might be an effective strategy to treat glioma especially in those with elevated BMI1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guan-Zhong Qiu
- Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, Key Lab. for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Electronic Information and Electronic Engineering, Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Neurosurgery, General Hospital of Jinan Military Command, Jinan, China
| | - Xiao-Yuan Mao
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Human Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Changsha, China
| | - Yue Ma
- Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, Key Lab. for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Electronic Information and Electronic Engineering, Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xing-Chun Gao
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Ischemic Cardiovascular Disease, Institute of Basic Medical Medicine, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, Key Lab. for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Electronic Information and Electronic Engineering, Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ming-Zhu Jin
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong-Xiang Zou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Lin
- Department of Neurosurgery, The General Hospital of Western Air Force, Chengdu, China
| | - Hua-Lin Fu
- Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, Key Lab. for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Electronic Information and Electronic Engineering, Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,National Centers for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei-Lin Jin
- Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, Key Lab. for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Electronic Information and Electronic Engineering, Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,National Centers for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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20
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Kaushal K, Antao AM, Kim KS, Ramakrishna S. Deubiquitinating enzymes in cancer stem cells: functions and targeted inhibition for cancer therapy. Drug Discov Today 2018; 23:1974-1982. [PMID: 29864528 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2018.05.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The ability of cancers to evade conventional treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, has been attributed to a subpopulation of cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs are regulated by mechanisms similar to those that regulate normal stem cells (NSCs), including processes involving ubiquitination and deubiquitination enzymes (DUBs) that regulate the expression of various factors, such as Notch, Wnt, Sonic Hedgehog (Shh), and Hippo. In this review, we discuss the roles of various DUBs involved in the regulation of core stem cell transcription factors and CSC-related proteins that are implicated in the modulation of cellular processes and carcinogenesis. In addition, we discuss the various DUB inhibitors that have been designed to target processes relevant to cancer and CSC maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamini Kaushal
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ainsley Mike Antao
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Kye-Seong Kim
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea; College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea.
| | - Suresh Ramakrishna
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea; College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea.
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21
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Choi J, Baek KH. Cellular functions of stem cell factors mediated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Cell Mol Life Sci 2018; 75:1947-1957. [PMID: 29423528 PMCID: PMC11105287 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-018-2770-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2017] [Revised: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Stem cells undergo partitioning through mitosis and separate into specific cells of each of the three embryonic germ layers: endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm. Pluripotency, reprogramming, and self-renewal are essential elements of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), and it is becoming evident that regulation of protein degradation mediated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is one of the key cellular mechanisms in ESCs. Although the framework of that mechanism may seem simple, it involves complicated proteolytic machinery. The UPS controls cell development, survival, differentiation, lineage commitment, migration, and homing processes. This review is centered on the connection between stem cell factors NANOG, OCT-3/4, SOX2, KLF4, C-MYC, LIN28, FAK, and telomerase and the UPS. Herein, we summarize recent findings and discuss potential UPS mechanisms involved in pluripotency, reprogramming, differentiation, and self-renewal. Interactions between the UPS and stem cell transcription factors can apply to various human diseases which can be treated by generating more efficient iPSCs. Such complexes may permit the design of novel therapeutics and the establishment of biomarkers that may be used in diagnosis and prognosis development. Therefore, the UPS is an important target for stem cell therapeutic product research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihye Choi
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA Stem Cell Institute, CHA University, 335 Pangyo-Ro, Bundang-Gu, Seongnam-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, 13488, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang-Hyun Baek
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA Stem Cell Institute, CHA University, 335 Pangyo-Ro, Bundang-Gu, Seongnam-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, 13488, Republic of Korea.
