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Mustafa M, Abbas K, Alam M, Habib S, Zulfareen, Hasan GM, Islam S, Shamsi A, Hassan I. Investigating underlying molecular mechanisms, signaling pathways, emerging therapeutic approaches in pancreatic cancer. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1427802. [PMID: 39087024 PMCID: PMC11288929 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1427802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma, a clinically challenging malignancy constitutes a significant contributor to cancer-related mortality, characterized by an inherently poor prognosis. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of pancreatic adenocarcinoma by examining its multifaceted etiologies, including genetic mutations and environmental factors. The review explains the complex molecular mechanisms underlying its pathogenesis and summarizes current therapeutic strategies, including surgery, chemotherapy, and emerging modalities such as immunotherapy. Critical molecular pathways driving pancreatic cancer development, including KRAS, Notch, and Hedgehog, are discussed. Current therapeutic strategies, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, are discussed, with an emphasis on their limitations, particularly in terms of postoperative relapse. Promising research areas, including liquid biopsies, personalized medicine, and gene editing, are explored, demonstrating the significant potential for enhancing diagnosis and treatment. While immunotherapy presents promising prospects, it faces challenges related to immune evasion mechanisms. Emerging research directions, encompassing liquid biopsies, personalized medicine, CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, and computational intelligence applications, hold promise for refining diagnostic approaches and therapeutic interventions. By integrating insights from genetic, molecular, and clinical research, innovative strategies that improve patient outcomes can be developed. Ongoing research in these emerging fields holds significant promise for advancing the diagnosis and treatment of this formidable malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd Mustafa
- Department of Biochemistry, J.N. Medical College, Faculty of Medicine, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
| | - Kashif Abbas
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
| | - Mudassir Alam
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
| | - Safia Habib
- Department of Biochemistry, J.N. Medical College, Faculty of Medicine, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
| | - Zulfareen
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Gulam Mustafa Hasan
- Department of Basic Medical Science, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sidra Islam
- Department of Inflammation & Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Anas Shamsi
- Center of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research (CMBHSR), Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Imtaiyaz Hassan
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
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Li D, Cheng J, Zhang W, Zhang L, Maghsoudloo M, Fu J, Liu X, Xiao X, Wei C, Fu J. Tripartite motif-containing 28 (TRIM28) expression and cordycepin inhibition in progression, prognosis, and therapeutics of patients with breast invasive carcinoma. J Cancer 2024; 15:4374-4385. [PMID: 38947392 PMCID: PMC11212093 DOI: 10.7150/jca.95876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the most common tumor in women worldwide. TRIM28 (RNF96) plays pleiotropic biological functions, such as silencing target genes, facilitating DNA repair, stimulating cellular proliferation and differentiation, and contributing to cancer progression. TRIM28 plays an increasingly crucial role in cancer, but its impact on BC, including breast invasive carcinoma, remains poorly understood. In the current study, analyses of online databases, quantitative real-time quantitative PCR, immunohistochemistry, and western blotting were performed on patients with breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA). Cordycepin (CD) was used to monitor BC progression and TRIM28 expression in vivo. As a result, we observed that TRIM28 is highly expressed in breast invasive carcinoma tissues compared with the corresponding normal tissues and is correlated with metastatic / invasive progression. High expression of TRIM28 might serve as a prognostic marker for long-term survival in triple-negative BC, advanced BC, or breast invasive carcinoma. Although TRIM28 methylation in tumor tissues of breast invasive carcinoma is not significantly changed compared to the matched normal tissues, the expressions and methylation of TRIM28 are significantly reversely correlated. TRIM28 expression was inhibited by CD in the mouse model, indicating its role in preventing BC progression. Thus, TRIM28 might be a potentially valuable molecular target for forecasting the progression / prognosis of patients with breast invasive carcinoma. CD, which represses BC growth/metastasis, may be involved partially through suppressing TRIM28 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dabing Li
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Jingliang Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Wenqian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Lianmei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Huai'an No. 1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an 223300, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Mazaher Maghsoudloo
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Jiewen Fu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Xiuli Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
- Department of Pathology, the Affiliated Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Chunli Wei
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Junjiang Fu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
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Sun L, Xing J, Zhou X, Song X, Gao S. Wnt/β-catenin signalling, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and crosslink signalling in colorectal cancer cells. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 175:116685. [PMID: 38710151 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116685] [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: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC), with its significant incidence and metastatic rates, profoundly affects human health. A common oncogenic event in CRC is the aberrant activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway, which drives both the initiation and progression of the disease. Persistent Wnt/β-catenin signalling facilitates the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which accelerates CRC invasion and metastasis. This review provides a summary of recent molecular studies on the role of the Wnt/β-catenin signalling axis in regulating EMT in CRC cells, which triggers metastatic pathogenesis. We present a comprehensive examination of the EMT process and its transcriptional controllers, with an emphasis on the crucial functions of β-catenin, EMT transcription factors (EMT-TFs). We also review recent evidences showing that hyperactive Wnt/β-catenin signalling triggers EMT and metastatic phenotypes in CRC via "Destruction complex" of β-catenin mechanisms. Potential therapeutic and challenges approache to suppress EMT and prevent CRC cells metastasis by targeting Wnt/β-catenin signalling are also discussed. These include direct β-catenin inhibitors and novel targets of the Wnt pathway, and finally highlight novel potential combinational treatment options based on the inhibition of the Wnt pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luanbiao Sun
- China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130000, PR China
| | - Jianpeng Xing
- China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130000, PR China
| | - Xuanpeng Zhou
- China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130000, PR China
| | - Xinyuan Song
- The Chinese University of Hong Kong, New Territories 999077, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Shuohui Gao
- China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130000, PR China.
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Yu X, Xu J. TWIST1 Drives Cytotoxic CD8+ T-Cell Exhaustion through Transcriptional Activation of CD274 (PD-L1) Expression in Breast Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1973. [PMID: 38893094 PMCID: PMC11171171 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16111973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
In breast cancer, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is positively associated with programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and immune escape, and TWIST1 silences ERα expression and induces EMT and cancer metastasis. However, how TWIST1 regulates PD-L1 and immune evasion is unknown. This study analyzed TWIST1 and PD-L1 expression in breast cancers, investigated the mechanism for TWIST1 to regulate PD-L1 transcription, and assessed the effects of TWIST1 and PD-L1 in cancer cells on cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. Interestingly, TWIST1 expression is correlated with high-level PD-L1 expression in ERα-negative breast cancer cells. The overexpression and knockdown of TWIST1 robustly upregulate and downregulate PD-L1 expression, respectively. TWIST1 binds to the PD-L1 promoter and recruits the TIP60 acetyltransferase complex in a BRD8-dependent manner to transcriptionally activate PD-L1 expression, which significantly accelerates the exhaustion and death of the cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. Accordingly, knockdown of TWIST1 or BRD8 or inhibition of PD-L1 significantly enhances the tumor antigen-specific CD8+ T cells to suppress the growth of breast cancer cells. These results demonstrate that TWIST1 directly induces PD-L1 expression in ERα-negative breast cancer cells to promote immune evasion. Targeting TWIST1, BRD8, and/or PD-L1 in ERα-negative breast cancer cells with TWIST1 expression may sensitize CD8+ T-cell-mediated immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobin Yu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Jianming Xu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Arakil N, Akhund SA, Elaasser B, Mohammad KS. Intersecting Paths: Unraveling the Complex Journey of Cancer to Bone Metastasis. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1075. [PMID: 38791037 PMCID: PMC11117796 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12051075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The phenomenon of bone metastases presents a significant challenge within the context of advanced cancer treatments, particularly pertaining to breast, prostate, and lung cancers. These metastatic occurrences stem from the dissemination of cancerous cells into the bone, thereby interrupting the equilibrium between osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Such disruption results in skeletal complications, adversely affecting patient morbidity and quality of life. This review discusses the intricate interplay between cancer cells and the bone microenvironment, positing the bone not merely as a passive recipient of metastatic cells but as an active contributor to cancer progression through its distinctive biochemical and cellular makeup. A thorough examination of bone structure and the dynamics of bone remodeling is undertaken, elucidating how metastatic cancer cells exploit these processes. This review explores the genetic and molecular pathways that underpin the onset and development of bone metastases. Particular emphasis is placed on the roles of cytokines and growth factors in facilitating osteoclastogenesis and influencing osteoblast activity. Additionally, this paper offers a meticulous critique of current diagnostic methodologies, ranging from conventional radiography to advanced molecular imaging techniques, and discusses the implications of a nuanced understanding of bone metastasis biology for therapeutic intervention. This includes the development of targeted therapies and strategies for managing bone pain and other skeletal-related events. Moreover, this review underscores the imperative of ongoing research efforts aimed at identifying novel therapeutic targets and refining management approaches for bone metastases. It advocates for a multidisciplinary strategy that integrates advancements in medical oncology and radiology with insights derived from molecular biology and genetics, to enhance prognostic outcomes and the quality of life for patients afflicted by this debilitating condition. In summary, bone metastases constitute a complex issue that demands a comprehensive and informed approach to treatment. This article contributes to the ongoing discourse by consolidating existing knowledge and identifying avenues for future investigation, with the overarching objective of ameliorating patient care in the domain of oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Khalid S. Mohammad
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh 1153, Saudi Arabia; (N.A.); (S.A.A.); (B.E.)
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Zhan Y, Yin A, Su X, Tang N, Zhang Z, Chen Y, Wang W, Wang J. Interpreting the molecular mechanisms of RBBP4/7 and their roles in human diseases (Review). Int J Mol Med 2024; 53:48. [PMID: 38577935 PMCID: PMC10999228 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2024.5372] [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: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Histone chaperones serve a pivotal role in maintaining human physiological processes. They interact with histones in a stable manner, ensuring the accurate and efficient execution of DNA replication, repair and transcription. Retinoblastoma binding protein (RBBP)4 and RBBP7 represent a crucial pair of histone chaperones, which not only govern the molecular behavior of histones H3 and H4, but also participate in the functions of several protein complexes, such as polycomb repressive complex 2 and nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase, thereby regulating the cell cycle, histone modifications, DNA damage and cell fate. A strong association has been indicated between RBBP4/7 and some major human diseases, such as cancer, age‑related memory loss and infectious diseases. The present review assesses the molecular mechanisms of RBBP4/7 in regulating cellular biological processes, and focuses on the variations in RBBP4/7 expression and their potential mechanisms in various human diseases, thus providing new insights for their diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajing Zhan
- School of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, P.R. China
| | - Ankang Yin
- School of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, P.R. China
| | - Xiyang Su
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, P.R. China
| | - Nan Tang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Wangcheng District People's Hospital, Changsha, Hunan 410000, P.R. China
| | - Zebin Zhang
- School of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, P.R. China
| | - Yi Chen
- School of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, P.R. China
| | - Wei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy Combining Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, P.R. China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, P.R. China
| | - Juan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy Combining Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, P.R. China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, P.R. China
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Pawlicka M, Gumbarewicz E, Błaszczak E, Stepulak A. Transcription Factors and Markers Related to Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Their Role in Resistance to Therapies in Head and Neck Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1354. [PMID: 38611032 PMCID: PMC11010970 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16071354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are heterogeneous and aggressive tumors of the upper aerodigestive tract. Although various histological types exist, the most common is squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The incidence of HNSCC is increasing, making it an important public health concern. Tumor resistance to contemporary treatments, namely, chemo- and radiotherapy, and the recurrence of the primary tumor after its surgical removal cause huge problems for patients. Despite recent improvements in these treatments, the 5-year survival rate is still relatively low. HNSCCs may develop local lymph node metastases and, in the most advanced cases, also distant metastases. A key process associated with tumor progression and metastasis is epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), when poorly motile epithelial tumor cells acquire motile mesenchymal characteristics. These transition cells can invade different adjacent tissues and finally form metastases. EMT is governed by various transcription factors, including the best-characterized TWIST1 and TWIST2, SNAIL, SLUG, ZEB1, and ZEB2. Here, we highlight the current knowledge of the process of EMT in HNSCC and present the main protein markers associated with it. This review focuses on the transcription factors related to EMT and emphasizes their role in the resistance of HNSCC to current chemo- and radiotherapies. Understanding the role of EMT and the precise molecular mechanisms involved in this process may help with the development of novel anti-cancer therapies for this type of tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Andrzej Stepulak
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.P.); (E.G.); (E.B.)
