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Fan Q, Wen S, Zhang Y, Feng X, Zheng W, Liang X, Lin Y, Zhao S, Xie K, Jiang H, Tang H, Zeng X, Guo Y, Wang F, Yang X. Assessment of circulating proteins in thyroid cancer: Proteome-wide Mendelian randomization and colocalization analysis. iScience 2024; 27:109961. [PMID: 38947504 PMCID: PMC11214373 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109961] [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: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The causality between circulating proteins and thyroid cancer (TC) remains unclear. We employed five large-scale circulating proteomic genome-wide association studies (GWASs) with up to 100,000 participants and a TC meta-GWAS (nCase = 3,418, nControl = 292,703) to conduct proteome-wide Mendelian randomization (MR) and Bayesian colocalization analysis. Protein and gene expressions were validated in thyroid tissue. Through MR analysis, we identified 26 circulating proteins with a putative causal relationship with TCs, among which NANS protein passed multiple corrections (P BH = 3.28e-5, 0.05/1,525). These proteins were involved in amino acids and organic acid synthesis pathways. Colocalization analysis further identified six proteins associated with TCs (VCAM1, LGMN, NPTX1, PLEKHA7, TNFAIP3, and BMP1). Tissue validation confirmed BMP1, LGMN, and PLEKHA7's differential expression between normal and TC tissues. We found limited evidence for linking circulating proteins and the risk of TCs. Our study highlighted the contribution of proteins, particularly those involved in amino acid metabolism, to TCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinghua Fan
- The School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530000, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory on Precise Prevention and Treatment for Thyroid Tumor, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou 545000, Guangxi, China
| | - Shifeng Wen
- The School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530000, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory on Precise Prevention and Treatment for Thyroid Tumor, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou 545000, Guangxi, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, Henan, China
| | - Xiuming Feng
- The School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530000, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory on Precise Prevention and Treatment for Thyroid Tumor, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou 545000, Guangxi, China
| | - Wanting Zheng
- The School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530000, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory on Precise Prevention and Treatment for Thyroid Tumor, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou 545000, Guangxi, China
| | - Xiaolin Liang
- The School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530000, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory on Precise Prevention and Treatment for Thyroid Tumor, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou 545000, Guangxi, China
| | - Yutong Lin
- The School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530000, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory on Precise Prevention and Treatment for Thyroid Tumor, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou 545000, Guangxi, China
| | - Shimei Zhao
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou 545000, Guangxi, China
| | - Kaisheng Xie
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou 545000, Guangxi, China
| | - Hancheng Jiang
- Liuzhou Workers' Hospital, Liuzhou 545000, Guangxi, China
| | - Haifeng Tang
- The Second People’s Hospital of Yulin, Yulin 537000, Guangxi, China
| | - Xiangtai Zeng
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, Jiangxi, China
| | - You Guo
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, Jiangxi, China
| | - Fei Wang
- The School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530000, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory on Precise Prevention and Treatment for Thyroid Tumor, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou 545000, Guangxi, China
| | - Xiaobo Yang
- The School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530000, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory on Precise Prevention and Treatment for Thyroid Tumor, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou 545000, Guangxi, China
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2
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Sun H, Li L, Yan J, Huang T. Prioritization of drug targets for thyroid cancer: a multi-omics Mendelian randomization study. Endocrine 2024:10.1007/s12020-024-03933-x. [PMID: 38896366 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-024-03933-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Recurrence or tumor metastasis and drug resistance remain the major challenge in the treatment of thyroid cancer. It is needed to identify novel drug targets for thyroid cancer. METHODS Summary data-based Mendelian randomization (SMR) and colocalization analysis were performed to evaluate the associations between gene methylation, expression, protein levels with thyroid cancer. We additionally performed protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, gene ontology (GO) and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analyses to further explore the potential roles of identified genes in thyroid cancer. RESULTS SDCCAG8 and VCAM1 genes were associated with risk of thyroid cancer with tier 1 evidence, while TCN2 gene was with tier 3 evidence. SDCCAG8 gene was associated with risk of papillary thyroid cancer with tier 1 evidence. At the level of circulating proteins, genetically predicted higher levels of SDCCAG8 (OR = 0.46, 95% CI 0.34-0.64) and VCAM1 (OR = 0.21, 95% CI 0.10-0.45) were inversely associated with thyroid cancer risk; higher level of TCN2 was associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer (OR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.15-1.47); and the higher level of SDCCAG8 (OR = 0.40, 95% CI 0.28-0.58) was associated with a decreased risk of papillary thyroid cancer. The bioinformatics analysis showed that SDCCAG8, VCAM1 and TCN2 might play roles in immune-related pathways. CONCLUSION SDCCAG8, VCAM1 and TCN2 genes were associated with thyroid cancer risk with evidence at multi-omics levels. There were potential roles of SDCCAG8, VCAM1 and TCN2 in immune-related pathways. Our findings might improve the understanding of the pathogenesis of thyroid cancer and discovery of novel potential drug targets for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Sun
