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Ji H, Ma W, Zheng A, Tang D. The role and molecular mechanism of Trametes Robiniophila Murr(Huaier) in tumor therapy. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 334:118578. [PMID: 39004194 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Trametes Robiniophila Murr, commonly known as Huaier, has been extensively documented in ethnopharmacology research in China. Huaier has a long history of clinical usage spanning over 1000 years in China. Traditional clinical application records demonstrate the wide utilization of Huaier for treating various cancers and enhancing the autoimmunity of tumor patients. AIM OF THE REVIEW The present study provides a comprehensive review of the traditional uses, phytochemical constituents, pharmacological activities, anti-tumor mechanism, and potential applications of Huaier, thereby offering valuable insights for the further development and utilization of this natural product. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study employed the keywords "Trametes Robiniophila Murr" and "Huaier" to retrieve relevant information on Huaier from various databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Springer, Science Direct, ACS, Wiley, CNKI, Baidu Scholar, Google Scholar, and ancient materia medica. RESULTS Trametes Robiniophila Murr (Huaier), a traditional Chinese medicine, has demonstrated significant efficacy in the clinical treatment of various tumors. The primary bioactive constituents of Huaier consist of fungal-derived compounds, including polysaccharides, proteins, ketones, alkaloids, and minerals. The research findings demonstrate that Huaier serves as a reliable adjunctive therapeutic agent by effectively inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, inducing apoptosis in cancer cells, suppressing tumor metastasis, regulating tumor stem cells and immune function. Therefore, it exerts a potent anti-tumor effect when used in conjunction with conventional anti-cancer therapies. CONCLUSIONS The analysis of traditional uses, phytochemical composition, and pharmacological activity reveals that Huaier exhibits significant potential as a medicinal plant with diverse pharmacological effects. Owing to its numerous advantages, Huaier holds immense promise for application in the domains of tumor prevention and treatment, enhancing both survival time and quality of life among cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Ji
- Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225000, China.
| | - Wei Ma
- Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225000, China.
| | - Aiyu Zheng
- Department of Geriatrics, Taixing People's Hospital, Taixing, 225400, China.
| | - Dong Tang
- Department of General Surgery, Institute of General Surgery, Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital; Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University; The Yangzhou Clinical Medical College of Xuzhou Medical University; The Yangzhou School of Clinical Medicine of Dalian Medical University; The Yangzhou School of Clinical Medicine of Nanjing Medical University; Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital, Clinical Teaching Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Yangzhou, 225000, China.
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2
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Cai Y, Zhou J, Xu A, Huang J, Zhang H, Xie G, Zhong K, Wu Y, Ye P, Wang H, Niu H. N6-methyladenosine triggers renal fibrosis via enhancing translation and stability of ZEB2 mRNA. J Biol Chem 2024:107598. [PMID: 39059495 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107598] [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: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent years, a surge in studies investigating N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification in human diseases has occurred. However, the specific roles and mechanisms of m6A in kidney disease remain incompletely understood. This study revealed that m6A plays a positive role in regulating renal fibrosis (RF) by inducing epithelial-to-mesenchymal phenotypic transition (EMT) in renal tubular cells. Through comprehensive analyses, including m6A sequencing, RNA sequencing, and functional studies, we confirmed the pivotal involvement of zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 2 (ZEB2) in m6A-mediated RF and EMT. Notably, the m6A-modified coding sequence (CDS) of ZEB2 mRNA significantly enhances its translational elongation and mRNA stability by interacting with the YTHDF1/eEF-2 complex and IGF2BP3, respectively. Moreover, targeted demethylation of ZEB2 mRNA using the dm6ACRISPR system substantially decreases ZEB2 expression and disrupts the EMT process in renal tubular epithelial cells. In vivo and clinical data further support the positive influence of m6A/ZEB2 on RF progression. Our findings highlight the m6A-mediated regulation of RF through ZEB2, revealing a novel therapeutic target for RF treatment and enhancing our understanding of the impact of mRNA methylation on kidney disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yating Cai
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China; Department of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Jiawang Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Abai Xu
- Department of Urology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China
| | - Jinchang Huang
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China
| | - Haisheng Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Guoyou Xie
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Ke Zhong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - You Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Pengfei Ye
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China
| | - Hongsheng Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Hongxin Niu
- Department of General Practice, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China; Special Medical Service Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China.
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Li Y, Zhang P, Tang G, Zhong J, Wang Z, Zhu B. Lowering expression of Epsin-3 inhibits migration and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma cells by inhibiting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Sci Rep 2024; 14:17069. [PMID: 39048677 PMCID: PMC11269644 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-68193-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a genetic reprogramming that tumor cells utilize for metastasis. Epsin-3 (EPN3) is an endocytic adapter protein involved in clathrin-mediated endocytosis and had been previously linked to EMT in breast cancer and glioma metastasis. In this study, identified the role of epsin-3 in lung adenocarcinoma and metastasis and epsin-3 levels identified using an expression profile analysis of patient data indicated the protein was abnormally overexpressed in lung adenocarcinoma patients and this was directly linked to disease severity. Gene knockdowns of EPN3 in human adenocarcinoma cell line A549 and the non-small cell lung carcinoma cell line H1299 decreased the levels of mesenchymal markers, including vimentin (VIM), N-cadherin (NCAD) and embryonic transcription factors like zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1(ZEB1), snail, and the key molecules of Wnt pathway such as β-catenin and resulted in increased expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin (ECAD). Our data links EPN3 to the EMT process in lung cancer and inhibition of its expression reduced the metastatic and invasive ability of lung adenocarcinoma cells by inhibiting the EMT process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunhe Li
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Pei Zhang
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Guoxu Tang
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiahui Zhong
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhenghong Wang
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Bing Zhu
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
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4
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Zheng S, Liu Y. Progress in the Study of Fra-2 in Respiratory Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7143. [PMID: 39000247 PMCID: PMC11240912 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 06/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Fos-related antigen-2 (Fra-2) is a member of the activating protein-1 (AP-1) family of transcription factors. It is involved in controlling cell growth and differentiation by regulating the production of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and coordinating the balance of signals within and outside the cell. Fra-2 is not only closely related to bone development, metabolism, and immune system and eye development but also in the progression of respiratory conditions like lung tumors, asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The increased expression and activation of Fra-2 in various lung diseases has been shown in several studies. However, the specific molecular mechanisms through which Fra-2 affects the development of respiratory diseases are not yet understood. The purpose of this research is to summarize and delineate advancements in the study of the involvement of transcription factor Fra-2 in disorders related to the respiratory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuping Zheng
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, China
| | - Yun Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, China
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Pang QY, Chiu YC, Huang RYJ. Regulating epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity from 3D genome organization. Commun Biol 2024; 7:750. [PMID: 38902393 PMCID: PMC11190238 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06441-w] [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: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a dynamic process enabling polarized epithelial cells to acquire mesenchymal features implicated in development and carcinoma progression. As our understanding evolves, it is clear the reversible execution of EMT arises from complex epigenomic regulation involving histone modifications and 3-dimensional (3D) genome structural changes, leading to a cascade of transcriptional events. This review summarizes current knowledge on chromatin organization in EMT, with a focus on hierarchical structures of the 3D genome and chromatin accessibility changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing You Pang
- Neuro-Oncology Research Laboratory, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore, 308433, Singapore
| | - Yi-Chia Chiu
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan
| | - Ruby Yun-Ju Huang
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan.
- Center for Advanced Computing and Imaging in Biomedicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan.
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119077, Singapore.
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6
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Youssef KK, Nieto MA. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition in tissue repair and degeneration. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024:10.1038/s41580-024-00733-z. [PMID: 38684869 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-024-00733-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMTs) are the epitome of cell plasticity in embryonic development and cancer; during EMT, epithelial cells undergo dramatic phenotypic changes and become able to migrate to form different tissues or give rise to metastases, respectively. The importance of EMTs in other contexts, such as tissue repair and fibrosis in the adult, has become increasingly recognized and studied. In this Review, we discuss the function of EMT in the adult after tissue damage and compare features of embryonic and adult EMT. Whereas sustained EMT leads to adult tissue degeneration, fibrosis and organ failure, its transient activation, which confers phenotypic and functional plasticity on somatic cells, promotes tissue repair after damage. Understanding the mechanisms and temporal regulation of different EMTs provides insight into how some tissues heal and has the potential to open new therapeutic avenues to promote repair or regeneration of tissue damage that is currently irreversible. We also discuss therapeutic strategies that modulate EMT that hold clinical promise in ameliorating fibrosis, and how precise EMT activation could be harnessed to enhance tissue repair.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - M Angela Nieto
- Instituto de Neurociencias (CSIC-UMH), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain.
- CIBERER, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.
