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Wang Z, Li R, Yang G, Wang Y. Cancer stem cell biomarkers and related signalling pathways. J Drug Target 2024; 32:33-44. [PMID: 38095181 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2023.2295222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a distinct subset of neoplastic cells characterised by their heightened capacity for tumorigenesis. These cells are implicated in the facilitation of cancer metastasis, recurrence, and resistance to conventional therapeutic interventions. Extensive scientific research has been devoted to the identification of biomarkers and the elucidation of molecular mechanisms in order to improve targeted therapeutic approaches. Accurate identification of cancer stem cells based on biomarkers can provide a theoretical basis for drug combinations of malignant tumours. Targeted biomarker-based therapies also offer a silver lining for patients with advanced malignancies. This review aims comprehensively to consolidate the latest findings on CSCs biomarkers, targeted agents as well as biomarkers associated signalling pathways in well-established cancer types, thereby contributing to improved prognostic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Wang
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Infectious Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Rui Li
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Guilin Yang
- Department of Infectious Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yijin Wang
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
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2
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Ros M, Riesco-Llach G, Polonio-Alcalá E, Morla-Barcelo PM, Ruiz-Martínez S, Feliu L, Planas M, Puig T. Inhibition of Cancer Stem-like Cells by Curcumin and Other Polyphenol Derivatives in MDA-MB-231 TNBC Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7446. [PMID: 39000554 PMCID: PMC11242520 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137446] [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: 05/10/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for 15% of all breast cancers and is highly aggressive. Despite an initial positive response to chemotherapy, most patients experience rapid disease progression leading to relapse and metastasis. This is attributed to the presence of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) within the tumor, which are characterized by self-renewal, pluripotency, and resistance mechanisms. Targeting BCSCs has become critical as conventional therapies fail to eradicate them due to a lack of specific targets. Curcumin, a polyphenol derived from turmeric (Curcuma longa), exhibits anticancer effects against breast cancer cells and BCSCs. The use of curcumin derivatives has been suggested as an approach to overcome the bioavailability and solubility problems of curcumin in humans, thereby increasing its anticancer effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cellular and molecular effects of six synthetic compounds derived from the natural polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) (TL1, TL2) and curcumin derivatives (TL3, TL4, TL5, and TL6) on a TNBC mesenchymal stem-like cell line. The activity of the compounds against BCSCs was also determined by a mammosphere inhibition assay and studying different BCSC markers by Western blotting. Finally, a drug combination assay was performed with the most promising compounds to evaluate their potential synergistic effects with the chemotherapeutic agents doxorubicin, cisplatin, and paclitaxel. The results showed that compounds exhibited specific cytotoxicity against the TNBC cell line and BCSCs. Interestingly, the combination of the curcumin derivative TL3 with doxorubicin and cisplatin displayed a synergistic effect in TNBC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Ros
- New Therapeutic Targets Laboratory (TargetsLab)-Oncology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Gerard Riesco-Llach
- Laboratori d'Innovació en Processos i Productes de Síntesi Orgànica (LIPPSO), Department of Chemistry, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Emma Polonio-Alcalá
- New Therapeutic Targets Laboratory (TargetsLab)-Oncology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Pere Miquel Morla-Barcelo
- Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), Universitat de les Illes Balears, 07122 Palma, Spain
| | - Santiago Ruiz-Martínez
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Lidia Feliu
- Laboratori d'Innovació en Processos i Productes de Síntesi Orgànica (LIPPSO), Department of Chemistry, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Marta Planas
- Laboratori d'Innovació en Processos i Productes de Síntesi Orgànica (LIPPSO), Department of Chemistry, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Teresa Puig
- New Therapeutic Targets Laboratory (TargetsLab)-Oncology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
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Zeng P, Shu LZ, Zhou YH, Huang HL, Wei SH, Liu WJ, Deng H. Stem cell division and its critical role in mammary gland development and tumorigenesis: current progress and remaining challenges. Stem Cells Dev 2024. [PMID: 38943275 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2024.0035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The origin of breast cancer (BC) has traditionally been a focus of medical research. It is widely acknowledged that BC originates from immortal mammary stem cells (MaSCs) and that these stem cells participate in two division modes: symmetric cell division (SCD) and asymmetric cell division (ACD). Although both of these modes are key to the process of breast development and their imbalance is closely associated with the onset of BC, the molecular mechanisms underlying these phenomena deserve in-depth exploration. In this review, we first outline the molecular mechanisms governing ACD/SCD and analyze the role of ACD/SCD in various stages of breast development. We describe that the changes in telomerase activity, the role of polar proteins, and the stimulation of ovarian hormones subsequently lead to two distinct consequences: breast development or carcinogenesis. Finally, gene mutations, abnormalities in polar proteins, modulation of signal-transduction pathways, and alterations in the microenvironment disrupt the balance of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) division modes and cause BC. Important regulatory factors such as mammalian Inscuteable (mInsc), Numb, Eya1, PKCα, PKCθ, p53, and IL-6 also play significant roles in regulating pathways of ACD/SCD and may constitute key targets for future research on stem cell division, breast development, and tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zeng
- Department of Breast Surgery, Jiangxi Armed Police Corps Hospital, Nanchang 330001, Jiangxi Province, China, China;
| | - Lin-Zhen Shu
- Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, 330031, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China, nanchang, China;
| | - Yu-Hong Zhou
- Department of Breast Surgery, Jiangxi Armed Police Corps Hospital, Nanchang 330001, Jiangxi Province, China, China;
| | - Hai-Lin Huang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Jiangxi Armed Police Corps Hospital, Nanchang 330001, Jiangxi Province, China, China;
| | - Shu-Hua Wei
- Department of Breast Surgery, Jiangxi Armed Police Corps Hospital, Nanchang 330001, Jiangxi Province, China, China;
| | - Wen-Jian Liu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Jiangxi Armed Police Corps Hospital, Nanchang 330001, Jiangxi Province, China, China;
| | - Huan Deng
- The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Department of Pathology, Nanchang, China
- Rehabiliation Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, 330006, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China, China;
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Razavipour SF, Yoon H, Jang K, Kim M, Nawara HM, Bagheri A, Huang WC, Shin M, Zhao D, Zhou Z, Van Boven D, Briegel K, Morey L, Ince TA, Johnson M, Slingerland JM. C-terminally phosphorylated p27 activates self-renewal driver genes to program cancer stem cell expansion, mammary hyperplasia and cancer. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5152. [PMID: 38886396 PMCID: PMC11183067 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48742-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
In many cancers, a stem-like cell subpopulation mediates tumor initiation, dissemination and drug resistance. Here, we report that cancer stem cell (CSC) abundance is transcriptionally regulated by C-terminally phosphorylated p27 (p27pT157pT198). Mechanistically, this arises through p27 co-recruitment with STAT3/CBP to gene regulators of CSC self-renewal including MYC, the Notch ligand JAG1, and ANGPTL4. p27pTpT/STAT3 also recruits a SIN3A/HDAC1 complex to co-repress the Pyk2 inhibitor, PTPN12. Pyk2, in turn, activates STAT3, creating a feed-forward loop increasing stem-like properties in vitro and tumor-initiating stem cells in vivo. The p27-activated gene profile is over-represented in STAT3 activated human breast cancers. Furthermore, mammary transgenic expression of phosphomimetic, cyclin-CDK-binding defective p27 (p27CK-DD) increases mammary duct branching morphogenesis, yielding hyperplasia and microinvasive cancers that can metastasize to liver, further supporting a role for p27pTpT in CSC expansion. Thus, p27pTpT interacts with STAT3, driving transcriptional programs governing stem cell expansion or maintenance in normal and cancer tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyedeh Fatemeh Razavipour
- Cancer Host Interactions Program, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA
- Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Fl, USA
| | - Hyunho Yoon
- Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Fl, USA
- Department of Medical and Biological Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon-si, South Korea
| | - Kibeom Jang
- Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Fl, USA
| | - Minsoon Kim
- Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Fl, USA
| | - Hend M Nawara
- Cancer Host Interactions Program, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA
| | - Amir Bagheri
- Cancer Host Interactions Program, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA
| | - Wei-Chi Huang
- Cancer Host Interactions Program, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA
| | - Miyoung Shin
- Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Fl, USA
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Dekuang Zhao
- Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Fl, USA
| | - Zhiqun Zhou
- Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Fl, USA
| | - Derek Van Boven
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Karoline Briegel
- Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Fl, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Fl, USA
| | - Lluis Morey
- Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Fl, USA
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Tan A Ince
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael Johnson
- Cancer Host Interactions Program, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA
| | - Joyce M Slingerland
- Cancer Host Interactions Program, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA.
- Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Fl, USA.
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Zhang L, Li Y, Cai B, Chen J, Zhao K, Li M, Lang J, Wang K, Pan S, Zhu K. A Notch signaling-related lncRNA signature for predicting prognosis and therapeutic response in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21141. [PMID: 38036719 PMCID: PMC10689792 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48596-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence has confirmed the vital role of Notch signaling in the tumorigenesis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). The underlying function of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) related to Notch signaling in ccRCC remains unclear. In present study, the prognostic value and therapeutic strategy of Notch signaling-related lncRNA are comprehensively explored in ccRCC. In total, we acquired 1422 NSRlncRNAs, of which 41 lncRNAs were identified the key NSRlncRNAs associated with the occurrence of ccRCC. The prognostic signature containing five NSRlncRNAs (AC092611.2, NNT-AS1, AGAP2-AS1, AC147651.3, and AC007406.3) was established and validated, and the ccRCC patients were clustered into the high- and low-risk groups. The overall survival of patients in the low-risk group were much more favorable than those in the high-risk group. Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that the risk score was an independent prognostic biomarker. Based on the risk score and clinical variables, a nomogram for predicting prognosis of ccRCC patients was constructed, and the calibration curves and DCA curves showed the superior predictive ability of nomogram. The risk score was correlated with immune cell infiltration, targeted therapy or chemotherapy sensitivity, and multiple oncogenic pathways. Additionally, consensus clustering analysis stratified the ccRCC patients into four clusters with obvious different outcomes, immune microenvironments, and expression of immune checkpoints. The constructed NSRlncRNA-based signature might serve as a potential biomarker for predicting prognosis and response to immunotherapy or targeted therapy in patients with ccRCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Zhang
- Department of Medical Research Center, Shaoxing People's Hospital, No.568, Zhongxing North Road, Shaoxing, 312000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yulei Li
- Department of Urology, Shaoxing People's Hospital, No.568, Zhongxing North Road, Shaoxing, 312000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Bin Cai
- Shaoxing People's Hospital, No.568, Zhongxing North Road, Shaoxing, 312000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jiajun Chen
- Department of Urology, Shaoxing People's Hospital, No.568, Zhongxing North Road, Shaoxing, 312000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Keyuan Zhao
- Department of Urology, Shaoxing People's Hospital, No.568, Zhongxing North Road, Shaoxing, 312000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Mengyao Li
- Department of Pathology, Shaoxing People's Hospital, No.568, Zhongxing North Road, Shaoxing, 312000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Juan Lang
- Department of Pathology, Shaoxing People's Hospital, No.568, Zhongxing North Road, Shaoxing, 312000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Kaifang Wang
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau
| | - Shouhua Pan
- Department of Urology, Shaoxing People's Hospital, No.568, Zhongxing North Road, Shaoxing, 312000, Zhejiang Province, China.
| | - Ke Zhu
- Nanchang People's Hospital, No.1268 Jiuzhou Street, Xihu District, Nanchang City, China.
