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Ye L, Liu B, Huang J, Zhao X, Wang Y, Xu Y, Wang S. DCLK1 and its oncogenic functions: A promising therapeutic target for cancers. Life Sci 2024; 336:122294. [PMID: 38007147 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1), a significant constituent of the protein kinase superfamily and the doublecortin family, has been recognized as a prooncogenic factor that exhibits a strong association with the malignant progression and clinical prognosis of various cancers. DCLK1 serves as a stem cell marker that governs tumorigenesis, tumor cell reprogramming, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Multiple studies have indicated the capable of DCLK1 in regulating the DNA damage response and facilitating DNA damage repair. Additionally, DCLK1 is involved in the regulation of the immune microenvironment and the promotion of tumor immune evasion. Recently, DCLK1 has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for a multitude of cancers. Several small-molecule inhibitors of DCLK1 have been identified. Nevertheless, the biological roles of DCLK1 are mainly ambiguous, particularly with the disparities between its α- and β-form transcripts in the malignant progression of cancers, which impedes the development of more precisely targeted drugs. This article focuses on tumor stem cells, tumor epithelial-mesenchymal transition, the DNA damage response, and the tumor microenvironment to provide a comprehensive overview of the association between DCLK1 and tumor malignant progression, address unsolved questions and current challenges, and project future directions for targeting DCLK1 for the diagnosis and treatment of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liu Ye
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Beibei Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Jingling Huang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Xiaolin Zhao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Yuan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, PR China
| | - Yungen Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China.
| | - Shuping Wang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, PR China.
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2
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Moore LL, Houchen CW. Epigenetic Landscape and Therapeutic Implication of Gene Isoforms of Doublecortin-Like Kinase 1 for Cancer Stem Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16407. [PMID: 38003596 PMCID: PMC10671580 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216407] [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: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
While significant strides have been made in understanding cancer biology, the enhancement in patient survival is limited, underscoring the urgency for innovative strategies. Epigenetic modifications characterized by hereditary shifts in gene expression without changes to the DNA sequence play a critical role in producing alternative gene isoforms. When these processes go awry, they influence cancer onset, growth, spread, and cancer stemness. In this review, we delve into the epigenetic and isoform nuances of the protein kinase, doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1). Recognized as a hallmark of tumor stemness, DCLK1 plays a pivotal role in tumorigenesis, and DCLK1 isoforms, shaped by alternative promoter usage and splicing, can reveal potential therapeutic touchpoints. Our discussion centers on recent findings pertaining to the specific functions of DCLK1 isoforms and the prevailing understanding of its epigenetic regulation via its two distinct promoters. It is noteworthy that all DCLK1 isoforms retain their kinase domain, suggesting that their unique functionalities arise from non-kinase mechanisms. Consequently, our research has pivoted to drugs that specifically influence the epigenetic generation of these DCLK1 isoforms. We posit that a combined therapeutic approach, harnessing both the epigenetic regulators of specific DCLK1 isoforms and DCLK1-targeted drugs, may prove more effective than therapies that solely target DCLK1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Landon L. Moore
- Department of Medicine, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA;
| | - Courtney W. Houchen
- Department of Medicine, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA;
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
- The Peggy and Charles Stephenson Cancer Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
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3
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Kwiatkowski E, Suman S, Kallakury BVS, Datta K, Fornace AJ, Kumar S. Expression of Stem Cell Markers in High-LET Space Radiation-Induced Intestinal Tumors in Apc1638N/+ Mouse Intestine. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4240. [PMID: 37686516 PMCID: PMC10486545 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15174240] [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: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Estimation of cancer risk among astronauts planning to undertake future deep-space missions requires understanding the quantitative and qualitative differences in radiogenic cancers after low- and high-LET radiation exposures. Previously, we reported a multifold higher RBE for high-LET radiation-induced gastrointestinal (GI) tumorigenesis in Apc1638N/+ mice. Using the same model system, i.e., Apc1638N/+ mice, here, we report qualitative differences in the cellular phenotype of low- and high-LET radiation-induced GI tumors. Stem cell (SC) phenotypes were identified using BMI1, ALDH1, CD133, DCLK1, MSI1, and LGR5 markers in low (γ-rays)- and high (56Fe)-LET radiation-induced and spontaneous tumors. We also assessed the expression of these markers in the adjacent normal mucosa. All six of these putative SC markers were shown to be overexpressed in tumors compared to the adjacent normal intestinal tissue. A differential SC phenotype for spontaneous and radiogenic intestinal tumors in Apc1638N/+ mice was observed, where the ALDH1, BMI1, CD133, MSI1, and DCLK1 expressing cells were increased, while LGR5 expressing cells were decreased in 56Fe-induced tumors compared to γ-ray-induced and spontaneous tumors. Furthermore, higher β-catenin activation (marked by nuclear localization) was observed in 56Fe-induced tumors compared to γ and spontaneous tumors. Since differential tumor cell phenotype along with activated β-catenin may very well affect malignant progression, our findings are relevant to understanding the higher carcinogenic risk of high-LET radiation. This study has implications for the assessment of GI-cancer risk among astronauts, as well as for the estimation of secondary cancer risk among patients receiving hadron therapy, considering that our results indicate increased stemness properties after radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaina Kwiatkowski
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Shubhankar Suman
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | | | - Kamal Datta
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | | | - Santosh Kumar
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
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Carli ALE, Hardy JM, Hoblos H, Ernst M, Lucet IS, Buchert M. Structure-Guided Prediction of the Functional Impact of DCLK1 Mutations on Tumorigenesis. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11030990. [PMID: 36979969 PMCID: PMC10046695 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11030990] [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: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) is a functional serine/threonine (S/T)-kinase and a member of the doublecortin family of proteins which are characterized by their ability to bind to microtubules (MTs). DCLK1 is a proposed cancer driver gene, and its upregulation is associated with poor overall survival in several solid cancer types. However, how DCLK1 associates with MTs and how its kinase function contributes to pro-tumorigenic processes is poorly understood. This review builds on structural models to propose not only the specific functions of the domains but also attempts to predict the impact of individual somatic missense mutations on DCLK1 functions. Somatic missense mutations in DCLK1 are most frequently located within the N-terminal MT binding region and likely impact on the ability of DCLK1 to bind to αβ-tubulin and to polymerize and stabilize MTs. Moreover, the MT binding affinity of DCLK1 is negatively regulated by its auto-phosphorylation, and therefore mutations that affect kinase activity are predicted to indirectly alter MT dynamics. The emerging picture portrays DCLK1 as an MT-associated protein whose interactions with tubulin heterodimers and MTs are tightly controlled processes which, when disrupted, may confer pro-tumorigenic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa L E Carli