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7
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Wan R, Chen Y, Feng X, Luo Z, Peng Z, Qi B, Qin H, Lin J, Chen S, Xu L, Tang J, Zhang T. Exercise potentially prevents colorectal cancer liver metastases by suppressing tumor epithelial cell stemness via RPS4X downregulation. Heliyon 2024; 10:e26604. [PMID: 38439884 PMCID: PMC10909670 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most prevalent tumor globally. The liver is the most common site for CRC metastasis, and the involvement of the liver is a common cause of death in patients with late-stage CRC. Consequently, mitigating CRC liver metastasis (CRLM) is key to improving CRC prognosis and increasing survival. Exercise has been shown to be an effective method of improving the prognosis of many tumor types. However, the ability of exercise to inhibit CRLM is yet to be thoroughly investigated. Methods The GSE157600 and GSE97084 datasets were used for analysis. A pan-cancer dataset which was uniformly normalized was downloaded and analyzed from the UCSC database: TCGA, TARGET, GTEx (PANCAN, n = 19,131, G = 60,499). Several advanced bioinformatics analyses were conducted, including single-cell sequencing analysis, correlation algorithm, and prognostic screen. CRC tumor microarray (TMA) as well as cell/animal experiments are used to further validate the results of the analysis. Results The greatest variability was found in epithelial cells from the tumor group. RPS4X was generally upregulated in all types of CRC, while exercise downregulated RPS4X expression. A lowered expression of RPS4X may prolong tumor survival and reduce CRC metastasis. RPS4X and tumor stemness marker-CD44 were highly positively correlated and knockdown of RPS4X expression reduced tumor stemness both in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion RPS4X upregulation may enhance CRC stemness and increase the odds of metastasis. Exercise may reduce CRC metastasis through the regulation of RPS4X.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renwen Wan
- Department of Sports Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Yisheng Chen
- Department of Sports Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Xinting Feng
- Department of Sports Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Zhiwen Luo
- Department of Sports Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Zhen Peng
- Department of Sports Medicine, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Beijie Qi
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Affiliated Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai 201399, China
| | - Haocheng Qin
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Jinrong Lin
- Department of Sports Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Shiyi Chen
- Department of Sports Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Liangfeng Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Sheyang County People's Hospital, Yancheng 224300, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiayin Tang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renji Hospital, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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8
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Lin Z, Roche ME, Díaz-Barros V, Domingo-Vidal M, Whitaker-Menezes D, Tuluc M, Uppal G, Caro J, Curry JM, Martinez-Outschoorn U. MiR-200c reprograms fibroblasts to recapitulate the phenotype of CAFs in breast cancer progression. Cell Stress 2024; 8:1-20. [PMID: 38476765 PMCID: PMC10927306 DOI: 10.15698/cst2024.03.293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal-epithelial plasticity driving cancer progression in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) is undetermined. This work identifies a subgroup of CAFs in human breast cancer exhibiting mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) or epithelial-like profile with high miR-200c expression. MiR-200c overexpression in fibroblasts is sufficient to drive breast cancer aggressiveness. Oxidative stress in the tumor microenvironment induces miR-200c by DNA demethylation. Proteomics, RNA-seq and functional analyses reveal that miR-200c is a novel positive regulator of NFκB-HIF signaling via COMMD1 downregulation and stimulates pro-tumorigenic inflammation and glycolysis. Reprogramming fibroblasts toward MET via miR-200c reduces stemness and induces a senescent phenotype. This pro-tumorigenic profile in CAFs fosters carcinoma cell resistance to apoptosis, proliferation and immunosuppression, leading to primary tumor growth, metastases, and resistance to immuno-chemotherapy. Conversely, miR-200c inhibition in fibroblasts restrains tumor growth with abated oxidative stress and an anti-tumorigenic immune environment. This work determines the mechanisms by which MET in CAFs via miR-200c transcriptional enrichment with DNA demethylation triggered by oxidative stress promotes cancer progression. CAFs undergoing MET trans-differentiation and senescence coordinate heterotypic signaling that may be targeted as an anti-cancer strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Lin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Megan E. Roche
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Víctor Díaz-Barros
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Marina Domingo-Vidal
- Immunology, Microenvironment & Metastasis Program, Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Diana Whitaker-Menezes
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Madalina Tuluc
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Guldeep Uppal
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Jaime Caro
- Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research, Department of Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Joseph M. Curry
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ubaldo Martinez-Outschoorn
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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9
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Xu T, Verhagen MP, Teeuwssen M, Sun W, Joosten R, Sacchetti A, Ewing-Graham PC, Jansen MPHM, Boere IA, Bryce NS, Zeng J, Treutlein HR, Hook J, Hardeman EC, Gunning PW, Fodde R. Tropomyosin1 isoforms underlie epithelial to mesenchymal plasticity, metastatic dissemination, and resistance to chemotherapy in high-grade serous ovarian cancer. Cell Death Differ 2024; 31:360-377. [PMID: 38365970 PMCID: PMC10923901 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-024-01267-9] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity, defined as the ability of individual cells with stable genotypes to exert different phenotypes upon exposure to specific environmental cues, represent the quintessential hallmark of the cancer cell en route from the primary lesion to distant organ sites where metastatic colonization will occur. Phenotypic plasticity is driven by a broad spectrum of epigenetic mechanisms that allow for the reversibility of epithelial-to-mesenchymal and mesenchymal-to-epithelial transitions (EMT/MET). By taking advantage of the co-existence of epithelial and quasi-mesenchymal cells within immortalized cancer cell lines, we have analyzed the role of EMT-related gene isoforms in the regulation of epithelial mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) in high grade serous ovarian cancer. When compared with colon cancer, a distinct spectrum of downstream targets characterizes quasi-mesenchymal ovarian cancer cells, likely to reflect the different modalities of metastasis formation between these two types of malignancy, i.e. hematogenous in colon and transcoelomic in ovarian cancer. Moreover, upstream RNA-binding proteins differentially expressed between epithelial and quasi-mesenchymal subpopulations of ovarian cancer cells were identified that underlie differential regulation of EMT-related isoforms. In particular, the up- and down-regulation of RBM24 and ESRP1, respectively, represent a main regulator of EMT in ovarian cancer cells. To validate the functional and clinical relevance of our approach, we selected and functionally analyzed the Tropomyosin 1 gene (TPM1), encoding for a protein that specifies the functional characteristics of individual actin filaments in contractile cells, among the ovarian-specific downstream AS targets. The low-molecular weight Tpm1.8/9 isoforms are specifically expressed in patient-derived ascites and promote invasion through activation of EMT and Wnt signaling, together with a broad spectrum of inflammation-related pathways. Moreover, Tpm1.8/9 expression confers resistance to taxane- and platinum-based chemotherapy. Small molecule inhibitors that target the Tpm1 isoforms support targeting Tpm1.8/9 as therapeutic targets for the development of future tailor-made clinical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Xu
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mathijs P Verhagen
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Miriam Teeuwssen
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Elisabeth-TweeSteden Ziekenhuis (ETZ), Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | - Wenjie Sun
- Institut Curie, Laboratory of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Paris, France
| | - Rosalie Joosten
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Andrea Sacchetti
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Maurice P H M Jansen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ingrid A Boere
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nicole S Bryce
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - Jun Zeng
- Computist Bio-NanoTech, Scoresby, VIC, 3179, Australia
| | - Herbert R Treutlein
- Computist Bio-NanoTech, Scoresby, VIC, 3179, Australia
- Sanoosa Pty. Ltd, Moonee Ponds, VIC, 3039, Australia
| | - Jeff Hook
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Edna C Hardeman
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Peter W Gunning
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Riccardo Fodde
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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10
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Catalanotto M, Vaz JM, Abshire C, Youngblood R, Chu M, Levine H, Jolly MK, Dragoi AM. Dual role of CASP8AP2/FLASH in regulating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition plasticity (EMP). Transl Oncol 2024; 39:101837. [PMID: 37984255 PMCID: PMC10689956 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2023.101837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a developmental program that consists of the loss of epithelial features concomitant with the acquisition of mesenchymal features. Activation of EMT in cancer facilitates the acquisition of aggressive traits and cancer invasion. EMT plasticity (EMP), the dynamic transition between multiple hybrid states in which cancer cells display both epithelial and mesenchymal markers, confers survival advantages for cancer cells in constantly changing environments during metastasis. METHODS RNAseq analysis was performed to assess genome-wide transcriptional changes in cancer cells depleted for histone regulators FLASH, NPAT, and SLBP. Quantitative PCR and Western blot were used for the detection of mRNA and protein levels. Computational analysis was performed on distinct sets of genes to determine the epithelial and mesenchymal score in cancer cells and to correlate FLASH expression with EMT markers in the CCLE collection. RESULTS We demonstrate that loss of FLASH in cancer cells gives rise to a hybrid E/M phenotype with high epithelial scores even in the presence of TGFβ, as determined by computational methods using expression of predetermined sets of epithelial and mesenchymal genes. Multiple genes involved in cell-cell junction formation are similarly specifically upregulated in FLASH-depleted cells, suggesting that FLASH acts as a repressor of the epithelial phenotype. Further, FLASH expression in cancer lines is inversely correlated with the epithelial score. Nonetheless, subsets of mesenchymal markers were distinctly up-regulated in FLASH, NPAT, or SLBP-depleted cells. CONCLUSIONS The ZEB1low/SNAILhigh/E-cadherinhigh phenotype described in FLASH-depleted cancer cells is driving a hybrid E/M phenotype in which epithelial and mesenchymal markers coexist.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joel Markus Vaz
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Reneau Youngblood
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, LSUHSC, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Min Chu
- Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, INLET Core, LSUHSC, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Herbert Levine
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Center for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Ana-Maria Dragoi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, LSUHSC, Shreveport, LA, USA; Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, INLET Core, LSUHSC, Shreveport, LA, USA.
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11
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Jimenez SA, Piera-Velazquez S. Cellular Transdifferentiation: A Crucial Mechanism of Fibrosis in Systemic Sclerosis. Curr Rheumatol Rev 2024; 20:388-404. [PMID: 37921216 DOI: 10.2174/0115733971261932231025045400] [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: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is a systemic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology with a highly complex pathogenesis that despite extensive investigation is not completely understood. The clinical and pathologic manifestations of the disease result from three distinct processes: 1) Severe and frequently progressive tissue fibrosis causing exaggerated and deleterious accumulation of interstitial collagens and other extracellular matrix molecules in the skin and various internal organs; 2) extensive fibroproliferative vascular lesions affecting small arteries and arterioles causing tissue ischemic alterations; and 3) cellular and humoral immunity abnormalities with the production of numerous autoantibodies, some with very high specificity for SSc. The fibrotic process in SSc is one of the main causes of disability and high mortality of the disease. Owing to its essentially universal presence and the severity of its clinical effects, the mechanisms involved in the development and progression of tissue fibrosis have been extensively investigated, however, despite intensive investigation, the precise molecular mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Several recent studies have suggested that cellular transdifferentiation resulting in the phenotypic conversion of various cell types into activated myofibroblasts may be one important mechanism. Here, we review the potential role that cellular transdifferentiation may play in the development of severe and often progressive tissue fibrosis in SSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio A Jimenez
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Jefferson Institute of Molecular Medicine and Scleroderma Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia 19107, USA
| | - Sonsoles Piera-Velazquez
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Jefferson Institute of Molecular Medicine and Scleroderma Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia 19107, USA
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12
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Kirtana R, Manna S, Patra SK. KDM5A noncanonically binds antagonists MLL1/2 to mediate gene regulation and promotes epithelial to mesenchymal transition. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2023; 1866:194986. [PMID: 37722486 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2023.194986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Differential expression of genes involved in certain processes is a collaborative outcome of crosstalk between signalling molecules and epigenetic modifiers. In response to environmental stimulus, interplay between transcription factors and epigenetic modifiers together dictates the regulation of genes. MLLs and KDM5A are functionally antagonistic proteins, as one acts as a writer and the other erases the active chromatin mark, i.e., H3K4me3. KDM5A influences the process of EMT by binding to both epithelial and mesenchymal gene promoters. Through this work, we show that when bound to E-cadherin promoter, KDM5A acts as a classical repressor by demethylating H3K4me3, but on mesenchymal markers, it acts as a transcriptional activator by inhibiting the activity of HDACs and increasing H3K18ac. Further, through our chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments, we observed a co-occupancy of KDM5A with MLLs, we tested whether KDM5A might physically interact with MLLs and WDR5, and here we provide experimental evidence that KDM5A indeed interacts with MLLs and WDR5.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Kirtana
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha 769008, India
| | - Soumen Manna
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha 769008, India
| | - Samir Kumar Patra
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha 769008, India.
