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Jiang T, Huang J, Xu B, Ge Z, Li Y, Wei L, Yu L, Li J. Human amniotic epithelial stem cell-derived dopaminergic neuron-like cells ameliorate motor dysfunction in a rat model of Parkinson's disease. Life Sci 2024; 351:122816. [PMID: 38862064 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122816] [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: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Parkinson's disease (PD) remains a substantial clinical challenge due to the progressive loss of midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons in nigrostriatal pathway. In this study, human amniotic epithelial stem cells (hAESCs)-derived dopaminergic neuron-like cells (hAESCs-DNLCs) were generated, with the aim of providing new therapeutic approach to PD. MATERIALS AND METHODS hAESCs, which were isolated from discarded placentas, were induced to differentiate into hAESCs-DNLCs by following a "two stages" induction protocol. The differentiation efficiency was assessed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), immunocytochemistry (ICC), and ELISA. Immunogenicity, cell viability and tumorigenicity of hAESCs-DNLC were analyzed before in vivo experiments. Subsequently, hAESCs-DNLCs were transplanted into PD rats, behavioral tests were monitored after graft, and the regeneration of DA neurons was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Furthermore, to trace hAESCs-DNLCs in vivo, cells were pre-labeled with PKH67 green fluorescence. KEY FINDINGS hAESCs were positive for pluripotent markers and highly expressed neural stem cells (NSCs) markers. Based on this, we established an induction method reliably generates hAESCs-DNLCs, which was evidenced by epithelium-to-neuron morphological changes, elevated expressions of neuronal and DA neuronal markers, and increased secretion of dopamine. Moreover, hAESCs-DNLCs maintained high cell viability, no tumorigenicity and low immunogenicity, suggesting hAESCs-DNLCs an attractive implant for PD therapy. Transplantation of hAESCs-DNLCs into PD rats significantly ameliorated motor disorders, as well as enhanced the reinnervation of TH+ DA neurons in nigrostriatal pathway. SIGNIFICANCE Our study has demonstrated evident therapeutic effects of hAESCs-DNLCs, and provides a safe and promising solution for PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuoying Jiang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection & College of Life Sciences-iCell Biotechnology Regenerative Biomedicine Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Jianan Huang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection & College of Life Sciences-iCell Biotechnology Regenerative Biomedicine Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, PR China; Eye Center, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Institute on Eye Diseases, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Bo Xu
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection & College of Life Sciences-iCell Biotechnology Regenerative Biomedicine Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Zhen Ge
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310013, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Yi Li
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection & College of Life Sciences-iCell Biotechnology Regenerative Biomedicine Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Leiting Wei
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection & College of Life Sciences-iCell Biotechnology Regenerative Biomedicine Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Luyang Yu
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection & College of Life Sciences-iCell Biotechnology Regenerative Biomedicine Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, PR China.
| | - Jinying Li
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection & College of Life Sciences-iCell Biotechnology Regenerative Biomedicine Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, PR China; College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Health Industry, Lishui University, Lishui 323000, Zhejiang Province, PR China.
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2
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Wang T, Tan HS, Wang AJ, Li SS, Feng JJ. Fluorescent metal nanoclusters: From luminescence mechanism to applications in enzyme activity assays. Biosens Bioelectron 2024; 257:116323. [PMID: 38669842 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2024.116323] [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: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Metal nanoclusters (MNCs) have outstanding fluorescence property and biocompatibility, which show widespread applications in biological analysis. Particularly, evaluation of enzyme activity with the fluorescent MNCs has been developed rapidly within the past several years. In this review, we first introduced the fluorescent mechanism of mono- and bi-metallic nanoclusters, respectively, whose interesting luminescence properties are mainly resulted from electron transfer between the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels. Meanwhile, the charge migration within the structure occurs through ligand-metal charge transfer (LMCT) or ligand-metal-metal charge transfer (LMMCT). On such foundation, diverse enzyme activities were rigorously evaluated, including three transferases and nine hydrolases, in turn harvesting rapid research progresses within past 5 years. Finally, we summarized the design strategies for evaluating enzyme activity with the MNCs, presented the major issues and challenges remained in the relevant research, coupled by showing some improvement measures. This review will attract researchers dedicated to the studies of the MNCs and provide some constructive insights for their further applications in enzyme analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Wang
- Institute for Chemical Biology & Biosensing, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Hong-Sheng Tan
- Institute for Chemical Biology & Biosensing, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Ai-Jun Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, China
| | - Shan-Shan Li
- Institute for Chemical Biology & Biosensing, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao, 266071, China.
| | - Jiu-Ju Feng
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, China.