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Ou W, Qi Z, Liu N, Zhang J, Mi X, Song Y, Fang Y, Cui B, Hou J, Yuan Z. Elucidating the role of TWIST1 in ulcerative colitis: a comprehensive bioinformatics and machine learning approach. Front Genet 2024; 15:1296570. [PMID: 38510272 PMCID: PMC10952112 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1296570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a common and progressive inflammatory bowel disease primarily affecting the colon and rectum. Prolonged inflammation can lead to colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC). While the exact cause of UC remains unknown, this study aims to investigate the role of the TWIST1 gene in UC. Methods: Second-generation sequencing data from adult UC patients were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, and characteristic genes were selected using machine learning and Lasso regression. The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve assessed TWIST1's potential as a diagnostic factor (AUC score). Enriched pathways were analyzed, including Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA). Functional mechanisms of marker genes were predicted, considering immune cell infiltration and the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network. Results: We found 530 DEGs, with 341 upregulated and 189 downregulated genes. TWIST1 emerged as one of four potential UC biomarkers via machine learning. TWIST1 expression significantly differed in two datasets, GSE193677 and GSE83687, suggesting its diagnostic potential (AUC = 0.717 in GSE193677, AUC = 0.897 in GSE83687). Enrichment analysis indicated DEGs associated with TWIST1 were involved in processes like leukocyte migration, humoral immune response, and cell chemotaxis. Immune cell infiltration analysis revealed higher rates of M0 macrophages and resting NK cells in the high TWIST1 expression group, while TWIST1 expression correlated positively with M2 macrophages and resting NK cell infiltration. We constructed a ceRNA regulatory network involving 1 mRNA, 7 miRNAs, and 32 long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) to explore TWIST1's regulatory mechanism. Conclusion: TWIST1 plays a significant role in UC and has potential as a diagnostic marker. This study sheds light on UC's molecular mechanisms and underscores TWIST1's importance in its progression. Further research is needed to validate these findings in diverse populations and investigate TWIST1 as a therapeutic target in UC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Ou
- School of Clinical Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Zhaoxue Qi
- Department of Secretory Metabolism, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Ning Liu
- General Surgery of The First Clinical Hospital of Jilin Academy of Chinese Medicine Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Junzi Zhang
- School of Clinical Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Xuguang Mi
- Department of Central Laboratory, Jilin Provincial People’s Hospital, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Yuan Song
- Department of Gastroenterology, Jilin Provincial People’s Hospital, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Yanqiu Fang
- Department of Central Laboratory, Jilin Provincial People’s Hospital, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Baiying Cui
- School of Clinical Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Junjie Hou
- Department of Comprehensive Oncology, Jilin Provincial People’s Hospital, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Zhixin Yuan
- Department of Emergency Surgery, Jilin Provincial People’s Hospital, Changchun, Jilin, China
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Guo L, Kong D, Liu J, Luo L, Zheng W, Chen C, Sun S. Searching for Essential Genes and Targeted Drugs Common to Breast Cancer and Osteoarthritis. Comb Chem High Throughput Screen 2024; 27:238-255. [PMID: 37157194 DOI: 10.2174/1386207326666230508113036] [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: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is documented that osteoarthritis can promote the progression of breast cancer (BC). OBJECTIVE This study aims to search for the essential genes associated with breast cancer (BC) and osteoarthritis (OA), explore the relationship between epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)- related genes and the two diseases, and identify the candidate drugs. METHODS The genes related to both BC and OA were determined by text mining. Protein-protein Interaction (PPI) analysis was carried out, and as a result, the exported genes were found to be related to EMT. PPI and the correlation of mRNA of these genes were also analyzed. Different kinds of enrichment analyses were performed on these genes. A prognostic analysis was performed on these genes for examining their expression levels at different pathological stages, in different tissues, and in different immune cells. Drug-gene interaction database was employed for potential drug discovery. RESULTS A total number of 1422 genes were identified as common to BC and OA and 58 genes were found to be related to EMT. We found that HDAC2 and TGFBR1 were significantly poor in overall survival. High expression of HDAC2 plays a vital role in the increase of pathological stages. Four immune cells might play a role in this process. Fifty-seven drugs were identified that could potentially have therapeutic effects. CONCLUSION EMT may be one of the mechanisms by which OA affects BC. Using the drugs can have potential therapeutic effects, which may benefit patients with both diseases and broaden the indications for drug use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liantao Guo
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, People's Republic of China
| | - Deguang Kong
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianhua Liu
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, People's Republic of China
| | - Lan Luo
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, People's Republic of China
| | - Weijie Zheng
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, People's Republic of China
| | - Chuang Chen
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, People's Republic of China
| | - Shengrong Sun
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, People's Republic of China
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Ma Y, Yu Y, Yin Y, Wang L, Yang H, Luo S, Zheng Q, Pan Y, Zhang D. Potential role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition induced by periodontal pathogens in oral cancer. J Cell Mol Med 2024; 28:e18064. [PMID: 38031653 PMCID: PMC10805513 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
With the increasing incidence of oral cancer in the world, it has become a hotspot to explore the pathogenesis and prevention of oral cancer. It has been proved there is a strong link between periodontal pathogens and oral cancer. However, the specific molecular and cellular pathogenic mechanisms remain to be further elucidated. Emerging evidence suggests that periodontal pathogens-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is closely related to the progression of oral cancer. Cells undergoing EMT showed increased motility, aggressiveness and stemness, which provide a pro-tumour environment and promote malignant metastasis of oral cancer. Plenty of studies proposed periodontal pathogens promote carcinogenesis via EMT. In the current review, we discussed the association between the development of oral cancer and periodontal pathogens, and summarized various mechanisms of EMT caused by periodontal pathogens, which are supposed to play an important role in oral cancer, to provide targets for future research in the fight against oral cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwei Ma
- Department of Periodontics, School of StomatologyChina Medical UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Yingyi Yu
- Department of Periodontics, School of StomatologyChina Medical UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Yuqing Yin
- Department of Periodontics, School of StomatologyChina Medical UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Liu Wang
- Department of Periodontics, School of StomatologyChina Medical UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Huishun Yang
- Department of Periodontics, School of StomatologyChina Medical UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Shiyin Luo
- Department of Periodontics, School of StomatologyChina Medical UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Qifan Zheng
- Department of Periodontics, School of StomatologyChina Medical UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Yaping Pan
- Department of Periodontics and Oral Biology, School of StomatologyChina Medical UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Dongmei Zhang
- Department of Periodontics and Oral Biology, School of StomatologyChina Medical UniversityShenyangChina
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Xu Y, Park SH, Gye MC. Head dysgenesis and disruption of cranial neural crest stem cells behaviour by 4-octylphenol in fire-bellied toad Bombina orientalis embryos. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 338:122697. [PMID: 37804908 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
Alkylphenolic endocrine disruptors (Eds) have been known to affect development of the descendants of multipotent neural crest cells (NCCs) in amphibian embryos. To unravel the mechanism of head dysgenesis induced by alkylphenols in amphibians, the effect of 4-octylphenol (OP) on the differentiation of cranial NCCs in developing embryos and tadpoles, ex vivo NC explant, and isolated NCCs was examined in fire-bellied toad Bombina orientalis with 0, 1, 2, 5, 10, 25 and 50 μM concentrations. Following OP treatment, head cartilages were frequently absent together with the decreased col2a1 mRNA level in tadpoles. While the lipid hydroperoxide (LPO), endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), apoptosis, and DNA fragmentation were significantly increased in stage 22 neulurae and heads of stage 45 tadpoles. In stage 22 neulurae, OP decreased sox9 mRNA, the master transcription factor for chondrogenic differentiation and increased undifferentiated NCC markers. The ectopic NCCs were found in endoderm while mesodermal SOX10(+) cells were decreased. In cranial NCCs isolated from stage 22 embryos, OP treatment decreased cellular survival and increased apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell migration. In chondrogenic induced cranial NC explants, OP treatment decreased SOX9(+) chondrocytes and cartilage development. Together, OP potentiated oxidative damage, apoptosis, EMT, and ectopic migration of NCCs. Considering that tissue differentiation requires stem cells to activate the molecular mechanism of differentiation at the correct location during embryonic development, these changes caused by OP may inhibit sox9-dependent chondrogenic differentiation of cranial NCCs, leading to head dysgenesis in B. orientalis embryos. Therefore, developing multipotent NCCs could be an important target of OP, provides new direction for the estimation of the risk of EDs exposure in human and wildlife animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Xu
- Department of Life Science and Institute for Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Hyun Park
- Department of Life Science and Institute for Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung Chan Gye
- Department of Life Science and Institute for Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.
