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Malchow J, Eberlein J, Li W, Hogan BM, Okuda KS, Helker CSM. Neural progenitor-derived Apelin controls tip cell behavior and vascular patterning. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk1174. [PMID: 38968355 PMCID: PMC11225789 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk1174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
During angiogenesis, vascular tip cells guide nascent vascular sprouts to form a vascular network. Apelin, an agonist of the G protein-coupled receptor Aplnr, is enriched in vascular tip cells, and it is hypothesized that vascular-derived Apelin regulates sprouting angiogenesis. We identify an apelin-expressing neural progenitor cell population in the dorsal neural tube. Vascular tip cells exhibit directed elongation and migration toward and along the apelin-expressing neural progenitor cells. Notably, restoration of neural but not vascular apelin expression in apelin mutants remedies the angiogenic defects of mutants. By functional analyses, we show the requirement of Apelin signaling for tip cell behaviors, like filopodia formation and cell elongation. Through genetic interaction studies and analysis of transgenic activity reporters, we identify Apelin signaling as a modulator of phosphoinositide 3-kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling in tip cells in vivo. Our results suggest a previously unidentified neurovascular cross-talk mediated by Apelin signaling that is important for tip cell function during sprouting angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Malchow
- Faculty of Biology, Cell Signaling and Dynamics, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Jean Eberlein
- Faculty of Biology, Cell Signaling and Dynamics, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Wei Li
- Faculty of Biology, Cell Signaling and Dynamics, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Benjamin M. Hogan
- Organogenesis and Cancer Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Kazuhide S. Okuda
- Organogenesis and Cancer Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Centre for Cardiovascular Biology and Disease Research, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christian S. M. Helker
- Faculty of Biology, Cell Signaling and Dynamics, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Marburg, Germany
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2
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Chen Q, Zhang Y, Ni S, Yang L, Li J, Yuan X, Chen M, Liu J, Luo X, Xie Y, Wang H. Serum apelin as a potential biomarker for infantile hemangiomas. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2024; 71:e30989. [PMID: 38602300 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.30989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) are common benign vascular tumors in infants. Apelin, an endogenous cytokine, is implicated in the angiogenesis of neoplastic diseases. We aimed to explore the association between apelin and IHs, providing a foundation for clinical applications. METHODS We identified differential expression of apelin in proliferative IHs compared to healthy controls (HCs) through bioinformatics analysis of publicly available databases and verified by Immunofluorescence. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to quantify the serum levels of apelin and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in a cohort of 116 cases of proliferative IHs, 65 cases of capillary malformations (CMs), and 70 HCs. RESULTS Apelin and APJ (APLNR, apelin receptor) were identified as the significantly upregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in proliferative IHs. Immunofluorescence staining indicated high expression of apelin in proliferative IHs, while minimal expression in non-IH lesions. Apelin in IHs was reduced following 6 months of propranolol treatment. Serum apelin levels were significantly higher in the IH group compared to both the CM and HC groups. Moreover, apelin exhibited excellent discriminatory ability in distinguishing IHs from HCs, with an area under the curve (AUC) exceeding 0.90. A positive correlation was observed between the levels of apelin and the size of superficial IHs. The expression profiles of VEGF and apelin in IHs were found to be consistent. CONCLUSIONS Apelin shows promise as a potential biomarker for IHs. The association between apelin and IH size, as well as its responsiveness to propranolol treatment, indicates its possible utility as a valuable indicator for the therapeutic evaluation of IHs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Rare Diseases in Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Yunxuan Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Rare Diseases in Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Sili Ni
- Department of Dermatology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Rare Diseases in Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Liuqing Yang
- Pediatric Research Institute, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiwei Li
- Department of Dermatology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Rare Diseases in Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xingang Yuan
- Department of Dermatology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Rare Diseases in Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Meng Chen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoyan Luo
- Department of Dermatology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Rare Diseases in Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yimin Xie
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Hua Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Rare Diseases in Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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3
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Sato S. Adipo-oncology: adipocyte-derived factors govern engraftment, survival, and progression of metastatic cancers. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:52. [PMID: 38238841 PMCID: PMC10797898 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01474-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Conventional therapies for metastatic cancers have limited efficacy. Recently, cancer therapies targeting noncancerous cells in tumor microenvironments have shown improved clinical outcomes in patients. However, further advances in our understanding of the metastatic tumor microenvironment are required to improve treatment outcomes. Adipocytes are distributed throughout the body, and as a part of the metastatic tumor microenvironment, they interact with cancer cells in almost all organs. Adipocytes secrete various factors that are reported to exert clinical effects on cancer progression, including engraftment, survival, and expansion at the metastatic sites. However, only a few studies have comprehensively examined their impact on cancer cells. In this review, we examined the impact of adipocytes on cancer by describing the adipocyte-secreted factors that are involved in controlling metastatic cancer, focusing on adipokines, such as adiponectin, leptin, visfatin, chemerin, resistin, apelin, and omentin. Adipocyte-secreted factors promote cancer metastasis and contribute to various biological functions of cancer cells, including migration, invasion, proliferation, immune evasion, and drug resistance at the metastatic sites. We propose the establishment and expansion of "adipo-oncology" as a research field to enhance the comprehensive understanding of the role of adipocytes in metastatic cancers and the development of more robust metastatic cancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinya Sato
- Morphological Analysis Laboratory, Kanagawa Cancer Center Research Institute, 2-3-2, Asahi-Ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 241-8515, Japan.
- Molecular Pathology and Genetics Division, Kanagawa Cancer Center Research Institute, 2-3-2, Asahi-Ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 241-8515, Japan.
- Department of Pathology, Kanagawa Cancer Center Hospital, 2-3-2, Asahi-Ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 241-8515, Japan.
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4
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Inukai K, Kise K, Hayashi Y, Jia W, Muramatsu F, Okamoto N, Konishi H, Akuta K, Kidoya H, Takakura N. Cancer apelin receptor suppresses vascular mimicry in malignant melanoma. Pathol Oncol Res 2023; 29:1610867. [PMID: 36776217 PMCID: PMC9912982 DOI: 10.3389/pore.2023.1610867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Several reports indicate that apelin is often over-expressed in tumors, and therefore it has been suggested that the apelin-apelin receptor (APJ) system may induce tumor progression. In contrast, our previous research revealed high expression of the apelin-APJ system in tumor blood vessels, suggesting its involvement in the regulation of tumor vessel formation and normalization, resulting in the suppression of tumor growth by promoting the infiltration of T cells. Thus, the effect of the apelin-APJ system on tumors remains controversial. In this report, to clarify the effect of apelin in tumor cells, we analyzed the function of APJ in tumor cells using APJ knock out (KO) mice. In APJ-KO mice, Apelin overexpression in B16/BL6 (B16) melanoma cells induced greater tumor growth than controls. In an APJ-KO melanoma inoculation model, although angiogenesis is suppressed compared to wild type, no difference is evident in tumor growth. We found that APJ deficiency promoted vascular mimicry in tumors. In vitro, cultured APJ-KO B16 cells demonstrated a spindle-like shape. This phenotypic change was thought to be induced by epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) based on evidence that APJ-KO B16 cells show persistently high levels of the mesenchymal maker, Zeb1; however, we found that EMT did not correlate with the transforming growth factor-β/smad signaling pathway in our model. We propose that apelin-APJ system in cancer cells induces tumor growth but negatively regulates EMT and tumor malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koichi Inukai
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Kise
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Yumiko Hayashi
- Department of Integrative Vascular Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Weizhen Jia
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Fumitaka Muramatsu
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Naoki Okamoto
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Konishi
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Keigo Akuta
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Hiroyasu Kidoya
- Department of Integrative Vascular Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Takakura
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan,World Premier Institute Immunology Frontier Research Center, Integrated Frontier Research for Medical Science Division, Osaka University, Suita, Japan,Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives (OTRI), Osaka University, Suita, Japan,Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, Suita, Japan,*Correspondence: Nobuyuki Takakura,
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5
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Janssens P, Decuypere JP, Bammens B, Llorens-Cortes C, Vennekens R, Mekahli D. The emerging role of the apelinergic system in kidney physiology and disease. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2022; 37:2314-2326. [PMID: 33744967 DOI: 10.1093/ndt/gfab070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The apelinergic system (AS) is a novel pleiotropic system with an essential role in renal and cardiovascular physiology and disease, including water homeostasis and blood pressure regulation. It consists of two highly conserved peptide ligands, apelin and apela, and a G-protein-coupled apelin receptor. The two ligands have many isoforms and a short half-life and exert both similar and divergent effects. Vasopressin, apelin and their receptors colocalize in hypothalamic regions essential for body fluid homeostasis and interact at the central and renal levels to regulate water homeostasis and diuresis in inverse directions. In addition, the AS and renin-angiotensin system interact both systemically and in the kidney, with implications for the cardiovascular system. A role for the AS in diverse pathological states, including disorders of sodium and water balance, hypertension, heart failure, pre-eclampsia, acute kidney injury, sepsis and diabetic nephropathy, has recently been reported. Furthermore, several metabolically stable apelin analogues have been developed, with potential applications in diverse diseases. We review here what is currently known about the physiological functions of the AS, focusing on renal, cardiovascular and metabolic homeostasis, and the role of the AS in associated diseases. We also describe several hurdles and research opportunities worthy of the attention of the nephrology community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Janssens