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13
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Yang J, Liu J, Liang J, Li F, Wang W, Chen H, Xie X. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition in age-associated thymic involution: Mechanisms and therapeutic implications. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 92:102115. [PMID: 37922996 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
The thymus is a critical immune organ with endocrine and immune functions that plays important roles in the physiological and pathological processes of the body. However, with aging, the thymus undergoes degenerative changes leading to decreased production and output of naive T cells and the secretion of thymic hormones and related cytokines, thereby promoting the occurrence and development of various age-associated diseases. Therefore, identifying essential processes that regulate age-associated thymic involution is crucial for long-term control of thymic involution and age-associated disease progression. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a well-established process involved in organ aging and functional impairment through tissue fibrosis in several organs, such as the heart and kidney. In the thymus, EMT promotes fibrosis and potentially adipogenesis, leading to thymic involution. This review focuses on the factors involved in thymic involution, including oxidative stress, inflammation, and hormones, from the perspective of EMT. Furthermore, current interventions for reversing age-associated thymic involution by targeting EMT-associated processes are summarized. Understanding the key mechanisms of thymic involution through EMT as an entry point may promote the development of new therapies and clinical agents to reverse thymic involution and age-associated disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiali Yang
- The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China; Public Center of Experimental Technology, Model Animal and Human Disease Research of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Juan Liu
- The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China; Public Center of Experimental Technology, Model Animal and Human Disease Research of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Jiayu Liang
- The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China; Public Center of Experimental Technology, Model Animal and Human Disease Research of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Fan Li
- The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China; Public Center of Experimental Technology, Model Animal and Human Disease Research of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Wenwen Wang
- The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China; Public Center of Experimental Technology, Model Animal and Human Disease Research of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Huan Chen
- The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China; Nucleic Acid Medicine of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
| | - Xiang Xie
- The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China; Public Center of Experimental Technology, Model Animal and Human Disease Research of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
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14
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Schuhwerk H, Brabletz T. Mutual regulation of TGFβ-induced oncogenic EMT, cell cycle progression and the DDR. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 97:86-103. [PMID: 38029866 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.11.009] [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: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
TGFβ signaling and the DNA damage response (DDR) are two cellular toolboxes with a strong impact on cancer biology. While TGFβ as a pleiotropic cytokine affects essentially all hallmarks of cancer, the multifunctional DDR mostly orchestrates cell cycle progression, DNA repair, chromatin remodeling and cell death. One oncogenic effect of TGFβ is the partial activation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), conferring invasiveness, cellular plasticity and resistance to various noxae. Several reports show that both individual networks as well as their interface affect chemo-/radiotherapies. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly resolved. EMT often correlates with TGFβ-induced slowing of proliferation, yet numerous studies demonstrate that particularly the co-activated EMT transcription factors counteract anti-proliferative signaling in a partially non-redundant manner. Collectively, evidence piled up over decades underscore a multifaceted, reciprocal inter-connection of TGFβ signaling / EMT with the DDR / cell cycle progression, which we will discuss here. Altogether, we conclude that full cell cycle arrest is barely compatible with the propagation of oncogenic EMT traits and further propose that 'EMT-linked DDR plasticity' is a crucial, yet intricate facet of malignancy, decisively affecting metastasis formation and therapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harald Schuhwerk
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Thomas Brabletz
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany; Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
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15
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Khilwani R, Singh S. Systems Biology and Cytokines Potential Role in Lung Cancer Immunotherapy Targeting Autophagic Axis. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2706. [PMID: 37893079 PMCID: PMC10604646 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11102706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer accounts for the highest number of deaths among men and women worldwide. Although extensive therapies, either alone or in conjunction with some specific drugs, continue to be the principal regimen for evolving lung cancer, significant improvements are still needed to understand the inherent biology behind progressive inflammation and its detection. Unfortunately, despite every advancement in its treatment, lung cancer patients display different growth mechanisms and continue to die at significant rates. Autophagy, which is a physiological defense mechanism, serves to meet the energy demands of nutrient-deprived cancer cells and sustain the tumor cells under stressed conditions. In contrast, autophagy is believed to play a dual role during different stages of tumorigenesis. During early stages, it acts as a tumor suppressor, degrading oncogenic proteins; however, during later stages, autophagy supports tumor cell survival by minimizing stress in the tumor microenvironment. The pivotal role of the IL6-IL17-IL23 signaling axis has been observed to trigger autophagic events in lung cancer patients. Since the obvious roles of autophagy are a result of different immune signaling cascades, systems biology can be an effective tool to understand these interconnections and enhance cancer treatment and immunotherapy. In this review, we focus on how systems biology can be exploited to target autophagic processes that resolve inflammatory responses and contribute to better treatment in carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shailza Singh
- Systems Medicine Laboratory, National Centre for Cell Science, SPPU Campus, Ganeshkhind Road, Pune 411007, India;
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16
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Haerinck J, Goossens S, Berx G. The epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity landscape: principles of design and mechanisms of regulation. Nat Rev Genet 2023; 24:590-609. [PMID: 37169858 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00601-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) enables cells to interconvert between several states across the epithelial-mesenchymal landscape, thereby acquiring hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal phenotypic features. This plasticity is crucial for embryonic development and wound healing, but also underlies the acquisition of several malignant traits during cancer progression. Recent research using systems biology and single-cell profiling methods has provided novel insights into the main forces that shape EMP, which include the microenvironment, lineage specification and cell identity, and the genome. Additionally, key roles have emerged for hysteresis (cell memory) and cellular noise, which can drive stochastic transitions between cell states. Here, we review these forces and the distinct but interwoven layers of regulatory control that stabilize EMP states or facilitate epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMTs) and discuss the therapeutic potential of manipulating the EMP landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jef Haerinck
- Molecular and Cellular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Steven Goossens
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
- Unit for Translational Research in Oncology, Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Geert Berx
- Molecular and Cellular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium.
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17
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Wang Y, Chen Y, Liang J, Jiang M, Zhang T, Wan X, Wu J, Li X, Chen J, Sun J, Hu Y, Huang P, Feng J, Liu T, Sun X. METTL3-mediated m6A modification of HMGA2 mRNA promotes subretinal fibrosis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. J Mol Cell Biol 2023; 15:mjad005. [PMID: 36945110 PMCID: PMC10603769 DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjad005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Subretinal fibrosis is a major cause of the poor visual prognosis for patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Myofibroblasts originated from retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells through epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) contribute to the fibrosis formation. N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) modification has been implicated in the EMT process and multiple fibrotic diseases. The role of m6A modification in EMT-related subretinal fibrosis has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we found that during subretinal fibrosis in the mouse model of laser-induced choroidal neovascularization, METTL3 was upregulated in RPE cells. Through m6A epitranscriptomic microarray and further verification, high-mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2) was identified as the key downstream target of METTL3, subsequently activating potent EMT-inducing transcription factor SNAIL. Finally, by subretinal injections of adeno-associated virus vectors, we confirmed that METTL3 deficiency in RPE cells could efficiently attenuate subretinal fibrosis in vivo. In conclusion, our present research identified an epigenetic mechanism of METTL3-m6A-HMGA2 in subretinal fibrosis and EMT of RPE cells, providing a novel therapeutic target for subretinal fibrosis secondary to nAMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuwei Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Yuhong Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Jian Liang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Mei Jiang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Xiaoling Wan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Jiahui Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Xiaomeng Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Jieqiong Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Junran Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Yifan Hu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Peirong Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Jingyang Feng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Te Liu
- Shanghai Geriatric Institute of Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Xiaodong Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai 200080, China
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18
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Yang D, Huang L, Wang J, Wu H, Liu Z, Abudureyimu A, Qiao Z. Tumorigenesis mechanism and application strategy of the MDCK cell line: A systematic review. Biologicals 2023; 83:101699. [PMID: 37573790 DOI: 10.1016/j.biologicals.2023.101699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Influenza is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by influenza virus that seriously endangers people's health. Influenza vaccination is the most effective means to prevent influenza virus infection and its serious complications. MDCK cells are considered to be superior to chicken embryos for the production of influenza vaccines, but the tumorigenicity of cells is a concern over the theoretical possibility of the risk of adverse events. The theoretical risks need to be adequately addressed if public confidence in programs of immunization are to be maintained. In this paper, studies of the tumorigenic potential of cell lines, with MDCK cells as an example, published since 2010 are reviewed. The mechanism of tumorigenicity of MDCK cells is discussed with reference to cell heterogeneity and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Understanding the mechanism of the acquisition of a tumorigenic phenotype by MDCK cells might assist in estimating potential risks associated with using tumorigenic cell substrates for vaccine production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Yang
- Engineering Research Center of Key Technology and Industrialization of Cell-based Vaccine, Ministry of Education, Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, 730030, China; Gansu Tech Innovation Center of Animal Cell, Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, 730030, Lanzhou, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, 730030, Lanzhou, China; Department of Experiment & Teaching, Northwest Minzu University, 730030, Lanzhou, China.
| | - Lingwei Huang
- Engineering Research Center of Key Technology and Industrialization of Cell-based Vaccine, Ministry of Education, Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, 730030, China; Gansu Tech Innovation Center of Animal Cell, Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, 730030, Lanzhou, China.
| | - Jiamin Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Key Technology and Industrialization of Cell-based Vaccine, Ministry of Education, Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, 730030, China; Gansu Tech Innovation Center of Animal Cell, Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, 730030, Lanzhou, China.
| | - Huihao Wu
- Department of Experiment & Teaching, Northwest Minzu University, 730030, Lanzhou, China.
| | - Zhenbin Liu
- Engineering Research Center of Key Technology and Industrialization of Cell-based Vaccine, Ministry of Education, Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, 730030, China; Gansu Tech Innovation Center of Animal Cell, Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, 730030, Lanzhou, China.
| | - Ayimuguli Abudureyimu
- Engineering Research Center of Key Technology and Industrialization of Cell-based Vaccine, Ministry of Education, Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, 730030, China; Gansu Tech Innovation Center of Animal Cell, Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, 730030, Lanzhou, China.
| | - Zilin Qiao
- Engineering Research Center of Key Technology and Industrialization of Cell-based Vaccine, Ministry of Education, Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, 730030, China; Gansu Tech Innovation Center of Animal Cell, Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, 730030, Lanzhou, China.
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19
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Das BK, Kannan A, Velasco GJ, Kunika MD, Lambrecht N, Nguyen Q, Zhao H, Wu J, Gao L. Single-cell dissection of Merkel cell carcinoma heterogeneity unveils transcriptomic plasticity and therapeutic vulnerabilities. Cell Rep Med 2023; 4:101101. [PMID: 37421947 PMCID: PMC10394170 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a rare but aggressive skin cancer, remains a challenge in the era of precision medicine. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), the only approved therapy for advanced MCC, are impeded by high primary and acquired resistance. Hence, we dissect transcriptomic heterogeneity at single-cell resolution in a panel of patient tumors, revealing phenotypic plasticity in a subset of treatment-naive MCC. The tumor cells in a "mesenchymal-like" state are endowed with an inflamed phenotype that portends a better ICI response. This observation is also validated in the largest whole transcriptomic dataset available from MCC patient tumors. In contrast, ICI-resistant tumors predominantly express neuroepithelial markers in a well-differentiated state with "immune-cold" landscape. Importantly, a subtle shift to "mesenchymal-like" state reverts copanlisib resistance in primary MCC cells, highlighting potential strategies in patient stratification for therapeutics to harness tumor cell plasticity, augment treatment efficacy, and avert resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhaba K Das
- Southern California Institute for Research and Education, Long Beach, CA 90822, USA
| | - Aarthi Kannan
- Southern California Institute for Research and Education, Long Beach, CA 90822, USA; Department of Dermatology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Graham J Velasco
- Pathology Department, Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center, VA Long Beach Healthcare System, Long Beach, CA 90822, USA
| | - Mikaela D Kunika
- Southern California Institute for Research and Education, Long Beach, CA 90822, USA
| | - Nils Lambrecht
- Pathology Department, Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center, VA Long Beach Healthcare System, Long Beach, CA 90822, USA
| | - Quy Nguyen
- Genomics Research and Technology Hub, Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Haibo Zhao
- Southern California Institute for Research and Education, Long Beach, CA 90822, USA
| | - Jie Wu
- Genomics Research and Technology Hub, Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Ling Gao
- Southern California Institute for Research and Education, Long Beach, CA 90822, USA; Department of Dermatology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Dermatology Section, Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center, VA Long Beach Healthcare System, Long Beach, CA 90822, USA.