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12
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Hussen BM, Abdullah KH, Abdullah SR, Majeed NM, Mohamadtahr S, Rasul MF, Dong P, Taheri M, Samsami M. New insights of miRNA molecular mechanisms in breast cancer brain metastasis and therapeutic targets. Noncoding RNA Res 2023; 8:645-660. [PMID: 37818447 PMCID: PMC10560790 DOI: 10.1016/j.ncrna.2023.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain metastases in breast cancer (BC) patients are often associated with a poor prognosis. Recent studies have uncovered the critical roles of miRNAs in the initiation and progression of BC brain metastasis, highlighting the disease's underlying molecular pathways. miRNA-181c, miRNA-10b, and miRNA-21, for example, are all overexpressed in BC patients. It has been shown that these three miRNAs help tumors grow and metastasize by targeting genes that control how cells work. On the other hand, miRNA-26b5p, miRNA-7, and miRNA-1013p are all downregulated in BC brain metastasis patients. They act as tumor suppressors by controlling the expression of genes related to cell adhesion, angiogenesis, and invasion. Therapeutic miRNA targeting has considerable promise in treating BC brain metastases. Several strategies have been proposed to modulate miRNA expression, including miRNA-Mimics, antagomirs, and small molecule inhibitors of miRNA biogenesis. This review discusses the aberrant expression of miRNAs and metastatic pathways that lead to the spread of BC cells to the brain. It also explores miRNA therapeutic target molecular mechanisms and BC brain metastasis challenges with advanced strategies. The targeting of certain miRNAs opens a new door for the development of novel therapeutic approaches for this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bashdar Mahmud Hussen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Science, Cihan University-Erbil, Kurdistan Region, 44001, Iraq
- Department of Clinical Analysis, College of Pharmacy, Hawler Medical University, Kurdistan Region, Erbil, Iraq
| | - Khozga Hazhar Abdullah
- Medical Laboratory Science, College of Health Sciences, Lebanese French University, Kurdistan Region, Erbil, Iraq
| | - Snur Rasool Abdullah
- Medical Laboratory Science, College of Health Sciences, Lebanese French University, Kurdistan Region, Erbil, Iraq
| | | | - Sayran Mohamadtahr
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq
| | - Mohammed Fatih Rasul
- Department of Pharmaceutical Basic Science, Tishk International University, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
| | - Peixin Dong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Mohammad Taheri
- Institute of Human Genetics, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
- Urology and Nephrology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Majid Samsami
- Cancer Research Center, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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13
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Yu X, He T, Tong Z, Liao L, Huang S, Fakhouri WD, Edwards DP, Xu J. Molecular mechanisms of TWIST1-regulated transcription in EMT and cancer metastasis. EMBO Rep 2023; 24:e56902. [PMID: 37680145 PMCID: PMC10626429 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202356902] [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: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
TWIST1 induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to drive cancer metastasis. It is yet unclear what determines TWIST1 functions to activate or repress transcription. We found that the TWIST1 N-terminus antagonizes TWIST1-regulated gene expression, cancer growth and metastasis. TWIST1 interacts with both the NuRD complex and the NuA4/TIP60 complex (TIP60-Com) via its N-terminus. Non-acetylated TWIST1-K73/76 selectively interacts with and recruits NuRD to repress epithelial target gene transcription. Diacetylated TWIST1-acK73/76 binds BRD8, a component of TIP60-Com that also binds histone H4-acK5/8, to recruit TIP60-Com to activate mesenchymal target genes and MYC. Knockdown of BRD8 abolishes TWIST1 and TIP60-Com interaction and TIP60-Com recruitment to TWIST1-activated genes, resulting in decreasing TWIST1-activated target gene expression and cancer metastasis. Both TWIST1/NuRD and TWIST1/TIP60-Com complexes are required for TWIST1 to promote EMT, proliferation, and metastasis at full capacity. Therefore, the diacetylation status of TWIST1-K73/76 dictates whether TWIST1 interacts either with NuRD to repress epithelial genes, or with TIP60-Com to activate mesenchymal genes and MYC. Since BRD8 is essential for TWIST1-acK73/76 and TIP60-Com interaction, targeting BRD8 could be a means to inhibit TWIST1-activated gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobin Yu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
| | - Tao He
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
- Present address:
Institute for Cancer MedicineSouthwest Medical UniversitySichuanChina
| | - Zhangwei Tong
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
| | - Lan Liao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer CenterBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
| | - Shixia Huang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer CenterBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
| | - Walid D Fakhouri
- Department of Diagnostic and Biomedical Sciences, Center for Craniofacial Research, School of DentistryUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonHoustonTXUSA
| | - Dean P Edwards
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer CenterBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
| | - Jianming Xu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer CenterBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTXUSA
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Zhu G, Wang W, Yao H, Li H, Zhang C, Meng Y, Wang J, Zhu M, Zheng H. Identification and validation of novel prognostic signatures based on m5C methylation patterns and tumor EMT profiles in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18763. [PMID: 37907576 PMCID: PMC10618291 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45976-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of 5-methylcytosine (m5C) in tumor initiation and progression has been increasingly recognized. However, the precise association between the regulation of m5C and the progression, metastasis, and prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has not yet been fully explored. Data from 545 HNSCC patients obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were analyzed. Unsupervised cluster analysis was conducted using the expression levels of m5C regulatory genes. Additionally, gene set variation analysis (GSVA), single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), and Cox regression analysis were utilized. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), colony formation assay, transwell experiments and western blots were performed in the HNSCC cell line UM-SCC-17B to assess the expression and functional role of one of the novel signatures, CNFN. Significant expression differences were found in m5C regulatory genes between tumor and normal tissues in HNSCC. Two distinct m5C modification patterns, characterized by substantial prognostic differences, were identified. Cluster-2, which exhibited a strong association with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), was found to be associated with a poorer prognosis. Based on the m5C clusters and EMT status, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Using DEGs, an 8-gene signature (CAMK2N1, WNT7A, F2RL1, AREG, DEFB1, CNFN, TGFBI, and CAV1) was established to develop a prognostic model. The performance of this signature was validated in both the training and external validation datasets, demonstrating its promising efficacy. Furthermore, additional investigations using RT-qPCR on clinical specimens and experimental assays in cell lines provided compelling evidence suggesting that CNFN, one of the genes in the signature, could play a role in HNSCC progression and metastasis through the EMT pathway. This study highlighted the role of m5C in HNSCC progression and metastasis. The relationship between m5C and EMT has been elucidated for the first time. A robust prognostic model was developed for accurately predicting HNSCC patients' survival outcomes. Potential molecular mechanisms underlying these associations have been illuminated through this research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanghao Zhu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Yao
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Haopu Li
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Caiyun Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yindi Meng
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingjie Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Minhui Zhu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Hongliang Zheng
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
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15
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Wang XC, Song K, Tu B, Sun H, Zhou Y, Xu SS, Lu D, Sha JM, Tao H. New aspects of the epigenetic regulation of EMT related to pulmonary fibrosis. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 956:175959. [PMID: 37541361 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.175959] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
Pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic and progressive fibrotic disease that results in impaired gas exchange, ventilation, and eventual death. The pro-fibrotic environment is instigated by various factors, leading to the transformation of epithelial cells into myofibroblasts and/or fibroblasts that trigger fibrosis. Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a biological process that plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. Epigenetic regulation of tissue-stromal crosstalk involving DNA methylation, histone modifications, non-coding RNA, and chromatin remodeling plays a key role in the control of EMT. The review investigates the epigenetic regulation of EMT and its significance in pulmonary fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian-Chen Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, PR China
| | - Kai Song
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, PR China
| | - Bin Tu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, PR China
| | - He Sun
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, PR China
| | - Yang Zhou
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, PR China
| | - Sheng-Song Xu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, PR China
| | - Dong Lu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, PR China.
| | - Ji-Ming Sha
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, PR China.
| | - Hui Tao
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, PR China.
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16
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Ma W, Wu Z, Maghsoudloo M, Ijaz I, Dehghan Shasaltaneh M, Zhang Y, Weng Q, Fu J, Imani S, Wen QL. Dermokine mutations contribute to epithelial-mesenchymal transition and advanced melanoma through ERK/MAPK pathways. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285806. [PMID: 37432950 PMCID: PMC10335698 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
To discover vulnerabilities associated with dermokine (DMKN) as a new trigger of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) -driven melanoma, we undertook a genome-wide genetic screening using transgenic. Here, we showed that DMKN expression could be constitutively increased in human malignant melanoma (MM) and that this correlates with poor overall survival in melanoma patients, especially in BRAF-mutated MM samples. Furthermore, in vitro, knockdown of DMKN inhibited the cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of MM cancer cells by the activation of ERK/MAPK signaling pathways and regulator of STAT3 in downstream molecular. By interrogating the in vitro melanoma dataset and characterization of advanced melanoma samples, we found that DMKN downregulated the EMT-like transcriptional program by disrupting EMT cortical actin, increasing the expression of epithelial markers, and decreasing the expression of mesenchymal markers. In addition, whole exome sequencing was presented with p.E69D and p.V91A DMKN mutations as a novel somatic loss of function mutations in those patients. Moreover, our purposeful proof-of-principle modeled the interaction of ERK with p.E69D and p.V91A DMKN mutations in the ERK-MAPK kinas signaling that may be naturally associated with triggering the EMT during melanomagenesis. Altogether, these findings provide preclinical evidence for the role of DMKN in shaping the EMT-like melanoma phenotype and introduced DMKN as a new exceptional responder for personalized MM therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqiong Ma
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Zexiu Wu
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Mazaher Maghsoudloo
- Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Department of Genetics, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
- The Center of Research and Training for Occupational Technical Safety and Health, Tehran, Iran
| | - Iqra Ijaz
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Gynecological and Breast Diseases, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | | | - Yuqin Zhang
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Qiao Weng
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Junjiang Fu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Saber Imani
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qing Lian Wen
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
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17
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Sample RA, Nogueira MF, Mitra RD, Puram SV. Epigenetic regulation of hybrid epithelial-mesenchymal cell states in cancer. Oncogene 2023; 42:2237-2248. [PMID: 37344626 PMCID: PMC10578205 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02749-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process by which cells lose their epithelial characteristics and gain mesenchymal phenotypes. In cancer, EMT is thought to drive tumor invasion and metastasis. Recent efforts to understand EMT biology have uncovered that cells undergoing EMT attain a spectrum of intermediate "hybrid E/M" states, which exist along an epithelial-mesenchymal continuum. Here, we summarize recent studies characterizing the epigenetic drivers of hybrid E/M states. We focus on the histone-modification writers, erasers, and readers that assist or oppose the canonical hybrid E/M transcription factors that modulate hybrid E/M state transitions. We also examine the role of chromatin remodelers and DNA methylation in hybrid E/M states. Finally, we highlight the challenges of targeting hybrid E/M pharmacologically, and we propose future directions that might reveal the specific and targetable mechanisms by which hybrid E/M drives metastasis in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reilly A Sample
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Marina F Nogueira
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Robi D Mitra
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Sidharth V Puram
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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18
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Li T, Tan Q, Wei C, Zou H, Liu X, Mei Z, Zhang P, Cheng J, Fu J. Design, Synthesis, and Acute Toxicity Assays for Novel Thymoquinone Derivative TQFL12 in Mice and the Mechanism of Resistance to Toxicity. Molecules 2023; 28:5149. [PMID: 37446810 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28135149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