- Cancer Inflammation Laboratory, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Joshua M Hardy
- ACRF Chemical Biology Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Hanadi Hoblos
- ACRF Chemical Biology Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Matthias Ernst
- Cancer Inflammation Laboratory, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Isabelle S Lucet
- ACRF Chemical Biology Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Michael Buchert
- Cancer Inflammation Laboratory, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
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Chhetri D, Vengadassalapathy S, Venkadassalapathy S, Balachandran V, Umapathy VR, Veeraraghavan VP, Jayaraman S, Patil S, Iyaswamy A, Palaniyandi K, Gnanasampanthapandian D. Pleiotropic effects of DCLK1 in cancer and cancer stem cells. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:965730. [PMID: 36250024 PMCID: PMC9560780 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.965730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1), a protein molecule, has been identified as a tumor stem cell marker in the cancer cells of gastrointestinal, pancreas, and human colon. DCLK1 expression in cancers, such as breast carcinoma, lung carcinoma, hepatic cell carcinoma, tuft cells, and human cholangiocarcinoma, has shown a way to target the DCLK1 gene and downregulate its expression. Several studies have discussed the inhibition of tumor cell proliferation along with neoplastic cell arrest when the DCLK1 gene, which is expressed in both cancer and normal cells, was targeted successfully. In addition, previous studies have shown that DCLK1 plays a vital role in various cancer metastases. The correlation of DCLK1 with numerous stem cell receptors, signaling pathways, and genes suggests its direct or an indirect role in promoting tumorigenesis. Moreover, the impact of DCLK1 was found to be related to the functioning of an oncogene. The downregulation of DCLK1 expression by using targeted strategies, such as embracing the use of siRNA, miRNA, CRISPR/Cas9 technology, nanomolecules, specific monoclonal antibodies, and silencing the pathways regulated by DCLK1, has shown promising results in both in vitro and in vivo studies on gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. In this review, we will discuss about the present understanding of DCLK1 and its role in the progression of GI cancer and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dibyashree Chhetri
- Cancer Science Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India
| | - Srinivasan Vengadassalapathy
- Department of Pharmacology, Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, India
| | | | - Varadharaju Balachandran
- Department of Physiology, Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India
| | - Vidhya Rekha Umapathy
- Department of Public Health Dentistry, Sree Balaji Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, India
| | - Vishnu Priya Veeraraghavan
- Department of Biochemistry, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India
| | - Selvaraj Jayaraman
- Department of Biochemistry, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India
| | - Shankargouda Patil
- College of Dental Medicine, Roseman University of Health Sciences, South Jordan, UT, United States
| | - Ashok Iyaswamy
- Centre for Parkinsons Disease Research, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kanagaraj Palaniyandi
- Cancer Science Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India
- *Correspondence: Kanagaraj Palaniyandi, ; Dhanavathy Gnanasampanthapandian,
| | - Dhanavathy Gnanasampanthapandian
- Cancer Science Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India
- *Correspondence: Kanagaraj Palaniyandi, ; Dhanavathy Gnanasampanthapandian,
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Kalantari E, Razmi M, Tajik F, Asadi-Lari M, Ghods R, Madjd Z. Oncogenic functions and clinical significances of DCLK1 isoforms in colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:217. [PMID: 35717205 PMCID: PMC9206744 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-022-02632-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The oncogenic role of doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) as a putative cancer stem cell (CSC) marker has been clarified in colorectal cancer (CRC). Isoform-specific functions of DCLK1 have shed new light on different functions of DCLK1 short (DCLK1-S) and DCLK1 long (DCLK1-L) isoforms in tumor initiation, growth, and metastasis. Therefore, the current systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to review the available in vitro, in vivo, and clinical evidence on the oncogenic roles and clinical significance of DCLK1 isoforms in colorectal cancer. Methods The literature databases of PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and Embase were searched to identify eligible articles. The description characteristics of in vitro and pre-clinical studies were extracted from identified reports. In addition, hazard ratios (HRs) or odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were recorded to determine the relationships between DCLK1-L and DCLK1-S expression and prognostic outcomes in patients with CRC. Results Both in vitro and in vivo evidence have emphasized the potential oncogenic functions of DCLK1 in tumor initiation, self-renewal ability, tumor invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and metastasis. However, the anti-DCLK1 antibodies generally utilized in these studies could detect sequence homology epitopes of both isoforms. Recent limited isoform-specific evidence has strongly supported the significant positive expression and rather oncogenic efficacy of DCLK1-S in tumorigenesis, EMT, and invasion compared with DCLK1-L in human CRC cell lines. Our meta-analysis findings of limited clinical studies indicated that only overexpression of DCLK1-S is associated with worse overall survival (OS) (HR = 7.930, 95% CI 2.252–27.924, p = 0.001). Increased expression of both DCLK1-S (HR = 1.610, 95% CI 1.020–2.541, p = 0.041) and DCLK1-L (HR = 5.890, 95% CI 1.219–28.453, p = 0.027) isoforms was closely associated with worse DSS/CSS in CRC patients. Furthermore, the high expression of DCLK1-S was found to be associated with poor DFS/RFS/PFS (HR = 1.913, 95% CI 1.230–2.973, p = 0.004). Conclusions The current findings strongly supported that the DCLK1-S isoform may play a crucial role in the invasion, aggressive tumor behavior, and worsened survival outcomes of CRC patients. However, further critical investigations related to the potential preclinical and clinical utilities of DCLK1-S as a specific CRC-CSC marker are warranted. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-022-02632-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham Kalantari
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahdieh Razmi
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Tajik
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohsen Asadi-Lari
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran.,Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Roya Ghods
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran. .,Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran.
| | - Zahra Madjd
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran. .,Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran.