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22
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Lin J, Ji A, Qiu G, Feng H, Li J, Li S, Zou Y, Cui Y, Song C, He H, Lu Y. FBW7 is associated with prognosis, inhibits malignancies and enhances temozolomide sensitivity in glioblastoma cells. Cancer Sci 2018; 109:1001-1011. [PMID: 29427543 PMCID: PMC5891203 DOI: 10.1111/cas.13528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Revised: 01/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
F‐box and WD repeat domain‐containing 7 (FBW7) is a SCF‐type E3 ubiquitin ligase targeting a multitude of oncoproteins for degradation. Acting as one of the most important tumor suppressors, it is frequently inactivated in various tumors. In this study we aimed to evaluate the relationship of FBW7 with glioma pathology and prognosis, and examine its effect in glioma malignancies and temozolomide (TMZ)‐based therapy. Clinical tissues and TCGA database analysis revealed that FBW7 expression was correlated inversely with glioma histology and positively with patient survival time. Lentivirus transfection‐induced FBW7 overexpression significantly suppressed proliferation, invasion and migration of U251 and U373 cells, whereas knockdown of FBW7 by targeted shRNA promoted proliferation, invasion and migration of glioma cells. Most importantly, the expression level of FBW7 was found to affect the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of U251 and the TMZ‐resistant variant. Combining TMZ with FBW7 overexpression notably increased the cytotoxicity compared to TMZ treatment alone, which was conversely attenuated by FBW7 knockdown. Moreover, flow cytometry (FC) analysis showed overexpression of FBW7, TMZ or the combination‐increased proportion of G2/M arrest and the apoptotic rate, whereas FBW7 inhibition reduced G2/M arrest and apoptosis in U251 cells. Finally, mechanistic study found that FBW7 overexpression downregulated Aurora B, Mcl1 and Notch1 levels in a time‐dependent pattern and this expressional suppression was independent of TMZ. These findings collectively demonstrate the critical role of FBW7 as a prognostic factor and a potential target to overcome chemoresistance of glioblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Lin
- Department of Neurosurgery, The 452 Hospital of Western Air Force, Chengdu, China
| | - Aihui Ji
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shandong Provincial Western Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - Guanzhong Qiu
- Department of Neurosurgery, General Hospital of Jinan Military Command, Jinan, China
| | - Huaizhi Feng
- Department of Nutrition, The 452 Hospital of Western Air Force, Chengdu, China
| | - Jian Li
- Department of Urology, The 452 Hospital of Western Air Force, Chengdu, China
| | - Shuo Li
- Department of Nutrition, The 452 Hospital of Western Air Force, Chengdu, China
| | - Yongxiang Zou
- Department of Neurosurgery, The 463 Hospital of People's Liberty Army, Shenyang, China
| | - Yong Cui
- Department of Neurosurgery, The 411 Hospital of People's Liberty Army, Shanghai, China
| | - Chaoli Song
- Department of Neurosurgery, The 452 Hospital of Western Air Force, Chengdu, China
| | - Hua He
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shandong Provincial Western Hospital, Jinan, China.,State key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yicheng Lu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
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23
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Ma Y, Fu HL, Wang Z, Huang H, Ni J, Song J, Xia Y, Jin WL, Cui DX. USP22 maintains gastric cancer stem cell stemness and promotes gastric cancer progression by stabilizing BMI1 protein. Oncotarget 2018; 8:33329-33342. [PMID: 28415621 PMCID: PMC5464871 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.16445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Increased ubiquitin-specific protease 22 (USP22) has been associated with poor prognosis in several cancers including gastric cancer. However, the role of USP22 in gastric tumorigenesis is still unclear. Gastric cancer stem cells have been identified and shown to correlate with gastric cancer initiation and metastasis. In this study, we found that silencing of USP22 inhibited proliferation of gastric cancer cells and suppressed the cancer stem cell spheroid formation in serum-free culture. Furthermore, cancer stem cell markers, such as CD133, SOX2, OCT4 and NANOG were down-regulated. Additionally, knockdown of USP22 inhibited gastric cancer xenografts growth. Our analysis of TCGA database indicated that BMI1 overexpression may predict gastric cancer patient survival, and TAT-BMI1 proteins reversed the USP22 knockdown-mediated decreased in cancer stem cell properties, and elevated the expression of stemness-associated genes. Furthermore, we found that overexpression of USP22 stabilized the BMI1 protein in gastric cancer cells. Taken together, our study demonstrates that USP22 is indispensable for gastric cancer stem cell self-renewal through stabilization of BMI1. These results may provide novel approaches to the theranostics of gastric cancer in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Ma
- Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment Instrument, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Electronic Information and Electronic Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Hua-Lin Fu
- Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment Instrument, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Electronic Information and Electronic Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,National Center for Translational Medicine, Collaborative Innovational Center for System Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Center for Mitochondrial Biology and Medicine, The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology and Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Hai Huang
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Clinical Laboratory Science, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550005, China
| | - Jian Ni
- Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment Instrument, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Electronic Information and Electronic Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,National Center for Translational Medicine, Collaborative Innovational Center for System Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China
| | - Jie Song
- Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment Instrument, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Electronic Information and Electronic Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,National Center for Translational Medicine, Collaborative Innovational Center for System Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China
| | - Ying Xia
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Clinical Laboratory Science, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550005, China
| | - Wei-Lin Jin
- Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment Instrument, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Electronic Information and Electronic Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,National Center for Translational Medicine, Collaborative Innovational Center for System Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China
| | - Da-Xiang Cui
- Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment Instrument, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Electronic Information and Electronic Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,National Center for Translational Medicine, Collaborative Innovational Center for System Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China
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24
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Ghosh K, Modi B, James WD, Capell BC. BAP1: case report and insight into a novel tumor suppressor. BMC DERMATOLOGY 2017; 17:13. [PMID: 29166932 PMCID: PMC5700555 DOI: 10.1186/s12895-017-0065-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND BRCA1-Associated-Protein 1 (BAP1) is a dynamic tumor suppressor which, when mutated, has been associated with an increased risk of uveal melanoma, cutaneous melanoma, mesothelioma, and several other cancers. Germline BAP1 mutations have been extensively studied, where they have been found to cause hereditary cancer susceptibility. However, their sporadic counterparts, tumors that display a loss of BAP1 expression due to somatically arising mutations in the BAP1 gene, remain a poorly described entity. CASE PRESENTATION Here we present the case of a 49-year-old female who presented with an asymptomatic dome-shaped pink papule on the dorsal foot which was found on biopsy to be deficient in the BAP1 tumor suppressor. While the patient's family history did not suggest the presence of a familial cancer syndrome, germline genetic testing was performed and was negative. The patient underwent surgical excision of this sporadically appearing "BAPoma" by Mohs surgery. CONCLUSIONS Given the relatively banal clinical appearance of these dome-shaped neoplasms, sporadic BAPomas may often be overlooked by clinicians and dermatologists. In addition to providing a representative case, here we also provide a synopsis of the current understanding of these neoplasms, both in terms of the histopathological features, as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying BAP1 function and its ability to prevent tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanad Ghosh
- Penn Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA
| | - Badri Modi
- Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA
| | - William D James
- Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA
| | - Brian C Capell
- Penn Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA. .,Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA. .,Biomedical Research Building 1007, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA.
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25
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Lei H, Shan H, Wu Y. Targeting deubiquitinating enzymes in cancer stem cells. Cancer Cell Int 2017; 17:101. [PMID: 29142505 PMCID: PMC5670729 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-017-0472-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are rare but accounted for tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, relapse and therapeutic resistance. Ubiquitination and deubiquitination of stemness-related proteins are essential for CSC maintenance and differentiation, even leading to execute various stem cell fate choices. Deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs), specifically disassembling ubiquitin chains, are important to maintain the balance between ubiquitination and deubiquitination. In this review, we have focused on the DUBs regulation of stem cell fate determination. For example, we discuss deubiquitinase inhibition may lead stem cell transcription factors and CSCs-related protein degradation. Also, CSCs microenvironment is regulated by DUBs activity. Our review provides a new insight into DUBs activity by emphasizing their cellular role in regulating stem cell fate and illustrates the opportunities for the application of DUBs inhibitors in the CSC-targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hu Lei
- Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine, Shanghai Tongren Hospital/Faculty of Basic Medicine, Chemical Biology Division of Shanghai Universities E-Institutes, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025 China
| | - Huizhuang Shan
- Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine, Shanghai Tongren Hospital/Faculty of Basic Medicine, Chemical Biology Division of Shanghai Universities E-Institutes, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025 China
| | - Yingli Wu
- Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine, Shanghai Tongren Hospital/Faculty of Basic Medicine, Chemical Biology Division of Shanghai Universities E-Institutes, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025 China
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26
