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Guo S, Zheng S, Liu M, Wang G. Novel Anti-Cancer Stem Cell Compounds: A Comprehensive Review. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:1024. [PMID: 39204369 PMCID: PMC11360402 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16081024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 07/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) possess a significant ability to renew themselves, which gives them a strong capacity to form tumors and expand to encompass additional body areas. In addition, they possess inherent resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapies used to treat many forms of cancer. Scientists have focused on investigating the signaling pathways that are highly linked to the ability of CSCs to renew themselves and maintain their stem cell properties. The pathways encompassed are Notch, Wnt/β-catenin, hedgehog, STAT3, NF-κB, PI-3K/Akt/mTOR, sirtuin, ALDH, MDM2, and ROS. Recent studies indicate that directing efforts towards CSC cells is essential in eradicating the overall cancer cell population and reducing the likelihood of tumor metastasis. As our comprehension of the mechanisms that stimulate CSC activity, growth, and resistance to chemotherapy advances, the discovery of therapeutic drugs specifically targeting CSCs, such as small-molecule compounds, holds the potential to revolutionize cancer therapy. This review article examines and analyzes the novel anti-CSC compounds that have demonstrated effective and selective targeting of pathways associated with the renewal and stemness of CSCs. We also discussed their special drug metabolism and absorption mechanisms. CSCs have been the subject of much study in cancer biology. As a possible treatment for malignancies, small-molecule drugs that target CSCs are gaining more and more attention. This article provides a comprehensive review of the current state of key small-molecule compounds, summarizes their recent developments, and anticipates the future discovery of even more potent and targeted compounds, opening up new avenues for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanchun Guo
- RCMI Cancer Research Center and Department of Chemistry, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA 70125, USA;
| | - Shilong Zheng
- RCMI Cancer Research Center and Department of Chemistry, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA 70125, USA;
| | - Mingli Liu
- Department of Biochemistry & Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA;
| | - Guangdi Wang
- RCMI Cancer Research Center and Department of Chemistry, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA 70125, USA;
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Han X, Qin H, Lu Y, Chen H, Yuan Z, Zhang Y, Yang X, Zheng L, Yan S. Post-translational modifications: The potential ways for killing cancer stem cells. Heliyon 2024; 10:e34015. [PMID: 39092260 PMCID: PMC11292267 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
While strides in cancer treatment continue to advance, the enduring challenges posed by cancer metastasis and recurrence persist as formidable contributors to the elevated mortality rates observed in cancer patients. Among the multifaceted factors implicated in tumor recurrence and metastasis, cancer stem cells (CSCs) emerge as noteworthy entities due to their inherent resistance to conventional therapies and heightened invasive capacities. Characterized by their notable abilities for self-renewal, differentiation, and initiation of tumorigenesis, the eradication of CSCs emerges as a paramount objective. Recent investigations increasingly emphasize the pivotal role of post-translational protein modifications (PTMs) in governing the self-renewal and replication capabilities of CSCs. This review accentuates the critical significance of several prevalent PTMs and the intricate interplay of PTM crosstalk in regulating CSC behavior. Furthermore, it posits that the manipulation of PTMs may offer a novel avenue for targeting and eliminating CSC populations, presenting a compelling perspective on cancer therapeutics with substantial potential for future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuedan Han
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Road, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Hai Qin
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital Guizhou Hospital, No. 206, Sixian Street, Baiyun District, Guiyang City, 550014, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Yu Lu
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Road, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Haitao Chen
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Road, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Zhengdong Yuan
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Road, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Yiwen Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Road, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Xuena Yang
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Road, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Lufeng Zheng
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Road, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Simin Yan
- Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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Chen H, Fang S, Zhu X, Liu H. Cancer-associated fibroblasts and prostate cancer stem cells: crosstalk mechanisms and implications for disease progression. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1412337. [PMID: 39092186 PMCID: PMC11291335 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1412337] [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: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The functional heterogeneity and ecological niche of prostate cancer stem cells (PCSCs), which are major drivers of prostate cancer development and treatment resistance, have attracted considerable research attention. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which are crucial components of the tumor microenvironment (TME), substantially affect PCSC stemness. Additionally, CAFs promote PCSC growth and survival by releasing signaling molecules and modifying the surrounding environment. Conversely, PCSCs may affect the characteristics and behavior of CAFs by producing various molecules. This crosstalk mechanism is potentially crucial for prostate cancer progression and the development of treatment resistance. Using organoids to model the TME enables an in-depth study of CAF-PCSC interactions, providing a valuable preclinical tool to accurately evaluate potential target genes and design novel treatment strategies for prostate cancer. The objective of this review is to discuss the current research on the multilevel and multitarget regulatory mechanisms underlying CAF-PCSC interactions and crosstalk, aiming to inform therapeutic approaches that address challenges in prostate cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Hao Liu
- Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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Roy SK, Srivastava S, McCance C, Shrivastava A, Morvant J, Shankar S, Srivastava RK. Clinical significance of PNO1 as a novel biomarker and therapeutic target of hepatocellular carcinoma. J Cell Mol Med 2024; 28:e18295. [PMID: 38722284 PMCID: PMC11081011 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The RNA-binding protein PNO1 plays an essential role in ribosome biogenesis. Recent studies have shown that it is involved in tumorigenesis; however, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to examine whether PNO1 can be used as a biomarker of HCC and also examine the therapeutic potential of PNO1 knockout for the treatment of HCC. PNO1 expression was upregulated in HCC and associated with poor prognosis. PNO1 expression was positively associated with tumour stage, lymph node metastasis and poor survival. PNO1 expression was significantly higher in HCC compared to that in fibrolamellar carcinoma or normal tissues. Furthermore, HCC tissues with mutant Tp53 expressed higher PNO1 than those with wild-type Tp53. PNO1 knockout suppressed cell viability, colony formation and EMT of HCC cells. Since activation of Notch signalling pathway promotes HCC, we measured the effects of PNO1 knockout on the components of Notch pathway and its targets. PNO1 knockout suppressed Notch signalling by modulating the expression of Notch ligands and their receptors, and downstream targets. PNO1 knockout also inhibited genes involved in surface adhesion, cell cycle, inflammation and chemotaxis. PNO1 knockout also inhibited colony and spheroid formation, cell migration and invasion, and markers of stem cells, pluripotency and EMT in CSCs. Overall, our data suggest that PNO1 can be used as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker of HCC, and knockout of PNO1 by CRISPR/Cas9 can be beneficial for the management of HCC by targeting CSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjit K. Roy
- Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, School of MedicineLouisiana State University HealthNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
| | | | - Caroline McCance
- Department of Cellular and Molecular BiologyTulane UniversityNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
| | | | - Jason Morvant
- Department of SurgeryOchsner Health SystemGretnaLouisianaUSA
| | - Sharmila Shankar
- Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care SystemNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
- John W. Deming Department of MedicineTulane University School of MedicineNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
| | - Rakesh K. Srivastava
- Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, School of MedicineLouisiana State University HealthNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
- Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care SystemNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
- Department of GeneticsLouisiana State University Health Sciences Center – New OrleansNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
- GLAXDoverDelawareUSA
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Wu J, Wang C, Cui X, Liu L, Wang L, Wang J, Xue X, Dang T. MicroRNA-128 acts as a suppressor in the progression of gastrointestinal stromal tumor by targeting B-lymphoma Mo-MLV insertion region 1. Clin Transl Oncol 2024; 26:363-374. [PMID: 38103120 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-023-03354-8] [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: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The critical role of microRNA-128 (miR-128) in gastrointestinal-related diseases has been documented. In the current study, we tried to clarify the specific role miR-128 in gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and the underlying mechanism. METHODS Differentially expressed genes in GIST were identified following bioinformatics analysis. Then, expression patterns of miR-128 and B-lymphoma Mo-MLV insertion region 1 (BMI-1) in clinical tissue samples and cell lines were characterized, followed by validation of their correlation. GIST-T1 cells were selected and transfected with different mimic, inhibitor, or siRNA plasmids, after which the biological functions were assayed. RESULTS We identified low miR-128 and high BMI-1 expression in GIST tissues of 78 patients and 4 GIST cell lines. Ectopic expression of miR-128 or silencing of BMI-1 suppressed the malignant potentials of GIST-T1 cells. As a target of miR-128, BMI-1 re-expression could partly counteract the suppressive effect of miR-128 on the malignancy of GIST-T1 cells. CONCLUSION Our study provided evidence that miR-128-mediated silencing of BMI-1 could prevent malignant progression of GIST, highlighting a promising anti-tumor target for combating GIST.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinbao Wu
- Inner Mongolia Institute of Digestive Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, No. 30, Hudemulin Street, Qingshan District, Baotou, 014030, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China
| | - Changjuan Wang
- Inner Mongolia Institute of Digestive Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, No. 30, Hudemulin Street, Qingshan District, Baotou, 014030, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China
| | - Xia Cui
- Inner Mongolia Institute of Digestive Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, No. 30, Hudemulin Street, Qingshan District, Baotou, 014030, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin Liu
- Inner Mongolia Institute of Digestive Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, No. 30, Hudemulin Street, Qingshan District, Baotou, 014030, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China
| | - Lu Wang
- Inner Mongolia Institute of Digestive Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, No. 30, Hudemulin Street, Qingshan District, Baotou, 014030, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Wang
- Inner Mongolia Institute of Digestive Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, No. 30, Hudemulin Street, Qingshan District, Baotou, 014030, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaohui Xue
- Inner Mongolia Institute of Digestive Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, No. 30, Hudemulin Street, Qingshan District, Baotou, 014030, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China
| | - Tong Dang
- Inner Mongolia Institute of Digestive Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, No. 30, Hudemulin Street, Qingshan District, Baotou, 014030, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China.