- Department of Pharmacy, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingchao Yan
- Department of Pharmacy, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Taomin Huang
- Department of Pharmacy, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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Cavallo MR, Yo JC, Gallant KC, Cunanan CJ, Amirfallah A, Daniali M, Sanders AB, Aplin AE, Pribitkin EA, Hartsough EJ. Mcl-1 mediates intrinsic resistance to RAF inhibitors in mutant BRAF papillary thyroid carcinoma. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:175. [PMID: 38622136 PMCID: PMC11018618 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-01945-0] [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: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most frequent form of thyroid cancer. PTC commonly presents with mutations of the serine/threonine kinase BRAF (BRAFV600E), which drive ERK1/2 pathway activation to support growth and suppress apoptosis. PTC patients often undergo surgical resection; however, since the average age of PTC patients is under 50, adverse effects associated with prolonged maintenance therapy following total thyroidectomy are a concern. The development of mutant-selective BRAF inhibitors (BRAFi), like vemurafenib, has been efficacious in patients with metastatic melanoma, but the response rate is low for mutant BRAF PTC patients. Here, we assay the therapeutic response of BRAFi in a panel of human PTC cell lines and freshly biopsied patient samples. We observed heterogeneous responses to BRAFi, and multi-omic comparisons between susceptible and resistant mutant BRAF PTC revealed overrepresented stress response pathways and the absence of compensatory RTK activation - features that may underpin innate resistance. Importantly, resistant cell lines and patient samples had increased hallmarks of failed apoptosis; a cellular state defined by sublethal caspase activation and DNA damage. Further analysis suggests that the failed apoptotic phenotypes may have features of "minority mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP)" - a stress-related response characterized by fragmented and porous mitochondria known to contribute to cancer aggressiveness. We found that cells presenting with minority MOMP-like phenotypes are dependent on the apoptotic regulator, Mcl-1, as treatment with the Mcl-1 inhibitor, AZD5991, potently induced cell death in resistant cells. Furthermore, PI3K/AKT inhibitors sensitized resistant cells to BRAFi; an effect that was at least in part associated with reduced Mcl-1 levels. Together, these data implicate minority MOMP as a mechanism associated with intrinsic drug resistance and underscore the benefits of targeting Mcl-1 in mutant BRAF PTC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria R Cavallo
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Jacob C Yo
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Kayla C Gallant
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Camille J Cunanan
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Amirali Amirfallah
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Marzieh Daniali
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Alyssa B Sanders
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Andrew E Aplin
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
- Departments of Pharmacology, Physiology and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Edmund A Pribitkin
- Departments of Otolargynology-Head & Neck Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Edward J Hartsough
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA.
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA.
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Shan KS, Bonano-Rios A, Theik NWY, Hussein A, Blaya M. Molecular Targeting of the Phosphoinositide-3-Protein Kinase (PI3K) Pathway across Various Cancers. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1973. [PMID: 38396649 PMCID: PMC10888452 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25041973] [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: 01/01/2024] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The dysregulation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway can lead to uncontrolled cellular growth and tumorigenesis. Targeting PI3K and its downstream substrates has been shown to be effective in preclinical studies and phase III trials with the approval of several PI3K pathway inhibitors by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over the past decade. However, the limited clinical efficacy of these inhibitors, intolerable toxicities, and acquired resistances limit the clinical application of PI3K inhibitors. This review discusses the PI3K signaling pathway, alterations in the PI3K pathway causing carcinogenesis, current and novel PI3K pathway inhibitors, adverse effects, resistance mechanisms, challenging issues, and future directions of PI3K pathway inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khine S. Shan
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Memorial Health Care, Pembroke Pines, FL 33028, USA; (A.B.-R.); (A.H.); (M.B.)
