1
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Nigam A, Krishnamoorthy GP, Chatila WK, Berman K, Saqcena M, Walch H, Venkatramani M, Ho AL, Schultz N, Fagin JA, Untch BR. Cooperative genomic lesions in HRAS-mutant cancers predict resistance to farnesyltransferase inhibitors. Oncogene 2024:10.1038/s41388-024-03095-0. [PMID: 39152269 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-024-03095-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
In the clinical development of farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) for HRAS-mutant tumors, responses varied by cancer type. Co-occurring mutations may affect responses. We aimed to uncover cooperative genetic events specific to HRAS-mutant tumors and to study their effect on sensitivity to FTIs. Using targeted sequencing data from the MSK-IMPACT and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Genomic Evidence Neoplasia Information Exchange databases, we identified comutations that were observed predominantly in HRAS-mutant versus KRAS-mutant or NRAS-mutant cancers. HRAS-mutant cancers had a higher frequency of coaltered mutations (48.8%) in the MAPK, PI3K, or RTK pathway genes, compared with KRAS-mutant (41.4%) and NRAS-mutant (38.4%) cancers (p < 0.05). Class 3 BRAF, NF1, PTEN, and PIK3CA mutations were more prevalent in HRAS-mutant lineages. To study the effects of comutations on sensitivity to FTIs, HrasG13R was transfected into "RASless" (Kraslox/lox/Hras-/-/Nras-/-/RERTert/ert) mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), which sensitized nontransfected MEFs to tipifarnib. Comutation in the form of Pten or Nf1 deletion and Pik3caH1047R transduction led to resistance to tipifarnib in HrasG13R-transfected MEFs in the presence or absence of KrasWT, whereas BrafG466E transduction led to resistance to tipifarnib only in the presence of KrasWT. Combined treatment with tipifarnib and MEK inhibition sensitized cells to tipifarnib in all settings, including in MEFs with PI3K pathway comutations. HRAS-mutant tumors demonstrate lineage-dependent MAPK or PI3K pathway alterations, which confer resistance to tipifarnib. The combined use of FTIs and MEK inhibition is a promising strategy for HRAS-mutant tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aradhya Nigam
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gnana P Krishnamoorthy
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Walid K Chatila
- Marie-Josée & Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology and Bioinformatics Core, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Katherine Berman
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mahesh Saqcena
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Henry Walch
- Marie-Josée & Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology and Bioinformatics Core, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mandakini Venkatramani
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alan L Ho
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nikolaus Schultz
- Marie-Josée & Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology and Bioinformatics Core, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - James A Fagin
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brian R Untch
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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2
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Schipka R, Heltmann-Meyer S, Schneidereit D, Friedrich O, Röder J, Boccaccini AR, Schrüfer S, Schubert DW, Horch RE, Bosserhoff AK, Arkudas A, Kengelbach-Weigand A, Schmid R. Characterization of two different alginate-based bioinks and the influence of melanoma growth within. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12945. [PMID: 38839791 PMCID: PMC11153560 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63642-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Extrusion-based bioprinting is an established method in biofabrication. Suitable bioinks have fundamentally different compositions and characteristics, which should be examined, in order to find a perfect model system. Here, we investigate the effect of two alginate-based, yet unalike 3D-printed bioinks, pre-crosslinked alginate-dialdehyde gelatin (ADA-GEL) and a mixture of alginate, hyaluronic acid, and gelatin (Alg/HA/Gel), on the melanoma cell line Mel Im and vice versa in terms of stiffness, shrinkage, cellular behavior and colony formation over 15 days. Rheological stiffness measurements revealed two soft gels with similar storage moduli. The cells did not have a significant impact on the overall stiffness, whereas ADA-GEL (2.5/2.5%) was significantly stiffer than Alg/HA/Gel (0.5/0.1/3%). Regarding the shrinkage of printed constructs, cells had a significant influence, especially in ADA-GEL, which has covalent bonds between the oxidized alginate and gelatin. Multi-photon microscopy exhibited proliferation, cell spreading and migration in ADA-GEL with cell-cell and cell-matrix interaction, dissimilarly to Alg/HA/Gel, in which cells formed spherical, encapsulated colonies. Scanning electron microscopy and histology showed degradation and multi-layered growth on ADA-GEL and fewer examples of escaped cells on Alg/HA/Gel. Both gels serve as proliferation bioink for melanoma with more necrosis in deeper Alg/HA/Gel colonies and differences in spreading and matrix interaction. These findings show the importance of proper characterization of the bioinks for different applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Schipka
- Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, Laboratory for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stefanie Heltmann-Meyer
- Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, Laboratory for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Dominik Schneidereit
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91052, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Oliver Friedrich
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91052, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jonas Röder
- Institute of Biomaterials, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Aldo R Boccaccini
- Institute of Biomaterials, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stefan Schrüfer
- Institute of Polymer Materials, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
- RevoBITs, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Dirk W Schubert
- Institute of Polymer Materials, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Raymund E Horch
- Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, Laboratory for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Anja K Bosserhoff
- Institute of Biochemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Andreas Arkudas
- Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, Laboratory for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Annika Kengelbach-Weigand
- Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, Laboratory for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Rafael Schmid
- Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, Laboratory for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
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3
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Zahiri M, Kamali H, Abnous K, Mohammad Taghdisi S, Nekooei S, Nekooei N, Ramezani M, Alibolandi M. Synthesis of folate targeted theranostic cubosomal platform for co-delivery of bismuth oxide and doxorubicin to melanoma in vitro and in vivo. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2024; 198:114259. [PMID: 38479563 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2024.114259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNPs) have gained much attention in cancer nanomedicines due to their unique features such as high surface area, storage stability, and sustained-release profile. In the current study, a novel LCNP for co-encapsulation of Bi2O3 and hydrophilic doxorubicin (DOX) was fabricated and functionalized with folic acid (FA) to achieve efficient tumor targeting toward CT-scan imaging and chemotherapy of melanoma in vitro and in vivo. LCNPs Bi2O3 NPs were prepared using glycerol monooleate-pluronic F-127 (GMO/PF127/water). Firstly, GMO/water were homogenized to prepare LC gel. Then, the stabilizer aqueous solution (PF127/Bi2O3/DOX) was added to the prepared LC gel and homogenized using homogenization and ultrasonication. The formulated NPs exhibited superior stability with encapsulation efficiency. High cytotoxicity and cellular internalization of the FA-Bi2O3-DOX-NPs were observed in comparison with Bi2O3-DOX-NPs and the free DOX in folate-receptor (FR) overexpressing cells (B16F10) in vitro. Moreover, ideal tumor suppression with increased survival rate were observed in tumorized mice treated with FA-Bi2O3-DOX-NPs compared to those treated with non-targeted one. On the other hand, the CT-imaging ability of the Bi2O3-DOX-NPs was tested inB16F10 tumor-bearing mice. The obtained data indicated a high potential of the developed targeted theranostic FA-Bi2O3-DOX-NPs for diagnostics and treatment of melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahsa Zahiri
- Department of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Hosein Kamali
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Targeted Drug Delivery Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Khalil Abnous
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Pharmaceutical Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Seyed Mohammad Taghdisi
- Targeted Drug Delivery Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Sirous Nekooei
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Negar Nekooei
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ramezani
- Pharmaceutical Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
| | - Mona Alibolandi
- Pharmaceutical Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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Wang X, Kostrzewa C, Reiner A, Shen R, Begg C. Adaptation of a mutual exclusivity framework to identify driver mutations within oncogenic pathways. Am J Hum Genet 2024; 111:227-241. [PMID: 38232729 PMCID: PMC10870134 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2023.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Distinguishing genomic alterations in cancer-associated genes that have functional impact on tumor growth and disease progression from the ones that are passengers and confer no fitness advantage have important clinical implications. Evidence-based methods for nominating drivers are limited by existing knowledge on the oncogenic effects and therapeutic benefits of specific variants from clinical trials or experimental settings. As clinical sequencing becomes a mainstay of patient care, applying computational methods to mine the rapidly growing clinical genomic data holds promise in uncovering functional candidates beyond the existing knowledge base and expanding the patient population that could potentially benefit from genetically targeted therapies. We propose a statistical and computational method (MAGPIE) that builds on a likelihood approach leveraging the mutual exclusivity pattern within an oncogenic pathway for identifying probabilistically both the specific genes within a pathway and the individual mutations within such genes that are truly the drivers. Alterations in a cancer-associated gene are assumed to be a mixture of driver and passenger mutations with the passenger rates modeled in relationship to tumor mutational burden. We use simulations to study the operating characteristics of the method and assess false-positive and false-negative rates in driver nomination. When applied to a large study of primary melanomas, the method accurately identifies the known driver genes within the RTK-RAS pathway and nominates several rare variants as prime candidates for functional validation. A comprehensive evaluation of MAGPIE against existing tools has also been conducted leveraging the Cancer Genome Atlas data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinjun Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Caroline Kostrzewa
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Allison Reiner
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ronglai Shen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Colin Begg