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20
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van Voorden AJ, Keijser R, Veenboer GJM, Lopes Cardozo SA, Diek D, Vlaardingerbroek JA, van Dijk M, Ris-Stalpers C, van Pelt AMM, Afink GB. EP300 facilitates human trophoblast stem cell differentiation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2217405120. [PMID: 37406095 PMCID: PMC10334808 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2217405120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Early placenta development involves cytotrophoblast differentiation into extravillous trophoblast (EVT) and syncytiotrophoblast (STB). Defective trophoblast development and function may result in severe pregnancy complications, including fetal growth restriction and pre-eclampsia. The incidence of these complications is increased in pregnancies of fetuses affected by Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome, a developmental disorder predominantly caused by heterozygous mutations in CREB-binding protein (CREBBP) or E1A-binding protein p300 (EP300). Although the acetyltransferases CREBBP and EP300 are paralogs with many overlapping functions, the increased incidence of pregnancy complications is specific for EP300 mutations. We hypothesized that these complications have their origin in early placentation and that EP300 is involved in that process. Therefore, we investigated the role of EP300 and CREBBP in trophoblast differentiation, using human trophoblast stem cells (TSCs) and trophoblast organoids. We found that pharmacological CREBBP/EP300 inhibition blocks differentiation of TSCs into both EVT and STB lineages, and results in an expansion of TSC-like cells under differentiation-inducing conditions. Specific targeting by RNA interference or CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis demonstrated that knockdown of EP300 but not CREBBP, inhibits trophoblast differentiation, consistent with the complications seen in Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome pregnancies. By transcriptome sequencing, we identified transforming growth factor alpha (TGFA, encoding TGF-α) as being strongly upregulated upon EP300 knockdown. Moreover, supplementing differentiation medium with TGF-α, which is a ligand for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), likewise affected trophoblast differentiation and resulted in increased TSC-like cell proliferation. These findings suggest that EP300 facilitates trophoblast differentiation by interfering with at least EGFR signaling, pointing towards a crucial role for EP300 in early human placentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Jantine van Voorden
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam1105 AZ, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Remco Keijser
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam1105 AZ, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Geertruda J. M. Veenboer
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam1105 AZ, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Solange A. Lopes Cardozo
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam1105 AZ, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Dina Diek
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam1105 AZ, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jennifer A. Vlaardingerbroek
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam1105 AZ, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marie van Dijk
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam1105 AZ, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Carrie Ris-Stalpers
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam1105 AZ, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam1105 AZ, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ans M. M. van Pelt
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam1105 AZ, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Gijs B. Afink
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam1105 AZ, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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21
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Lampropoulou DI, Papadimitriou M, Papadimitriou C, Filippou D, Kourlaba G, Aravantinos G, Gazouli M. The Role of EMT-Related lncRNAs in Ovarian Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10079. [PMID: 37373222 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241210079] [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: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide; late diagnosis and drug resistance are two major factors often responsible for high morbidity and treatment failure. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a dynamic process that has been closely linked with cancer. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been also associated with several cancer-related mechanisms, including EMT. We conducted a literature search in the PubMed database in order to sum up and discuss the role of lncRNAs in regulating OC-related EMT and their underlying mechanisms. Seventy (70) original research articles were identified, as of 23 April 2023. Our review concluded that the dysregulation of lncRNAs is highly associated with EMT-mediated OC progression. A comprehensive understanding of lncRNAs' mechanisms in OC will help in identifying novel and sensitive biomarkers and therapeutic targets for this malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marios Papadimitriou
- Myeloma Division, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Second Department of Surgery, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Christos Papadimitriou
- Second Department of Surgery, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Filippou
- Department of Anatomy and Surgical Anatomy, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- National Organization for Medicines (EOF), 15562 Athens, Greece
| | - Georgia Kourlaba
- Department of Nursing, University of Peloponnese, 22100 Tripoli, Greece
| | | | - Maria Gazouli
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Laboratory of Biology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
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22
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Kravitz CJ, Yan Q, Nguyen DX. Epigenetic markers and therapeutic targets for metastasis. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2023; 42:427-443. [PMID: 37286865 PMCID: PMC10595046 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-023-10109-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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The last few years have seen an increasing number of discoveries which collectively demonstrate that histone and DNA modifying enzyme modulate different stages of metastasis. Moreover, epigenomic alterations can now be measured at multiple scales of analysis and are detectable in human tumors or liquid biopsies. Malignant cell clones with a proclivity for relapse in certain organs may arise in the primary tumor as a consequence of epigenomic alterations which cause a loss in lineage integrity. These alterations may occur due to genetic aberrations acquired during tumor progression or concomitant to therapeutic response. Moreover, evolution of the stroma can also alter the epigenome of cancer cells. In this review, we highlight current knowledge with a particular emphasis on leveraging chromatin and DNA modifying mechanisms as biomarkers of disseminated disease and as therapeutic targets to treat metastatic cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn J Kravitz
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Qin Yan
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
- Yale Center for Immuno-Oncology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
| | - Don X Nguyen
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
- Department of Internal Medicine (Section of Medical Oncology), Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
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23
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Akhmetkaliyev A, Alibrahim N, Shafiee D, Tulchinsky E. EMT/MET plasticity in cancer and Go-or-Grow decisions in quiescence: the two sides of the same coin? Mol Cancer 2023; 22:90. [PMID: 37259089 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01793-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mesenchymal epithelial transition (MET) are genetic determinants of cellular plasticity. These programs operate in physiological (embryonic development, wound healing) and pathological (organ fibrosis, cancer) conditions. In cancer, EMT and MET interfere with various signalling pathways at different levels. This results in gross alterations in the gene expression programs, which affect most, if not all hallmarks of cancer, such as response to proliferative and death-inducing signals, tumorigenicity, and cell stemness. EMT in cancer cells involves large scale reorganisation of the cytoskeleton, loss of epithelial integrity, and gain of mesenchymal traits, such as mesenchymal type of cell migration. In this regard, EMT/MET plasticity is highly relevant to the Go-or-Grow concept, which postulates the dichotomous relationship between cell motility and proliferation. The Go-or-Grow decisions are critically important in the processes in which EMT/MET plasticity takes the central stage, mobilisation of stem cells during wound healing, cancer relapse, and metastasis. Here we outline the maintenance of quiescence in stem cell and metastatic niches, focusing on the implication of EMT/MET regulatory networks in Go-or-Grow switches. In particular, we discuss the analogy between cells residing in hybrid quasi-mesenchymal states and GAlert, an intermediate phase allowing quiescent stem cells to enter the cell cycle rapidly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azamat Akhmetkaliyev
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, Astana, 020000, Kazakhstan
| | | | - Darya Shafiee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, Astana, 020000, Kazakhstan
| | - Eugene Tulchinsky
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, Astana, 020000, Kazakhstan.
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
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24
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Tong Y, Qi Y, Xiong G, Li J, Scott TL, Chen J, He D, Li L, Wang C, Lane AN, Xu R. The PLOD2/succinate axis regulates the epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity and cancer cell stemness. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2214942120. [PMID: 37155842 PMCID: PMC10194013 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2214942120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Aberrant accumulation of succinate has been detected in many cancers. However, the cellular function and regulation of succinate in cancer progression is not completely understood. Using stable isotope-resolved metabolomics analysis, we showed that the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) was associated with profound changes in metabolites, including elevation of cytoplasmic succinate levels. The treatment with cell-permeable succinate induced mesenchymal phenotypes in mammary epithelial cells and enhanced cancer cell stemness. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and sequence analysis showed that elevated cytoplasmic succinate levels were sufficient to reduce global 5-hydroxymethylcytosinene (5hmC) accumulation and induce transcriptional repression of EMT-related genes. We showed that expression of procollagen-lysine,2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase 2 (PLOD2) was associated with elevation of cytoplasmic succinate during the EMT process. Silencing of PLOD2 expression in breast cancer cells reduced succinate levels and inhibited cancer cell mesenchymal phenotypes and stemness, which was accompanied by elevated 5hmC levels in chromatin. Importantly, exogenous succinate rescued cancer cell stemness and 5hmC levels in PLOD2-silenced cells, suggesting that PLOD2 promotes cancer progression at least partially through succinate. These results reveal the previously unidentified function of succinate in enhancing cancer cell plasticity and stemness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Tong
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40536
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40536
| | - Yifei Qi
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40536
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40536
| | - Gaofeng Xiong
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40536
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40536
| | - Junyan Li
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40536
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40536
| | - Timothy L. Scott
- Center for Environmental and Systems Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40536
- Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40536
| | - Jie Chen
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40536
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40536
| | - Daheng He
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40536
| | - Linzhang Li
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40536
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40536
| | - Chi Wang
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40536
| | - Andrew N. Lane
- Center for Environmental and Systems Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40536
- Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40536
| | - Ren Xu
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40536
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40536
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25
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Verstappe J, Berx G. A role for partial epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in enabling stemness in homeostasis and cancer. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 90:15-28. [PMID: 36773819 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Stem cells have self-renewal capacities and the ability to give rise to differentiated cells thereby sustaining tissues during homeostasis and injury. This structural hierarchy extends to tumours which harbor stem-like cells deemed cancer stem cells that propagate the tumour and drive metastasis and relapse. The process of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which plays an important role in development and cancer cell migration, was shown to be correlated with stemness in both homeostasis and cancer indicating that stemness can be acquired and is not necessarily an intrinsic trait. Nowadays it is experimentally proven that the activation of an EMT program does not necessarily drive cells towards a fully mesenchymal phenotype but rather to hybrid E/M states. This review offers the latest advances in connecting the EMT status and stem-cell state of both non-transformed and cancer cells. Recent literature clearly shows that hybrid EMT states have a higher probability of acquiring stem cell traits. The position of a cell along the EMT-axis which coincides with a stem cell-like state is known as the stemness window. We show how the original EMT-state of a cell dictates the EMT/MET inducing programmes required to reach stemness. Lastly we present the mechanism of stemness regulation and the regulatory feedback loops which position cells at a certain EMT state along the EMT axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen Verstappe
- Molecular and Cellular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Geert Berx
- Molecular and Cellular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium.
