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Fultang N, Chakraborty M, Peethambaran B. Regulation of cancer stem cells in triple negative breast cancer. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2021; 4:321-342. [PMID: 35582030 PMCID: PMC9019272 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2020.106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) is the most lethal subtype of breast cancer. Despite the successes of emerging targeted therapies, relapse, recurrence, and therapy failure rates in TNBC significantly outpace other subtypes of breast cancer. Mounting evidence suggests accumulation of therapy resistant Cancer Stem Cell (CSC) populations within TNBCs contributes to poor clinical outcomes. These CSCs are enriched in TNBC compared to non-TNBC breast cancers. The mechanisms underlying CSC accumulation have been well-characterized and discussed in other reviews. In this review, we focus on TNBC-specific mechanisms that allow the expansion and activity of self-renewing CSCs. We highlight cellular signaling pathways and transcription factors, specifically enriched in TNBC over non-TNBC breast cancer, contributing to stemness. We also analyze publicly available single-cell RNA-seq data from basal breast cancer tumors to highlight the potential of emerging bioinformatic approaches in identifying novel drivers of stemness in TNBC and other cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norman Fultang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Madhuparna Chakraborty
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Bela Peethambaran
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
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2
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Chen J, Wan R, Li Q, Rao Z, Wang Y, Zhang L, Teichmann AT. Utilizing the Hippo pathway as a therapeutic target for combating endocrine-resistant breast cancer. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:306. [PMID: 34112175 PMCID: PMC8194146 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-01999-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug resistance is always a great obstacle in any endocrine therapy of breast cancer. Although the combination of endocrine therapy and targeted therapy has been shown to significantly improve prognosis, refractory endocrine resistance is still common. Dysregulation of the Hippo pathway is often related to the occurrence and the development of many tumors. Targeted therapies of this pathway have played important roles in the study of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Targeting the Hippo pathway in combination with chemotherapy or other targeted therapies has been shown to significantly improve specific antitumor effects and reduce cancer antidrug resistance. Further exploration has shown that the Hippo pathway is closely related to endocrine resistance, and it plays a "co-correlation point" role in numerous pathways involving endocrine resistance, including related pathways in breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs). Agents and miRNAs targeting the components of the Hippo pathway are expected to significantly enhance the sensitivity of breast cancer cells to endocrine therapy. This review initially explains the possible mechanism of the Hippo pathway in combating endocrine resistance, and it concludes by recommending endocrine therapy in combination with therapies targeting the Hippo pathway in the study of endocrine-resistant breast cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Chen
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, 646000, People's Republic of China.,Sichuan Provincial Center for Gynaecology and Breast Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Runlan Wan
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, 646000, People's Republic of China
| | - Qinqin Li
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, 646000, People's Republic of China.,Sichuan Provincial Center for Gynaecology and Breast Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Zhenghuan Rao
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, 646000, People's Republic of China.,Sichuan Provincial Center for Gynaecology and Breast Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Yanlin Wang
- North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, 637000, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Gynaecology, The Second People's Hospital of Yibin, Yibin, 644000, China
| | - Alexander Tobias Teichmann
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, 646000, People's Republic of China. .,Sichuan Provincial Center for Gynaecology and Breast Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China.