- PKD Research Group, Laboratory of Pediatrics, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussell), Department of Nephrology, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jean-Paul Decuypere
- PKD Research Group, Laboratory of Pediatrics, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bert Bammens
- Department of Nephrology, Dialysis and Renal Transplantation, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Nephrology and Renal Transplantation Research Group, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Catherine Llorens-Cortes
- Laboratory of Central Neuropeptides in the Regulation of Body Fluid Homeostasis and Cardiovascular Functions, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, INSERM U1050, CNRS UMR 7241, Paris, France
| | - Rudi Vennekens
- Laboratory of Ion Channel Research, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium and
| | - Djalila Mekahli
- PKD Research Group, Laboratory of Pediatrics, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Pediatric Nephrology and Organ Transplantation, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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6
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Azad AK, Campbell KR, Zhabyeyev P, Oudit GY, Moore RB, Murray AG. Loss of apelin blocks the emergence of sprouting angiogenesis in experimental tumors. FASEB J 2022; 36:e22560. [PMID: 36165236 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202200616rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Angiogenesis inhibitor drugs targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling to the endothelial cell (EC) are used to treat various cancer types. However, primary or secondary resistance to therapy is common. Clinical and pre-clinical studies suggest that alternative pro-angiogenic factors are upregulated after VEGF pathway inhibition. Therefore, identification of alternative pro-angiogenic pathway(s) is critical for the development of more effective anti-angiogenic therapy. Here we study the role of apelin as a pro-angiogenic G-protein-coupled receptor ligand in tumor growth and angiogenesis. We found that loss of apelin in mice delayed the primary tumor growth of Lewis lung carcinoma 1 and B16F10 melanoma when combined with the VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, sunitinib. Targeting apelin in combination with sunitinib markedly reduced the tumor vessel density, and decreased microvessel remodeling. Apelin loss reduced angiogenic sprouting and tip cell marker gene expression in comparison to the sunitinib-alone-treated mice. Single-cell RNA sequencing of tumor EC demonstrated that the loss of apelin prevented EC tip cell differentiation. Thus, apelin is a potent pro-angiogenic cue that supports initiation of tumor neovascularization. Together, our data suggest that targeting apelin may be useful as adjuvant therapy in combination with VEGF signaling inhibition to inhibit the growth of advanced tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abul K Azad
- Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Kieran R Campbell
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics and Statistical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pavel Zhabyeyev
- Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Gavin Y Oudit
- Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ronald B Moore
- Department of Oncology and Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Allan G Murray
- Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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7
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Chen J, Li Z, Zhao Q, Chen L. Roles of apelin/APJ system in cancer: Biomarker, predictor, and emerging therapeutic target. J Cell Physiol 2022; 237:3734-3751. [DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Chen
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment Responsive Drug Research, Hengyang Medical School, Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, Institute of Pharmacy and Pharmacology University of South China Hengyang Hunan China
| | - Zhiyue Li
- Health Management Center, The Third Xiangya Hospital Central South University Changsha Hunan Province China
| | - Qun Zhao
- Department of Orthopedics Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University Changsha Hunan China
| | - Linxi Chen
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment Responsive Drug Research, Hengyang Medical School, Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, Institute of Pharmacy and Pharmacology University of South China Hengyang Hunan China
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8
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Yang Y, Chen M, Qiu Y, Li X, Huang Y, Zhang W. The Apelin/APLNR system modulates tumor immune response by reshaping the tumor microenvironment. Gene X 2022; 834:146564. [PMID: 35598689 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146564] [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: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Apelin is an endogenous ligand of the Apelin receptor (APLNR), a seven-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor, which is widely distributed in human tissue. The Apelin/APLNR system is involved in regulating several physiological and pathological processes. The Apelin expression is increased in a variety of cancer and the Apelin/APLNR system could regulate the development of tumors through mediating autophagy, apoptosis, pyroptosis, and other biological processes to regulate tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. The Apelin/APLNR system also participates in immune response and immune regulation through PI3K-Akt, ERK-MAPK, and other signal pathways. The latest research points out that there is a negative regulatory relationship between APLNR and immune checkpoint PD-L1. In this review, we outline the significance of the Apelin/APLNR signaling pathway in tumorigenesis and its immune regulation. These endeavors provide new insights into the translational application of Apelin/APLNR in cancer and may contribute to the promotion of more effective treatments for cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqin Yang
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province 410013, PR China
| | - Meilin Chen
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province 410013, PR China
| | - Yanbing Qiu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province 410013, PR China
| | - Xiaoxu Li
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province 410013, PR China
| | - Yumei Huang
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province 410013, PR China
| | - Wenling Zhang
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province 410013, PR China.
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9
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Bernier-Latmani J, Cisarovsky C, Mahfoud S, Ragusa S, Dupanloup I, Barras D, Renevey F, Nassiri S, Anderle P, Squadrito ML, Siegert S, Davanture S, González-Loyola A, Fournier N, Luther SA, Benedito R, Valet P, Zhou B, De Palma M, Delorenzi M, Sempoux C, Petrova TV. Apelin-driven endothelial cell migration sustains intestinal progenitor cells and tumor growth. NATURE CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH 2022; 1:476-490. [PMID: 35602406 PMCID: PMC7612746 DOI: 10.1038/s44161-022-00061-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Stem and progenitor cells residing in the intestinal crypts drive the majority of colorectal cancers (CRCs), yet vascular contribution to this niche remains largely unexplored. VEGFA is a key driver of physiological and tumor angiogenesis. Accordingly, current anti-angiogenic cancer therapies target the VEGFA pathway. Here we report that in CRC expansion of the stem/progenitor pool in intestinal crypts requires VEGFA-independent growth and remodeling of blood vessels. Epithelial transformation induced expression of the endothelial peptide apelin, directs migration of distant venous endothelial cells towards progenitor niche vessels ensuring optimal perfusion. In the absence of apelin, loss of injury-inducible PROX1+ epithelial progenitors inhibited both incipient and advanced intestinal tumor growth. Our results establish fundamental principles for the reciprocal communication between vasculature and the intestinal progenitor niche and provide a mechanism for resistance to VEGFA-targeting drugs in CRCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremiah Bernier-Latmani
- Department of Oncology, Ludwig Center for Cancer Research Lausanne and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christophe Cisarovsky
- Department of Oncology, Ludwig Center for Cancer Research Lausanne and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Samantha Mahfoud
- Department of Oncology, Ludwig Center for Cancer Research Lausanne and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Simone Ragusa
- Department of Oncology, Ludwig Center for Cancer Research Lausanne and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Isabelle Dupanloup
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - David Barras
- Department of Oncology, Ludwig Center for Cancer Research Lausanne and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - François Renevey
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sina Nassiri
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pascale Anderle
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Mario Leonardo Squadrito
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Stefanie Siegert
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Suzel Davanture
- Department of Oncology, Ludwig Center for Cancer Research Lausanne and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alejandra González-Loyola
- Department of Oncology, Ludwig Center for Cancer Research Lausanne and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nadine Fournier
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sanjiv A. Luther
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Rui Benedito
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Philippe Valet
- Institut RESTORE, UMR 1301-INSERM, 5070-CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Bin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Michele De Palma
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Mauro Delorenzi
- Department of Oncology, Ludwig Center for Cancer Research Lausanne and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christine Sempoux
- Institute of Pathology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tatiana V. Petrova
- Department of Oncology, Ludwig Center for Cancer Research Lausanne and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Corresponding author.
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10
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Hu D, Cui Z, Peng W, Wang X, Chen Y, Wu X. Apelin is associated with clinicopathological parameters and prognosis in breast cancer patients. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2022; 306:1185-1195. [DOI: 10.1007/s00404-022-06433-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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11
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APLNR regulates IFN-γ signaling via β-arrestin 1 mediated JAK-STAT1 pathway in melanoma cells. Biochem J 2022; 479:385-399. [PMID: 35084016 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210813] [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: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The apelin receptor (APLNR) regulates many biological processes including metabolism, angiogenesis, circulating blood volume and cardiovascular function. Additionally, APLNR is overexpressed in various types of cancer and influences cancer progression. APLNR is reported to regulate tumor recognition during immune surveillance by modulating the IFN-γ response. However, the mechanism of APLNR crosstalk with intratumoral IFN-γ signaling remains unknown. Here, we show that activation of APLNR upregulates IFN-γ signaling in melanoma cells through APLNR mediated β-arrestin 1 but not β-arrestin 2 recruitment. Our data suggests that β-arrestin 1 directly interacts with STAT1 to inhibit STAT1 phosphorylation to attenuate IFN-γ signaling. The APLNR mutant receptor, I109A, which is deficient in β-arrestins recruitment, is unable to enhance intratumoral IFN-γ signaling. While APLNR N112G, a constitutively active mutant receptor, increases intratumoral sensitivity to IFN-γ signaling by enhancing STAT1 phosphorylation upon IFN-γ exposure. We also demonstrate in a co-culture system that APLNR regulates tumor survival rate. Taken together, our findings reveal that APLNR modulates IFN-γ signaling in melanoma cells and suggests that APLNR may be a potential target to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy.
