Grb2 depletion under non-stimulated conditions inhibits PTEN, promotes Akt-induced tumor formation and contributes to poor prognosis in ovarian cancer

Inhibition of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor Attenuates Ultraviolet B-Induced Skin Carcinogenesis

Altered FGFR signaling has been shown to play a role in a number of cancers. However, the role of FGFR signaling in the development and progression of ultraviolet B-induced (UVB) induced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) remains unclear. In the current study, the effect of UVB radiation on FGFR activation and its downstream signaling in mouse skin epidermis was examined. In addition, the impact of FGFR inhibition on UVB-induced signaling and skin carcinogenesis was also investigated. Exposure of mouse dorsal skin to UVB significantly increased phosphorylation of FGFRs in the epidermis as well as activation of downstream signaling pathways, including AKT/mTOR, STATs and MAPK. Topical application of the pan-FGFR inhibitor AZD4547 to mouse skin prior to exposure to UVB significantly inhibited FGFR phosphorylation as well as mTORC1, STAT3 and MAPK activation (i.e., phosphorylation). Moreover, AZD4547 pretreatment significantly inhibited UVB-induced epidermal hyperplasia and hyperproliferation and reduced infiltration of mast cells and macrophages into the dermis. AZD4547 treatment also significantly inhibited mRNA expression of inflammatory genes in the epidermis. Finally, mice treated topically with AZD4547 prior to UVB exposure showed decreased cSCC incidence and increased survival rate. Collectively, the current data supports the hypothesis that inhibition of FGFR in epidermis may provide a new strategy to prevent and/or treat UVB-induced cSCC.

Recent advances in understanding the molecular role of phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C gamma 1 as an emerging onco-driver and novel therapeutic target in human carcinogenesis

Phosphoinositide metabolism is crucial intracellular signaling system that regulates a plethora of biological functions including mitogenesis, cell proliferation and division. Phospholipase C gamma 1 (PLCγ1) which belongs to phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PLC) family, is activated by many extracellular stimuli including hormones, neurotransmitters, growth factors and modulates several cellular and physiological functions necessary for tumorigenesis such as cell survival, migration, invasion and angiogenesis by generating inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DAG) via hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biphosphate (PIP2). Cancer remains as a leading cause of global mortality and aberrant expression and regulation of PLCγ1 is linked to a plethora of deadly human cancers including carcinomas of the breast, lung, pancreas, stomach, prostate and ovary. Although PLCγ1 cross-talks with many onco-drivers and signaling circuits including PI3K, AKT, HIF1-α and RAF/MEK/ERK cascade, its precise role in carcinogenesis is not completely understood. This review comprehensively discussed the status quo of this ubiquitously expressed phospholipase as a tumor driver and highlighted its significance as a novel therapeutic target in cancer. Furthermore, we have highlighted the significance of somatic driver mutations in PLCG1 gene and molecular roles of PLCγ1 in several major human cancers, a knowledgebase that can be utilized to develop novel, isoform-specific small molecule inhibitors of PLCγ1.

Probing low-copy-number proteins in single living cells using single-cell plasmonic immunosandwich assays

Cellular heterogeneity is pervasive and of paramount importance in biology. Single-cell analysis techniques are indispensable for understanding the heterogeneity and functions of cells. Low-copy-number proteins (fewer than 1,000 molecules per cell) perform multiple crucial functions such as gene expression, cellular metabolism and cell signaling. The expression level of low-copy-number proteins of individual cells provides key information for the in-depth understanding of biological processes and diseases. However, the quantitative analysis of low-copy-number proteins in a single cell still remains challenging. To overcome this, we developed an approach called single-cell plasmonic immunosandwich assay (scPISA) for the quantitative measurement of low-copy-number proteins in single living cells. scPISA combines in vivo microextraction for specific enrichment of target proteins from cells and a state-of-the-art technique called plasmon-enhanced Raman scattering for ultrasensitive detection of low-copy-number proteins. Plasmon-enhanced Raman scattering detection relies on the plasmonic coupling effect (hot-spot) between silver-based plasmonic nanotags and a gold-based extraction microprobe, which dramatically enhances the signal intensity of the surface-enhanced Raman scattering of the nanotags and thereby enables sensitivity at the single-molecule level. scPISA is a straightforward and minimally invasive technique, taking only ~6-15 min (from in vivo extraction to Raman spectrum readout). It is generally applicable to all freely floating intracellular proteins provided that appropriate antibodies or alternatives (for example, molecularly imprinted polymers or aptamers) are available. The entire protocol takes ~4-7 d to complete, including material fabrication, single-cell manipulation, protein labeling, signal acquisition and data analysis.

