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Rahmati Nezhad P, Riihilä P, Knuutila JS, Viiklepp K, Peltonen S, Kallajoki M, Meri S, Nissinen L, Kähäri VM. Complement Factor D Is a Novel Biomarker and Putative Therapeutic Target in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14020305. [PMID: 35053469 PMCID: PMC8773783 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14020305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The incidence of the most common metastatic skin malignancy, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), is growing worldwide, and the prognosis of the metastatic disease is poor. Presently, there are no biomarkers or therapeutic targets for high-risk cSCCs. Recent studies have demonstrated the essential role of autocrine complement synthesis in the progression of cSCC. Here, we have evaluated the role of complement Factor D (FD), the rate-limiting enzyme of the alternative complement pathway, in cSCC development. The results identify FD as a novel biomarker and putative therapeutic target for cSCC and propose the small-molecule FD inhibitor Danicopan as a highly specific drug candidate in the therapy of advanced cSCC. It is expected that the discovery of complement-associated molecular markers for cSCC progression would improve diagnosis, classification, prognostication, and targeted therapy of cSCC and its precursors in the future. Abstract Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the most prevalent metastatic skin cancer. Previous studies have demonstrated the autocrine role of complement components in cSCC progression. We have investigated factor D (FD), the key enzyme of the alternative complement pathway, in the development of cSCC. RT-qPCR analysis of cSCC cell lines and normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs) demonstrated significant up-regulation of FD mRNA in cSCC cells compared to NHEKs. Western blot analysis also showed more abundant FD production by cSCC cell lines. Significantly higher FD mRNA levels were noted in cSCC tumors than in normal skin. Strong tumor cell-associated FD immunolabeling was detected in the invasive margin of human cSCC xenografts. More intense tumor cell-specific immunostaining for FD was seen in the tumor edge in primary and metastatic cSCCs, in metastases, and in recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa-associated cSCCs, compared with cSCC in situ, actinic keratosis and normal skin. FD production by cSCC cells was dependent on p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activity, and it was induced by interferon-γ and interleukin-1β. Blocking FD activity by Danicopan inhibited activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and attenuated proliferation of cSCC cells. These results identify FD as a novel putative biomarker and therapeutic target for cSCC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pegah Rahmati Nezhad
- Department of Dermatology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Hämeentie 11 TE6, FI-20520 Turku, Finland; (P.R.N.); (P.R.); (J.S.K.); (K.V.); (S.P.); (L.N.)
- FICAN West Cancer Centre, Research Laboratory, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Pilvi Riihilä
- Department of Dermatology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Hämeentie 11 TE6, FI-20520 Turku, Finland; (P.R.N.); (P.R.); (J.S.K.); (K.V.); (S.P.); (L.N.)
- FICAN West Cancer Centre, Research Laboratory, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Jaakko S. Knuutila
- Department of Dermatology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Hämeentie 11 TE6, FI-20520 Turku, Finland; (P.R.N.); (P.R.); (J.S.K.); (K.V.); (S.P.); (L.N.)
- FICAN West Cancer Centre, Research Laboratory, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Kristina Viiklepp
- Department of Dermatology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Hämeentie 11 TE6, FI-20520 Turku, Finland; (P.R.N.); (P.R.); (J.S.K.); (K.V.); (S.P.); (L.N.)
- FICAN West Cancer Centre, Research Laboratory, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Sirkku Peltonen
- Department of Dermatology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Hämeentie 11 TE6, FI-20520 Turku, Finland; (P.R.N.); (P.R.); (J.S.K.); (K.V.); (S.P.); (L.N.)
| | - Markku Kallajoki
- Department of Pathology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, FI-20520 Turku, Finland;
| | - Seppo Meri
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, The Translational Immunology Research Program, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland;
| | - Liisa Nissinen
- Department of Dermatology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Hämeentie 11 TE6, FI-20520 Turku, Finland; (P.R.N.); (P.R.); (J.S.K.); (K.V.); (S.P.); (L.N.)