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26
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Belyaeva E, Loginova N, Schroeder BA, Goldlust IS, Acharya A, Kumar S, Timashev P, Ulasov I. The spectrum of cell death in sarcoma. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 162:114683. [PMID: 37031493 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The balance between cell death and cell survival is a highly coordinated process by which cells break down and remove unnecessary or harmful materials in a controlled, highly regulated, and compartmentalized manner. Cell exposure to various stresses, such as oxygen starvation, a lack of nutrients, or exposure to radiation, can initiate autophagy. Autophagy is a carefully orchestrated process with multiple steps, each regulated by specific genes and proteins. Autophagy proteins impact cellular maintenance and cell fate in response to stress, and targeting this process is one of the most promising methods of anti-tumor therapy. It is currently not fully understood how autophagy affects different types of tumor cells, which makes it challenging to predict outcomes when this process is manipulated. In this review, we will explore the mechanisms of autophagy and investigate it as a potential and promising therapeutic target for aggressive sarcomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizaveta Belyaeva
- Group of Experimental Biotherapy and Diagnostics, Institute for Regenerative Medicine, World-Class Research Centre "Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare", I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Nina Loginova
- Group of Experimental Biotherapy and Diagnostics, Institute for Regenerative Medicine, World-Class Research Centre "Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare", I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Brett A Schroeder
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Ian S Goldlust
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Arbind Acharya
- Laboratory of Cancer Immunology, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Sandeep Kumar
- Laboratory of Cancer Immunology, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Peter Timashev
- World-Class Research Centre "Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare", Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Ilya Ulasov
- Group of Experimental Biotherapy and Diagnostics, Institute for Regenerative Medicine, World-Class Research Centre "Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare", I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow 119991, Russia.
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27
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Effendi WI, Nagano T. Epigenetics Approaches toward Precision Medicine for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Focus on DNA Methylation. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11041047. [PMID: 37189665 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11041047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic information is not transmitted solely by DNA but by the epigenetics process. Epigenetics describes molecular missing link pathways that could bridge the gap between the genetic background and environmental risk factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. Specific epigenetic patterns, especially DNA methylation, histone modifications, long non-coding, and microRNA (miRNAs), affect the endophenotypes underlying the development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Among all the epigenetic marks, DNA methylation modifications have been the most widely studied in IPF. This review summarizes the current knowledge concerning DNA methylation changes in pulmonary fibrosis and demonstrates a promising novel epigenetics-based precision medicine.
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28
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Dong Y, Hu H, Zhang X, Zhang Y, Sun X, Wang H, Kan W, Tan MJ, Shi H, Zang Y, Li J. Phosphorylation of PHF2 by AMPK releases the repressive H3K9me2 and inhibits cancer metastasis. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:95. [PMID: 36872368 PMCID: PMC9986243 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01302-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a crucial role in cancer metastasis, accompanied with vast epigenetic changes. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a cellular energy sensor, plays regulatory roles in multiple biological processes. Although a few studies have shed light on AMPK regulating cancer metastasis, the inside epigenetic mechanisms remain unknown. Herein we show that AMPK activation by metformin relieves the repressive H3K9me2-mediated silencing of epithelial genes (e.g., CDH1) during EMT processes and inhibits lung cancer metastasis. PHF2, a H3K9me2 demethylase, was identified to interact with AMPKα2. Genetic deletion of PHF2 aggravates lung cancer metastasis and abolishes the H3K9me2 downregulation and anti-metastasis effect of metformin. Mechanistically, AMPK phosphorylates PHF2 at S655 site, enhancing PHF2 demethylation activity and triggering the transcription of CDH1. Furthermore, the PHF2-S655E mutant that mimics AMPK-mediated phosphorylation status further reduces H3K9me2 and suppresses lung cancer metastasis, while PHF2-S655A mutant presents opposite phenotype and reverses the anti-metastasis effect of metformin. PHF2-S655 phosphorylation strikingly reduces in lung cancer patients and the higher phosphorylation level predicts better survival. Altogether, we reveal the mechanism of AMPK inhibiting lung cancer metastasis via PHF2 mediated H3K9me2 demethylation, thereby promoting the clinical application of metformin and highlighting PHF2 as the potential epigenetic target in cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yunkai Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xin Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.,School of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China
| | - Hanlin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.,Department of Pharmacology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Weijuan Kan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Min-Jia Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hong Shi
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Yi Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China. .,Lingang laboratory, Shanghai, 201203, China. .,School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, China.
| | - Jia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China. .,School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, China. .,Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong, 264117, China. .,Open Studio for Druggability Research of Marine Natural Products, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), 1 Wenhai Road, Aoshanwei, Jimo, Qingdao, 266237, China.
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29
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Hu J, Li G, Liu Z, Ma H, Yuan W, Lu Z, Zhang D, Ling H, Zhang F, Liu Y, Liu C, Qiu Y. Bicarbonate transporter SLC4A7 promotes EMT and metastasis of HNSCC by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Mol Carcinog 2023; 62:628-640. [PMID: 36727616 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23511] [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: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. Currently, therapeutic modalities such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy are being used to treat HNSCC. However, the treatment outcomes of most patients are dismal because they are already in middle or advanced stage by the time of diagnosis and poorly responsive to treatments. It is therefore of great interest to clarify mechanisms that contribute to the metastasis of cells to identify possible targets for therapy. In this study, we identified the Na+ -coupled bicarbonate transporter, SLC4A7, play essential roles in the metastasis of HNSCC. Our results showed that the relative expression of SLC4A7 messenger RNA was highly expressed in HNSCCs samples from TCGA, and compared with precancerous cells of human oral mucosa (DOK), SLC4A7 was highly expressed in HNSCC cell lines. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that dysregulation of SLC4A7 had minor influence on the proliferation of HNSCC but impacted HNSCC's migration and invasion. Meanwhile, SLC4A7 could promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in HNSCC. RNA-seq, KEGG pathway enrichment analysis and Western blot further revealed that downregulation of SLC4A7 in HNSCC cells inhibited the PI3K/AKT pathway. These findings were further validated via rescue experiments using a small molecule inhibitor of PI3K/mTOR (GDC-0980). Our findings suggest that SLC4A7 promotes EMT and metastasis of HNSCC through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, which may be a valuable predictive biomarker and potential therapeutic target in HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junli Hu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Yantian District People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Guo Li
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhifeng Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Huiling Ma
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Wenhui Yuan
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Zhaoyi Lu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Diekuo Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Hang Ling
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Fengyu Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Yong Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yuanzheng Qiu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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30
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Min S, Whited JL. Limb blastema formation: How much do we know at a genetic and epigenetic level? J Biol Chem 2023; 299:102858. [PMID: 36596359 PMCID: PMC9898764 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Regeneration of missing body parts is an incredible ability which is present in a wide number of species. However, this regenerative capability varies among different organisms. Urodeles (salamanders) are able to completely regenerate limbs after amputation through the essential process of blastema formation. The blastema is a collection of relatively undifferentiated progenitor cells that proliferate and repattern to form the internal tissues of a regenerated limb. Understanding blastema formation in salamanders may enable comparative studies with other animals, including mammals, with more limited regenerative abilities and may inspire future therapeutic approaches in humans. This review focuses on the current state of knowledge about how limb blastemas form in salamanders, highlighting both the possible roles of epigenetic controls in this process as well as limitations to scientific understanding that present opportunities for research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangwon Min
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jessica L Whited
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
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31
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Fukano M, Alzial G, Lambert R, Deblois G. Profiling the Epigenetic Landscape of the Tumor Microenvironment Using Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Sequencing. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2614:313-348. [PMID: 36587133 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2914-7_19] [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] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Cancer cells within a tumor exhibit phenotypic plasticity that allows adaptation and survival in hostile tumor microenvironments. Reprogramming of epigenetic landscapes can support tumor progression within a specific microenvironment by influencing chromatin accessibility and modulating cell identity. The profiling of epigenetic landscapes within various tumor cell populations has significantly improved our understanding of tumor progression and plasticity. This protocol describes an integrated approach using chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput sequencing (ChIP-seq) optimized to profile genome-wide post-translational modifications of histone tails in tumors. Essential tools amenable to ChIP-seq to isolate tumor cell populations of interest from the tumor microenvironment are also presented to provide a comprehensive approach to perform heterogeneous epigenetic landscape profiling of the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Fukano
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), University of Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Rosalind & Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI), McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Gabriel Alzial
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), University of Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Raphaëlle Lambert
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), University of Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Geneviève Deblois
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), University of Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
- Rosalind & Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI), McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
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32
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Moore PC, Henderson KW, Classon M. The epigenome and the many facets of cancer drug tolerance. Adv Cancer Res 2023; 158:1-39. [PMID: 36990531 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2022.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The use of chemotherapeutic agents and the development of new cancer therapies over the past few decades has consequently led to the emergence of myriad therapeutic resistance mechanisms. Once thought to be explicitly driven by genetics, the coupling of reversible sensitivity and absence of pre-existing mutations in some tumors opened the way for discovery of drug-tolerant persisters (DTPs): slow-cycling subpopulations of tumor cells that exhibit reversible sensitivity to therapy. These cells confer multi-drug tolerance, to targeted and chemotherapies alike, until the residual disease can establish a stable, drug-resistant state. The DTP state can exploit a multitude of distinct, yet interlaced, mechanisms to survive otherwise lethal drug exposures. Here, we categorize these multi-faceted defense mechanisms into unique Hallmarks of Cancer Drug Tolerance. At the highest level, these are comprised of heterogeneity, signaling plasticity, differentiation, proliferation/metabolism, stress management, genomic integrity, crosstalk with the tumor microenvironment, immune escape, and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms. Of these, epigenetics was both one of the first proposed means of non-genetic resistance and one of the first discovered. As we describe in this review, epigenetic regulatory factors are involved in most facets of DTP biology, positioning this hallmark as an overarching mediator of drug tolerance and a potential avenue to novel therapies.
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Qin J, Xu J. Arginine methylation in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. FEBS J 2022; 289:7292-7303. [PMID: 34358413 PMCID: PMC10181118 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial cells acquire mesenchymal characteristics during embryonic development, wound healing, fibrosis, and in cancer in a processed termed epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Regulatory networks of EMT are controlled by post-transcriptional, translational, and post-translational mechanisms, in which arginine methylation is critically involved. Here, we review arginine methylation-dependent mechanisms that regulate EMT in the aspects of signaling, transcriptional, and splicing regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Qin
- Central laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, China
| | - Jian Xu
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Norris Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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34
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Evan T, Wang VMY, Behrens A. The roles of intratumour heterogeneity in the biology and treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Oncogene 2022; 41:4686-4695. [PMID: 36088504 PMCID: PMC9568427 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-022-02448-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Intratumour heterogeneity (ITH) has become an important focus of cancer research in recent years. ITH describes the cellular variation that enables tumour evolution, including tumour progression, metastasis and resistance to treatment. The selection and expansion of genetically distinct treatment-resistant cancer cell clones provides one explanation for treatment failure. However, tumour cell variation need not be genetically encoded. In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in particular, the complex tumour microenvironment as well as crosstalk between tumour and stromal cells result in exceptionally variable tumour cell phenotypes that are also highly adaptable. In this review we discuss four different types of phenotypic heterogeneity within PDAC, from morphological to metabolic heterogeneity. We suggest that these different types of ITH are not independent, but, rather, can inform one another. Lastly, we highlight recent findings that suggest how therapeutic efforts may halt PDAC progression by constraining cellular heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodore Evan
- Cancer Stem Cell Laboratory, The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, Institute of Cancer Research, London, SW3 6JB, UK
| | | | - Axel Behrens
- Cancer Stem Cell Laboratory, The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, Institute of Cancer Research, London, SW3 6JB, UK.
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
- CRUK Convergence Science Centre, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, London, UK.