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Tewari AB, Saini A, Sharma D. Extirpating the cancer stem cell hydra: Differentiation therapy and Hyperthermia therapy for targeting the cancer stem cell hierarchy. Clin Exp Med 2023; 23:3125-3145. [PMID: 37093450 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-023-01066-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Ever since the discovery of cancer stem cells (CSCs), they have progressively attracted more attention as a therapeutic target. Like the mythical hydra, this subpopulation of cells seems to contribute to cancer immortality, spawning more cells each time that some components of the cancer cell hierarchy are destroyed. Traditional modalities focusing on cancer treatment have emphasized apoptosis as a route to eliminate the tumor burden. A major problem is that cancer cells are often in varying degrees of dedifferentiation contributing to what is known as the CSCs hierarchy and cells which are known to be resistant to conventional therapy. Differentiation therapy is an experimental therapeutic modality aimed at the conversion of malignant phenotype to a more benign one. Hyperthermia therapy (HT) is a modality exploiting the changes induced in cells by the application of heat produced to aid in cancer therapy. While differentiation therapy has been successfully employed in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia, it has not been hugely successful for other cancer types. Mounting evidence suggests that hyperthermia therapy may greatly augment the effects of differentiation therapy while simultaneously overcoming many of the hard-to-treat facets of recurrent tumors. This review summarizes the progress made so far in integrating hyperthermia therapy with existing modules of differentiation therapy. The focus is on studies related to the successful application of both hyperthermia and differentiation therapy when used alone or in conjunction for hard-to-treat cancer cell niche with emphasis on combined approaches to target the CSCs hierarchy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit B Tewari
- Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Knowledge City, Sector 81, Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India
| | - Anamika Saini
- Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Knowledge City, Sector 81, Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India
| | - Deepika Sharma
- Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Knowledge City, Sector 81, Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India.
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Shivnani P, Shekhawat S, Prajapati A. Cancer Cachexia and breast cancer stem cell signalling - A crosstalk of signalling molecules. Cell Signal 2023; 110:110847. [PMID: 37557973 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2023.110847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
Cancer Cachexia is a condition characterized by the involuntary loss of lean body mass, a negative protein and energy balance, and systemic inflammation. This syndrome profoundly impacts the patient's quality of life and is linked to poor chemotherapy response and reduced survival. Despite multiple mechanisms being implicated in its development, and various cytokines believed to contribute to the persistent catabolic state, cachexia is still not fully recognized and is often left untreated. Cachexia is caused by altered metabolic adaptation and lack of anticactic therapy due to systemic cytokines promoting and fuelling cancer growth. The exact molecular mechanisms and clinical endpoints remain poorly defined. It has an occurrence rate of 30%-80%, accounting for 20% of total cancer mortality. Tumor cells remodel the microenvironment suitable for their proliferation, wherein they communicate with fibroblast cells to modulate their expression and induce tumor progressive cytokines. Several studies have reported its strong correlation with systemic cytokines that initiate and aggravate the condition. Plenty of studies show the prominent role of cancer-induced cachexia in pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, and lung cancer. However, limited data are available for breast cancer-induced cachexia, highlighting the need for studying it. Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are a prominently explored area in breast cancer research. They are characterized by CD44+/CD24-/ALDH+ expression and are a focus of cancer research. They are a source of renewal and differentiation within the tumor environment and are responsible for progression, and chemotherapeutic resistance. The tumor microenvironment and its cytokines are responsible for maintaining and inducing their differentiation. Cytokines significantly impact BCSC development and self-renewal, stimulating or inhibiting proliferation depending on cytokine and environment. Pro-inflammatory mediators like IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-8 increase proliferation, promoting tumor growth. Experimental models and clinical studies have shown a direct relationship between cytokines and BCSC proliferation. Several of them seem to be interconnected as they initiate signalling down different pathways but converge at BCSC increase and tumor proliferation. This review highlights the common pathways between cachexia and BCSC signalling, to identify potential therapeutic targets that can aid both conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Shivnani
- Biotechnology, School of Science, GSFC University, Vadodara 391750, India
| | - Saroj Shekhawat
- Biotechnology, School of Science, GSFC University, Vadodara 391750, India
| | - Akhilesh Prajapati
- Biotechnology, School of Science, GSFC University, Vadodara 391750, India.
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Liao Y, Luo Z, Liu Y, Xue W, He S, Chen X, Ren H, Yang X, Zhu D, Su Z, Huang Q, Guo H. Total flavonoids of Litchi seed attenuate stem cell-like properties in breast cancer by regulating Notch3 signaling pathway. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 305:116133. [PMID: 36603788 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Breast cancer has been the most commonly-diagnosed cancer worldwide, and the treatment and prognosis of which are often limited by breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs). Litchi seeds have shown good anti-cancer activity in various cancers including prostate cancer, lung cancer and breast cancer. However, the activity and underlying mechanism of Litchi seeds against BCSCs remain unknown. AIM OF THE STUDY To investigate the activity and mechanism of total flavonoids of litchi seed (TFLS) against BCSCs in vitro and in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS Two orthotopic xenograft mouse models were established using HCC1806 cells pretreated or untreated with TFLS to determine whether TFLS could target BCSCs in vivo. Mammosphere formation and flow cytometry assays were employed to evaluate the effect of TFLS on BCSCs in vitro. The underlying mechanism was investigated using RT-qPCR, Western blot, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence experiments. RESULTS TFLS could significantly inhibit the viability of HCC1806, MCF-7 and HCC1937 cells in vitro and suppress the growth of HCC1806 cells in vivo. TFLS attenuated stem cell-like properties of breast cancer through reducing the percentage of CD44+CD24-/low cells, inhibiting the mammospheres formation and down-regulating the mRNA and protein levels of cancer stem cells related markers (Oct4, Nanog, Sox2) in MCF-7 and HCC1806 cells. Meanwhile, TFLS suppressed the tumor-initiating ability of BCSCs via reducing the percentage of CD44+CD24-/low cells in tumor and lowering tumor incidence rate in orthotopic xenograft mice. In addition, TFLS treatments restricted the expression and nuclear translocation of Notch3, subsequently down-regulated Hes1 and Runx2 expressions. CONCLUSIONS TFLS could suppress the growth of breast cancer and eliminate breast cancer stem cells by inhibiting the Notch3 signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunnuo Liao
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation & Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China; Key Laboratory of Longevity and Aging-related Diseases of Chinese Ministry of Education, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Zhuo Luo
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation & Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Key Laboratory of Longevity and Aging-related Diseases of Chinese Ministry of Education, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China; Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, 179 Mingxiu Dong Road, Nanning, 530001, China
| | - Wei Xue
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation & Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China; Department of Pharmacy, Ruikang Hospital Affiliated to Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, 530011, China
| | - Songhua He
- Guangxi Institute for Food and Drug Control, 9 Qinghu Road, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation & Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China; Key Laboratory of Longevity and Aging-related Diseases of Chinese Ministry of Education, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Hong Ren
- Key Laboratory of Longevity and Aging-related Diseases of Chinese Ministry of Education, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China; The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Xin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Longevity and Aging-related Diseases of Chinese Ministry of Education, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Dan Zhu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation & Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Zhiheng Su
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation & Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China.
| | - Qiuju Huang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation & Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China.
| | - Hongwei Guo
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation & Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China; Key Laboratory of Longevity and Aging-related Diseases of Chinese Ministry of Education, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, China.
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Cheng S, Liu S, Chen B, Du C, Xiao P, Luo X, Wei L, Lei Y, Zhao C, Huang W. Psoralidin inhibits osteosarcoma growth and metastasis by downregulating ITGB1 expression via the FAK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways. Chin Med 2023; 18:34. [PMID: 37004120 PMCID: PMC10064721 DOI: 10.1186/s13020-023-00740-w] [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: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psoralea corylifolia is a medicinal leguminous plant that has long been used to treat various diseases. Psoralidin (PSO) is the main extract compound of P. corylifolia and exhibits antibacterial, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and other pharmacological activities. PSO has demonstrated inhibitory effects in several cancers; however, its inhibitory effect on osteosarcoma has not been reported. This study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effect of PSO on osteosarcoma and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. METHODS Crystal violet, cell counting kit-8 (CCK8), and 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) staining assays were used to assess the inhibitory effect of PSO on the proliferation of 143B and MG63 osteosarcoma cells. Wound healing and Transwell assays were conducted to evaluate the effects of PSO on osteosarcoma cell migration and invasion. The cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed using flow cytometry. To determine the possible molecular mechanisms, RNA-sequencing was performed and protein expression was analyzed by western blotting. The inhibitory effect of PSO on osteosarcoma in vivo was analyzed using a mouse model of orthotopic osteosarcoma and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS PSO inhibited osteosarcoma cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner, inhibited cell migration and invasion, and induced cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. Mechanistically, PSO treatment significantly inhibited the focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathways by downregulating ITGB1 expression in both MG63 and 143B cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that PSO restrained osteosarcoma growth in vivo. CONCLUSION PSO may suppress osteosarcoma via the FAK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways by downregulating ITGB1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengwen Cheng
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Senrui Liu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Bowen Chen
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Chengcheng Du
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Pengcheng Xiao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Xuefeng Luo
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Li Wei
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Yiting Lei
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
| | - Chen Zhao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
| | - Wei Huang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
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10
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Abusara OH, Ibrahim AIM, Issa H, Hammad AM, Ismail WH. In Vitro Evaluation of ALDH1A3-Affinic Compounds on Breast and Prostate Cancer Cell Lines as Single Treatments and in Combination with Doxorubicin. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:2170-2181. [PMID: 36975509 PMCID: PMC10047313 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45030139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) enzymes are involved in the growth and development of several tissues, including cancer cells. It has been reported that targeting the ALDH family, including the ALDH1A subfamily, enhances cancer treatment outcomes. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the cytotoxicity of ALDH1A3-affinic compounds that have been recently discovered by our group, on breast (MCF7 and MDA-MB-231) and prostate (PC-3) cancer cell lines. These compounds were investigated on the selected cell lines as single treatments and in combination with doxorubicin (DOX). Results showed that the combination treatment experiments of the selective ALDH1A3 inhibitors (compounds 15 and 16) at variable concentrations with DOX resulted in significant increases in the cytotoxic effect on the MCF7 cell line for compound 15, and to a lesser extent for compound 16 on the PC-3 cell line, compared to DOX alone. The activity of compounds 15 and 16 as single treatments on all cell lines was found to be non-cytotoxic. Therefore, our findings showed that the investigated compounds have a promising potential to target cancer cells, possibly via an ALDH-related pathway, and sensitize them to DOX treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osama H. Abusara
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman 11733, Jordan
- Correspondence:
| | - Ali I. M. Ibrahim
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman 11733, Jordan
| | | | - Alaa M. Hammad
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman 11733, Jordan
| | - Worood H. Ismail
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman 11733, Jordan
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11
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Saran U, Chandrasekaran B, Tyagi A, Shukla V, Singh A, Sharma AK, Damodaran C. A small molecule inhibitor of Notch1 modulates stemness and suppresses breast cancer cell growth. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1150774. [PMID: 36909163 PMCID: PMC9998682 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1150774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Although breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are well characterized, molecularly targeting and eradicating this sub-population remains a challenge in the clinic. Recent studies have explored several signaling pathways that govern stem cell activation: We and others established that the Notch1 signaling plays a significant role in the proliferation, survival, and differentiation of BCSCs. Earlier, we reported that a newly developed small molecule, ASR490, binds to the negative regulatory region (NRR: The activation switch of the Notch receptor) of Notch1. In vitro results demonstrated that ASR490 significantly inhibited BCSCs (ALDH+ and CD44+/CD24-) and breast cancer (BC) growth at nM concentrations, and subsequently inhibited the colony- and mammosphere-forming abilities of BCSCs and BCs. ASR490 downregulated the expressions of Notch1 intracellular domain (NICD: The active form of Notch1) and its downstream effectors Hey1 and HES1. Inhibition of Notch1-NICD facilitated autophagy-mediated growth inhibition by triggering the fusion of autophagosome and autolysosome in BCSCs. ASR490 was found to be non-toxic to healthy cells as compared to existing Notch1 inhibitors. Moreover, oral administration of ASR490 abrogated BCSC and BC tumor growth in the in vivo xenograft models. Together our results indicate that ASR490 is a potential therapeutic agent that inhibits BC tumor growth by targeting and abolishing Notch1 signaling in BCSCs and BC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uttara Saran
- Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | | | - Ashish Tyagi
- Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Vaibhav Shukla
- Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Amandeep Singh
- Penn State Cancer Institute, College of Medicine, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Arun K. Sharma
- Penn State Cancer Institute, College of Medicine, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, United States
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12
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Re-Sensitizing Cancer Stem Cells to Conventional Chemotherapy Agents. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032122. [PMID: 36768445 PMCID: PMC9917165 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells are found in many cancer types. They comprise a distinct subpopulation of cells within the tumor that exhibit properties of stem cells. They express a number of cell surface markers, such as CD133, CD44, ALDH, and EpCAM, as well as embryonic transcription factors Oct4, Nanog, and SOX2. CSCs are more resistant to conventional chemotherapy and can potentially drive tumor relapse. Therefore, it is essential to understand the molecular mechanisms that drive chemoresistance and to target them with specific therapy effectively. Highly conserved developmental signaling pathways such as Wnt, Hedgehog, and Notch are commonly reported to play a role in CSCs chemoresistance development. Studies show that particular pathway inhibitors combined with conventional therapy may re-establish sensitivity to the conventional therapy. Another significant contributor of chemoresistance is a specific tumor microenvironment. Surrounding stroma in the form of cancer-associated fibroblasts, macrophages, endothelial cells, and extracellular matrix components produce cytokines and other factors, thus creating a favorable environment and decreasing the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy. Anti-stromal agents may potentially help to overcome these effects. Epigenetic changes and autophagy were also among the commonly reported mechanisms of chemoresistance. This review provides an overview of signaling pathway components involved in the development of chemoresistance of CSCs and gathers evidence from experimental studies in which CSCs can be re-sensitized to conventional chemotherapy agents across different cancer types.