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3
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Yousefi T, Mohammadi Jobani B, Taebi R, Qujeq D. Innovating Cancer Treatment Through Cell Cycle, Telomerase, Angiogenesis, and Metastasis. DNA Cell Biol 2024. [PMID: 39018567 DOI: 10.1089/dna.2024.0109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer remains a formidable challenge in the field of medicine, necessitating innovative therapeutic strategies to combat its relentless progression. The cell cycle, a tightly regulated process governing cell growth and division, plays a pivotal role in cancer development. Dysregulation of the cell cycle allows cancer cells to proliferate uncontrollably. Therapeutic interventions designed to disrupt the cell cycle offer promise in restraining tumor growth and progression. Telomerase, an enzyme responsible for maintaining telomere length, is often overactive in cancer cells, conferring them with immortality. Targeting telomerase presents an opportunity to limit the replicative potential of cancer cells and hinder tumor growth. Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, is essential for tumor growth and metastasis. Strategies aimed at inhibiting angiogenesis seek to deprive tumors of their vital blood supply, thereby impeding their progression. Metastasis, the spread of cancer cells from the primary tumor to distant sites, is a major challenge in cancer therapy. Research efforts are focused on understanding the underlying mechanisms of metastasis and developing interventions to disrupt this deadly process. This review provides a glimpse into the multifaceted approach to cancer therapy, addressing critical aspects of cancer biology-cell cycle regulation, telomerase activity, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Through ongoing research and innovative strategies, the field of oncology continues to advance, offering new hope for improved treatment outcomes and enhanced quality of life for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tooba Yousefi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bahareh Mohammadi Jobani
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reyhaneh Taebi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Durdi Qujeq
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
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Sun H, Li X, Long Q, Wang X, Zhu W, Chen E, Zhou W, Yang H, Huang C, Deng W, Chen M. TERC promotes non-small cell lung cancer progression by facilitating the nuclear localization of TERT. iScience 2024; 27:109869. [PMID: 38799568 PMCID: PMC11126826 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The core of telomerase consists of the protein subunit telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and the telomerase RNA component (TERC). So far, the role of TERC in cancer development has remained elusive. Here, we found TERC expression elevated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues, which was associated with disease progression and poor prognosis in patients. Using NSCLC cell lines and xenograft models, we showed that knockdown of TERC caused cell cycle arrest, and inhibition of cell proliferation and migration. Mechanistically, TERC was exported to the cytoplasm by nuclear RNA export factor 1 (NXF1), where it mediated the interaction of TERT with other telomerase subunits. Depletion of TERC hindered the assembly and subsequent nuclear localization of the telomerase complex, preventing TERT from functioning in telomere maintenance and transcription regulation. Our findings suggest that TERC is a potential biomarker for NSCLC diagnosis and prognosis and can be a target for NSCLC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haohui Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Xiaodi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Qian Long
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Xiaonan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Wancui Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Enni Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Wenhao Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Han Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Chuyang Huang
- Department of Urology, Shaoyang Central Hospital, University of South China, Shaoyang, Hunan 422000, China
| | - Wuguo Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Miao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
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Chen Y, Chen C, Xiang J, Gao R, Wang G, Yu W. Functional Tea Extract Inhibits Cell Growth, Induces Apoptosis, and Causes G0/G1 Arrest in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Line Possibly through Reduction in Telomerase Activity. Foods 2024; 13:1867. [PMID: 38928812 PMCID: PMC11203311 DOI: 10.3390/foods13121867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The functional tea CFT-1 has been introduced into China as a nutraceutical beverage according to the "Healthy China" national project. The effects on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells remain unclear and were investigated with the functional tea extract (purity > 98%). The morphological changes in the cells were observed with microscopes. Cell proliferation, migration, cycle distribution, and apoptotic effects were assessed by MTT, Transwell assays, and flow cytometry, respectively, while telomerase inhibition was evaluated with telomerase PCR ELISA assay kits. The CFT-1 treatment resulted in cell shrinkage, nuclear pyknosis, and chromatin condensation. CFT-1 suppressed the growth of Hep3B cells with IC50 of 143 μg/mL by inducing apoptosis and G0/G1 arrest in Hep3B cells. As for the molecular mechanism, CFT-1 treatment can effectively reduce the telomerase activity. The functional tea extract inhibits cell growth in human HCC by inducing apoptosis and G0/G1 arrest, possibly through a reduction in telomerase activity. These results indicate that CFT-1 extract exhibited in vitro anticancer activities and provided insights into the future development and utilization of CFT-1 as functional foods to inhibit the proliferation of HCC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Chen
- Tea Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350003, China; (Y.C.); (J.X.); (R.G.)
- Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350003, China
- Agricultural Product Processing Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350003, China
| | - Changsong Chen
- Tea Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350003, China; (Y.C.); (J.X.); (R.G.)
- Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350003, China
| | - Jiaxing Xiang
- Tea Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350003, China; (Y.C.); (J.X.); (R.G.)
- Horticulture College, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350003, China
| | - Ruizhen Gao
- Tea Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350003, China; (Y.C.); (J.X.); (R.G.)
- Horticulture College, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350003, China
| | - Guojun Wang
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, 5600 U.S. 1, Fort Pierce, FL 34946, USA;
| | - Wenquan Yu
- Tea Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350003, China; (Y.C.); (J.X.); (R.G.)
- Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350003, China
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Huang X, Wu F, Ye J, Wang L, Wang X, Li X, He G. Expanding the horizons of targeted protein degradation: A non-small molecule perspective. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:2402-2427. [PMID: 38828146 PMCID: PMC11143490 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation (TPD) represented by proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) marks a significant stride in drug discovery. A plethora of innovative technologies inspired by PROTAC have not only revolutionized the landscape of TPD but have the potential to unlock functionalities beyond degradation. Non-small-molecule-based approaches play an irreplaceable role in this field. A wide variety of agents spanning a broad chemical spectrum, including peptides, nucleic acids, antibodies, and even vaccines, which not only prove instrumental in overcoming the constraints of conventional small molecule entities but also provided rapidly renewing paradigms. Herein we summarize the burgeoning non-small molecule technological platforms inspired by PROTACs, including three major trajectories, to provide insights for the design strategies based on novel paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowei Huang
- Department of Pharmacy and Department of Dermatology & Venerology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Fengbo Wu
- Department of Pharmacy and Department of Dermatology & Venerology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jing Ye
- Department of Pharmacy and Department of Dermatology & Venerology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Lian Wang
- Department of Pharmacy and Department of Dermatology & Venerology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xiaoyun Wang
- Department of Pharmacy and Department of Dermatology & Venerology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Gu He
- Department of Pharmacy and Department of Dermatology & Venerology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
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Vedunova M, Borysova O, Kozlov G, Zharova AM, Morgunov I, Moskalev A. Candidate molecular targets uncovered in mouse lifespan extension studies. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2024; 28:513-528. [PMID: 38656034 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2024.2346597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Multiple interventions have demonstrated an increase in mouse lifespan. However, non-standardized controls, sex or strain-specific factors, and insufficient focus on targets, hinder the translation of these findings into clinical applications. AREAS COVERED We examined the effects of genetic and drug-based interventions on mice from databases DrugAge, GenAge, the Mouse Phenome Database, and publications from PubMed that led to a lifespan extension of more than 10%, identifying specific molecular targets that were manipulated to achieve the maximum lifespan in mice. Subsequently, we characterized 10 molecular targets influenced by these interventions, with particular attention given to clinical trials and potential indications for each. EXPERT OPINION To increase the translational potential of mice life-extension studies to clinical research several factors are crucial: standardization of mice lifespan research approaches, the development of clear criteria for control and experimental groups, the establishment of criteria for potential geroprotectors, and focusing on targets and their clinical application. Pinpointing the targets affected by geroprotectors helps in understanding species-specific differences and identifying potential side effects, ensuring the safety and effectiveness of clinical trials. Additionally, target review facilitates the optimization of treatment protocols and the evaluation of the clinical feasibility of translating research findings into practical therapies for humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Vedunova
- Institute of Biomedicine, Institute of Biogerontology, National Research Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod (Lobachevsky University), Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | | | - Grigory Kozlov
- Institute of Biomedicine, Institute of Biogerontology, National Research Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod (Lobachevsky University), Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Anna-Maria Zharova
- Institute of Biomedicine, Institute of Biogerontology, National Research Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod (Lobachevsky University), Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | | | - Alexey Moskalev
- Institute of Biomedicine, Institute of Biogerontology, National Research Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod (Lobachevsky University), Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
- Longaevus Technologies LTD, London, United Kingdom
- Russian Gerontology Research and Clinical Centre, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
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Liu X, Wang J, Wu LJ, Trinh B, Tsai RYL. IMPDH Inhibition Decreases TERT Expression and Synergizes the Cytotoxic Effect of Chemotherapeutic Agents in Glioblastoma Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5992. [PMID: 38892179 PMCID: PMC11172490 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115992] [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: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
IMP dehydrogenase (IMPDH) inhibition has emerged as a new target therapy for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), which remains one of the most refractory tumors to date. TCGA analyses revealed distinct expression profiles of IMPDH isoenzymes in various subtypes of GBM and low-grade glioma (LGG). To dissect the mechanism(s) underlying the anti-tumor effect of IMPDH inhibition in adult GBM, we investigated how mycophenolic acid (MPA, an IMPDH inhibitor) treatment affected key oncogenic drivers in glioblastoma cells. Our results showed that MPA decreased the expression of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) in both U87 and U251 cells, and the expression of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) in U251 cells. In support, MPA treatment reduced the amount of telomere repeats in U87 and U251 cells. TERT downregulation by MPA was associated with a significant decrease in c-Myc (a TERT transcription activator) in U87 but not U251 cells, and a dose-dependent increase in p53 and CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) (TERT repressors) in both U87 and U251 cells. In U251 cells, MPA displayed strong cytotoxic synergy with BCNU and moderate synergy with irinotecan, oxaliplatin, paclitaxel, or temozolomide (TMZ). In U87 cells, MPA displayed strong cytotoxic synergy with all except TMZ, acting primarily through the apoptotic pathway. Our work expands the mechanistic potential of IMPDH inhibition to TERT/telomere regulation and reveals a synthetic lethality between MPA and anti-GBM drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqin Liu
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (J.W.); (L.J.W.); (B.T.)
| | - Junying Wang
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (J.W.); (L.J.W.); (B.T.)
| | - Laura J. Wu
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (J.W.); (L.J.W.); (B.T.)
| | - Britni Trinh
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (J.W.); (L.J.W.); (B.T.)
| | - Robert Y. L. Tsai
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (J.W.); (L.J.W.); (B.T.)