WDNE: an integrative graphical model for inferring differential networks from multi-platform gene expression data with missing values

The mechanisms controlling biological process, such as the development of disease or cell differentiation, can be investigated by examining changes in the networks of gene dependencies between states in the process. High-throughput experimental methods, like microarray and RNA sequencing, have been widely used to gather gene expression data, which paves the way to infer gene dependencies based on computational methods. However, most differential network analysis methods are designed to deal with fully observed data, but missing values, such as the dropout events in single-cell RNA-sequencing data, are frequent. New methods are needed to take account of these missing values. Moreover, since the changes of gene dependencies may be driven by certain perturbed genes, considering the changes in gene expression levels may promote the identification of gene network rewiring. In this study, a novel weighted differential network estimation (WDNE) model is proposed to handle multi-platform gene expression data with missing values and take account of changes in gene expression levels. Simulation studies demonstrate that WDNE outperforms state-of-the-art differential network estimation methods. When applied WDNE to infer differential gene networks associated with drug resistance in ovarian tumors, cell differentiation and breast tumor heterogeneity, the hub genes in the estimated differential gene networks can provide important insights into the underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, a Matlab toolbox, differential network analysis toolbox, was developed to implement the WDNE model and visualize the estimated differential networks.

Composition of receptor tyrosine kinase-mediated lipid micro-domains controlled by adaptor protein interaction

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are highly regulated, single pass transmembrane proteins, fundamental to cellular function and survival. Aberrancies in regulation lead to corruption of signal transduction and a range of pathological outcomes. Although control mechanisms associated with the receptors and their ligands are well understood, little is known with respect to the impact of lipid/lipid and lipid/protein interactions in the proximal plasma membrane environment. Given that the transmembrane regions of RTKs change in response to extracellular ligand binding, the lipid interactions have important consequences in influencing signal transduction. Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) is a highly regulated RTK, including under basal conditions. Binding of the adaptor protein, growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (GRB2) to FGFR2 prevents full activation and recruitment of downstream signalling effector proteins in the absence of extracellular stimulation. Here we demonstrate that the FGFR2-GRB2 complex is sustained in a defined lipid environment. Dissociation of GRB2 from this complex due to ligand binding, or reduced GRB2 expression, facilitates the dispersion of FGFR2 into detergent-resistant membrane (DRM) micro-domains. This modification of the plasma membrane proximal to FGFR2 provides a further regulatory checkpoint which controls receptor degradation, recycling and recruitment of intracellular signalling proteins.

Phenotypic Heterogeneity in Tumor Progression, and Its Possible Role in the Onset of Cancer

Heterogeneity among isogenic cells/individuals has been known for at least 150 years. Even Mendel, working on pea plants, realized that not all tall plants were identical. However, Mendel was more interested in the discontinuous variation between genetically distinct individuals. The concept of environment dictating distinct phenotypes among isogenic individuals has since been shown to impact the evolution of populations in numerous examples at different scales of life. In this review, we discuss how phenotypic heterogeneity and its evolutionary implications exist at all levels of life, from viruses to mammals. In particular, we discuss how a particular disease condition (cancer) is impacted by heterogeneity among isogenic cells, and propose a potential role that phenotypic heterogeneity might play toward the onset of the disease.