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13
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Yousefi H, Bahramy A, Zafari N, Delavar MR, Nguyen K, Haghi A, Kandelouei T, Vittori C, Jazireian P, Maleki S, Imani D, Moshksar A, Bitaraf A, Babashah S. Notch signaling pathway: a comprehensive prognostic and gene expression profile analysis in breast cancer. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:1282. [PMID: 36476410 PMCID: PMC9730604 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-10383-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is a complex disease exhibiting a great degree of heterogeneity due to different molecular subtypes. Notch signaling regulates the differentiation of breast epithelial cells during normal development and plays a crucial role in breast cancer progression through the abnormal expression of the Notch up-and down-stream effectors. To date, there are only a few patient-centered clinical studies using datasets characterizing the role of Notch signaling pathway regulators in breast cancer; thus, we investigate the role and functionality of these factors in different subtypes using publicly available databases containing records from large studies. High-throughput genomic data and clinical information extracted from TCGA were analyzed. We performed Kaplan-Meier survival and differential gene expression analyses using the HALLMARK_NOTCH_SIGNALING gene set. To determine if epigenetic regulation of the Notch regulators contributes to their expression, we analyzed methylation levels of these factors using the TCGA HumanMethylation450 Array data. Notch receptors and ligands expression is generally associated with the tumor subtype, grade, and stage. Furthermore, we showed gene expression levels of most Notch factors were associated with DNA methylation rate. Modulating the expression levels of Notch receptors and effectors can be a potential therapeutic approach for breast cancer. As we outline herein, elucidating the novel prognostic and regulatory roles of Notch implicate this pathway as an essential mediator controlling breast cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Yousefi
- Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center (LSUHSC), New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Afshin Bahramy
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Narges Zafari
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahsa Rostamian Delavar
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Khoa Nguyen
- Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Atousa Haghi
- Hematology Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Tahmineh Kandelouei
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Cecilia Vittori
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC), and Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Parham Jazireian
- Department of Biology, University Campus 2, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran
| | - Sajad Maleki
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Danyal Imani
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Amin Moshksar
- Interventional Radiology, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Amirreza Bitaraf
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box, Tehran, 14115-154, Iran
| | - Sadegh Babashah
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box, Tehran, 14115-154, Iran.
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14
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Chen G, Liu ZP. Graph attention network for link prediction of gene regulations from single-cell RNA-sequencing data. Bioinformatics 2022; 38:4522-4529. [PMID: 35961023 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btac559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data provides unprecedented opportunities to reconstruct gene regulatory networks (GRNs) at fine-grained resolution. Numerous unsupervised or self-supervised models have been proposed to infer GRN from bulk RNA-seq data, but few of them are appropriate for scRNA-seq data under the circumstance of low signal-to-noise ratio and dropout. Fortunately, the surging of TF-DNA binding data (e.g. ChIP-seq) makes supervised GRN inference possible. We regard supervised GRN inference as a graph-based link prediction problem that expects to learn gene low-dimensional vectorized representations to predict potential regulatory interactions. RESULTS In this paper, we present GENELink to infer latent interactions between transcription factors (TFs) and target genes in GRN using graph attention network. GENELink projects the single-cell gene expression with observed TF-gene pairs to a low-dimensional space. Then, the specific gene representations are learned to serve for downstream similarity measurement or causal inference of pairwise genes by optimizing the embedding space. Compared to eight existing GRN reconstruction methods, GENELink achieves comparable or better performance on seven scRNA-seq datasets with four types of ground-truth networks. We further apply GENELink on scRNA-seq of human breast cancer metastasis and reveal regulatory heterogeneity of Notch and Wnt signalling pathways between primary tumour and lung metastasis. Moreover, the ontology enrichment results of unique lung metastasis GRN indicate that mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) is functionally important during the seeding step of the cancer metastatic cascade, which is validated by pharmacological assays. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The code and data are available at https://github.com/zpliulab/GENELink. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangyi Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Control Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250061, China
| | - Zhi-Ping Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Control Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250061, China
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15
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Herbal Ingredients in the Prevention of Breast Cancer: Comprehensive Review of Potential Molecular Targets and Role of Natural Products. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:6044640. [PMID: 36017236 PMCID: PMC9398845 DOI: 10.1155/2022/6044640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Among various cancers, breast cancer is the most prevalent type in women throughout the world. Breast cancer treatment is challenging due to complex nature of the etiology of disease. Cell division cycle alterations are often encountered in a variety of cancer types including breast cancer. Common treatments include chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, and hormonal therapy; however, adverse effects and multidrug resistance lead to complications and noncompliance. Accordingly, there is an increasing demand for natural products from medicinal plants and foods. This review summarizes molecular mechanisms of signaling pathways in breast cancer and identifies mechanisms by which natural compounds may exert their efficacy in the treatment of breast cancer.
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16
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Mao XD, Wei X, Xu T, Li TP, Liu KS. Research progress in breast cancer stem cells: characterization and future perspectives. Am J Cancer Res 2022; 12:3208-3222. [PMID: 35968346 PMCID: PMC9360222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
More and more studies have proved that there are a small number of cells with self-renewal and differentiation ability in breast tumors, namely breast cancer stem cells. Such cells play a key role in the initiation, development and migration of breast tumors. The properties of breast tumor stem cells are regulated by a range of intracellular and extracellular factors, including important signaling pathways, transcription factors, non-coding RNAs, and cytokines such as Hedgehog, Wnt, Notch, microRNA93, microRNA100, and IL-6. Tumor microenvironment (such as mesenchymal stem cells, macrophages and cytokines) plays an important role in the regulation of breast tumor stem cells. Using the keywords including "breast cancer stem cells", "signal pathway", "chemotherapy tolerance", and "non-coding RNA", "triple negative breast cancer", "inhibitors", this study retrieved the original articles and reviews published before October 3, 2021, from PubMed and WEB OF SCI database and this study performed a comprehensive review of them. After treatment, there is a correlation between the metastasis-prone nature and recurrence with breast cancer stem cells. The signaling pathway of breast cancer stem cells plays a significant role in activating the function of breast cancer cells, regulating the differentiation of breast cancer cells and controlling the division of breast cancer cells. This imbalance leads to the uncontrolled growth and development of breast cancer cells. Targeted therapy that blocks the corresponding pathway may become a new perspective for breast cancer treatment. In addition, corresponding therapeutic strategies can be used according to the expression characteristics of different molecular types of breast cancer stem cells. For ER-positive breast cancer, simultaneous endocrine therapy and targeted therapy of tumor stem cells may improve the efficacy of endocrine therapy. Trastuzumab therapy significantly reduces the risk of recurrence of HER2-positive breast cancer. For drug-resistant patients, combination therapy is required due to the different phenotypes of epithelial-mesenchymal transforming tumor stem cells. This study briefly reviews the research progress of breast cancer stem cell-related signaling pathways and their inhibitors, in order to provide a reference for breast cancer patients to obtain more effective clinical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Dong Mao
- Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing 210028, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of TCM Syndrome & Treatment of Yingbing of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese MedicineNanjing 210028, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiao Wei
- Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing 210028, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of TCM Syndrome & Treatment of Yingbing of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese MedicineNanjing 210028, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tao Xu
- Xi’an Jiaotong University Global Health InstituteXi’an 710049, Shanxi, China
| | - Tai-Ping Li
- Department of Neuro-Psychiatric Institute, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityNanjing 210029, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kang-Sheng Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Women’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care HospitalNanjing 210029, Jiangsu, China
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17
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Targeting Breast Cancer Stem Cells Using Naturally Occurring Phytoestrogens. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126813. [PMID: 35743256 PMCID: PMC9224163 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer therapies have made significant strides in improving survival for patients over the past decades. However, recurrence and drug resistance continue to challenge long-term recurrence-free and overall survival rates. Mounting evidence supports the cancer stem cell model in which the existence of a small population of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) within the tumor enables these cells to evade conventional therapies and repopulate the tumor, giving rise to more aggressive, recurrent tumors. Thus, successful breast cancer therapy would need to target these BCSCs, as well the tumor bulk cells. Since the Women’s Health Initiative study reported an increased risk of breast cancer with the use of conventional hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women, many have turned their attention to phytoestrogens as a natural alternative. Phytoestrogens are plant compounds that share structural similarities with human estrogens and can bind to the estrogen receptors to alter the endocrine responses. Recent studies have found that phytoestrogens can also target BCSCs and have the potential to complement conventional therapy eradicating BCSCs. This review summarized the latest findings of different phytoestrogens and their effect on BCSCs, along with their mechanisms of action, including selective estrogen receptor binding and inhibition of molecular pathways used by BCSCs. The latest results of phytoestrogens in clinical trials are also discussed to further evaluate the use of phytoestrogen in the treatment and prevention of breast cancer.