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Cai J, Culley MK, Zhao Y, Zhao J. The role of ubiquitination and deubiquitination in the regulation of cell junctions. Protein Cell 2017; 9:754-769. [PMID: 29080116 PMCID: PMC6107491 DOI: 10.1007/s13238-017-0486-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Maintenance of cell junctions plays a crucial role in the regulation of cellular functions including cell proliferation, permeability, and cell death. Disruption of cell junctions is implicated in a variety of human disorders, such as inflammatory diseases and cancers. Understanding molecular regulation of cell junctions is important for development of therapeutic strategies for intervention of human diseases. Ubiquitination is an important type of post-translational modification that primarily regulates endogenous protein stability, receptor internalization, enzyme activity, and protein-protein interactions. Ubiquitination is tightly regulated by ubiquitin E3 ligases and can be reversed by deubiquitinating enzymes. Recent studies have been focusing on investigating the effect of protein stability in the regulation of cell-cell junctions. Ubiquitination and degradation of cadherins, claudins, and their interacting proteins are implicated in epithelial and endothelial barrier disruption. Recent studies have revealed that ubiquitination is involved in regulation of Rho GTPases’ biological activities. Taken together these studies, ubiquitination plays a critical role in modulating cell junctions and motility. In this review, we will discuss the effects of ubiquitination and deubiquitination on protein stability and expression of key proteins in the cell-cell junctions, including junction proteins, their interacting proteins, and small Rho GTPases. We provide an overview of protein stability in modulation of epithelial and endothelial barrier integrity and introduce potential future search directions to better understand the effects of ubiquitination on human disorders caused by dysfunction of cell junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junting Cai
- Acute Lung Injury Center of Excellence, Division of Pulmonary, Asthma, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.,Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Miranda K Culley
- Acute Lung Injury Center of Excellence, Division of Pulmonary, Asthma, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Yutong Zhao
- Acute Lung Injury Center of Excellence, Division of Pulmonary, Asthma, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Jing Zhao
- Acute Lung Injury Center of Excellence, Division of Pulmonary, Asthma, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
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27
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Haq S, Suresh B, Ramakrishna S. Deubiquitylating enzymes as cancer stem cell therapeutics. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2017; 1869:1-10. [PMID: 29054474 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2017.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Revised: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The focus of basic and applied research on core stem cell transcription factors has paved the way to initial delineation of their characteristics, their regulatory mechanisms, and the applicability of their regulatory proteins for protein-induced pluripotent stem cells (protein-IPSC) generation and in further clinical settings. Striking parallels have been observed between cancer stem cells (CSCs) and stem cells. For the maintenance of stem cells and CSC pluripotency and differentiation, post translational modifications (i.e., ubiquitylation and deubiquitylation) are tightly regulated, as these modifications result in a variety of stem cell fates. The identification of deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs) involved in the regulation of core stem cell transcription factors and CSC-related proteins might contribute to providing novel insights into the implications of DUB regulatory mechanisms for governing cellular reprogramming and carcinogenesis. Moreover, we propose the novel possibility of applying DUBs coupled with core transcription factors to improve protein-iPSC generation efficiency. Additionally, this review article further illustrates the potential of applying DUB inhibitors as a novel therapeutic intervention for targeting CSCs. Thus, defining DUBs as core pharmacological targets implies that future endeavors to develop their inhibitors may revolutionize our ability to regulate stem cell maintenance and differentiation, somatic cell reprogramming, and cancer stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saba Haq
- Department of Lifesciences, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Bharathi Suresh
- Department of Pharmacology and Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
| | - Suresh Ramakrishna
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea; College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea.
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28
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Pützer BM, Solanki M, Herchenröder O. Advances in cancer stem cell targeting: How to strike the evil at its root. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2017; 120:89-107. [PMID: 28736304 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2017.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2017] [Revised: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 07/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cancer progression to metastatic stages is still unmanageable and the promise of effective anti-metastatic therapy remains largely unmet, emphasizing the need to develop novel therapeutics. The special focus here is on cancer stem cells (CSC) as the seed of tumor initiation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, chemoresistance and, as a consequence, drivers of metastatic dissemination. We report on targeted therapies gearing towards the CSC's internal and membrane-anchored markers using agents such as antibody derivatives, nucleic therapeutics, small molecules and genetic payloads. Another emphasis lies on novel proceedings envisaged to deliver current and prospective therapies to the target sites using newest viral and non-viral vector technologies. In this review, we summarize recent progress and remaining challenges in therapeutic strategies to combat CSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigitte M Pützer
- Institute of Experimental Gene Therapy and Cancer Research, Biomedical Research Center (BMFZ), Rostock University Medical School, Germany.