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Zhou Y, Tao L, Qiu J, Xu J, Yang X, Zhang Y, Tian X, Guan X, Cen X, Zhao Y. Tumor biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis and targeted therapy. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:132. [PMID: 38763973 PMCID: PMC11102923 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01823-2] [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: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor biomarkers, the substances which are produced by tumors or the body's responses to tumors during tumorigenesis and progression, have been demonstrated to possess critical and encouraging value in screening and early diagnosis, prognosis prediction, recurrence detection, and therapeutic efficacy monitoring of cancers. Over the past decades, continuous progress has been made in exploring and discovering novel, sensitive, specific, and accurate tumor biomarkers, which has significantly promoted personalized medicine and improved the outcomes of cancer patients, especially advances in molecular biology technologies developed for the detection of tumor biomarkers. Herein, we summarize the discovery and development of tumor biomarkers, including the history of tumor biomarkers, the conventional and innovative technologies used for biomarker discovery and detection, the classification of tumor biomarkers based on tissue origins, and the application of tumor biomarkers in clinical cancer management. In particular, we highlight the recent advancements in biomarker-based anticancer-targeted therapies which are emerging as breakthroughs and promising cancer therapeutic strategies. We also discuss limitations and challenges that need to be addressed and provide insights and perspectives to turn challenges into opportunities in this field. Collectively, the discovery and application of multiple tumor biomarkers emphasized in this review may provide guidance on improved precision medicine, broaden horizons in future research directions, and expedite the clinical classification of cancer patients according to their molecular biomarkers rather than organs of origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhou
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Lei Tao
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Jiahao Qiu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Jing Xu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xinyu Yang
- West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- School of Medicine, Tibet University, Lhasa, 850000, China
| | - Xinyu Tian
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xinqi Guan
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xiaobo Cen
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yinglan Zhao
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Gomatou G, Masaoutis C, Vamvakaris I, Kotteas E, Bouros E, Tzilas V, Bouros D. Differential immunohistochemical expression of hTERT in lung cancer patients with and without idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Pulmonology 2024; 30:214-221. [PMID: 35153179 DOI: 10.1016/j.pulmoe.2021.12.001] [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: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is the catalytic subunit of telomerase enzyme, which adds nucleotides to telomeres and counteracts their length shortening. The development of a telomere maintenance mechanism represents a hallmark of cancer. On the other hand, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is associated with mutations in telomerase genes and shorter telomeres. IPF is frequently complicated with lung cancer. AIM To investigate the expression of hTERT in lung cancer with co-existing IPF and to compare with lung cancer without fibrosis. METHODS Diagnostic lung cancerous biopsies were retrieved from 18 patients with lung cancer and concomitant IPF, as well as 18 age and gender matched controls with lung cancer without pulmonary fibrosis. The expression of hTERT was studied with immunohistochemistry. ImajeJ software was used to quantitate subcellular stain intensity. Immunohistochemical investigation of two senescence-associated markers, p16 and p21, was also performed in all 36 cases. RESULTS Both groups highly expressed hTERT, without significant difference (100% vs 95%, p = 0.521). Evaluation of p16 and p21 immunostaining revealed negative to minimal immunoreactivity in both groups. hTERT localization exhibited higher median nuclear intensity in the group of lung cancer with IPF (0.62 vs 0.45, p = 0.016), while cytoplasmic intensity did not differ significantly (0.17 vs 0.15, p = 0.463). Higher median nuclear intensity was also correlated with small cell lung cancer subtype in the whole study sample (0.69 vs 0.45, p = 0.09). CONCLUSION hTERT is highly expressed in lung cancer with concomitant IPF, but with differential localization compared to lung cancer without IPF, implying differences in pathogenicity and requiring further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Gomatou
- Interstitial Lung Diseases Unit, 1st Department of Respiratory Medicine, "Sotiria" Hospital for Diseases of the Chest, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Oncology Unit, Third Department of Medicine, "Sotiria" Hospital for Diseases of the Chest, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
| | - C Masaoutis
- 1st Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - I Vamvakaris
- Department of Pathology, "Sotiria" Hospital for Diseases of the Chest, Athens, Greece
| | - E Kotteas
- Oncology Unit, Third Department of Medicine, "Sotiria" Hospital for Diseases of the Chest, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - E Bouros
- Interstitial Lung Diseases Unit, 1st Department of Respiratory Medicine, "Sotiria" Hospital for Diseases of the Chest, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - V Tzilas
- Center for Diseases of the Chest, Athens Medical Center, Athens, Greece
| | - D Bouros
- Interstitial Lung Diseases Unit, 1st Department of Respiratory Medicine, "Sotiria" Hospital for Diseases of the Chest, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Center for Diseases of the Chest, Athens Medical Center, Athens, Greece
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11
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Chen B, Weng Y, Li M, Bian Z, Tao Y, Zhou W, Lu H, He S, Liao R, Huang J, Wang Q, Xu M, Ge Y, Cao W, Lei M, Zhang Y. LINC02454-CCT complex interaction is essential for telomerase activity and cell proliferation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Lett 2024; 588:216734. [PMID: 38401886 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216734] [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: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Telomerase activity is upregulated in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), yet its regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we identified a cancer-specific lncRNA (LINC02454) associated with poor prognosis by using LncRNA chip of our HNSCC cohorts and external datasets. Through employing negative-stain transmission electron microscopy (NS-TEM), we discovered an interaction between LINC02454 and CCT complex which would augment telomerase activity for maintaining telomere homeostasis. Supporting this, in the telomerase repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay and quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization (Q-FISH) analysis, LINC02454 depletion significantly reduced telomerase activity and shortened telomere length. Consistently, pathways related to telomerase, mitosis, and apoptosis were significantly impacted upon LINC02454 knockdown in RNAseq analysis. Functionally, LINC02454-deficient cells exhibited a more significant senescence phenotype in β-galactosidase staining, cell cycle, and apoptosis assays. We further confirmed the role of LINC02454 in HNSCC proliferation through a combination of in vitro and in vivo experiments. The therapeutic potential of targeting LINC02454 was verified by adenovirus-shRNA approach in HNSCC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. In summary, our findings provided valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms of HNSCC tumorigenesis and potential targets for future treatment modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biying Chen
- Department of Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201900, China; Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China
| | - Yue Weng
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Mingyue Li
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Zhouliang Bian
- Department of Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201900, China; Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China
| | - Ye Tao
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Wenkai Zhou
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Hong Lu
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Shufang He
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Rijing Liao
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Jie Huang
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201900, China; Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China
| | - Ming Xu
- Department of Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201900, China; Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China
| | - Yunhui Ge
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Wei Cao
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China.
| | - Ming Lei
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
| | - Yanjie Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201900, China; Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China.