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3
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González-Mariscal L, Miranda J, Gallego-Gutiérrez H, Cano-Cortina M, Amaya E. Relationship between apical junction proteins, gene expression and cancer. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183278. [PMID: 32240623 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The apical junctional complex (AJC) is a cell-cell adhesion system present at the upper portion of the lateral membrane of epithelial cells integrated by the tight junction (TJ) and the adherens junction (AJ). This complex is crucial to initiate and stabilize cell-cell adhesion, to regulate the paracellular transit of ions and molecules and to maintain cell polarity. Moreover, we now consider the AJC as a hub of signal transduction that regulates cell-cell adhesion, gene transcription and cell proliferation and differentiation. The molecular components of the AJC are multiple and diverse and depending on the cellular context some of the proteins in this complex act as tumor suppressors or as promoters of cell transformation, migration and metastasis outgrowth. Here, we describe these new roles played by TJ and AJ proteins and their potential use in cancer diagnostics and as targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenza González-Mariscal
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Neuroscience, Center of Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - Jael Miranda
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Neuroscience, Center of Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Helios Gallego-Gutiérrez
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Neuroscience, Center of Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Misael Cano-Cortina
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Neuroscience, Center of Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Elida Amaya
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Neuroscience, Center of Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), Mexico City, Mexico
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4
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Covarrubias G, He F, Raghunathan S, Turan O, Peiris PM, Schiemann WP, Karathanasis E. Effective treatment of cancer metastasis using a dual-ligand nanoparticle. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220474. [PMID: 31356633 PMCID: PMC6663022 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is responsible for the majority of deaths of breast cancer patients. While cytotoxic drugs are available with high potency to kill breast cancer cells, they are not designed to specifically seek and navigate in the dynamic and continuously changing microenvironment of metastatic disease. To effectively delivery chemotherapeutic agents to metastasis, we designed a dual-ligand nanoparticle loaded with doxorubicin by using two different types of ligands targeting EGFR and αvβ3 integrin. Metastatic cancer cells continuously change resulting in heterogeneity even across adjacent micrometastatic regions with variable expression of these targetable receptors. Using a mouse model of breast cancer metastasis, in vivo and ex vivo imaging showed that both EGFR and αvβ3 integrin-targeting were required to reliably direct the nanoparticle to metastasis and capture the spread and exact topology of the disease. Survival studies compared the anticancer efficacy of the standard drug, EGFR-targeting nanoparticle, αvβ3 integrin-targeting nanoparticle and the dual-ligand nanoparticle. While all the other treatments produced moderate therapeutic outcomes, treatment with the dual-ligand nanoparticle yielded significant improvement and event-free survival in a mouse model of breast cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gil Covarrubias
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Felicia He
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Shruti Raghunathan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Oguz Turan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Pubudu M. Peiris
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - William P. Schiemann
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Efstathios Karathanasis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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5
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Spinosa PC, Humphries BA, Lewin Mejia D, Buschhaus JM, Linderman JJ, Luker GD, Luker KE. Short-term cellular memory tunes the signaling responses of the chemokine receptor CXCR4. Sci Signal 2019; 12:eaaw4204. [PMID: 31289212 PMCID: PMC7059217 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aaw4204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The chemokine receptor CXCR4 regulates fundamental processes in development, normal physiology, and diseases, including cancer. Small subpopulations of CXCR4-positive cells drive the local invasion and dissemination of malignant cells during metastasis, emphasizing the need to understand the mechanisms controlling responses at the single-cell level to receptor activation by the chemokine ligand CXCL12. Using single-cell imaging, we discovered that short-term cellular memory of changes in environmental conditions tuned CXCR4 signaling to Akt and ERK, two kinases activated by this receptor. Conditioning cells with growth stimuli before CXCL12 exposure increased the number of cells that initiated CXCR4 signaling and the amplitude of Akt and ERK activation. Data-driven, single-cell computational modeling revealed that growth factor conditioning modulated CXCR4-dependent activation of Akt and ERK by decreasing extrinsic noise (preexisting cell-to-cell differences in kinase activity) in PI3K and mTORC1. Modeling established mTORC1 as critical for tuning single-cell responses to CXCL12-CXCR4 signaling. Our single-cell model predicted how combinations of extrinsic noise in PI3K, Ras, and mTORC1 superimposed on different driver mutations in the ERK and/or Akt pathways to bias CXCR4 signaling. Computational experiments correctly predicted that selected kinase inhibitors used for cancer therapy shifted subsets of cells to states that were more permissive to CXCR4 activation, suggesting that such drugs may inadvertently potentiate pro-metastatic CXCR4 signaling. Our work establishes how changing environmental inputs modulate CXCR4 signaling in single cells and provides a framework to optimize the development and use of drugs targeting this signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip C Spinosa