N-Glycome changes reflecting resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy in ovarian cancer

A number of studies have reported aberrant glycosylation in connection with malignancy. Our investigation further expands on this topic through the examination of N-glycans, which could be associated with the resistance of advanced stage, high-grade non-mucinous ovarian cancer to platinum/taxane based chemotherapy. We used tissue samples of 83 ovarian cancer patients, randomly divided into two independent cohorts (basic and validation). Both groups involved either cases with/without postoperative tumor residue or the cases determined either resistant or sensitive to this chemotherapy. In the validation cohort, preoperative serum samples were also available. N-glycans released from tumors and sera were permethylated and analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). The MS analysis yielded a consecutive detection of 68 (tissue) and 63 (serum) N-glycan spectral signals. Eight of these were found to be differentially abundant in tissues of both independent cohorts including the cases with a postoperative cancer residue. One of these glycans was detected as differentially abundant in sera of the validation cohort. No statistically significant differences in intensities due to the same N-glycans were found in the cases without postoperative macroscopic residues in either the basic or validation cohort. From the biochemical point of view, the statistically significant N-glycans correspond to the structures carrying bisecting (terminal) GlcNAc residue and tetra-antennary structures with sialic acid and/or fucose residues. Among them, six tissue N-glycans could be considered potential markers connected with a resistance to chemotherapy in ovarian cancer patients. The prediction of primary resistance to standard chemotherapy may identify the group of patients suitable for alternative treatment strategies. SIGNIFICANCE: Drug resistance has become a major impediment to a successful treatment of patients with advanced ovarian cancer. The glycomic measurements related to cancer are becoming increasingly popular in identification of the key molecules as potential diagnostic and prognostic indicators. Our report deals with identification of differences in N-glycosylation of proteins in tissue and serum samples from the individuals showing sensitivity or resistance to platinum/taxane-based chemotherapy. The detection sensitivity to chemotherapy is vitally important for these patients.

CSN6 inhibition suppresses pancreatic adenocarcinoma metastasis via destabilizing the c-Fos protein

Deubiquitinase (DUB) can reverse the ubiquitin signal, and participate in virtually all aspects of cancer progression. Thus, DUB represents an attractive target for development of anticancer drugs. However, little is known about DUB which can be used as drug targets. Here, we found that the constitutive photomorphogenic 9 (COP9) signalosome complex subunit 6 (COPS6/CSN6), a DUB belongs to JAMM/MPN domain-associated metallopeptidases(JAMMs) class, was highly expressed in pancreatic adenocarcinoma(PAAD) tissues. High expression of CSN6 was associated with tumor TNM stage and metastasis in PAAD patients. Moreover, we demonstrated that CSN6 promoted invasion and metastasis through regulating forkhead box protein A1 (FOXA1) in PAAD cells. Re-expression of FOXA1 rescued the decreased invasion and metastasis caused by CSN6 knockdown, whereas inhibition of FOXA1 alleviated the pro-metastasis effect induced by CSN6 overexpression. Further, CSN6 regulated the expression of FOXA1 via c-Fos in PAAD cells. Mechanistically, CSN6 stabilized c-Fos protein by binding to it and decreasing its ubiquitination. Our work identified CSN6 as a targeting-permissible deubiquitinase, and CSN6 inhibition maybe a potential treatment strategy for PAAD.

Cisplatin Protein Binding Partners and Their Relevance for Platinum Drug Sensitivity

Cisplatin is a widely used drug in the treatment of various solid tumors, such as ovarian cancer. However, while the acquired resistance significantly limits the success of therapy, some tumors, such as colorectal cancer, are intrinsically insensitive to cisplatin. Only a small amount of intracellular platinum binds to the target—genomic DNA. The fate of the remaining drug is largely obscure. This work aimed to identify the cytosolic protein binding partners of cisplatin in ovarian and colorectal cancer cells and to evaluate their relevance for cell sensitivity to cisplatin and oxaliplatin. Using the fluorescent cisplatin analog BODIPY-cisplatin, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, and mass spectrometry, we identified the protein binding partners in A2780 and cisplatin-resistant A2780cis ovarian carcinoma, as well as in HCT-8 and oxaliplatin-resistant HCT-8ox colorectal cell lines. Vimentin, only identified in ovarian cancer cells; growth factor receptor-bound protein 2, only identified in colorectal cancer cells; and glutathione-S-transferase π, identified in all four cell lines, were further investigated. The effect of pharmacological inhibition and siRNA-mediated knockdown on cytotoxicity was studied to assess the relevance of these binding partners. The silencing of glutathione-S-transferase π significantly sensitized intrinsically resistant HCT-8 and HCT-8ox cells to cisplatin, suggesting a possible involvement of the protein in the resistance of colorectal cancer cells to the drug. The inhibition of vimentin with FiVe1 resulted in a significant sensitization of A2780 and A2780cis cells to cisplatin, revealing new possibilities for improving the chemosensitivity of ovarian cancer cells.