| | - Manish Solanki
- Institute of Experimental Gene Therapy and Cancer Research, Biomedical Research Center (BMFZ), Rostock University Medical School, Germany
| | - Ottmar Herchenröder
- Institute of Experimental Gene Therapy and Cancer Research, Biomedical Research Center (BMFZ), Rostock University Medical School, Germany
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29
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Qiu GZ, Jin MZ, Dai JX, Sun W, Feng JH, Jin WL. Reprogramming of the Tumor in the Hypoxic Niche: The Emerging Concept and Associated Therapeutic Strategies. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2017; 38:669-686. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2017.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Revised: 05/06/2017] [Accepted: 05/12/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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30
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Yue X, Zuo Y, Ke H, Luo J, Lou L, Qin W, Wang Y, Liu Z, Chen D, Sun H, Zheng W, Zhu C, Wang R, Wen G, Du J, Zhou B, Bu X. Identification of 4-arylidene curcumin analogues as novel proteasome inhibitors for potential anticancer agents targeting 19S regulatory particle associated deubiquitinase. Biochem Pharmacol 2017; 137:29-50. [PMID: 28476333 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2017.04.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The proteasomal 19S regulatory particle (RP) associated deubiquitinases (DUBs) have attracted much attention owing to their potential as a therapeutic target for cancer therapy. Identification of new entities against 19S RP associated DUBs and illustration of the underlying mechanisms is crucial for discovery of novel proteasome blockers. In this study, a series of 4-arylidene curcumin analogues were identified as potent proteasome inhibitor by preferentially blocking deubiquitinase function of proteasomal 19S RP with moderate 20S CP inhibition. The most active compound 33 exhibited a major inhibitory effect on 19S RP-associated ubiquitin-specific proteases 14, along with a minor effect on ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase 5, which resulted in dysfunction of proteasome, and subsequently accumulated ubiquitinated proteins (such as IκB) in several cancer cells. Remarkably, though both 19S RP and 20S CP inhibition induced significantly endoplasmic reticulum stress and triggered caspase-12/9 pathway activation to promote cancer cell apoptosis, the 19S RP inhibition by 33 avoided slow onset time, Bcl-2 overexpression, and PERK-phosphorylation, which contribute to the deficiencies of clinical drug Bortezomib. These systematic studies provided insights in the development of novel proteasome inhibitors for cancer treatment.
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Key Words
- (1E,6E)-4-(3-Bromo-4-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzylidene)-1,7-bis(345-trimethoxyphenyl)hepta-1,6-diene-3,5-dione (33: PubChem CID:123132175)
- (1E,6E)-4-(4-Hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzylidene)-1,7-bis(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)hepta-1,6-diene-3,5-dione (34: PubChemCID:123132176)
- 19S regulatory particle
- 3,4,5-Trimethoxybenzaldehyde (PubChem CID:6858)
- Acetylacetone (PubChem CID: 31261)
- Anticancer
- Bortezomib (PubChem CID: 387447)
- Curcumin (PubChem CID: 969516)
- Curcumin analogues
- Deubiquitinase
- Proteasome
- n-Butylamine (PubChem CID: 8007)
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Yue
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yinglin Zuo
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China; State Key Laboratory of Anti-Infective Drug Development (NO. 2015DQ780357), Sunshine Lake Pharma Co., Ltd, Dongguan 523871, China
| | - Hongpeng Ke
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jiaming Luo
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Lanlan Lou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wenjing Qin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Youqiao Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Ziyi Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Daoyuan Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Haixia Sun
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Weichao Zheng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Cuige Zhu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Ruimin Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Gesi Wen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jun Du
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Binhua Zhou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Xianzhang Bu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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31
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Zou Y, Qiu G, Jiang L, Cai Z, Sun W, Hu H, Lu C, Jin W, Hu G. Overexpression of ubiquitin specific proteases 44 promotes the malignancy of glioma by stabilizing tumor-promoter securin. Oncotarget 2017; 8:58231-58246. [PMID: 28938551 PMCID: PMC5601647 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.16447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Ubiquitin specific peptidase 44 (USP44) has been identified as an important component of spindle assemble checkpoint (SAC) to prevent the formation of aneuploidy. However, recent study raised a controversy about the effect of USP44 in tumor. Here, we first confirmed the intranuclear localization of USP44 by testing several specific antibodies to recognize endogenous USP44. Then, data from IHC and qRT-PCR assay indicated that the high expression of USP44 existed in high-grade glioma tissues and signified a poor prognosis. Knockdown of USP44 inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion, induced apoptosis, and arrested cell cycle in G2/M phase in the established glioma cell lines. Down-regulation of oncoprotein securin was detected in USP44 deficient cells, and the interaction of endogenous USP44 and securin was confirmed by immunoprecipitation in U251MG cells, which indicated that securin was a substrate of USP44, and might be stabilized by USP44. In vivo, knockdown of USP44 inhibited the tumorigenicity of U87MG cells significantly. Consequently, our findings suggested that overexpression of USP44 could enhance the malignancy of glioma via securin. USP44 might serve as a predictive biomarker, and the USP44-securin pathway might provide a new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxiang Zou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Guanzhong Qiu
- Department of Neurosurgery, General Hospital of Jinan Military Command, Jinan, PR China
| | - Lei Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Zheng Cai
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Wei Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Hongkang Hu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Chengyin Lu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Weilin Jin
- Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Electronic Information and Electronic Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Guohan Hu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, PR China
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