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12
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Sueyoshi K, Komura D, Katoh H, Yamamoto A, Onoyama T, Chijiwa T, Isagawa T, Tanaka M, Suemizu H, Nakamura M, Miyagi Y, Aburatani H, Ishikawa S. Multi-tumor analysis of cancer-stroma interactomes of patient-derived xenografts unveils the unique homeostatic process in renal cell carcinomas. iScience 2021; 24:103322. [PMID: 35079698 PMCID: PMC8767947 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model is a versatile tool used to study the tumor microenvironment (TME). However, limited studies have described multi-tumor PDX screening strategies to detect hub regulators during cancer-stroma interaction. Transcriptomes of cancer (human) and stroma (mouse) components of 70 PDX samples comprising 9 distinctive tumor types were analyzed in this study. PDX models recapitulated the original tumors' features, including tumor composition and putative signaling. Particularly, kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) stood out, with altered hypoxia-related pathways and a high proportion of endothelial cells in the TME. Furthermore, an integrated analysis conducted to predict paracrine effectors in the KIRC cancer-to-stroma communication detected well-established soluble factors responsible for the hypoxia-related reaction and the so-far unestablished soluble factor, apelin (APLN). Subsequent experiments also supported the potential role of APLN in KIRC tumor progression. Therefore, this paper hereby provides an analytical workflow to find hub regulators in cancer-stroma interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuniyo Sueyoshi
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Experimental Research Buliding, 12Floor, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
| | - Daisuke Komura
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Experimental Research Buliding, 12Floor, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
| | - Hiroto Katoh
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Experimental Research Buliding, 12Floor, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
| | - Asami Yamamoto
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Experimental Research Buliding, 12Floor, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
| | - Takumi Onoyama
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Experimental Research Buliding, 12Floor, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
- Division of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Department of Multidisciplinary Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Tottori 683-8504, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Chijiwa
- Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 210–0821, Japan
| | - Takayuki Isagawa
- Data Science Center, Jichi Medical University, Yakushiji, Shimotsuke-shi, Tochigi 329–0498, Japan
| | - Mariko Tanaka
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113–8654, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Suemizu
- Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 210–0821, Japan
| | - Masato Nakamura
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa 259–1193, Japan
| | - Yohei Miyagi
- Research Institute, Kanagawa Cancer Center, Nakao, Asahi-ku, Yokohama 241–8515, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Aburatani
- Division of Genome Sciences, RCAST, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113–8654, Japan
| | - Shumpei Ishikawa
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Experimental Research Buliding, 12Floor, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
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13
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Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Vascular Development in Zebrafish. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11101088. [PMID: 34685459 PMCID: PMC8539546 DOI: 10.3390/life11101088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The establishment of a functional cardiovascular system is crucial for the development of all vertebrates. Defects in the development of the cardiovascular system lead to cardiovascular diseases, which are among the top 10 causes of death worldwide. However, we are just beginning to understand which signaling pathways guide blood vessel growth in different tissues and organs. The advantages of the model organism zebrafish (Danio rerio) helped to identify novel cellular and molecular mechanisms of vascular growth. In this review we will discuss the current knowledge of vasculogenesis and angiogenesis in the zebrafish embryo. In particular, we describe the molecular mechanisms that contribute to the formation of blood vessels in different vascular beds within the embryo.
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Peng P, Chen JY, Zheng K, Hu CH, Han YT. Favorable Prognostic Impact of Cathepsin H (CTSH) High Expression in Thyroid Carcinoma. Int J Gen Med 2021; 14:5287-5299. [PMID: 34522128 PMCID: PMC8434881 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s327689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Presently, no study reported the function of cathepsin H (CTSH) in thyroid carcinoma (THCA). The aim of present study was to initially explore the factors affecting CTSH expression, and association between CTSH expression and survival rate in THCA. Methods We explored mRNA expression of CTSH in normal and BRCA tissues, and evaluated prognostic impact of CTSH expression on the overall survival of THCA patients. Then, related factors influencing CTSH mRNA expression in THCA were analyzed. Functional enrichment analysis was performed to reveal the potential function of CTSH involved in THCA. We also constructed PPI network among co-expressed genes of CTSH to determine hub genes, followed by association analysis on hub genes with CTSH. Results (1) CTSH mRNA was highly expressed in THCA compared with normal group (P<0.001). High expression of CTSH was conducive to the overall survival of THCA patients (P=0.0027). CTSH was then determined as an independent prognostic factor in THCA (P=0.024). (2) The mRNA expression of CTSH was statistically related to patient’s histological type, N stage, T stage, tumor stage and sample type (all P<0.001). CTSH copy number variation and methylation also influenced its mRNA expression (all P<0.001). (3) Pathway analysis indicated that CTSH mainly participated in cancer-related pathways, such as hedgehog signaling pathway, cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction and JAK-STAT signaling pathway (all P<0.05). (4) The top 10 co-expressed genes in whole PPI network showed significant correlation with CTSH expression (all P<0.001). Conclusion CTSH higher expression was observed in THCA, which caused a good prognosis of patients. CTSH expression might be regulated by multiple factors including clinical characteristic, methylation, copy number and other genes. This study demonstrated the clinical significance of CTSH in THCA, as well as revealed the potential pathway associated with CTSH involved in thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pai Peng
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Xiaogan Central Hospital&Xiaogan Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Xiaogan, 432000, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiang-Yuan Chen
- School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430000, People's Republic of China
| | - Kai Zheng
- School of Medicine, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430000, People's Republic of China
| | - Chao-Hua Hu
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Xiaogan Central Hospital&Xiaogan Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Xiaogan, 432000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yun-Tao Han
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Xiaogan Central Hospital&Xiaogan Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Xiaogan, 432000, People's Republic of China
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APLN/APLNR Signaling Controls Key Pathological Parameters of Glioblastoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13153899. [PMID: 34359800 PMCID: PMC8345670 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13153899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The neurovascular peptide Apelin and its receptor APLNR are upregulated during glioblastoma pathology. Here we summarize their role in the brain tumor microenvironment composed of neurons, astrocytes, and the vascular and immune systems. Targeting APLN/APLNR signaling promises to unfold multimodal actions in future GBM therapy, acting as an anti-angiogenic and an anti-invasive treatment, and offering the possibility to reduce neurological symptoms and increase overall survival simultaneously. Abstract Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor in adults. GBM-expansion depends on a dense vascular network and, coherently, GBMs are highly angiogenic. However, new intratumoral blood vessels are often aberrant with consequences for blood-flow and vascular barrier function. Hence, the delivery of chemotherapeutics into GBM can be compromised. Furthermore, leaky vessels support edema-formation, which can result in severe neurological deficits. The secreted signaling peptide Apelin (APLN) plays an important role in the formation of GBM blood vessels. Both APLN and the Apelin receptor (APLNR) are upregulated in GBM cells and control tumor cell invasiveness. Here we summarize the current evidence on the role of APLN/APLNR signaling during brain tumor pathology. We show that targeting APLN/APLNR can induce anti-angiogenic effects in GBM and simultaneously blunt GBM cell infiltration. In addition, we discuss how manipulation of APLN/APLNR signaling in GBM leads to the normalization of tumor vessels and thereby supports chemotherapy, reduces edema, and improves anti-tumorigenic immune reactions. Hence, therapeutic targeting of APLN/APLNR signaling offers an interesting option to address different pathological hallmarks of GBM.
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Endothelial cell-derived Apelin inhibits tumor growth by altering immune cell localization. Sci Rep 2021; 11:14047. [PMID: 34234274 PMCID: PMC8263715 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93619-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The Apelin/APJ signalling pathway, involved in multiple physiological and pathological processes, has been attracting increasing interest recently. In our previous study, Apelin overexpression in colon26 tumor cells suppressed tumor growth by inducing vascular maturation. Here, we found that MC38 and LLC tumor growth were greater in the absence of Apelin than in wild-type (WT) mice, suggesting that Apelin acts as a tumor suppressor. Consistent with this, treating WT mice with [Pyr1]Apelin-13 inhibited tumor growth. In MC38 tumors, only endothelial cells (ECs) strongly express APJ, a cognate receptor for Apelin, indicating that EC-derived Apelin might regulate tumor formation in an autocrine manner. Comparing with WT mice, larger numbers of vessels with narrower diameters were observed in tumors of Apelin knockout mice and lack of Apelin enhanced tumor hypoxia. Investigating immune cells in the tumor revealed that [Pyr1]Apelin-13 infusion induced the accumulation of CD8+ and CD4+ T cells in central areas. Moreover, RNA-sequencing analysis showed that Apelin induces chemokine CCL8 expression in ECs. Thus, enhancing anti-tumor immunity might be one of the mechanisms by which Apelin is involved in tumor growth. Our result indicated that increased CCL8 expression might induce CD8 + T cells infiltration into tumor and tumor inhibition.
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17
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Apelin promotes blood and lymph vessel formation and the growth of melanoma lung metastasis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5798. [PMID: 33707612 PMCID: PMC7952702 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85162-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Apelin, a ligand of the APJ receptor, is overexpressed in several human cancers and plays an important role in tumor angiogenesis and growth in various experimental systems. We investigated the role of apelin signaling in the malignant behavior of cutaneous melanoma. Murine B16 and human A375 melanoma cell lines were stably transfected with apelin encoding or control vectors. Apelin overexpression significantly increased melanoma cell migration and invasion in vitro, but it had no impact on its proliferation. In our in vivo experiments, apelin significantly increased the number and size of lung metastases of murine melanoma cells. Melanoma cell proliferation rates and lymph and blood microvessel densities were significantly higher in the apelin-overexpressing pulmonary metastases. APJ inhibition by the competitive APJ antagonist MM54 significantly attenuated the in vivo pro-tumorigenic effects of apelin. Additionally, we detected significantly elevated circulating apelin and VEGF levels in patients with melanoma compared to healthy controls. Our results show that apelin promotes blood and lymphatic vascularization and the growth of pulmonary metastases of skin melanoma. Further studies are warranted to validate apelin signaling as a new potential therapeutic target in this malignancy.