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Huang S, Song Y, Liang T, Zhang JR, Zhu JJ. CRISPR System-Linked Self-Assembling Nanoplatforms for Inspection and Screening of Gastric Cancer Stem Cells. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2104622. [PMID: 34874610 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202104622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) possess a high degree of plasticity, constituting a formidable challenge to identify and screen CSCs in situ with outstanding specificity and sensitivity. To overcome this limitation, a self-assembled heterodimer consisting of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/Cas12a (named A-CCA) linkage is designed for in situ identification and screening of gastric CSCs (GCSCs) from gastric cancer cells (GCCs). In this system, the editable character of crRNA performs recognition of dual-targets in GCSCs, effectively boosting the specificity of identification, while the enzymatic reaction of Cas12a contributes meaningfully to the sensitivity of sensing, enabling in situ examination and screening of GCSCs. Specifically, the A-CCA nanoplatforms hybridized with ABCG 2 and ABCB 1 overexpress in GCSCs, which can generate heterodimers and simultaneously restore the function of trans-cleavage. At this time, the asymmetry of the heterodimer causes a circular dichroism signal, which together with the recovered fluorescence signal form a dual-signals output system that can further ensure the precision of screening GCSC. Therefore, fluorescence-enhanced GCSCs can be sorted out from GCCs by flow cytometry. Furthermore, GCSCs screened by this assay possess extremely aggressive tumorigenic efficiency, providing a fundamental research object for further developing CSC targeted drugs in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, P. R. China
| | - Yuexin Song
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, P. R. China
| | - Tingxizi Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, P. R. China
| | - Jian-Rong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, P. R. China
- School of Chemistry and Life Science, Nanjing University Jinling College, Nanjing, 210089, P. R. China
| | - Jun-Jie Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, P. R. China
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Kalantari E, Ghods R, Zanjani LS, Rahimi M, Eini L, Razmi M, Asadi-Lari M, Madjd Z. Cytoplasmic expression of DCLK1-S, a novel DCLK1 isoform, is associated with tumor aggressiveness and worse disease-specific survival in colorectal cancer. Cancer Biomark 2021; 33:277-289. [DOI: 10.3233/cbm-210330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Isoform-specific function of doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) has highlighted the key role of the DCLK1-S (short isoform) in the maintenance, progression, and invasion of the tumor. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to produce an anti-DCLK1-S polyclonal antibody to evaluate DCLK1-S in human colorectal cancer (CRC) specifically. METHODS: The expression pattern and clinical significance of DCLK1-S were assessed in a well-defined tissue microarray (TMA) series of 348 CRC and 51 adjacent normal tissues during a follow-up period of 108 months. RESULTS: Expression of DCLK1-S was significantly higher in CRC samples compared to adjacent normal samples (P< 0.001). Cytoplasmic expression of DCLK1-S was significantly higher in the tumors at the advanced stage of cancer and with poorer differentiation (P< 0.001, P= 0.02). The patients with CRC whose tumors showed higher cytoplasmic expression of DCLK1-S had worse disease-specific survival (DSS) (log-rank test, P= 0.03) and 5-year DSS rates (P= 0.01). Additionally, an improved prognostic value was observed in the patients with CRC with high DCLK1-S expression vs. its moderate expression (HR: 2.70, 95% CI: 0.98–7.38; p= 0.04) by multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings strongly supported that high cytoplasmic expression of DCLK1-S compared to its moderate expression could be considered an independent prognostic factor influencing DSS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham Kalantari
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Roya Ghods
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Mandana Rahimi
- Hasheminejad Kidney Center, Pathology Department, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Leila Eini
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
- Division of Histology, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahdieh Razmi
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohsen Asadi-Lari
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Madjd
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
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9
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Vijai M, Baba M, Ramalingam S, Thiyagaraj A. DCLK1 and its interaction partners: An effective therapeutic target for colorectal cancer. Oncol Lett 2021; 22:850. [PMID: 34733368 PMCID: PMC8561619 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2021.13111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Doublecortin-like kinase protein 1 (DCLK1) is a microtubule-associated protein with a C-terminal serine/threonine kinase domain. Its expression was first reported in radial glial cells, where it serves an essential role in early neurogenesis, and since then, other functions of the DCLK1 protein have also been identified. Initially considered to be a marker of quiescent gastrointestinal and pancreatic stem cells, DCLK1 has recently been identified in the gastrointestinal tract as a marker of tuft cells. It has also been implicated in different types of cancer, where it regulates several vital pathways, such as Kras signaling. However, its underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. The present review discusses the different roles of DCLK1 and its interactions with other proteins that are homologically similar to DCLK1 to develop a novel therapeutic strategy to target cancer cells more accurately.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muthu Vijai
- Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Sri Ramaswamy Memorial (SRM) Nagar, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu 603203, India
| | - Mursaleen Baba
- Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Sri Ramaswamy Memorial (SRM) Nagar, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu 603203, India
| | - Satish Ramalingam
- Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Sri Ramaswamy Memorial (SRM) Nagar, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu 603203, India
| | - Anand Thiyagaraj
- Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Sri Ramaswamy Memorial (SRM) Nagar, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu 603203, India
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Structural basis for small molecule targeting of Doublecortin Like Kinase 1 with DCLK1-IN-1. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1105. [PMID: 34545159 PMCID: PMC8452690 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02631-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) is an understudied bi-functional kinase with a proven role in tumour growth and development. However, the presence of tissue-specific spliced DCLK1 isoforms with distinct biological functions have challenged the development of effective strategies to understand the role of DCLK1 in oncogenesis. Recently, DCLK1-IN-1 was reported as a highly selective DCLK1 inhibitor, a powerful tool to dissect DCLK1 biological functions. Here, we report the crystal structures of DCLK1 kinase domain in complex with DCLK1-IN-1 and its precursors. Combined, our data rationalises the structure-activity relationship that informed the development of DCLK1-IN-1 and provides the basis for the high selectivity of DCLK1-IN-1, with DCLK1-IN-1 inducing a drastic conformational change of the ATP binding site. We demonstrate that DCLK1-IN-1 binds DCLK1 long isoforms but does not prevent DCLK1's Microtubule-Associated Protein (MAP) function. Together, our work provides an invaluable structural platform to further the design of isoform-specific DCLK1 modulators for therapeutic intervention.