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Brock A Humphries
- Department of Radiology Center for Molecular Imaging, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Daniela Lewin Mejia
- Department of Radiology Center for Molecular Imaging, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Johanna M Buschhaus
- Department of Radiology Center for Molecular Imaging, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Jennifer J Linderman
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Gary D Luker
- Department of Radiology Center for Molecular Imaging, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Kathryn E Luker
- Department of Radiology Center for Molecular Imaging, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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6
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Covarrubias G, Cha A, Rahmy A, Lorkowski M, Perera V, Erokwu BO, Flask C, Peiris PM, Schiemann WP, Karathanasis E. Imaging breast cancer using a dual-ligand nanochain particle. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0204296. [PMID: 30335750 PMCID: PMC6193613 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanoparticles often only exploit the upregulation of a receptor on cancer cells to enhance intratumoral deposition of therapeutic and imaging agents. However, a single targeting moiety assumes that a tumor is homogenous and static. Tumoral microenvironments are both heterogenous and dynamic, often displaying variable spatial and temporal expression of targetable receptors throughout disease progression. Here, we evaluated the in vivo performance of an iron oxide nanoparticle in terms of targeting and imaging of orthotropic mouse models of aggressive breast tumors. The nanoparticle, a multi-component nanochain, was comprised of 3–5 iron oxide nanoparticles chemically linked in a linear chain. The nanoparticle’s surface was decorated with two types of ligands each targeting two different upregulated biomarkers on the tumor endothelium, P-selectin and fibronectin. The nanochain exhibited improved tumor deposition not only through vascular targeting but also through its elongated structure. A single-ligand nanochain exhibited a ~2.5-fold higher intratumoral deposition than a spherical nanoparticle variant. Furthermore, the dual-ligand nanochain exhibited higher consistency in generating detectable MR signals compared to a single-ligand nanochain. Using a 7T MRI, the dual-ligand nanochains exhibited highly detectable MR signal within 3h after injection in two different animal models of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gil Covarrubias
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Anthony Cha
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Abdelrahman Rahmy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Morgan Lorkowski
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Vindya Perera
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Bernadette O. Erokwu
- Department of Radiology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Case Center for Imaging Research, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Chris Flask
- Department of Radiology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Case Center for Imaging Research, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Pubudu M. Peiris
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - William P. Schiemann
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Efstathios Karathanasis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Radiology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Case Center for Imaging Research, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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7
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Voutsadakis IA. HER2 in stemness and epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity of breast cancer. Clin Transl Oncol 2018; 21:539-555. [PMID: 30306401 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-018-1961-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer had been the first non-hematologic malignancy where sub-types based on molecular characterization had entered clinical practice. HER2 over-expression, due to either gene amplification or protein up-regulation, defines one of these sub-types and is clinically exploited by addition of HER2-targeted treatments to the regimens of treatment. Nevertheless, in many occasions HER2-positive cancers are resistant or become refractory to these therapies. Several mechanisms, such as activation of alternative pathways or loss of expression of the receptor in cancer cells, have been proposed as the cause of these therapeutic failures. Cancer stem cells (CSCs, alternatively called tumor-initiating cells) comprise a small percentage of the tumor cells, but are capable of reconstituting and propagating tumors due to their superior intrinsic capacity for regeneration, survival and resistance to therapies. CSCs possess circuits enabling epigenetic plasticity which endow them with the ability to alternate between epithelial and mesenchymal states. This paper will discuss the expression and regulation of HER2 in CSCs of the different sub-types of breast cancer and relationships of the receptor with both the circuits of stemness and epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity. Therapeutic repercussions of the relationship of HER2-initiated signaling with stemness networks will also be proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- I A Voutsadakis
- Algoma District Cancer Program, Sault Area Hospital, 750 Great Northern Road, Sault Ste. Marie, ON, P6B 0A8, Canada. .,Section of Internal Medicine, Division of Clinical Sciences, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury, ON, Canada.