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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Nigam A, Krishnamoorthy G, Chatila W, Berman K, Saqcena M, Walch H, Ho A, Schultz N, Fagin J, Untch B. Cooperative Genomic Lesions in HRAS-Mutant Cancers Predict Resistance to Farnesyltransferase Inhibitors. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3154719. [PMID: 37503077 PMCID: PMC10371077 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3154719/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The clinical development of farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTI) for HRAS-mutant tumors showed mixed responses dependent on cancer type. Co-occurring mutations may affect response. We aimed to uncover cooperative genetic events specific to HRAS-mutant tumors and study their effect on FTI sensitivity. Using targeted sequencing data from MSK-IMPACT and DFCI-GENIE databases we identified co-mutations in HRAS- vs KRAS- and NRAS-mutant cancers. HRAS-mutant cancers had a higher frequency of co-altered mutations (48.8%) in MAPK, PI3K, or RTK pathways genes compared to KRAS- and NRAS-mutant cancers (41.4% and 38.4%, respectively; p < 0.05). Class 3 BRAF, NF1, PTEN, and PIK3CA mutations were more prevalent in HRAS-mutant lineages. To study the effect of comutations on FTI sensitivity, HrasG13R was transfected into 'RASless' (Kraslox/lox;Hras-/-;Nras-/-) mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) which sensitized non-transfected MEFs to tipifarnib. Comutation in the form of Pten or Nf1 deletion or Pik3caH1047R or BrafG466E transduction led to relative resistance to tipifarnib in HrasG13R MEFs in the presence or absence of KrasWT. Combined treatment of tipifarnib with MEK inhibition sensitized cells to tipifarnib, including in MEFs with PI3K pathway comutations. HRAS-mutant tumors demonstrate lineage demonstrate lineage-dependent MAPK/PI3K pathway alterations that confer relative resistance to tipifarnib. Combined FTI and MEK inhibition is a promising combination for HRAS-mutant tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Alan Ho
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
| | - Nikolaus Schultz
- Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
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6
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Delyon J, Vallet A, Bernard-Cacciarella M, Kuzniak I, Reger de Moura C, Louveau B, Jouenne F, Mourah S, Lebbé C, Dumaz N. TERT Expression Induces Resistance to BRAF and MEK Inhibitors in BRAF-Mutated Melanoma In Vitro. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15112888. [PMID: 37296851 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15112888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Because BRAF-mutated melanomas are addicted to the Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathway they show a high response rate to BRAF and MEK inhibitors. However, the clinical responses to these inhibitors are often short-lived with the rapid onset of resistance to treatment. Deciphering the molecular mechanisms driving resistance has been the subject of intense research. Recent in vitro and clinical data have suggested a link between expression of telomerase and resistance to targeted therapy in melanoma. TERT promoter mutations are the main mechanism for the continuous upregulation of telomerase in melanoma and co-occur frequently with BRAF alterations. To understand how TERT promoter mutations could be associated with resistance to targeted therapy in melanoma, we conducted translational and in vitro studies. In a cohort of V600E-BRAF-mutated melanoma patients, we showed that the TERT promoter mutation status and TERT expression tended to be associated with response to BRAF and MEK inhibitors. We demonstrated that TERT overexpression in BRAF-mutated melanoma cells reduced sensitivity to BRAF and MEK independently of TERT's telomer maintenance activity. Interestingly, inhibition of TERT reduced growth of BRAF-mutated melanoma including resistant cells. TERT expression in melanoma can therefore be a new biomarker for resistance to MAPK inhibitors as well as a novel therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Delyon
- INSERM, U976, Team 1, Human Immunology Pathophysiology & Immunotherapy (HIPI), F-75010 Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Institut de Recherche Saint Louis (IRSL), F-75010 Paris, France
- Département de Dermatologie, Hôpital Saint Louis, AP-HP, F-75010 Paris, France
| | - Anaïs Vallet
- INSERM, U976, Team 1, Human Immunology Pathophysiology & Immunotherapy (HIPI), F-75010 Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Institut de Recherche Saint Louis (IRSL), F-75010 Paris, France
| | - Mélanie Bernard-Cacciarella
- INSERM, U976, Team 1, Human Immunology Pathophysiology & Immunotherapy (HIPI), F-75010 Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Institut de Recherche Saint Louis (IRSL), F-75010 Paris, France
- Département de Dermatologie, Hôpital Saint Louis, AP-HP, F-75010 Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Kuzniak
- INSERM, U976, Team 1, Human Immunology Pathophysiology & Immunotherapy (HIPI), F-75010 Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Institut de Recherche Saint Louis (IRSL), F-75010 Paris, France
| | - Coralie Reger de Moura
- INSERM, U976, Team 1, Human Immunology Pathophysiology & Immunotherapy (HIPI), F-75010 Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Institut de Recherche Saint Louis (IRSL), F-75010 Paris, France
- Département de Pharmacogénomique, Hôpital Saint Louis, AP-HP, F-75010 Paris, France
| | - Baptiste Louveau
- INSERM, U976, Team 1, Human Immunology Pathophysiology & Immunotherapy (HIPI), F-75010 Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Institut de Recherche Saint Louis (IRSL), F-75010 Paris, France
- Département de Pharmacogénomique, Hôpital Saint Louis, AP-HP, F-75010 Paris, France
| | - Fanélie Jouenne
- INSERM, U976, Team 1, Human Immunology Pathophysiology & Immunotherapy (HIPI), F-75010 Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Institut de Recherche Saint Louis (IRSL), F-75010 Paris, France
- Département de Pharmacogénomique, Hôpital Saint Louis, AP-HP, F-75010 Paris, France
| | - Samia Mourah
- INSERM, U976, Team 1, Human Immunology Pathophysiology & Immunotherapy (HIPI), F-75010 Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Institut de Recherche Saint Louis (IRSL), F-75010 Paris, France
- Département de Pharmacogénomique, Hôpital Saint Louis, AP-HP, F-75010 Paris, France
| | - Céleste Lebbé
- INSERM, U976, Team 1, Human Immunology Pathophysiology & Immunotherapy (HIPI), F-75010 Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Institut de Recherche Saint Louis (IRSL), F-75010 Paris, France
- Département de Dermatologie, Hôpital Saint Louis, AP-HP, F-75010 Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Dumaz
- INSERM, U976, Team 1, Human Immunology Pathophysiology & Immunotherapy (HIPI), F-75010 Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Institut de Recherche Saint Louis (IRSL), F-75010 Paris, France
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Ma XY, Tian K, Sun PF. Multiple primary malignant neoplasm: Case report and comprehensive literature review. Front Oncol 2023; 12:1090634. [PMID: 36686734 PMCID: PMC9846320 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1090634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple primary tumors, especially quadruple primary tumors, are extremely rare clinically, and there is no standard protocol for clinical management. We described a case in which a bone tumor, a malignant bladder tumor, a malignant melanoma, and an intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma were all original malignancies. The patient is a 79-year-old woman who underwent surgery for a left middle finger bone tumor 45 years ago, as well as surgery for bladder malignancy and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy 15 years ago, and the precise pathological results and treatment are unclear. One year ago, she underwent amputation of the toe due to a black mass of the right toe and was diagnosed pathologically as a freckled malignant melanoma of the extremity. Prior to postoperative adjuvant systemic medication, PET/CT revealed malignancy in the lateral segment of the left lobe of the liver, and multiple lymphadenopathies in the left parotid gland, hilar hepatic, and retroperitoneal region. Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma was found in the liver puncture biopsy's pathology report. The serum sample's next-generation sequencing (NGS) revealed a missense mutation, designated P.G12V, in exon 2 of the KRAS gene. Based on patients with malignant melanoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, she received 6 cycles of GP (gemcitabine/cisplatin) combined with Camrelizumab systemic therapy, and followed by 3 cycles of Camrelizumab maintenance therapy, the efficacy was evaluated as stable disease (SD) during treatment. When the 4th cycle of Camrelizumab was suggested for maintenance therapy, the efficacy evaluation revealed that the tumor had greatly advanced. The patient refused to continue anti-tumor therapy and passed away from septic shock and multiple organ failure 3 months later. The patient had satisfactory efficacy and lived for a year after being diagnosed with two primary cancers. Despite the rarity of quadruple primary tumors and the lack of a conventional clinical management strategy, we postulate that germline mutations in the KRAS gene may be closely associated with the formation and development of multiple primary tumors. NGS testing is necessary for clinical management, and systemic treatment based on concurrent multiple main tumors is the key to improving prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Yan Ma
- Department of Oncology, Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China,Department of Radiotherapy, Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Kun Tian
- Department of Medical Oncology, Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Peng-Fei Sun
- Department of Radiotherapy, Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China,*Correspondence: Peng-Fei Sun,
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Caksa S, Baqai U, Aplin AE. The future of targeted kinase inhibitors in melanoma. Pharmacol Ther 2022; 239:108200. [PMID: 35513054 PMCID: PMC10187889 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2022.108200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Melanoma is a cancer of the pigment-producing cells of the body and its incidence is rising. Targeted inhibitors that act against kinases in the MAPK pathway are approved for BRAF-mutant metastatic cutaneous melanoma and increase patients' survival. Response to these therapies is limited by drug resistance and is less durable than with immune checkpoint inhibition. Conversely, rare melanoma subtypes have few therapeutic options for advanced disease and MAPK pathway targeting agents show minimal anti-tumor effects. Nevertheless, there is a future for targeted kinase inhibitors in melanoma: in new applications such as adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy and in novel combinations with immunotherapies or other targeted therapies. Pre-clinical studies continue to identify tumor dependencies and their corresponding actionable drug targets, paving the way for rational targeted kinase inhibitor combinations as a personalized medicine approach for melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Signe Caksa
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Usman Baqai
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Andrew E Aplin
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
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Characterization of Vemurafenib-Resistant Melanoma Cell Lines Reveals Novel Hallmarks of Targeted Therapy Resistance. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23179910. [PMID: 36077308 PMCID: PMC9455970 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Regardless of the significant improvements in treatment of melanoma, the majority of patients develop resistance whose mechanisms are still not completely understood. Hence, we generated and characterized two melanoma-derived cell lines, primary WM793B and metastatic A375M, with acquired resistance to the RAF inhibitor vemurafenib. The morphology of the resistant primary WM793B melanoma cells showed EMT-like features and exhibited a hybrid phenotype with both epithelial and mesenchymal characteristics. Surprisingly, the vemurafenib-resistant melanoma cells showed a decreased migration ability but also displayed a tendency to collective migration. Signaling pathway analysis revealed the reactivation of MAPK and the activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway depending on the vemurafenib-resistant cell line. The acquired resistance to vemurafenib caused resistance to chemotherapy in primary WM793B melanoma cells. Furthermore, the cell-cycle analysis and altered levels of cell-cycle regulators revealed that resistant cells likely transiently enter into cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase and gain slow-cycling cell features. A decreased level of NME1 and NME2 metastasis suppressor proteins were found in WM793B-resistant primary melanoma, which is possibly the result of vemurafenib-acquired resistance and is one of the causes of increased PI3K/AKT signaling. Further studies are needed to reveal the vemurafenib-dependent negative regulators of NME proteins, their role in PI3K/AKT signaling, and their influence on vemurafenib-resistant melanoma cell characteristics.