| | - Amalia Bonano-Rios
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Memorial Health Care, Pembroke Pines, FL 33028, USA; (A.B.-R.); (A.H.); (M.B.)
| | - Nyein Wint Yee Theik
- Division of Internal Medicine, Memorial Health Care, Pembroke Pines, FL 33028, USA;
| | - Atif Hussein
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Memorial Health Care, Pembroke Pines, FL 33028, USA; (A.B.-R.); (A.H.); (M.B.)
| | - Marcelo Blaya
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Memorial Health Care, Pembroke Pines, FL 33028, USA; (A.B.-R.); (A.H.); (M.B.)
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5
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Ma W, Tian M, Hu L, Ruan X, Zhang W, Zheng X, Gao M. Early Combined SHP2 Targeting Reverses the Therapeutic Resistance of Vemurafenib in Thyroid Cancer. J Cancer 2023; 14:1592-1604. [PMID: 37325052 PMCID: PMC10266257 DOI: 10.7150/jca.83853] [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: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The BRAFV600E mutation is the most common oncogenic mutation in thyroid cancer, suggesting an aggressive subtype of thyroid cancer and poor prognosis. Vemurafenib, a selective inhibitor of BRAFV600E, may provide therapeutic benefit in various cancers including thyroid cancer. However, the prevalence of drug resistance remains a challenge because of the feedback activation of the MAPK/ERK and PI3K/AKT pathways. In treating thyroid cancer cells with vemurafenib, we have detected reactivation of the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway as a result of the release of multiple receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) from the negative feedback of ERK phosphorylation. SHP2 is an important target protein downstream of the RTK signaling pathway. Decreasing it through SHP2 knockdown or the use of an inhibitor of SHP2 (SHP099) was found to significantly increase the early sensitivity and reverse the late resistance to vemurafenib in BRAFV600E mutant thyroid cancer cells. Overall, our findings suggest that blocking SHP2 reverses the reactivation of the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway caused by the activation of RTKs and improves the sensitivity of thyroid cancer to vemurafenib, which has potential implications for mechanism-based early combination strategies to treat thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weike Ma
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Mengran Tian
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Linfei Hu
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Xianhui Ruan
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xiangqian Zheng
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Ming Gao
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, No.190 Jieyuan Road, Hongqiao District, Tianjin 300121, China
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Limberg J, Egan CE, Gray KD, Singh M, Loewenstein Z, Yang Y, Riascos MC, Al Asadi H, Safe P, El Eshaky S, Liang H, Ullmann TM, Wang W, Li W, Zhang T, Xiang J, Stefanova D, Jin MM, Zarnegar R, Fahey TJ, Min IM. Activation of the JAK/STAT Pathway Leads to BRAF Inhibitor Resistance in BRAFV600E Positive Thyroid Carcinoma. Mol Cancer Res 2023; 21:397-410. [PMID: 36790391 PMCID: PMC10159921 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-21-0832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
A subset of thyroid cancers, recurrent differentiated thyroid cancers and anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC), are difficult to treat by thyroidectomy and systemic therapy. A common mutation in thyroid cancer, BRAFV600E, has targetable treatment options; however, the results have been disappointing in thyroid cancers compared with BRAFV600E melanoma, as thyroid cancers quickly become resistant to BRAFV600E inhibitor (BRAFi). Here, we studied the molecular pathway that is induced in BRAFV600E thyroid cancer cells and patient-derived tumor samples in response to BRAFi, vemurafenib, using RNA-sequencing and molecular analysis. Both inducible response to BRAFi and acquired BRAFi resistance in BRAFV600E thyroid cancer cells showed significant activation of the JAK/STAT pathway. Functional analyses revealed that the combination of BRAFi and inhibitors of JAK/STAT pathway controlled BRAFV600E thyroid cancer cell growth. The Cancer Genome Atlas data analysis demonstrated that potent activation of the JAK/STAT signaling was associated with shorter recurrence rate in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. Analysis of tumor RNA expression in patients with poorly differentiated thyroid cancer and ATC also support that enhanced activity of JAK/STAT signaling pathway is correlated with worse prognosis. Our study demonstrates that JAK/STAT pathway is activated as BRAFV600E thyroid cancer cells develop resistance to BRAFi and that this pathway is a potential target for anticancer activity and to overcome drug resistance that commonly develops to treatment with BRAFi in thyroid cancer. IMPLICATIONS Dual inhibition of BRAF and JAK/STAT signaling pathway is a potential therapeutic treatment for anticancer activity and to overcome drug resistance to BRAFi in thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Limberg
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