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18
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Takakura N. Vascular reconstitution in the tumor for more effective tumor immunotherapy. Cancer Sci 2021; 112:1348-1356. [PMID: 33587826 PMCID: PMC8019202 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been widely accepted that the regulation of the tumor microenvironment is an important strategy in cancer treatment. Particularly, control of the tumor vasculature has been suggested to be critical for antitumor immunotherapy. Effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy depends on the quality and quantity of immune cells infiltrating into tumor tissues, which may be affected by the status of the tumor vasculature. Under physiological conditions, immune cells migrate from the intravascular lumen into the parenchyma especially by passing through the vascular wall of venulae. Extravasation of immune cells is induced from venulae where endothelial cells (ECs) are fully covered with pericytes from the basal side. Interaction of pericytes with ECs contributes to immune cell extravasation by several steps, ie, adhesion of immune cells to intraluminal ECs, transmigration, and chemotaxis of immune cells. Blood vessels are structurally immature and non‐functional in tumors, and therefore, induction of maturation in the tumor vasculature is a promising strategy for effective cancer therapies and is relevant not only for immune cell migration but also drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nobuyuki Takakura
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
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19
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Helker CS, Eberlein J, Wilhelm K, Sugino T, Malchow J, Schuermann A, Baumeister S, Kwon HB, Maischein HM, Potente M, Herzog W, Stainier DY. Apelin signaling drives vascular endothelial cells toward a pro-angiogenic state. eLife 2020; 9:55589. [PMID: 32955436 PMCID: PMC7567607 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
To form new blood vessels (angiogenesis), endothelial cells (ECs) must be activated and acquire highly migratory and proliferative phenotypes. However, the molecular mechanisms that govern these processes are incompletely understood. Here, we show that Apelin signaling functions to drive ECs into such an angiogenic state. Zebrafish lacking Apelin signaling exhibit defects in endothelial tip cell morphology and sprouting. Using transplantation experiments, we find that in mosaic vessels, wild-type ECs leave the dorsal aorta (DA) and form new vessels while neighboring ECs defective in Apelin signaling remain in the DA. Mechanistically, Apelin signaling enhances glycolytic activity in ECs at least in part by increasing levels of the growth-promoting transcription factor c-Myc. Moreover, APELIN expression is regulated by Notch signaling in human ECs, and its function is required for the hypersprouting phenotype in Delta-like 4 (Dll4) knockdown zebrafish embryos. These data provide new insights into fundamental principles of blood vessel formation and Apelin signaling, enabling a better understanding of vascular growth in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Sm Helker
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany.,Philipps-University Marburg, Faculty of Biology, Cell Signaling and Dynamics, Marburg, Germany
| | - Jean Eberlein
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany.,Philipps-University Marburg, Faculty of Biology, Cell Signaling and Dynamics, Marburg, Germany
| | - Kerstin Wilhelm
- Angiogenesis and Metabolism Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Toshiya Sugino
- Angiogenesis and Metabolism Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Julian Malchow
- Philipps-University Marburg, Faculty of Biology, Cell Signaling and Dynamics, Marburg, Germany
| | | | - Stefan Baumeister
- Philipps-University Marburg, Faculty of Biology, Cell Signaling and Dynamics, Marburg, Germany
| | - Hyouk-Bum Kwon
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Hans-Martin Maischein
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Michael Potente
- Angiogenesis and Metabolism Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany.,DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Frankfurt Rhine-Main, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wiebke Herzog
- University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Muenster, Germany
| | - Didier Yr Stainier
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany.,DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Frankfurt Rhine-Main, Berlin, Germany
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20
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Testa U, Pelosi E, Castelli G. Endothelial Progenitors in the Tumor Microenvironment. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1263:85-115. [PMID: 32588325 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-44518-8_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Tumor vascularization refers to the formation of new blood vessels within a tumor and is considered one of the hallmarks of cancer. Tumor vessels supply the tumor with oxygen and nutrients, required to sustain tumor growth and progression, and provide a gateway for tumor metastasis through the blood or lymphatic vasculature. Blood vessels display an angiocrine capacity of supporting the survival and proliferation of tumor cells through the production of growth factors and cytokines. Although tumor vasculature plays an essential role in sustaining tumor growth, it represents at the same time an essential way to deliver drugs and immune cells to the tumor. However, tumor vasculature exhibits many morphological and functional abnormalities, thus resulting in the formation of hypoxic areas within tumors, believed to represent a mechanism to maintain tumor cells in an invasive state.Tumors are vascularized through a variety of modalities, mainly represented by angiogenesis, where VEGF and other members of the VEGF family play a key role. This has represented the basis for the development of anti-VEGF blocking agents and their use in cancer therapy: however, these agents failed to induce significant therapeutic effects.Much less is known about the cellular origin of vessel network in tumors. Various cell types may contribute to tumor vasculature in different tumors or in the same tumor, such as mature endothelial cells, endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), or the same tumor cells through a process of transdifferentiation. Early studies have suggested a role for bone marrow-derived EPCs; these cells do not are true EPCs but myeloid progenitors differentiating into monocytic cells, exerting a proangiogenic effect through a paracrine mechanism. More recent studies have shown the existence of tissue-resident endothelial vascular progenitors (EVPs) present at the level of vessel endothelium and their possible involvement as cells of origin of tumor vasculature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ugo Testa
- Department of Oncology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
| | - Elvira Pelosi
- Department of Oncology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Germana Castelli
- Department of Oncology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
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21
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Apelin Controls Angiogenesis-Dependent Glioblastoma Growth. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21114179. [PMID: 32545380 PMCID: PMC7312290 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21114179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) present with an abundant and aberrant tumor neo-vasculature. While rapid growth of solid tumors depends on the initiation of tumor angiogenesis, GBM also progress by infiltrative growth and vascular co-option. The angiogenic factor apelin (APLN) and its receptor (APLNR) are upregulated in GBM patient samples as compared to normal brain tissue. Here, we studied the role of apelin/APLNR signaling in GBM angiogenesis and growth. By functional analysis of apelin in orthotopic GBM mouse models, we found that apelin/APLNR signaling is required for in vivo tumor angiogenesis. Knockdown of tumor cell-derived APLN massively reduced the tumor vasculature. Additional loss of the apelin signal in endothelial tip cells using the APLN-knockout (KO) mouse led to a further reduction of GBM angiogenesis. Direct infusion of the bioactive peptide apelin-13 rescued the vascular loss-of-function phenotype specifically. In addition, APLN depletion massively reduced angiogenesis-dependent tumor growth. Consequently, survival of GBM-bearing mice was significantly increased when APLN expression was missing in the brain tumor microenvironment. Thus, we suggest that targeting vascular apelin may serve as an alternative strategy for anti-angiogenesis in GBM.