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12
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Yan M, Zhang Z, Wang L, Huang H, Wang J, Zhu C, Li Z, Xu Z. Cross-talk of Three Molecular Subtypes of Telomere Maintenance Defines Clinical Characteristics and Tumor Microenvironment in Gastric Cancer. J Cancer 2024; 15:3227-3241. [PMID: 38706908 PMCID: PMC11064253 DOI: 10.7150/jca.92207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Telomere maintenance takes part in the regulation of gastric cancer (GC) pathogenesis and is essential for patients' clinical features. Though the correlation between a single telomere maintenance-related gene and GC has previously been published, comprehensive exploration and systematic analysis remain to be studied. Our study is aimed at determining telomere maintenance-related molecular subtypes and examining their role in GC. Methods: By analyzing the transcriptome data, we identified three telomere maintenance-associated clusters (TMCs) with heterogeneity in clinical features and tumor microenvironment (TME). Then, we screened five prognostic telomere maintenance-related genes and established corresponding TM scores. Additionally, the expression level and biological function of tubulin beta 6 class V (TUBB6) were validated in GC tissues and cells. Results: TMC1 was correlated with EMT and TGF-beta pathway and predicted low tumor mutation burden (TMB) as well as bad prognostic outcomes. TMC3 was associated with cell cycle and DNA repair. In terms of TMB and overall survival, TMC3 exhibited opposite results against TMC1. Significant heterogeneity was observed between TMCs. TUBB6 was upregulated and could promote GC proliferation, migration, and invasion. Conclusion: Altogether, combining bioinformatics and functional experiments, we identified three molecular subtypes based on telomere maintenance-associated genes in GC, which could bring new ideas and novel biomarkers to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengpei Yan
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhijun Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Luyao Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Hongxin Huang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jihuan Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Chengjun Zhu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zheng Li
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zekuan Xu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
- The Institute of Gastric Cancer, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
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13
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Maloberti T, De Leo A, Coluccelli S, Sanza V, Gruppioni E, Altimari A, Comito F, Melotti B, Marchese PV, Dika E, Venturi F, Corti B, Ciccimarra G, Ciceu CA, Tallini G, de Biase D. Molecular Characterization of Advanced-Stage Melanomas in Clinical Practice Using a Laboratory-Developed Next-Generation Sequencing Panel. Diagnostics (Basel) 2024; 14:800. [PMID: 38667446 PMCID: PMC11048853 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14080800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous melanoma is one of the most lethal tumors among skin cancers, characterized by complex genetic and molecular alterations that result in uncontrolled cell proliferation and metastatic spread. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) enables the simultaneous examination of numerous genes, making this molecular technique essential for melanoma diagnosis, prognostic stratification, and therapy planning. Herein, we present the experience with our laboratory-designed NGS panel for the routine assessment of advanced-stage melanoma. A total of 260 specimens of advanced-stage melanomas were evaluated utilizing a laboratory-developed multi-gene NGS panel, which allowed the investigation of 229 amplicons in 25 oncogene/oncosuppressor genes. The NGS panel proved to be a reliable tool, failing to produce results in only 1.2% of the samples tested. BRAF and TERT were the two more commonly altered genes in 44.0% and 59.9% of samples, respectively. In 59.3% of the mutated cases, at least two concomitant variants were detected. In eight cases, both primary lesion and metastatic disease were analyzed by NGS. In all specimens (8/8, 100%), a perfect concordance in variants harbored by the primary and recurrence lesions was observed. Finally, this study described the validity of a laboratory-developed multi-gene NGS panel built specifically for advanced-stage melanomas in ordinary clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thais Maloberti
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (T.M.); (A.D.L.); (S.C.); (V.S.); (E.G.); (A.A.); (G.T.)
| | - Antonio De Leo
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (T.M.); (A.D.L.); (S.C.); (V.S.); (E.G.); (A.A.); (G.T.)
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (E.D.); (F.V.)
| | - Sara Coluccelli
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (T.M.); (A.D.L.); (S.C.); (V.S.); (E.G.); (A.A.); (G.T.)
| | - Viviana Sanza
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (T.M.); (A.D.L.); (S.C.); (V.S.); (E.G.); (A.A.); (G.T.)
| | - Elisa Gruppioni
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (T.M.); (A.D.L.); (S.C.); (V.S.); (E.G.); (A.A.); (G.T.)
| | - Annalisa Altimari
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (T.M.); (A.D.L.); (S.C.); (V.S.); (E.G.); (A.A.); (G.T.)
| | - Francesca Comito
- Oncology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy (B.M.); (P.V.M.)
| | - Barbara Melotti
- Oncology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy (B.M.); (P.V.M.)
| | - Paola Valeria Marchese
- Oncology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy (B.M.); (P.V.M.)
| | - Emi Dika
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (E.D.); (F.V.)
- Oncologic Dermatology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Federico Venturi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (E.D.); (F.V.)