TQFL12 is a novel derivative designed and synthesized on the basis of Thymoquinone (TQ) which is extracted from Nigella sativa seeds. We have demonstrated that TQFL12 was more effective in the treatment of TNBC than TQ. In order to directly reflect the acute toxicity of TQFL12 in vivo, in this study, we designed, synthesized, and compared it with TQ. The mice were administered drugs with different concentration gradients intraperitoneally, and death was observed within one week. The 24 h median lethal dose (LD50) of TQ was calculated to be 33.758 mg/kg, while that of TQFL12 on the 7th day was 81.405 mg/kg, and the toxicity was significantly lower than that of TQ. The liver and kidney tissues of the dead mice were observed by H&E staining. The kidneys of the TQ group had more severe renal damage, while the degree of the changes in the TQFL12 group was obviously less than that in the TQ group. Western blotting results showed that the expressions of phosphorylated levels of adenylate-activated protein kinase AMPKα were significantly up-regulated in the kidneys of the TQFL12 group. Therefore, it can be concluded that the acute toxicity of TQFL12 in vivo is significantly lower than that of TQ, and its anti-toxicity mechanism may be carried out through the AMPK signaling pathway, which has a good prospect for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Li
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
- Basic Medical School, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Qi Tan
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
- Basic Medical School, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Chunli Wei
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Hui Zou
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410013, China
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Zhiqiang Mei
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Pengfei Zhang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics, Department of Oncology, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Jingliang Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Junjiang Fu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
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19
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Zhang L, Zhao Y, Yang J, Zhu Y, Li T, Liu X, Zhang P, Cheng J, Sun S, Wei C, Fu J. CTSL, a prognostic marker of breast cancer, that promotes proliferation, migration, and invasion in cells in triple-negative breast cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1158087. [PMID: 37456247 PMCID: PMC10342200 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1158087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction In the world, the incidence of breast cancer has surpassed that of lung cancer, and it has become the first malignant tumor among women. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) shows an extremely heterogeneous malignancy toward high recurrence, metastasis, and mortality, but there is a lack of effective targeted therapy. It is urgent to develop novel molecular targets in the occurrence and therapeutics for TNBC, and novel therapeutic strategies to block the recurrence and metastasis of TNBC. Methods In this study, CTSL (cathepsin L) expression in tissues and adjacent tissues of TNBC patients was monitored by immunohistochemistry and western blots. The correlations between CTSL expressions and clinicopathological characteristics in the patient tissues for TNBC were analyzed. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion assay were also performed when over-expressed or knocked-down CTSL. Results We found that the level of CTSL in TNBC is significantly higher than that in the matched adjacent tissues, and associated with differentiated degree, TNM Stage, tumor size, and lymph node metastatic status in TNBC patients. The high level of CTSL was correlated with a short RFS (p<0.001), OS (p<0.001), DMFS (p<0.001), PPS (p= 0.0025) in breast cancer from online databases; while in breast cancer with lymph node-positive, high level of CTSL was correlated with a short DMFS (p<0.001) and RFS (p<0.001). Moreover, in vitro experiments showed that CTSL overexpression promotes the abilities for proliferation, migration, and invasion in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, while knocking-down CTSL decreases its characteristics in MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Conclusion CTSL might involve into the regulation of the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of TNBC. Thus, CTSL would be a novel, potential therapeutic, and prognostic target of TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianmei Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Huai’an No. 1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Department of Pathology, Taizhou People's Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yang Zhao
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Huai’an No. 1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Institute of Science and Technology, Yueyang, Hunan, China
| | - Yaning Zhu
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Huai’an No. 1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ting Li
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Pengfei Zhang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jingliang Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Suan Sun
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Huai’an No. 1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chunli Wei
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Junjiang Fu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
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20
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Waryah C, Alves E, Mazzieri R, Dolcetti R, Thompson EW, Redfern A, Blancafort P. Unpacking the Complexity of Epithelial Plasticity: From Master Regulator Transcription Factors to Non-Coding RNAs. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3152. [PMID: 37370762 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15123152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular plasticity in cancer enables adaptation to selective pressures and stress imposed by the tumor microenvironment. This plasticity facilitates the remodeling of cancer cell phenotype and function (such as tumor stemness, metastasis, chemo/radio resistance), and the reprogramming of the surrounding tumor microenvironment to enable immune evasion. Epithelial plasticity is one form of cellular plasticity, which is intrinsically linked with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Traditionally, EMT has been regarded as a binary state. Yet, increasing evidence suggests that EMT involves a spectrum of quasi-epithelial and quasi-mesenchymal phenotypes governed by complex interactions between cellular metabolism, transcriptome regulation, and epigenetic mechanisms. Herein, we review the complex cross-talk between the different layers of epithelial plasticity in cancer, encompassing the core layer of transcription factors, their interacting epigenetic modifiers and non-coding RNAs, and the manipulation of cancer immunogenicity in transitioning between epithelial and mesenchymal states. In examining these factors, we provide insights into promising therapeutic avenues and potential anti-cancer targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlene Waryah
- Cancer Epigenetics Group, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Eric Alves
- Cancer Epigenetics Group, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Roberta Mazzieri
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Riccardo Dolcetti
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Erik W Thompson
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia
- Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Andrew Redfern
- School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Pilar Blancafort
- Cancer Epigenetics Group, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
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21
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Akhmetkaliyev A, Alibrahim N, Shafiee D, Tulchinsky E. EMT/MET plasticity in cancer and Go-or-Grow decisions in quiescence: the two sides of the same coin? Mol Cancer 2023; 22:90. [PMID: 37259089 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01793-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mesenchymal epithelial transition (MET) are genetic determinants of cellular plasticity. These programs operate in physiological (embryonic development, wound healing) and pathological (organ fibrosis, cancer) conditions. In cancer, EMT and MET interfere with various signalling pathways at different levels. This results in gross alterations in the gene expression programs, which affect most, if not all hallmarks of cancer, such as response to proliferative and death-inducing signals, tumorigenicity, and cell stemness. EMT in cancer cells involves large scale reorganisation of the cytoskeleton, loss of epithelial integrity, and gain of mesenchymal traits, such as mesenchymal type of cell migration. In this regard, EMT/MET plasticity is highly relevant to the Go-or-Grow concept, which postulates the dichotomous relationship between cell motility and proliferation. The Go-or-Grow decisions are critically important in the processes in which EMT/MET plasticity takes the central stage, mobilisation of stem cells during wound healing, cancer relapse, and metastasis. Here we outline the maintenance of quiescence in stem cell and metastatic niches, focusing on the implication of EMT/MET regulatory networks in Go-or-Grow switches. In particular, we discuss the analogy between cells residing in hybrid quasi-mesenchymal states and GAlert, an intermediate phase allowing quiescent stem cells to enter the cell cycle rapidly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azamat Akhmetkaliyev
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, Astana, 020000, Kazakhstan
| | | | - Darya Shafiee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, Astana, 020000, Kazakhstan
| | - Eugene Tulchinsky
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, Astana, 020000, Kazakhstan.
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
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22
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Shah AM, Guo L, Morales MG, Jaichander P, Chen K, Huang H, Cano Hernandez K, Xu L, Bassel-Duby R, Olson EN, Liu N. TWIST2-mediated chromatin remodeling promotes fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade8184. [PMID: 37115930 PMCID: PMC10146891 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade8184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a common soft tissue sarcoma in children that resembles developing skeletal muscle. Unlike normal muscle cells, RMS cells fail to differentiate despite expression of the myogenic determination protein MYOD. The TWIST2 transcription factor is frequently overexpressed in fusion-negative RMS (FN-RMS). TWIST2 blocks differentiation by inhibiting MYOD activity in myoblasts, but its role in FN-RMS pathogenesis is incompletely understood. Here, we show that knockdown of TWIST2 enables FN-RMS cells to exit the cell cycle and undergo terminal myogenesis. TWIST2 knockdown also substantially reduces tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model of FN-RMS. Mechanistically, TWIST2 controls H3K27 acetylation at distal enhancers by interacting with the chromatin remodelers SMARCA4 and CHD3 to activate growth-related target genes and repress myogenesis-related target genes. These findings provide insights into the role of TWIST2 in maintaining an undifferentiated and tumorigenic state of FN-RMS and highlight the potential of suppressing TWIST2-regulated pathways to treat FN-RMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akansha M. Shah
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Lei Guo
- Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Department of Population and Data Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Maria Gabriela Morales
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Priscilla Jaichander
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kenian Chen
- Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Department of Population and Data Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Huocong Huang
- Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Karla Cano Hernandez
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Lin Xu
- Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Department of Population and Data Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Rhonda Bassel-Duby
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Eric N. Olson
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ning Liu
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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23
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Harnessing epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity to boost cancer immunotherapy. Cell Mol Immunol 2023; 20:318-340. [PMID: 36823234 PMCID: PMC10066239 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-023-00980-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy is a powerful option for cancer treatment. Despite demonstrable progress, most patients fail to respond or achieve durable responses due to primary or acquired ICB resistance. Recently, tumor epithelial-to-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) was identified as a critical determinant in regulating immune escape and immunotherapy resistance in cancer. In this review, we summarize the emerging role of tumor EMP in ICB resistance and the tumor-intrinsic or extrinsic mechanisms by which tumors exploit EMP to achieve immunosuppression and immune escape. We discuss strategies to modulate tumor EMP to alleviate immune resistance and to enhance the efficiency of ICB therapy. Our discussion provides new prospects to enhance the ICB response for therapeutic gain in cancer patients.
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24
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Wang J, Zhong F, Li J, Yue H, Li W, Lu X. The epigenetic factor CHD4 contributes to metastasis by regulating the EZH2/β-catenin axis and acts as a therapeutic target in ovarian cancer. J Transl Med 2023; 21:38. [PMID: 36681835 PMCID: PMC9862813 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03854-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The overall survival rate of patients with advanced ovarian cancer (OC) has remained static for several decades. Advanced ovarian cancer is known for its poor prognosis due to extensive metastasis. Epigenetic alterations contribute to tumour progression and therefore are of interest for potential therapeutic strategies. METHODS Following our previous study, we identified that CHD4, a chromatin remodelling factor, plays a strong role in ovarian cancer cell metastasis. We investigated the clinical significance of CHD4 through TCGA and GEO database analyses and explored the effect of CHD4 expression modulation and romidepsin treatment on the biological behaviour of ovarian cancer through CCK-8 and transwell assays. Bioluminescence imaging of tumours in xenografted mice was applied to determine the therapeutic effect of romidepsin. GSEA and western blotting were used to screen the regulatory mechanism of CHD4. RESULTS In ovarian cancer patient specimens, high CHD4 expression was associated with a poor prognosis. Loss of function of CHD4 in ovarian cancer cells induced suppression of migration and invasion. Mechanistically, CHD4 knockdown suppressed the expression of EZH2 and the nuclear accumulation of β-catenin. CHD4 also suppressed the metastasis of ovarian cancer cells and prevented disease progression in a mouse model. To inhibit the functions of CHD4 that are mediated by histone deacetylase, we evaluated the effect of the HDAC1/2 selective inhibitor romidepsin. Our findings indicated that treatment with romidepsin suppressed the progression of metastases in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, our results uncovered an oncogenic function of CHD4 in ovarian cancer and provide a rationale for clinical trials of romidepsin in ovarian cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieyu Wang
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200090, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Disease, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200090, China
| | - Fangfang Zhong
- Department of Pathology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200090, China
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200090, China
| | - Huiran Yue
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200090, China
| | - Wenzhi Li
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200090, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Disease, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200090, China
| | - Xin Lu
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200090, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Disease, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200090, China.