Experimental Study on the Effect of a Weifufang on Human Gastric Adenocarcinoma Cell Line BGC-823 Xenografts and PTEN Gene Expression in Nude Mice

Background: This study aims at investigating the effect of the Weifufang, an effective prescription for the treatment of gastric cancer developed by the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)/Combination of TCM and Western Medicine Department of the Hunan Cancer Hospital, on gastric cancer xenografts in nude mice and its effect on the PTEN gene; it also aims at exploring the possible tumor suppression mechanism. Methods: Nude mice with xenografts were treated with different concentrations of the Weifufang for 2 weeks, and changes in tumor volume were observed. The histopathology of the tumor was detected by hematoxylin and eosin staining; PTEN gene expression in tumor tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and western blot. Results: After 2 weeks of treatment, tumor inhibition rates in the 5-flourouracil (5-FU) group, and in the Weifufang low-, middle-, and high-dose groups were 30.67%, 19%, 49.52%, and 29.36%, respectively. The IOD of the PTEN gene was detected by IHC. The values in the water group, the 5-FU group, and the Weifufang low-, middle-, and high-dose groups were 0.013 ± 0.004, 0.085 ± 0.062, 0.041 ± 0.024, 0.128 ± 0.032, and 0.061 ± 0.052, respectively. Except for the 5-FU group, the differences between the gastric compound middle dose-group and the other groups were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Results of PTEN expression detection by western blot: The expression levels in the water group, 5-FU group, and the Weifufang low-, middle-, and high-dose groups were 0.2240 ± 0.0172, 0.4200 ± 0.0228, 0.2760 ± 0.0163, 0.3840 ± 0.0133, and 0.3040 ± 0.0211, respectively. Except for the 5-FU group, differences between the Weifufang middle-dose group and the other groups were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The Weifufang may inhibit the growth of gastric cancer xenografts by upregulating PTEN gene expression. The middle-dose group had the best effect.

Grb2 binds to PTEN and regulates its nuclear translocation to maintain the genomic stability in DNA damage response

Growth factor receptor bound protein 2 (Grb2) is an adaptor protein critical for signal transduction and endocytosis, but its role in DNA damage response (DDR) remains unknown. Here, we report that either knockdown of Grb2 or overexpression of the mutated Grb2 promotes micronuclei formation in response to oxidative stress. Furthermore, Grb2 was demonstrated to interact with phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN; a tumor suppressor essential for nuclear stability), and the loss of Grb2 reduced the nuclear-localized PTEN, which was further decreased upon stimulation with hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Overexpression of the T398A-mutated, nuclear-localized PTEN reduced micronuclei frequency in the cells deficient of functional Grb2 via rescuing the H₂O₂-dependent expression of Rad51, a protein essential for the homologous recombination (HR) repair process. Moreover, depletion of Grb2 markedly decreased the expression of Rad51 and its interaction with PTEN. Notably, Rad51 showed a preference to immunoprecipation with the T398A-PTEN mutant, and silencing of Rad51 alone accumulated micronuclei concurring with decreased expression of both Grb2 and PTEN. Our findings indicate that Grb2 interacts with PTEN and Rad51 to regulate genomic stability in DDR by mediating the nuclear translocation of PTEN to affect the expression of Rad51.