- FICAN West Cancer Centre, Research Laboratory, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Veli-Matti Kähäri
- Department of Dermatology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Hämeentie 11 TE6, FI-20520 Turku, Finland; (P.R.N.); (P.R.); (J.S.K.); (K.V.); (S.P.); (L.N.)
- FICAN West Cancer Centre, Research Laboratory, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +358-2-3131600
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Zhu H, Yu X, Zhang S, Shu K. Targeting the Complement Pathway in Malignant Glioma Microenvironments. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:657472. [PMID: 33869223 PMCID: PMC8047198 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.657472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Malignant glioma is a highly fatal type of brain tumor, and its reoccurrence is largely due to the ordered interactions among the components present in the complex microenvironment. Besides its role in immune surveillance and clearance under physiological conditions, the complement system is expressed in a variety of tumor types and mediates the interactions within the tumor microenvironments. Recent studies have uncovered the broad expression spectrum of complement signaling molecules in the tumor microenvironment and various tumor cells, in particular, malignant glioma cells. Involvement of the complement system in tumor growth, immunosuppression and phenotype transition have also been elucidated. In this review, we enumerate the expression and function of complement molecules in multiple tumor types reported. Moreover, we elaborate the complement pathways in glioma cells and various components of malignant glioma microenvironments. Finally, we summarize the possibility of the complement molecules as prognostic factors and therapeutic targets in the treatment of malignant glioma. Specific targeting of the complement system maybe of great significance and value in the future treatment of multi-type tumors including malignant glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongtao Zhu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xingjiang Yu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Suojun Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kai Shu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Laverdière I, Boileau M, Herold T, Rak J, Berdel WE, Wörmann B, Hiddemann W, Spiekermann K, Bohlander SK, Eppert K. Complement cascade gene expression defines novel prognostic subgroups of acute myeloid leukemia. Exp Hematol 2016; 44:1039-1043.e10. [PMID: 27473565 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2016.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Revised: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The involvement of the complement pathway in cancer is supported by a growing body of evidence, and yet its role in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has not been extensively studied. We examined the expression of 87 genes in the complement, coagulation, and fibrinolysis-proteolytic pathways in 374 cytogenetically normal AML samples and observed that these samples can be divided into subgroups on the basis of complement gene expression. Three complement regulatory genes were linked to poor outcome as individual factors in a multivariate analysis (CFH, CFD, and SERPING1) in multiple cohorts. The combined expression of these genes was significantly associated with poorer overall survival in two cohorts of patients <60 years of age, independent of other factors (p ≤ 0.0004). For patients with an intermediate molecular risk, this three-gene risk marker enabled stratification of patients into prognostic subgroups with survival ranging from 17.4% to 44.1%. Thus, the expression of complement pathway genes is linked to outcome in AML, and a three-gene risk marker may improve the risk assessment of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Laverdière
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre and McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Meaghan Boileau
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre and McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Tobias Herold
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, University Hospital Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Janusz Rak
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre and McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Wolfgang E Berdel
- Department of Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Bernhard Wörmann
- Department of Medicine, Hematology, Oncology, Tumor Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Hiddemann
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, University Hospital Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Karsten Spiekermann
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, University Hospital Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan K Bohlander
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Kolja Eppert
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre and McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
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Gene expression signature analysis identifies vorinostat as a candidate therapy for gastric cancer. PLoS One 2011; 6:e24662. [PMID: 21931799 PMCID: PMC3170379 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0024662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2011] [Accepted: 08/16/2011] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastric cancer continues to be one of the deadliest cancers in the world and therefore identification of new drugs targeting this type of cancer is thus of significant importance. The purpose of this study was to identify and validate a therapeutic agent which might improve the outcomes for gastric cancer patients in the future. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Using microarray technology, we generated a gene expression profile of human gastric cancer-specific genes from human gastric cancer tissue samples. We used this profile in the Broad Institute's Connectivity Map analysis to identify candidate therapeutic compounds for gastric cancer. We found the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat as the lead compound and thus a potential therapeutic drug for gastric cancer. Vorinostat induced both apoptosis and autophagy in gastric cancer cell lines. Pharmacological and genetic inhibition of autophagy however, increased the therapeutic efficacy of vorinostat, indicating that a combination of vorinostat with autophagy inhibitors may therapeutically be more beneficial. Moreover, gene expression analysis of gastric cancer identified a collection of genes (ITGB5, TYMS, MYB, APOC1, CBX5, PLA2G2A, and KIF20A) whose expression was elevated in gastric tumor tissue and downregulated more than 2-fold by vorinostat treatment in gastric cancer cell lines. In contrast, SCGB2A1, TCN1, CFD, APLP1, and NQO1 manifested a reversed pattern. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE We showed that analysis of gene expression signature may represent an emerging approach to discover therapeutic agents for gastric cancer, such as vorinostat. The observation of altered gene expression after vorinostat treatment may provide the clue to identify the molecular mechanism of vorinostat and those patients likely to benefit from vorinostat treatment.