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10
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Mohammed NBB, Antonopoulos A, Dell A, Haslam SM, Dimitroff CJ. The pleiotropic role of galectin-3 in melanoma progression: Unraveling the enigma. Adv Cancer Res 2022; 157:157-193. [PMID: 36725108 PMCID: PMC9895887 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2022.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Melanoma is a highly aggressive skin cancer with poor outcomes associated with distant metastasis. Intrinsic properties of melanoma cells alongside the crosstalk between melanoma cells and surrounding microenvironment determine the tumor behavior. Galectin-3 (Gal-3), a ß-galactoside-binding lectin, has emerged as a major effector in cancer progression, including melanoma behavior. Data from melanoma models and patient studies reveal that Gal-3 expression is dysregulated, both intracellularly and extracellularly, throughout the stages of melanoma progression. This review summarizes the most recent data and hypotheses on Gal-3 and its tumor-modulating functions, highlighting its role in driving melanoma growth, invasion, and metastatic colonization. It also provides insight into potential Gal-3-targeted strategies for melanoma diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norhan B B Mohammed
- Department of Translational Medicine, Translational Glycobiology Institute at FIU (TGIF), Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States; Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt
| | | | - Anne Dell
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stuart M Haslam
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Charles J Dimitroff
- Department of Translational Medicine, Translational Glycobiology Institute at FIU (TGIF), Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States.
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11
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Gene Identification and Potential Drug Therapy for Drug-Resistant Melanoma with Bioinformatics and Deep Learning Technology. DISEASE MARKERS 2022; 2022:2461055. [PMID: 35915735 PMCID: PMC9338845 DOI: 10.1155/2022/2461055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background. Melanomas are skin malignant tumors that arise from melanocytes which are primarily treated with surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy, etc. Targeted therapy is a promising approach to treating advanced melanomas, but resistance always occurs. This study is aimed at identifying the potential target genes and candidate drugs for drug-resistant melanoma effectively with computational methods. Methods. Identification of genes associated with drug-resistant melanomas was conducted using the text mining tool pubmed2ensembl. Further gene screening was carried out by GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses. The PPI network was constructed using STRING database and Cytoscape. GEPIA was used to perform the survival analysis and conduct the Kaplan-Meier curve. Drugs targeted at these genes were selected in Pharmaprojects. The binding affinity scores of drug-target interactions were predicted by DeepPurpose. Results. A total of 433 genes were found associated with drug-resistant melanomas by text mining. The most statistically differential functional enriched pathways of GO and KEGG analyses contained 348 genes, and 27 hub genes were further screened out by MCODE in Cytoscape. Six genes were identified with statistical differences after survival analysis and literature review. 16 candidate drugs targeted at hub genes were found by Pharmaprojects under our restrictions. Finally, 11 ERBB2-targeted drugs with top affinity scores were predicted by DeepPurpose, including 10 ERBB2 kinase inhibitors and 1 antibody-drug conjugate. Conclusion. Text mining and bioinformatics are valuable methods for gene identification in drug discovery. DeepPurpose is an efficient and operative deep learning tool for predicting the DTI and selecting the candidate drugs.
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12
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Zhang S, Xiong Y, Zheng C, Long J, Zhou H, Zeng Z, Ouyang Y, Tang F. Crosstalk Between Four Types of RNA Modification Writers Characterizes the Tumor Immune Microenvironment Infiltration Patterns in Skin Cutaneous Melanoma. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:821678. [PMID: 35155433 PMCID: PMC8826580 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.821678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The “writers” of four types of adenosine (A)-related RNA modifications (N6-methyladenosine, N1-methyladenosine, alternative polyadenylation, as well as A-to-inosine RNA editing) are closely related to the tumorigenesis and progression of many cancer types, including skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM). However, the potential roles of the crosstalk between these RNA modification “writers” in the tumor microenvironment (TME) remain unclear. The RNA modification patterns were identified using an unsupervised clustering method. Subsequently, based on differentially expressed genes responsible for the aforementioned RNA modification patterns, an RNA modification “writer” scoring model (W_Score) was constructed to quantify the RNA modification-associated subtypes in individual patients. Moreover, a correlation analysis for W_Score and the TME characteristics, clinical features, molecular subtypes, drug sensitivities, immune responses, and prognosis was performed. We identified three RNA modification patterns, corresponding to distinct tumor immune microenvironment characteristics and survival outcomes. Based on the W_Score score, which was extracted from the RNA modification-related signature genes, patients with SKCM were divided into high- and low-W_Score groups. The low-W_Score group was characterized by better survival outcomes and strengthened immunocyte infiltration. Further analysis showed that the low-W_Score group was positively associated with higher tumor mutation burden and PD-L1 expression. Of note, two immunotherapy cohorts demonstrated that patients with low W_Score exhibited long-term clinical benefits and an enhanced immune response. This study is the first to systematically analyze four types of A-related RNA modifications in SKCM, revealing that these “writers” essentially contribute to TME complexity and diversity. We quantitatively evaluated the RNA modification patterns in individual tumors, which could aid in developing personalized immunotherapy strategies for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shichao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering in Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yu Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering in Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Chaochao Zheng
- Immune Cells and Antibody Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jinhua Long
- Immune Cells and Antibody Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Houming Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering in Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Zhu Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering in Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- *Correspondence: Fuzhou Tang, ; Yan Ouyang, ; Zhu Zeng,
| | - Yan Ouyang
- Immune Cells and Antibody Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- *Correspondence: Fuzhou Tang, ; Yan Ouyang, ; Zhu Zeng,
| | - Fuzhou Tang
- Immune Cells and Antibody Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- *Correspondence: Fuzhou Tang, ; Yan Ouyang, ; Zhu Zeng,
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13
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Li H, Wang Y, Su R, Jia Y, Lai X, Su H, Fan Y, Wang Y, Xing W, Qin J. Dimethyl Fumarate Combined With Vemurafenib Enhances Anti-Melanoma Efficacy via Inhibiting the Hippo/YAP, NRF2-ARE, and AKT/mTOR/ERK Pathways in A375 Melanoma Cells. Front Oncol 2022; 12:794216. [PMID: 35141161 PMCID: PMC8820202 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.794216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is a deadly form of skin cancer with high rates of resistance to traditional chemotherapy and radiotherapy. BRAF inhibitors (BRAFi) can achieve initial efficacy when used to treat melanoma patients, but drug resistance and relapse are common, emphasizing the need for new therapeutic strategies. Herein, we reported that combination of dimethyl fumarate (DMF) and vemurafenib (Vem) inhibited melanoma cell proliferation more significantly and induced more cell death than single agent did both in vitro and in vivo. DMF/Vem treatment induced cell death through inhibiting the expression and transcriptional activity of NRF2 thereby resulting in more reactive oxygen species (ROS) and via inhibiting the expression of YAP, a key downstream effector of Hippo pathway. DMF/Vem treatment also reduced phosphorylation of AKT, 4EBP1, P70S6K and ERK in AKT/mTOR/ERK signaling pathways. RNA-seq analysis revealed that DMF/Vem treatment specifically suppressed 4561 genes which belong to dozens of cell signaling pathways. These results indicated that DMF/Vem treatment manifested an enhanced antitumor efficacy through inhibiting multiple cell signaling pathways, and thus would be a novel promising therapeutic approach targeted for melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxia Li
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory for Molecular Regulation of the Cell, College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Yaping Wang
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory for Molecular Regulation of the Cell, College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Rina Su
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory for Molecular Regulation of the Cell, College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Yuchen Jia
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory for Molecular Regulation of the Cell, College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Xiong Lai
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory for Molecular Regulation of the Cell, College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Huimin Su
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory for Molecular Regulation of the Cell, College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Yaochun Fan
- Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hohhot, China
| | - Yuewu Wang