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22
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Ason B, Chen Y, Guo Q, Hoagland KM, Chui RW, Fielden M, Sutherland W, Chen R, Zhang Y, Mihardja S, Ma X, Li X, Sun Y, Liu D, Nguyen K, Wang J, Li N, Rajamani S, Qu Y, Gao B, Boden A, Chintalgattu V, Turk JR, Chan J, Hu LA, Dransfield P, Houze J, Wong J, Ma J, Pattaropong V, Véniant MM, Vargas HM, Swaminath G, Khakoo AY. Cardiovascular response to small-molecule APJ activation. JCI Insight 2020; 5:132898. [PMID: 32208384 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.132898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Heart failure (HF) remains a grievous illness with poor prognosis even with optimal care. The apelin receptor (APJ) counteracts the pressor effect of angiotensin II, attenuates ischemic injury, and has the potential to be a novel target to treat HF. Intravenous administration of apelin improves cardiac function acutely in patients with HF. However, its short half-life restricts its use to infusion therapy. To identify a longer acting APJ agonist, we conducted a medicinal chemistry campaign, leading to the discovery of potent small-molecule APJ agonists with comparable activity to apelin by mimicking the C-terminal portion of apelin-13. Acute infusion increased systolic function and reduced systemic vascular resistance in 2 rat models of impaired cardiac function. Similar results were obtained in an anesthetized but not a conscious canine HF model. Chronic oral dosing in a rat myocardial infarction model reduced myocardial collagen content and improved diastolic function to a similar extent as losartan, a RAS antagonist standard-of-care therapy, but lacked additivity with coadministration. Collectively, this work demonstrates the feasibility of developing clinical, viable, potent small-molecule agonists that mimic the endogenous APJ ligand with more favorable drug-like properties and highlights potential limitations for APJ agonism for this indication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Ason
- Amgen Research, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Yinhong Chen
- Amgen Research, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Qi Guo
- Amgen Research, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Ray W Chui
- Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| | | | | | - Rhonda Chen
- Amgen Research, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Ying Zhang
- Amgen Research, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Xiaochuan Ma
- Amgen Research, Amgen Asia R&D Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Xun Li
- Amgen Research, Amgen Asia R&D Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Yaping Sun
- Amgen Research, Amgen Asia R&D Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongming Liu
- Amgen Research, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Khanh Nguyen
- Amgen Research, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jinghong Wang
- Amgen Research, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Ning Li
- Amgen Research, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Yusheng Qu
- Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| | - BaoXi Gao
- Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| | | | | | - Jim R Turk
- Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| | - Joyce Chan
- Amgen Research, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Liaoyuan A Hu
- Amgen Research, Amgen Asia R&D Center, Shanghai, China
| | | | | | - Jingman Wong
- Amgen Research, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Ji Ma
- Amgen Research, South San Francisco, California, USA
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23
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Zhao H, Tian X, He L, Li Y, Pu W, Liu Q, Tang J, Wu J, Cheng X, Liu Y, Zhou Q, Tan Z, Bai F, Xu F, Smart N, Zhou B. Apj + Vessels Drive Tumor Growth and Represent a Tractable Therapeutic Target. Cell Rep 2019; 25:1241-1254.e5. [PMID: 30380415 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Revised: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Identification of cellular surface markers that distinguish tumorous from normal vasculature is important for the development of tumor vessel-targeted therapy. Here, we show that Apj, a G protein-coupled receptor, is highly enriched in tumor endothelial cells but absent from most endothelial cells of adult tissues in homeostasis. By genetic targeting using Apj-CreER and Apj-DTRGFP-Luciferase, we demonstrated that hypoxia-VEGF signaling drives expansion of Apj+ tumor vessels and that targeting of these vessels, genetically and pharmacologically, remarkably inhibits tumor angiogenesis and restricts tumor growth. These in vivo findings implicate Apj+ vessels as a key driver of pathological angiogenesis and identify Apj+ endothelial cells as an important therapeutic target for the anti-angiogenic treatment of tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Zhao
- The State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China; Key Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Xueying Tian
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Lingjuan He
- The State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China; Key Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Yan Li
- The State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China; Key Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Wenjuan Pu
- The State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China; Key Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Qiaozhen Liu
- The State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China; Key Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Juan Tang
- The State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China; Key Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Jiaying Wu
- The State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Xin Cheng
- The State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center (BIOPIC), School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Qingtong Zhou
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Zhen Tan
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Fan Bai
- Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center (BIOPIC), School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Fei Xu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Nicola Smart
- British Heart Foundation Centre of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Bin Zhou
- The State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China; Key Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China; Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.
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Yan W, Leung SS, To KK. Updates on the use of liposomes for active tumor targeting in cancer therapy. Nanomedicine (Lond) 2019; 15:303-318. [PMID: 31802702 DOI: 10.2217/nnm-2019-0308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In the development of cancer chemotherapy, besides the discovery of new anticancer drugs, a variety of nanocarrier systems for the delivery of previously developed and new chemotherapeutic drugs have currently been explored. Liposome is one of the most studied nanocarrier systems because of its biodegradability, simple preparation method, high efficacy and low toxicity. To make the best use of this vehicle, a number of multifunctionalized liposomal formulations have been investigated. The objective of this review is to summarize the current development of novel active targeting liposomal formulations, and to give insight into the challenges and future direction of the field. The recent studies in active targeting liposomes suggest the great potential of precise targeted anticancer drug delivery in cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Yan
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Sharon Sy Leung
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Kenneth Kw To
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
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Abstract
In this issue of EMBO Molecular Medicine, Uribesalgo and coworkers show that high Apelin expression correlates with poor survival in advanced breast (MMTV‐NeuT) and lung (KRASG12D) murine tumor models as well as in breast and lung cancer in humans. Combining Apelin inhibition (genetically or using an inactive Apelin agonist) with anti‐angiogenic therapy using different small molecular weight kinase inhibitors (sunitinib, axitinib) led to marked delay in breast cancer growth in mice. The vasculature in Apelin‐targeted cancer showed normalized features including improved perfusion and reduced leakage. These important data provide a strong incentive to target Apelin in human cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Claesson-Welsh
- Science for Life and Beijer Laboratories, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Chen H, Wong CC, Liu D, Go MY, Wu B, Peng S, Kuang M, Wong N, Yu J. APLN promotes hepatocellular carcinoma through activating PI3K/Akt pathway and is a druggable target. Am J Cancer Res 2019; 9:5246-5260. [PMID: 31410213 PMCID: PMC6691573 DOI: 10.7150/thno.34713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a multistep process contributed by the accumulation of molecular alterations. We identified Apelin (APLN) as an outlier gene up-regulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through RNA-Seq and microarray analysis. We aimed to investigate its function, mechanism of action and clinical implication in HCC. Methods: Gene expression and clinical implication of APLN were assessed in multiple human HCC cohorts. Ectopic expression and silencing of APLN were performed to determine its function. The therapeutic potential of APLN and its downstream pathway was investigated using in vitro and in vivo models. Results: APLN overexpression was commonly observed in more than 80% of HCCs and independently predicted poorer survival of patients in three independent HCC cohorts. Apelin up-regulation was mediated by active β-catenin, which binds to the APLN promoter to induce transcription. Ectopic APLN expression in HCC cells promoted cell proliferation, accelerated G1/S progression and inhibited apoptosis, whilst APLN knockdown exerted opposite effects in vitro and inhibited HCC xenograft growth in mice. Mechanistically, APLN activated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) pathway via APLN receptor, leading to increased expression of phospho-glycogen synthase kinase 3β (p-GSK3β) and cyclin D1. Pharmacological targeting of APLN by ML221 was safe and effective in inhibiting APLN-PI3K/Akt cascade and HCC growth in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions: Our findings unraveled an oncogenic role of APLN in HCC, and that targeting of APLN might be a promising for HCC treatment. APLN may serve as an independent prognostic factor for HCC patients.
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Xu G, Li X, Yang D, Wu S, Wu D, Yan M. Bioinformatics Study of RNA Interference on the Effect of HIF-1α on Apelin Expression in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells. Curr Bioinform 2019. [DOI: 10.2174/1574893614666190109155825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Background:
HIF-1α can affect the apelin expression and participates in the
developments in cancers but the mechanism need to be explored further.
Objective:
This paper investigates apelin expression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE-2 cells and
its regulation by hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) under hypoxic conditions.
Methods:
CoCl2 was used to induce hypoxia in CNE-2 cells for 12h, 24h and 48h. HIF-1α small
interference RNA (siRNA) was transfected into CNE-2 cells using a transient transfection method.
HIF-1α and apelin mRNA levels were detected by real time PCR. Western blot was used to
measure HIF-1α protein expression. The concentration of apelin in cell culture supernatant was
determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Results:
HIF-1α and apelin mRNA levels and protein expression in CNE-2 cells increased
gradually with increased duration of hypoxic exposure and were significantly reduced in HIF-1α
siRNA transfected cells exposed to the same hypoxic conditions.
Conclusion:
Apelin expression is induced by hypoxia and regulated by HIF-1α in CNE-2 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Xu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Second Clinical Medicine College of Jinan University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Xianming Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Second Clinical Medicine College of Jinan University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Dong Yang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Second Clinical Medicine College of Jinan University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Shihai Wu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Second Clinical Medicine College of Jinan University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Dong Wu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Second Clinical Medicine College of Jinan University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Maosheng Yan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Second Clinical Medicine College of Jinan University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
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Amoozgar Z, Jain RK, Duda DG. Role of Apelin in Glioblastoma Vascularization and Invasion after Anti-VEGF Therapy: What Is the Impact on the Immune System? Cancer Res 2019; 79:2104-2106. [PMID: 31043429 PMCID: PMC6601607 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-19-0749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The limited efficacy of current antiangiogenic therapies calls for a better understanding of the specific resistance mechanisms in glioblastoma (GBM) and the urgent development of new therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways. In this issue of Cancer Research, Mastrella and colleagues reported that expression of the proangiogenic peptide apelin (APLN) was decreased and GBM cell invasion was increased after anti-VEGF therapy in preclinical models of GBM. Using the mutant form of the natural apelin-13 peptide, the authors showed reduction of both angiogenesis and invasion in the GBM models, and further increased the efficacy of anti-VEGF therapy. VEGF blockade is still widely used as salvage therapy for recurrent GBM, therefore these intriguing results have potential translational implications as they point to a potential new strategy to overcome VEGF blockade resistance; however, they also raise important questions for the clinical translation of this strategy, and its impact on antitumor responses, in particular immune responses.See related article by Mastrella et al., p. 2298.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zohreh Amoozgar
- Edwin L. Steele Laboratories for Tumor Biology and Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Rakesh K Jain
- Edwin L. Steele Laboratories for Tumor Biology and Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Dan G Duda
- Edwin L. Steele Laboratories for Tumor Biology and Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
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Apelin and apelin receptor expression in renal cell carcinoma. Br J Cancer 2019; 120:633-639. [PMID: 30783205 PMCID: PMC6461937 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-019-0396-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The APLNR (apelin receptor) has been shown to be an essential gene for cancer immunotherapy, with deficiency in APLNR leading to immunotherapy failure. The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of APLN (apelin) and APLNR in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and its association with clinicopathological parameters and survival. Methods Three well-characterised patient cohorts with RCC were used: Study cohort 1 (clear-cell RCC; APLN/APLNR mRNA expression; n = 166); TCGA validation cohort (clear-cell RCC; APLN/APLNR mRNA expression; n = 481); Study cohort 2 (all RCC subtypes; APLNR protein expression/immunohistochemistry; n = 300). Associations between mRNA/protein expression and clinicopathological variables/patients’ survival were tested statistically. Results While APLN showed only very weak association with tumour histological grade (TCGA cohort), APLNR/mRNA protein expression correlate significantly with ccRCC aggressiveness. APLNR is expressed in tumour vasculature and tumour cells at different levels, and these expression levels associate with tumour aggressiveness in opposing directions. APLNR expression was negatively correlated with PD-L1 expression by tumour cells in a subset of patients with ccRCC. APLNR expression in either compartment is an independent prognostic factor for survival of patients with ccRCC. Conclusion The APLNR/APLN-system appears to play an important role in ccRCC, warranting further clinical investigation.