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Complement gene expression in human cardiac allograft biopsies as a correlate of histologic grade of injury. Transplantation 2008; 86:1319-21. [PMID: 19005416 DOI: 10.1097/tp.0b013e3181889831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Complement activation contributes to antibody-mediated allograft rejection, but increasing evidence also implicates complement proteins produced locally within the graft, in part by infiltrating mononuclear cells, as important mediators of tissue injury. To test this concept in transplant recipients, we evaluated complement, complement regulator, and T cell/proinflammatory marker gene expression by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in 71 archived heart transplant biopsies and correlated the results with the histologic grade of rejection. Significantly more transcripts encoding alternative pathway components factor B, C3 and properdin, and C3a receptor and C5a receptor were detected in grade 3 versus grade 0 or 1 biopsies. The grade 3 rejections also contained significantly higher amounts of CD3, interferon gamma, perforin, and granzyme B genes. In addition to providing supportive evidence for a pathogenic role of graft-derived complement in human heart transplant injury, these correlations suggest that molecular profiling of complement gene expression could be useful in the diagnosis of human allograft rejection.
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Cui J, Liu Q, Puett D, Xu Y. Computational prediction of human proteins that can be secreted into the bloodstream. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008; 24:2370-5. [PMID: 18697770 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btn418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
We present a novel computational method for predicting which proteins from highly and abnormally expressed genes in diseased human tissues, such as cancers, can be secreted into the bloodstream, suggesting possible marker proteins for follow-up serum proteomic studies. A main challenging issue in tackling this problem is that our understanding about the downstream localization after proteins are secreted outside the cells is very limited and not sufficient to provide useful hints about secretion to the bloodstream. To bypass this difficulty, we have taken a data mining approach by first collecting, through extensive literature searches, human proteins that are known to be secreted into the bloodstream due to various pathological conditions as detected by previous proteomic studies, and then asking the question: 'what do these secreted proteins have in common in terms of their physical and chemical properties, amino acid sequence and structural features that can be used to predict them?' We have identified a list of features, such as signal peptides, transmembrane domains, glycosylation sites, disordered regions, secondary structural content, hydrophobicity and polarity measures that show relevance to protein secretion. Using these features, we have trained a support vector machine-based classifier to predict protein secretion to the bloodstream. On a large test set containing 98 secretory proteins and 6601 non-secretory proteins of human, our classifier achieved approximately 90% prediction sensitivity and approximately 98% prediction specificity. Several additional datasets are used to further assess the performance of our classifier. On a set of 122 proteins that were found to be of abnormally high abundance in human blood due to various cancers, our program predicted 62 as blood-secreted proteins. By applying our program to abnormally highly expressed genes in gastric cancer and lung cancer tissues detected through microarray gene expression studies, we predicted 13 and 31 as blood secreted, respectively, suggesting that they could serve as potential biomarkers for these two cancers, respectively. Our study demonstrated that our method can provide highly useful information to link genomic and proteomic studies for disease biomarker discovery. Our software can be accessed at http://csbl1.bmb.uga.edu/cgi-bin/Secretion/secretion.cgi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Cui