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory for Molecular Regulation of the Cell, College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Wanjin Xing
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory for Molecular Regulation of the Cell, College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
- *Correspondence: Wanjin Xing, ; Jianzhong Qin,
| | - Jianzhong Qin
- College of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Dalian University, Dalian, China
- *Correspondence: Wanjin Xing, ; Jianzhong Qin,
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14
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Li Y, Hu L, Xu C. Kirsten rat sarcoma inhibitors in clinical development against nonsmall cell lung cancer. Curr Opin Oncol 2022; 34:66-76. [PMID: 34690284 DOI: 10.1097/cco.0000000000000808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The unique structure made Kirsten rat sarcoma (KRAS) 'undruggable' for quite an extended period. The functional mechanism of this small protein is well illustrated. However, there is no precision medicine for nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients burden with KRAS mutation. The attempts made by scientists to make challenge history against KRAS mutation and their druggable targets are worth elucidating. RECENT FINDINGS The appearance of orphan drug AMG510 in the market specifically targeting KRASG12C is a tremendous breakthrough. Several KRAS inhibitors are under development now. More studies focus on combo treatment of KRAS inhibition and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Recent preclinical and clinical investigations have been reported that NSCLC patients with KRAS mutation can benefit from ICIs. SUMMARY The current review elucidates the development of KRAS inhibitors from basic research to clinical precision medicines. We retrospectively analyze the development of KRAS mutation targeting drugs and discuss the investigations for future development of KRAS inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunchang Li
- Integrative Cancer Center and Cancer Clinical Research Center, Sichuan Cancer Hospital and Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
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15
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Battaglia L, Scomparin A, Dianzani C, Milla P, Muntoni E, Arpicco S, Cavalli R. Nanotechnology Addressing Cutaneous Melanoma: The Italian Landscape. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:1617. [PMID: 34683910 PMCID: PMC8540596 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13101617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous melanoma is one of the most aggressive solid tumors, with a low survival for the metastatic stage. Currently, clinical melanoma treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and radiotherapy. Of note, innovative therapeutic regimens concern the administration of multitarget drugs in tandem, in order to improve therapeutic efficacy. However, also, if this drug combination is clinically relevant, the patient's response is not yet optimal. In this scenario, nanotechnology-based delivery systems can play a crucial role in the clinical treatment of advanced melanoma. In fact, their nano-features enable targeted drug delivery at a cellular level by overcoming biological barriers. Various nanomedicines have been proposed for the treatment of cutaneous melanoma, and a relevant number of them are undergoing clinical trials. In Italy, researchers are focusing on the pharmaceutical development of nanoformulations for malignant melanoma therapy. The present review reports an overview of the main melanoma-addressed nanomedicines currently under study in Italy, alongside the state of the art of melanoma therapy. Moreover, the latest Italian advances concerning the pre-clinical evaluation of nanomedicines for melanoma are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Battaglia
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Anna Scomparin
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
- . Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Chiara Dianzani
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Paola Milla
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Elisabetta Muntoni
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Silvia Arpicco
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Roberta Cavalli
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
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16
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Li B, Kong X, Post H, Raaijmakers L, Peeper DS, Altelaar M. Proteomics and Phosphoproteomics Profiling of Drug-Addicted BRAFi-Resistant Melanoma Cells. J Proteome Res 2021; 20:4381-4392. [PMID: 34343000 PMCID: PMC8419860 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.1c00331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Acquired resistance to MAPK inhibitors limits the clinical efficacy in melanoma treatment. We and others have recently shown that BRAF inhibitor (BRAFi)-resistant melanoma cells can develop a dependency on the therapeutic drugs to which they have acquired resistance, creating a vulnerability for these cells that can potentially be exploited in cancer treatment. In drug-addicted melanoma cells, it was shown that this induction of cell death was preceded by a specific ERK2-dependent phenotype switch; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely lacking. To increase the molecular understanding of this drug dependency, we applied a mass spectrometry-based proteomic approach on BRAFi-resistant BRAFMUT 451Lu cells, in which ERK1, ERK2, and JUNB were silenced separately using CRISPR-Cas9. Inactivation of ERK2 and, to a lesser extent, JUNB prevents drug addiction in these melanoma cells, while, conversely, knockout of ERK1 fails to reverse this phenotype, showing a response similar to that of control cells. Our analysis reveals that ERK2 and JUNB share comparable proteome responses dominated by reactivation of cell division. Importantly, we find that EMT activation in drug-addicted melanoma cells upon drug withdrawal is affected by silencing ERK2 but not ERK1. Moreover, transcription factor (regulator) enrichment shows that PIR acts as an effector of ERK2 and phosphoproteome analysis reveals that silencing of ERK2 but not ERK1 leads to amplification of GSK3 kinase activity. Our results depict possible mechanisms of drug addiction in melanoma, which may provide a guide for therapeutic strategies in drug-resistant melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bohui Li
- Biomolecular
Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Group, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical
Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht 3584 CH, The Netherlands
- Netherlands
Proteomics Center, Padualaan
8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Xiangjun Kong
- Division
of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, The
Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Harm Post
- Biomolecular
Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Group, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical
Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht 3584 CH, The Netherlands
- Netherlands
Proteomics Center, Padualaan
8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Linsey Raaijmakers
- Biomolecular
Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Group, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical
Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht 3584 CH, The Netherlands
- Netherlands
Proteomics Center, Padualaan
8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel S. Peeper
- Division
of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, The
Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maarten Altelaar
- Biomolecular
Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Group, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical
Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht 3584 CH, The Netherlands
- Netherlands
Proteomics Center, Padualaan
8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Molecular Changes Induced in Melanoma by Cell Culturing in 3D Alginate Hydrogels. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13164111. [PMID: 34439267 PMCID: PMC8394053 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13164111] [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: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The research field of 3D cell cultivation in hydrogels is continuously growing. To be able to analyze the reaction of melanoma cells to 3D cultivation in alginate hydrogel on a molecular level, whole transcriptome sequencing was performed. Intriguingly, we could not only unravel differences between the gene regulation in 2D and 3D cultures but could also correlate the culture switch to the physiological process of tumor plasticity based on the observed patterns. Thereby, the role of EGR1 in controlling tumor plasticity and progression in melanoma was revealed. We conclude that the combination of cell culture models using biomaterials and whole transcriptome analysis leads to a deeper molecular understanding of cancer cells, herewith defining new therapeutic targets. Abstract Alginate hydrogels have been used as a biomaterial for 3D culturing for several years. Here, gene expression patterns in melanoma cells cultivated in 3D alginate are compared to 2D cultures. It is well-known that 2D cell culture is not resembling the complex in vivo situation well. However, the use of very intricate 3D models does not allow performing high-throughput screening and analysis is highly complex. 3D cell culture strategies in hydrogels will better mimic the in vivo situation while they maintain feasibility for large-scale analysis. As alginate is an easy-to-use material and due to its favorable properties, it is commonly applied as a bioink component in the growing field of cell encapsulation and biofabrication. Yet, only a little information about the transcriptome in 3D cultures in hydrogels like alginate is available. In this study, changes in the transcriptome based on RNA-Seq data by cultivating melanoma cells in 3D alginate are analyzed and reveal marked changes compared to cells cultured on usual 2D tissue culture plastic. Deregulated genes represent valuable cues to signaling pathways and molecules affected by the culture method. Using this as a model system for tumor cell plasticity and heterogeneity, EGR1 is determined to play an important role in melanoma progression.