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35
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Huang Y, Hong W, Wei X. The molecular mechanisms and therapeutic strategies of EMT in tumor progression and metastasis. J Hematol Oncol 2022; 15:129. [PMID: 36076302 PMCID: PMC9461252 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-022-01347-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 220] [Impact Index Per Article: 110.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an essential process in normal embryonic development and tissue regeneration. However, aberrant reactivation of EMT is associated with malignant properties of tumor cells during cancer progression and metastasis, including promoted migration and invasiveness, increased tumor stemness, and enhanced resistance to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. EMT is tightly regulated by a complex network which is orchestrated with several intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including multiple transcription factors, post-translational control, epigenetic modifications, and noncoding RNA-mediated regulation. In this review, we described the molecular mechanisms, signaling pathways, and the stages of tumorigenesis involved in the EMT process and discussed the dynamic non-binary process of EMT and its role in tumor metastasis. Finally, we summarized the challenges of chemotherapy and immunotherapy in EMT and proposed strategies for tumor therapy targeting EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhe Huang
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Weiqi Hong
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiawei Wei
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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36
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Pulford CS, Uppalapati CK, Montgomery MR, Averitte RL, Hull EE, Leyva KJ. A Hybrid Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Ex Vivo Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Tissues. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169183. [PMID: 36012449 PMCID: PMC9408944 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
While most cases of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) are benign, invasive cSCC is associated with higher mortality and is often more difficult to treat. As such, understanding the factors that influence the progression of cSCC are important. Aggressive cancers metastasize through a series of evolutionary changes, collectively called the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). During EMT, epithelial cells transition to a highly mobile mesenchymal cell type with metastatic capacities. While changes in expression of TGF-β, ZEB1, SNAI1, MMPs, vimentin, and E-cadherin are hallmarks of an EMT process occurring within cancer cells, including cSCC cells, EMT within tissues is not an “all or none” process. Using patient-derived cSCC and adjacent normal tissues, we show that cells within individual cSCC tumors are undergoing a hybrid EMT process, where there is variation in expression of EMT markers by cells within a tumor mass that may be facilitating invasion. Interestingly, cells along the outer edges of a tumor mass exhibit a more mesenchymal phenotype, with reduced E-cadherin, β-catenin, and cytokeratin expression and increased vimentin expression. Conversely, cells in the center of a tumor mass retain a higher expression of the epithelial markers E-cadherin and cytokeratin and little to no expression of vimentin, a mesenchymal marker. We also detected inverse expression changes in the miR-200 family and the EMT-associated transcription factors ZEB1 and SNAI1, suggesting that cSCC EMT dynamics are regulated in a miRNA-dependent manner. These novel findings in cSCC tumors provide evidence of phenotypic plasticity of the EMT process occurring within patient tissues, and extend the characterization of a hybrid EMT program occurring within a tumor mass. This hybrid EMT program may be promoting both survival and invasiveness of the tumors. A better understanding of this hybrid EMT process may influence therapeutic strategies in more invasive disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher S. Pulford
- Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, 19555 N. 59th Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA
- Biomedical Sciences Program, College of Graduate Studies, Midwestern University, 19555 N. 59th Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA
| | - Chandana K. Uppalapati
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, College of Graduate Studies, Midwestern University, 19555 N. 59th Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA
| | | | - Richard L. Averitte
- Affiliated Dermatology & Affiliated Laboratories, 20401 N. 73rd Street #230, Scottsdale, AZ 85255, USA
| | - Elizabeth E. Hull
- Biomedical Sciences Program, College of Graduate Studies, Midwestern University, 19555 N. 59th Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA
| | - Kathryn J. Leyva
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, College of Graduate Studies, Midwestern University, 19555 N. 59th Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: 1-623-572-3294
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37
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Huang Y, Guo Y, Xu Y, Liu F, Dai S. Flotillin-1 promotes EMT of gastric cancer via stabilizing Snail. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13901. [PMID: 35990908 PMCID: PMC9387518 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide and has been identified as the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Flotillin-1 is a lipid raft-associated scaffolding protein and plays an important role in the progression and development of several malignant carcinomas. Flotillin-1 is involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process of several solid tumors to promote metastasis. However, the detailed characteristics and mechanisms of Flotillin-1 in gastric cancer have rarely been investigated. In this study, we found Flotillin-1 upregulated in gastric cancer, and the high expression of Flotillin-1 correlated with a worse prognosis. The migration and invasion ability of gastric cancer cells was upregulated by overexpressing Flotillin-1. Knockdown of Flotillin-1 inhibits gastric cancer cells metastasis. Flotillin-1 is a key regulator of EMT process and promotes gastric cancer cells metastasis through inducing EMT. Flotillin-1 may interact with a deubiquitinase to inhibit the ubiquitination of Snail in gastric cancer cells to promote EMT process. Our study provides a rationale and potential target for the treatment of gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Huang
- The Fifth Hospital of Shijiazhuang, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Yun Guo
- The Fifth Hospital of Shijiazhuang, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Yi Xu
- The Fifth Hospital of Shijiazhuang, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Fei Liu
- Research Center, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Suli Dai
- Research Center, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
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38
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Wang X, Liu M, Chu Y, Liu Y, Cao X, Zhang H, Huang Y, Gong A, Liao X, Wang D, Zhu H. O-GlcNAcylation of ZEB1 facilitated mesenchymal pancreatic cancer cell ferroptosis. Int J Biol Sci 2022; 18:4135-4150. [PMID: 35844792 PMCID: PMC9274488 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.71520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Mesenchymal cancer cells, resistant to the traditional regulated cell death, are exquisitely vulnerable to ferroptosis. However, the underlying mechanism has been rarely studied. While glycolipid metabolism rewiring is a critical determination of both cancer cell mesenchymal phenotype and cell death resistance, we are interested in the underlying cross talk between glycolipid metabolism and mesenchymal cancer cell ferroptosis sensitivity. Methods: CCK-8, western blot and clone forming assay were used to access the effect of glucose on mesenchymal cancer cell ferroptosis susceptibility and O-GlcNAcylation level. GEPIA database, shRNA knockdown and various pharmacological inhibitors were used to analyze the relationship between O-GlcNAcylation and mesenchymal cancer cell ferroptosis in vitro and in vivo. A series of experiments were conducted to investigate the underlying mechanisms of glucose induced ZEB1 O-GlcNAcylation on mesenchymal cancer cell ferroptosis susceptibility. Results: Mesenchymal pancreatic cancer cells O-GlcNAcylation level and ferroptosis cell death was significantly increased under high glucose condition in vitro and in vivo. O-GlcNAcylation of ZEB1, rather than other transcription factors, was involved in this process. Mechanistically, glucose triggered ZEB1 O-GlcNAcylation at Ser555 site enhanced its stabilization and nuclear translocation, induced lipogenesis associated genes, FASN and FADS2, transcription activity, which ultimately resulted in lipid peroxidation dependent mesenchymal pancreatic cancer cell ferroptosis. Conclusions: These results identify a novel role of glycolipid metabolism and O-GlcNAcylation in mesenchymal cancer cells ferroptosis susceptibility, which broaden the molecular mechanism of ferroptosis and suggested a potential clinical therapeutic strategy for refractory tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- Laboratory of Medical Imaging, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China, 212001.,Department of Medical Imaging, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China, 212001
| | - Mengqi Liu
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China, 212013
| | - Yue Chu
- Department of Medical Imaging, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medicine University, 211166
| | - Yanfang Liu
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China, 212013
| | - Xiongfeng Cao
- Department of Medical Imaging, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China, 212001
| | - Han Zhang
- Laboratory of Medical Imaging, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China, 212001
| | - Yao Huang
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China, 212013
| | - Aihua Gong
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China, 212013
| | - Xiang Liao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China, 212001
| | - Dongqing Wang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China, 212001
| | - Haitao Zhu
- Laboratory of Medical Imaging, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China, 212001.,Department of Medical Imaging, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China, 212001
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PRMT5 activates AKT via methylation to promote tumor metastasis. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3955. [PMID: 35803962 PMCID: PMC9270419 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31645-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) is the primary methyltransferase generating symmetric-dimethyl-arginine marks on histone and non-histone proteins. PRMT5 dysregulation is implicated in multiple oncogenic processes. Here, we report that PRMT5-mediated methylation of protein kinase B (AKT) is required for its subsequent phosphorylation at Thr308 and Ser473. Moreover, pharmacologic or genetic inhibition of PRMT5 abolishes AKT1 arginine 15 methylation, thereby preventing AKT1 translocation to the plasma membrane and subsequent recruitment of its upstream activating kinases PDK1 and mTOR2. We show that PRMT5/AKT signaling controls the expression of the epithelial-mesenchymal-transition transcription factors ZEB1, SNAIL, and TWIST1. PRMT5 inhibition significantly attenuates primary tumor growth and broadly blocks metastasis in multiple organs in xenograft tumor models of high-risk neuroblastoma. Collectively, our results suggest that PRMT5 inhibition augments anti-AKT or other downstream targeted therapeutics in high-risk metastatic cancers.
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Okuda S, Yamakado N, Higashikawa K, Uetsuki R, Ishida F, Rizqiawan A, Ono S, Mizuta K, Kamata N, Tobiume K. Dexamethasone resets stable association of nuclear Snail with LSD1 concomitant with transition from EMT to partial EMT. Biochem Biophys Rep 2022; 30:101277. [PMID: 35592611 PMCID: PMC9110894 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2022.101277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells utilize epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) during invasion and metastasis. This program has intermediate cell states with retained epithelial and gained mesenchymal features together, referred to as partial EMT. Histone demethylase LSD1 forms a complex with the EMT master transcription factor Snail to modify histone marks and regulate target gene expression. However, little is known about the formation of this complex during the Snail-dependent transition between partial EMT and EMT. Here we visualized the nuclear complex of Snail and LSD1 as foci signals using proximity ligation assay. We demonstrated that the nuclear foci numbers varied with the transition of exogenous Snail-dependent partial EMT to EMT. Furthermore, we found that long exposure to dexamethasone could revert exogenous Snail-dependent EMT to partial EMT. In this reversion, the nuclear foci numbers also returned to previous levels. Therefore, we concluded that Snail might select partial EMT or EMT by altering its association with LSD1. Nuclear complexes of Snail was visualized by PLA. Exogenous Snai1 differently induced pEMT and EMT in OM-1. Dexamethasone reverted Snail-induced EMT to pEMT. Nuclei showed distinct foci numbers of Snail/LSD1 and Snail/methylated H3 in EMT and pEMT.