- Oncologic Dermatology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Barbara Corti
- Pathology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Giulia Ciccimarra
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (G.C.); (C.A.C.)
| | - Crina Adriana Ciceu
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (G.C.); (C.A.C.)
| | - Giovanni Tallini
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (T.M.); (A.D.L.); (S.C.); (V.S.); (E.G.); (A.A.); (G.T.)
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (E.D.); (F.V.)
| | - Dario de Biase
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (T.M.); (A.D.L.); (S.C.); (V.S.); (E.G.); (A.A.); (G.T.)
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (G.C.); (C.A.C.)
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14
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Shou S, Li Y, Chen J, Zhang X, Zhang C, Jiang X, Liu F, Yi L, Zhang X, Geer E, Pu Z, Pang B. Understanding, diagnosing, and treating pancreatic cancer from the perspective of telomeres and telomerase. Cancer Gene Ther 2024:10.1038/s41417-024-00768-6. [PMID: 38594465 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-024-00768-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Telomerase is associated with cellular aging, and its presence limits cellular lifespan. Telomerase by preventing telomere shortening can extend the number of cell divisions for cancer cells. In adult pancreatic cells, telomeres gradually shorten, while in precancerous lesions of cancer, telomeres in cells are usually significantly shortened. At this time, telomerase is still in an inactive state, and it is not until before and after the onset of cancer that telomerase is reactivated, causing cancer cells to proliferate. Methylation of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter and regulation of telomerase by lactate dehydrogenase B (LDHB) is the mechanism of telomerase reactivation in pancreatic cancer. Understanding the role of telomeres and telomerase in pancreatic cancer will help to diagnose and initiate targeted therapy as early as possible. This article reviews the role of telomeres and telomerase as biomarkers in the development of pancreatic cancer and the progress of research on telomeres and telomerase as targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songting Shou
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanliang Li
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiaqin Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xing Zhang
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chuanlong Zhang
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaochen Jiang
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fudong Liu
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Li Yi
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiyuan Zhang
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - En Geer
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenqing Pu
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Pang
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
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Ao Z, Xiao D, Wu J, Sun J, Liu H. CRL4DCAF4 E3 ligase-mediated degradation of MEN1 transcriptionally reactivates hTERT to sustain immortalization in colorectal cancer cells. Carcinogenesis 2024:bgae024. [PMID: 38573327 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgae024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomerase reactivation is implicated in approximately 85% of human cancers, yet its underlying mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we elucidate that the Cullin RING Ubiquitin Ligase 4 (CRL4) complex drives the reactivation of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) in colorectal cancer (CRC) by degrading the tumor suppressor, menin 1 (MEN1). Our data show that, in noncancerous intestinal epithelial cells, the transcription factor specificity protein 1 (Sp1) recruits both the histone acetyltransferase p300 and MEN1 to suppress hTERT expression, thus maintaining telomere shortness post-cell division. Inflammation-induced microenvironments trigger an activation of the CRL4DCAF4 E3 ligase, leading to MEN1 ubiquitination and degradation in CRC cells. This process nullifies MEN1's inhibitory action, reactivates hTERT expression at the transcriptional level, interrupts telomere shortening, and spurs uncontrolled cellular proliferation. Notably, MEN1 overexpression in CRC cells partially counteracts these oncogenic phenotypes. NSC1517, an inhibitor of the CRL4DCAF4 complex identified through high-throughput screening from a plant-derived chemical pool, hinders MEN1 degradation, attenuates hTERT expression, and suppresses tumor growth in mouse xenograft models. Collectively, our research elucidates the transcriptional mechanism driving hTERT reactivation in CRC. Targeting the CRL4DCAF4 E3 ligase emerges as a promising strategy to counteract cancer cell immortalization and curb tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhimin Ao
- Division of Surgery, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Dan Xiao
- Division of Surgery, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Division of Surgery, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ji Sun
- Division of Surgery, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hong Liu
- Division of Surgery, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Cao W, Lan J, Hu C, Kong J, Xiang L, Zhang Z, Sun Y, Zeng Z, Lei S. Predicting the prognosis of glioma patients with TERT promoter mutations and guiding the specific immune profile of immune checkpoint blockade therapy. Aging (Albany NY) 2024; 16:5618-5633. [PMID: 38499392 PMCID: PMC11006486 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
The telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter (TERTp) is frequently mutated in gliomas. This study sought to identify immune biomarkers of gliomas with TERTp mutations. Data from TCGA were used to identify and validate survival-associated gene signatures, and immune and stromal scores were calculated using the ESTIMATE algorithm. High stromal or immune scores in patients with TERTp-mutant gliomas correlated with shorter overall survival compared to cases with low stromal or immune scores. Among TERTp-mutant gliomas with both high immune and high stromal scores, 213 commonly shared DEGs were identified. Among 71 interacting DEGs representing candidate hub genes in a PPI network, HOXC6, WT1, CD70, and OTP showed significant ability in establishing subgroups of high- and low-risk patients. A risk model based on these 4 genes showed strong prognostic potential for gliomas with mutated TERTp, but was inapplicable for TERTp-wild-type gliomas. TERTp-mutant gliomas with high-risk scores displayed a greater percentage of naïve B cells, plasma cells, naïve CD4 T cells, and activated mast cells than low-risk score gliomas. TIDE analysis indicated that immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy may benefit glioma patients with TERTp mutations. The present risk model can help predict prognosis of glioma patients with TERTp mutations and aid ICB treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenpeng Cao
- Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, China
- Key Laboratory of Human Brain Bank for Functions and Diseases of Department of Education of Guizhou, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, China
| | - Jinzhi Lan