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McKenna S, García-Gutiérrez L. Resistance to Targeted Therapy and RASSF1A Loss in Melanoma: What Are We Missing? Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:5115. [PMID: 34066022 PMCID: PMC8150731 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22105115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is one of the most aggressive forms of skin cancer and is therapeutically challenging, considering its high mutation rate. Following the development of therapies to target BRAF, the most frequently found mutation in melanoma, promising therapeutic responses were observed. While mono- and combination therapies to target the MAPK cascade did induce a therapeutic response in BRAF-mutated melanomas, the development of resistance to MAPK-targeted therapies remains a challenge for a high proportion of patients. Resistance mechanisms are varied and can be categorised as intrinsic, acquired, and adaptive. RASSF1A is a tumour suppressor that plays an integral role in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis as a central signalling hub. RASSF1A tumour suppressor activity is commonly lost in melanoma, mainly by aberrant promoter hypermethylation. RASSF1A loss could be associated with several mechanisms of resistance to MAPK inhibition considering that most of the signalling pathways that RASSF1A controls are found to be altered targeted therapy resistant melanomas. Herein, we discuss resistance mechanisms in detail and the potential role for RASSF1A reactivation to re-sensitise BRAF mutant melanomas to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucía García-Gutiérrez
- Systems Biology Ireland, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland;
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Tudor DV, Bâldea I, Olteanu DE, Fischer-Fodor E, Piroska V, Lupu M, Călinici T, Decea RM, Filip GA. Celecoxib as a Valuable Adjuvant in Cutaneous Melanoma Treated with Trametinib. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:4387. [PMID: 33922284 PMCID: PMC8122835 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Melanoma patients stop responding to targeted therapies mainly due to mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway re-activation, phosphoinositide 3 kinase/the mechanistic target of rapamycin (PI3K/mTOR) pathway activation or stromal cell influence. The future of melanoma treatment lies in combinational approaches. To address this, our in vitro study evaluated if lower concentrations of Celecoxib (IC50 in nM range) could still preserve the chemopreventive effect on melanoma cells treated with trametinib. MATERIALS AND METHODS All experiments were conducted on SK-MEL-28 human melanoma cells and BJ human fibroblasts, used as co-culture. Co-culture cells were subjected to a celecoxib and trametinib drug combination for 72 h. We focused on the evaluation of cell death mechanisms, melanogenesis, angiogenesis, inflammation and resistance pathways. RESULTS Low-dose celecoxib significantly enhanced the melanoma response to trametinib. The therapeutic combination reduced nuclear transcription factor (NF)-kB (p < 0.0001) and caspase-8/caspase-3 activation (p < 0.0001), inhibited microphthalmia transcription factor (MITF) and tyrosinase (p < 0.05) expression and strongly down-regulated the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway more significantly than the control or trametinib group (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION Low concentrations of celecoxib (IC50 in nM range) sufficed to exert antineoplastic capabilities and enhanced the therapeutic response of metastatic melanoma treated with trametinib.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Valentina Tudor
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (D.V.T.); (I.B.); (M.L.); (R.M.D.); (G.A.F.)
| | - Ioana Bâldea
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (D.V.T.); (I.B.); (M.L.); (R.M.D.); (G.A.F.)
| | - Diana Elena Olteanu
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (D.V.T.); (I.B.); (M.L.); (R.M.D.); (G.A.F.)
| | - Eva Fischer-Fodor
- “Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuță” Oncology Institute, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (E.F.-F.); (V.P.)
| | - Virag Piroska
- “Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuță” Oncology Institute, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (E.F.-F.); (V.P.)
| | - Mihai Lupu
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (D.V.T.); (I.B.); (M.L.); (R.M.D.); (G.A.F.)
| | - Tudor Călinici
- Department of Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - Roxana Maria Decea
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (D.V.T.); (I.B.); (M.L.); (R.M.D.); (G.A.F.)
| | - Gabriela Adriana Filip
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (D.V.T.); (I.B.); (M.L.); (R.M.D.); (G.A.F.)
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20
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Mustachio LM, Chelariu-Raicu A, Szekvolgyi L, Roszik J. Targeting KRAS in Cancer: Promising Therapeutic Strategies. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:1204. [PMID: 33801965 PMCID: PMC7999304 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13061204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) is mutated in approximately 25% of all human cancers and is known to be a major player promoting and maintaining tumorigenesis through the RAS/MAPK pathway. Over the years, a large number of studies have identified strategies at different regulatory levels to tackle this 'difficult-to-target' oncoprotein. Yet, the most ideal strategy to overcome KRAS and its downstream effects has yet to be uncovered. This review summarizes the role of KRAS activating mutations in multiple cancer types as well as the key findings for potential strategies inhibiting its oncogenic behavior. A comprehensive analysis of the different pathways and mechanisms associated with KRAS activity in tumors will ultimately pave the way for promising future work that will identify optimum therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Maria Mustachio
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Center for Cancer Epigenetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Anca Chelariu-Raicu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany;
| | - Lorant Szekvolgyi
- Genome Architecture and Recombination Research Group, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, MTA-DE Momentum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4002 Debrecen, Hungary;
| | - Jason Roszik
- Department of Genomic Medicine, Division of Cancer Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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21
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Han J, Jung Y, Jun Y, Park S, Lee S. Elucidating molecular mechanisms of acquired resistance to BRAF inhibitors in melanoma using a microfluidic device and deep sequencing. Genomics Inform 2021; 19:e2. [PMID: 33840166 PMCID: PMC8042304 DOI: 10.5808/gi.20074] [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: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
BRAF inhibitors (e.g., vemurafenib) are widely used to treat metastatic melanoma with the BRAF V600E mutation. The initial response is often dramatic, but treatment resistance leads to disease progression in the majority of cases. Although secondary mutations in the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway are known to be responsible for this phenomenon, the molecular mechanisms governing acquired resistance are not known in more than half of patients. Here we report a genome- and transcriptome-wide study investigating the molecular mechanisms of acquired resistance to BRAF inhibitors. A microfluidic chip with a concentration gradient of vemurafenib was utilized to rapidly obtain therapy-resistant clones from two melanoma cell lines with the BRAF V600E mutation (A375 and SK-MEL-28). Exome and transcriptome data were produced from 13 resistant clones and analyzed to identify secondary mutations and gene expression changes. Various mechanisms, including phenotype switching and metabolic reprogramming, have been determined to contribute to resistance development differently for each clone. The roles of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, the master transcription factor in melanocyte differentiation/dedifferentiation, were highlighted in terms of phenotype switching. Our study provides an omics-based comprehensive overview of the molecular mechanisms governing acquired resistance to BRAF inhibitor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiyeon Han
- Department of Bio-information Science, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Korea
| | - Yeonjoo Jung
- Ewha Research Center for Systems Biology (ERCSB), Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Korea
| | - Yukyung Jun
- Ewha Research Center for Systems Biology (ERCSB), Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Korea
| | - Sungsu Park
- Center for Supercomputing Application, Division of National Supercomputing, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Sanghyuk Lee
- Department of Bio-information Science, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Korea
- Ewha Research Center for Systems Biology (ERCSB), Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Korea
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22
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Mechanisms of resistance and predictive biomarkers of response to targeted therapies and immunotherapies in metastatic melanoma. Curr Opin Oncol 2020; 32:91-97. [PMID: 31833956 DOI: 10.1097/cco.0000000000000603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Thanks to mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors (MAPKi) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), major progress has been made in the field of melanoma treatment. However, long-term success is still scarce because of the development of resistance. Understanding these mechanisms of resistance and identifying predictive genomic biomarkers are now key points in the therapeutic management of melanoma patients. RECENT FINDINGS Multiple and complex mechanisms of resistance to MAPKi or ICI have been uncovered in the past few years. The lack of response can be driven by mutations and nonmutational events in tumor cells, as well as by changes in the tumor microenvironment. Melanoma cells are also capable of rapidly switching their molecular and cellular phenotype, leading to an initial drug-tolerant favorizing melanoma resistance. Tumor molecular profiling and circulating tumor cell analyses are of high interest as predictive biomarkers as well as studying immunogenic changes and microbiome in ICI-treated patients. SUMMARY Resistance to MAPKi and ICI is a key point in therapeutic management of metastatic melanoma patients. Validated biomarkers predicting response to therapy are urgently needed to move toward personalized medicine. Combinatory treatments guided by the understanding of resistance mechanisms will be of major importance in the future of melanoma therapy.