| | - Caitlin E. Egan
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
| | | | - Mandeep Singh
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
| | | | - Yanping Yang
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
| | | | - Hala Al Asadi
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
| | - Parima Safe
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
| | - Steve El Eshaky
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
| | - Heng Liang
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
| | | | - Weibin Wang
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
| | - Tuo Zhang
- Genomics Resource Core Facility, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
| | - Jenny Xiang
- Genomics Resource Core Facility, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
| | | | - Moonsoo M. Jin
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
| | - Rasa Zarnegar
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
| | - Thomas J. Fahey
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
| | - Irene M. Min
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
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Yuan J, Guo Y. Targeted Therapy for Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma: Advances and Management. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 15:cancers15010179. [PMID: 36612173 PMCID: PMC9818071 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15010179] [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: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a rare and highly fatal cancer with the worst prognosis of all thyroid carcinoma (TC) histological subtypes and no standard treatment. In recent years, the explosion of investigations on ATC-targeted agents has provided a new treatment strategy for this malignant condition, and a review of these studies is warranted. We conducted a comprehensive literature search for ATC-targeted drug studies and compiled a summary of their efficacy and adverse effects (AEs) to provide new insights. Multiple clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of dabrafenib in combination with trametinib for the treatment of ATC, but vemurafenib and NTRK inhibitors showed limited clinical responses. We found that the previously valued therapeutic effect of lenvatinib may be unsatisfactory; combining tyrosine kinase (TK) inhibitors (TKIs) with other agents results in a higher rate of clinical benefit. In addition, specific medications, including RET inhibitors, mTOR inhibitors, CDK4/6 inhibitors, and Combretastatin A4-phosphate (CA4P), offer tremendous therapeutic potential. The AEs reported for all agents are relatively numerous but largely manageable clinically. More clinical trials are expected to further confirm the effectiveness and safety of these targeted drugs for ATC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqian Yuan
- The First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Yong Guo
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310001, China
- Correspondence:
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8
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Sestrin2 contributes to BRAF inhibitor resistance via reducing redox vulnerability of melanoma cells. J Dermatol Sci 2022; 109:52-60. [PMID: 36858850 DOI: 10.1016/j.jdermsci.2022.12.007] [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: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Treatment resistance often occurs with BRAF inhibitor (BRAFi) therapy for melanoma, bringing in a great challenge to the treatment of melanoma patients harboring mutant BRAF gene. Recent studies revealed redox vulnerability constitutes a novel opportunity to overcome BRAFi resistance. Previously we found Sestrin2 provided protection to metastatic melanoma cells by detoxifying reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by anoikis, but its defensive role against redox stimuli elicited by BRAFi was unclear. OBJECTIVE In-depth explored the role of Sestrin2 in BRAFi-resistant melanoma. METHODS Vemurafenib-resistant melanoma cells were established using 451Lu and UACC62 cell lines carrying BRAFV600E mutation. Mechanistic studies were subsequently performed by transfection of lentiviral vectors encoding an shRNA against SESN2 or embedded with the coding sequences of SESN2 cDNA. RESULTS Elevated Sestrin2 expression was found in vemurafenib-resistance melanoma cells. Further mechanistic studies revealed that BRAFi-resistant melanoma cells employ Sestrin2 to adapt to higher oxidative stress under vemurafenib exposure. It was also demonstrated that mTOR signaling was significantly activated following Sestrin2 knockdown. Given the known promoting role of active mTOR signaling in melanoma proliferation and survival, the effects of mTOR blocker and Sestrin2 ablation on BRAFi-resistant melanoma cells were further tested, and the combination was found to result in enhanced inhibition of melanoma cell growth. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrated the contribution of Sestrin2 to the development of BRAFi resistance and the fact that the combination of mTOR blocker assisted Sestrein2 ablation in eliminating BRAFi resistance of melanoma. Therefore, mTOR and Sestrin2 may be novel combinatorial therapeutic targets to overcome BRAFi resistance of melanoma.