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25
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Ray SK, Mukherjee S. Altered Expression of TRIM Proteins - Inimical Outcome and Inimitable Oncogenic Function in Breast Cancer with Diverse Carcinogenic Hallmarks. Curr Mol Med 2023; 23:44-53. [PMID: 35021972 DOI: 10.2174/1566524022666220111122450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Deregulation of ubiquitin-mediated degradation of oncogene products or tumor suppressors appears to be implicated in the genesis of carcinomas, according to new clinical findings. Conferring to recent research, some members of the tripartite motif (TRIM) proteins (a subfamily of the RING type E3 ubiquitin ligases) act as significant carcinogenesis regulators. Intracellular signaling, development, apoptosis, protein quality control, innate immunity, autophagy, and carcinogenesis are all regulated by TRIM family proteins, the majority of which have E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. The expression of TRIMs in tumors is likely to be related to the formation and/or progression of the disease, and TRIM expression could be used to predict cancer prognosis. Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women and also the leading cause of death. TRIM family proteins have unique, vital activities, and their dysregulation, such as TRIM 21, promotes breast cancer, according to growing evidence. Many TRIM proteins have been identified as important cancer biomarkers, with decreased or elevated levels of expression. TRIM29 functions as a hypoxia-induced tumor suppressor gene, revealing a new molecular mechanism for ATM-dependent breast cancer suppression. In breast cancer cells, the TRIM28-TWIST1-EMT axis exists, and TRIM28 enhances breast cancer metastasis by stabilizing TWIST1, and thereby increasing epithelial-tomesenchymal transition. Interestingly, many TRIM proteins are involved in the control of p53, and many TRIM proteins are likewise regulated by p53, according to current research. Furthermore, TRIMs linked to specific tumors may aid in the creation of innovative TRIM-targeted cancer treatments. This review focuses on TRIM proteins that are involved in tumor development, progression, and are of clinical significance in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sukhes Mukherjee
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh-462020, India
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26
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Wu J, Zhou Z, Li J, Liu H, Zhang H, Zhang J, Huang W, He Y, Zhu S, Huo M, Liu M, Zhang C. CHD4 promotes acquired chemoresistance and tumor progression by activating the MEK/ERK axis. Drug Resist Updat 2023; 66:100913. [PMID: 36603431 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2022.100913] [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: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Chemoresistance remains a major challenge in gastric cancer (GC). Chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 4 (CHD4) mediated chromatin remodeling plays critical roles in various tumor types, but its role in chemoresistance in GC remains uncharacterized. METHODS CHD4 expression was examined by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. The role of CHD4 on cell proliferation and chemoresistance of GC was examined in vitro and in vivo. Immunoprecipitation and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry were used to identify CHD4-binding proteins and a proximity ligation assay was used to explore protein-protein interaction. RESULTS Chemoresistance is associated with upregulation of CHD4 in the tumor tissues of GC patients. Overexpression of CHD4 increased chemoresistance and cell proliferation. Knockdown of CHD4 induced cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. CHD4 mediates the decrease of the intracellular concentration of cisplatin by inducing drug efflux. Additionally, CHD4 promotes the interaction between ERK1/2 and MEK1/2, resulting in continuous activation of MEK/ERK pathway. Knockdown of CHD4 in GC increased sensitivity to chemotherapy and suppressed tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model. CONCLUSIONS This study identifies CHD4 dominated multi-drug efflux as a promising therapeutic target for overcoming acquired chemoresistance in GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wu
- Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 628 Zhenyuan Road, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 628 Zhenyuan Road, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China; Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhijun Zhou
- Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 628 Zhenyuan Road, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 628 Zhenyuan Road, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China
| | - Jin Li
- Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 628 Zhenyuan Road, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 628 Zhenyuan Road, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China
| | - Huifang Liu
- Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 628 Zhenyuan Road, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 628 Zhenyuan Road, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China
| | - Huaqi Zhang
- Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 628 Zhenyuan Road, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 628 Zhenyuan Road, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China
| | - Junchang Zhang
- Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 628 Zhenyuan Road, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 628 Zhenyuan Road, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China
| | - Weibin Huang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Yulong He
- Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 628 Zhenyuan Road, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 628 Zhenyuan Road, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China; Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Shiyu Zhu
- Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 628 Zhenyuan Road, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 628 Zhenyuan Road, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China
| | - Mingyu Huo
- Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 628 Zhenyuan Road, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 628 Zhenyuan Road, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China.
| | - Mingyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China.
| | - Changhua Zhang
- Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 628 Zhenyuan Road, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 628 Zhenyuan Road, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China.
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27
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Wang W, Yuan H, Han J, Liu W. PCLassoLog: A protein complex-based, group Lasso-logistic model for cancer classification and risk protein complex discovery. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 21:365-377. [PMID: 36582441 PMCID: PMC9791601 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Risk gene identification has attracted much attention in the past two decades. Since most genes need to be translated into proteins and cooperate with other proteins to form protein complexes to carry out cellular functions, which significantly extends the functional diversity of individual proteins, revealing the molecular mechanism of cancer from a comprehensive perspective needs to shift from identifying individual risk genes toward identifying risk protein complexes. Here, we embed protein complexes into the regularized learning framework and propose a protein complex-based, group Lasso-logistic model (PCLassoLog) to discover risk protein complexes. Experiments on deep proteomic data of two cancer types show that PCLassoLog yields superior predictive performance on independent datasets. More importantly, PCLassoLog identifies risk protein complexes that not only contain individual risk proteins but also incorporate close partners that synergize with them. Furthermore, selection probabilities are calculated and two other protein complex-based models are proposed to complement PCLassoLog in identifying reliable risk protein complexes. Based on PCLassoLog, a pan-cancer analysis is performed to identify risk protein complexes in 12 cancer types. Finally, PCLassoLog is used to discover risk protein complexes associated with gene mutation. We implement all protein complex-based models as an R package PCLassoReg, which may serve as an effective tool to discover risk protein complexes in various contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- College of Science, Heilongjiang Institute of Technology, Harbin 150050, China
| | - Haiyan Yuan
- College of Science, Heilongjiang Institute of Technology, Harbin 150050, China
| | - Junwei Han
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China,Corresponding authors.
| | - Wei Liu
- College of Science, Heilongjiang Institute of Technology, Harbin 150050, China,Corresponding authors.
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28
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Lysyl Oxidases: Orchestrators of Cellular Behavior and ECM Remodeling and Homeostasis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911378. [PMID: 36232685 PMCID: PMC9569843 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Lysyl oxidases have long been considered key secreted extracellular matrix modifying enzymes. As such, their activity has been associated with the crosslinking of collagens and elastin, and as a result, they have been linked to multiple developmental and pathological processes. However, numerous lines of evidence also demonstrated that members of this enzyme family are localized and are active within the cytoplasm or cell nuclei, where they regulate and participate in distinct cellular events. In this review, we focus on a few of these events and highlight the intracellular role these enzymes play. Close examination of these events, suggest that the intracellular activities of lysyl oxidases is mostly observed in processes where concomitant changes in the extracellular matrix takes place. Here, we suggest that the LOX family members act in the relay between changes in the cells’ environment and the intracellular processes that promote them or that follow.
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29
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Li L, Yang M, Yu J, Cheng S, Ahmad M, Wu C, Wan X, Xu B, Ben-David Y, Luo H. A Novel L-Phenylalanine Dipeptide Inhibits the Growth and Metastasis of Prostate Cancer Cells via Targeting DUSP1 and TNFSF9. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810916. [PMID: 36142828 PMCID: PMC9504056 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is a common malignant cancer of the urinary system. Drug therapy, chemotherapy, and radical prostatectomy are the primary treatment methods, but drug resistance and postoperative recurrence often occur. Therefore, seeking novel anti-tumor compounds with high efficiency and low toxicity from natural products can produce a new tumor treatment method. Matijin-Su [N-(N-benzoyl-L-phenylalanyl)-O-acetyl-L-phenylalanol, MTS] is a phenylalanine dipeptide monomer compound that is isolated from the Chinese ethnic medicine Matijin (Dichondra repens Forst.). Its derivatives exhibit various pharmacological activities, especially anti-tumor. Among them, the novel MTS derivative HXL131 has a significant inhibitory effect against prostate tumor growth and metastasis. This study is designed to investigate the effects of HXL131 on the growth and metastasis of human PCa cell lines PC3 and its molecular mechanism through in vitro experiments combined with proteomics, molecular docking, and gene silencing. The in vitro results showed that HXL131 concentration dependently inhibited PC3 cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, arrested cell cycle at the G2/M phase, and inhibited cell migration capacity. A proteomic analysis and a Western blot showed that HXL131 up-regulated the expression of proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, and migration-related proteins CYR61, TIMP1, SOD2, IL6, SERPINE2, DUSP1, TNFSF9, OSMR, TNFRSF10D, and TNFRSF12A. Molecular docking, a cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA), and gene silencing showed that HXL131 had a strong binding affinity with DUSP1 and TNFSF9, which are important target genes for inhibiting the growth and metastasis of PC3 cells. This study demonstrates that HXL131 exhibited excellent anti-prostate cancer activity and inhibited the growth and metastasis of prostate cancer cells by regulating the expression of DUSP1 and TNFSF9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lanlan Li
- State Key Laboratory for Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550014, China
- The Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Natural Products of Guizhou Province, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550014, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Mingfei Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550014, China
| | - Jia Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550014, China
- The Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Natural Products of Guizhou Province, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550014, China
| | - Sha Cheng
- State Key Laboratory for Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550014, China
- The Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Natural Products of Guizhou Province, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550014, China
| | - Mashaal Ahmad
- State Key Laboratory for Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550014, China
| | - Caihong Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550014, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Xinwei Wan
- State Key Laboratory for Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550014, China
| | - Bixue Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550014, China
- The Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Natural Products of Guizhou Province, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550014, China
| | - Yaacov Ben-David
- State Key Laboratory for Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550014, China
- The Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Natural Products of Guizhou Province, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550014, China
- Correspondence: (Y.B.-D.); (H.L.); Tel.: +86-0851-8387-6210 (H.L.)
| | - Heng Luo
- State Key Laboratory for Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550014, China
- The Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Natural Products of Guizhou Province, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550014, China
- Correspondence: (Y.B.-D.); (H.L.); Tel.: +86-0851-8387-6210 (H.L.)
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The speckle-type POZ protein (SPOP) inhibits breast cancer malignancy by destabilizing TWIST1. Cell Death Dis 2022; 8:389. [PMID: 36115849 PMCID: PMC9482615 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-022-01182-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) inducing transcription factor TWIST1 plays a vital role in cancer metastasis. How the tumor-suppressive E3 ligase, speckle-type POZ protein (SPOP), regulates TWIST1 in breast cancer remains unknown. In this study, we report that SPOP physically interacts with, ubiquitinates, and destabilizes TWIST1. SPOP promotes K63-and K48-linked ubiquitination of TWIST1, predominantly at K73, thereby suppressing cancer cell migration and invasion. Silencing SPOP significantly enhances EMT, which accelerates breast cancer cell migration and invasiveness in vitro and lung metastasis in vivo. Clinically, SPOP is negatively correlated with the levels of TWIST1 in highly invasive breast carcinomas. Reduced SPOP expression, along with elevated TWIST1 levels, is associated with poor prognosis in advanced breast cancer patients, particularly those with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Taken together, we have disclosed a new mechanism linking SPOP to TWIST1 degradation. Thus SPOP may serve as a prognostic marker and a potential therapeutic target for advanced TNBC patients.