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Makita Y, Kunii N, Sakurai D, Ihara F, Motohashi S, Suzuki A, Nakayama T, Okamoto Y. Activated iNKT cells enhance the anti-tumor effect of antigen specific CD8 T cells on mesothelin-expressing salivary gland cancer. BMC Cancer 2018; 18:1254. [PMID: 30558663 PMCID: PMC6296067 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-018-5179-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Salivary gland cancers are not sensitive to conventional radiotherapy or chemotherapy regimens. Therefore, the development of a new treatment strategy is of critical importance for improving the prognosis. We examined the expression of mesothelin molecules in salivary gland cancers and the efficacy of adoptive cell therapy based on mesothelin-specific chimeric antigen receptor transduced T cells. Methods The expression of mesothelin molecule was studied in salivary gland cancer samples obtained from 16 patients as well as a salivary gland cancer cell line (A-253) and five other cell lines. The activation of mesothelin-specific chimeric antigen receptor-expressing CD8 T cells after stimulation with mesothelin and the effects of invariant natural killer T cells on this activation were evaluated. Results Mesothelin was detected in the A-253 cells and the surgical specimens except for the case of squamous cell carcinoma to various degrees. Following stimulation with mesothelin expressing cancer cells, chimeric antigen receptor T cells were dose-dependently activated; this activation was enhanced by co-culture with invariant natural killer T cells and subsequently abrogated by treatment with anti-interferon-γ antibodies. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of chimeric antigen receptor T cells against various cancer cells was further augmented by invariant natural killer T cells. Conclusions The use of adoptive transfer with mesothelin-specific chimeric antigen receptor-expressing CD8 T cells against salivary gland cancers is an effective therapy and invariant natural killer T cells are expected to be used in adjuvant treatment for T cell-based immunotherapy. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-018-5179-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuji Makita
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan
| | - Naoki Kunii
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan
| | - Daiju Sakurai
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan
| | - Fumie Ihara
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan
| | - Shinichiro Motohashi
- Department of Medical Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Akane Suzuki
- Department of Medical Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.,Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Toshinori Nakayama
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Okamoto
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan.
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Abstract
Apelin is a vasoactive peptide and is an endogenous ligand for APJ receptors, which are widely expressed in blood vessels, heart, and cardiovascular regulatory regions of the brain. A growing body of evidence now demonstrates a regulatory role for the apelin/APJ receptor system in cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology, thus making it a potential target for cardiovascular drug discovery and development. Indeed, ongoing studies are investigating the potential benefits of apelin and apelin-mimetics for disorders such as heart failure and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Apelin causes relaxation of isolated arteries, and systemic administration of apelin typically results in a reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and an increase in blood flow. Nonetheless, vasopressor responses and contraction of vascular smooth muscle in response to apelin have also been observed under certain conditions. The goal of the current review is to summarize major findings regarding the apelin/APJ receptor system in blood vessels, with an emphasis on regulation of vascular tone, and to identify areas of investigation that may provide guidance for the development of novel therapeutic agents that target this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amreen Mughal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North Dakota State University Fargo, ND, USA
| | - Stephen T O'Rourke
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North Dakota State University Fargo, ND, USA.
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Antushevich H, Wójcik M. Review: Apelin in disease. Clin Chim Acta 2018; 483:241-248. [PMID: 29750964 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2018.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Apelin, a regulatory peptide, is a ligand of the APJ receptor that belongs to the G protein-coupled receptor family. Apelin and APJ are widely distributed in the body and play potential physiological roles in the cytoprotection of many internal organs. This review article summarizes information about the roles of the apelin/APJ system in neurological, metabolic, hypertension, respiratory, gastrointestinal, hepatic, kidney and cancerous diseases. It is suggested that apelin positively affects the treatment of non-cancerous diseases and may be considered as a therapeutic drug in many illnesses. However, in cancers, apelin appears as a tumour growth stimulator, and its suggested role is as a marker in the diagnosis of tumour cancers in tissues. In summary, apelin has certain therapeutic abilities and can be useful in the treatment of, e.g., insulin resistance, hypertension, etc., but it also can sometimes serve as a negative factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Antushevich
- The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Genetic Engineering, Instytucka 3, 05-110 Jabłonna, Poland.
| | - Maciej Wójcik
- The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Genetic Engineering, Instytucka 3, 05-110 Jabłonna, Poland
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Chen T, Liu N, Xu GM, Liu TJ, Liu Y, Zhou Y, Huo SB, Zhang K. Apelin13/APJ promotes proliferation of colon carcinoma by activating Notch3 signaling pathway. Oncotarget 2017; 8:101697-101706. [PMID: 29254197 PMCID: PMC5731907 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.21904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The link between Apelin (APL)/APL receptor (APJ) and Jagged (JAG)/Notch signaling pathways in colorectal cancer (CRC) has been poorly investigated. APL/APJ system, a potent angiogenic factor, is up-regulated in a variety of cancers. It contributes to tumor angiogenesis, and correlates with progression of malignancy. JAG/Notch signaling also contributes to progression, proliferation and metastasis of multiple cancers, including CRC. Here we tested the hypothesis that APL/APJ system promotes CRC proliferation by up-regulating Notch3, thus allowing further binding of JAG1 to Notch3. Materials and Methods We used a variety of methods including Western blot, RT-qPCR, gene silencing, ELISA, immunofluorescence staining, to investigate the interaction between APL/APJ system and Notch3 signaling pathway in both surgically-resected specimens and CRC cell line LS180. Results We show that the expression of APL13, APJ, and Notch3 is elevated in CRC. We further demonstrate that APL13 can be secreted into culture media of LS180 cells, suggesting the existence of autocrine loop in CRC. Moreover, we found that APL13 stimulated expression of Notch3. Finally, we found that inhibition of either APJ or Notch3 prevents proliferation of LS180 cells. Conclusions Our results suggest that APL13/APJ and JAG1/Notch3 signaling pathways are linked in CRC. These findings provide a new direction to the efforts targeting effective therapeutic and management approaches in the treatment of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Chen
- Gastrointestinal Surgery Department, The China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin, China
| | - Ning Liu
- General Surgery Department, The First Hospital of Jilin Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jilin, China
| | - Guang-Meng Xu
- Colorectal Surgery Department, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin, China
| | - Tong-Jun Liu
- Colorectal Surgery Department, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Colorectal Surgery Department, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin, China
| | - Yan Zhou
- Colorectal Surgery Department, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin, China
| | - Si-Bo Huo
- Colorectal Surgery Department, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin, China
| | - Kai Zhang
- Colorectal Surgery Department, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin, China
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Jin F, Wang K, Sun X, Zhang Z, Han P. Gene expression analysis: Regulation of key genes associated with mycophenolate mofetil treatment of symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. Mol Med Rep 2017; 16:7450-7458. [PMID: 28944878 PMCID: PMC5865876 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2017.7532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study analyzed gene expression arrays to identify differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) between mycophenolate mofetil (MMF)-treated and placebo-treated patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis (SCAS). In addition, the key genes involved in the pharmacology of MMF treatment in patients with SCAS were identified. The gene expression dataset was obtained from a Gene Expression Omnibus database, which included 9 MMF-treated and 11 placebo-treated samples. The DEGs were identified between MMF and placebo groups using R software. Furthermore, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of the identified DEGS was constructed. The Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery was used to perform Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses of the 19 most significant DEGs. A total of 210 DEGs between the MMF and placebo groups were screened and their PPI was constructed. GO function analysis revealed that the 19 DEGs were predominantly involved in the tyrosine phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-5 protein, which is closely associated with the activation of T cells. The KEGG pathway analysis suggested that the main metabolic pathways of the 19 DEGs were associated with the pharmacological functioning of MMF in activated T cells. In conclusion, the present study identified numerous key DEGs associated with SCAS, and the results suggested that v-kit Hardy-Zuckerman 4 feline sarcoma viral oncogene homolog and apelin may serve important roles in the MMF treatment of SCAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Jin
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, P.R. China
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia 010050, P.R. China
| | - Xiaochuan Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 630014, P.R. China
| | - Zhanpu Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia 010050, P.R. China
| | - Ping Han
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, P.R. China
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Identification of essential genes for cancer immunotherapy. Nature 2017; 548:537-542. [PMID: 28783722 DOI: 10.1038/nature23477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 576] [Impact Index Per Article: 82.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Somatic gene mutations can alter the vulnerability of cancer cells to T-cell-based immunotherapies. Here we perturbed genes in human melanoma cells to mimic loss-of-function mutations involved in resistance to these therapies, by using a genome-scale CRISPR-Cas9 library that consisted of around 123,000 single-guide RNAs, and profiled genes whose loss in tumour cells impaired the effector function of CD8+ T cells. The genes that were most enriched in the screen have key roles in antigen presentation and interferon-γ signalling, and correlate with cytolytic activity in patient tumours from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Among the genes validated using different cancer cell lines and antigens, we identified multiple loss-of-function mutations in APLNR, encoding the apelin receptor, in patient tumours that were refractory to immunotherapy. We show that APLNR interacts with JAK1, modulating interferon-γ responses in tumours, and that its functional loss reduces the efficacy of adoptive cell transfer and checkpoint blockade immunotherapies in mouse models. Our results link the loss of essential genes for the effector function of CD8+ T cells with the resistance or non-responsiveness of cancer to immunotherapies.