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18
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Kadian LK, Arora M, Prasad CP, Pramanik R, Chauhan SS. Signaling pathways and their potential therapeutic utility in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Clin Transl Oncol 2022; 24:1014-1032. [PMID: 34990001 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-021-02763-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Esophageal cancer is a complex gastrointestinal malignancy with an extremely poor outcome. Approximately 80% of cases of this malignancy in Asian countries including India are of squamous cell origin, termed Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ESCC).The five-year survival rate in ESCC patients is less than 20%. Neo-adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy (NACRT) followed by surgical resection remains the major therapeutic strategy for patients with operable ESCC. However, resistance to NACRT and local recurrence after initial treatment are the leading cause of dismal outcomes in these patients. Therefore, an alternative strategy to promote response to the therapy and reduce the post-operative disease recurrence is highly needed. At the molecular level, wide variations have been observed in tumor characteristics among different populations, nevertheless, several common molecular features have been identified which orchestrate disease progression and clinical outcome in the malignancy. Therefore, determination of candidate molecular pathways for targeted therapy remains the mainstream idea of focus in ESCC research. In this review, we have discussed the key signaling pathways associated with ESCC, i.e., Notch, Wnt, and Nrf2 pathways, and their crosstalk during disease progression. We further discuss the recent developments of novel agents to target these pathways in the context of targeted cancer therapy. In-depth research of the signaling pathways, gene signatures, and a combinatorial approach may help in discovering targeted therapy for ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- L K Kadian
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - M Arora
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - C P Prasad
- Department of Medical Oncology (Lab), Dr. B. R. Ambedkar-IRCH, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - R Pramanik
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar-IRCH, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - S S Chauhan
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
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19
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Giuli MV, Mancusi A, Giuliani E, Screpanti I, Checquolo S. Notch signaling in female cancers: a multifaceted node to overcome drug resistance. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2022; 4:805-836. [PMID: 35582386 PMCID: PMC8992449 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2021.53] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Drug resistance is one of the main challenges in cancer therapy, including in the treatment of female-specific malignancies, which account for more than 60% of cancer cases among women. Therefore, elucidating the underlying molecular mechanisms is an urgent need in gynecological cancers to foster novel therapeutic approaches. Notably, Notch signaling, including either receptors or ligands, has emerged as a promising candidate given its multifaceted role in almost all of the hallmarks of cancer. Concerning the connection between Notch pathway and drug resistance in the afore-mentioned tumor contexts, several studies focused on the Notch-dependent regulation of the cancer stem cell (CSC) subpopulation or the induction of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), both features implicated in either intrinsic or acquired resistance. Indeed, the present review provides an up-to-date overview of the published results on Notch signaling and EMT- or CSC-driven drug resistance. Moreover, other drug resistance-related mechanisms are examined such as the involvement of the Notch pathway in drug efflux and tumor microenvironment. Collectively, there is a long way to go before every facet will be fully understood; nevertheless, some small pieces are falling neatly into place. Overall, the main aim of this review is to provide strong evidence in support of Notch signaling inhibition as an effective strategy to evade or reverse resistance in female-specific cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria V Giuli
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome 00161, Italy
| | - Angelica Mancusi
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome 00161, Italy
| | - Eugenia Giuliani
- Scientific Direction, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Rome 00144, Italy
| | - Isabella Screpanti
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome 00161, Italy
| | - Saula Checquolo
- Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnology, Sapienza University, Latina 04100, Italy.,Center for Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome 00161, Italy
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20
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To Explore the Stem Cells Homing to GBM: The Rise to the Occasion. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10050986. [PMID: 35625723 PMCID: PMC9138893 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10050986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple efforts are currently underway to develop targeted therapeutic deliveries to the site of glioblastoma progression. The use of carriers represents advancement in the delivery of various therapeutic agents as a new approach in neuro-oncology. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and neural stem cells (NSCs) are used because of their capability in migrating and delivering therapeutic payloads to tumors. Two of the main properties that carrier cells should possess are their ability to specifically migrate from the bloodstream and low immunogenicity. In this article, we also compared the morphological and molecular features of each type of stem cell that underlie their migration capacity to glioblastoma. Thus, the major focus of the current review is on proteins and lipid molecules that are released by GBM to attract stem cells.
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21
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Alvarez-Elizondo MB, Weihs D. Breast cancer stem cells: mechanobiology reveals highly invasive cancer cell subpopulations. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:134. [PMID: 35171381 PMCID: PMC11072724 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04181-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) are a typically small subpopulation of highly tumorigenic cells that can self-renew, differentiate, drive tumor progression, and may mediate drug resistance and metastasis. Metastasis driving CSCs are expected to be highly invasive. To determine the relative invasiveness of CSCs, we isolate distinct subpopulations in the metastatic, MDA-MB-231 breast-cancer cell line, identified by the stem-cell markers aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and CD44. We determine CSC-subpopulation invasiveness levels using our rapid (2 h) mechanobiology-based assay. Specifically, invasive cells forcefully push and indent the surface of physiological-stiffness synthetic gels to cell-scale depths, where the percentage of indenting cells and their attained depths have previously provided clinically relevant predictions of the metastatic risk in different cancer types. We observe that the small (3.2%) CD44+ALDH+ cell-subpopulation indents more and attains significantly deeper depths (65% indenting to 6 ± 0.3 µm) relative to CD44+ALDH-, CD44-ALDH-, CD44-ALDH+ cells, and the whole-sample control (with 18-44% indenting cells reaching average depths of 4.4-5 µm). The CD44+ALDH+ similarly demonstrates twofold higher migratory capacity in Boyden chambers. The higher invasiveness of CD44+ALDH+ cells reveals their likely role in facilitating disease progression, providing prognostic markers for increased risk of recurrence and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daphne Weihs
- Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 3200003, Haifa, Israel.
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22
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Aramini B, Masciale V, Grisendi G, Bertolini F, Maur M, Guaitoli G, Chrystel I, Morandi U, Stella F, Dominici M, Haider KH. Dissecting Tumor Growth: The Role of Cancer Stem Cells in Drug Resistance and Recurrence. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14040976. [PMID: 35205721 PMCID: PMC8869911 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14040976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cancer is one of the most debated problems all over the world. Cancer stem cells are considered responsible of tumor initiation, metastasis, drug resistance, and recurrence. This subpopulation of cells has been found into the tumor bulk and showed the capacity to self-renew, differentiate, up to generate a new tumor. In the last decades, several studies have been set on the molecular mechanisms behind their specific characteristics as the Wnt/β-catenin signaling, Notch signaling, Hedgehog signaling, transcription factors, etc. The most powerful part of CSCs is represented by the niches as “promoter” of their self-renewal and “protector” from the common oncological treatment as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In our review article we highlighted the primary mechanisms involved in CSC tumorigenesis for the setting of further targets to control the metastatic process. Abstract Emerging evidence suggests that a small subpopulation of cancer stem cells (CSCs) is responsible for initiation, progression, and metastasis cascade in tumors. CSCs share characteristics with normal stem cells, i.e., self-renewal and differentiation potential, suggesting that they can drive cancer progression. Consequently, targeting CSCs to prevent tumor growth or regrowth might offer a chance to lead the fight against cancer. CSCs create their niche, a specific area within tissue with a unique microenvironment that sustains their vital functions. Interactions between CSCs and their niches play a critical role in regulating CSCs’ self-renewal and tumorigenesis. Differences observed in the frequency of CSCs, due to the phenotypic plasticity of many cancer cells, remain a challenge in cancer therapeutics, since CSCs can modulate their transcriptional activities into a more stem-like state to protect themselves from destruction. This plasticity represents an essential step for future therapeutic approaches. Regarding self-renewal, CSCs are modulated by the same molecular pathways found in normal stem cells, such as Wnt/β-catenin signaling, Notch signaling, and Hedgehog signaling. Another key characteristic of CSCs is their resistance to standard chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments, due to their capacity to rest in a quiescent state. This review will analyze the primary mechanisms involved in CSC tumorigenesis, with particular attention to the roles of CSCs in tumor progression in benign and malignant diseases; and will examine future perspectives on the identification of new markers to better control tumorigenesis, as well as dissecting the metastasis process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Aramini
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Experimental Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine–DIMES of the Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, G.B. Morgagni-L. Pierantoni Hospital, 47121 Forlì, Italy;
- Thoracic Surgery Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy; (V.M.); (U.M.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Valentina Masciale
- Thoracic Surgery Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy; (V.M.); (U.M.)
| | - Giulia Grisendi
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy; (G.G.); (F.B.); (M.M.); (G.G.); (I.C.); (M.D.)
| | - Federica Bertolini
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy; (G.G.); (F.B.); (M.M.); (G.G.); (I.C.); (M.D.)
| | - Michela Maur
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy; (G.G.); (F.B.); (M.M.); (G.G.); (I.C.); (M.D.)
| | - Giorgia Guaitoli
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy; (G.G.); (F.B.); (M.M.); (G.G.); (I.C.); (M.D.)
| | - Isca Chrystel
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy; (G.G.); (F.B.); (M.M.); (G.G.); (I.C.); (M.D.)
| | - Uliano Morandi
- Thoracic Surgery Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy; (V.M.); (U.M.)
| | - Franco Stella
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Experimental Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine–DIMES of the Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, G.B. Morgagni-L. Pierantoni Hospital, 47121 Forlì, Italy;
| | - Massimo Dominici
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy; (G.G.); (F.B.); (M.M.); (G.G.); (I.C.); (M.D.)
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Avci S, Kuscu N, Kilinc L, Ustunel I. Relationship of Notch Signal, Surfactant Protein A, and Indomethacin in Cervix During Preterm Birth: Mast Cell and Jagged-2 May Be Key in Understanding Infection-mediated Preterm Birth. J Histochem Cytochem 2022; 70:121-138. [PMID: 34927491 PMCID: PMC8777376 DOI: 10.1369/00221554211061615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Although it is thought that there is a close relationship between Notch signal and preterm birth, the functioning of this mechanism in the cervix is unknown. The efficacy of surfactants and prostaglandin inhibitors in preterm labor is also still unclear. In this study, 48 female CD-1 mice were distributed to pregnant control (PC), Sham, PBS, indomethacin (2 mg/kg; intraperitoneally), lipopolysaccharides (LPS) (25 μg/100 μl; intrauterine), LPS + IND, and Surfactant Protein A Block (SP-A Block: SP-A B; the anti-SP-A antibody was applied 20 µg/100μl; intrauterine) groups. Tissues were examined by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and Western blot analysis. LPS administration increased the expression of N1 Dll-1 and Jagged-2 (Jag-2). Although Toll-like receptor (Tlr)-2 significantly increased in the LPS-treated and SP-A-blocked groups, Tlr-4 significantly increased only in the LPS-exposed groups. It was observed that Jag-2 is specifically expressed by mast cells. Overall, this experimental model shows that some protein responses increase throughout the uterus, starting at a specific point on the cervix epithelium. Surfactant Protein A, which we observed to be significantly reduced by LPS, may be associated with the regulation of the epithelial response, especially during preterm delivery due to infection. On the contrary, prostaglandin inhibitors can be considered an option to delay infection-related preterm labor with their dose-dependent effects. Finally, the link between mast cells and Jag-2 could potentially be a control switch for preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nilay Kuscu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical
School, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Leyla Kilinc
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical
School, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Ismail Ustunel
- Ismail Ustunel, Department of Histology and
Embryology, Medical School, Akdeniz University, 07100 Antalya, Turkey. E-mail:
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Kumari M, Krishnamurthy PT, Pinduprolu SKSS, Sola P. DR-5 and DLL-4 mAb Functionalized SLNs of Gamma-Secretase Inhibitors- An Approach for TNBC Treatment. Adv Pharm Bull 2021; 11:618-623. [PMID: 34888208 PMCID: PMC8642801 DOI: 10.34172/apb.2021.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive and heterogeneous cancer subtypes. High rates of metastasis, poor prognosis, and drug resistance are the major problems associated with TNBC. The current chemotherapeutics eliminate only the bulk tumor cells (non-BCSCs) and do not affect breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs). The BCSCs which are left behind after chemotherapy is reported to promote recurrence and metastasis of TNBC. Death receptor-5 (DR-5) is exclusively expressed in TNBCs and mediates the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis. DR-5, therefore, can be exploited for targeted drug delivery and to induce apoptosis. Gamma-secretase mediated Notch signaling in BCSCs regulates its proliferation, differentiation, and metastasis. The endogenous ligand, Delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4), is reported to activate this Notch signaling in TNBC. Blocking this signaling pathway using both gamma-secretase inhibitors (GSIs) and DLL4 monoclonal antibody (mAb) may produce synergistic benefits. Further, the GSIs (DAPT, LY-411575, RO4929097, MK0752, etc.) suffer from poor bioavailability and off-target side effects such as diarrhea, suppression of lymphopoiesis, headache, hypertension, fatigue, and ventricular dysfunctions. In this hypothesis, we discuss Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) based drug delivery systems containing GSIs and surface modified with DR-5 and DLL4 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to effectivity target and treat TNBC. The delivery system is designed to deliver the drug cargo precisely to TNBCs through its DR-5 receptors and hence expected to reduce the off-target side effects of GSIs. Further, DLL4 mAb and GSIs are expected to act synergistically to block the Notch signal mediated BCSCs proliferation, differentiation, and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mamta Kumari
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Ooty, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Praveen T Krishnamurthy
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Ooty, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Sai Kiran S S Pinduprolu
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Ooty, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Piyongsola Sola
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Ooty, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India
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Ibragimova MK, Tsyganov MM, Litviakov NV. Molecular-Genetic Portrait of Breast Cancer with Triple Negative Phenotype. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13215348. [PMID: 34771512 PMCID: PMC8582512 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13215348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Breast cancer is a genetically heterogeneous disease with different molecular biological and clinical characteristics. The available knowledge about the genetic heterogeneity of the most aggressive molecular subtype of breast cancer—triple-negative—has led to discoveries in drug treatment. Identification of the molecular-genetic phenotype of breast cancer is an important prognostic factor of the disease and allows personalization of the patient’s treatment. Abstract Understanding of the genetic mechanisms and identification of the biological markers of tumor progression that form the individual molecular phenotype of transformed cells can characterize the degree of tumor malignancy, the ability to metastasize, the hormonal sensitivity, and the effectiveness of chemotherapy, etc. Breast cancer (BC) is a genetically heterogeneous disease with different molecular biological and clinical characteristics. The available knowledge about the genetic heterogeneity of the most aggressive molecular subtype of breast cancer—triple-negative (TN)—has led to discoveries in drug treatment, including the use of DNA damaging agents (platinum and PARP inhibitors) for these tumors, as well as the use of immunotherapy. Most importantly, the ability to prescribe optimal drug treatment regimens for patients with TNBC based on knowledge of the molecular-genetic characteristics of this subtype of BC will allow the achievement of high rates of overall and disease-free survival. Thus, identification of the molecular-genetic phenotype of breast cancer is an important prognostic factor of the disease and allows personalization of the patient’s treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina K. Ibragimova
- Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 634009 Tomsk, Russia; (M.M.T.); (N.V.L.)