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Menssouri N, Poiraudeau L, Helissey C, Bigot L, Sabio J, Ibrahim T, Pobel C, Nicotra C, Ngo-Camus M, Lacroix L, Rouleau E, Tselikas L, Chauchereau A, Blanc-Durand F, Bernard-Tessier A, Patrikidou A, Naoun N, Flippot R, Colomba E, Fuerea A, Albiges L, Lavaud P, van de Wiel P, den Biezen E, Wesseling-Rozendaal Y, Ponce S, Michiels S, Massard C, Gautheret D, Barlesi F, André F, Besse B, Scoazec JY, Friboulet L, Fizazi K, Loriot Y. Genomic Profiling of Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Samples Resistant to Androgen Receptor Pathway Inhibitors. Clin Cancer Res 2023; 29:4504-4517. [PMID: 37364000 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-22-3736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The androgen receptor axis inhibitors (ARPI; e.g., enzalutamide, abiraterone acetate) are administered in daily practice for men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). However, not all patients respond, and mechanisms of both primary and acquired resistance remain largely unknown. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN In the prospective trial MATCH-R (NCT02517892), 59 patients with mCRPC underwent whole-exome sequencing (WES) and/or RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of samples collected before starting ARPI. Also, 18 patients with mCRPC underwent biopsy at time of resistance. The objectives were to identify genomic alterations associated with resistance to ARPIs as well as to describe clonal evolution. Associations of genomic and transcriptomic alterations with primary resistance were determined using Wilcoxon and Fisher exact tests. RESULTS WES analysis indicated that no single-gene genomic alterations were strongly associated with primary resistance. RNA-seq analysis showed that androgen receptor (AR) gene alterations and expression levels were similar between responders and nonresponders. RNA-based pathway analysis found that patients with primary resistance had a higher Hedgehog pathway score, a lower AR pathway score and a lower NOTCH pathway score than patients with a response. Subclonal evolution and acquisition of new alterations in AR-related genes or neuroendocrine differentiation are associated with acquired resistance. ARPIs do not induce significant changes in the tumor transcriptome of most patients; however, programs associated with cell proliferation are enriched in resistant samples. CONCLUSIONS Low AR activity, activation of stemness programs, and Hedgehog pathway were associated with primary ARPIs' resistance, whereas most acquired resistance was associated with subclonal evolution, AR-related events, and neuroendocrine differentiation. See related commentary by Slovin, p. 4323.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoual Menssouri
- Inserm U981, Molecular Predictors and New Targets in Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
| | - Loïc Poiraudeau
- Inserm U981, Molecular Predictors and New Targets in Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
| | | | - Ludovic Bigot
- Inserm U981, Molecular Predictors and New Targets in Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
| | - Jonathan Sabio
- Inserm U981, Molecular Predictors and New Targets in Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
| | - Tony Ibrahim
- Inserm U981, Molecular Predictors and New Targets in Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
| | - Cédric Pobel
- Inserm U981, Molecular Predictors and New Targets in Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
| | - Claudio Nicotra
- Drug Development Department (DITEP), Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Maud Ngo-Camus
- Drug Development Department (DITEP), Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Ludovic Lacroix
- Experimental and Translational Pathology Platform (PETRA), Genomic Platform-Molecular Biopathology Unit (BMO) and Biological Resource Center, AMMICA, INSERM US23/CNRS UMS3655, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
- Department of Medical Biology and Pathology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Etienne Rouleau
- Experimental and Translational Pathology Platform (PETRA), Genomic Platform-Molecular Biopathology Unit (BMO) and Biological Resource Center, AMMICA, INSERM US23/CNRS UMS3655, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
- Department of Medical Biology and Pathology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Lambros Tselikas
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Anne Chauchereau
- Inserm U981, Molecular Predictors and New Targets in Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
| | - Félix Blanc-Durand
- Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | | | - Anna Patrikidou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Natacha Naoun
- Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Ronan Flippot
- Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Emeline Colomba
- Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Alina Fuerea
- Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Laurence Albiges
- Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Pernelle Lavaud
- Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | | | | | | | - Santiago Ponce
- Drug Development Department (DITEP), Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Stefan Michiels
- Oncostat U1018, Inserm, University of Paris-Saclay, Labelled Ligue Contre le Cancer, Villejuif, France
| | - Christophe Massard
- Drug Development Department (DITEP), Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Daniel Gautheret
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Gustave Roussy, University of Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
- PRISM Center for Personalized Medicine, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Fabrice Barlesi
- Inserm U981, Molecular Predictors and New Targets in Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
| | - Fabrice André
- Inserm U981, Molecular Predictors and New Targets in Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Gustave Roussy, University of Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
- PRISM Center for Personalized Medicine, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Benjamin Besse
- Inserm U981, Molecular Predictors and New Targets in Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
- Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Gustave Roussy, University of Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Jean-Yves Scoazec
- Inserm U981, Molecular Predictors and New Targets in Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
- Experimental and Translational Pathology Platform (PETRA), Genomic Platform-Molecular Biopathology Unit (BMO) and Biological Resource Center, AMMICA, INSERM US23/CNRS UMS3655, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
- Department of Medical Biology and Pathology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Luc Friboulet
- Inserm U981, Molecular Predictors and New Targets in Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
| | - Karim Fizazi
- Inserm U981, Molecular Predictors and New Targets in Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
- Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Yohann Loriot
- Inserm U981, Molecular Predictors and New Targets in Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
- Drug Development Department (DITEP), Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
- Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Gustave Roussy, University of Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
- PRISM Center for Personalized Medicine, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
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Huo A, Xiong X. PAICS as a potential target for cancer therapy linking purine biosynthesis to cancer progression. Life Sci 2023; 331:122070. [PMID: 37673296 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122070] [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: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Tumor cells are required to undergo metabolic reprogramming for rapid development and progression, and one of the metabolic characteristics of cancer cells is the excessive synthesis and utilization of nucleotides. Abnormally increased nucleotides and their metabolites not only directly accelerate tumor cell progression but also indirectly act on stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) via a paracrine manner to regulate tumor progression. Purine nucleotides are mainly produced via de novo nucleotide synthesis in tumor cells; therefore, intervening in their synthesis has emerged as a promising strategy in anti-tumor therapy. De novo purine synthesis is a 10-step reaction catalyzed by six enzymes to synthesize inosine 5-monophosphate (IMP) and subsequently synthesize AMP and GMP. Phosphoribosylaminoimidazole carboxylase/phosphori-bosylaminoimidazole succinocarboxamide synthetase (PAICS) is a bifunctional enzyme that catalyzes de novo purine synthesis. Aberrantly elevated PAICS expression in various tumors is associated with poor prognosis. Evidence suggests that PAICS and its catalytic product, N-succinylcarboxamide-5-aminoimidazole ribonucleotide (SAICAR), could inhibit tumor cell apoptosis and promote the growth, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion, and metastasis by regulating signaling pathways such as pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), extracellular signal-related kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and so on. This review summarizes the structure, biological functions and the molecular mechanisms of PAICS in cancer development and discusses its potential to be a target for tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anqi Huo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, China; The First Clinical Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330031, China
| | - Xiangyang Xiong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, China; Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathogens and Molecular Pathology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, China.
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Jing J, Wu Z, Wang J, Luo G, Lin H, Fan Y, Zhou C. Hedgehog signaling in tissue homeostasis, cancers, and targeted therapies. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:315. [PMID: 37596267 PMCID: PMC10439210 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01559-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The past decade has seen significant advances in our understanding of Hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway in various biological events. HH signaling pathway exerts its biological effects through a complex signaling cascade involved with primary cilium. HH signaling pathway has important functions in embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. It plays a central role in the regulation of the proliferation and differentiation of adult stem cells. Importantly, it has become increasingly clear that HH signaling pathway is associated with increased cancer prevalence, malignant progression, poor prognosis and even increased mortality. Understanding the integrative nature of HH signaling pathway has opened up the potential for new therapeutic targets for cancer. A variety of drugs have been developed, including small molecule inhibitors, natural compounds, and long non-coding RNA (LncRNA), some of which are approved for clinical use. This review outlines recent discoveries of HH signaling in tissue homeostasis and cancer and discusses how these advances are paving the way for the development of new biologically based therapies for cancer. Furthermore, we address status quo and limitations of targeted therapies of HH signaling pathway. Insights from this review will help readers understand the function of HH signaling in homeostasis and cancer, as well as opportunities and challenges of therapeutic targets for cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjun Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Zhuoxuan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Jiahe Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Guowen Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Hengyi Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yi Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
- Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Chenchen Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Rafikova G, Gilyazova I, Enikeeva K, Pavlov V, Kzhyshkowska J. Prostate Cancer: Genetics, Epigenetics and the Need for Immunological Biomarkers. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12797. [PMID: 37628978 PMCID: PMC10454494 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological data highlight prostate cancer as a significant global health issue, with high incidence and substantial impact on patients' quality of life. The prevalence of this disease is associated with various factors, including age, heredity, and race. Recent research in prostate cancer genetics has identified several genetic variants that may be associated with an increased risk of developing the disease. However, despite the significance of these findings, genetic markers for prostate cancer are not currently utilized in clinical practice as reliable indicators of the disease. In addition to genetics, epigenetic alterations also play a crucial role in prostate cancer development. Aberrant DNA methylation, changes in chromatin structure, and microRNA (miRNA) expression are major epigenetic events that influence oncogenesis. Existing markers for prostate cancer, such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA), have limitations in terms of sensitivity and specificity. The cost of testing, follow-up procedures, and treatment for false-positive results and overdiagnosis contributes to the overall healthcare expenditure. Improving the effectiveness of prostate cancer diagnosis and prognosis requires either narrowing the risk group by identifying new genetic factors or enhancing the sensitivity and specificity of existing markers. Immunological biomarkers (both circulating and intra-tumoral), including markers of immune response and immune dysfunction, represent a potentially useful area of research for enhancing the diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer. Our review emphasizes the need for developing novel immunological biomarkers to improve the diagnosis, prognosis, and management of prostate cancer. We highlight the most recent achievements in the identification of biomarkers provided by circulating monocytes and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). We highlight that monocyte-derived and TAM-derived biomarkers can enable to establish the missing links between genetic predisposition, hormonal metabolism and immune responses in prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guzel Rafikova
- Institute of Urology and Clinical Oncology, Bashkir State Medical University, 450077 Ufa, Russia (K.E.); (V.P.)
| | - Irina Gilyazova
- Institute of Urology and Clinical Oncology, Bashkir State Medical University, 450077 Ufa, Russia (K.E.); (V.P.)
- Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Ufa Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 450054 Ufa, Russia
| | - Kadriia Enikeeva
- Institute of Urology and Clinical Oncology, Bashkir State Medical University, 450077 Ufa, Russia (K.E.); (V.P.)
| | - Valentin Pavlov
- Institute of Urology and Clinical Oncology, Bashkir State Medical University, 450077 Ufa, Russia (K.E.); (V.P.)
| | - Julia Kzhyshkowska
- Laboratory for Translational Cellular and Molecular Biomedicine, Tomsk State University, 634050 Tomsk, Russia
- Genetic Technology Laboratory, Siberian State Medical University, 634050 Tomsk, Russia
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Immunology, Mannheim Institute of Innate Immunosciences (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg—Hessen, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
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10
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Shanker EM, Beck AP. If you give a mouse a mutation: comparing the therapeutic utility of renowned mouse models of human cancers. J Comp Pathol 2023; 203:26-30. [PMID: 37236009 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2023.04.005] [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: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Cancers of the breast, prostate and intestinal tract account for most cancer-associated deaths in humans and represent several of the highest incidence human neoplasms. Therefore, understanding the underlying pathophysiology, including the formation and propagation of these cancers, is key to designing potential treatments. Over the last 50 years or more, genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) have been instrumental platforms to our discovery of neoplastic disease as many follow near-identical molecular and histological progression as human tumours. In this mini review, we summarize three key preclinical models and focus on some of the major findings in relation to clinical care. We discuss the MMTV-PyMT (polyomavirus middle T antigen) mouse, TRAMP (transgenic adenocarcinoma mouse prostate) mouse and APCMin (multiple intestinal neoplasm mutation of APC gene) mouse, which mimic breast, prostate and intestinal cancers, respectively. We aim to describe the significant contributions these GEMMs have made to our collective understanding of high-incidence cancers as well as briefly discuss the limitations of each model as a device for therapeutic discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elayna M Shanker
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, New York Medical College, 40 Sunshine Cottage Rd, Valhalla, New York 10595, USA.
| | - Amanda P Beck
- Office of Undergraduate Medical Education, School of Medicine, New York Medical College, 40 Sunshine Cottage Rd, Valhalla, New York 10595, USA
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11
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Verma P, Shukla N, Kumari S, Ansari M, Gautam NK, Patel GK. Cancer stem cell in prostate cancer progression, metastasis and therapy resistance. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188887. [PMID: 36997008 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most diagnosed malignancy in the men worldwide. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are the sub-population of cells present in the tumor which possess unique properties of self-renewal and multilineage differentiation thus thought to be major cause of therapy resistance, disease relapse, and mortality in several malignancies including PCa. CSCs have also been shown positive for the common stem cells markers such as ALDH EZH2, OCT4, SOX2, c-MYC, Nanog etc. Therefore, isolation and characterization of CSCs specific markers which may discriminate CSCs and normal stem cells are critical to selectively eliminate CSCs. Rapid advances in the field offers a theoretical explanation for many of the enduring uncertainties encompassing the etiology and an optimism for the identification of new stem-cell targets, development of reliable and efficient therapies in the future. The emerging reports have also provided unprecedented insights into CSCs plasticity, quiescence, renewal, and therapeutic response. In this review, we discuss the identification of PCa stem cells, their unique properties, stemness-driving pathways, new diagnostics, and therapeutic interventions.