Intrinsically disordered proteins and phenotypic switching: Implications in cancer

It is now well established that intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) that constitute a large part of the proteome across the three kingdoms, play critical roles in several biological processes including phenotypic switching. However, dysregulated expression of IDPs that engage in promiscuous interactions can lead to pathological states. In this chapter, using cancer as a paradigm, we discuss how IDP conformational dynamics and the resultant conformational noise can modulate phenotypic switching. Thus, contrary to the prevailing wisdom that phenotypic switching is highly deterministic (has a genetic underpinning) in cancer, emerging evidence suggests that non-genetic mechanisms, at least in part due to the conformational noise, may also be a confounding factor in phenotypic switching.

Gene expression profiling in aggressive digital papillary adenocarcinoma sheds light on the architecture of a rare sweat gland carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Sweat gland carcinomas are rare cutaneous adnexal malignancies. Aggressive digital papillary adenocarcinoma (ADPA) represents a very rare subentity, thought to arise almost exclusively from the sweat glands of the fingers and toes. The aetiology of sweat gland carcinomas and ADPA is largely unknown. ADPAs are most likely driven by somatic mutations. However, somatic mutation patterns are largely unexplored, creating barriers to the development of effective therapeutic approaches to the treatment of ADPA.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the transcriptome profile of ADPA using a sample of eight formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue samples of ADPA and healthy control tissue.

METHODS

Transcriptome profiling was performed using the Affymetrix PrimeView Human Gene Expression Microarray and findings were validated via reverse transcription of RNA and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

Transcriptome analyses showed increased tumour expression of 2266 genes, with significant involvement of cell cycle, ribosomal and crucial cancer pathways. Our results point to tumour overexpression of FGFR2 (P = 0·001).

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate the involvement of crucial oncogenic driver pathways, highlighting cell cycle and ribosomal pathways in the aetiology of ADPA. Suggested tumour overexpression of FGFR2 raises the hope that targeting the fibroblast growth factor (FGF)/FGF receptor axis might be a promising treatment for ADPA and probably for the overall group of sweat gland carcinomas.

MicroRNA-1258 suppresses tumour progression via GRB2/Ras/Erk pathway in non-small-cell lung cancer

OBJECTIVES

Lung cancer is still a disease with high morbidity and mortality in the world. MicroRNAs have been proven to act as an indispensable role in the reuse of multiple solid tumours. Although miR-1258 plays a vital role in suppressing metastasis in breast cancer and gastric cancer, the specific biological function of miR-1258 in non-small-cell lung cancer remains unclear.

METHODS

The differential expression of miR-1258 in NSCLC tissues and corresponding paracancerous tissues was detected by qRT-PCR and ISH. Flow cytometry and CCK-8, EdU, tubule formation, and senescence assays were performed, and xenograft models were studied to explore the function of miR-1258. Potential targets of miR-1258 were verified by dual luciferase reporter assay, qRT-PCR, IHC and Western blotting.

RESULTS

In vitro and in vivo gain- and loss-of-function assays suggested that miR-1258 inhibits NSCLC cell proliferation and induces senescence and apoptosis. The luciferase reporter assay, IHC and Western blotting analysis showed that GRB2 is one of the direct targets of miR-1258. The GRB2 overexpression plasmid can reverse the functional changes after overexpression of miR-1258. In contrast, miR-1258 inhibitor significantly reversed si-GRB2-induced GRB2 down-regulation. Mechanistically, overexpression of miR-1258 inhibits GRB2 expression and then leads to inactivation of the Ras/Erk oncogenic pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that miR-1258 can suppress NSCLC progression by targeting the GRB2/Ras/Erk pathway, which may lead to different insights into potential biomarkers and novel therapeutic strategies for NSCLC patients.

Integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analyses reveal ɑ-lipoic acid-regulated cell proliferation via Grb2-mediated signalling in hepatic cancer cells

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most frequent primary liver cancer worldwide. The use of antioxidants as cancer prevention and treatment agents has become a focus of research in recent years due to their limited adverse effects. Alpha lipoic acid (ɑ-LA) is synthesized in the liver and is considered a naturally occurring antioxidant. In this study, a total of 4446 differentially expressed genes (2097 down-regulated and 2349 up-regulated) were identified via RNA-Seq in HepG2 cells after exposure to α-LA for 24 hrs. Moreover, GO and KEGG pathway analyses showed that cancer-relevant cell membrane proteins were significantly affected. An interaction network analysis predicted that Grb2 might mediate the key target pathways activated by exposure to ɑ-LA. Verification of the RNA-Seq and iTRAQ results confirmed that Grb2 mediated the ɑ-LA-induced inhibition of cell proliferation in vitro. Furthermore, the analysis of human hepatocellular carcinoma specimens obtained from the GEO database showed that the expression of EGFR and Met correlated with that of Grb2. These findings provide a novel mechanism through which ɑ-LA regulates cell proliferation via the down-regulation of growth factor-stimulated Grb2 signalling.

The Tolerome: A Database of Transcriptome-Level Contributions to Diverse Escherichia coli Resistance and Tolerance Phenotypes

Tolerance and resistance are complex biological phenotypes that are desirable bioengineering goals for those seeking to design industrial strains or prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance. Over decades of research, a wealth of information has been generated to attempt to decode a molecular basis for tolerance, but to fully achieve the goal of engineering tolerance, researchers must be able to easily learn from a variety of data sources. To this end, we here describe a resource designed to enable scrutiny of diverse tolerance phenotypes. We have curated hundreds of gene expression studies exploring the response of Escherichia coli to chemical and environmental perturbations, from antibiotics to biofuels and solvents and more. Overall, our efforts give rise to a database encompassing more than 56 000 gene expression changes across 89 different stress conditions. This resource is designed for compatibility with the Resistome database, which includes more than 5000 strains with mutations conferring resistance or sensitivity but no transcriptomic data. Thus, the work here results in the first combined resource specialized to tolerance and resistance in E. coli that supports investigations across genomic, transcriptomic, and phenotypic levels. We leverage the database to identify promising bioengineering targets by searching globally across multiple stress conditions as well as by narrowing the focus to fewer conditions of interest, such as biofuel stress and antibiotic stress. We discuss some of the most frequently differentially expressed or coexpressed genes, and predict which transcription factors and sigma factors most likely contribute to gene expression profiles in a wide array of conditions. We also compare profiles from sensitive and resistant strains, gaining knowledge of how responses differ per overrepresented gene ontology terms. Finally, we search for genes that are frequently differentially expressed but not mutated, with the expectation that these may present interesting targets for future engineering efforts. The curated data presented here is publicly available, and should be advantageous to those studying a variety of bacterial tolerance phenotypes.

TRPA1-FGFR2 binding event is a regulatory oncogenic driver modulated by miRNA-142-3p

Recent evidence suggests that the ion channel TRPA1 is implicated in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), where its role and mechanism of action remain unknown. We have previously established that the membrane receptor FGFR2 drives LUAD progression through aberrant protein–protein interactions mediated via its C-terminal proline-rich motif. Here we report that the N-terminal ankyrin repeats of TRPA1 directly bind to the C-terminal proline-rich motif of FGFR2 inducing the constitutive activation of the receptor, thereby prompting LUAD progression and metastasis. Furthermore, we show that upon metastasis to the brain, TRPA1 gets depleted, an effect triggered by the transfer of TRPA1-targeting exosomal microRNA (miRNA-142-3p) from brain astrocytes to cancer cells. This downregulation, in turn, inhibits TRPA1-mediated activation of FGFR2, hindering the metastatic process. Our study reveals a direct binding event and characterizes the role of TRPA1 ankyrin repeats in regulating FGFR2-driven oncogenic process; a mechanism that is hindered by miRNA-142-3p.

TRPA1 has been reported to contribute lung cancer adenocarcinoma (LUAD), but the mechanisms are unclear. Here the authors propose that TRPA1/FGFR2 interaction is functional in LUAD and show that astrocytes oppose brain metastasis by mediating the downregulation of TRPA1 through exosome-delivered miRNA-142-3p.