- National Research Tomsk State University, 634050 Tomsk, Russia
- Correspondence:
| | - Matvey M. Tsyganov
- Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 634009 Tomsk, Russia; (M.M.T.); (N.V.L.)
| | - Nikolai V. Litviakov
- Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 634009 Tomsk, Russia; (M.M.T.); (N.V.L.)
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Shersher E, Lahiry M, Alvarez-Trotta A, Diluvio G, Robbins DJ, Shiekhattar R, Capobianco AJ. NACK and INTEGRATOR act coordinately to activate Notch-mediated transcription in tumorigenesis. Cell Commun Signal 2021; 19:96. [PMID: 34551776 PMCID: PMC8456597 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-021-00776-1] [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: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Notch signaling drives many aspects of neoplastic phenotype. Here, we report that the Integrator complex (INT) is a new component of the Notch transcriptional supercomplex. Together with Notch Activation Complex Kinase (NACK), INT activates Notch1 target genes by driving RNA polymerase II (RNAPII)-dependent transcription, leading to tumorigenesis. METHODS Size exclusion chromatography and CBF-1/RBPJ/Suppressor of Hairless/Lag-1 (CSL)-DNA affinity fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) was used to purify Notch/CSL-dependent complexes for liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were performed to investigate transcriptional regulation of Notch target genes. Transfection of Notch Ternary Complex components into HEK293T cells was used as a recapitulation assay to study Notch-mediated transcriptional mechanisms. Gene knockdown was achieved via RNA interference and the effects of protein depletion on esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) proliferation were determined via a colony formation assay and murine xenografts. Western blotting was used to examine expression of INT subunits in EAC cells and evaluate apoptotic proteins upon INT subunit 11 knockdown (INTS11 KD). Gene KD effects were further explored via flow cytometry. RESULTS We identified the INT complex as part of the Notch transcriptional supercomplex. INT, together with NACK, activates Notch-mediated transcription. While NACK is required for the recruitment of RNAPII to a Notch-dependent promoter, the INT complex is essential for RNAPII phosphorylated at serine 5 (RNAPII-S5P), leading to transcriptional activation. Furthermore, INT subunits are overexpressed in EAC cells and INTS11 KD results in G2/M cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and cell growth arrest in EAC. CONCLUSIONS This study identifies the INT complex as a novel co-factor in Notch-mediated transcription that together with NACK activates Notch target genes and leads to cancer cell proliferation. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Shersher
- Molecular Oncology Program, Division of Surgical Oncology, Dewitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, University of Miami, 1600 NW 10th Ave, Miami, FL, 33136, USA.,Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA.,Cancer Epigenetics Program, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
| | - Mohini Lahiry
- Molecular Oncology Program, Division of Surgical Oncology, Dewitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, University of Miami, 1600 NW 10th Ave, Miami, FL, 33136, USA.,Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
| | - Annamil Alvarez-Trotta
- Molecular Oncology Program, Division of Surgical Oncology, Dewitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, University of Miami, 1600 NW 10th Ave, Miami, FL, 33136, USA.,Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
| | - Giulia Diluvio
- Molecular Oncology Program, Division of Surgical Oncology, Dewitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, University of Miami, 1600 NW 10th Ave, Miami, FL, 33136, USA.,Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
| | - David J Robbins
- Molecular Oncology Program, Division of Surgical Oncology, Dewitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, University of Miami, 1600 NW 10th Ave, Miami, FL, 33136, USA.,Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA.,Division of Surgical Oncology, Dewitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
| | - Ramin Shiekhattar
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA.,Cancer Epigenetics Program, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA.,Department of Human Genetics, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
| | - Anthony J Capobianco
- Molecular Oncology Program, Division of Surgical Oncology, Dewitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, University of Miami, 1600 NW 10th Ave, Miami, FL, 33136, USA. .,Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA. .,Division of Surgical Oncology, Dewitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA.
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Waza AA, Tarfeen N, Majid S, Hassan Y, Mir R, Rather MY, Shah NUD. Metastatic Breast Cancer, Organotropism and Therapeutics: A Review. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2021; 21:813-828. [PMID: 34365922 DOI: 10.2174/1568009621666210806094410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The final stage of breast cancer involves spreading breast cancer cells to the vital organs like the brain, liver lungs and bones in the process called metastasis. Once the target organ is overtaken by the metastatic breast cancer cells, its usual function is compromised causing organ dysfunction and death. Despite the significant research on breast cancer metastasis, it's still the main culprit of breast cancer-related deaths. Exploring the complex molecular pathways associated with the initiation and progression of breast cancer metastasis could lead to the discovery of more effective ways of treating the devastating phenomenon. The present review article highlights the recent advances to understand the complexity associated with breast cancer metastases, organotropism and therapeutic advances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajaz Ahmad Waza
- Multidisciplinary Research Unit (MRU), Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar, J & K, 190010. India
| | - Najeebul Tarfeen
- Centre of Research for Development, University of Kashmir, Srinagar 190006 . India
| | - Sabhiya Majid
- Department of Biochemistry, Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar, J & K, 190010. India
| | - Yasmeena Hassan
- Division of Nursing, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, Srinagar, J & K. India
| | - Rashid Mir
- Department of Medical Lab Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Tabuk. Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohd Younis Rather
- Multidisciplinary Research Unit (MRU), Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar, J & K, 190010. India
| | - Naseer Ue Din Shah
- Centre of Research for Development, University of Kashmir, Srinagar 190006 . India
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28
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Khan S, Suryavanshi M, Kaur J, Nayak D, Khurana A, Manchanda RK, Tandon C, Tandon S. Stem cell therapy: A paradigm shift in breast cancer treatment. World J Stem Cells 2021; 13:841-860. [PMID: 34367480 PMCID: PMC8316873 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v13.i7.841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
As per the latest Globocan statistics, the high prevalence rate of breast cancer in low- and middle-income countries has led to it becoming the most common cancer to be diagnosed, hence posing a major public health challenge. As per this data, more than 11.7% of the estimated new cancer cases in 2020 were due to breast cancer. A small but significant subpopulation of cells with self- renewing ability are present in the tumor stroma and have been given the nomenclature of cancer stem cells (CSCs). These cells display a high degree of plasticity owing to their ability to transition from the slowly cycling quiescent phase to the actively proliferating phenotype. This attribute of CSCs allows them to differentiate into various cell types having diverse functions. Breast CSCs have a pivotal role in development, metastasis, treatment resistance and relapse of breast cancers. This review focuses on the pathways regulating breast CSC maintenance and the current strategies that are being explored for directing the development of novel, targeted, therapeutic approaches for limiting and eradicating this aberrant stem cell population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabiha Khan
- Amity Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Amity University, Noida 201313, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Moushumi Suryavanshi
- Department of Pathology, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, New Delhi 110085, India
| | - Jasamrit Kaur
- Department of Chemistry, Goswami Ganesh Dutta Sanatan Dharma College, Chandigarh 160030, India
| | - Debadatta Nayak
- Central Council for Research in Homeopathy, New Delhi 110058, India
| | - Anil Khurana
- Central Council for Research in Homeopathy, New Delhi 110058, India
| | | | - Chanderdeep Tandon
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida 201313, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Simran Tandon
- Amity Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Amity University, Noida 201313, Uttar Pradesh, India
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Farina AR, Cappabianca LA, Zelli V, Sebastiano M, Mackay AR. Mechanisms involved in selecting and maintaining neuroblastoma cancer stem cell populations, and perspectives for therapeutic targeting. World J Stem Cells 2021; 13:685-736. [PMID: 34367474 PMCID: PMC8316860 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v13.i7.685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pediatric neuroblastomas (NBs) are heterogeneous, aggressive, therapy-resistant embryonal tumours that originate from cells of neural crest (NC) origin and in particular neuroblasts committed to the sympathoadrenal progenitor cell lineage. Therapeutic resistance, post-therapeutic relapse and subsequent metastatic NB progression are driven primarily by cancer stem cell (CSC)-like subpopulations, which through their self-renewing capacity, intermittent and slow cell cycles, drug-resistant and reversibly adaptive plastic phenotypes, represent the most important obstacle to improving therapeutic outcomes in unfavourable NBs. In this review, dedicated to NB CSCs and the prospects for their therapeutic eradication, we initiate with brief descriptions of the unique transient vertebrate embryonic NC structure and salient molecular protagonists involved NC induction, specification, epithelial to mesenchymal transition and migratory behaviour, in order to familiarise the reader with the embryonic cellular and molecular origins and background to NB. We follow this by introducing NB and the potential NC-derived stem/progenitor cell origins of NBs, before providing a comprehensive review of the salient molecules, signalling pathways, mechanisms, tumour microenvironmental and therapeutic conditions involved in promoting, selecting and maintaining NB CSC subpopulations, and that underpin their therapy-resistant, self-renewing metastatic behaviour. Finally, we review potential therapeutic strategies and future prospects for targeting and eradication of these bastions of NB therapeutic resistance, post-therapeutic relapse and metastatic progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonietta Rosella Farina
- Department of Applied Clinical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila 67100, AQ, Italy
| | - Lucia Annamaria Cappabianca
- Department of Applied Clinical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila 67100, AQ, Italy
| | - Veronica Zelli
- Department of Applied Clinical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila 67100, AQ, Italy
| | - Michela Sebastiano
- Department of Applied Clinical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila 67100, AQ, Italy
| | - Andrew Reay Mackay
- Department of Applied Clinical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila 67100, AQ, Italy.