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12
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Roy SK, Srivastava S, Hancock A, Shrivastava A, Morvant J, Shankar S, Srivastava RK. Inhibition of ribosome assembly factor PNO1 by CRISPR/Cas9 technique suppresses lung adenocarcinoma and Notch pathway: Clinical application. J Cell Mol Med 2023; 27:365-378. [PMID: 36625087 PMCID: PMC9889701 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.17657] [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: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Growth is crucially controlled by the functional ribosomes available in cells. To meet the enhanced energy demand, cancer cells re-wire and increase their ribosome biogenesis. The RNA-binding protein PNO1, a ribosome assembly factor, plays an essential role in ribosome biogenesis. The purpose of this study was to examine whether PNO1 can be used as a biomarker for lung adenocarcinoma and also examine the molecular mechanisms by which PNO1 knockdown by CRISPR/Cas9 inhibited growth and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The expression of PNO1 was significantly higher in lung adenocarcinoma compared to normal lung tissues. PNO1 expression in lung adenocarcinoma patients increased with stage, nodal metastasis, and smoking. Lung adenocarcinoma tissues from males expressed higher PNO1 than those from females. Furthermore, lung adenocarcinoma tissues with mutant Tp53 expressed higher PNO1 than those with wild-type Tp53, suggesting the influence of Tp53 status on PNO1 expression. PNO1 knockdown inhibited cell viability, colony formation, and EMT, and induced apoptosis. Since dysregulated signalling through the Notch receptors promotes lung adenocarcinoma, we measured the effects of PNO1 inhibition on the Notch pathway. PNO1 knockdown inhibited Notch signalling by suppressing the expression of Notch receptors, their ligands, and downstream targets. PNO1 knockdown also suppressed CCND1, p21, PTGS-2, IL-1α, IL-8, and CXCL-8 genes. Overall, our data suggest that PNO1 can be used as a diagnostic biomarker, and also can be an attractive therapeutic target for the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjit K. Roy
- Louisiana State University Health‐New Orleans, School of MedicineStanley S. Scott Cancer CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA,Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care SystemNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
| | | | - Andrew Hancock
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyTulane UniversityNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
| | | | - Jason Morvant
- Department of SurgeryOchsner Health SystemGretnaLouisianaUSA
| | - Sharmila Shankar
- Louisiana State University Health‐New Orleans, School of MedicineStanley S. Scott Cancer CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA,Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care SystemNew OrleansLouisianaUSA,Department of GeneticsLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA,John W. Deming Department of MedicineTulane University School of MedicineNew OrleansLouisianaUSA,Kansas City VA Medical CenterKansas CityMissouriUSA
| | - Rakesh K. Srivastava
- Louisiana State University Health‐New Orleans, School of MedicineStanley S. Scott Cancer CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA,Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care SystemNew OrleansLouisianaUSA,Department of GeneticsLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA,Kansas City VA Medical CenterKansas CityMissouriUSA
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13
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He Y, Wang J, Jiang X, Gao J, Cheng Y, Liang T, Zhou J, Sun L, Zhang G. Effects of an inhibitor of the SHH signaling pathway on endometrial cells of patients with endometriosis. BMC Mol Cell Biol 2022; 23:37. [PMID: 35933378 PMCID: PMC9356504 DOI: 10.1186/s12860-022-00426-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Endometriosis is one of the most common gynecological diseases, and seriously reduces the quality of life of patients. However, the pathogenesis of this disease is unclear. Therefore, more studies are needed to elucidate its pathogenesis. Our previous publication found that the Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway was activated in endometriosis. This study tested whether SHH signaling in endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) was critical for the pathogenesis of endometriosis. METHODS To examine the effect of inhibiting the SHH signaling pathway on endometriosis, we first isolated ESCs from eutopic endometrial tissues of patients with or without endometriosis and identified the extracted cells by morphological observation and immunofluorescence. Then, we treated ESCs with the GLI inhibitor GANT61 and used CCK-8, wound healing and invasion assays to detect cell activities, such as proliferation, invasion and metastasis. Furthermore, we detected the expression of key proteins and proliferation markers of the SHH signaling pathway in the lesions of nude mice using immunochemistry. RESULTS We demonstrated that higher concentrations of GANT61 decreased the proliferation rate and migration distance of ESCs. We observed that GANT61 inhibited the invasion of ESCs. In addition, blockage of the SHH signaling pathway significantly reduced cell proliferation in vitro. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggested that inhibition of the SHH pathway is involved in cell proliferation and invasive growth in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan He
- Department of Gynaecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - J Wang
- Department of Gynaecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Xinyan Jiang
- Department of Gynaecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jianhua Gao
- Department of Gynaecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yan Cheng
- Department of Gynaecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Tian Liang
- Department of Gynaecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jun Zhou
- Department of Gynaecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Liyuan Sun
- Department of Gynaecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Guangmei Zhang
- Department of Gynaecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
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14
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Gao W, Wang Y, Yu S, Wang Z, Ma T, Chan AML, Chiu PKF, Ng CF, Wu D, Chan FL. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)-NO signaling axis functions to promote the growth of prostate cancer stem-like cells. Stem Cell Res Ther 2022; 13:188. [PMID: 35526071 PMCID: PMC9080127 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-022-02864-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Accumulating evidence supports that prostate cancer stem-like cells (PCSCs) play significant roles in therapy resistance and metastasis of prostate cancer. Many studies also show that nitric oxide (NO) synthesized by NO synthases can function to promote tumor progression. However, the exact roles of NOSs and NO signaling in the growth regulation of PCSCs and castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) are still not fully understood. METHODS The regulatory functions of NOS-NO signaling were evaluated in prostate cancer cells, especially in PCSCs enriched by 3D spheroid culture and CD133/CD44 cell sorting. The molecular mechanisms of NOS-NO signaling in PCSCs growth regulation and tumor metastasis were investigated in PCSCs and mice orthotopic prostate tumor model. RESULTS Endothelial NOS (eNOS) exhibited a significant upregulation in high-grade prostate cancer and metastatic CRPC. Xenograft models of CRPC exhibited notable increased eNOS expression and higher intracellular NO levels. PCSCs isolated from various models displayed significant enhanced eNOS-NO signaling. Functional analyses demonstrated that increased eNOS expression could promote in vivo tumorigenicity and metastatic potential of prostate cancer cells. Characterization of eNOS-NO involved downstream pathway which confirmed that enhanced eNOS signaling could promote the growth of PCSCs and antiandrogen-resistant prostate cancer cells via an activated downstream NO-sGC-cGMP-PKG effector signaling pathway. Interestingly, eNOS expression could be co-targeted by nuclear receptor ERRα and transcription factor ERG in prostate cancer cells and PCSCs. CONCLUSIONS Enhanced eNOS-NO signaling could function to promote the growth of PCSCs and also the development of metastatic CRPC. Besides eNOS-NO as potential targets, targeting its upstream regulators (ERRα and ERG) of eNOS-NO signaling could also be the therapeutic strategy for the management of advanced prostate cancer, particularly the aggressive cancer carrying with the TMPRSS2:ERG fusion gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijie Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yuliang Wang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shan Yu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zhu Wang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Taiyang Ma
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Andrew Man-Lok Chan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Peter Ka-Fung Chiu
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chi-Fai Ng
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Dinglan Wu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Oncology, The Clinical Innovation & Research Center (CIRC), Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
| | - Franky Leung Chan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China.
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15
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Giridharan M, Rupani V, Banerjee S. Signaling Pathways and Targeted Therapies for Stem Cells in Prostate Cancer. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2022; 5:193-206. [PMID: 35434534 PMCID: PMC9003388 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.2c00019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most frequently occurring cancers among men, and the current statistics show that it is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men. Over the years, research in PCa treatment and therapies has made many advances. Despite these efforts, the standardized therapies such as radiation, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and surgery are not considered completely effective in treating advanced and metastatic PCa. In most situations, fast-dividing tumor cells are targeted, leaving behind relatively slowly dividing, chemoresistant cells known as cancer stem cells. Therefore, following the seemingly successful treatments, the lingering quiescent cancer stem cells are able to renew themselves, undergo differentiation into mature tumor cells, and sufficiently reinitiate the disease, leading to cancer relapse. Thus, prostate cancer stem cells (PCSCs) have been reported to play a vital role in controlling the dynamics of tumorigenesis, progression, and resistance to therapies in PCa. However, the complete knowledge on the mechanisms regulating the stemness of PCSCs is still unclear. Thus, studying the stemness of PCSCs will allow for the development of more effective cancer therapies due to the durable response, resulting in a reduction in recurrences of cancer. In this Review, we will specifically describe the molecular mechanisms responsible for regulating the stemness of PCSCs. Furthermore, current developments in stem cell-specific therapeutic approaches along with future prospects will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhuvanthi Giridharan
- School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore-632104, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Vasu Rupani
- School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore-632104, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Satarupa Banerjee
- School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore-632104, Tamil Nadu, India
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16
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Lemster AL, Sievers E, Pasternack H, Lazar-Karsten P, Klümper N, Sailer V, Offermann A, Brägelmann J, Perner S, Kirfel J. Histone Demethylase KDM5C Drives Prostate Cancer Progression by Promoting EMT. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14081894. [PMID: 35454801 PMCID: PMC9032772 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14081894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths. During prostate cancer progression and metastasis, the epithelial cells can undergo epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Here, we show that the histone demethylase KDM5C is highly expressed in metastatic prostate cancer. We establish that stable clones silence KDM5C in prostate cancer cells. Knockdown of KDM5C leads to a reduced migratory and invasion capacity. This is associated with changes by multiple molecular mechanisms. This signaling subsequently modifies the expression of various transcription factors like Snail, Twist, and Zeb1/2, which are also known as master regulators of EMT. Taken together, our results indicate the potential to therapeutically target KDM5C either alone or in combination with Akt/mTOR-inhibitor in prostate cancer patients by targeting the EMT signaling pathways. Abstract Prostate cancer (PCa) poses a major public health problem in men. Metastatic PCa is incurable, and ultimately threatens the life of many patients. Mutations in tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes are important for PCa progression, whereas the role of epigenetic factors in prostate carcinogenesis is insufficiently examined. The histone demethylase KDM5C exerts important roles in tumorigenesis. KDM5C has been reported to be highly expressed in various cancer cell types, particularly in primary PCa. Here, we could show that KDM5C is highly upregulated in metastatic PCa. Functionally, in KDM5C knockdown cells migratory and invasion capacity was reduced. Interestingly, modulation of KDM5C expression influences several EMT signaling pathways (e.g., Akt/mTOR), expression of EMT transcription factors, epigenetic modifiers, and miR-205, resulting in increased expression of E-cadherin and reduced expression of N-cadherin. Mouse xenografts of KDM5C knockdown cells showed reduced tumor growth. In addition, the Akt/mTOR pathway is one of the classic signaling pathways to mediate tumor metabolic homeostasis, which is beneficial for tumor growth and metastasis. Taken together, our findings indicate that a combination of a selective KDM5C- and Akt/mTOR-inhibitor might be a new promising therapeutic strategy to reduce metastatic burden in PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Lena Lemster
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, 23538 Luebeck, Germany; (A.-L.L.); (H.P.); (P.L.-K.); (V.S.); (A.O.); (S.P.)
| | - Elisabeth Sievers
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany;
| | - Helen Pasternack
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, 23538 Luebeck, Germany; (A.-L.L.); (H.P.); (P.L.-K.); (V.S.); (A.O.); (S.P.)
| | - Pamela Lazar-Karsten
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, 23538 Luebeck, Germany; (A.-L.L.); (H.P.); (P.L.-K.); (V.S.); (A.O.); (S.P.)
| | - Niklas Klümper
- Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany;
| | - Verena Sailer
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, 23538 Luebeck, Germany; (A.-L.L.); (H.P.); (P.L.-K.); (V.S.); (A.O.); (S.P.)
| | - Anne Offermann
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, 23538 Luebeck, Germany; (A.-L.L.); (H.P.); (P.L.-K.); (V.S.); (A.O.); (S.P.)
| | - Johannes Brägelmann
- Department of Translational Genomics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany;
- Mildred Scheel School of Oncology Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Sven Perner
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, 23538 Luebeck, Germany; (A.-L.L.); (H.P.); (P.L.-K.); (V.S.); (A.O.); (S.P.)