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23
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Polini B, Carpi S, Doccini S, Citi V, Martelli A, Feola S, Santorelli FM, Cerullo V, Romanini A, Nieri P. Tumor Suppressor Role of hsa-miR-193a-3p and -5p in Cutaneous Melanoma. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E6183. [PMID: 32867069 PMCID: PMC7503447 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Remarkable deregulation of several microRNAs (miRNAs) is demonstrated in cutaneous melanoma. hsa-miR-193a-3p is reported to be under-expressed in tissues and in plasma of melanoma patients, but the role of both miR-193a arms in melanoma is not known yet. METHODS After observing the reduced levels of miR-193a arms in plasma exosomes of melanoma patients, the effects of hsa-miR-193a-3p and -5p transfection in cutaneous melanoma cell lines are investigated. RESULTS In melanoma cell lines A375, 501Mel, and MeWo, the ectopic over-expression of miR-193a arms significantly reduced cell viability as well as the expression of genes involved in proliferation (ERBB2, KRAS, PIK3R3, and MTOR) and apoptosis (MCL1 and NUSAP1). These functional features were accompanied by a significant downregulation of Akt and Erk pathways and a strong increase in the apoptotic process. Since in silico databases revealed TROY, an orphan member of the tumor necrosis receptor family, as a potential direct target of miR-193a-5p, this possibility was investigated using the luciferase assay and excluded by our results. CONCLUSIONS Our results underline a relevant role of miR-193a, both -3p and -5p, as tumor suppressors clarifying the intracellular mechanisms involved and suggesting that their ectopic over-expression could represent a novel treatment for cutaneous melanoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Polini
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (B.P.); (V.C.); (A.M.); (P.N.)
| | - Sara Carpi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (B.P.); (V.C.); (A.M.); (P.N.)
| | - Stefano Doccini
- Molecular Medicine for Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (S.D.); (F.M.S.)
| | - Valentina Citi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (B.P.); (V.C.); (A.M.); (P.N.)
| | - Alma Martelli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (B.P.); (V.C.); (A.M.); (P.N.)
| | - Sara Feola
- Laboratory of ImmunoViroTherapy (IVTLab), Drug Research Program (DRP), Translation Immunology Program (TRIMM), iCAN Precision Cancer Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (S.F.); (V.C.)
| | - Filippo Maria Santorelli
- Molecular Medicine for Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (S.D.); (F.M.S.)
| | - Vincenzo Cerullo
- Laboratory of ImmunoViroTherapy (IVTLab), Drug Research Program (DRP), Translation Immunology Program (TRIMM), iCAN Precision Cancer Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (S.F.); (V.C.)
| | - Antonella Romanini
- Medical Oncology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Paola Nieri
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (B.P.); (V.C.); (A.M.); (P.N.)
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24
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Comparison of Hydrogels for the Development of Well-Defined 3D Cancer Models of Breast Cancer and Melanoma. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12082320. [PMID: 32824576 PMCID: PMC7465483 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12082320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioprinting offers the opportunity to fabricate precise 3D tumor models to study tumor pathophysiology and progression. However, the choice of the bioink used is important. In this study, cell behavior was studied in three mechanically and biologically different hydrogels (alginate, alginate dialdehyde crosslinked with gelatin (ADA–GEL), and thiol-modified hyaluronan (HA-SH crosslinked with PEGDA)) with cells from breast cancer (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) and melanoma (Mel Im and MV3), by analyzing survival, growth, and the amount of metabolically active, living cells via WST-8 labeling. Material characteristics were analyzed by dynamic mechanical analysis. Cell lines revealed significantly increased cell numbers in low-percentage alginate and HA-SH from day 1 to 14, while only Mel Im also revealed an increase in ADA–GEL. MCF-7 showed a preference for 1% alginate. Melanoma cells tended to proliferate better in ADA–GEL and HA-SH than mammary carcinoma cells. In 1% alginate, breast cancer cells showed equally good proliferation compared to melanoma cell lines. A smaller area was colonized in high-percentage alginate-based hydrogels. Moreover, 3% alginate was the stiffest material, and 2.5% ADA–GEL was the softest material. The other hydrogels were in the same range in between. Therefore, cellular responses were not only stiffness-dependent. With 1% alginate and HA-SH, we identified matrices that enable proliferation of all tested tumor cell lines while maintaining expected tumor heterogeneity. By adapting hydrogels, differences could be accentuated. This opens up the possibility of understanding and analyzing tumor heterogeneity by biofabrication.
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25
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Borkowska A, Szumera-Ciećkiewicz A, Spałek M, Teterycz P, Czarnecka A, Kowalik A, Rutkowski P. Mutation profile of primary subungual melanomas in Caucasians. Oncotarget 2020; 11:2404-2413. [PMID: 32637031 PMCID: PMC7321700 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Specific genomic profile of cutaneous melanomas is related to UVR exposure, which exerts biological and therapeutic impact. Subungual melanoma (SUM) is an exceedingly rare disease; therefore, it is not well characterized. SUM pathogenesis is not related to UVR induced DNA damage and expected to differ from other melanoma subtypes. Our study aimed to define the mutation profile of SUM in Caucasians. Materials and Methods: Next-generation sequencing-based genomic analysis was used to identify frequently mutated loci in 50 cancer-related genes in 31 SUM primary tumors. Results: The most abundant mutations in SUM were found in KIT – in 13% of cases and NRAS – also in 13%, while BRAF - only in 3% of cases. Conclusions: Our findings confirmed a high frequency of KIT and NRAS mutations in SUM, as well as a low incidence of BRAF mutations. We reported novel KRAS, CTNNB1, TP53, ERBB2, and SMAD4 mutations in SUM. Our findings provide new insights into the molecular pathogenesis of SUM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneta Borkowska
- Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Szumera-Ciećkiewicz
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland.,Diagnostic Hematology Department, Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Mateusz Spałek
- Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Paweł Teterycz
- Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Czarnecka
- Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland.,Department of Experimental Pharmacology, Mossakowski Medical Research Centre, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Artur Kowalik
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Holy Cross Cancer Centre, Kielce, Poland.,Division of Medical Biology, Institute of Biology, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
| | - Piotr Rutkowski
- Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
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26
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Liebig JK, Kuphal S, Bosserhoff AK. HuRdling Senescence: HuR Breaks BRAF-Induced Senescence in Melanocytes and Supports Melanoma Growth. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12051299. [PMID: 32455577 PMCID: PMC7281285 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12051299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
In addition to genetic changes, post-transcriptional events strongly contribute to the progression of malignant tumors. The RNA-binding protein HuR (ELAVL1) is able to bind and stabilize a large group of target mRNAs, which contain AU-rich elements (ARE) in their 3′-untranslated region. We found HuR to be upregulated in malignant melanoma in vitro and in vivo, significantly correlating with progression in vivo. Additionally, we could show that miR-194-5p can regulate HuR expression level. HuR knockdown in melanoma cells led to the suppression of proliferation and the induction of cellular senescence. Interestingly, HuR overexpression was sufficient to inhibit senescence in BRAFV600E-expressing melanocytes and to force their growth. Here, MITF (Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor), a key player in suppressing senescence and an ARE containing transcript, is positively regulated by HuR. Our results show for the first time that the overexpression of HuR is an important part of the regulatory pathway in the development of malignant melanoma and functions as a switch to overcome oncogene-induced senescence and to support melanoma formation. These newly defined alterations may provide possibilities for innovative therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janika K. Liebig
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil-Fischer Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (J.K.L.); (S.K.)
| | - Silke Kuphal
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil-Fischer Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (J.K.L.); (S.K.)
| | - Anja Katrin Bosserhoff
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil-Fischer Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (J.K.L.); (S.K.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) Erlangen-EMN, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-9131-85-24191
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27
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Santana-Codina N, Chandhoke AS, Yu Q, Małachowska B, Kuljanin M, Gikandi A, Stańczak M, Gableske S, Jedrychowski MP, Scott DA, Aguirre AJ, Fendler W, Gray NS, Mancias JD. Defining and Targeting Adaptations to Oncogenic KRASG12C Inhibition Using Quantitative Temporal Proteomics. Cell Rep 2020; 30:4584-4599.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
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28
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Linck-Paulus L, Hellerbrand C, Bosserhoff AK, Dietrich P. Dissimilar Appearances Are Deceptive-Common microRNAs and Therapeutic Strategies in Liver Cancer and Melanoma. Cells 2020; 9:E114. [PMID: 31906510 PMCID: PMC7017070 DOI: 10.3390/cells9010114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
: In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on miRNAs as therapeutic targets in two cancer types that were frequently described to be driven by miRNAs-melanoma and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). By focusing on common microRNAs and associated pathways in these-at first sight-dissimilar cancer types, we aim at revealing similar molecular mechanisms that are evolved in microRNA-biology to drive cancer progression. Thereby, we also want to outlay potential novel therapeutic strategies. After providing a brief introduction to general miRNA biology and basic information about HCC and melanoma, this review depicts prominent examples of potent oncomiRs and tumor-suppressor miRNAs, which have been proven to drive diverse cancer types including melanoma and HCC. To develop and apply miRNA-based therapeutics for cancer treatment in the future, it is essential to understand how miRNA dysregulation evolves during malignant transformation. Therefore, we highlight important aspects such as genetic alterations, miRNA editing and transcriptional regulation based on concrete examples. Furthermore, we expand our illustration by focusing on miRNA-associated proteins as well as other regulators of miRNAs which could also provide therapeutic targets. Finally, design and delivery strategies of miRNA-associated therapeutic agents as well as potential drawbacks are discussed to address the question of how miRNAs might contribute to cancer therapy in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Linck-Paulus
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil-Fischer-Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (L.L.-P.); (C.H.)
| | - Claus Hellerbrand
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil-Fischer-Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (L.L.-P.); (C.H.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) Erlangen-EMN, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Anja K. Bosserhoff
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil-Fischer-Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (L.L.-P.); (C.H.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) Erlangen-EMN, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Peter Dietrich
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil-Fischer-Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (L.L.-P.); (C.H.)