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8
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Peiris PM, He F, Covarrubias G, Raghunathan S, Turan O, Lorkowski M, Gnanasambandam B, Wu C, Schiemann WP, Karathanasis E. Precise targeting of cancer metastasis using multi-ligand nanoparticles incorporating four different ligands. NANOSCALE 2018; 10:6861-6871. [PMID: 29620124 PMCID: PMC5908762 DOI: 10.1039/c8nr02513d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Metastasis displays a highly heterogeneous cellular population with cancer cells continuously evolving. As a result, a single-ligand nanoparticle cannot account for the continuously changing expression of targetable biomarkers over time and space. To effectively direct nanoparticles to metastasis, we developed a multi-ligand nanoparticle by using four different types of ligands on the same nanoparticle that target biomarkers on the endothelium associated with metastatic disease. These vascular targets included αvβ3 integrin, P-selectin, EGFR and fibronectin. Using terminal and in vivo imaging studies, the targeting performance of the multi-ligand nanoparticles was compared to the single-ligand nanoparticle variants. All four single-ligand nanoparticle variants achieved significant targeting of lung metastasis in the 4T1 mouse model of breast cancer metastasis with about 2.5% of the injected dose being deposited into metastasis. A dual-ligand nanoparticle resulted in a nearly 2-fold higher deposition into lung metastases than its single-ligand counterparts. The multi-ligand nanoparticle significantly outperformed its targeting nanoparticle counterparts achieving a deposition of ∼7% of its injected nanoparticles into lung metastases. Using the high sensitivity of radionuclide imaging, PET imaging showed that a multi-ligand nanoparticle labeled with [18F]fluoride was able to precisely target metastatic disease at its very early stage of development in three different animal models of metastatic breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- P M Peiris
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
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9
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De P, Carlson JH, Wu H, Marcus A, Leyland-Jones B, Dey N. Wnt-beta-catenin pathway signals metastasis-associated tumor cell phenotypes in triple negative breast cancers. Oncotarget 2017; 7:43124-43149. [PMID: 27281609 PMCID: PMC5190013 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.8988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/05/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor cells acquire metastasis-associated (MA) phenotypes following genetic alterations in them which cause deregulation of different signaling pathways. Earlier, we reported that an upregulation of the Wnt-beta-catenin pathway (WP) is one of the genetic salient features of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and WP signaling is associated with metastasis in TNBC. Using cBioPortal, here we found that collective % of alteration(s) in WP genes, CTNNB1, APC and DVL1 among breast-invasive-carcinomas was 21% as compared to 56% in PAM50 Basal. To understand the functional relevance of WP in the biology of heterogeneous/metastasizing TNBC cells, we undertook this comprehensive study using 15 cell lines in which we examined the role of WP in the context of integrin-dependent MA-phenotypes. Directional movement of tumor cells was observed by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy and quantitative confocal-video-microscopy while matrigel-invasion was studied by MMP7-specific casein-zymography. WntC59, XAV939, sulindac sulfide and beta-catenin siRNA (1) inhibited fibronectin-directed migration, (2) decreased podia-parameters and motility-descriptors, (3) altered filamentous-actin, (4) decreased matrigel-invasion and (5) inhibited cell proliferation as well as 3D clonogenic growth. Sulindac sulfide and beta-catenin siRNA decreased beta-catenin/active-beta-catenin and MMP7. LWnt3ACM-stimulated proliferation, clonogenicity, fibronection-directed migration and matrigel-invasion were perturbed by WP-modulators, sulindac sulfide and GDC-0941. We studied a direct involvement of WP in metastasis by stimulating brain-metastasis-specific MDA-MB231BR cells to demonstrate that LWnt3ACM-stimulated proliferation, clonogenicity and migration were blocked following sulindac sulfide, GDC-0941 and beta-catenin knockdown. We present the first evidence showing a direct functional relationship between WP activation and integrin-dependent MA-phenotypes. By proving the functional relationship between WP activation and MA-phenotypes, our data mechanistically explains (1) why different components of WP are upregulated in TNBC, (2) how WP activation is associated with metastasis and (3) how integrin-dependent MA-phenotypes can be regulated by mitigating the WP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradip De
- Department of Molecular & Experimental Medicine, Avera Research Institute, Sioux Falls, SD, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, SSOM, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
| | - Jennifer H Carlson
- Department of Molecular & Experimental Medicine, Avera Research Institute, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
| | - Hui Wu
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, WCI, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Adam Marcus
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, WCI, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Brian Leyland-Jones