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VanHeyst KA, Choi SH, Kingsley DT, Huang AY. Ectopic Tumor VCAM-1 Expression in Cancer Metastasis and Therapy Resistance. Cells 2022; 11:cells11233922. [PMID: 36497180 PMCID: PMC9735769 DOI: 10.3390/cells11233922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 (VCAM-1; CD106) is a membrane protein that contributes critical physiologic functional roles in cellular immune response, including leukocyte extravasation in inflamed and infected tissues. Expressed as a cell membrane protein, VCAM-1 can also be cleaved from the cell surface into a soluble form (sVCAM-1). The integrin α4β1 (VLA-4) was identified as the first major ligand for VCAM-1. Ongoing studies suggest that, in addition to mediating physiologic immune functions, VCAM-1/VLA-4 signaling plays an increasingly vital role in the metastatic progression of various tumors. Additionally, elevated concentrations of sVCAM-1 have been found in the peripheral blood of patients with cancer, suggesting the tumor microenvironment (TME) as the source of sVCAM-1. Furthermore, over-expression of VLA-4 was linked to tumor progression in various malignancies when VCAM-1 was also up-regulated. This review explores the functional role of VCAM-1 expression in cancer metastasis and therapy resistance, and the potential for the disruption of VCAM-1/VLA-4 signaling as a novel immunotherapeutic approach in cancer, including osteosarcoma, which disproportionately affects the pediatric, adolescent and young adult population, as an unmet medical need.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen A. VanHeyst
- Center for Pediatric Immunotherapy at Rainbow, Angie Fowler AYA Cancer Institute, Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, UH Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Sung Hee Choi
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | | | - Alex Y. Huang
- Center for Pediatric Immunotherapy at Rainbow, Angie Fowler AYA Cancer Institute, Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, UH Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-216-368-1271
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Zhang Y, Xing Z, Liu T, Tang M, Mi L, Zhu J, Wu W, Wei T. Targeted therapy and drug resistance in thyroid cancer. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 238:114500. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Yi J, Tian M, Hu L, Kang N, Ma W, Zhi J, Zheng X, Ruan X, Gao M. The mechanisms of celastrol in treating papillary thyroid carcinoma based on network pharmacology and experiment verification. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2021; 9:866. [PMID: 34164500 PMCID: PMC8184492 DOI: 10.21037/atm-21-1854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Background Celastrol, a triterpene present in the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Triptergium wilfordii, has been demonstrated to have remarkable anticancer activity. However, its specific mechanism on papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) remains to be elucidated. Methods Potential targets of celastrol were screened from public databases. Through the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) online database, we obtained the bioinformatics analysis profile of PTC, GSE33630, and analyzed the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Then, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by utilizing the STRING database. Furthermore, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were conducted. Finally, drug interactions between hub genes and celastrol were verified by molecular docking. Results Four core nodes (MMP9, JUN, ICAM1, and VCAM1) were discerned via constructing a PPI network of 47 common targets. Through functional enrichment analysis, it was confirmed that the above target genes were basically enriched in the interleukin-17 (IL-17), nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathways, which are involved in the inflammatory microenvironment to inhibit the development and progression of tumors. Molecular docking results demonstrated that celastrol has a strong binding efficiency with the 4 key proteins. Conclusions In this research, it was demonstrated that celastrol can regulate a variety of proteins and signaling pathways against PTC, providing a theoretical basis for future clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaoyu Yi
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Mengran Tian
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Linfei Hu
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Ning Kang
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Weike Ma
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Jingtai Zhi
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiangqian Zheng
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Xianhui Ruan
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Ming Gao
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China.,Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin, China
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