- Institute of Pathology, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, 23845 Borstel, Germany
| | - Jutta Kirfel
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, 23538 Luebeck, Germany; (A.-L.L.); (H.P.); (P.L.-K.); (V.S.); (A.O.); (S.P.)
- Correspondence:
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17
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Naz F, Shi M, Sajid S, Yang Z, Yu C. Cancer stem cells: a major culprit of intra-tumor heterogeneity. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:5782-5811. [PMID: 35018226 PMCID: PMC8727794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is recognized as a preeminent factor of the world's mortality. Although various modalities have been designed to cure this life-threatening ailment, a significant impediment in the effective output of cancer treatment is heterogeneity. Cancer is characterized as a heterogeneous health disorder that comprises a distinct group of transformed cells to assist anomalous proliferation of affected cells. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a leading cause of cancer heterogeneity that is continually transformed by cellular extrinsic and intrinsic factors. They intensify neoplastic cells aggressiveness by strengthening their dissemination, relapse and therapy resistance. Considering this viewpoint, in this review article we have discussed some intrinsic (transcription factors, cell signaling pathways, genetic alterations, epigenetic modifications, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and epitranscriptomics) and extrinsic factors (tumor microenvironment (TME)) that contribute to CSC heterogeneity and plasticity, which may help scientists to meddle these processes and eventually improve cancer research and management. Besides, the potential role of CSCs heterogeneity in establishing metastasis and therapy resistance has been articulated which signifies the importance of developing novel anticancer therapies to target CSCs along with targeting bulk tumor mass to achieve an effective output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faiza Naz
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical TechnologyBeijing 100029, China
| | - Mengran Shi
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical TechnologyBeijing 100029, China
| | - Salvia Sajid
- Department of Biotechnology, Jinnah University for WomenKarachi 74600, Pakistan
| | - Zhao Yang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical TechnologyBeijing 100029, China
- College of Life Science, Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization of Biological Resources in Tarim Basin of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Tarim UniversityAlar 843300, Xinjiang, China
| | - Changyuan Yu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical TechnologyBeijing 100029, China
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18
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Zhou M, Xu Q, Huang D, Luo L. Regulation of gene transcription of B lymphoma Mo-MLV insertion region 1 homolog (Review). Biomed Rep 2021; 14:52. [PMID: 33884195 PMCID: PMC8056379 DOI: 10.3892/br.2021.1428] [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: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
B lymphoma Mo-MLV insertion region 1 homolog (Bmi-1) is a core protein component of the polycomb repressive complex 1 that inhibits cell senescence and maintains the self-renewal ability of stem cells via downregulation of p16Ink4a and p19Arf expression. Bmi-1 serves an important role in hematopoietic stem cell maintenance and neurodevelopment during embryonic development, and it has been shown to enhance tumorigenesis by promoting cancer stem cell self-renewal and epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Emerging evidence suggests that Bmi-1 overexpression is closely related to the development and progression of various types of cancer, and that downregulation of Bmi-1 expression can inhibit the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of cancer cells. It is therefore important to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the regulation of Bmi-1 expression both under normal growth conditions and in malignant tissues. In the present review, the current body of knowledge pertaining to the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of the BMI-1 gene is discussed, and the potential mechanisms by which Bmi-1 is dysregulated in various types of cancer are highlighted. Bmi-1 expression is primarily controlled via transcriptional regulation, and is regulated by the transcription https://www.ushuaia.pl/hyphen/?ln=en factors of the Myc family, including Myb, Twist1, SALL4 and E2F-1. Post-transcriptionally, regulation of Bmi-1 expression is inhibited by several microRNAs and certain small-molecule drugs. Thus, regulatory transcriptional factors are potential therapeutic targets to reduce Bmi-1 expression in cancer cells. Thus, the present review provides an up-to-date review on the regulation of BMI-1 gene expression at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meizhen Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Research Institute of Digestive Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Qichao Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Research Institute of Digestive Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Deqiang Huang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Research Institute of Digestive Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Lingyu Luo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Research Institute of Digestive Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
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Castelli V, Giordano A, Benedetti E, Giansanti F, Quintiliani M, Cimini A, d’Angelo M. The Great Escape: The Power of Cancer Stem Cells to Evade Programmed Cell Death. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:328. [PMID: 33477367 PMCID: PMC7830655 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13020328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is one of the primary causes of death worldwide. Tumour malignancy is related to tumor heterogeneity, which has been suggested to be due to a small subpopulation of tumor cells named cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs exert a key role in metastasis development, tumor recurrence, and also epithelial-mesenchymal transition, apoptotic resistance, self-renewal, tumorigenesis, differentiation, and drug resistance. Several current therapies fail to eradicate tumors due to the ability of CSCs to escape different programmed cell deaths. Thus, developing CSC-selective and programmed death-inducing therapeutic approaches appears to be of primary importance. In this review, we discuss the main programmed cell death occurring in cancer and the promising CSC-targeting agents developed in recent years. Even if the reported studies are encouraging, further investigations are necessary to establish a combination of agents able to eradicate CSCs or inhibit their growth and proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Castelli
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (V.C.); (E.B.); (F.G.); (M.Q.)
| | - Antonio Giordano
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy;
- Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine and Center for Biotechnology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - Elisabetta Benedetti
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (V.C.); (E.B.); (F.G.); (M.Q.)
| | - Francesco Giansanti
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (V.C.); (E.B.); (F.G.); (M.Q.)
| | - Massimiliano Quintiliani
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (V.C.); (E.B.); (F.G.); (M.Q.)
| | - Annamaria Cimini
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (V.C.); (E.B.); (F.G.); (M.Q.)
- Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine and Center for Biotechnology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - Michele d’Angelo
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (V.C.); (E.B.); (F.G.); (M.Q.)
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Targeting Hedgehog Pathway and DNA Methyltransferases in Uterine Leiomyosarcoma Cells. Cells 2020; 10:cells10010053. [PMID: 33396427 PMCID: PMC7824187 DOI: 10.3390/cells10010053] [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: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Uterine leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is an aggressive tumor that presents poor prognosis, high rates of recurrence and metastasis. Because of its rarity, there is no information available concerning LMS molecular mechanisms of origin and development. Here, we assessed the expression profile of Hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway markers and the effects of their pharmacological inhibition on uterine smooth muscle (UTSM), leiomyoma and LMS cells. Additionally, we also evaluated the effects of DNMTs inhibition on LMS cells behavior. Cell proliferation, migration and apoptosis rates were evaluated by MTT, Scratch and Annexin V assays, respectively. RNA expression and protein levels were assessed by qRT-PCR and Western blot. We found that SMO and GLIs (1, 2 and 3) expression was upregulated in LMS cells, with increased nuclear levels of GLI proteins. Treatment with LDE225 (SMOi) and Gant61 (GLIi) resulted in a significant reduction in Glis protein levels in LMS (p < 0.05). Additionally, the expression of DNMT (1, 3a, and 3b), as well as GLI1 nuclear expression, was significantly decreased after treatment with HH inhibitor in LMS cells. Our results showed that blocking of SMO, GLI and DNMTs is able to inhibit LMS proliferation, migration and invasion. Importantly, the combination of those treatments exhibited a potentiated effect on LMS malignant features due to HH pathway deactivation.
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21
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Rahi S, Mehan S. Understanding Abnormal SMO-SHH Signaling in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Potential Drug Target and Therapeutic Goals. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2020; 42:931-953. [PMID: 33206287 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-020-01010-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Autism is a multifactorial neurodevelopmental condition; it demonstrates some main characteristics, such as impaired social relationships and increased repetitive behavior. The initiation of autism spectrum disorder is mostly triggered during brain development by the deregulation of signaling pathways. Sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling is one such mechanism that influences neurogenesis and neural processes during the development of the central nervous system. SMO-SHH signaling is also an important part of a broad variety of neurological processes, including neuronal cell differentiation, proliferation, and survival. Dysregulation of SMO-SHH signaling leads to many physiological changes that lead to neurological disorders such as ASD and contribute to cognitive decline. The aberrant downregulation of SMO-SHH signals contributes to the proteolytic cleavage of GLI (glioma-associated homolog) into GLI3 (repressor), which increases oxidative stress, neuronal excitotoxicity, neuroinflammation, and apoptosis by suppressing target gene expression. We outlined in this review that SMO-SHH deregulation plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of autism and addresses the current status of SMO-SHH pathway modulators. Additionally, a greater understanding of the SHH signaling pathway is an effort to improve successful treatment for autism and other neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saloni Rahi
- Neuropharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, 142001, Punjab, India
| | - Sidharth Mehan
- Neuropharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, 142001, Punjab, India.
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22
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Lu YB, Sun TJ, Chen YT, Cai ZY, Zhao JY, Miao F, Yang YN, Wang SX. Targeting the Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Cancer Stem Cells for a Better Clinical Outcome of Glioma. Technol Cancer Res Treat 2020; 19:1533033820948053. [PMID: 33089751 PMCID: PMC7586027 DOI: 10.1177/1533033820948053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioma is one of the most common malignant tumors of the central nervous system with a poor prognosis at present due to lack of effective treatment options. Its initiation, migration, and multipotency are affected by cancer stem cell’s transition. Previous studies imply that changes in the cancer stem cells can affect the malignant differentiation of the tumor. We found that the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related regulatory pathway is an important target for tumor therapy. In this review, we discuss the transition factor of EMT and 3 specific pathways that affect the EMT of cancer stem cells during tumor development. We conclude that targeting the EMT process of cancer stem cells can be a feasible approach in the treatment of glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Bao Lu
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.,*Both authors contributed equally to this study and share first authorship
| | - Tian-Jiao Sun
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.,*Both authors contributed equally to this study and share first authorship
| | - Yu-Tong Chen
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Zong-Yan Cai
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Jia-Yu Zhao
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Feng Miao
- Zhangye People's Hospital Affiliated to Hexi University, Zhangye, Gansu, China
| | - Yong-Na Yang
- Department of Neurology, The First People's Hospital of Lanzhou City, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Shi-Xin Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
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23
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The Role of Smoothened in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186863. [PMID: 32962123 PMCID: PMC7555769 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Smoothened (SMO) belongs to the Hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway, which regulates cell growth, migration, invasion and stem cells in cancer. The HH signaling pathway includes both canonical and noncanonical pathways. The canonical HH pathway functions through major HH molecules such as HH ligands, PTCH, SMO and GLI, whereas the noncanonical HH pathway involves the activation of SMO or GLI through other pathways. The role of SMO has been discussed in different types of cancer, including breast, liver, pancreatic and colon cancers. SMO expression correlates with tumor size, invasiveness, metastasis and recurrence. In addition, SMO inhibitors can suppress cancer formation, reduce the proliferation of cancer cells, trigger apoptosis and suppress cancer stem cell activity. A better understanding of the role of SMO in cancer could contribute to the development of novel therapeutic approaches.