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Maden M, Pamuk ON, Pamuk GE. High apelin levels could be used as a diagnostic marker in multiple myeloma: A comparative study. Cancer Biomark 2017; 17:391-396. [DOI: 10.3233/cbm-160654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Muhammet Maden
- Department of Hematology, Trakya University Medical Faculty, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Omer Nuri Pamuk
- Department of Rheumatology, Trakya University Medical Faculty, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Gulsum Emel Pamuk
- Department of Hematology, Trakya University Medical Faculty, Edirne, Turkey
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Tumor apelin, not serum apelin, is associated with the clinical features and prognosis of gastric cancer. BMC Cancer 2016; 16:794. [PMID: 27733135 PMCID: PMC5062883 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-016-2815-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To study the association between Apelin expression and the clinical features and postoperative prognosis in patients with gastric cancer (Int J Cancer 136:2388-2401, 2015). METHODS Tumor samples and matched adjacent normal tissues were collected from 270 patients with GC receiving surgical resection. The tumor and serum Apelin levels were determined by immunohistochemistry and ELISA methods, respectively. GC cell lines were cultured for migration and invasive assays. RESULTS Our data showed that tumor Apelin expression status, instead of serum Apelin level, was closely associated with more advance clinical features including tumor differentiation, lymph node and distant metastases. Moreover, patients with high tumor Apelin level had a significantly shorter overall survival period compared to those with low Apelin expression and those with or negative Apelin staining. Our in vitro study revealed that the Apelin regulated the migration and invasion abilities of GC cell lines, accompanied by up-regulations of a variety of cytokines associated with tumor invasiveness. CONCLUSION Our data suggest that tumor Apelin can be used as a marker to evaluate clinical characteristics and predict prognosis in GC patients.
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Yamane K, Naito H, Wakabayashi T, Yoshida H, Muramatsu F, Iba T, Kidoya H, Takakura N. Regulation of SLD5 gene expression by miR-370 during acute growth of cancer cells. Sci Rep 2016; 6:30941. [PMID: 27499248 PMCID: PMC4976388 DOI: 10.1038/srep30941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
SLD5 is a member of the GINS complex, essential for DNA replication in eukaryotes. It has been reported that SLD5 is involved in early embryogenesis in the mouse, and cell cycle progression and genome integrity in Drosophila. SLD5 may be involved in malignant tumor progression, but its relevance in human cancer has not been determined. Here, we found strong SLD5 expression in both human bladder cancer tissues from patients and cell lines. Knockdown of SLD5 using small interfering RNA resulted in reduction of cell growth both in vitro and an in vivo xenograft model. Moreover, we found that high levels of SLD5 in bladder cancer cells result from downregulation of microRNA (miR)-370 that otherwise suppresses its expression. High level expression of DNA-methyltransferase (DNMT) 1 and IL-6 were also observed in bladder cancer cells. Knockdown of IL-6 led to downregulation of DNMT1 and SLD5 expression, suggesting that IL-6-induced overexpression of DNMT1 suppresses miR-370, resulting in high SLD5 expression. Our findings could contribute to understanding tumorigenic processes and progression of human bladder cancer, whereby inhibition of SLD5 could represent a novel strategy to prevent tumor growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keitaro Yamane
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hisamichi Naito
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Taku Wakabayashi
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hironori Yoshida
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Fumitaka Muramatsu
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Iba
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hiroyasu Kidoya
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Takakura
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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Yamauchi F, Kamioka Y, Yano T, Matsuda M. In Vivo FRET Imaging of Tumor Endothelial Cells Highlights a Role of Low PKA Activity in Vascular Hyperpermeability. Cancer Res 2016; 76:5266-76. [PMID: 27488524 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-15-3534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2015] [Accepted: 07/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Vascular hyperpermeability is a pathological hallmark of cancer. Previous in vitro studies have elucidated roles of various signaling molecules in vascular hyperpermeability; however, the activities of such signaling molecules have not been examined in live tumor tissues for technical reasons. Here, by in vivo two-photon excitation microscopy with transgenic mice expressing biosensors based on Förster resonance energy transfer, we examined the activity of protein kinase A (PKA), which maintains endothelial barrier function. The level of PKA activity was significantly lower in the intratumoral endothelial cells than the subcutaneous endothelial cells. PKA activation with a cAMP analogue alleviated the tumor vascular hyperpermeability, suggesting that the low PKA activity in the endothelial cells may be responsible for the tumor-tissue hyperpermeability. Because the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor is a canonical inducer of vascular hyperpermeability and a molecular target of anticancer drugs, we examined the causality between VEGF receptor activity and the PKA activity. Motesanib, a kinase inhibitor for VEGF receptor, activated tumor endothelial PKA and reduced the vascular permeability in the tumor. Conversely, subcutaneous injection of VEGF decreased endothelial PKA activity and induced hyperpermeability of subcutaneous blood vessels. Notably, in cultured human umbilical vascular endothelial cells, VEGF activated PKA rather than decreasing its activity, highlighting the remarkable difference between its actions in vitro and in vivo These data suggested that the VEGF receptor signaling pathway increases vascular permeability, at least in part, by reducing endothelial PKA activity in the live tumor tissue. Cancer Res; 76(18); 5266-76. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumio Yamauchi
- Department of Pathology and Biology of Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. Medical Imaging System Development Center, R&D Headquarters, Canon Inc., Japan
| | - Yuji Kamioka
- Department of Pathology and Biology of Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. Innovative Techno-Hub for Integrated Medical Bio-Imaging, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Yano
- Medical Imaging System Development Center, R&D Headquarters, Canon Inc., Japan
| | - Michiyuki Matsuda
- Department of Pathology and Biology of Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
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Yang Y, Lv SY, Ye W, Zhang L. Apelin/APJ system and cancer. Clin Chim Acta 2016; 457:112-6. [PMID: 27083318 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2016.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2015] [Revised: 04/02/2016] [Accepted: 04/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Apelin is an endogenous ligand of the apelin receptor (APJ), a seven-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor. Apelin/APJ system has a wide tissue distribution in the brain as well as in peripheral organs including heart, lung, vessels, and adipose tissue. Apelin/APJ was involved in regulating cardiac and vascular function, heart development, and vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. In this article, we summarize the role of apelin/APJ system on lung cancer, gastroesophageal and colonic cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, prostate cancer, endometrial cancer, oral squamous cell carcinoma, brain cancer, and tumor neoangiogenesis. Apelin/APJ may be a potential anticancer therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjie Yang
- School of Medicine, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan 475004, China
| | - Shuang-Yu Lv
- School of Medicine, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan 475004, China.
| | - Wenling Ye
- School of Medicine, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan 475004, China
| | - Liang Zhang
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832000, China
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Novakova V, Sandhu GS, Dragomir-Daescu D, Klabusay M. Apelinergic system in endothelial cells and its role in angiogenesis in myocardial ischemia. Vascul Pharmacol 2016; 76:1-10. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vph.2015.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2015] [Revised: 08/01/2015] [Accepted: 08/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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42
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APJ Regulates Parallel Alignment of Arteries and Veins in the Skin. Dev Cell 2015; 33:247-59. [DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2015.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2014] [Revised: 01/22/2015] [Accepted: 02/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Berta J, Hoda MA, Laszlo V, Rozsas A, Garay T, Torok S, Grusch M, Berger W, Paku S, Renyi-Vamos F, Masri B, Tovari J, Groger M, Klepetko W, Hegedus B, Dome B. Apelin promotes lymphangiogenesis and lymph node metastasis. Oncotarget 2015; 5:4426-37. [PMID: 24962866 PMCID: PMC4147335 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.2032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Whereas the role of the G-protein-coupled APJ receptor and its ligand, apelin, in angiogenesis has been well documented, the ability of the apelin/APJ system to induce lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis has been largely unexplored. To this end, we first show that APJ is expressed in lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) and, moreover, that it responds to apelin by activating the apelinergic signaling cascade. We find that although apelin treatment does not influence the proliferation of LECs in vitro, it enhances their migration, protects them against UV irradiation-induced apoptosis, increases their spheroid numbers in 3D culture, stimulates their in vitro capillary-like tube formation and, furthermore, promotes the invasive growth of lymphatic microvessels in vivo in the matrigel plug assay. We also demonstrate that apelin overexpression in malignant cells is associated with accelerated in vivo tumor growth and with increased intratumoral lymphangiogenesis and lymph node metastasis. These results indicate that apelin induces lymphangiogenesis and, accordingly, plays an important role in lymphatic tumor progression. Our study does not only reveal apelin as a novel lymphangiogenic factor but might also open the door for the development of novel anticancer therapies targeting lymphangiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judit Berta
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Austria; Department of Tumor Biology, National Koranyi Institute of Pulmonology, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Balazs Dome
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Austria; Department of Tumor Biology, National Koranyi Institute of Pulmonology, Budapest, Hungary; Thoracic Surgery, National Institute of Oncology and Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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Genetic targeting of sprouting angiogenesis using Apln-CreER. Nat Commun 2015; 6:6020. [PMID: 25597280 PMCID: PMC4309445 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 12/02/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Under pathophysiological conditions in adults, endothelial cells (ECs) sprout from pre-existing blood vessels to form new ones by a process termed angiogenesis. During embryonic development, Apelin (APLN) is robustly expressed in vascular ECs. In adult mice, however, APLN expression in the vasculature is significantly reduced. Here we show that APLN expression is reactivated in adult ECs after ischaemia insults. In models of both injury ischaemia and tumor angiogenesis, we find that Apln-CreER genetically labels sprouting but not quiescent vasculature. By leveraging this specific activity, we demonstrate that abolishment of the VEGF-VEGFR2 signalling pathway as well as ablation of sprouting ECs diminished tumour vascularization and growth without compromising vascular homeostasis in other organs. Collectively, we show that Apln-CreER distinguishes sprouting vessels from stabilized vessels in multiple pathological settings. The Apln-CreER line described here will greatly aid future mechanistic studies in both vascular developmental biology and adult vascular diseases.