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Troschel FM, Palenta H, Borrmann K, Heshe K, Hua SH, Yip GW, Kiesel L, Eich HT, Götte M, Greve B. Knockdown of the prognostic cancer stem cell marker Musashi-1 decreases radio-resistance while enhancing apoptosis in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer cells via p21 WAF1/CIP1. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2021; 147:3299-3312. [PMID: 34291358 PMCID: PMC8484224 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-021-03743-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Purpose While the stem cell marker Musashi-1 (MSI-1) has been identified as a key player in a wide array of malignancies, few findings exist on its prognostic relevance and relevance for cancer cell death and therapy resistance in breast cancer. Methods First, we determined prognostic relevance of MSI-1 in database analyses regarding multiple survival outcomes. To substantiate findings, MSI-1 was artificially downregulated in MCF-7 breast cancer cells and implications for cancer stem cell markers, cell apoptosis and apoptosis regulator p21, proliferation and radiation response were analyzed via flow cytometry and colony formation. Radiation-induced p21 expression changes were investigated using a dataset containing patient samples obtained before and after irradiation and own in vitro experiments. Results MSI-1 is a negative prognostic marker for disease-free and distant metastasis-free survival in breast cancer and tends to negatively influence overall survival. MSI-1 knockdown downregulated stem cell gene expression and proliferation, but increased p21 levels and apoptosis. Similar to the MSI-1 knockdown effect, p21 expression was strongly increased after irradiation and was expressed at even higher levels in MSI-1 knockdown cells after irradiation. Finally, combined use of MSI-1 silencing and irradiation reduced cancer cell survival. Conclusion MSI-1 is a prognostic marker in breast cancer. MSI-1 silencing downregulates proliferation while increasing apoptosis. The anti-proliferation mediator p21 was upregulated independently after both MSI-1 knockdown and irradiation and even more after both treatments combined, suggesting synergistic potential. Radio-sensitization effects after combining radiation and MSI-1 knockdown underline the potential of MSI-1 as a therapeutic target. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00432-021-03743-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian M Troschel
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany.
| | - Heike Palenta
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Katrin Borrmann
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Kristin Heshe
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - San Hue Hua
- Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117594, Singapore
| | - George W Yip
- Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117594, Singapore
| | - Ludwig Kiesel
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Hans Theodor Eich
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Martin Götte
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Burkhard Greve
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
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Phytomedicines Targeting Cancer Stem Cells: Therapeutic Opportunities and Prospects for Pharmaceutical Development. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14070676. [PMID: 34358102 PMCID: PMC8308767 DOI: 10.3390/ph14070676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The presence of small subpopulations of cells within tumor cells are known as cancer stem cells (CSCs). These cells have been the reason for metastasis, resistance with chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and tumor relapse in several types of cancers. CSCs underwent to epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and resulted in the development of aggressive tumors. CSCs have potential to modulate numerous signaling pathways including Wnt, Hh, and Notch, therefore increasing the stem-like characteristics of cancer cells. The raised expression of drug efflux pump and suppression of apoptosis has shown increased resistance with anti-cancer drugs. Among many agents which were shown to modulate these, the plant-derived bioactive agents appear to modulate these key regulators and were shown to remove CSCs. This review aims to comprehensively scrutinize the preclinical and clinical studies demonstrating the effects of phytocompounds on CSCs isolated from various tumors. Based on the available convincing literature from preclinical studies, with some clinical data, it is apparent that selective targeting of CSCs with plants, plant preparations, and plant-derived bioactive compounds, termed phytochemicals, may be a promising strategy for the treatment of relapsed cancers.
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Edwards A, Brennan K. Notch Signalling in Breast Development and Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:692173. [PMID: 34295896 PMCID: PMC8290365 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.692173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The Notch signalling pathway is a highly conserved developmental signalling pathway, with vital roles in determining cell fate during embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. Aberrant Notch signalling has been implicated in many disease pathologies, including cancer. In this review, we will outline the mechanism and regulation of the Notch signalling pathway. We will also outline the role Notch signalling plays in normal mammary gland development and how Notch signalling is implicated in breast cancer tumorigenesis and progression. We will cover how Notch signalling controls several different hallmarks of cancer within epithelial cells with sections focussed on its roles in proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and metastasis. We will provide evidence for Notch signalling in the breast cancer stem cell phenotype, which also has implications for therapy resistance and disease relapse in breast cancer patients. Finally, we will summarise the developments in therapeutic targeting of Notch signalling, and the pros and cons of this approach for the treatment of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail Edwards
- Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Keith Brennan
- Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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Erkisa M, Sariman M, Geyik OG, Geyik CG, Stanojkovic T, Ulukay E. Natural Products as a Promising Therapeutic Strategy to Target Cancer Stem Cells. Curr Med Chem 2021; 29:741-783. [PMID: 34182899 DOI: 10.2174/0929867328666210628131409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is still a deadly disease, and its treatment desperately needs to be managed in a very sophisticated way through fast-developing novel strategies. Most of the cancer cases eventually develop into recurrencies, for which cancer stem cells (CSCs) are thought to be responsible. They are considered as a subpopulation of all cancer cells of tumor tissue with aberrant regulation of self-renewal, unbalanced proliferation, and cell death properties. Moreover, CSCs show a serious degree of resistance to chemotherapy or radiotherapy and immune surveillance as well. Therefore, new classes of drugs are rushing into the market each year, which makes the cost of therapy increase dramatically. Natural products are also becoming a new research area as a diverse chemical library to suppress CSCs. Some of the products even show promise in this regard. So, the near future could witness the introduction of natural products as a source of new chemotherapy modalities, which may result in the development of novel anticancer drugs. They could also be a reasonably-priced alternative to highly expensive current treatments. Nowadays, considering the effects of natural compounds on targeting surface markers, signaling pathways, apoptosis, and escape from immunosurveillance have been a highly intriguing area in preclinical and clinical research. In this review, we present scientific advances regarding their potential use in the inhibition of CSCs and the mechanisms by which they kill the CSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merve Erkisa
- Molecular Cancer Research Center (ISUMKAM), Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Melda Sariman
- Molecular Cancer Research Center (ISUMKAM), Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Oyku Gonul Geyik
- Molecular Cancer Research Center (ISUMKAM), Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Caner Geyik Geyik
- Molecular Cancer Research Center (ISUMKAM), Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Tatjana Stanojkovic
- Experimental Oncology Deparment, Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Pasterova 14. Serbia
| | - Engin Ulukay
- Molecular Cancer Research Center (ISUMKAM), Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey
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Zheng Q, Zhang M, Zhou F, Zhang L, Meng X. The Breast Cancer Stem Cells Traits and Drug Resistance. Front Pharmacol 2021; 11:599965. [PMID: 33584277 PMCID: PMC7876385 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.599965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug resistance is a major challenge in breast cancer (BC) treatment at present. Accumulating studies indicate that breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are responsible for the BC drugs resistance, causing relapse and metastasis in BC patients. Thus, BCSCs elimination could reverse drug resistance and improve drug efficacy to benefit BC patients. Consequently, mastering the knowledge on the proliferation, resistance mechanisms, and separation of BCSCs in BC therapy is extremely helpful for BCSCs-targeted therapeutic strategies. Herein, we summarize the principal BCSCs surface markers and signaling pathways, and list the BCSCs-related drug resistance mechanisms in chemotherapy (CT), endocrine therapy (ET), and targeted therapy (TT), and display therapeutic strategies for targeting BCSCs to reverse drug resistance in BC. Even more importantly, more attention should be paid to studies on BCSC-targeted strategies to overcome the drug resistant dilemma of clinical therapies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinghui Zheng
- Department of Breast Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mengdi Zhang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fangfang Zhou
- Institutes of Biology and Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Long Zhang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xuli Meng
- Department of Breast Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
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BeLow M, Osipo C. Notch Signaling in Breast Cancer: A Role in Drug Resistance. Cells 2020; 9:cells9102204. [PMID: 33003540 PMCID: PMC7601482 DOI: 10.3390/cells9102204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease that can be subdivided into unique molecular subtypes based on protein expression of the Estrogen Receptor, Progesterone Receptor, and/or the Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2. Therapeutic approaches are designed to inhibit these overexpressed receptors either by endocrine therapy, targeted therapies, or combinations with cytotoxic chemotherapy. However, a significant percentage of breast cancers are inherently resistant or acquire resistance to therapies, and mechanisms that promote resistance remain poorly understood. Notch signaling is an evolutionarily conserved signaling pathway that regulates cell fate, including survival and self-renewal of stem cells, proliferation, or differentiation. Deregulation of Notch signaling promotes resistance to targeted or cytotoxic therapies by enriching of a small population of resistant cells, referred to as breast cancer stem cells, within the bulk tumor; enhancing stem-like features during the process of de-differentiation of tumor cells; or promoting epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Preclinical studies have shown that targeting the Notch pathway can prevent or reverse resistance through reduction or elimination of breast cancer stem cells. However, Notch inhibitors have yet to be clinically approved for the treatment of breast cancer, mainly due to dose-limiting gastrointestinal toxicity. In this review, we discuss potential mechanisms of Notch-mediated resistance in breast cancer cells and breast cancer stem cells, and various methods of targeting Notch through γ-secretase inhibitors, Notch signaling biologics, or transcriptional inhibitors. We also discuss future plans for identification of novel Notch-targeted therapies, in order to reduce toxicity and improve outcomes for women with resistant breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- McKenna BeLow
- Integrated Cell Biology Program, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60513, USA;
| | - Clodia Osipo
- Integrated Cell Biology Program, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60513, USA;
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60513, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60513, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-708-327-2372
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Alemohammad H, Asadzadeh Z, Motafakker Azad R, Hemmat N, Najafzadeh B, Vasefifar P, Najafi S, Baradaran B. Signaling pathways and microRNAs, the orchestrators of NANOG activity during cancer induction. Life Sci 2020; 260:118337. [PMID: 32841661 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.118337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small part of cancer cells inside the tumor that have similar characteristics to normal stem cells. CSCs stimulate tumor initiation and progression in a variety of cancers. Several transcription factors such as NANOG, SOX2, and OCT4 maintain the characteristics of CSCs and their upregulation is seen in many malignancies resulting in increased metastasis, invasion, and recurrence. Among these factors, NANOG plays an important role in regulating the self-renewal and pluripotency of CSCs and the clinical significance of NANOG has been suggested as a marker of CSCs in many cancers. The up and down-regulation of NANOG is associated with several important signaling pathways, including JAK/STAT, Wnt/β-catenin, Notch, TGF-β, Hedgehog, and several microRNAs (miRNAs). In this review, we will investigate the function of NANOG in CSCs and the molecular mechanism of its regulation by signaling pathways and miRNAs. We will also investigate targeting NANOG with different techniques, which is a promising treatment strategy for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hajar Alemohammad
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Zahra Asadzadeh
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Nima Hemmat
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Basira Najafzadeh
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Parisa Vasefifar
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Souzan Najafi
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Behzad Baradaran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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Targeting of Lung Cancer Stem Cell Self-Renewal Pathway by a Small Molecule Verrucarin J. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2020; 15:601-611. [PMID: 30835047 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-019-09874-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite considerable advances made in understanding of lung cancer biology, there has been meek improvement in lung cancer treatment outcome with 4% to 5% increase in 5-year survival rates in the last four decades. Underlying problem of lung cancer recurrence and poor prognosis is attributed to the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) which possess the potential to differentiate, proliferate and trigger chemo-resistance, tumor progression and metastasis, despite initial elimination of the tumor. To address specific targeting of CSCs, we investigated the effects of a small molecule Verrucarin J (VJ) on lung cancer cell lines A549 and H1793. VJ significantly inhibited cell proliferation of both cell lines, with IC50 values of approximately 10 nM for A549 and 20 nM for H1793 respectively after 48 h of treatment. A549 cell line when treated with VJ, induced cell apoptosis with concomitant down regulation of key CSC specific genes- ALDH1, LGR5, OCT4 and CD133 in a dose-dependent manner. To delineate the molecular mechanism by which VJ targets lung cancer cells and CSCs, we determined the effects of VJ on CSC self-renewal pathways Wnt1/β-catenin and Notch1. Treatment of A549 cell line with VJ inhibited significantly both the signalling pathways, suggesting inhibition of expression of CSC genes by VJ through the inhibition of CSC self-renewal signalling pathways. Taken together, our results suggest that VJ may serve as a potent anticancer drug to target cancer cells and CSCs.