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Cancer Stem Cells: Acquisition, Characteristics, Therapeutic Implications, Targeting Strategies and Future Prospects. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2020; 15:331-355. [PMID: 30993589 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-019-09887-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Since last two decades, the major cancer research has focused on understanding the characteristic properties and mechanism of formation of Cancer stem cells (CSCs), due to their ability to initiate tumor growth, self-renewal property and multi-drug resistance. The discovery of the mechanism of acquisition of stem-like properties by carcinoma cells via epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has paved a way towards a deeper understanding of CSCs and presented a possible avenue for the development of therapeutic strategies. In spite of years of research, various challenges, such as identification of CSC subpopulation, lack of appropriate experimental models, targeting cancer cells and CSCs specifically without harming normal cells, are being faced while dealing with CSCs. Here, we discuss the biology and characteristics of CSCs, mode of acquisition of stemness (via EMT) and development of multi-drug resistance, the role of tumor niche, the process of dissemination and metastasis, therapeutic implications of CSCs and necessity of targeting them. We emphasise various strategies being developed to specifically target CSCs, including those targeting biomarkers, key pathways and microenvironment. Finally, we focus on the challenges that need to be subdued and propose the aspects that need to be addressed in future studies in order to broaden the understanding of CSCs and develop novel strategies to eradicate them in clinical applications. Graphical Abstract Cancer Stem Cells(CSCs) have gained much attention in the last few decades due to their ability to initiate tumor growth and, self-renewal property and multi-drug resistance. Here, we represent the CSC model of cancer, Characteristics of CSCs, acquisition of stemness and metastatic dissemination of cancer, Therapeutic implications of CSCs and Various strategies being employed to target and eradicate CSCs.
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Harada K, Ohashi R, Naito K, Kanki K. Hedgehog Signal Inhibitor GANT61 Inhibits the Malignant Behavior of Undifferentiated Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Targeting Non-Canonical GLI Signaling. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21093126. [PMID: 32354204 PMCID: PMC7247445 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21093126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Hedgehog (HH)–GLI pathway plays an important role in cell dedifferentiation and is therefore pivotally involved in the malignant transformation of cancer cells. GANT61, a selective inhibitor of GLI1 and GLI2, was reported as a promising treatment for cancer in various tissues; however, the biological impact of GANT61 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), especially in undifferentiated HCC cells, remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the antitumor effect of GANT61 using two undifferentiated hepatoma cell lines: HLE and HLF. Quantitative PCR and RT-PCR analyses revealed that these cells express GLI transcripts, showing mesenchymal phenotypes characterized by the loss of epithelial and hepatic markers and specific expression of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related genes. GANT61 significantly reduced the proliferation and cell viability after drug treatment using 5-FU and Mitomycin C. We showed that GLI transcript levels were down-regulated by the MEK inhibitor U0126 and the Raf inhibitor sorafenib, suggesting that non-canonical signaling including the Ras–Raf–MEK–ERK pathway is involved. Sphere formation and migration were significantly decreased by GANT61 treatment, and it is suggested that the underlying molecular mechanisms are the down-regulation of stemness-related genes (Oct4, Bmi1, CD44, and ALDH) and the EMT-related gene Snail1. The data presented here showed that direct inhibition of GLI might be beneficial for the treatment of dedifferentiated HCC.
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26
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Xu H, Xu WH, Ren F, Wang J, Wang HK, Cao DL, Shi GH, Qu YY, Zhang HL, Ye DW. Prognostic value of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 12:866-883. [PMID: 31915310 PMCID: PMC6977664 DOI: 10.18632/aging.102660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is important in tumor invasiveness and metastasis. We aimed to determine prognostic value of six key EMT markers (CDH1, CDH2, SNAI1, SNAI2, VIM, TWIST1) in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). A total of 533 ccRCC patients with RNASeq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort were included for analysis. Gene expression of these EMT markers was compared between tumor and normal tissues based on Oncomine database and TCGA cohort. Their correlations with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were also examined in both TCGA cohort and FUSCC (Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center) cohort. Cox proportional hazards regression model and Kaplan-Meier plot were used to assess the relative factors. Functional enrichment analyses were utilized to describe biologic function annotations and significantly involved hallmarks pathways of each gene. We found that Epithelial marker, CDH1 expression was lower, while mesenchymal markers (CDH2, SNAI1, VIM, TWIST1) expression was higher in ccRCC primary tumors. In the TCGA cohort, we found that patients with higher expression of VIM, TWIST1 or lower expression of CDH1 had worse prognosis. Further, in the FUSCC cohort, we confirmed the predictive ability of mesenchymal markers and epithelial marker expression in PFS and OS of ccRCC patients. After generating Cox regression models, EMT markers (CDH1, SNAI1, VIM, and TWIST1) were independent prognostic factors of both PFS and OS in ccRCC patients. Our preliminary EMT prediction model can facilitate further screening of EMT biomarkers and cast a better understanding of EMT gene function in ccRCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Xu
- Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Wen-Hao Xu
- Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Fei Ren
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Hong-Kai Wang
- Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Da-Long Cao
- Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Guo-Hai Shi
- Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yuan-Yuan Qu
- Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Hai-Liang Zhang
- Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ding-Wei Ye
- Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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27
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Tsao T, Beretov J, Ni J, Bai X, Bucci J, Graham P, Li Y. Cancer stem cells in prostate cancer radioresistance. Cancer Lett 2019; 465:94-104. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2019.08.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Kowolik CM, Lin M, Xie J, Overman LE, Horne DA. Attenuation of hedgehog/GLI signaling by NT1721 extends survival in pancreatic cancer. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2019; 38:431. [PMID: 31661013 PMCID: PMC6819529 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-019-1445-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal malignancies due to frequent late diagnosis, aggressive tumor growth and metastasis formation. Continuously raising incidence rates of pancreatic cancer and a lack of significant improvement in survival rates over the past 30 years highlight the need for new therapeutic agents. Thus, new therapeutic agents and strategies are urgently needed to improve the outcome for patients with pancreatic cancer. Here, we evaluated the anti-tumor activity of a new natural product-based epidithiodiketopiperazine, NT1721, against pancreatic cancer. METHODS We characterized the anticancer efficacy of NT1721 in multiple pancreatic cancer cell lines in vitro and in two orthotopic models. We also compared the effects of NT1721 to clinically used hedgehog inhibitors and the standard-of-care drug, gemcitabine. The effect of NT1721 on hedgehog/GLI signaling was assessed by determining the expression of GLI and GLI target genes both in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS NT1721 displayed IC50 values in the submicromolar range in multiple pancreatic cancer cell lines, while largely sparing normal pancreatic epithelial cells. NT1721 attenuated hedgehog/GLI signaling through downregulation of GLI1/2 transcription factors and their downstream target genes, which reduced cell proliferation and invasion in vitro and significantly decreased tumor growth and liver metastasis in two preclinical orthotopic mouse models of pancreatic cancer. Importantly, treatment with NT1721 significantly improved survival times of mice with pancreatic cancer compared to the standard-of-care drug, gemcitabine. CONCLUSIONS Favorable therapeutics properties, i.e. 10-fold lower IC50 values than clinically used hedgehog inhibitors (vismodegib, erismodegib), a 90% reduction in liver metastasis and significantly better survival times compared to the standard-of-care drug, gemcitabine, provide a rational for testing NT1721 in the clinic either as a single agent or possibly in combination with gemcitabine or other therapeutic agents in PDAC patients overexpressing GLI1/2. This could potentially result in promising new treatment options for patients suffering from this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia M Kowolik
- Department of Molecular Medicine, City of Hope National Medical Center, 1500 E. Duarte Road, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Min Lin
- Department of Molecular Medicine, City of Hope National Medical Center, 1500 E. Duarte Road, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Jun Xie
- Department of Molecular Medicine, City of Hope National Medical Center, 1500 E. Duarte Road, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Larry E Overman
- Department of Chemistry, 1102 Natural Sciences II, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-2025, USA
| | - David A Horne
- Department of Molecular Medicine, City of Hope National Medical Center, 1500 E. Duarte Road, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA.
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29
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Lee CH, Decker AM, Cackowski FC, Taichman RS. Bone microenvironment signaling of cancer stem cells as a therapeutic target in metastatic prostate cancer. Cell Biol Toxicol 2019; 36:115-130. [PMID: 31250347 DOI: 10.1007/s10565-019-09483-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most prevalent cancers and the second leading cause of cancer death among US males. When diagnosed in an early disease stage, primary tumors of PCa may be treated with surgical resection or radiation, sometimes combined with androgen deprivation therapy, with favorable outcomes. Unfortunately, the treatment efficacy of each approach decreases significantly in later stages of PCa that involve metastasis to soft tissues and bone. Metastatic PCa is a heterogeneous disease containing host cells, mature cancer cells, and subpopulation of cancer stem cells (CSC). CSCs are highly tumorigenic due to their self-renewing and differentiating potential, clinically resulting in recurrence and resistance to standard therapies. Therefore, there is a large unmet clinical need to develop therapies, which target CSC activity. In this review, we summarize the main signaling pathways that are implicated in the current pre-clinical and clinical studies of recurrent metastatic PCa within the bone microenvironment targeting CSCs and discuss the trajectory of therapeutics moving forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara H Lee
- Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Ann M Decker
- Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Frank C Cackowski
- Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Russell S Taichman
- Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA. .,Department of Periodontology, University of Alabama Birmingham School of Dentistry, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
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30
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Song Y, Ye M, Zhou J, Wang ZW, Zhu X. Restoring E-cadherin Expression by Natural Compounds for Anticancer Therapies in Genital and Urinary Cancers. MOLECULAR THERAPY-ONCOLYTICS 2019; 14:130-138. [PMID: 31194121 PMCID: PMC6551504 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2019.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
E-cadherin plays a pivotal role in cancer progression, including the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process and tumor metastasis. Loss of E-cadherin contributes to enhanced invasion and metastasis in human cancers. Therefore, restoring E-cadherin could be a potential approach for cancer therapy. Multiple natural compounds have been shown to possess anti-tumor activities through the regulation of key molecules in signaling pathways, including E-cadherin. In this review, we describe the numerous compounds that restore the expression of E-cadherin in genital and urinary malignancies. We further discuss the potential anti-tumor molecular mechanisms of these agents as the activators of E-cadherin in genital and urinary cancers. Although these compounds exhibit their potential to inhibit the development and progression of cancers, there are several challenges to developing them as therapeutic drugs for cancer patients. Poor bioavailability in vivo is the main disadvantage of these compounds. Modification of compound structures has produced actual improvements in bioavailability. Nanoparticle-based delivery systems could be useful to deliver the agents to targeted organs. These compounds could be new promising therapeutic agents for the treatment of human genital and urinary cancers. Further investigations are required to determine the safety and side effects of natural compounds using animal models prior to clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizuo Song
- Departmant of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Miaomiao Ye
- Departmant of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Junhan Zhou
- Departmant of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Zhi-Wei Wang
- Departmant of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China.,Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xueqiong Zhu
- Departmant of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
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31
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Civenni G, Albino D, Shinde D, Vázquez R, Merulla J, Kokanovic A, Mapelli SN, Carbone GM, Catapano CV. Transcriptional Reprogramming and Novel Therapeutic Approaches for Targeting Prostate Cancer Stem Cells. Front Oncol 2019; 9:385. [PMID: 31143708 PMCID: PMC6521702 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in men and the second cause of cancer-related deaths in western countries. Despite the progress in the treatment of localized prostate cancer, there is still lack of effective therapies for the advanced forms of the disease. Most patients with advanced prostate cancer become resistant to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), which remains the main therapeutic option in this setting, and progress to lethal metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Current therapies for prostate cancer preferentially target proliferating, partially differentiated, and AR-dependent cancer cells that constitute the bulk of the tumor mass. However, the subpopulation of tumor-initiating or tumor-propagating stem-like cancer cells is virtually resistant to the standard treatments causing tumor relapse at the primary or metastatic sites. Understanding the pathways controlling the establishment, expansion and maintenance of the cancer stem cell (CSC) subpopulation is an important step toward the development of more effective treatment for prostate cancer, which might enable ablation or exhaustion of CSCs and prevent treatment resistance and disease recurrence. In this review, we focus on the impact of transcriptional regulators on phenotypic reprogramming of prostate CSCs and provide examples supporting the possibility of inhibiting maintenance and expansion of the CSC pool in human prostate cancer along with the currently available methodological approaches. Transcription factors are key elements for instructing specific transcriptional programs and inducing CSC-associated phenotypic changes implicated in disease progression and treatment resistance. Recent studies have shown that interfering with these processes causes exhaustion of CSCs with loss of self-renewal and tumorigenic capability in prostate cancer models. Targeting key transcriptional regulators in prostate CSCs is a valid therapeutic strategy waiting to be tested in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Carlo V. Catapano