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11
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Agulto RL, Rogers MM, Tan TC, Ramkumar A, Downing AM, Bodin H, Castro J, Nowakowski DW, Ori-McKenney KM. Autoregulatory control of microtubule binding in doublecortin-like kinase 1. eLife 2021; 10:e60126. [PMID: 34310279 PMCID: PMC8352597 DOI: 10.7554/elife.60126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The microtubule-associated protein, doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1), is highly expressed in a range of cancers and is a prominent therapeutic target for kinase inhibitors. The physiological roles of DCLK1 kinase activity and how it is regulated remain elusive. Here, we analyze the role of mammalian DCLK1 kinase activity in regulating microtubule binding. We found that DCLK1 autophosphorylates a residue within its C-terminal tail to restrict its kinase activity and prevent aberrant hyperphosphorylation within its microtubule-binding domain. Removal of the C-terminal tail or mutation of this residue causes an increase in phosphorylation within the doublecortin domains, which abolishes microtubule binding. Therefore, autophosphorylation at specific sites within DCLK1 has diametric effects on the molecule's association with microtubules. Our results suggest a mechanism by which DCLK1 modulates its kinase activity to tune its microtubule-binding affinity. These results provide molecular insights for future therapeutic efforts related to DCLK1's role in cancer development and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina L Agulto
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Melissa M Rogers
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Tracy C Tan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Amrita Ramkumar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Ashlyn M Downing
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Hannah Bodin
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Julia Castro
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
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12
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Mohammadi C, Mahdavinezhad A, Saidijam M, Bahreini F, Sedighi Pashaki A, Gholami MH, Najafi R. DCLK1 Inhibition Sensitizes Colorectal Cancer Cells to Radiation Treatment. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR MEDICINE 2021; 10:23-33. [PMID: 34268251 PMCID: PMC8256833 DOI: 10.22088/ijmcm.bums.10.1.23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent diagnosed cancers and a common cause of cancer-related mortality. Despite effective clinical responses, a large proportion of patients undergo resistance to radiation therapy. Therefore, the identification of efficient targeted therapy strategies would be beneficial to overcome cancer radioresistance. Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) is an intestinal and pancreatic stem cell marker that showed overexpression in a variety of cancers. The transfection of DCLK1 siRNA to normal HCT-116 cells was performed, and then cells were irradiated with X-rays. The effects of DCLK1 inhibition on cell survival, apoptosis, cell cycle, DNA damage response (ATM and γH2AX proteins), epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) related genes (vimentin, N‐cadherin, and E-cadherin), cancer stem cells markers (CD44, CD133, ALDH1, and BMI1), and β‐catenin signaling pathway (β‐catenin) were evaluated. DCLK1 siRNA downregulated DCLK1 expression in HCT-116 cells at both mRNA and protein levels (P <0.01). Colony formation assay showed a significantly reduced cell survival in the DCLK1 siRNA transfected group in comparison with the control group following exposure to 4 and 6 Gy doses of irradiation (P <0.01). Moreover, the expression of cancer stem cells markers (P <0.01), EMT related genes (P <0.01), and DNA repair proteins including pATM (P <0.01) and γH2AX (P <0.001) were significantly decreased in the transfected cells in comparison with the nontransfected group after radiation. Finally, the cell apoptosis rate (P <0.01) and the number of cells in the G0/G1 phase in the silencing DCLK1 group was increased (P <0.01). These findings suggest that DCLK1 can be considered a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of radioresistant human CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiman Mohammadi
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Ali Mahdavinezhad
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Massoud Saidijam
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Bahreini
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | | | | | - Rezvan Najafi
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
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13
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Comparative Gene Signature of (-)-Oleocanthal Formulation Treatments in Heterogeneous Triple Negative Breast Tumor Models: Oncological Therapeutic Target Insights. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13051706. [PMID: 34069906 PMCID: PMC8157589 DOI: 10.3390/nu13051706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) heterogeneity and limited therapeutic options confer its phenotypic aggressiveness. The discovery of anti-TNBC natural products with valid molecular target(s) and defined pharmacodynamic profile would facilitate their therapeutic nutraceutical use by TNBC patients. The extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) is a key Mediterranean diet ingredient. S-(−)-Oleocanthal (OC) leads the bioactive anti-tumor EVOO phenolic ingredients. A previous study reported the solid dispersion formulated OC with (+)-xylitol (OC-X) suppressed the in vivo progression and recurrence of the TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells. This study investigates the ability of OC-X formulation to suppress the in vivo heterogeneous BC initiation and progression utilizing advanced preclinical transgenic MMTV-PyVT and TNBC PDX mouse models. Furthermore, the clustering of the gene expression profiles in MMTV-PyVT and PDX mouse tumors treated with OC-X acquired by a Clariom S microarray analysis identified the distinctly affected genes. Several affected novel signature genes identified in response to OC-X treatments and proved overlapped in both mouse and human tumor models, shedding some lights toward understanding the OC anticancer molecular mechanism and assisting in predicting prospective clinical outcomes. This study provides molecular and preclinical evidences of OC-X potential as a nutraceutical suppressing heterogeneous TNBC model and offers preliminary gene-level therapeutic mechanistic insights.
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14
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Kwon MS, Chung HK, Xiao L, Yu TX, Wang SR, Piao JJ, Rao JN, Gorospe M, Wang JY. MicroRNA-195 regulates Tuft cell function in the intestinal epithelium by altering translation of DCLK1. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2021; 320:C1042-C1054. [PMID: 33788631 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00597.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Intestinal Tuft cells sense luminal contents to influence the mucosal immune response against eukaryotic infection. Paneth cells secrete antimicrobial proteins as part of the mucosal protective barrier. Defects in Tuft and Paneth cells occur commonly in various gut mucosal disorders. MicroRNA-195 (miR-195) regulates the stability and translation of target mRNAs and is involved in many aspects of cell processes and pathologies. Here, we reported the posttranscriptional mechanisms by which miR-195 regulates Tuft and Paneth cell function in the small intestinal epithelium. Mucosal tissues from intestinal epithelial tissue-specific miR-195 transgenic (miR195-Tg) mice had reduced numbers of double cortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1)-positive (Tuft) and lysozyme-positive (Paneth) cells, compared with tissues from control mice, but there were no effects on Goblet cells and enterocytes. Intestinal organoids expressing higher miR-195 levels from miR195-Tg mice also exhibited fewer Tuft and Paneth cells. Transgenic expression of miR-195 in mice failed to alter growth of the small intestinal mucosa but increased vulnerability of the gut barrier in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Studies aimed at investigating the mechanism underlying regulation of Tuft cells revealed that miR-195 directly interacted with the Dclk1 mRNA via its 3'-untranslated region and inhibited DCLK1 translation. Interestingly, the RNA-binding protein HuR competed with miR-195 for binding Dclk1 mRNA and increased DCLK1 expression. These results indicate that miR-195 suppresses the function of Tuft and Paneth cells in the small intestinal epithelium and further demonstrate that increased miR-195 disrupts Tuft cell function by inhibiting DCLK1 translation via interaction with HuR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min S Kwon
- Cell Biology Group, Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Hee K Chung
- Cell Biology Group, Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Lan Xiao
- Cell Biology Group, Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Ting-Xi Yu
- Cell Biology Group, Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Shelley R Wang
- Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jun-Jie Piao
- Cell Biology Group, Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jaladanki N Rao
- Cell Biology Group, Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Myriam Gorospe
- Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, National Institute on Aging-IRP, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jian-Ying Wang
- Cell Biology Group, Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland
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15
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Razi S, Sadeghi A, Asadi-Lari Z, Tam KJ, Kalantari E, Madjd Z. DCLK1, a promising colorectal cancer stem cell marker, regulates tumor progression and invasion through miR-137 and miR-15a dependent manner. Clin Exp Med 2020; 21:139-147. [PMID: 32965580 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-020-00665-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are thought to be a major player in tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis. Targeting CSCs for elimination presents a promising therapeutic strategy; however, this approach will require a stronger understanding of CSC biology and identification of CSC-specific markers. The present study was conducted to examine the correlation between DCLK1 and miR-137 and miR-15a levels in colorectal cancer. A total of 222 samples, including 181 colorectal cancer specimens, 24 adenomatosis, and 17 non-adenomatosis colonic polyps, were stained for DCLK1 expression using immunohistochemistry. Also, expression of miR-137 and miR-15a was assessed in colorectal cancer with high and low DCLK1 expression levels. Most colorectal cancer specimens (76%) showed strong expression of DCLK1, whereas only 21% of adenomatous and none of non-adenomatous colonic polyps showed strong DCLK1 expression. A significant difference in DCLK1 expression was found between colorectal cancer, adenomatous, and non-adenomatous colonic polyps (P < 0.001). Higher expression of DCLK1 was more frequently detected in colorectal cases with larger tumor size (P = 0.03), poor differentiation (P = 0.03), and lymph node involvement (P = 0.04). Comparison of miR-137 and miR-15a in colorectal cancer cases revealed a significant inverse correlation with DCLK1 expression (P = 0.03 and P = 0.04, respectively). DCLK1 may act as a candidate marker for colorectal cancer stem cells. The critical role of DCLK1 in colorectal cancer suggests that it may represent an early diagnostic marker and therapeutic target; however, further investigation is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sepideh Razi
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Asieh Sadeghi
- Department of Pathology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Kevin J Tam
- Department of Urologic Sciences, Vancouver Prostate Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Elham Kalantari
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Madjd
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. .,Department of Pathology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. .,Department of Molecular Medicine, Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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16
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Subramaniam D, Angulo P, Ponnurangam S, Dandawate P, Ramamoorthy P, Srinivasan P, Iwakuma T, Weir SJ, Chastain K, Anant S. Suppressing STAT5 signaling affects osteosarcoma growth and stemness. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:149. [PMID: 32094348 PMCID: PMC7039889 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-2335-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary bone tumor that primarily affects children and adolescents. Studies suggested that dysregulation JAK/STAT signaling promotes the development of OS. Cells treated with pimozide, a STAT5 inhibitor suppressed proliferation and colony formation and induced sub G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. There was a reduction in cyclin D1 and CDK2 expression and Rb phosphorylation, and activation of Caspase-3 and PARP cleavage. In addition, pimozide suppressed the formation of 3-dimensional osteospheres and growth of the cells in the Tumor in a Dish lung organoid system. Furthermore, there was a reduction in expression of cancer stem cell marker proteins DCLK1, CD44, CD133, Oct-4, and ABCG2. More importantly, it was the short form of DCLK1 that was upregulated in osteospheres, which was suppressed in response to pimozide. We further confirmed by flow cytometry a reduction in DCLK1+ cells. Moreover, pimozide inhibits the phosphorylation of STAT5, STAT3, and ERK in OS cells. Molecular docking studies suggest that pimozide interacts with STAT5A and STAT5B with binding energies of −8.4 and −6.4 Kcal/mol, respectively. Binding was confirmed by cellular thermal shift assay. To further understand the role of STAT5, we knocked down the two isoforms using specific siRNAs. While knockdown of the proteins did not affect the cells, knockdown of STAT5B reduced pimozide-induced necrosis and further enhanced late apoptosis. To determine the effect of pimozide on tumor growth in vivo, we administered pimozide intraperitoneally at a dose of 10 mg/kg BW every day for 21 days in mice carrying KHOS/NP tumor xenografts. Pimozide treatment significantly suppressed xenograft growth. Western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses also demonstrated significant inhibition of stem cell marker proteins. Together, these data suggest that pimozide treatment suppresses OS growth by targeting both proliferating cells and stem cells at least in part by inhibiting the STAT5 signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dharmalingam Subramaniam
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Pablo Angulo
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA.,Banner Health, 1432S. Dobson Rd. Ste. 107, Mesa, AZ, 85202, USA
| | - Sivapriya Ponnurangam
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Prasad Dandawate
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Prabhu Ramamoorthy
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Pugazhendhi Srinivasan
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Tomoo Iwakuma
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA.,Division of Hematology and Oncology, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA
| | - Scott J Weir
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Katherine Chastain
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA.,Janssen Inc, 1000 U.S. Route 202 South, Raritan, NJ, 08869, USA
| | - Shrikant Anant
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA.
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17
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Sureban SM, Berahovich R, Zhou H, Xu S, Wu L, Ding K, May R, Qu D, Bannerman-Menson E, Golubovskaya V, Houchen CW. DCLK1 Monoclonal Antibody-Based CAR-T Cells as a Novel Treatment Strategy against Human Colorectal Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 12:cancers12010054. [PMID: 31878090 PMCID: PMC7016951 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12010054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Revised: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
CAR-T (chimeric antigen receptor T cells) immunotherapy is effective in many hematological cancers; however, efficacy in solid tumors is disappointing. Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) labels tumor stem cells (TSCs) in genetic mouse models of colorectal cancer (CRC). Here, we describe a novel CAR-T targeting DCLK1 (CBT-511; with our proprietary DCLK1 single-chain antibody variable fragment) as a treatment strategy to eradicate CRC TSCs. The cell surface expression of DCLK1 and cytotoxicity of CBT-511 were assessed in CRC cells (HT29, HCT116, and LoVo). LoVo-derived tumor xenografts in NOD Scid gamma (NSGTM)mice were treated with CBT-511 or mock CAR-T cells. Adherent CRC cells express surface DCLK1 (two-dimensional, 2D). A 4.5-fold increase in surface DCLK1 was observed when HT29 cells were grown as spheroids (three-dimensional, 3D). CBT-511 induced cytotoxicity (2D; p < 0.0001), and increased Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) release in CRC cells (2D) compared to mock CAR-T (p < 0.0001). Moreover, an even greater increase in IFN-γ release was observed when cells were grown in 3D. CBT-511 reduced tumor growth by approximately 50 percent compared to mock CAR-T. These data suggest that CRC cells with increased clonogenic capacity express increased surface DCLK1. A DCLK1-targeted CAR-T can induce cytotoxicity in vitro and inhibit xenograft growth in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sripathi M. Sureban
- COARE Holdings Inc., Oklahoma, OK 73104, USA; (R.M.); (D.Q.); (E.B.-M.)
- Department of Internal Medicine, Digestive Diseases and Nutrition Section, The University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma, OK 73014, USA;
- Correspondence: (S.M.S.); (C.W.H.); Tel.: +1-405-271-5428 (S.M.S. & C.W.H.)
| | - Robert Berahovich
- ProMab Biotechnologies Inc., Richmond, CA 94806, USA; (R.B.); (H.Z.); (S.X.); (L.W.); (V.G.)
| | - Hua Zhou
- ProMab Biotechnologies Inc., Richmond, CA 94806, USA; (R.B.); (H.Z.); (S.X.); (L.W.); (V.G.)
| | - Shirley Xu
- ProMab Biotechnologies Inc., Richmond, CA 94806, USA; (R.B.); (H.Z.); (S.X.); (L.W.); (V.G.)
| | - Lijun Wu
- ProMab Biotechnologies Inc., Richmond, CA 94806, USA; (R.B.); (H.Z.); (S.X.); (L.W.); (V.G.)
| | - Kai Ding
- Department of Internal Medicine, Digestive Diseases and Nutrition Section, The University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma, OK 73014, USA;
| | - Randal May
- COARE Holdings Inc., Oklahoma, OK 73104, USA; (R.M.); (D.Q.); (E.B.-M.)