- Department of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
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29
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Sun G, Su G, Liu F, Han W. NRAS Contributes to Retinoblastoma Progression Through SNHG16/miR-183-5p/NRAS Regulatory Network. Onco Targets Ther 2019; 12:10703-10715. [PMID: 31827328 PMCID: PMC6902855 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s232470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The oncogene of wild type neuroblastoma RAS viral oncogene homolog (NRAS) has been found to involve in the tumorigenesis of cancers. However, the role of NRAS in retinoblastoma (RB) progression remains largely unknown. Methods The expression levels of NRAS, miR-183-5p and small nucleolar RNA host gene 16 (SNHG16) were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay or Western blot assay, respectively. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were analyzed with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay or flow cytometry, respectively. Transwell assay was used to determine cell migration and invasion abilities. The interaction between miR-183-5p and NRAS or SNHG16 was analyzed using bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assay. Results NRAS was elevated in RB tissues and cell lines, knockdown of NRAS could inhibit proliferation, migration and invasion but induced apoptosis in vitro and suppressed tumor growth in vivo. NRAS was confirmed to be a target of miR-183-5p and was negatively regulated by miR-183-5p in RB cells. Moreover, overexpressed NRAS reversed miR-183-5p mediated inhibition on RB cell progression. Besides that, SNHG16 directly interacted with miR-183-5p and reduced miR-183-5p expression in RB cells. The suppression of RB cell progression induced by SNHG16 silencing could be partially attenuated by the inhibition of miR-183-5p. Besides that, SNHG16 could regulate NRAS expression through competitively binding to miR-183-5p in RB cells. Conclusion NRAS functioned as an oncogene to contribute to RB progression by SNHG16/miR-183-5p/NRAS regulatory network, indicating a novel and promising therapeutic target for RB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangli Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Gang Su
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Fang Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenjie Han
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan, People's Republic of China
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30
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Sheen Y, Tan K, Tse K, Liao Y, Lin M, Chen J, Liau J, Tseng Y, Lee C, Hong C, Liao J, Chang H, Chu C. Genetic alterations in primary melanoma in Taiwan. Br J Dermatol 2019; 182:1205-1213. [DOI: 10.1111/bjd.18425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Y.‐S. Sheen
- Department of Dermatology National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine Taipei Taiwan
| | | | | | - Y.‐H. Liao
- Department of Dermatology National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine Taipei Taiwan
| | - M.‐H. Lin
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine College of Medicine National Taiwan University Taipei Taiwan
- Department of Surgery National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin‐Chu Branch Hsin‐Chu Taiwan
| | - J.‐S. Chen
- Department of Dermatology National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine Taipei Taiwan
| | - J.‐Y. Liau
- Department of Pathology National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine Taipei Taiwan
| | - Y.‐J. Tseng
- Department of Dermatology Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Kaohsiung Taiwan
| | - C.‐H. Lee
- Department of Dermatology Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Kaohsiung Taiwan
- Department of Dermatology Chang Gung University College of Medicine Taoyuan Taiwan
| | - C.‐H. Hong
- Department of Dermatology Faculty of Medicine School of Medicine National Yang‐Ming University Taipei Taiwan
- Department of Dermatology Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital Kaohsiung Taiwan
| | - J.‐B. Liao
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital Kaohsiung Taiwan
| | - H.‐T. Chang
- Department of Surgery Kaohsiung Municipal United Hospital Kaohsiung Taiwan
- College of Management National Sun Yet‐sen University Kaohsiung Taiwan
| | - C.‐Y. Chu
- Department of Dermatology National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine Taipei Taiwan
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31
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Kappelmann-Fenzl M, Gebhard C, Matthies AO, Kuphal S, Rehli M, Bosserhoff AK. C-Jun drives melanoma progression in PTEN wild type melanoma cells. Cell Death Dis 2019; 10:584. [PMID: 31378787 PMCID: PMC6680049 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-019-1821-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 06/29/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Due to the critical impact of active AP-1 transcription factors in melanoma, it is important to define their target genes and to identify and ultimately inhibit oncogenic signals. Here we mapped the genome-wide occupancy of the AP-1 family member c-Jun in different melanoma cells and correlated AP-1 binding with transcriptome data to detect genes in melanoma regulated by c-Jun. Our analysis shows that c-Jun supports the malignant phenotype by deregulating genes in cancer-relevant signaling pathways, such as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) pathways. Moreover, we demonstrate that the importance of c-Jun depends on melanoma stage and mutation status of the tumor suppressor PTEN. Our study reveals that activation of c-Jun overrules the tumor suppressive effect of PTEN in early melanoma development. These findings help to understand the relevance of c-Jun within cancer pathways in different melanoma cell types, especially in relation to MAPK and PI3K pathways, which are commonly deregulated in melanomas. Consequently, targeting c-Jun in PTEN+ melanoma cells may represent a promising therapeutic strategy to inhibit survival of melanoma cells to prevent the development of a metastatic phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Kappelmann-Fenzl
- Institute of Biochemistry (Emil-Fischer Center), Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.,Faculty of Applied Health Care Sciences, University of Applied Science, Deggendorf, Germany
| | - Claudia Gebhard
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.,Regensburg Center for Interventional Immunology (RCI), University Regensburg and University Medical Center Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Alexander O Matthies
- Institute of Biochemistry (Emil-Fischer Center), Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Silke Kuphal
- Institute of Biochemistry (Emil-Fischer Center), Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Michael Rehli
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.,Regensburg Center for Interventional Immunology (RCI), University Regensburg and University Medical Center Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Anja Katrin Bosserhoff
- Institute of Biochemistry (Emil-Fischer Center), Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. .,Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC)-EMN, Erlangen, Germany.
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32
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Many ways to resistance: How melanoma cells evade targeted therapies. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2019; 1871:313-322. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2019.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 01/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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33
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Dietrich P, Hellerbrand C, Bosserhoff A. The Delta Subunit of Rod-Specific Photoreceptor cGMP Phosphodiesterase (PDE6D) Contributes to Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11030398. [PMID: 30901922 PMCID: PMC6468542 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11030398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence reveals crucial roles of wild type RAS in liver cancer. The delta subunit of rod-specific photoreceptor cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE6D) regulates the trafficking of RAS proteins to the plasma membrane and thereby contributes to RAS activation. However, the expression and specific function of PDE6D in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were completely unknown. In this study, PDE6D was newly found to be markedly upregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of PDE6D in HCC correlated with enhanced tumor stages, tumor grading, and ERK activation. PDE6D depletion significantly reduced proliferation, clonogenicity, and migration of HCC cells. Moreover, PDE6D was induced by TGF-β1, the mediator of stemness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and chemoresistance. In non-resistant cells, overexpression of PDE6D conferred resistance to sorafenib-induced toxicity. Further, PDE6D was overexpressed in sorafenib resistance, and inhibition of PDE6D reduced proliferation and migration in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. Together, PDE6D was found to be overexpressed in liver cancer and correlated with tumor stages, grading, and ERK activation. Moreover, PDE6D contributed to migration, proliferation, and sorafenib resistance in HCC cells, therefore representing a potential novel therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Dietrich
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil-Fischer-Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander-University, Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
- Department of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University, Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Claus Hellerbrand
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil-Fischer-Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander-University, Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
- Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) Erlangen-EMN, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Anja Bosserhoff
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil-Fischer-Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander-University, Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
- Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) Erlangen-EMN, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
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Peng H, Zeng X, Zhou Y, Zhang D, Nussinov R, Cheng F. A component overlapping attribute clustering (COAC) algorithm for single-cell RNA sequencing data analysis and potential pathobiological implications. PLoS Comput Biol 2019; 15:e1006772. [PMID: 30779739 PMCID: PMC6396937 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Revised: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in next-generation sequencing and computational technologies have enabled routine analysis of large-scale single-cell ribonucleic acid sequencing (scRNA-seq) data. However, scRNA-seq technologies have suffered from several technical challenges, including low mean expression levels in most genes and higher frequencies of missing data than bulk population sequencing technologies. Identifying functional gene sets and their regulatory networks that link specific cell types to human diseases and therapeutics from scRNA-seq profiles are daunting tasks. In this study, we developed a Component Overlapping Attribute Clustering (COAC) algorithm to perform the localized (cell subpopulation) gene co-expression network analysis from large-scale scRNA-seq profiles. Gene subnetworks that represent specific gene co-expression patterns are inferred from the components of a decomposed matrix of scRNA-seq profiles. We showed that single-cell gene subnetworks identified by COAC from multiple time points within cell phases can be used for cell type identification with high accuracy (83%). In addition, COAC-inferred subnetworks from melanoma patients' scRNA-seq profiles are highly correlated with survival rate from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Moreover, the localized gene subnetworks identified by COAC from individual patients' scRNA-seq data can be used as pharmacogenomics biomarkers to predict drug responses (The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves ranges from 0.728 to 0.783) in cancer cell lines from the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC) database. In summary, COAC offers a powerful tool to identify potential network-based diagnostic and pharmacogenomics biomarkers from large-scale scRNA-seq profiles. COAC is freely available at https://github.com/ChengF-Lab/COAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Peng
- Department of Computer Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Xiangxiang Zeng
- Department of Computer Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Yadi Zhou
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ohio University, Athens, OH, United States of America
| | - Defu Zhang
- Department of Computer Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Ruth Nussinov
- Cancer and Inflammation Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD, United States of America
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Feixiong Cheng
- Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States of America
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, United States of America
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Neuroblastoma RAS Viral Oncogene Homolog (NRAS) Is a Novel Prognostic Marker and Contributes to Sorafenib Resistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Neoplasia 2019; 21:257-268. [PMID: 30685691 PMCID: PMC6370713 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2018.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2018] [Revised: 10/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of the RAS-RAF-ERK-pathway using sorafenib as a first-line and regorafenib as a second-line treatment approach is the only effective therapeutic strategy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recent studies suggest that wild-type KRAS and HRAS isoforms could majorly contribute to HCC progression and sorafenib resistance. In contrast, the role of neuroblastoma RAS viral oncogene homolog (NRAS) in HCC remained elusive. In this study, wild-type NRAS was found to be overexpressed in HCC cell lines, preclinical HCC models, and human HCC tissues. Moreover, NRAS overexpression correlated with poor survival and proliferation in vivo. However, si-RNA-pool–mediated NRAS knockdown showed only slight effects on HCC proliferation, clonogenicity, and AKT activity. We determined that KRAS upregulation served as a functional compensatory mechanism in the absence of NRAS, which was overcome by combined inhibition of NRAS and KRAS in HCC cells. Furthermore, NRAS expression was elevated in sorafenib-resistant compared to nonresistant HCC cells, and NRAS knockdown enhanced sorafenib efficacy in resistant cells. In summary, NRAS appears to be a prognostic marker in HCC and contributes to sorafenib resistance. Regarding potential therapeutic strategies, NRAS inhibition in HCC should be combined with KRAS inhibition to prevent KRAS-mediated rescue effects.