- Institute of Oncology (IOR), Università della Svizzera Italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland
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32
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Ma Y, Yu W, Shrivastava A, Srivastava RK, Shankar S. Inhibition of pancreatic cancer stem cell characteristics by α-Mangostin: Molecular mechanisms involving Sonic hedgehog and Nanog. J Cell Mol Med 2019; 23:2719-2730. [PMID: 30712329 PMCID: PMC6433724 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.14178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2018] [Revised: 12/31/2018] [Accepted: 01/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The current investigation was intended to elucidate the molecular mechanism of α‐Mangostin in the regulation of pancreatic cancer stem cell (CSC) characteristics. Here, we demonstrate that α‐Mangostin inhibited cell proliferation in pancreatic CSCs and cancer cell lines while it showed no effect on human pancreatic normal ductal epithelial cells. Also, α‐Mangostin inhibited colony formation and induced apoptosis in these cells. Further, α‐Mangostin inhibited the self‐renewal capacity of CSCs isolated from human primary tumours and KrasG12D mice. Furthermore, α‐Mangostin inhibited the invasive and metastatic ability of pancreatic CSCs by suppressing the epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) via up‐regulation of E‐cadherin and down‐regulation of mesenchymal phenotype by inhibiting N‐cadherin, Snail and Slug expression. Interestingly, the pluripotency maintaining factors and CSC markers were inhibited by α‐Mangostin thus suggesting that α‐Mangostin can target CSCs to inhibit pancreatic cancer effectively. Gli signalling plays a crucial role in the self‐renewal and pluripotency of CSCs. α‐Mangostin inhibited the Gli transcription and the expression of Gli target genes (Nanog, Oct4, c‐Myc, Sox‐2 and KLF4) in CSCs. Using ChIP assay, we demonstrated that Nanog could directly bind to promoters of Cdk2, Cdk6, FGF4, c‐Myc and α‐Mangostin inhibited Nanog binding to these promoters. Conversely, the inhibitory effects of the α‐Mangostin on CSC proliferation and Gli or Nanog transcription and their targets were abrogated by either enforced activation of sonic hedgehog (Shh) or by the overexpression of Nanog. Taken together, our studies suggest that α‐Mangostin may act as Gli inhibitor and establishes the pre‐clinical significance of α‐Mangostin for the prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiming Ma
- Kansas City VA Medical Center, Kansas City, Missouri
| | - Wei Yu
- Kansas City VA Medical Center, Kansas City, Missouri
| | - Anju Shrivastava
- Department of Oncology, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Rakesh K Srivastava
- Kansas City VA Medical Center, Kansas City, Missouri.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri
| | - Sharmila Shankar
- Kansas City VA Medical Center, Kansas City, Missouri.,Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri
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Pietrobono S, Stecca B. Targeting the Oncoprotein Smoothened by Small Molecules: Focus on Novel Acylguanidine Derivatives as Potent Smoothened Inhibitors. Cells 2018; 7:cells7120272. [PMID: 30558232 PMCID: PMC6316656 DOI: 10.3390/cells7120272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Revised: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hedgehog-GLI (HH) signaling was originally identified as a critical morphogenetic pathway in embryonic development. Since its discovery, a multitude of studies have reported that HH signaling also plays key roles in a variety of cancer types and in maintaining tumor-initiating cells. Smoothened (SMO) is the main transducer of HH signaling, and in the last few years, it has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for anticancer therapy. Although vismodegib and sonidegib have demonstrated effectiveness for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), their clinical use has been hampered by severe side effects, low selectivity against cancer stem cells, and the onset of mutation-driven drug resistance. Moreover, SMO antagonists are not effective in cancers where HH activation is due to mutations of pathway components downstream of SMO, or in the case of noncanonical, SMO-independent activation of the GLI transcription factors, the final mediators of HH signaling. Here, we review the current and rapidly expanding field of SMO small-molecule inhibitors in experimental and clinical settings, focusing on a class of acylguanidine derivatives. We also discuss various aspects of SMO, including mechanisms of resistance to SMO antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Pietrobono
- Tumor Cell Biology Unit⁻Core Research Laboratory, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network (ISPRO), 50139 Florence, Italy.
| | - Barbara Stecca
- Tumor Cell Biology Unit⁻Core Research Laboratory, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network (ISPRO), 50139 Florence, Italy.
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34
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Effects of Icaritin on the physiological activities of esophageal cancer stem cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 504:792-796. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.08.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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Transcriptomic but not genomic variability confers phenotype of breast cancer stem cells. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2018; 38:56. [PMID: 30231942 PMCID: PMC6146522 DOI: 10.1186/s40880-018-0326-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Accepted: 09/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are considered responsible for cancer relapse and drug resistance. Understanding the identity of BCSCs may open new avenues in breast cancer therapy. Although several discoveries have been made on BCSC characterization, the factors critical to the origination of BCSCs are largely unclear. This study aimed to determine whether genomic mutations contribute to the acquisition of cancer stem-like phenotype and to investigate the genetic and transcriptional features of BCSCs. Methods We detected potential BCSC phenotype-associated mutation hotspot regions by using whole-genome sequencing on parental cancer cells and derived serial-generation spheres in increasing order of BCSC frequency, and then performed target deep DNA sequencing at bulk-cell and single-cell levels. To identify the transcriptional program associated with BCSCs, bulk-cell and single-cell RNA sequencing was performed. Results By using whole-genome sequencing of bulk cells, potential BCSC phenotype-associated mutation hotspot regions were detected. Validation by target deep DNA sequencing, at both bulk-cell and single-cell levels, revealed no genetic changes specifically associated with BCSC phenotype. Moreover, single-cell RNA sequencing showed profound transcriptomic variability in cancer cells at the single-cell level that predicted BCSC features. Notably, this transcriptomic variability was enriched during the transcription of 74 genes, revealed as BCSC markers. Breast cancer patients with a high risk of relapse exhibited higher expression levels of these BCSC markers than those with a low risk of relapse, thereby highlighting the clinical significance of predicting breast cancer prognosis with these BCSC markers. Conclusions Transcriptomic variability, not genetic mutations, distinguishes BCSCs from non-BCSCs. The identified 74 BCSC markers have the potential of becoming novel targets for breast cancer therapy. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s40880-018-0326-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Zhang PF, Wang F, Wu J, Wu Y, Huang W, Liu D, Huang XY, Zhang XM, Ke AW. LncRNA SNHG3 induces EMT and sorafenib resistance by modulating the miR-128/CD151 pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Cell Physiol 2018; 234:2788-2794. [PMID: 30132868 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.27095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Dysregulation of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) plays important roles in carcinogenesis and tumor progression, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Small nucleolar RNA host gene 3 (SNHG3) has been considered as an lncRNA to be associated with a poor prognosis in patients with HCC. Here, we reported that SNHG3 expression was significantly higher in the highly metastatic HCC (HCCLM3) cells compared with the lowly metastatic HCC cells (Hep3B and PLC/PRF/5). Furthermore, forced expression of SNHG3 promoted cell invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and sorafenib resistance in HCC. Moreover, SNHG3 overexpression induced HCC cells EMT via miR-128/CD151 cascade activation. Clinically, our data revealed that increased SNHG3 expression is correlated with poor HCC survival outcomes and sorafenib response. These data suggest that SNHG3 may be a novel therapeutic target and a biomarker for predicting response to sorafenib treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng-Fei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yin Wu
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Huang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Dong Liu
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Yong Huang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Xue-Mei Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ai-Wu Ke
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
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Chakravarthi BVSK, Rodriguez Pena MDC, Agarwal S, Chandrashekar DS, Hodigere Balasubramanya SA, Jabboure FJ, Matoso A, Bivalacqua TJ, Rezaei K, Chaux A, Grizzle WE, Sonpavde G, Gordetsky J, Netto GJ, Varambally S. A Role for De Novo Purine Metabolic Enzyme PAICS in Bladder Cancer Progression. Neoplasia 2018; 20:894-904. [PMID: 30121007 PMCID: PMC6098199 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2018.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Revised: 07/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Genomic and transcriptome sequencing of bladder cancer (BLCA) has identified multiple molecular alterations during cancer progression. Many of these identified genetic and epigenetic changes play a role in the progression of this disease. Studies have identified molecular subtypes in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) with different sensitivities to frontline therapy suggesting the heterogeneity in these tumors and the importance of molecular characterization of MIBC to provide effective treatment. Specifically, it has become increasingly evident, as demonstrated by The Cancer Genome Atlas project, that metabolic enzymes are commonly dysregulated in BLCA. Elevated expression of multiple metabolic enzymes is due to the increased demand from rapidly proliferating BLCA cells requiring extensive nucleotide synthesis. Cancer cells utilize the de novo purine and pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway as a source of their nucleotide needs. In this study, we show that phosphoribosyl aminoimidazole succinocarboxamide synthetase (PAICS), an enzyme involved in de novo purine biosynthetic pathway, is significantly overexpressed in BLCA. Immunohistochemical staining of paraffin-embedded tissue sections showed that PAICS is overexpressed in MIBC. Furthermore, we found that tumor suppressor miR-128 negatively regulated PAICS expression by binding to its 3′-untranslated region. We also found that PAICS induces EMT by positively regulating SNAI1 and by a reduction in E-cadherin expression. Additionally, our in vitro functional studies and in vivo chicken chorioallantoic membrane assay show that PAICS plays a critical role in BLCA cell proliferation, invasion, and tumor growth. Collectively, our data suggest that targeting PAICS may provide a therapeutic option in BLCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balabhadrapatruni V S K Chakravarthi
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | | | - Sumit Agarwal
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | | | | | | | - Andres Matoso
- Department of Pathology, Urology and Oncology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; The Johns Hopkins University Greenberg Bladder Cancer Institute and Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Trinity J Bivalacqua
- The James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute and Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; The Johns Hopkins University Greenberg Bladder Cancer Institute and Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Alcides Chaux
- Department of Scientific Research, Norte University, Asunción, Paraguay
| | - William E Grizzle
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Guru Sonpavde
- Department of Medicine, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jennifer Gordetsky
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - George J Netto
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Sooryanarayana Varambally
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Informatics Institute, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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Emerging functional markers for cancer stem cell-based therapies: Understanding signaling networks for targeting metastasis. Semin Cancer Biol 2018; 53:90-109. [PMID: 29966677 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2018.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis is one of the most challenging issues in cancer patient management, and effective therapies to specifically target disease progression are missing, emphasizing the urgent need for developing novel anti-metastatic therapeutics. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) gained fast attention as a minor population of highly malignant cells within liquid and solid tumors that are responsible for tumor onset, self-renewal, resistance to radio- and chemotherapies, and evasion of immune surveillance accelerating recurrence and metastasis. Recent progress in the identification of their phenotypic and molecular characteristics and interactions with the tumor microenvironment provides great potential for the development of CSC-based targeted therapies and radical improvement in metastasis prevention and cancer patient prognosis. Here, we report on newly uncovered signaling mechanisms controlling CSC's aggressiveness and treatment resistance, and CSC-specific agents and molecular therapeutics, some of which are currently under investigation in clinical trials, gearing towards decisive functional CSC intrinsic or surface markers. One special research focus rests upon subverted regulatory pathways such as insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor signaling and its interactors in metastasis-initiating cell populations directly related to the gain of stem cell- and EMT-associated properties, as well as key components of the E2F transcription factor network regulating metastatic progression, microenvironmental changes, and chemoresistance. In addition, the study provides insight into systems biology tools to establish complex molecular relationships behind the emergence of aggressive phenotypes from high-throughput data that rely on network-based analysis and their use to investigate immune escape mechanisms or predict clinical outcome-relevant CSC receptor signaling signatures. We further propose that customized vector technologies could drastically enhance systemic drug delivery to target sites, and summarize recent progress and remaining challenges. This review integrates available knowledge on CSC biology, computational modeling approaches, molecular targeting strategies, and delivery techniques to envision future clinical therapies designed to conquer metastasis-initiating cells.