- Department of Internal Medicine, Digestive Diseases and Nutrition Section, The University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma, OK 73014, USA;
| | - Dongfeng Qu
- COARE Holdings Inc., Oklahoma, OK 73104, USA; (R.M.); (D.Q.); (E.B.-M.)
- Department of Internal Medicine, Digestive Diseases and Nutrition Section, The University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma, OK 73014, USA;
| | | | - Vita Golubovskaya
- ProMab Biotechnologies Inc., Richmond, CA 94806, USA; (R.B.); (H.Z.); (S.X.); (L.W.); (V.G.)
| | - Courtney W. Houchen
- COARE Holdings Inc., Oklahoma, OK 73104, USA; (R.M.); (D.Q.); (E.B.-M.)
- Department of Internal Medicine, Digestive Diseases and Nutrition Section, The University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma, OK 73014, USA;
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma, OK 73104, USA
- Correspondence: (S.M.S.); (C.W.H.); Tel.: +1-405-271-5428 (S.M.S. & C.W.H.)
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18
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Shafiei S, Kalantari E, Saeednejad Zanjani L, Abolhasani M, Asadi Lari MH, Madjd Z. Increased expression of DCLK1, a novel putative CSC maker, is associated with tumor aggressiveness and worse disease-specific survival in patients with bladder carcinomas. Exp Mol Pathol 2019; 108:164-172. [PMID: 31028726 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexmp.2019.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Revised: 04/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) has been characterized as a novel potential cancer stem cell (CSC) marker in several types of cancer. It is considered as one of the most specific markers for distinguishing colorectal CSCs from normal stem cells. Yet, there are limited reports on the role of DCLK1 as a putative CSC marker in bladder cancer. Using immunohistochemistry, DCLK1 expression was examined in a well-defined tissue microarray series of 472 bladder cancer tissues. The association between DCLK1 protein expression and clinicopathological features, as well as survival outcomes, was assessed. Our findings showed strong, moderate, and weak DCLK1 expression in 123 (26.1%), 230 (48.7%), and 119 (25.2%) of the bladder cancer specimens, respectively. Higher expression of DCLK1 was significantly associated with increase in histological grade (P ≤ .001), pT stage (P = .014), lamina propria (P = .006), and lamina propria/muscularis (L/M) involvement (P = .014). On multivariate analysis, pT stage (P < .001), histological grade (P = .021), and lamina propria involvement (P = .001) were independent prognostic factors in DCLK1 expression. Moreover, the expression of DCLK1 was found to be an independent marker of poor prognosis for disease- specific survival (DSS) (P = .048) in bladder carcinomas. Our observations showed that DCLK1 expression was associated with more aggressive tumor behavior, more advanced disease, and poorer DSS in patients with bladder carcinomas. However, any potential clinical applications of DCLK1 as a novel target molecule in bladder cancer patients would require further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somayeh Shafiei
- Dep of Pathology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Elham Kalantari
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Maryam Abolhasani
- Dep of Pathology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, (IUMS), Tehran, Iran; Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran; Hasheminejad Kidney, Iran University of Medical Sciences, (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Zahra Madjd
- Dep of Pathology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, (IUMS), Tehran, Iran; Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran; Vancouver Prostate Centre, Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada..
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19
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Park SY, Kim JY, Choi JH, Kim JH, Lee CJ, Singh P, Sarkar S, Baek JH, Nam JS. Inhibition of LEF1-Mediated DCLK1 by Niclosamide Attenuates Colorectal Cancer Stemness. Clin Cancer Res 2018; 25:1415-1429. [PMID: 30446587 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-18-1232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Revised: 08/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Niclosamide, an FDA-approved anthelmintic drug, has been characterized as a potent Wnt inhibitor that can suppress tumor growth and cancer stem-like cell (CSC) populations. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study aimed to examine how Wnt inhibition by niclosamide preferentially targets CSCs. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN The mechanistic role of niclosamide in CSC inhibition was examined in public databases, human colorectal cancer cells, colorectal cancer xenografts, and azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium (AOM/DSS)-induced colorectal cancer model. RESULTS Niclosamide suppresses CSC populations and their self-renewal activities in colorectal cancer cells, and this CSC-targeting effect leads to irreversible disruption of tumor-initiating potential in vivo. Mechanistically, niclosamide downregulates multiple signaling components of the Wnt pathway, specifically lymphoid enhancer-binding factor 1 (LEF1) expression, which is critical for regulating stemness. Subsequently, we identified that the doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1)-B is a target of LEF1 and upregulates cancer stemness in colorectal cancer cells. We first documented that niclosamide blocks the transcription of DCLK1-B by interrupting the binding of LEF1 to DCLK1-B promoter. DCLK1-B depletion impairs cancer stemness resulting in reduced survival potential and increased apoptosis, thus sensitizing colorectal cancer to chemoradiation. CONCLUSIONS Disruption of the LEF1/DCLK1-B axis by niclosamide eradicates cancer stemness and elicits therapeutic effects on colorectal cancer initiation, progression, and resistance. These findings provide a preclinical rationale to broaden the clinical evaluation of niclosamide for the treatment of colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- So-Yeon Park
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.,Cell Logistics Research Center, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Young Kim
- Laboratory Animal Resource Center, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwnagju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jang-Hyun Choi
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jee-Heun Kim
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Choong-Jae Lee
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Pomila Singh
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | - Shubhashish Sarkar
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | - Jeong-Heum Baek
- Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Seok Nam
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Republic of Korea. .,Cell Logistics Research Center, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.,Silver Health Bio Research Center, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
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20
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Takiyama A, Tanaka T, Kazama S, Nagata H, Kawai K, Hata K, Otani K, Nishikawa T, Sasaki K, Kaneko M, Emoto S, Murono K, Takiyama H, Nozawa H. DCLK1 Expression in Colorectal Polyps Increases with the Severity of Dysplasia. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 32:365-371. [PMID: 29475922 DOI: 10.21873/invivo.11247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Revised: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The expression of doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) has been investigated in cancer; however not in precancerous adenomatous polyps. MATERIALS AND METHODS Immunohistological expression of DCLK1 was evaluated in various grades of adenomas, cancerous polyps, and hyperplastic polyps in resected human tissue specimens. RESULTS Ninety-two specimens were positive for DCLK1 and 134 were negative. Cancerous polyps showed a high DCLK1 positivity rate compared to adenomas (68.4% vs. 36.8%; p<0.01). The rate of DCLK1 positivity was not significantly different among the three grades of adenomas (mild, moderate, and severe). DCLK1 was highly positive in advanced adenomas than low risk adenomas (49.6% vs. 29.3%; p<0.01). CONCLUSION The expression of DCLK1 was found in low-grade adenomas and increased with worsening severity of dysplasia. DCLK1 expression was highly observed in advanced adenomas, which had a clinically higher malignant potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aki Takiyama
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Tanaka
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Kazama