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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de Sá SV, Corrêa-Giannella ML, Machado MC, Krogh K, de Almeida MQ, Albergaria Pereira MA, Coelho Siqueira SA, Patzina RA, Ibuki FS, Sogayar MC, Machado MCC, Giannella-Neto D. Serpin peptidase inhibitor clade A member 1 as a potential marker for malignancy in insulinomas. Clin Cancer Res 2007; 13:5322-30. [PMID: 17855650 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-06-1477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The biological behavior of insulinomas cannot be predicted based on histopathologic criteria in which the diagnosis of malignancy is confirmed by the presence of metastases. In this study, microarray and quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR were applied to identify differentially expressed genes between malignant and nonmalignant insulinomas to search for useful biomarkers to recognize the metastatic potential of insulinomas. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Code Link human bioarrays were used to analyze differences in approximately 20,000 genes between six well-differentiated endocrine tumors of benign behavior compared with one well-differentiated endocrine carcinoma (WDEC) and three metastases of endocrine carcinomas (MEC). Quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR was used to validate differential expressions of five genes in a series of 35 sporadic insulinomas. Serpin peptidase inhibitor clade A member 1 (SERPINA1; alpha-1-antitrypsin) expression, identified as up-regulated in malignant insulinomas, was also evaluated by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Analysis of microarray data resulted in 230 differentially expressed genes. Gene Ontology analysis identified serine-type endopeptidase activity and serine-type endopeptidase inhibitor activity as pathways presenting significant differential expression. Protease serine 2 and complement factor B (from serine-type endopeptidase activity pathway) were respectively confirmed as up-regulated in well-differentiated endocrine tumors of benign behavior (WDET) and in WDEC/MEC. Angiotensinogen and SERPINA1 (from serine-type endopeptidase inhibitor activity pathway) were confirmed as up-regulated in WDEC/MEC. SERPINA1 was shown to be expressed in 85.7% of malignant versus 14.3% of nonmalignant insulinomas by immunohistochemistry. CONCLUSIONS Our data are consistent to the possibility that SERPINA1 is a marker of malignancy in insulinomas. Given the widespread availability of antibody anti-alpha-1-antitrypsin in pathology services, SERPINA1 expression evaluation might be of clinical utility in recognizing patients more likely to develop an aggressive presentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Valéria de Sá
- Laboratory for Cellular and Molecular Endocrinology LIM-25, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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Ellmark P, Ingvarsson J, Carlsson A, Lundin BS, Wingren C, Borrebaeck CAK. Identification of protein expression signatures associated with Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric adenocarcinoma using recombinant antibody microarrays. Mol Cell Proteomics 2006; 5:1638-46. [PMID: 16844680 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.m600170-mcp200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibody microarray based technology is a powerful emerging tool in proteomics, target discovery, and differential analysis. Here, we report the first study where recombinant antibody fragments have been used to construct large scale antibody microarrays, composed of 127 different antibodies against mostly immunoregulatory antigens. The arrays were based on single framework recombinant antibody fragments (SinFabs) designed for high on-chip stability and functionality and were used for the analysis of malignant and normal stomach tissue samples from Helicobacter pylori-positive and -negative patients. Our results demonstrate that distinct tumor- as well as infection-associated protein expression signatures could be identified from these complex tissue proteomes, as well as biomarkers such as IL-9, IL-11, and MCP-4, previously not found in these diseases. In a longer perspective, this study may improve the understanding of H. pylori-induced stomach cancer and lead to development of improved diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Ellmark
- Department of Immunotechnology, Lund University, BMC D13, SE-22184 Lund, Sweden
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Induction of comprehensible models for gene expression datasets by subgroup discovery methodology. J Biomed Inform 2004; 37:269-84. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbi.2004.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2004] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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