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Wefers C, Schreibelt G, Massuger LFAG, de Vries IJM, Torensma R. Immune Curbing of Cancer Stem Cells by CTLs Directed to NANOG. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1412. [PMID: 29971070 PMCID: PMC6018198 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been identified as the source of tumor growth and disease recurrence. Eradication of CSCs is thus essential to achieve durable responses, but CSCs are resistant to current anti-tumor therapies. Novel therapeutic approaches that specifically target CSCs will, therefore, be crucial to improve patient outcome. Immunotherapies, which boost the body's own immune system to eliminate cancerous cells, could be an alternative approach to target CSCs. Vaccines of dendritic cells (DCs) loaded with tumor antigens can evoke highly specific anti-tumor T cell responses. Importantly, DC vaccination also promotes immunological memory formation, paving the way for long-term cancer control. Here, we propose a DC vaccination that specifically targets CSCs. DCs loaded with NANOG peptides, a protein required for maintaining stem cell properties, could evoke a potent anti-tumor immune response against CSCs. We hypothesize that the resulting immunological memory will also control newly formed CSCs, thereby preventing disease recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Wefers
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Gerty Schreibelt
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | | | - I. Jolanda M. de Vries
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Ruurd Torensma
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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Latuske EM, Stamm H, Klokow M, Vohwinkel G, Muschhammer J, Bokemeyer C, Jücker M, Kebenko M, Fiedler W, Wellbrock J. Combined inhibition of GLI and FLT3 signaling leads to effective anti-leukemic effects in human acute myeloid leukemia. Oncotarget 2018; 8:29187-29201. [PMID: 28418873 PMCID: PMC5438723 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.16304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Activation of the Hedgehog pathway has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several tumor types including myeloid leukemia. Previously we demonstrated that overexpression of Hedgehog downstream mediators GLI1/2 confers an adverse prognosis to patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and is correlated with a FLT3 mutated status. To analyze a possible non-canonical activation of the Hedgehog pathway via FLT3 and PI3K, we performed blocking experiments utilizing inhibitors for FLT3 (sunitinib), PI3K (PF-04691502) and GLI1/2 (GANT61) in FLT3-mutated and FLT3 wildtype AML cell lines and primary blasts. Combination of all three compounds had stronger anti-leukemic effects in FLT3-mutated compared to FLT3 wildtype AML cells in vitro. Interestingly, the colony growth of normal CD34+ cells from healthy donors was not impeded by the triple inhibitor combination possibly opening a therapeutic window for the clinical use of inhibitor combinations. Besides, combined treatment with sunitinib, PF-04691502 and GANT61 significantly prolonged the survival of mice transplanted with FLT3-mutated MV4-11 cells compared to the single agent treatments. Furthermore, the inhibition of FLT3 and PI3K resulted in reduced GLI protein expression and promotor activity in FLT3-mutated but not in FLT3 wildtype AML cell lines in western blotting and GLI1/2 promoter assays supporting our hypothesis of non-canonical GLI activation via FLT3. In summary, FLT3-mutated in contrast to FLT3 wildtype cells or normal human hematopoietic progenitor cells are exquisitely sensitive to combined inhibition by FLT3, PI3K and GLI1/2 overcoming some of the limitations of current FLT3 directed therapy in AML. The development of GLI1/2 inhibitors is highly desirable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily-Marie Latuske
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald University Cancer Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hauke Stamm
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald University Cancer Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marianne Klokow
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald University Cancer Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gabi Vohwinkel
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald University Cancer Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jana Muschhammer
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald University Cancer Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Carsten Bokemeyer
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald University Cancer Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Manfred Jücker
- Institute of Biochemistry and Signal Transduction, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Maxim Kebenko
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald University Cancer Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Walter Fiedler
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald University Cancer Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jasmin Wellbrock
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald University Cancer Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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Epithelial-mesenchymal transition in prostate cancer: an overview. Oncotarget 2018; 8:35376-35389. [PMID: 28430640 PMCID: PMC5471062 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.15686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer is a main urological disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy are potentially curative for localized prostate cancer, while androgen deprivation therapy is the initial systemic therapy for metastatic prostate disease. However, despite temporary response, most patients relapse and evolve into castration resistant cancer. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a complex gradual process that occurs during embryonic development and/or tumor progression. During this process, cells lose their epithelial characteristics and acquire mesenchymal features. Increasing evidences indicate that EMT promotes prostate cancer metastatic progression and it is closely correlated with increased stemness and drug resistance. In this review, we discuss the main molecular events that directly or indirectly govern the EMT program in prostate cancer, in order to better define the role and the mechanisms underlying this process in prostate cancer progression and therapeutic resistance.
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Kim YS, Lee HJ, Park JM, Han YM, Kangwan N, Oh JY, Lee DY, Hahm KB. Targeted molecular ablation of cancer stem cells for curing gastrointestinal cancers. Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2017; 11:1059-1070. [PMID: 28707966 DOI: 10.1080/17474124.2017.1356224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Abundance of the ATPase-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and deranged self-renewal pathways characterize the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in gastrointestinal cancers (GI cancers), which play crucial roles in tumorigenesis, chemotherapy resistance, tumor recurrence, and cancer metastasis. Therefore, in order to ensure high cure rates, chemoquiescence, CSCs should be ablated. Recent advances in either understanding CSCs or biomarker identification enable scientists to develop techniques for ablating CSCs and clinicians to provide cancer cure, especially in GI cancers characterized by inflammation-driven carcinogenesis. Areas covered: A novel approach to ablate CSCs in GI cancers, including esophageal, gastric, and colon cancers, is introduced along with explored underlying molecular mechanisms. Expert commentary: Though CSC ablation is still in the empirical stages and not in clinical practice, several strategies for ablating CSCs in GI cancers had been published, proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) that regulate the membrane-bound ABC transporters, which underlie drug resistance; chloroquine (CQ) that inhibits autophagy, which is responsible for tumor survival; Hedgehog/Wnt/Notch inhibitors that influence the underlying stem-cell growth, and some natural products including Korean red ginseng, cancer-preventive kimchi, Artemisia extract, EGCG from green tea, and walnut extracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Seok Kim
- a Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , Hanyang University College of Medicine , Seoul , Korea
| | - Ho Jae Lee
- b Department of Biochemistry , Gachon University College of Medicine , Incheon , Korea
| | - Jong-Min Park
- c CHA Cancer Prevention Research Center , CHA University , Seongnam , Korea
| | - Young-Min Han
- c CHA Cancer Prevention Research Center , CHA University , Seongnam , Korea
| | - Napapan Kangwan
- d Division of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences , University of Phayao , Phayao , Thailand
| | | | | | - Ki Baik Hahm
- a Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , Hanyang University College of Medicine , Seoul , Korea.,c CHA Cancer Prevention Research Center , CHA University , Seongnam , Korea.,f Digestive Disease Center , CHA University Bundang Medical Center , Seongnam , Korea
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Armas-López L, Zúñiga J, Arrieta O, Ávila-Moreno F. The Hedgehog-GLI pathway in embryonic development and cancer: implications for pulmonary oncology therapy. Oncotarget 2017; 8:60684-60703. [PMID: 28948003 PMCID: PMC5601171 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.19527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcriptional regulation and epigenetic mechanisms closely control gene expression through diverse physiological and pathophysiological processes. These include the development of germ layers and post-natal epithelial cell-tissue differentiation, as well as, involved with the induction, promotion and/or progression of human malignancies. Diverse studies have shed light on the molecular similarities and differences involved in the stages of embryological epithelial development and dedifferentiation processes in malignant tumors of epithelial origin, of which many focus on lung carcinomas. In lung cancer, several transcriptional, epigenetic and genetic aberrations have been described to partly arise from environmental risk factors, but ethnic genetic predisposition factors may also play a role. The classification of the molecular hallmarks of cancer has been essential to study and achieve a comprehensive view of the interaction networks between cell signaling pathways and functional roles of the transcriptional and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms. This has in turn increased understanding on how these molecular networks are involved in embryo-layers and malignant diseases development. Ultimately, a major biomedicine goal is to achieve a thorough understanding of their roles as diagnostic, prognostic and treatment response indicators in lung oncological patients. Recently, several notable cell-signaling pathways have been studied based on their contribution to promoting and/or regulating the engagement of different cancer hallmarks, among them genome instability, exacerbated proliferative signaling, replicative immortality, tumor invasion-metastasis, inflammation, and immune-surveillance evasion mechanisms. Of these, the Hedgehog-GLI (Hh) cell-signaling pathway has been identified as a main molecular contribution into several of the abovementioned functional embryo-malignancy processes. Nonetheless, the systematic study of the regulatory epigenetic and transcriptional mechanisms has remained mostly unexplored, which could identify the interaction networks between specific biomarkers and/or new therapeutic targets in malignant tumor progression and resistance to lung oncologic therapy. In the present work, we aimed to revise the most important up-to-date experimental and clinical findings in biology, embryology and cancer research regarding the Hh pathway. We explore the potential control of the transcriptional-epigenetic programming versus reprogramming mechanisms associated with its Hh-GLI cell signaling pathway members. Last, we present a summary of this information to systematically integrate the Hh signaling pathway to identify and propose novel compound strategies or better oncological therapeutic schemes for lung cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonel Armas-López
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Facultad de Estudios Superiores (FES) Iztacala, Biomedicine Research Unit (UBIMED), Cancer Epigenomics And Lung Diseases Laboratory (UNAM-INER), Mexico City, México
| | - Joaquín Zúñiga
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias (INER), Ismael Cosío Villegas, Research Unit, Mexico City, México
| | - Oscar Arrieta
- Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INCAN), Thoracic Oncology Clinic, Mexico City, México
| | - Federico Ávila-Moreno
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Facultad de Estudios Superiores (FES) Iztacala, Biomedicine Research Unit (UBIMED), Cancer Epigenomics And Lung Diseases Laboratory (UNAM-INER), Mexico City, México
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias (INER), Ismael Cosío Villegas, Research Unit, Mexico City, México
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44
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Zhang Z, Wang Q, Bu X, Zhang C, Chen H, Sha W, Liu W. Overexpression of Bmi‑1 promotes epithelial‑mesenchymal transition in CD133+Hep G2 cells. Mol Med Rep 2017; 16:6156-6161. [PMID: 28849237 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2017.7347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2016] [Accepted: 06/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) and epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) are critical factors contributing to tumor metastasis and recurrence. The BMI1 proto‑oncogene (Bmi‑1) promotes the development and progression of hematologic malignancies and of several types of solid tumors. The aim of the present study was to explore the mechanism by which Bmi‑1 may promote invasion and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma Hep G2 cells. CD133 antigen is a transmembrane glycoprotein and regarded as a cancer stem cells marker in hepatocellular carcinoma. CD133+Hep G2 cells were enriched by magnetic‑activated cell sorting and exhibited greater viability compared with CD133‑Hep G2 cells, as measured by Cell Counting kit‑8 assay. Then, Bmi‑1 was overexpressed in CD133+Hep G2 cells by transfection with the Bmi‑1/pcDNA3.1(+) expression plasmid, and overexpression was confirmed by reverse‑transcription‑polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Overexpression of Bmi‑1in CD133+Hep G2 cells resulted in the downregulation of E‑cadherin and upregulation of Vimentin at the protein level. The invasion and migration abilities of CD133+Hep G2 cells were increased in the Bmi‑1/pcDNA3.1(+)‑transfected group, as measured by Transwell invasion and wound healing assays, respectively. In conclusion, Bmi‑1 promoted invasion and migration of CD133+Hep G2 cells most likely through inducing EMT. The present findings may offer a potential novel target for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zefeng Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Qiyi Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoling Bu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Chuangqiang Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong 528000, P.R. China
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Weihong Sha
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Wanwei Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
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Cancer-Related Triplets of mRNA-lncRNA-miRNA Revealed by Integrative Network in Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 2017:3859582. [PMID: 28280730 PMCID: PMC5320387 DOI: 10.1155/2017/3859582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2016] [Revised: 09/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/22/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The regulation of transcriptome expression level is a complex process involving multiple-level interactions among molecules such as protein coding RNA (mRNA), long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), and microRNA (miRNA), which are essential for the transcriptome stability and maintenance and regulation of body homeostasis. The availability of multilevel expression data enables a comprehensive view of the regulatory network. In this study, we analyzed the coding and noncoding gene expression profiles of 301 patients with uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC). A new method was proposed to construct a genome-wide integrative network based on variance inflation factor (VIF) regression method. The cross-regulation relations of mRNA, lncRNA, and miRNA were then selected based on clique-searching algorithm from the network, when any two molecules of the three were shown as interacting according to the integrative network. Such relation, which we call the mRNA-lncRNA-miRNA triplet, demonstrated the complexity in transcriptome regulation process. Finally, six UCEC-related triplets were selected in which the mRNA participates in endometrial carcinoma pathway, such as CDH1 and TP53. The multi-type RNAs are proved to be cross-regulated as to each of the six triplets according to literature. All the triplets demonstrated the association with the initiation and progression of UCEC. Our method provides a comprehensive strategy for the investigation of transcriptome regulation mechanism.