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Dun S, Gao L. Tanshinone I attenuates proliferation and chemoresistance of cervical cancer in a KRAS-dependent manner. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 2018; 33:e22267. [PMID: 30506648 DOI: 10.1002/jbt.22267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Revised: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Chemoresistance is a common occurrence during advanced or recurrent cervical cancer therapy when treated by conventional treatment, platinum-based chemotherapy. This study aimed to investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of tanshinone I on attenuating proliferation and chemoresistance of cervical cancer cells. In cervical cancer cells, cell proliferation was examined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), cell count, and soft-agar colony-formation assay. rVista analysis and luciferase reporter assay were used to explore the upstream regulator of KRAS, and the expression levels of key genes were also detected. Western blot analysis showed that tanshinone I significantly suppressed KRAS expression and inhibited AKT phosphorylation. rVista analysis and luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that ELK1 can binds directly to KRAS promoter and positively regulates KRAS expression. MTT assay showed that KRAS or ELK1 overexpression significantly attenuated the suppressive effects of tanshinone I on HeLa cells proliferation. In addition, tanshinone I recovered the cisplatin sensitivity of HeLa CR cells, whereas KRAS or ELK1 overexpression significantly inhibited this phenomenon. Our results suggested that tanshinone I had anticancer effects on cervical cancer cells via inhibiting ELK1 and downregulating KRAS-AKT axis, which subsequently suppressed the proliferation and cisplatin resistance of cervical cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sidi Dun
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Daqing Oilfield General Hospital, Daqing, China
| | - Lan Gao
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Daqing Oilfield General Hospital, Daqing, China
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Zou L, Ding W, Zhang Y, Cheng S, Li F, Ruan R, Wei P, Qiu B. Peptide-modified vemurafenib-loaded liposomes for targeted inhibition of melanoma via the skin. Biomaterials 2018; 182:1-12. [PMID: 30096444 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2018] [Revised: 07/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Vemurafenib is a chemotherapeutic drug recently approved by the FDA to treat melanoma. Because the drug is usually delivered orally, the route of administration readily causes damage to major organs with limited antitumor efficacy and bioavailability. In this study, we developed a peptide-modified vemurafenib-loaded liposome for the targeted inhibition of subcutaneous melanoma via the skin. First, the peptide-modified vemurafenib-loaded liposomes (Vem-TD-Lip) were prepared and characterized with respect to the size, shape and charge; the loading efficiency of vemurafenib; and the stability. Then, the intracellular uptake of these liposomes, their limited cytotoxicity, the selective inhibition of melanoma cells harboring BRAF mutations, and the liposome permeation ability were confirmed through in vitro experiments. Finally, the safety and antitumor activity of Vem-TD-Lip were evaluated in vivo. The results showed that transdermal delivery of Vem-TD-Lip effectively targeted and inhibited subcutaneous melanoma in male mice, the administration of Vem-TD-Lip through skin was better than that through oral administration and intravenous injection in terms of reducing damage to major organs and enhancing antitumor efficacy, and the peptide TD significantly enhanced the delivery of Vem-TD-Lip across the skin. This work provides a new strategy for delivering vemurafenib to target and inhibit subcutaneous melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Zou
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China; Department of Electronic Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China; Guangdong Institute of Medical Instruments & National Engineering Research Center for Healthcare Devices, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510500, China
| | - Weiping Ding
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China; Department of Electronic Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China.
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China; Department of Electronic Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Shaohui Cheng
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China; Department of Critical Care Medicine, Anhui Provincial Hospital, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
| | - Fenfen Li
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China; Department of Electronic Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Renquan Ruan
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China; School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Pengfei Wei
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China; School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Bensheng Qiu
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China; Department of Electronic Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
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Dietrich P, Kuphal S, Spruss T, Hellerbrand C, Bosserhoff AK. MicroRNA-622 is a novel mediator of tumorigenicity in melanoma by targeting Kirsten rat sarcoma. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2018; 31:614-629. [PMID: 29495114 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The network of molecular players is similar when comparing neural crest-derived, actively migrating melanoblasts to melanoma cells. However, melanoblasts are sensitive to differentiation-initiating signals at their target site (epidermis), while melanoma cells maintain migratory and undifferentiated features. We aimed at identifying downregulated genes in melanoma that are particularly upregulated in melanoblasts. Loss of such genes could contribute to stabilization of a dedifferentiated, malignant phenotype in melanoma. We determined that microRNA-622 (miR-622) expression was strongly downregulated in melanoma cells and tissues compared to melanocytes and melanoblast-related cells. miR-622 expression correlated with survival of patients with melanoma. miR-622 re-expression inhibited clonogenicity, proliferation, and migration in melanoma. Inhibition of miR-622 in melanocytes induced enhanced migration. Kirsten rat sarcoma (KRAS) was identified as a major functional target of miR-622 in melanoma. We conclude that miR-622 is a novel tumor suppressor in melanoma and identify the miR-622-KRAS axis as potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Dietrich
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil-Fischer Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Silke Kuphal
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil-Fischer Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Thilo Spruss
- Institute of Pharmacy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Claus Hellerbrand
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil-Fischer Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.,Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Anja K Bosserhoff
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil-Fischer Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.,Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen, Germany
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Combined effects of PLK1 and RAS in hepatocellular carcinoma reveal rigosertib as promising novel therapeutic "dual-hit" option. Oncotarget 2017; 9:3605-3618. [PMID: 29423069 PMCID: PMC5790486 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.23188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2017] [Accepted: 12/03/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of RAS-RAF-ERK-signaling is a major mechanism mediated by the multi-kinase inhibitors sorafenib and regorafenib, the only effective therapeutic approaches for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This underlines the importance of RAS-RAF-ERK-signaling in HCC. Most RAS isoforms were not yet described to play crucial roles in HCC. However, several studies indicate that the HRAS isoform can function as potent oncogene in HCC, but pharmacologic RAS inhibition has not yet been investigated. Moreover, the cell cycle promoting polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is an increasingly recognized therapeutic target in HCC that can be activated by RAS-RAF-signaling. A recently developed small molecule inhibitor, ON-01910 ("rigosertib", RGS), was shown to interfere with both RAS- and PLK1-signaling. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of RGS in HCC and to assess PLK1 and HRAS expression in HCC. RGS treatment reduced cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest in human HCC cell lines in vitro. Moreover, RGS strongly inhibited both ERK- and AKT-activation in HCC cells, indicating disruption of RAS-signaling. Analysis of HCC patient data showed that PLK1 and HRAS expression levels are upregulated during HCC development and in advanced HCC, respectively. High expression levels of PLK1 significantly correlated with poor patient survival. Moreover, high expression of both PLK1 and HRAS revealed combined effects on patient outcome. This underscores the importance of these genes and associated pathways in HCC. We newly demonstrate the therapeutic potential of RGS in HCC by inhibition of both PLK1 activation and major RAS-pathways, revealing a novel therapeutic "dual-hit" approach for HCC.
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