- Division of Gastroenterological Surgery, Saitama Cancer Center, Saitama, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nagata
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazushige Kawai
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keisuke Hata
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kensuke Otani
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeshi Nishikawa
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuhito Sasaki
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Manabu Kaneko
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shigenobu Emoto
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koji Murono
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Hiroaki Nozawa
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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21
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Bellamkonda K, Satapathy SR, Douglas D, Chandrashekar N, Selvanesan BC, Liu M, Savari S, Jonsson G, Sjölander A. Montelukast, a CysLT1 receptor antagonist, reduces colon cancer stemness and tumor burden in a mouse xenograft model of human colon cancer. Cancer Lett 2018; 437:13-24. [PMID: 30144515 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2018.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2018] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Inflammation is implicated in the etiology of sporadic colon cancer (CC), which is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Here, we report that inhibition of the inflammatory receptor CysLT1 through its antagonist, montelukast, is beneficial in minimizing stemness in CC and thereby minimizing tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model of human colon cancer. Upon treatment with montelukast, colonospheres derived from HT-29 and SW-480 human colon cancer cells exhibited a significant phenotypic change coupled with the downregulation of mRNA and protein expression of cancer stem cell (CSC) markers ALDH1 and DCLK1. Moreover, montelukast reduced the size of HT-29 cell-derived tumors in mice. The reduction in tumor size was associated with decreased levels of ALDH1A1, DCLK1, BCL2 mRNA and macrophage infiltration into the tumor tissue. Interestingly, this treatment elevated levels of the tumor suppressor 15-PGDH while reducing COX-2 expression. Our data highlight the association of CysLT1R with CSCs and demonstrate that inhibition of CysLT1R could prove beneficial in minimizing CSC-induced tumor growth. This work advances the notion that targeting CSCs is a promising approach to improve outcomes in those afflicted with colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kishan Bellamkonda
- Division of Cell and Experimental Pathology, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Clinical Research Center, Skåne University Hospital, Malmo¨, Sweden
| | - Shakti Ranjan Satapathy
- Division of Cell and Experimental Pathology, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Clinical Research Center, Skåne University Hospital, Malmo¨, Sweden
| | - Desiree Douglas
- Division of Cell and Experimental Pathology, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Clinical Research Center, Skåne University Hospital, Malmo¨, Sweden
| | - Naveenkumar Chandrashekar
- Division of Cell and Experimental Pathology, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Clinical Research Center, Skåne University Hospital, Malmo¨, Sweden
| | - Benson Chellakkan Selvanesan
- Division of Cell and Experimental Pathology, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Clinical Research Center, Skåne University Hospital, Malmo¨, Sweden
| | - Minghui Liu
- Division of Cell and Experimental Pathology, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Clinical Research Center, Skåne University Hospital, Malmo¨, Sweden
| | - Sayeh Savari
- Division of Cell and Experimental Pathology, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Clinical Research Center, Skåne University Hospital, Malmo¨, Sweden
| | - Gunilla Jonsson
- Division of Cell and Experimental Pathology, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Clinical Research Center, Skåne University Hospital, Malmo¨, Sweden
| | - Anita Sjölander
- Division of Cell and Experimental Pathology, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Clinical Research Center, Skåne University Hospital, Malmo¨, Sweden.
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22
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Dai T, Hu Y, Lv F, Ozawa T, Sun X, Huang J, Han X, Kishi H, Muraguchi A, Jin A. Analysis of the clinical significance of DCLK1 + colorectal cancer using novel monoclonal antibodies against DCLK1. Onco Targets Ther 2018; 11:5047-5057. [PMID: 30174443 PMCID: PMC6110630 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s169928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) is considered a putative tumor stem cell (TSC) marker and a promising therapeutic target, as DCLK1+ progeny cells exhibit high expression in tumors. However, the biological function of DCLK1+ cells in tumorigenesis and tumor progression remains unclear. Materials and methods We generated rabbit monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against DCLK1, DCLK1-42, and DCLK1-87 mAbs, using a novel chip-based immunospot array assay on a chip system. First, the specificity of two mAbs to DCLK1 was confirmed by Western blot, which were bound to DCLK1-long in normal colon cells and to DCLK1-short in a cancer cell line as well as colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. Results Precise localization analysis using immunofluorescence revealed that both mAbs had cytoplasmic signal and exhibited a high degree of overlap with microtubules. Furthermore, bacterial display technology indicated that the antigenic epitope region of DCLK1-87 mAb was consistent with that of a commercial anti-DCLK1 polyclonal antibody. In addition, DCLK1-42 mAb has the common polyclonal antibody characteristic of binding to more than one site on DCLK1. By immunohistochemistry, it was found that DCLK1-87 mAb was more specific for DCLK1+ cell labeling than a commercial anti-DCLK1 polyclonal antibody. DCLK1 labeled with DCLK1-87 mAb might be a potential TSC marker because the tissue expression site covers the ALDH1 area in CRC tissues. Finally, we analyzed 100 pairs of cancer tissues and matching paracancerous tissue samples from patients with CRC who received 100 months of follow-up with the DCLK1-87 mAb. The results showed that patients with high DCLK1 expression exhibited a longer survival time than that of patients with low DCLK1 expression (P=0.0029). Discussion Our results indicated that we successfully generated an efficient tool for the precise detection of DCLK1+ cells in cancer tissues. Moreover, we found that high DCLK1 expression in CRC patients appears to play a protective role against tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianqi Dai
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China,
| | - Yunlong Hu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China, .,Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.,Department of Pathogen Biology, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
| | - Fulian Lv
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China,
| | - Tatsuhiko Ozawa
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Xin Sun
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China,
| | - Jingjing Huang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China,
| | - Xiaojian Han
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China,
| | - Hiroyuki Kishi
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Atsushi Muraguchi
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Aishun Jin
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China,
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23
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Mohammadi Y, Tavangar SM, Saidijam M, Amini R, Etemadi K, Karimi Dermani F, Najafi R. DCLK1 plays an important role in colorectal cancer tumorgenesis through the regulation of miR-200c. Biomed Pharmacother 2018; 103:301-307. [PMID: 29656186 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.04.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) is a protein kinase that is known as a specific cancer stem cell (CSC) marker in colorectal cancer (CRC). Deregulation of DCLK1 expression has been reported in various cancers. We measured the protein expression of DCLK1 in 38 CRC and normal colon samples by immunohistochemistry (IHC). HCT-116 and SW-48 cells were transfected with DCLK1 siRNA and analyzed for expression of DCLK1 and miR-200c. The effects of DCLK1 knockdown on cell migration, invasion, sphere-forming, and apoptosis were explored. It was found that DCLK1 protein expression levels were significantly higher in CRC tissue than in normal colon specimens. Silencing of DCLK1 significantly inhibited cell migration, invasion, and sphere-forming potential; it also induced apoptosis as well as increased expression of miR-200c. Furthermore, silencing of miR-200c significantly up-regulated DCLK1 expression. Overall, our data demonstrated that DCLK1 plays an important role in cancer progression and is involved in the regulation of miR-200c expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasaman Mohammadi