- Center for Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Research, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550004, China
| | - Chujiao Hu
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, China
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, China
- Guizhou Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Chemical Drug R&D, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, China
| | - Jinping Kong
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, China
| | - Limin Xiang
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, China
| | - Zhixue Zhang
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, China
| | - Yating Sun
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, China
| | - Zhirui Zeng
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, China
| | - Shan Lei
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, China
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17
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Zhang H, Zeng C, Zhu Q, Zhu D, Yu B. Synthesis of the Reducing-end Hexasaccharide Fragment of Marine Lipopolysaccharide Axinelloside A. Chemistry 2024; 30:e202304180. [PMID: 38180294 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202304180] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Chemical synthesis of an orthogonally protected hexasaccharide relevant to the reducing-end half of axinelloside A, a highly sulfated marine lipopolysaccharide, is disclosed. The synthesis features preparation of the scyllo-inositol unit via a Ferrier-type-II rearrangement, construction of the 1,2-cis-glycosidic bonds via remote participation, and concise [2+2+2] assembly via Au(I)-catalyzed glycosylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoliang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Changgen Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qian Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Dapeng Zhu
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Biao Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
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Qiu J, Xia Y, Bao Y, Cheng J, Liu L, Qian D. Silencing PinX1 enhances radiosensitivity and antitumor-immunity of radiotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer. J Transl Med 2024; 22:228. [PMID: 38431575 PMCID: PMC10908107 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05023-y] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We aimed to investigate the effects of PinX1 on non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) radiosensitivity and radiotherapy-associated tumor immune microenvironment and its mechanisms. METHODS The effect of PinX1 silencing on radiosensitivity in NSCLC was assessed by colony formation and CCK8 assay, immunofluorescence detection of γ- H2AX and micronucleus assay. Western blot was used to assess the effect of PinX1 silencing on DNA damage repair pathway and cGAS-STING pathway. The nude mouse and Lewis lung cancer mouse model were used to assess the combined efficacy of PinX1 silencing and radiotherapy in vivo. Changes in the tumor immune microenvironment were assessed by flow cytometry for different treatment modalities in the Lewis luuse model. The interaction protein RBM10 was screened by immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry. RESULTS Silencing PinX1 enhanced radiosensitivity and activation of the cGAS-STING pathway while attenuating the DNA damage repair pathway. Silencing PinX1 further increases radiotherapy-stimulated CD8+ T cell infiltration and activation, enhances tumor control and improves survival in vivo; Moreover, PinX1 downregulation improves the anti-tumor efficacy of radioimmunotherapy, increases radioimmune-stimulated CD8+ T cell infiltration, and reprograms M2-type macrophages into M1-type macrophages in tumor tissues. The interaction of PinX1 and RBM10 may promote telomere maintenance by assisting telomerase localization to telomeres, thereby inhibiting the immunostimulatory effects of IR. CONCLUSIONS In NSCLC, silencing PinX1 significantly contributed to the radiosensitivity and promoted the efficacy of radioimmunotherapy. Mechanistically, PinX1 may regulate the transport of telomerase to telomeres through interacting with RBM10, which promotes telomere maintenance and DNA stabilization. Our findings reveal that PinX1 is a potential target to enhance the efficacy of radioimmunotherapy in NSCLC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieping Qiu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Core Facility Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Ying Xia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Core Facility Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yawei Bao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Core Facility Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Jingjing Cheng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Core Facility Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Core Facility Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Dong Qian
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China.
- Core Facility Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China.
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19
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Ankrah PK, Mensah ED, Dabie K, Mensah C, Akangbe B, Essuman J. Harnessing Genetics to Extend Lifespan and Healthspan: Current Progress and Future Directions. Cureus 2024; 16:e55495. [PMID: 38571872 PMCID: PMC10990068 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.55495] [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] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging is inevitable, but the lifespan (duration of life) and healthspan (healthy aging) vary greatly among individuals and across species. Unlocking the secrets behind these differences has captivated scientific curiosity for ages. This review presents relevant recent advances in genetics and cell biology that are shedding new light by untangling how subtle changes in conserved genes, pathways, and epigenetic factors influence organismal senescence and associated declines. Biogerontology is a complex and rapidly growing field aimed at elucidating genetic modifications that extend lifespan and healthspan. This review explores gerontogenes, genes influencing lifespan and healthspan across species. Though subtle differences exist, long-lived individuals such as centenarians demonstrate extended healthspans, and numerous studies confirm the heritability of longevity/healthspan genes. Importantly, genes and gerontogenes are directly and indirectly involved in DNA repair, insulin/IGF-1 and mTOR signaling pathways, long non-coding RNAs, sirtuins, and heat shock proteins. The complex interactions between genetics and epigenetics are teased apart. While more research into optimizing healthspan is needed, conserved gerontogenes offer synergistic potential to forestall aging and age-related diseases. Understanding complex longevity genetics brings closer the goal of extending not only lifespan but quality years of life. The primary aim of human Biogerontology is to enhance lifespan and healthspan, but the question remains: are current genetic modifications effectively promoting healthy aging? This article collates the advancements in gerontogenes that enhance lifespan and improve healthspan alongside their potential challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Enock D Mensah
- Chemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, USA