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46
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Hedgehog Pathway Inhibition Hampers Sphere and Holoclone Formation in Rhabdomyosarcoma. Stem Cells Int 2017; 2017:7507380. [PMID: 28243259 PMCID: PMC5294584 DOI: 10.1155/2017/7507380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Revised: 12/02/2016] [Accepted: 12/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common type of soft tissue sarcoma in children and can be divided into two main subtypes: embryonal (eRMS) and alveolar (aRMS). Among the cellular heterogeneity of tumors, the existence of a small fraction of cells called cancer stem cells (CSC), thought to be responsible for the onset and propagation of cancer, has been demonstrated in some neoplasia. Although the existence of CSC has been reported for eRMS, their existence in aRMS, the most malignant subtype, has not been demonstrated to date. Given the lack of suitable markers to identify this subpopulation in aRMS, we used cancer stem cell-enriched supracellular structures (spheres and holoclones) to study this subpopulation. This strategy allowed us to demonstrate the capacity of both aRMS and eRMS cells to form these structures and retain self-renewal capacity. Furthermore, cells contained in spheres and holoclones showed significant Hedgehog pathway induction, the inhibition of which (pharmacologic or genetic) impairs the formation of both holoclones and spheres. Our findings point to a crucial role of this pathway in the maintenance of these structures and suggest that Hedgehog pathway targeting in CSC may have great potential in preventing local relapses and metastases.
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Müller S, Cañeque T, Acevedo V, Rodriguez R. Targeting Cancer Stem Cells with Small Molecules. Isr J Chem 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ijch.201600109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Müller
- Institut Curie Research Center; CNRS UMR 3666; Organic Synthesis and Cell Biology Group; 26 rue d'Ulm 75248 Paris France
| | - Tatiana Cañeque
- Institut Curie Research Center; CNRS UMR 3666; Organic Synthesis and Cell Biology Group; 26 rue d'Ulm 75248 Paris France
| | - Verónica Acevedo
- Institut Curie Research Center; CNRS UMR 3666; Organic Synthesis and Cell Biology Group; 26 rue d'Ulm 75248 Paris France
| | - Raphaël Rodriguez
- Institut Curie Research Center; CNRS UMR 3666; Organic Synthesis and Cell Biology Group; 26 rue d'Ulm 75248 Paris France
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48
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Trinh TN, McLaughlin EA, Gordon CP, Bernstein IR, Pye VJ, Redgrove KA, McCluskey A. Small molecule Hedgehog pathway antagonists. Org Biomol Chem 2017; 15:3046-3059. [DOI: 10.1039/c6ob01959e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Leveraging our quinolone-1-(2H)-one based Hedgehog signalling pathway (HSP) inhibitors we have developed two new classes of HSP inhibitors based on: l-tryptophan and benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-ylmethyl-[2-(1H-indol-3-yl)-ethyl]-amine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trieu N. Trinh
- Chemistry
- Priority Research Centre for Chemical Biology
- University of Newcastle
- Australia
| | - Eileen A. McLaughlin
- Biology
- Priority Research Centre for Chemical Biology
- University of Newcastle
- Australia
| | - Christopher P. Gordon
- Chemistry
- Priority Research Centre for Chemical Biology
- University of Newcastle
- Australia
- Nanoscale Organization and Dynamics Group
| | - Ilana R. Bernstein
- Biology
- Priority Research Centre for Chemical Biology
- University of Newcastle
- Australia
| | - Victoria J. Pye
- Biology
- Priority Research Centre for Chemical Biology
- University of Newcastle
- Australia
| | - Kate A. Redgrove
- Biology
- Priority Research Centre for Chemical Biology
- University of Newcastle
- Australia
| | - Adam McCluskey
- Chemistry
- Priority Research Centre for Chemical Biology
- University of Newcastle
- Australia
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Maughan BL, Suzman DL, Luber B, Wang H, Glavaris S, Hughes R, Sullivan R, Harb R, Boudadi K, Paller C, Eisenberger M, Demarzo A, Ross A, Antonarakis ES. Pharmacodynamic study of the oral hedgehog pathway inhibitor, vismodegib, in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2016; 78:1297-1304. [PMID: 27826729 DOI: 10.1007/s00280-016-3191-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Hedgehog (Hh) pathway signaling has been implicated in prostate cancer tumorigenesis and metastatic development and may be upregulated even further in the castration-resistant state. We hypothesized that antagonism of the Hh pathway with vismodegib in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) would result in pathway engagement, inhibition and perhaps induce measurable clinical responses in patients. METHODS This is a single-arm study of oral daily vismodegib in men with mCRPC. All patients were required to have biopsies of the tumor and skin (a surrogate tissue) at baseline and after 4 weeks of therapy. Ten patients were planned for enrollment. The primary outcome was the pharmacodynamic assessment of Gli1 mRNA suppression with vismodegib in tumor tissue. Secondary outcomes included PSA response rates, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and safety. RESULTS Nine patients were enrolled. Gli1 mRNA was significantly suppressed by vismodegib in both tumor tissue (4/7 evaluable biopsies, 57%) and benign skin biopsies (6/8 evaluable biopsies, 75%). The median number of treatment cycles completed was three, with a median PFS of 1.9 months (95% CI 1.3, NA), and a median OS of 7.04 months (95% CI 3.4, NA). No patient achieved a PSA reduction or a measurable tumor response. Safety data were consistent with the known toxicities of vismodegib. CONCLUSIONS Hh signaling, as measured by Gli1 mRNA expression in mCRPC tissues, was suppressed with vismodegib in the majority of patients. Despite this pharmacodynamic response that indicated target inhibition in some patients, there was no apparent signal of clinical activity. Vismodegib will not be developed further as monotherapy in mCRPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin L Maughan
- Huntsman Cancer Center, University of Utah, 2000 Circle of Hope Dr, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Daniel L Suzman
- Office of Hematology and Oncology Products, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Brandon Luber
- Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1650 Orleans St. CRB1 1M45, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Hao Wang
- Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1650 Orleans St. CRB1 1M45, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Stephanie Glavaris
- Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1650 Orleans St. CRB1 1M45, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Robert Hughes
- Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1650 Orleans St. CRB1 1M45, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Rana Sullivan
- Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1650 Orleans St. CRB1 1M45, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Rana Harb
- Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1650 Orleans St. CRB1 1M45, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Karim Boudadi
- Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1650 Orleans St. CRB1 1M45, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Channing Paller
- Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1650 Orleans St. CRB1 1M45, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Mario Eisenberger
- Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1650 Orleans St. CRB1 1M45, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Angelo Demarzo
- Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1650 Orleans St. CRB1 1M45, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Ashely Ross
- Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1650 Orleans St. CRB1 1M45, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Emmanuel S Antonarakis
- Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1650 Orleans St. CRB1 1M45, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
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50
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Zhang Z, Bu X, Chen H, Wang Q, Sha W. Bmi-1 promotes the invasion and migration of colon cancer stem cells through the downregulation of E-cadherin. Int J Mol Med 2016; 38:1199-207. [PMID: 27600678 PMCID: PMC5029956 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2016.2730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastasis and recurrence are the challenges of cancer therapy. Recently, mounting evidence has suggested that cancer stem cells (CSCs) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) are critical factors in tumor metastasis and recurrence. The oncogene, Bmi-1, promotes the development of hematologic malignancies and many solid tumors. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the mechanisms through which Bmi-1 promotes the invasion and migration of colon CSCs (CCSCs) using the HCT116 colon cancer cell line. Sphere formation medium and magnetic‑activated cell sorting were used to enrich and screen the CCSCs. CD133 and CD44 were regarded as markers of CCSCs and they were found to be co-expressed in the HCT116 colon cancer cell line. Colony formation assay, cell proliferation assay and viability assay using the Cell Counting Kit-8, and transplantation assay using nude mice injected with CCSCs were used to examine the CCSCs. The CD133+CD44+ HCT116 cells exhibited greater cloning efficiency, an enhanced proliferative ability, increased cell viability and stronger tumorigenicity; these cells were used as the CCSCs for subsequent experiments. In addition, the invasive and migratory abilities of the CD133+CD44+ HCT116 cells were markedly decreased when Bmi-1 was silenced by small interfering RNA (siRNA). The results of RT-qPCR and western blot analysis suggested that Bmi-1 had a negative effect on E-cadherin expression. On the whole, our findings suggest that Bmi-1 promotes the invasion and migration of CCSCs through the downregulation of E-cadherin, possibly by inducing EMT. Our findings thus indicate that Bmi-1 may be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zefeng Zhang
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoling Bu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Qiyi Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
- Correspondence to: Dr Qiyi Wang or Dr Weihong Sha, Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, 106 Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China, E-mail: , E-mail:
| | - Weihong Sha
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
- Correspondence to: Dr Qiyi Wang or Dr Weihong Sha, Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, 106 Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China, E-mail: , E-mail:
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