- Research center for molecular medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Seyed Mohammad Tavangar
- Department of Pathology, Dr. Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Massoud Saidijam
- Research center for molecular medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Razieh Amini
- Research center for molecular medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Katayoon Etemadi
- Research center for molecular medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Karimi Dermani
- Research center for molecular medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Rezvan Najafi
- Research center for molecular medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
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24
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Testa U, Pelosi E, Castelli G. Colorectal cancer: genetic abnormalities, tumor progression, tumor heterogeneity, clonal evolution and tumor-initiating cells. Med Sci (Basel) 2018; 6:E31. [PMID: 29652830 PMCID: PMC6024750 DOI: 10.3390/medsci6020031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 03/24/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Colon cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. Most colorectal cancer occurrences are sporadic, not related to genetic predisposition or family history; however, 20-30% of patients with colorectal cancer have a family history of colorectal cancer and 5% of these tumors arise in the setting of a Mendelian inheritance syndrome. In many patients, the development of a colorectal cancer is preceded by a benign neoplastic lesion: either an adenomatous polyp or a serrated polyp. Studies carried out in the last years have characterized the main molecular alterations occurring in colorectal cancers, showing that the tumor of each patient displays from two to eight driver mutations. The ensemble of molecular studies, including gene expression studies, has led to two proposed classifications of colorectal cancers, with the identification of four/five non-overlapping groups. The homeostasis of the rapidly renewing intestinal epithelium is ensured by few stem cells present at the level of the base of intestinal crypts. Various experimental evidence suggests that colorectal cancers may derive from the malignant transformation of intestinal stem cells or of intestinal cells that acquire stem cell properties following malignant transformation. Colon cancer stem cells seem to be involved in tumor chemoresistance, radioresistance and relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ugo Testa
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Elvira Pelosi
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Germana Castelli
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy.
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25
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Ramkumar A, Jong BY, Ori-McKenney KM. ReMAPping the microtubule landscape: How phosphorylation dictates the activities of microtubule-associated proteins. Dev Dyn 2017; 247:138-155. [PMID: 28980356 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Revised: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Classical microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) were originally identified based on their co-purification with microtubules assembled from mammalian brain lysate. They have since been found to perform a range of functions involved in regulating the dynamics of the microtubule cytoskeleton. Most of these MAPs play integral roles in microtubule organization during neuronal development, microtubule remodeling during neuronal activity, and microtubule stabilization during neuronal maintenance. As a result, mutations in MAPs contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders, psychiatric conditions, and neurodegenerative diseases. MAPs are post-translationally regulated by phosphorylation depending on developmental time point and cellular context. Phosphorylation can affect the microtubule affinity, cellular localization, or overall function of a particular MAP and can thus have profound implications for neuronal health. Here we review MAP1, MAP2, MAP4, MAP6, MAP7, MAP9, tau, and DCX, and how each is regulated by phosphorylation in neuronal physiology and disease. Developmental Dynamics 247:138-155, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrita Ramkumar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA
| | - Brigette Y Jong
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA
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26
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Sarkar S, O'Connell MR, Okugawa Y, Lee BS, Toiyama Y, Kusunoki M, Daboval RD, Goel A, Singh P. FOXD3 Regulates CSC Marker, DCLK1-S, and Invasive Potential: Prognostic Implications in Colon Cancer. Mol Cancer Res 2017; 15:1678-1691. [PMID: 28851816 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-17-0287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Revised: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The 5' (α)-promoter of the human doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) gene becomes epigenetically silenced during colon carcinogenesis, resulting in loss of expression of the canonical long(L)-isoform1 (DCLK1-L) in human colon adenocarcinomas (hCRCs). Instead, hCRCs express a short(S)-isoform2 (DCLK1-S) from an alternate (β)-promoter of DCLK1. The current study, examined if the transcriptional activity of the (β)-promoter is suppressed in normal versus cancerous cells. On the basis of in silico and molecular approaches, it was discovered that FOXD3 potently inhibits the transcriptional activity of the (β)-promoter. FOXD3 becomes methylated in human colon cancer cells (hCCC), with loss of FOXD3 expression, allowing expression of the DCLK1(S) variant in hCCCs/hCRCs. Relative levels of FOXD3/DCLK1(S/L) were measured in a cohort of CRC patient specimens (n = 92), in relation to overall survival (OS). Patients expressing high DCLK1(S), with or without low FOXD3, had significantly worse OS compared with patients expressing low DCLK1(S). The relative levels of DCLK1-L did not correlate with OS. In a pilot retrospective study, colon adenomas from high-risk patients (who developed CRCs in <15 years) demonstrated significantly higher staining for DCLK1(S) + significantly lower staining for FOXD3, compared with adenomas from low-risk patients (who remained free of CRCs). Latter results strongly suggest a prognostic value of measuring DCLK1(S)/FOXD3 in adenomas. Overexpression of DCLK1(S), but not DCLK1(L), caused a significant increase in the invasive potential of hCCCs, which may explain worse outcomes for patients with high DCLK1-S-expressing tumors. On the basis of these data, FOXD3 is a potent repressor of DCLK1-S expression in normal cells; loss of FOXD3 in hCCCs/hCRCs allows upregulation of DCLK1-S, imparting a potent invasive potential to the cells. Mol Cancer Res; 15(12); 1678-91. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shubhashish Sarkar
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | - Malaney R O'Connell
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | - Yoshinaga Okugawa
- Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Laboratory, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center and Baylor Research Institute, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,Department of Gastrointestinal and Pediatric Surgery, Division of Reparative Medicine, Institute of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Mie, Japan
| | - Brian S Lee
- Medical School, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | - Yuji Toiyama
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Pediatric Surgery, Division of Reparative Medicine, Institute of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Mie, Japan
| | - Masato Kusunoki
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Pediatric Surgery, Division of Reparative Medicine, Institute of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Mie, Japan
| | - Robert D Daboval
- Medical School, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | - Ajay Goel
- Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Laboratory, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center and Baylor Research Institute, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Pomila Singh
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas.
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