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Altinkaya SO, Nergiz S, Küçük M, Yüksel H. Apelin levels are higher in obese patients with endometrial cancer. J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2014; 41:294-300. [DOI: 10.1111/jog.12503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2014] [Accepted: 05/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S. Ozlem Altinkaya
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics; Faculty of Medicine; Adnan Menderes University; Aydin Turkey
| | - Sümeyra Nergiz
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics; Faculty of Medicine; Adnan Menderes University; Aydin Turkey
| | - Mert Küçük
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics; Faculty of Medicine; Sitki Koçman University; Muğla Turkey
| | - Hasan Yüksel
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics; Faculty of Medicine; Adnan Menderes University; Aydin Turkey
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Xie F, Lv D, Chen L. ELABELA: a novel hormone in cardiac development acting as a new endogenous ligand for the APJ receptor. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2014; 46:620-2. [PMID: 24829400 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmu032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Feng Xie
- Learning Key Laboratory for Pharmaco-proteomics, Institute of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
| | - Deguan Lv
- Learning Key Laboratory for Pharmaco-proteomics, Institute of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
| | - Linxi Chen
- Learning Key Laboratory for Pharmaco-proteomics, Institute of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
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Lacquaniti A, Altavilla G, Picone A, Donato V, Chirico V, Mondello P, Aloisi C, Marabello G, Loddo S, Buemi A, Lorenzano G, Buemi M. Apelin beyond kidney failure and hyponatremia: a useful biomarker for cancer disease progression evaluation. Clin Exp Med 2014; 15:97-105. [PMID: 24469934 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-014-0272-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2013] [Accepted: 01/15/2014] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Apelin regulates angiogenesis, stimulating endothelial cell proliferation and migration. It is upregulated during tumor angiogenesis, and its overexpression was reported to increase tumor growth. Furthermore, apelin controls vasopressin release and body fluid homeostasis. The aim of this study was to examine the correlations between apelin expression and clinical outcomes in oncologic patients, such as cancer disease progression and patient's survival. Apelin levels were evaluated in a cohort of 95 patients affected by different varieties of cancer. Partial remission and stable disease were assigned to the 'no progression' group, comparing it with the progressor group. Patients were followed up for 2 years. Receiver operating characteristics analysis was employed for identifying the progression of the oncologic disease and Kaplan-Meier curves assessed the survival. Adjusted risk estimates for progression endpoint were calculated using Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. Oncologic patients had higher apelin levels compared with healthy subjects, and apelin was closely related to the stages of the disease. In the hyponatremia group, apelin values were significantly higher than patients with eunatremia. After the follow-up of 24 months, 41 patients (43%) reached the endpoint. Progressor subjects presented significantly increased apelin values at baseline compared with non-progressor. Univariate followed by multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis showed that apelin predicted cancer progression independently of other potential confounders. In patients with cancer, apelin closely reflects the stage of the disease and represents a strong and independent risk marker for cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Lacquaniti
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 1, 98124, Messina, Italy,
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Kawahara H, Naito H, Takara K, Wakabayashi T, Kidoya H, Takakura N. Tumor endothelial cell-specific drug delivery system using apelin-conjugated liposomes. PLoS One 2013; 8:e65499. [PMID: 23799018 PMCID: PMC3682998 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0065499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2013] [Accepted: 04/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A drug delivery system specifically targeting endothelial cells (ECs) in tumors is required to prevent normal blood vessels from being damaged by angiogenesis inhibitors. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether apelin, a ligand for APJ expressed in ECs when angiogenesis is taking place, can be used for targeting drug delivery to ECs in tumors. Methods and Results Uptake of apelin via APJ stably expressed in NIH-3T3 cells was investigated using TAMRA (fluorescent probe)-conjugated apelin. Both long and short forms of apelin (apelin 36 and apelin 13) were taken up, the latter more effectively. To improve efficacy of apelin- liposome conjugates, we introduced cysteine, with its sulfhydryl group, to the C terminus of apelin 13, resulting in the generation of apelin 14. In turn, apelin 14 was conjugated to rhodamine-encapsulating liposomes and administered to tumor-bearing mice. In the tumor microenvironment, we confirmed that liposomes were incorporated into the cytoplasm of ECs. In contrast, apelin non-conjugated liposomes were rarely found in the cytoplasm of ECs. Moreover, non-specific uptake of apelin-conjugated liposomes was rarely detected in other normal organs. Conclusions ECs in normal organs express little APJ; however, upon hypoxic stimulation, such as in tumors, ECs start to express APJ. The present study suggests that apelin could represent a suitable tool to effectively deliver drugs specifically to ECs within tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Kawahara
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hisamichi Naito
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Takara
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Taku Wakabayashi
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hiroyasu Kidoya
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Takakura
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), CREST, Tokyo, Japan
- * E-mail:
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Kasai A, Ishimaru Y, Higashino K, Kobayashi K, Yamamuro A, Yoshioka Y, Maeda S. Inhibition of apelin expression switches endothelial cells from proliferative to mature state in pathological retinal angiogenesis. Angiogenesis 2013; 16:723-34. [PMID: 23640575 PMCID: PMC3682100 DOI: 10.1007/s10456-013-9349-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2012] [Accepted: 04/24/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The recruitment of mural cells such as pericytes to patent vessels with an endothelial lumen is a key factor for the maturation of blood vessels and the prevention of hemorrhage in pathological angiogenesis. To date, our understanding of the specific trigger underlying the transition from cell growth to the maturation phase remains incomplete. Since rapid endothelial cell growth causes pericyte loss, we hypothesized that suppression of endothelial growth factors would both promote pericyte recruitment, in addition to inhibiting pathological angiogenesis. Here, we demonstrate that targeted knockdown of apelin in endothelial cells using siRNA induced the expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) through activation of Smad3, via suppression of the PI3K/Akt pathway. The conditioned medium of endothelial cells treated with apelin siRNA enhanced the migration of vascular smooth muscle cells, through MCP-1 and its receptor pathway. Moreover, in vivo delivery of siRNA targeting apelin, which causes exuberant endothelial cell proliferation and pathological angiogenesis through its receptor APJ, led to increased pericyte coverage and suppressed pathological angiogenesis in an oxygen-induced retinopathy model. These data demonstrate that apelin is not only a potent endothelial growth factor, but also restricts pericyte recruitment, establishing a new connection between endothelial cell proliferation signaling and a trigger of mural recruitment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Kasai
- Interdisciplinary Program for Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Academic Initiatives, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
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Fang C, Avis I, Bianco C, Held N, Morris J, Ylaya K, Hewitt SM, Aplin AC, Nicosia RF, Fung LA, Lewis JD, Stetler-Stevenson WG, Salomon DS, Cuttitta F. SCNH2 is a novel apelinergic family member acting as a potent mitogenic and chemotactic factor for both endothelial and epithelial cells. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 3:37-51. [PMID: 23956953 DOI: 10.4236/ojcd.2013.32009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The gut hormone apelin is a major therapeutic focus for several diseases involving inflammation and aberrant cell growth. We investigated whether apelin-36 contained alternative bioactive peptides associated with normal physiology or disease. Amino acid sequence analysis of apelin-36 identified an amidation motif consistent with the formation of a secondary bioactive peptide (SCNH2). SCNH2 is proven to be mitogenic and chemotactic in normal/malignant cells and augments angiogenesis via a PTX-resistant/CT-X-sensitive G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). Notably, SCNH2 is substantially more potent and sensitive than apelin-13 and vascular endothelial growth factor-A. Endogenous SCNH2 is highly expressed in human tumors and placenta and in mouse embryonic tissues. Our findings demonstrate that SCNH2 is a new apelinergic member with critical pluripotent roles in angiogenesis related diseases and embryogenesis via a non-APJ GPCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changge Fang
- Angiogenesis Core Facility, Radiation Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, USA
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