Advances and challenges in targeting FGFR signalling in cancer

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors (FGFRs) regulate numerous cellular processes. Deregulation of FGFR signalling is observed in a subset of many cancers, making activated FGFRs a highly promising potential therapeutic target supported by multiple preclinical studies. However, early-phase clinical trials have produced mixed results with FGFR-targeted cancer therapies, revealing substantial complexity to targeting aberrant FGFR signalling. In this Review, we discuss the increasing understanding of the differences between diverse mechanisms of oncogenic activation of FGFR, and the factors that determine response and resistance to FGFR targeting.

The Resistome: A Comprehensive Database of Escherichia coli Resistance Phenotypes

The microbial ability to resist stressful environmental conditions and chemical inhibitors is of great industrial and medical interest. Much of the data related to mutation-based stress resistance, however, is scattered through the academic literature, making it difficult to apply systematic analyses to this wealth of information. To address this issue, we introduce the Resistome database: a literature-curated collection of Escherichia coli genotypes-phenotypes containing over 5,000 mutants that resist hundreds of compounds and environmental conditions. We use the Resistome to understand our current state of knowledge regarding resistance and to detect potential synergy or antagonism between resistance phenotypes. Our data set represents one of the most comprehensive collections of genomic data related to resistance currently available. Future development will focus on the construction of a combined genomic-transcriptomic-proteomic framework for understanding E. coli's resistance biology. The Resistome can be downloaded at https://bitbucket.org/jdwinkler/resistome_release/overview .

Epigenetic regulation of glycosylation and the impact on chemo-resistance in breast and ovarian cancer

Glycosylation is one of the most fundamental posttranslational modifications in cellular biology and has been shown to be epigenetically regulated. Understanding this process is important as epigenetic therapies such as those using DNA methyltransferase inhibitors are undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of ovarian and breast cancer. Previous work has demonstrated that altered glycosylation patterns are associated with aggressive disease in women presenting with breast and ovarian cancer. Moreover, the tumor microenvironment of hypoxia results in globally altered DNA methylation and is associated with aggressive cancer phenotypes and chemo-resistance, a feature integral to many cancers. There is sparse knowledge on the impact of these therapies on glycosylation. Moreover, little is known about the efficacy of DNA methyltransferase inhibitors in hypoxic tumors. In this review, we interrogate the impact that hypoxia and epigenetic regulation has on cancer cell glycosylation in relation to resultant tumor cell aggressiveness and chemo-resistance.

Expression pattern of FGFR2, Grb2 and Plcγ1 acts as a novel prognostic marker of recurrence recurrence-free survival in lung adenocarcinoma

Lung adenocarcinoma is characterized by complex biology involving alterations at the genomic and protein expression levels. FGFR2 mutation and/or amplification are key drivers of disease progression and drug resistance in lung adenocarcinoma patients. These genetic alterations drive oncogenic downstream signalling due to the deregulated activity of the receptor. We have previously reported that wild type FGFR2 provides a binding site for which two proteins, Grb2 and Plcγ1, compete in a concentration-dependent manner. Metastasis and invasion ensue when Plcγ1 prevails on the receptor giving rise to oncogenic outcome in the absence of gene mutation/deletion. The effect of this signalling mechanism on FGFR2-driven lung adenocarcinoma has not previously been considered. In this study we show that fluctuation in the combinatorial expression levels of FGFR2, Grb2 and Plcγ1 modulates cell invasive properties, tumor formation and is linked to recurrence-free survival in 150 lung adenocarcinoma patients. High levels of expression of FGFR2 and Plcγ1 in a low background of Grb2 significantly correlates with poor prognosis. On the other hand, low levels of expression of FGFR2 and Plcγ1 in a high background of Grb2 correlates with favourable prognosis. This study defines the expression pattern of FGFR2, Plcγ1 and Grb2 as a novel prognostic marker in human lung adenocarcinoma. Thus, consideration of the Grb2 and Plcγ1-mediated mechanism of FGFR2 regulation will enhance the therapeutic targeting of aberrant FGFR2 activity to provide the much-needed improvement to the treatment regimen of this high mortality disease.