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Song WP, Wang SY, Zhou SC, Wu DS, Xie JY, Liu TT, Wu XZ, Che GW. Prognostic and clinicopathological value of Twist expression in esophageal cancer: A meta-analysis. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2022; 14:1874-1886. [PMID: 36187399 PMCID: PMC9516646 DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v14.i9.1874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Twist is a repressor of E-cadherin transcription that induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cancer metastasis. However, the prognostic value of Twist expression in patients with esophageal cancer remains controversial. AIM To investigate the prognostic and clinicopathological value of Twist expression in esophageal cancer. METHODS Published literature in databases such as EMBASE, Web of Science, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and VIP databases was searched for eligible articles. Participants with esophageal cancer whose tumor tissues underwent immunohistochemistry to detect the expression of Twist were considered. Our meta-analysis was conducted using Stata version 12.0. The hazard ratio (HR) and relative ratio (RR) with their 95%CI were pooled. Heterogeneity was estimated by I 2 statistics. RESULTS Eleven articles published between 2009 and 2021 fulfilled the selection criteria. The pooled HR for overall survival was 1.88 (95%CI: 1.32-2.69, I 2 = 68.6%), and the pooled HR for disease-free survival/relapse-free survival/progression-free survival was 1.84 (95%CI: 1.12-3.02, I 2 = 67.1%), suggesting that high Twist expression is associated with poor prognosis in esophageal cancer patients. In addition, overexpression of Twist was correlated with T stage (T3 + T4 vs T1 + T2, RR = 1.38, 95%CI: 1.14-1.67), lymph node metastasis (yes vs no, RR = 1.34, 95%CI: 1.11-1.60), distant metastasis (yes vs no, RR = 1.18, 95%CI: 1.02-1.35), tumor, node and metastasis (TNM) stage (III + IV vs I + II, RR = 1.35, 95%CI: 1.14-1.60), and clinical stage (III + IV vs I + II, RR = 1.58, 95%CI: 1.34-1.87). However, no correlation between Twist expression and age, gender, tumor location, differentiation, or venous invasion was observed. CONCLUSION High expression of Twist is associated with poor esophageal cancer prognosis. Moreover, Twist overexpression is correlated with T stage, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, TNM stage, and clinical stage, which indicates that Twist might accelerate esophageal cancer progression and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Peng Song
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Su-Yan Wang
- Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Si-Cheng Zhou
- West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Dong-Sheng Wu
- West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Jia-Yu Xie
- Laboratory Experiments in Microbiology, Shuang Liu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Tong-Tong Liu
- West China School of Public Health & West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Xiu-Zhu Wu
- West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Guo-Wei Che
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
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Huang Y, Hong W, Wei X. The molecular mechanisms and therapeutic strategies of EMT in tumor progression and metastasis. J Hematol Oncol 2022; 15:129. [PMID: 36076302 PMCID: PMC9461252 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-022-01347-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 237] [Impact Index Per Article: 118.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an essential process in normal embryonic development and tissue regeneration. However, aberrant reactivation of EMT is associated with malignant properties of tumor cells during cancer progression and metastasis, including promoted migration and invasiveness, increased tumor stemness, and enhanced resistance to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. EMT is tightly regulated by a complex network which is orchestrated with several intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including multiple transcription factors, post-translational control, epigenetic modifications, and noncoding RNA-mediated regulation. In this review, we described the molecular mechanisms, signaling pathways, and the stages of tumorigenesis involved in the EMT process and discussed the dynamic non-binary process of EMT and its role in tumor metastasis. Finally, we summarized the challenges of chemotherapy and immunotherapy in EMT and proposed strategies for tumor therapy targeting EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhe Huang
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Weiqi Hong
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiawei Wei
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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ZEB2/TWIST1/PRMT5/NuRD Multicomplex Contributes to the Epigenetic Regulation of EMT and Metastasis in Colorectal Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14143426. [PMID: 35884488 PMCID: PMC9324012 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14143426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: The EMT plays a crucial role in tumor metastasis, which is the major cause for colorectal carcinoma-related mortality. However, the underlying regulators and mechanisms of EMT in CRC metastasis are still poorly understood; (2) Methods: The transcriptional regulators of EMT in CRC and their functions were examined using RT2212PCR, Western blotting, and luciferase reporter assay. The components of ZEB2/TWIST1 complex and their mutual interactions were identified via affinity purification, mass spectrometry, co-immunoprecipitation, and pull-down experiments. The functional mechanisms of ZEB2/TWIST1/PRMT5/NuRD axis were determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter assay. The contribution of ZEB2/TWIST1/PRMT5/NuRD complex in the CRC metastasis was investigated using wound healing, transwell assay, and in vivo xenograft mouse model; (3) Results: We found that ZEB2 and TWIST1 were both significantly upregulated in CRC tissues and EMT of CRC cells. ZEB2 could recruit TWIST1 to the E-cadherin promoter and synergistically repressed its transcription. In addition, ZEB2 physically interacted with TWIST1, PRMT5, and the nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase (NuRD) complex to form a novel repressive multicomplex, leading to epigenetic silencing of E-cadherin in CRC cells. Notably, the combined inhibition of ZEB2 and TWIST1 and epigenetic inhibition markedly reduced CRC metastasis in mice; (4) Conclusions: We revealed for the first time that ZEB2 could recruit TWIST1, PRMT5, and NuRD to form a repressive multicomplex and epigenetically suppresses the transcription of E-cadherin, thereby inducing the EMT process and metastasis in CRC. Our results also confirmed the therapeutic potential of epigenetic inhibitors in CRC.
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Khan MA, Zheng M, Fu J, Tania M, Li J, Fu J. Thymoquinone upregulates IL17RD in controlling the growth and metastasis of triple negative breast cancer cells in vitro. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:707. [PMID: 35761256 PMCID: PMC9238053 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-09782-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a molecular subtype of breast cancer, which is a major health burden of females worldwide. Thymoquinone (TQ), a natural compound, has been found to be effective against TNBC cells, and this study identified IL17RD as a novel target of TQ in TNBC cells.
Methods
We have performed chromatin immunoprecipitation Sequence (ChIP-Seq) by MBD1 (methyl-CpG binding domain protein 1) antibody to identify genome-wide methylated sites affected by TQ. ChIP-seq identified 136 genes, including the tumor suppressor IL17RD, as a novel target of TQ, which is epigenetically upregulated by TQ in TNBC cell lines BT-549 and MDA-MB-231. The IL17RD expression and survival outcomes were studied by Kaplan–Meier analysis.
Results
TQ treatment inhibited the growth, migration, and invasion of TNBC cells with or without IL17RD overexpression or knockdown, while the combination of IL17RD overexpression and TQ treatment were the most effective against TNBC cells. Moreover, higher expression of IL17RD is associated with longer survival in TNBC patients, indicating potential therapeutic roles of TQ and IL17RD against TNBC.
Conclusions
Our data suggest that IL17RD might be epigenetically upregulated in TNBC cell lines by TQ, and this might be one of the mechanisms by which TQ exerts its anticancer and antimetastatic effects on TNBC cells.
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Wei C, Khan MA, Du J, Cheng J, Tania M, Leung ELH, Fu J. Cordycepin Inhibits Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion by Regulating EMT-TFs SLUG, TWIST1, SNAIL1, and ZEB1. Front Oncol 2022; 12:898583. [PMID: 35774120 PMCID: PMC9237498 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.898583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer metastasis is the most important cause of cancer-related death, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays crucial roles in cancer metastasis. Cordycepin (CD) is highly enriched in the medicinally used Cordyceps mushroom. In this study, we conducted the antimetastatic activities of CD, specifically focusing on its regulatory effects on EMT-inducing transcription factors (EMT-TFs) in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Our study showed CD to inhibit the growth, migration, and invasion of BT549 and 4T1 cancer cell lines, by employing cell viability assay and real-time cell analyses. The protein levels of N-Cadherin and E-Cadherin, as well as their transcription factors TWIST1, SLUG, SNAIL1, and ZEB1 in BT549 and 4T1 cells, were estimated by Western blot assays. Results from dual-luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that CD is capable of inactivating the EMT signaling pathway by inhibiting TWIST1 and SLUG expression. Furthermore, in vivo studies with mice carrying cancer cell-derived allograft tumors showed the inhibitory effect of CD on cancer cell growth and metastasis. Furthermore, the additive/synergistic anti-metastasis effect of CD and thymoquinone (TQ), another natural product with promising anticancer roles, was demonstrated by combinational treatment. The results from this research indicate that CD would be a promising therapeutic molecule against TNBC by targeting EMT-TFs, possibly in SLUG, TWIST1, SNAIL1, and ZEB1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunli Wei
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine/Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao, Macao SAR, China
| | - Md. Asaduzzaman Khan
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Jiaman Du
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Jingliang Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Mousumi Tania
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Elaine Lai-Han Leung
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine/Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao, Macao SAR, China
- *Correspondence: Junjiang Fu, ; ; Elaine Lai-Han Leung,
| | - Junjiang Fu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine/Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao, Macao SAR, China
- *Correspondence: Junjiang Fu, ; ; Elaine Lai-Han Leung,
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Acharyya SR, Sen P, Kandasamy T, Ghosh SS. Designing of disruptor molecules to restrain the protein-protein interaction network of VANG1/SCRIB/NOS1AP using fragment-based drug discovery techniques. Mol Divers 2022:10.1007/s11030-022-10462-0. [PMID: 35648249 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-022-10462-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Governing protein-protein interaction networks are the cynosure of cell signaling and oncogenic networks. Multifarious processes when aligned with one another can result in a dysregulated output which can result in cancer progression. In the current research, one such network of proteins comprising VANG1/SCRIB/NOS1AP, which is responsible for cell migration, is targeted. The proteins are modeled using in-silico approaches, and the interaction is visualized utilizing protein-protein docking. Designing drugs for the convoluted protein network can serve as a challenging task that can be overcome by fragment-based drug designing, a recent game-changer in the computational drug discovery strategy for protein interaction networks. The model is exposed to the extraction of hotspots, also known as the restrained regions for small molecular hits. The hotspot regions are subjected to a library of generated fragments, which are then recombined and rejoined to develop small molecular disruptors of the macromolecular assemblage. Rapid screening methods using pharmacokinetic tools and 2D interaction studies resulted in four molecules that could serve the purpose of a disruptor. The final validation is executed by long-range simulations of 100 ns and exploring the stability of the complex using several parameters leading to the emergence of two novel molecules VNS003 and VNS005 that could be used as the disruptors of the protein assembly VANG1/SCRIB/NOS1AP. Also, the molecules were explored as single protein targets approbated via molecular docking and 100 ns molecular dynamics simulation. This concluded VNS003 as the most suitable inhibitor module capable of acting as a disruptor of a macromolecular assembly as well as acting on individual protein chains, thus leading to the primary hindrance in the formation of the protein interaction complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suchandra Roy Acharyya
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 39, India
| | - Plaboni Sen
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 39, India
| | - Thirukumaran Kandasamy
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 39, India
| | - Siddhartha Sankar Ghosh
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 39, India. .,Centre for Nanotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 39, India.