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41
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Cheng B, Wang Q, Wei Z, He Y, Li R, Liu G, Zeng S, Meng Z. MHBSt 167 induced autophagy promote cell proliferation and EMT by activating the immune response in L02 cells. Virol J 2022; 19:110. [PMID: 35761331 PMCID: PMC9235077 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-022-01840-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatitis B virus can induce hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by inducing a host immune response against infected hepatocytes. C-terminally truncated middle surface protein (MHBSt) has been reported to contribute to HCC through transcriptional activation in epidemiology studies, while the underlying mechanism of MHBSt-induced HCC is unknown. Methods In this study, a premature stop at codon 167 in MHBS (MHBSt167) was investigated into eukaryotic expression plasmid pcDNA3.1(-). MHBSt167 expressed plasmid was transfected into the L02 cell line, cell proliferation was analyzed by CCK-8 and high-content screening assays, the cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and autophagy were analyzed by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence. NF-κB activation and the MHBSt167-induced immune response were analyzed by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence. IFN-α, IFN-β and IL-1α expression were analyzed by qPCR. Autophagy inhibitors were used to analyze the relationship between the immune response and autophagy. Results The results showed that MHBSt167 promoted L02 cell proliferation, accelerated cell cycle progression from the S to G2 phase and promoted epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition through ER-stress, leading to autophagy and NF-κB activation and increased immune-related factor expression. The MHBSt167-induced acceleration of cell proliferation and the cell cycle was abolished by autophagy or NF-κB inhibitors. Conclusion In summary, MHBSt167 could promote cell proliferation, accelerate cell cycle progression, induce EMT and activate autophagy through ER-stress to induce the host immune response, supporting a potential role of MHBSt167 in contributing to carcinogenesis. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12985-022-01840-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Cheng
- Institute of Biomedical Research, Hubei Clinical Research Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Liver Cancer, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Qiong Wang
- Institute of Biomedical Research, Hubei Clinical Research Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Liver Cancer, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wei
- Institute of Biomedical Research, Hubei Clinical Research Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Liver Cancer, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Yulin He
- Institute of Biomedical Research, Hubei Clinical Research Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Liver Cancer, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Ruiming Li
- Institute of Biomedical Research, Hubei Clinical Research Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Liver Cancer, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Guohua Liu
- Institute of Biomedical Research, Hubei Clinical Research Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Liver Cancer, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Shaobo Zeng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Zhongji Meng
- Institute of Biomedical Research, Hubei Clinical Research Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Liver Cancer, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China. .,Department of Infectious Diseases, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China. .,Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China.
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42
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Chijimatsu R, Kobayashi S, Takeda Y, Kitakaze M, Tatekawa S, Arao Y, Nakayama M, Tachibana N, Saito T, Ennishi D, Tomida S, Sasaki K, Yamada D, Tomimaru Y, Takahashi H, Okuzaki D, Motooka D, Ohshiro T, Taniguchi M, Suzuki Y, Ogawa K, Mori M, Doki Y, Eguchi H, Ishii H. Establishment of a reference single-cell RNA sequencing dataset for human pancreatic adenocarcinoma. iScience 2022; 25:104659. [PMID: 35847558 PMCID: PMC9283889 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) has been used to assess the intra-tumor heterogeneity and microenvironment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, previous knowledge is not fully universalized. Here, we built a single cell atlas of PDAC from six datasets containing over 70 samples and >130,000 cells, and demonstrated its application to the reanalysis of the previous bulk transcriptomic cohorts and inferring cell–cell communications. The cell decomposition of bulk transcriptomics using scRNAseq data showed the cellular heterogeneity of PDAC; moreover, high levels of tumor cells and fibroblasts were indicative of poor-prognosis. Refined tumor subtypes signature indicated the tumor cell dynamics in intra-tumor and their specific regulatory network. We further identified functionally distinct tumor clusters that had close interaction with fibroblast subtypes via different signaling pathways dependent on subtypes. Our analysis provided a reference dataset for PDAC and showed its utility in research on the microenvironment of intra-tumor heterogeneity. Generation of reference single cell atlas for pancreatic adenocarcinoma Decomposition of bulk transcriptomics showed the heterogeneous microenvironment Refined tumor subtypes signature indicated the tumor cell dynamics in intra-tumor Two subtype of fibroblast support the growth of tumor cell with distinct pathways
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryota Chijimatsu
- Department of Medical Data Science, Center of Medical Innovation and Translational Research, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Center for Comprehensive Genomic Medicine, Okayama University Hospital, Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Shogo Kobayashi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yu Takeda
- Department of Gastroenterology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Kitakaze
- Department of Gastroenterology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Shotaro Tatekawa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yasuko Arao
- Department of Medical Data Science, Center of Medical Innovation and Translational Research, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Mika Nakayama
- Department of Medical Data Science, Center of Medical Innovation and Translational Research, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Naohiro Tachibana
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Section of Sensory and Motor System Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan
| | - Taku Saito
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Section of Sensory and Motor System Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan
| | - Daisuke Ennishi
- Center for Comprehensive Genomic Medicine, Okayama University Hospital, Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Shuta Tomida
- Center for Comprehensive Genomic Medicine, Okayama University Hospital, Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Kazuki Sasaki
- Department of Gastroenterology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Daisaku Yamada
- Department of Gastroenterology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yoshito Tomimaru
- Department of Gastroenterology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hidenori Takahashi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Daisuke Okuzaki
- Genome Information Research Center, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Daisuke Motooka
- Genome Information Research Center, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Takahito Ohshiro
- SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research), Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Osaka, Ibaraki 567-0047, Japan
| | - Masateru Taniguchi
- SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research), Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Osaka, Ibaraki 567-0047, Japan
| | - Yutaka Suzuki
- Laboratory of Systems Genomics, Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba 272-8562, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Ogawa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Masaki Mori
- Department of Gastroenterology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Tokai University Graduate School of Medicine, Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa 259-1193, Japan
| | - Yuichiro Doki
- Department of Gastroenterology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Eguchi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Corresponding author
| | - Hideshi Ishii
- Department of Medical Data Science, Center of Medical Innovation and Translational Research, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Corresponding author
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Kufe DW. Chronic activation of MUC1-C in wound repair promotes progression to cancer stem cells. JOURNAL OF CANCER METASTASIS AND TREATMENT 2022; 8. [PMID: 35539431 PMCID: PMC9083497 DOI: 10.20517/2394-4722.2022.03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The mucin 1 (MUC1) gene emerged in mammals to afford protection of barrier epithelial tissues from the external environment. MUC1 encodes a transmembrane C-terminal (MUC1-C) subunit that is activated by loss of homeostasis and induces inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling pathways associated with wound repair. As a consequence, chronic activation of MUC1-C promotes lineage plasticity, epigenetic reprogramming, and carcinogenesis. In driving cancer progression, MUC1-C is imported into the nucleus, where it induces NF-κB inflammatory signaling and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). MUC1-C represses gene expression by activating (i) DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) and DNMT3b, (ii) Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1) and PRC2, and (iii) the nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase (NuRD) complex. PRC1/2-mediated gene repression is counteracted by the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes. MUC1-C activates the SWI/SNF BAF and PBAF complexes in cancer stem cell (CSC) models with the induction of genome-wide differentially accessible regions and expressed genes. MUC1-C regulates chromatin accessibility of enhancer-like signatures in association with the induction of the Yamanaka pluripotency factors and recruitment of JUN and BAF, which promote increases in histone activation marks and opening of chromatin. These and other findings described in this review have uncovered a pivotal role for MUC1-C in integrating lineage plasticity and epigenetic reprogramming, which are transient in wound repair and sustained in promoting CSC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald W Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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P-Cadherin Regulates Intestinal Epithelial Cell Migration and Mucosal Repair, but Is Dispensable for Colitis Associated Colon Cancer. Cells 2022; 11:cells11091467. [PMID: 35563773 PMCID: PMC9100778 DOI: 10.3390/cells11091467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Recurrent chronic mucosal inflammation, a characteristic of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), perturbs the intestinal epithelial homeostasis resulting in formation of mucosal wounds and, in most severe cases, leads to colitis-associated colon cancer (CAC). The altered structure of epithelial cell-cell adhesions is a hallmark of intestinal inflammation contributing to epithelial injury, repair, and tumorigenesis. P-cadherin is an important adhesion protein, poorly expressed in normal intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) but upregulated in inflamed and injured mucosa. The goal of this study was to investigate the roles of P-cadherin in regulating intestinal inflammation and CAC. P-cadherin expression was markedly induced in the colonic epithelium of human IBD patients and CAC tissues. The roles of P-cadherin were investigated in P-cadherin null mice using dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis and an azoxymethane (AOM)/DSS induced CAC. Although P-cadherin knockout did not affect the severity of acute DSS colitis, P-cadherin null mice exhibited faster recovery after colitis. No significant differences in the number of colonic tumors were observed in P-cadherin null and control mice. Consistently, the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of P-cadherin in human IEC accelerated epithelial wound healing without affecting cell proliferation. The accelerated migration of P-cadherin depleted IEC was driven by activation of Src kinases, Rac1 GTPase and myosin II motors and was accompanied by transcriptional reprogramming of the cells. Our findings highlight P-cadherin as a negative regulator of IEC motility in vitro and mucosal repair in vivo. In contrast, this protein is dispensable for IEC proliferation and CAC development.
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Choudhury J, Pandey D, Chaturvedi PK, Gupta S. Epigenetic regulation of epithelial to mesenchymal transition: a trophoblast perspective. Mol Hum Reprod 2022; 28:6572349. [PMID: 35451485 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaac013] [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: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic changes alter expression of genes at both pre- and post-transcriptional levels without changing their DNA sequence. Accumulating evidence suggests that such changes can modify cellular behaviour and characteristics required during development and in response to various extracellular stimuli. Trophoblast cells develop from the outermost trophectoderm layer of the blastocyst and undergo many phenotypic changes as the placenta develops. One such phenotypic change is differentiation of the epithelial natured cytotrophoblasts into the mesenchymal natured extravillous trophoblasts. The extravillous trophoblasts are primarily responsible for invading into the maternal decidua and thus establishing connection with the maternal spiral arteries. Any dysregulation of this process can have adverse effects on the pregnancy outcome. Hence, tight regulation of this epithelial-mesenchymal transition is critical for successful pregnancy. This review summarizes the recent research on the epigenetic regulation of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition occurring in the trophoblast cells during placental development. The functional significance of chemical modifications of DNA and histone, which regulate transcription, as well as non-coding RNAs, which control gene expression post-transcriptionally, is discussed in relation to trophoblast biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaganmoy Choudhury
- Department of Reproductive Biology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi-, 110029, India
| | - Deepak Pandey
- Department of Reproductive Biology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi-, 110029, India
| | - Pradeep Kumar Chaturvedi
- Department of Reproductive Biology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi-, 110029, India
| | - Surabhi Gupta
- Department of Reproductive Biology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi-, 110029, India
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Li X, Sun M, Cheng A, Zheng G. LncRNA GAS5 regulates migration and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in lens epithelial cells via the miR-204-3p/TGFBR1 axis. J Transl Med 2022; 102:452-460. [PMID: 34916611 DOI: 10.1038/s41374-021-00713-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Diabetic cataract (DC) is a major ocular complication secondary to diabetes mellitus. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of lens epithelial cells (LECs) is an important event in DC progression. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs are involved in various biological processes and disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the roles of lncRNA growth arrest-specific transcript 5 (GAS5) and microRNA-204-3p (miR-204-3p) deregulation in the pathogenic mechanism of high glucose (HG)-stimulated LECs. The results show that GAS5 was up-regulated, whereas miR-204-3p was down-regulated in anterior lens capsule tissues of DC patients and in HG-treated LECs compared to their controls, respectively. Functional experiments suggest that the lentivirus-mediated depletion of GAS5, as well as overexpression of miR-204-3p, suppressed migration and EMT in HG-treated LECs. Further mechanistic studies revealed that lncRNA GAS5/miR-204-3p/type 1 receptor of transforming growth factor-beta (TGFBR1) has a regulatory role in the process. Collectively, we demonstrated that dysregulation of GAS5 affects lens epithelial cell migration and EMT under HG conditions via the miR-204-3p/TGFBR1 axis. The current findings may provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of DC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1 Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450000, Henan, China
| | - Miaomiao Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1 Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450000, Henan, China
| | - Anran Cheng
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1 Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450000, Henan, China
| | - Guangying Zheng
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1 Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450000, Henan, China.