- Department of Molecular & Experimental Medicine, Avera Research Institute, Sioux Falls, SD, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, SSOM, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
| | - Nandini Dey
- Department of Molecular & Experimental Medicine, Avera Research Institute, Sioux Falls, SD, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, SSOM, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
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10
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Zhao L, Li X, Song N, Li A, Hou K, Qu X, Che X, Liu Y. Src promotes EGF-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and migration in gastric cancer cells by upregulating ZEB1 and ZEB2 through AKT. Cell Biol Int 2017; 42:294-302. [PMID: 29052277 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.10894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Accepted: 10/14/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays important roles in the migration, invasion, and metastasis of cancer cells. However, the role of Src in epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced EMT and migration in gastric cancer cells remains to be clarified. In the current study, the effect of Src on EGF-stimulated EMT and migration was explored in gastric cancer cells. EGF induced EMT in gastric cancer cells and increased their migratory ability, which was accompanied by the phosphorylation of Src. PP2, the Src inhibitor, markedly suppressed EGF-mediated EMT and migration in gastric cancer cells. Additionally, EGF-stimulated upregulation of zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) and zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 2 (ZEB2) was significantly repressed by PP2. Further analysis showed that EGF-stimulated phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT) was almost completely abolished by PP2, whereas that of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) was only mildly suppressed. Moreover, LY294002, the AKT inhibitor, significantly inhibited EGF-induced upregulation of ZEB1 and ZEB2 as well as EMT and migration stimulated by EGF in gastric cancer cells. However, neither ERK inhibitor nor STAT3 inhibitor repressed EGF-induced EMT-related changes. Taken together, these results suggest that Src promotes EGF-stimulated EMT and migration by upregulation of ZEB1 and ZEB2 through AKT signaling pathway in gastric cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhao
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Province, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, P.R. China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Province, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, P.R. China
| | - Na Song
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Province, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, P.R. China
| | - Aodi Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Province, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, P.R. China
| | - Kezuo Hou
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Province, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, P.R. China
| | - Xiujuan Qu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Province, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, P.R. China
| | - Xiaofang Che
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Province, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, P.R. China
| | - Yunpeng Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Province, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, P.R. China
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11
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Opyrchal M, Gil M, Salisbury JL, Goetz MP, Suman V, Degnim A, McCubrey J, Haddad T, Iankov I, Kurokawa CB, Shumacher N, Ingle JN, Galanis E, D’Assoro AB. Molecular targeting of the Aurora-A/SMAD5 oncogenic axis restores chemosensitivity in human breast cancer cells. Oncotarget 2017; 8:91803-91816. [PMID: 29207686 PMCID: PMC5710966 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.20610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2015] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the majority of breast cancers initially respond to the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapeutic agents, most breast cancer patients experience tumor relapse and ultimately die because of drug resistance. Breast cancer cells undergoing epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) acquire a CD44+/CD24-/ALDH1+ cancer stem cell-like phenotype characterized by an increased capacity for tumor self-renewal, intrinsic drug resistance and high proclivity to develop distant metastases. We uncovered in human breast tumor xenografts a novel non-mitotic role of Aurora-A kinase in promoting breast cancer metastases through activation of EMT and expansion of breast tumor initiating cells (BTICs). In this study we characterized the role of the Aurora-A/SMAD5 oncogenic axis in the induction of chemoresistance. Breast cancer cells overexpressing Aurora-A showed resistance to conventional chemotherapeutic agents, while treatment with alisertib, a selective Aurora-A kinase inhibitor, restored chemosensitivity. Significantly, SMAD5 expression was required to induce chemoresistance and maintain a breast cancer stem cell-like phenotype, indicating that the Aurora-A/SMAD5 oncogenic axis promotes chemoresistance through activation of stemness signaling. Taken together, these findings identified a novel mechanism of drug resistance through aberrant activation of the non-canonical Aurora-A/SMAD5 oncogenic axis in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Opyrchal
- 5 Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Malgorzata Gil