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37
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Kim JY, Park M, Ohn J, Seong RH, Chung JH, Kim KH, Jo SJ, Kwon O. Twist2-driven chromatin remodeling governs the postnatal maturation of dermal fibroblasts. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110821. [PMID: 35584664 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Dermal fibroblasts lose stem cell potency after birth, which prevents regenerative healing. However, the underlying intracellular mechanisms are largely unknown. We uncover the postnatal maturation of papillary fibroblasts (PFs) driven by the extensive Twist2-mediated remodeling of chromatin accessibility. A loss of the regenerative ability of postnatal PFs occurs with decreased H3K27ac levels. Single-cell transcriptomics, assay for transposase-accessible chromatin sequencing (ATAC-seq), and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) reveal the postnatal maturation trajectory associated with the loss of the regenerative trajectory in PFs, which is characterized by a marked decrease in chromatin accessibility and H3K27ac modifications. Histone deacetylase inhibition delays spontaneous chromatin remodeling, thus maintaining the regenerative ability of postnatal PFs. Genomic analysis identifies Twist2 as a major regulator within chromatin regions with decreased accessibility during the postnatal period. When Twist2 is genetically deleted in dermal fibroblasts, the intracellular cascade of postnatal maturation is significantly delayed. Our findings reveal the comprehensive intracellular mechanisms underlying intrinsic postnatal changes in dermal fibroblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Yong Kim
- Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; Laboratory of Cutaneous Aging and Hair Research, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03080, Korea; Institute of Human-Environment Interface Biology, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea; Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York 10032, NY, USA
| | - Minji Park
- Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; Laboratory of Cutaneous Aging and Hair Research, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03080, Korea; Institute of Human-Environment Interface Biology, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Jungyoon Ohn
- Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; Laboratory of Cutaneous Aging and Hair Research, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03080, Korea; Institute of Human-Environment Interface Biology, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Rho Hyun Seong
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Jin Ho Chung
- Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; Laboratory of Cutaneous Aging and Hair Research, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03080, Korea; Institute of Human-Environment Interface Biology, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Kyu Han Kim
- Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; Laboratory of Cutaneous Aging and Hair Research, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03080, Korea; Institute of Human-Environment Interface Biology, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Seong Jin Jo
- Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; Laboratory of Cutaneous Aging and Hair Research, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03080, Korea; Institute of Human-Environment Interface Biology, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea.
| | - Ohsang Kwon
- Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; Laboratory of Cutaneous Aging and Hair Research, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03080, Korea; Institute of Human-Environment Interface Biology, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; Genomic Medicine Institute, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea.
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Golden NL, Foley MK, Kim Guisbert KS, Guisbert E. Divergent regulatory roles of NuRD chromatin remodeling complex subunits GATAD2 and CHD4 in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2022; 221:iyac046. [PMID: 35323946 PMCID: PMC9071545 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac046] [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: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
During proteotoxic stress, a pathway known as the heat shock response is induced to maintain protein-folding homeostasis or proteostasis. Previously, we identified the Caenorhabditis elegans GATAD2 ortholog, dcp-66, as a novel regulator of the heat shock response. Here, we extend these findings to show that dcp-66 positively regulates the heat shock response at the cellular, molecular, and organismal levels. As GATAD2 is a subunit of the nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase chromatin remodeling complex, we examined other nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase subunits and found that the let-418 (CHD4) nucleosome repositioning core also regulates the heat shock response. However, let-418 acts as a negative regulator of the heat shock response, in contrast to positive regulation by dcp-66. The divergent effects of these two nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase subunits extend to the regulation of other stress responses including oxidative, genotoxic, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Furthermore, a transcriptomic approach reveals additional divergently regulated pathways, including innate immunity and embryogenesis. Taken together, this work establishes new insights into the role of nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase subunits in organismal physiology. We incorporate these findings into a molecular model whereby different mechanisms of recruitment to promoters can result in the divergent effects of nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase subunits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole L Golden
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL 32901, USA
| | - Michaela K Foley
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL 32901, USA
| | - Karen S Kim Guisbert
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL 32901, USA
| | - Eric Guisbert
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL 32901, USA
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Ahmadi N, Kelly G, Low TH(H, Clark J, Gupta R. Molecular factors governing perineural invasion in malignancy. Surg Oncol 2022; 42:101770. [DOI: 10.1016/j.suronc.2022.101770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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40
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Korsching E, Matschke J, Hotfilder M. Splice variants denote differences between a cancer stem cell side population of EWSR1‑ERG‑based Ewing sarcoma cells, its main population and EWSR1‑FLI‑based cells. Int J Mol Med 2022; 49:39. [PMID: 35088879 PMCID: PMC8815407 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2022.5094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma is a challenging cancer entity, which, besides the characteristic presence of a fusion gene, is driven by multiple alternative splicing events. So far, splice variants in Ewing sarcoma cells were mainly analyzed for EWSR1‑FLI1. The present study provided a comprehensive alternative splicing study on CADO‑ES1, an Ewing model cell line for an EWSR1‑ERG fusion gene. Based on a well‑-characterized RNA‑sequencing dataset with extensive control mechanisms across all levels of analysis, the differential spliced genes in Ewing cancer stem cells were ATP13A3 and EPB41, while the main population was defined by ACADVL, NOP58 and TSPAN3. All alternatively spliced genes were further characterized by their Gene Ontology (GO) terms and by their membership in known protein complexes. These results confirm and extend previous studies towards a systematic whole‑transcriptome analysis. A highlight is the striking segregation of GO terms associated with five basic splice events. This mechanistic insight, together with a coherent integration of all observations with prior knowledge, indicates that EWSR1‑ERG is truly a close twin to EWSR1‑FLI1, but still exhibits certain individuality. Thus, the present study provided a measure of variability in Ewing sarcoma, whose understanding is essential both for clinical procedures and basic mechanistic insight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eberhard Korsching
- Institute of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Münster, D‑48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Julian Matschke
- Institute of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Münster, D‑48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Marc Hotfilder
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Münster, D‑48149 Münster, Germany
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Sepporta MV, Praz V, Balmas Bourloud K, Joseph JM, Jauquier N, Riggi N, Nardou-Auderset K, Petit A, Scoazec JY, Sartelet H, Renella R, Mühlethaler-Mottet A. TWIST1 expression is associated with high-risk neuroblastoma and promotes primary and metastatic tumor growth. Commun Biol 2022; 5:42. [PMID: 35022561 PMCID: PMC8755726 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02958-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The embryonic transcription factors TWIST1/2 are frequently overexpressed in cancer, acting as multifunctional oncogenes. Here we investigate their role in neuroblastoma (NB), a heterogeneous childhood malignancy ranging from spontaneous regression to dismal outcomes despite multimodal therapy. We first reveal the association of TWIST1 expression with poor survival and metastasis in primary NB, while TWIST2 correlates with good prognosis. Secondly, suppression of TWIST1 by CRISPR/Cas9 results in a reduction of tumor growth and metastasis colonization in immunocompromised mice. Moreover, TWIST1 knockout tumors display a less aggressive cellular morphology and a reduced disruption of the extracellular matrix (ECM) reticulin network. Additionally, we identify a TWIST1-mediated transcriptional program associated with dismal outcome in NB and involved in the control of pathways mainly linked to the signaling, migration, adhesion, the organization of the ECM, and the tumor cells versus tumor stroma crosstalk. Taken together, our findings confirm TWIST1 as promising therapeutic target in NB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Vittoria Sepporta
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Research Laboratory, Woman-Mother-Child Department, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Viviane Praz
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Research Laboratory, Woman-Mother-Child Department, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Experimental Pathology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Katia Balmas Bourloud
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Research Laboratory, Woman-Mother-Child Department, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Marc Joseph
- Pediatric Surgery, Woman-Mother-Child Department, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Jauquier
- Pediatric Surgery, Woman-Mother-Child Department, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nicolò Riggi
- Experimental Pathology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Katya Nardou-Auderset
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Research Laboratory, Woman-Mother-Child Department, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Ophthalmic Hospital Jules-Gonin - Fondation Asile Des Aveugles, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Audrey Petit
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Grenoble, Grenoble, France
- Pediatric Hematology Oncology Department, CHU de la Timone, Marseille, France
| | - Jean-Yves Scoazec
- Department of Biology and Medical Pathology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Hervé Sartelet
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Grenoble, Grenoble, France
- Department of Biopathology, CHRU de Nancy, University of Lorraine, Nancy, France
| | - Raffaele Renella
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Research Laboratory, Woman-Mother-Child Department, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Annick Mühlethaler-Mottet
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Research Laboratory, Woman-Mother-Child Department, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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42
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Abdulla N, Vincent CT, Kaur M. Mechanistic Insights Delineating the Role of Cholesterol in Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition and Drug Resistance in Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:728325. [PMID: 34869315 PMCID: PMC8640133 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.728325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the significant advancements made in targeted anti-cancer therapy, drug resistance constitutes a multifaceted phenomenon leading to therapy failure and ultimately mortality. Emerging experimental evidence highlight a role of cholesterol metabolism in facilitating drug resistance in cancer. This review aims to describe the role of cholesterol in facilitating multi-drug resistance in cancer. We focus on specific signaling pathways that contribute to drug resistance and the link between these pathways and cholesterol. Additionally, we briefly discuss the molecular mechanisms related to the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and the documented link between EMT, metastasis and drug resistance. We illustrate this by specifically focusing on hypoxia and the role it plays in influencing cellular cholesterol content following EMT induction. Finally, we provide a proposed model delineating the crucial role of cholesterol in EMT and discuss whether targeting cholesterol could serve as a novel means of combatting drug resistance in cancer progression and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naaziyah Abdulla
- School of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - C Theresa Vincent
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Mandeep Kaur
- School of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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43
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Homodimeric and Heterodimeric Interactions among Vertebrate Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222312855. [PMID: 34884664 PMCID: PMC8657788 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The basic helix–loop–helix transcription factor (bHLH TF) family is involved in tissue development, cell differentiation, and disease. These factors have transcriptionally positive, negative, and inactive functions by combining dimeric interactions among family members. The best known bHLH TFs are the E-protein homodimers and heterodimers with the tissue-specific TFs or ID proteins. These cooperative and dynamic interactions result in a complex transcriptional network that helps define the cell’s fate. Here, the reported dimeric interactions of 67 vertebrate bHLH TFs with other family members are summarized in tables, including specifications of the experimental techniques that defined the dimers. The compilation of these extensive data underscores homodimers of tissue-specific bHLH TFs as a central part of the bHLH regulatory network, with relevant positive and negative transcriptional regulatory roles. Furthermore, some sequence-specific TFs can also form transcriptionally inactive heterodimers with each other. The function, classification, and developmental role for all vertebrate bHLH TFs in four major classes are detailed.