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Moore G, Annett S, McClements L, Robson T. Top Notch Targeting Strategies in Cancer: A Detailed Overview of Recent Insights and Current Perspectives. Cells 2020; 9:cells9061503. [PMID: 32575680 PMCID: PMC7349363 DOI: 10.3390/cells9061503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolutionarily conserved Notch plays a critical role in embryonic development and cellular self-renewal. It has both tumour suppressor and oncogenic activity, the latter of which is widely described. Notch-activating mutations are associated with haematological malignancies and several solid tumours including breast, lung and adenoid cystic carcinoma. Moreover, upregulation of Notch receptors and ligands and aberrant Notch signalling is frequently observed in cancer. It is involved in cancer hallmarks including proliferation, survival, migration, angiogenesis, cancer stem cell renewal, metastasis and drug resistance. It is a key component of cell-to-cell interactions between cancer cells and cells of the tumour microenvironment, such as endothelial cells, immune cells and fibroblasts. Notch displays diverse crosstalk with many other oncogenic signalling pathways, and may drive acquired resistance to targeted therapies as well as resistance to standard chemo/radiation therapy. The past 10 years have seen the emergence of different classes of drugs therapeutically targeting Notch including receptor/ligand antibodies, gamma secretase inhibitors (GSI) and most recently, the development of Notch transcription complex inhibitors. It is an exciting time for Notch research with over 70 cancer clinical trials registered and the first-ever Phase III trial of a Notch GSI, nirogacestat, currently at the recruitment stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gillian Moore
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Irish Centre for Vascular Biology, Royal College of Surgeons, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland; (G.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Stephanie Annett
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Irish Centre for Vascular Biology, Royal College of Surgeons, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland; (G.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Lana McClements
- The School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia;
| | - Tracy Robson
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Irish Centre for Vascular Biology, Royal College of Surgeons, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland; (G.M.); (S.A.)
- Correspondence:
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Hii LW, Chung FFL, Mai CW, Yee ZY, Chan HH, Raja VJ, Dephoure NE, Pyne NJ, Pyne S, Leong CO. Sphingosine Kinase 1 Regulates the Survival of Breast Cancer Stem Cells and Non-stem Breast Cancer Cells by Suppression of STAT1. Cells 2020; 9:E886. [PMID: 32260399 PMCID: PMC7226795 DOI: 10.3390/cells9040886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent rare tumor cell populations capable of self-renewal, differentiation, and tumor initiation and are highly resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Thus, therapeutic approaches that can effectively target CSCs and tumor cells could be the key to efficient tumor treatment. In this study, we explored the function of SPHK1 in breast CSCs and non-CSCs. We showed that RNAi-mediated knockdown of SPHK1 inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in both breast CSCs and non-CSCs, while ectopic expression of SPHK1 enhanced breast CSC survival and mammosphere forming efficiency. We identified STAT1 and IFN signaling as key regulatory targets of SPHK1 and demonstrated that an important mechanism by which SPHK1 promotes cancer cell survival is through the suppression of STAT1. We further demonstrated that SPHK1 inhibitors, FTY720 and PF543, synergized with doxorubicin in targeting both breast CSCs and non-CSCs. In conclusion, we provide important evidence that SPHK1 is a key regulator of cell survival and proliferation in breast CSCs and non-CSCs and is an attractive target for the design of future therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Wei Hii
- Centre for Cancer and Stem Cell Research, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia; (L.-W.H.); (C.W.M.); (Z.Y.Y.); (H.H.C.)
- School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia
- School of Postgraduate Studies, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia
| | - Felicia Fei-Lei Chung
- Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis Section (MCA), Epigenetics Group (EGE) International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization, 69372 Lyon, France;
| | - Chun Wai Mai
- Centre for Cancer and Stem Cell Research, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia; (L.-W.H.); (C.W.M.); (Z.Y.Y.); (H.H.C.)
- School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia
| | - Zong Yang Yee
- Centre for Cancer and Stem Cell Research, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia; (L.-W.H.); (C.W.M.); (Z.Y.Y.); (H.H.C.)
- School of Postgraduate Studies, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia
| | - Hong Hao Chan
- Centre for Cancer and Stem Cell Research, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia; (L.-W.H.); (C.W.M.); (Z.Y.Y.); (H.H.C.)
- School of Postgraduate Studies, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia
| | - Vijay Joseph Raja
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA; (V.J.R.); (N.E.D.)
| | - Noah Elias Dephoure
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA; (V.J.R.); (N.E.D.)
| | - Nigel J. Pyne
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0RE, Scotland, UK; (N.J.P.); (S.P.)
| | - Susan Pyne
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0RE, Scotland, UK; (N.J.P.); (S.P.)
| | - Chee-Onn Leong
- Centre for Cancer and Stem Cell Research, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia; (L.-W.H.); (C.W.M.); (Z.Y.Y.); (H.H.C.)
- School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia
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40
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Das PK, Rakib MA, Khanam JA, Pillai S, Islam F. Novel Therapeutics Against Breast Cancer Stem Cells by Targeting Surface Markers and Signaling Pathways. Curr Stem Cell Res Ther 2019; 14:669-682. [DOI: 10.2174/1574888x14666190628104721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background:
Breast cancer remains to be one of the deadliest forms of cancers, owing to
the drug resistance and tumor relapse caused by breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) despite notable advancements
in radio-chemotherapies.
Objective:
To find out novel therapeutics against breast cancer stem cells by aiming surface markers
and signaling pathways.
Methods:
A systematic literature search was conducted through various electronic databases including,
Pubmed, Scopus, Google scholar using the keywords "BCSCs, surface markers, signaling pathways
and therapeutic options against breast cancer stem cell. Articles selected for the purpose of this review
were reviewed and extensively analyzed.
Results:
Novel therapeutic strategies include targeting BCSCs surface markers and aberrantly activated
signaling pathways or targeting their components, which play critical roles in self-renewal and defense,
have been shown to be significantly effective against breast cancer. In this review, we represent a
number of ways against BCSCs surface markers and hyper-activated signaling pathways to target this
highly malicious entity of breast cancer more effectively in order to make a feasible and useful strategy
for successful breast cancer treatment. In addition, we discuss some characteristics of BCSCs in disease
progression and therapy resistance.
Conclusion:
BCSCs involved in cancer pathogenesis, therapy resistance and cancer recurrence. Thus,
it is suggested that a multi-dimensional therapeutic approach by targeting surface markers and aberrantly
activated signaling pathways of BCSCs alone or in combination with each other could really be
worthwhile in the treatment of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Plabon K. Das
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh
| | - Md. A. Rakib
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh
| | - Jahan A. Khanam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh
| | - Suja Pillai
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Farhadul Islam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh
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Li DD, Yagüe E, Wang LY, Dai LL, Yang ZB, Zhi S, Zhang N, Zhao XM, Hu YH. Novel Copper Complexes That Inhibit the Proteasome and Trigger Apoptosis in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells. ACS Med Chem Lett 2019; 10:1328-1335. [PMID: 31531205 PMCID: PMC6746097 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.9b00284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Five innovative ternary copper(II) complexes [Cu(OH-PIP)(Phe)Cl](1), [Cu(OH-PIP)(Gly)(H2O)]NO3·2H2O (2), [Cu(OH-PIP)(Ala)(Cl)]·H2O (3), [Cu(OH-PIP)(Met)]PF6·2H2O (4), and [Cu(OH-PIP)(Gln)(H2O)](Cl)·3H2O (5) have been synthesized and characterized by infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. X-ray crystallography indicates that all Cu atoms are five-coordinated in a square-pyramidal configuration. The complexes have been screened for cytotoxicity against human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and CAL-51. The best anticancer activity is obtained with triple-negative breast cancer CAL-51 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, with IC50 values in the range of 0.082-0.69 μM. Importantly, the copper compounds were more effective than carboplatin at triggering cell death. Mechanistically, the complexes inhibit proteasomal chymotrypsin-like activity, and docking studies reveal their 20S proteasome binding sites. As a consequence, they cause the accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins, inhibit cell proliferation, and induce apoptosis. In addition, these copper complexes decrease the stemness of triple-negative breast cancer cells and have synergistic effects with CBP on TNBC cells, indicating their great potential as a novel therapy for triple-negative breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Dong Li
- Tianjin
Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Ernesto Yagüe
- Cancer
Research Center, Division of Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London W12
0NN, U.K.
| | - Lu-Yao Wang
- Tianjin
Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Lin-Lin Dai
- Tianjin
Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Zi-Bo Yang
- Tianjin
Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Shuang Zhi
- Tianjin
Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Na Zhang
- Tianjin
Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Xiu-Mei Zhao
- Tianjin
Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Yun-Hui Hu
- The
Third Department of Breast Cancer, Tianjin
Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin 300060, China
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Zhang Y, Xie ZY, Guo XT, Xiao XH, Xiong LX. Notch and breast cancer metastasis: Current knowledge, new sights and targeted therapy. Oncol Lett 2019; 18:2743-2755. [PMID: 31452752 PMCID: PMC6704289 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2019.10653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common type of invasive cancer in females and metastasis is one of the major causes of breast cancer-associated mortality. Following detachment from the primary site, disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) enter the bloodstream and establish secondary colonies during the metastatic process. An increasing amount of studies have elucidated the importance of Notch signaling in breast cancer metastasis; therefore, the present review focuses on the mechanisms by which Notch contributes to the occurrence of breast cancer DTCs, increases their motility, establishes interactions with the tumor microenvironment, protects DTCs from host surveillance and finally facilitates secondary colonization. Identification of the underlying mechanisms of Notch-associated breast cancer metastasis will provide additional insights that may contribute towards the development of novel Notch-targeted therapeutic strategies, which may aid in reducing metastasis, culminating in an improved patient prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Zi-Yan Xie
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Xuan-Tong Guo
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Xing-Hua Xiao
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathogenesis and Molecular Pathology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Li-Xia Xiong
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathogenesis and Molecular Pathology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
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Das V, Bhattacharya S, Chikkaputtaiah C, Hazra S, Pal M. The basics of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT): A study from a structure, dynamics, and functional perspective. J Cell Physiol 2019; 234:14535-14555. [PMID: 30723913 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.28160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key step in transdifferentiation process in solid cancer development. Forthcoming evidence suggest that the stratified program transforms polarized, immotile epithelial cells to migratory mesenchymal cells associated with enhancement of breast cancer stemness, metastasis, and drug resistance. It involves primarily several signaling pathways, such as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), cadherin, notch, plasminogen activator protein inhibitor, urokinase plasminogen activator, and WNT/beta catenin pathways. However, current understanding on the crosstalk of multisignaling pathways and assemblies of key transcription factors remain to be explored. In this review, we focus on the crosstalk of signal transduction pathways linked to the current therapeutic and drug development strategies. We have also performed the computational modeling on indepth the structure and conformational dynamic studies of regulatory proteins and analyze molecular interactions with their associate factors to understand the complicated process of EMT in breast cancer progression and metastasis. Electrostatic potential surfaces have been analyzed that help in optimization of electrostatic interactions between the protein and its ligand. Therefore, understanding the biological implications underlying the EMT process through molecular biology with biocomputation and structural biology approaches will enable the development of new therapeutic strategies to sensitize tumors to conventional therapy and suppress their metastatic phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishal Das
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division (Biotechnology Group), CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Jorhat, Assam, India
| | - Sourya Bhattacharya
- Department of Biotechnology, Centre for Nanotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR), Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Channakeshavaiah Chikkaputtaiah
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division (Biotechnology Group), CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Jorhat, Assam, India
| | - Saugata Hazra
- Department of Biotechnology, Centre for Nanotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR), Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Mintu Pal
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division (Biotechnology Group), CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Jorhat, Assam, India
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Xin Z, Wu X, Yu Z, Shang J, Xu B, Jiang S, Yang Y. Mechanisms explaining the efficacy of psoralidin in cancer and osteoporosis, a review. Pharmacol Res 2019; 147:104334. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2019.104334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Krishna BM, Jana S, Singhal J, Horne D, Awasthi S, Salgia R, Singhal SS. Notch signaling in breast cancer: From pathway analysis to therapy. Cancer Lett 2019; 461:123-131. [PMID: 31326555 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2019.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Revised: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The Notch signaling pathway, which is highly conserved from sea urchins to humans, plays an important role in cell-differentiation, survival, proliferation, stem-cell renewal, and determining cell fate during development and morphogenesis. It is well established that signaling pathways are dysregulated in a wide-range of diseases, including human malignancies. Studies suggest that the dysregulation of the Notch pathway contributes to carcinogenesis, cancer stem cell renewal, angiogenesis, and chemo-resistance. Elevated levels of Notch receptors and ligands have been associated with cancer-progression and poor survival. Furthermore, the Notch signaling pathway regulates the transcriptional activity of key target genes through crosstalk with several other signaling pathways. Indeed, increasing evidence suggests that the Notch signaling pathway may serve as a therapeutic target for the treatment of several cancers, including breast cancer. Researchers have demonstrated the anti-tumor properties of Notch inhibitors in various cancer types. Currently, Notch inhibitors are being evaluated for anticancer efficacy in a number of clinical-trials. However, because there are multiple Notch receptors that can exhibit either oncogenic or tumor-suppressing roles in various cells, it is important that the Notch inhibitors are specific to particular receptors that are tumorigenic in nature. This review critically evaluates existing Notch inhibitory drugs and strategies and summarizes the previous discoveries, current understandings, and recent developments in support of Notch receptors as therapeutic targets in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Madhu Krishna
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Samir Jana
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Jyotsana Singhal
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - David Horne
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Sanjay Awasthi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology & Oncology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Ravi Salgia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Sharad S Singhal
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA.