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Plaschka M, Benboubker V, Grimont M, Berthet J, Tonon L, Lopez J, Le-Bouar M, Balme B, Tondeur G, de la Fouchardière A, Larue L, Puisieux A, Grinberg-Bleyer Y, Bendriss-Vermare N, Dubois B, Caux C, Dalle S, Caramel J. ZEB1 transcription factor promotes immune escape in melanoma. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2021-003484. [PMID: 35288462 PMCID: PMC8921918 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The efficacy of immunotherapies in metastatic melanoma depends on a robust T cell infiltration. Oncogenic alterations of tumor cells have been associated to T cell exclusion. Identifying novel cancer cell-intrinsic non-genetic mechanisms of immune escape, the targeting of which would reinstate T cell recruitment, would allow to restore the response to anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) antibody therapy. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-inducing transcription factor ZEB1 is a major regulator of melanoma cell plasticity, driving resistance to mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) targeted therapies. We thus wondered whether ZEB1 signaling in melanoma cells may promote immune evasion and resistance to immunotherapy. Methods We evaluated the putative correlation between ZEB1 expression in melanoma cells and the composition of the immune infiltrate in a cohort of 60 human melanoma samples by combining transcriptomic (RNA-sequencing) and seven-color spatial multi-immunofluorescence analyses. Algorithm-based spatial reconstitution of tumors allowed the quantification of CD8+, CD4+ T cells number and their activation state (PD-1, Ki67). ZEB1 gain-of-function or loss-of-function approaches were then implemented in syngeneic melanoma mouse models, followed by monitoring of tumor growth, quantification of immune cell populations frequency and function by flow cytometry, cytokines secretion by multiplex analyses. Chromatin-immunoprecipitation was used to demonstrate the direct binding of this transcription factor on the promoters of cytokine-encoding genes. Finally, the sensitivity to anti-PD-1 antibody therapy upon ZEB1 gain-of-function or loss-of-function was evaluated. Results Combined spatial and transcriptomic analyses of the immune infiltrates in human melanoma samples demonstrated that ZEB1 expression in melanoma cells is associated with decreased CD8+ T cell infiltration, independently of β-catenin pathway activation. ZEB1 ectopic expression in melanoma cells impairs CD8+ T cell recruitment in syngeneic mouse models, resulting in tumor immune evasion and resistance to immune checkpoint blockade. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that ZEB1 directly represses the secretion of T cell-attracting chemokines, including CXCL10. Finally, Zeb1 knock-out, by promoting CD8+ T cell infiltration, synergizes with anti-PD-1 antibody therapy in promoting tumor regression. Conclusions We identify the ZEB1 transcription factor as a key determinant of melanoma immune escape, highlighting a previously unknown therapeutic target to increase efficacy of immunotherapy in melanoma. Trial registration number NCT02828202.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maud Plaschka
- Cancer Cell Plasticity in Melanoma, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Valentin Benboubker
- Cancer Cell Plasticity in Melanoma, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Maxime Grimont
- Cancer Cell Plasticity in Melanoma, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Justine Berthet
- Cancer Immune Surveillance and Therapeutic Targeting, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France.,Laboratory of Immunotherapy of Cancer of Lyon (LICL), Lyon, France
| | - Laurie Tonon
- Fondation Synergie Lyon Cancer, Plateforme de bio-informatique Gilles Thomas, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Jonathan Lopez
- Cancer Cell Plasticity in Melanoma, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Myrtille Le-Bouar
- Dermatology Unit, Hospices Civils de Lyon, CH Lyon Sud, Pierre Bénite, France
| | - Brigitte Balme
- Dermatology Unit, Hospices Civils de Lyon, CH Lyon Sud, Pierre Bénite, France
| | - Garance Tondeur
- Dermatology Unit, Hospices Civils de Lyon, CH Lyon Sud, Pierre Bénite, France
| | - Arnaud de la Fouchardière
- Cancer Cell Plasticity in Melanoma, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Lionel Larue
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | | | - Yenkel Grinberg-Bleyer
- Molecular Regulation of Immunity in Cancer, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Nathalie Bendriss-Vermare
- Cancer Immune Surveillance and Therapeutic Targeting, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France.,Laboratory of Immunotherapy of Cancer of Lyon (LICL), Lyon, France
| | - Bertrand Dubois
- Cancer Immune Surveillance and Therapeutic Targeting, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France.,Laboratory of Immunotherapy of Cancer of Lyon (LICL), Lyon, France
| | - Christophe Caux
- Cancer Immune Surveillance and Therapeutic Targeting, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France.,Laboratory of Immunotherapy of Cancer of Lyon (LICL), Lyon, France
| | - Stéphane Dalle
- Cancer Cell Plasticity in Melanoma, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France.,Dermatology Unit, Hospices Civils de Lyon, CH Lyon Sud, Pierre Bénite, France
| | - Julie Caramel
- Cancer Cell Plasticity in Melanoma, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
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Transcriptional and post-transcriptional control of epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity: why so many regulators? Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:182. [PMID: 35278142 PMCID: PMC8918127 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04199-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The dynamic transition between epithelial-like and mesenchymal-like cell states has been a focus for extensive investigation for decades, reflective of the importance of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) through development, in the adult, and the contributing role EMT has to pathologies including metastasis and fibrosis. Not surprisingly, regulation of the complex genetic networks that underlie EMT have been attributed to multiple transcription factors and microRNAs. What is surprising, however, are the sheer number of different regulators (hundreds of transcription factors and microRNAs) for which critical roles have been described. This review seeks not to collate these studies, but to provide a perspective on the fundamental question of whether it is really feasible that so many regulators play important roles and if so, what does this tell us about EMT and more generally, the genetic machinery that controls complex biological processes.
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Ponzoni M, Bachetti T, Corrias MV, Brignole C, Pastorino F, Calarco E, Bensa V, Giusto E, Ceccherini I, Perri P. Recent advances in the developmental origin of neuroblastoma: an overview. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2022; 41:92. [PMID: 35277192 PMCID: PMC8915499 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02281-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is a pediatric tumor that originates from neural crest-derived cells undergoing a defective differentiation due to genomic and epigenetic impairments. Therefore, NB may arise at any final site reached by migrating neural crest cells (NCCs) and their progeny, preferentially in the adrenal medulla or in the para-spinal ganglia. NB shows a remarkable genetic heterogeneity including several chromosome/gene alterations and deregulated expression of key oncogenes that drive tumor initiation and promote disease progression. NB substantially contributes to childhood cancer mortality, with a survival rate of only 40% for high-risk patients suffering chemo-resistant relapse. Hence, NB remains a challenge in pediatric oncology and the need of designing new therapies targeted to specific genetic/epigenetic alterations become imperative to improve the outcome of high-risk NB patients with refractory disease or chemo-resistant relapse. In this review, we give a broad overview of the latest advances that have unraveled the developmental origin of NB and its complex epigenetic landscape. Single-cell RNA sequencing with spatial transcriptomics and lineage tracing have identified the NCC progeny involved in normal development and in NB oncogenesis, revealing that adrenal NB cells transcriptionally resemble immature neuroblasts or their closest progenitors. The comparison of adrenal NB cells from patients classified into risk subgroups with normal sympatho-adrenal cells has highlighted that tumor phenotype severity correlates with neuroblast differentiation grade. Transcriptional profiling of NB tumors has identified two cell identities that represent divergent differentiation states, i.e. undifferentiated mesenchymal (MES) and committed adrenergic (ADRN), able to interconvert by epigenetic reprogramming and to confer intra-tumoral heterogeneity and high plasticity to NB. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing has disclosed the existence of two super-enhancers and their associated transcription factor networks underlying MES and ADRN identities and controlling NB gene expression programs. The discovery of NB-specific regulatory circuitries driving oncogenic transformation and maintaining the malignant state opens new perspectives on the design of innovative therapies targeted to the genetic and epigenetic determinants of NB. Remodeling the disrupted regulatory networks from a dysregulated expression, which blocks differentiation and enhances proliferation, toward a controlled expression that prompts the most differentiated state may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for NB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirco Ponzoni
- Laboratory of Experimental Therapies in Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy
| | - Tiziana Bachetti
- U.O. Proteomica e Spettrometria di Massa, IRCSS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Maria Valeria Corrias
- Laboratory of Experimental Therapies in Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy
| | - Chiara Brignole
- Laboratory of Experimental Therapies in Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy
| | - Fabio Pastorino
- Laboratory of Experimental Therapies in Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy
| | - Enzo Calarco
- Laboratory of Experimental Therapies in Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy
| | - Veronica Bensa
- Laboratory of Experimental Therapies in Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy
| | - Elena Giusto
- Laboratory of Experimental Therapies in Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy
| | - Isabella Ceccherini
- Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics of Rare Diseases, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Patrizia Perri
- Laboratory of Experimental Therapies in Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy.
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Aberrant Methylation of 20 miRNA Genes Specifically Involved in Various Steps of Ovarian Carcinoma Spread: From Primary Tumors to Peritoneal Macroscopic Metastases. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031300. [PMID: 35163224 PMCID: PMC8835734 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Our work aimed to differentiate 20 aberrantly methylated miRNA genes that participate at different stages of development and metastasis of ovarian carcinoma (OvCa) using methylation-specific qPCR in a representative set of clinical samples: 102 primary tumors without and with metastases (to lymph nodes, peritoneum, or distant organs) and 30 peritoneal macroscopic metastases (PMM). Thirteen miRNA genes (MIR107, MIR124-2, MIR124-3, MIR125B-1, MIR127, MIR129-2, MIR130B, MIR132, MIR193A, MIR339, MIR34B/C, MIR9-1, and MIR9-3) were hypermethylated already at the early stages of OvCa, while hypermethylation of MIR1258, MIR137, MIR203A, and MIR375 was pronounced in metastatic tumors, and MIR148A showed high methylation levels specifically in PMM. We confirmed the significant relationship between methylation and expression levels for 11 out of 12 miRNAs analyzed by qRT-PCR. Moreover, expression levels of six miRNAs were significantly decreased in metastatic tumors in comparison with nonmetastatic ones, and downregulation of miR-203a-3p was the most significant. We revealed an inverse relationship between expression levels of miR-203a-3p and those of ZEB1 and ZEB2 genes, which are EMT drivers. We also identified three miRNA genes (MIR148A, MIR9-1, and MIR193A) that likely regulate EMT–MET reversion in the colonization of PMM. According to the Kaplan–Meier analysis, hypermethylation of several examined miRNA genes was associated with poorer overall survival of OvCa patients, and high methylation levels of MIR130B and MIR9-1 were related to the greatest relative risk of death.
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