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Zhou J, Imani S, Shasaltaneh MD, Liu S, Lu T, Fu J. PIK3CA hotspot mutations p. H1047R and p. H1047L sensitize breast cancer cells to thymoquinone treatment by regulating the PI3K/Akt1 pathway. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 49:1799-1816. [PMID: 34816327 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06990-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nigella sativa (N. sativa) exhibits anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antimetastatic and antinociceptive effects and has been used to treat dozens of diseases. Thymoquinone (TQ) is an important and active component isolated from N. sativa seeds. Inhibition of cancer-associated activating PIK3CA mutations is a new prospective targeted therapy in personalized metastatic breast cancer (MBC). TQ is reported to be an effective inhibitor of the PI3K/Akt1 pathway in MBC. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro antitumor effect of TQ in the context of two PIK3CA hotspot mutations, p. H1047R and p. H1047L. METHODS AND RESULTS Molecular dynamics, free energy landscapes and principal component analyses were also used to survey the mechanistic effects of the p. H1047R and p. H1047L mutations on the PI3K/Akt1 pathway. Our findings clearly confirmed that the p. H1047R and p. H1047L mutants could reduce the inhibitory effect of ΔNp63α on the kinase domain of PIK3CA, resulting in increased activity of PI3K downstream signals. Structurally, the partial disruption of the interaction between the ΔNp63α DNA binding domain and the PIK3CA kinase domain at residues 114-359 and 797-1068 destabilizes the conformation of the activation loop and modifies the PIK3CA/ΔNp63α complex. Alongside these structural changes, we found that TQ treatment resulted in high PI3K/Akt1 pathway inhibition in p. H1047R and p. H1047L-expressing cells versus wild-type cells. CONCLUSIONS These two PIK3CA hotspot mutations therefore not only contribute to tumor progression in patients with MBC but may also serve as targets for the development of novel small molecule therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Saber Imani
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
| | | | - Shuguang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Tao Lu
- Research Center for Science, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Junjiang Fu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.
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45
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Luo L, Wang H, Tian W, Zeng J, Huang Y, Luo H. Targeting ferroptosis for cancer therapy: iron metabolism and anticancer immunity. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:5508-5525. [PMID: 34873476 PMCID: PMC8640817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Ferroptosis is a new form of programmed cell death characterized by iron-dependent accumulation of lipid peroxidation, which plays an important role in cancer biology. Ferroptosis is involved in many biological processes, such as amino acid metabolism, glutathione metabolism, iron metabolism, and lipid metabolism. Iron is an essential trace element in a variety of normal cell processes, such as DNA synthesis and repair, cell respiration, metabolism and signal transduction, etc., and iron metabolism disorder has been considered as one of the metabolic markers of malignant cancer cells. In addition, iron is involved in the regulation of innate and adaptive immune responses, suggesting that targeted regulation of iron metabolism may contribute to anti-tumor immunity and cancer therapy. In this review, the regulatory mechanism of ferroptosis, the interaction between ferroptosis on tumor cell metabolism, and anti-tumor immunity were systematically reviewed. Immunotherapy combined with targeted regulation of iron and iron-dependent regulation of ferroptosis should be the focus of future ferroptosis research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianxiang Luo
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong LaboratoryZhanjiang 524023, Guangdong, China
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Guangdong Medical UniversityZhanjiang 524023, Guangdong, China
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Guangdong ZhanjiangZhanjiang 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Han Wang
- The First Clinical College, Guangdong Medical UniversityZhanjiang 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Wen Tian
- The First Clinical College, Guangdong Medical UniversityZhanjiang 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiayan Zeng
- The First Clinical College, Guangdong Medical UniversityZhanjiang 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuru Huang
- The First Clinical College, Guangdong Medical UniversityZhanjiang 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Hui Luo
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong LaboratoryZhanjiang 524023, Guangdong, China
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Guangdong Medical UniversityZhanjiang 524023, Guangdong, China
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Guangdong ZhanjiangZhanjiang 524023, Guangdong, China
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Li Y, Gong H, Wang P, Zhu Y, Peng H, Cui Y, Li H, Liu J, Wang Z. The emerging role of ISWI chromatin remodeling complexes in cancer. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2021; 40:346. [PMID: 34736517 PMCID: PMC8567610 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-02151-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Disordered chromatin remodeling regulation has emerged as an essential driving factor for cancers. Imitation switch (ISWI) family are evolutionarily conserved ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes, which are essential for cellular survival and function through multiple genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. Omics sequencing and a growing number of basic and clinical studies found that ISWI family members displayed widespread gene expression and genetic status abnormalities in human cancer. Their aberrant expression is closely linked to patient outcome and drug response. Functional or componential alteration in ISWI-containing complexes is critical for tumor initiation and development. Furthermore, ISWI-non-coding RNA regulatory networks and some non-coding RNAs derived from exons of ISWI member genes play important roles in tumor progression. Therefore, unveiling the transcriptional regulation mechanism underlying ISWI family sparked a booming interest in finding ISWI-based therapies in cancer. This review aims at describing the current state-of-the-art in the role of ISWI subunits and complexes in tumorigenesis, tumor progression, immunity and drug response, and presenting deep insight into the physiological and pathological implications of the ISWI transcription machinery in cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Li
- Department of Hematology, Institute of Molecular Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
- Molecular Biology Research Center and Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Han Gong
- Department of Hematology, Institute of Molecular Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
- Molecular Biology Research Center and Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Pan Wang
- Department of Hematology, Institute of Molecular Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
- Molecular Biology Research Center and Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Yu Zhu
- Molecular Biology Research Center and Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Hongling Peng
- Department of Hematology, Institute of Molecular Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Yajuan Cui
- Department of Hematology, Institute of Molecular Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Heng Li
- Department of Hematology, Institute of Molecular Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Molecular Biology Research Center and Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Zi Wang
- Department of Hematology, Institute of Molecular Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China.
- Molecular Biology Research Center and Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China.
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Abstract
Chromatin is highly dynamic, undergoing continuous global changes in its structure and type of histone and DNA modifications governed by processes such as transcription, repair, replication, and recombination. Members of the chromodomain helicase DNA-binding (CHD) family of enzymes are ATP-dependent chromatin remodelers that are intimately involved in the regulation of chromatin dynamics, altering nucleosomal structure and DNA accessibility. Genetic studies in yeast, fruit flies, zebrafish, and mice underscore essential roles of CHD enzymes in regulating cellular fate and identity, as well as proper embryonic development. With the advent of next-generation sequencing, evidence is emerging that these enzymes are subjected to frequent DNA copy number alterations or mutations and show aberrant expression in malignancies and other human diseases. As such, they might prove to be valuable biomarkers or targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrej Alendar
- Division of Molecular Genetics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam 1066CX, The Netherlands
| | - Anton Berns
- Division of Molecular Genetics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam 1066CX, The Netherlands
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48
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Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition and its transcription factors. Biosci Rep 2021; 42:230017. [PMID: 34708244 PMCID: PMC8703024 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20211754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial–mesenchymal transition or EMT is an extremely dynamic process involved in conversion of epithelial cells into mesenchymal cells, stimulated by an ensemble of signaling pathways, leading to change in cellular morphology, suppression of epithelial characters and acquisition of properties such as enhanced cell motility and invasiveness, reduced cell death by apoptosis, resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs etc. Significantly, EMT has been found to play a crucial role during embryonic development, tissue fibrosis and would healing, as well as during cancer metastasis. Over the years, work from various laboratories have identified a rather large number of transcription factors (TFs) including the master regulators of EMT, with the ability to regulate the EMT process directly. In this review, we put together these EMT TFs and discussed their role in the process. We have also tried to focus on their mechanism of action, their interdependency, and the large regulatory network they form. Subsequently, it has become clear that the composition and structure of the transcriptional regulatory network behind EMT probably varies based upon various physiological and pathological contexts, or even in a cell/tissue type-dependent manner.
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49
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Wang F, Ding Y, Lei X, Liao B, Wu FX. Human Protein Complex-Based Drug Signatures for Personalized Cancer Medicine. IEEE J Biomed Health Inform 2021; 25:4079-4088. [PMID: 34665747 DOI: 10.1109/jbhi.2021.3120933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Disease signature-based drug repositioning approaches typically first identify a disease signature from gene expression profiles of disease samples to represent a particular disease. Then such a disease signature is connected with the drug-induced gene expression profiles to find potential drugs for the particular disease. In order to obtain reliable disease signatures, the size of disease samples should be large enough, which is not always a single case in practice, especially for personalized medicine. On the other hand, the sample sizes of drug-induced gene expression profiles are generally large. In this study, we propose a new drug repositioning approach (HDgS), in which the drug signature is first identified from drug-induced gene expression profiles, and then connected to the gene expression profiles of disease samples to find the potential drugs for patients. In order to take the dependencies among genes into account, the human protein complexes (HPC) are used to define the drug signature. The proposed HDgS is applied to the drug-induced gene expression profiles in LINCS and several types of cancer samples. The results indicate that the HPC-based drug signature can effectively find drug candidates for patients and that the proposed HDgS can be applied for personalized medicine with even one patient sample.
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50
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Wei C, Zou H, Xiao T, Liu X, Wang Q, Cheng J, Fu S, Peng J, Xie X, Fu J. TQFL12, a novel synthetic derivative of TQ, inhibits triple-negative breast cancer metastasis and invasion through activating AMPK/ACC pathway. J Cell Mol Med 2021; 25:10101-10110. [PMID: 34609056 PMCID: PMC8572774 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.16945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Thymoquinone (TQ) has been reported as an anti‐tumour drug widely studied in various tumours, and its mechanism and effect of which has become a focus of current research. However, previous studies from our laboratory and other groups found that TQ showed weak anti‐tumour effects in many cancer cell lines and animal models. Therefore, it is necessary to modify and optimize the structure of TQ to obtain new chemical entities with high efficiency and low toxicity as candidates for development of new drugs in treating cancer. Therefore, we designed and synthesized several TQ derivatives. Systematic analysis, including in vitro and in vivo, was conducted on a panel of triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells and mouse model to demonstrate whether TQFL12, a new TQ derivative, is more efficient than TQ. We found that the anti‐proliferative effect of TQFL12 against TNBC cells is significantly stronger than TQ. We also demonstrated TQFL12 affects different aspects in breast cancer development including cell proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis. Moreover, TQFL12 inhibited tumour growth and metastasis in cancer cell–derived xenograft mouse model, with less toxicity compared with TQ. Finally, mechanism research indicated that TQFL12 increased AMPK/ACC activity by stabilizing AMPKα, while molecular docking supported the direct interaction between TQFL12 and AMPKα. Taken together, our findings suggest that TQFL12, as a novel chemical entity, possesses a better inhibitory effect on TNBC cells and less toxicity in both in vitro and in vivo studies. As such, TQFL12 could serve as a potential therapeutic agent for breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunli Wei
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Hui Zou
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Ting Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Qianqian Wang
- Chronic Disease Research Center, Medical College, Dalian University, Dalian, China
| | - Jingliang Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Shangyi Fu
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,School of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jiangzhou Peng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin Xie
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Dr. Li Dak Sum & Yip Yio Chin Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Junjiang Fu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
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