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Wang Q, Zhong Y, Liu W, Wang Z, Gu L, Li X, Zheng J, Du H, Zhong Z, Xie F. Enhanced chemotherapeutic efficacy of the low-dose doxorubicin in breast cancer via nanoparticle delivery system crosslinked hyaluronic acid. Drug Deliv 2019; 26:12-22. [PMID: 30691317 PMCID: PMC6352940 DOI: 10.1080/10717544.2018.1507057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the development of treatment options in breast cancer, many patients die of recurrence and metastasis. Owing to enhanced permeability and retention in solid tumor tissue, nanoparticle (NP) delivery systems have been emerged as novel strategy in cancer chemotherapy. As extracellular matrix, glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan (HA) could bind its surface receptor adhesion molecule CD44 which is strongly expressed on breast cancer. We have previously reported a doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded HA-Lys-LA X-NPs (X-NP-DOX) NP delivery system for breast cancer treatment. In this study, we further investigated the antitumor effect of X-NP-DOX NP delivery system using low-dose DOX in both in vitro and in vivo systems. We demonstrated that low-dose X-NP-DOX possessed the ability for inhibiting MCF-7 breast cancer cell growth, invasion, and migration, and inducing apoptosis in vitro. In in vivo experiments, injection of low-dose X-NP-DOX into tumor-bearing mouse resulted in significant reduction of tumor size. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling staining further revealed that low-dose X-NP-DOX induced higher percentage of apoptotic cells compared with free DOX or saline. Furthermore, our study demonstrated that low-dose X-NP-DOX inhibited Notch1 and Ras/MAPK pathways, decreased cancer stem cell population, and reduced tumorigenesis compared to free DOX in both in vitro and in vivo settings. Owing to its enhanced efficacy and higher targetability compared to free DOX, low-dose DOX delivered by NP system may be a promising novel strategy for breast cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Wang
- a Department of Pathology, Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences , Soochow University Medical College, Soochow University , Suzhou P. R. China.,b Department of Immunology, Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences , Soochow University Medical College, Soochow University , Suzhou , P. R. China
| | - Yinan Zhong
- c Biomedical Polymers Laboratory, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Design and Application, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science , Soochow University , Suzhou P. R. China
| | - Wenting Liu
- a Department of Pathology, Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences , Soochow University Medical College, Soochow University , Suzhou P. R. China.,d Department of Pathology , The Frist Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University , Suzhou , P.R. China
| | - Zemin Wang
- e Investigative Toxicology and Pathology Laboratory, School of Public Health , Indiana University , Bloomington , IN , USA
| | - Liqin Gu
- f Department of Pathology , Taicang Traditional Medicine Hospital of Jiangsu Province , Taicang , P.R. China
| | - Xuejiao Li
- a Department of Pathology, Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences , Soochow University Medical College, Soochow University , Suzhou P. R. China
| | - Jiqing Zheng
- a Department of Pathology, Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences , Soochow University Medical College, Soochow University , Suzhou P. R. China
| | - Huan Du
- a Department of Pathology, Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences , Soochow University Medical College, Soochow University , Suzhou P. R. China
| | - Zhiyuan Zhong
- c Biomedical Polymers Laboratory, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Design and Application, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science , Soochow University , Suzhou P. R. China
| | - Fang Xie
- a Department of Pathology, Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences , Soochow University Medical College, Soochow University , Suzhou P. R. China
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Induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress might be responsible for defective autophagy in cadmium-induced prostate carcinogenesis. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2019; 373:62-68. [PMID: 31002860 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2019.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Earlier, we reported that chronic cadmium (Cd)-exposure to prostate epithelial (RWPE-1) cells causes defective autophagy, which leads to the transformation of a malignant phenotype in both in vitro and in vivo models. However, the upstream events responsible for defective autophagy are yet to be delineated. The present study suggests that chronic Cd exposure induces endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress that triggers the phosphorylation of stress transducers [protein kinase R-like ER Kinase- (PERK), eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2-alpha- (eIF2-α) and Activating Transcription Factor 4 -(ATF-4)], resulting in defective autophagy that protects Cd-exposed RWPE-1 cells. On the other hand, inhibition of the ATF4 stress inducer by siRNA blocked the Cd-induced defective autophagy in transforming cells. While dissecting the upstream activators of ER stress, we found that increased expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is responsible for ER stress in Cd-exposed RWPE-1 cells. Overexpression of antioxidants (SOD1/SOD2) mitigates Cd-induced ROS that results in inhibition of ER stress and autophagy in prostate epithelial cells. These results suggest that the induction of ROS and subsequent ER stress are responsible for defective autophagy in Cd-induced transformation in prostate epithelial cells.
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Das A, Narayanam MK, Paul S, Mukhnerjee P, Ghosh S, Dastidar DG, Chakrabarty S, Ganguli A, Basu B, Pal M, Chatterji U, Banerjee SK, Karmakar P, Kumar D, Chakrabarti G. A novel triazole, NMK-T-057, induces autophagic cell death in breast cancer cells by inhibiting γ-secretase-mediated activation of Notch signaling. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:6733-6750. [PMID: 30824542 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.007671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Notch signaling is reported to be deregulated in several malignancies, including breast, and the enzyme γ-secretase plays an important role in the activation and nuclear translocation of Notch intracellular domain (NICD). Hence, pharmacological inhibition of γ-secretase might lead to the subsequent inhibition of Notch signaling in cancer cells. In search of novel γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs), we screened a series of triazole-based compounds for their potential to bind γ-secretase and observed that 3-(3'4',5'-trimethoxyphenyl)-5-(N-methyl-3'-indolyl)-1,2,4-triazole compound (also known as NMK-T-057) can bind to γ-secretase complex. Very interestingly, NMK-T-057 was found to inhibit proliferation, colony-forming ability, and motility in various breast cancer (BC) cells such as MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, 4T1 (triple-negative cells), and MCF-7 (estrogen receptor (ER)/progesterone receptor (PR)-positive cell line) with negligible cytotoxicity against noncancerous cells (MCF-10A and peripheral blood mononuclear cells). Furthermore, significant induction of apoptosis and inhibition of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stemness were also observed in NMK-T-057-treated BC cells. The in silico study revealing the affinity of NMK-T-057 toward γ-secretase was further validated by a fluorescence-based γ-secretase activity assay, which confirmed inhibition of γ-secretase activity in NMK-T-057-treated BC cells. Interestingly, it was observed that NMK-T-057 induced significant autophagic responses in BC cells, which led to apoptosis. Moreover, NMK-T-057 was found to inhibit tumor progression in a 4T1-BALB/c mouse model. Hence, it may be concluded that NMK-T-057 could be a potential drug candidate against BC that can trigger autophagy-mediated cell death by inhibiting γ-secretase-mediated activation of Notch signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amlan Das
- From the Department of Biotechnology and Dr. B. C. Guha Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and .,Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology, Ravangla, South Sikkim 737139, India
| | - Maruthi Kumar Narayanam
- Department of Chemistry, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Rajasthan 333031, India.,Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology and Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095, and
| | - Santanu Paul
- From the Department of Biotechnology and Dr. B. C. Guha Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and
| | - Pritha Mukhnerjee
- Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata 700019, West Bengal, India
| | - Suvranil Ghosh
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, P-1/12, CIT Road, Scheme VIIM, Kankurgachi, Kolkata 700054, West Bengal, India
| | - Debabrata Ghosh Dastidar
- From the Department of Biotechnology and Dr. B. C. Guha Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and.,Division of Pharmaceutics, Guru Nanak Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, 157/F Nilgunj Road, Panihati, Kolkata 700114, West Bengal, India
| | - Subhendu Chakrabarty
- From the Department of Biotechnology and Dr. B. C. Guha Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and
| | - Arnab Ganguli
- From the Department of Biotechnology and Dr. B. C. Guha Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and
| | - Biswarup Basu
- Department of Experimental Hematology and Neuroendocrinology, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, 37 Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Road, Kolkata 700026, West Bengal, India
| | - Mahadeb Pal
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, P-1/12, CIT Road, Scheme VIIM, Kankurgachi, Kolkata 700054, West Bengal, India
| | - Urmi Chatterji
- Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata 700019, West Bengal, India
| | - Sushanta K Banerjee
- Cancer Research Unit, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Kansas City, Missouri 64128.,Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology and Pathology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas 66160
| | - Parimal Karmakar
- Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, Jadavpur University, 188 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, Western Bengal, India
| | - Dalip Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Rajasthan 333031, India,
| | - Gopal Chakrabarti
- From the Department of Biotechnology and Dr. B. C. Guha Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and
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Lu L, Chen G, Yang J, Ma Z, Yang Y, Hu Y, Lu Y, Cao Z, Wang Y, Wang X. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells suppress growth and promote the apoptosis of glioma U251 cells through downregulation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Biomed Pharmacother 2019; 112:108625. [PMID: 30784920 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2019.108625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2018] [Revised: 01/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), with the capacity for self-renewal and differentiation into multiple cell types, exhibit the property of homing towards tumor sites and immunosuppression and have been used as tumor-tropic vectors for tumor therapy. However, few studies have investigated the underlying molecular mechanisms that link MSCs to targeted tumor cells. In this study, we elucidated the inhibitory effects and mechanisms of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) on human glioma U251 cells using a co-culture system in vitro. The anti-tumor activity of co-cultured hBMSCs was assessed by morphological changes, the MTT assay, and Hoechst 33258 staining. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle distribution were evaluated by flow cytometry. Cell migration and invasion were evaluated using a 24-well Transwell chamber. A proteomics approach was used to identify differentially expressed proteins after hBMSCs treatment in U251 cells, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to validate the results. Bioinformatics analyses were also implemented to better understand the identified proteins, and Western blotting analyses were used to analyze the associated proteins. The results showed that hBMSCs could inhibit cell proliferation and induce cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase, resulting in apoptosis of U251 cells. Transwell and Matrigel invasion assays showed that hBMSCs reduced the migration and invasion of U251 cells. Using proteomics, 11 differentially expressed proteins were identified and observed. Bioinformatics analyses indicated that the identified proteins participated in several biological processes and exhibited various molecular functions, mainly related to the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) pathway. Moreover, hBMSCs regulated changes in proteins linked to cell apoptosis and cell cycle progression and inhibited the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like and PI3K/AKT pathway. Taken together, the findings in our study suggest that hBMSCs inhibit U251 cells proliferation and the EMT-like by downregulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, which indicates that hBMSCs have a potential antitumor characteristics and should be further explored in future glioma therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Lu
- Institute of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Guohu Chen
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Jingjing Yang
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Zhanjun Ma
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China.
| | - Yang Yang
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Yan Hu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Yubao Lu
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Zhangqi Cao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Yan Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Xuexi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China.
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Self-renewal signaling pathways in breast cancer stem cells. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2019; 107:140-153. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2018.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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