- 5 Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Jeffrey L. Salisbury
- 2 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College Of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Mathew P. Goetz
- 1 Department of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic College Of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Vera Suman
- 1 Department of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic College Of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Amy Degnim
- 1 Department of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic College Of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - James McCubrey
- 4 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Tufia Haddad
- 1 Department of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic College Of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Ianko Iankov
- 1 Department of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic College Of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Chenye B. Kurokawa
- 3 Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic College Of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Nicole Shumacher
- 2 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College Of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - James N. Ingle
- 1 Department of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic College Of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Evanthia Galanis
- 1 Department of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic College Of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA,3 Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic College Of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Antonino B. D’Assoro
- 1 Department of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic College Of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA,2 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College Of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
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12
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Gruber W, Scheidt T, Aberger F, Huber CG. Understanding cell signaling in cancer stem cells for targeted therapy - can phosphoproteomics help to reveal the secrets? Cell Commun Signal 2017; 15:12. [PMID: 28356110 PMCID: PMC5372284 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-017-0166-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer represents heterogeneous and aberrantly proliferative manifestations composed of (epi)genetically and phenotypically distinct cells with a common clonal origin. Cancer stem cells (CSC) make up a rare subpopulation with the remarkable capacity to initiate, propagate and spread a malignant disease. Furthermore, CSC show increased therapy resistance, thereby contributing to disease relapse. Elimination of CSC, therefore, is a crucial aim to design efficacious treatments for long-term survival of cancer patients. In this article, we highlight the nature of CSC and propose that phosphoproteomics based on unbiased high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry provides a powerful tool to decipher the molecular CSC programs. Detailed knowledge about the regulation of signaling processes in CSC is a prerequisite for the development of patient-tailored multi-modal treatments including the elimination of rare CSC. Main body Phosphorylation is a crucial post-translational modification regulating a plethora of both intra- and intercellular communication processes in normal and malignant cells. Small-molecule targeting of kinases has proven successful in the therapy, but the high rates of relapse and failure to stem malignant spread suggest that these kinase inhibitors largely spare CSC. Studying the kinetics of global phosphorylation patterns in an unbiased manner is, therefore, required to improve strategies and successful treatments within multi-modal therapeutic regimens by targeting the malignant behavior of CSC. The phosphoproteome comprises all phosphoproteins within a cell population that can be analyzed by phosphoproteomics, allowing the investigation of thousands of phosphorylation events. One major aspect is the perception of events underlying the activation and deactivation of kinases and phosphatases in oncogenic signaling pathways. Thus, not only can this tool be harnessed to better understand cellular processes such as those controlling CSC, but also applied to identify novel drug targets for targeted anti-CSC therapy. Conclusion State-of-the-art phosphoproteomics approaches focusing on single cell analysis have the potential to better understand oncogenic signaling in heterogeneous cell populations including rare, yet highly malignant CSC. By eliminating the influence of heterogeneity of populations, single-cell studies will reveal novel insights also into the inter- and intratumoral communication processes controlling malignant CSC and disease progression, laying the basis for improved rational combination treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Gruber
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cancer Cluster Salzburg, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Tamara Scheidt
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cancer Cluster Salzburg, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Fritz Aberger
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cancer Cluster Salzburg, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Christian G Huber
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cancer Cluster Salzburg, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
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