| | - Kwabena Dabie
- Chemistry and Chemical Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA
| | - Caleb Mensah
- Translational Biology, Medicine and Health, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, USA
| | | | - Jonathan Essuman
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, USA
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20
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Zhao YJ, Shen PF, Fu JH, Yang FR, Chen ZP, Yu RQ. A target-triggered fluorescence-SERS dual-signal nano-system for real-time imaging of intracellular telomerase activity. Talanta 2024; 269:125469. [PMID: 38043337 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2023.125469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Telomerase (TE) is a promising diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for many cancers. Quantification of TE activity in living cells is of great significance in biomedical and clinical research. Conventional fluorescence-based sensors for quantification of intracellular TE may suffer from problems of fast photobleaching and auto-fluorescence of some endogenous molecules, and hence are liable to produce false negative or positive results. To address this issue, a fluorescence-SERS dual-signal nano-system for real-time imaging of intracellular TE was designed by functionalizing a bimetallic Au@Ag nanostructure with 4-p-mercaptobenzoic acid (internal standard SERS tag) and a DNA hybrid complex consisted of a telomerase primer strand and its partially complimentary strand modified with Rhodamine 6G. The bimetallic Au@Ag nanostructure serves as an excellent SERS-enhancing and fluorescence-quenching substrate. Intracellular TE will trigger the extension of the primer strand and cause the shedding of Rhodamine 6G-modified complimentary strand from the nano-system through intramolecular DNA strand displacement, resulting in the recovery of the fluorescence of Rhodamine 6G and decrease in its SERS signal. Both the fluorescence of R6G and the ratio between the SERS signals of 4-p-mercaptobenzoic acid and Rhodamine 6G can be used for in situ imaging of intracellular TE. Experimental results showed that the proposed nano-system was featured with low background, excellent cell internalization efficiency, good biocompatibility, high sensitivity, good selectivity, and robustness to false positive results. It can be used to distinguish cancer cells from normal ones, identify different types of cancer cells, as well as perform absolute quantification of intracellular TE, which endows it with great potential in clinical diagnosis, target therapy and prognosis of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jie Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, PR China
| | - Ping-Fan Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, PR China
| | - Jing-Hao Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, PR China
| | - Feng-Rui Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, PR China
| | - Zeng-Ping Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, PR China.
| | - Ru-Qin Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, PR China
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21
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Katoueezadeh M, Maleki P, Torabizadeh SA, Farsinejad A, Khalilabadi RM, Valandani HM, Nurain IO, Ashoub MH, Fatemi A. Combinatorial targeting of telomerase and DNA-PK induces synergistic apoptotic effects against Pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:163. [PMID: 38252348 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-09087-9] [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: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Due to the high demand for novel approaches for leukemia-targeted therapy, this study investigates the impact of DNA-PK inhibitor NU7441 on the sensitivity of pre-B ALL cells to the telomerase inhibitor MST-312. METHODS The study involved NALM-6 cells treated with MST-312 and NU7441, assessing their viability and metabolic activity using trypan blue and MTT assays. The study also evaluated apoptosis, gene expression changes, and DNA damage using flow cytometry, qRT-PCR, and micronucleus assays. The binding energy of MST-312 in the active site of telomerase was calculated using molecular docking. RESULTS The study's findings revealed a synergistic decline in both cell viability and metabolic activity in NALM-6 cells when exposed to the combined treatment of MST-312 and NU7441, and this decrease occurred without any adverse effects on healthy PBMC cells. Furthermore, the combination treatment exhibited a significantly higher induction of apoptosis than treatment with MST-312 alone, as observed through flow cytometry assay. qRT-PCR analysis revealed that this enhanced apoptosis was associated with a notable downregulation of Bcl-2 expression and an upregulation of Bax gene expression. Moreover, the combination therapy decreased expression levels of hTERT and c-Myc genes. The micronucleus assay indicated that the combination treatment increased DNA damage in NALM-6 cells. Also, a good conformation between MST-312 and the active site of telomerase was revealed by docking data. CONCLUSIONS The study suggests that simultaneous inhibition of telomerase and DNA-PK in pre-B ALL presents a novel targeted therapy approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Katoueezadeh
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Department of Hematology and Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Parisa Maleki
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Department of Hematology and Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Seyedeh Atekeh Torabizadeh
- Pharmaceutics Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Alireza Farsinejad
- Department of Hematology and Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Comprehensive Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Roohollah Mirzaee Khalilabadi
- Department of Hematology and Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Hajar Mardani Valandani
- Department of Hematology and Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Ismaila Olanrewaju Nurain
- Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada
| | - Muhammad Hossein Ashoub
- Department of Hematology and Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Comprehensive Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Ahmad Fatemi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Gerash University of Medical Sciences, Gerash, Iran.
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22
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Yang R, Hu J, Zhang L, Liu X, Huang Y, Zhang L, Fan Q. Recent advances in optical biosensing and imaging of telomerase activity and relevant signal amplification strategies. Analyst 2024; 149:290-303. [PMID: 38099470 DOI: 10.1039/d3an01900d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Telomerase as a new valuable biomarker for early diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of cancer has attracted much interest in the field of biosensors, cell imaging, and drug screening. In this review, we mainly focus on different optical techniques and various signal amplification strategies for telomerase activity determination. Fluorometric, colorimetry, chemiluminescence, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), and dual-mode techniques for telomerase sensing and imaging are summarized. Signal amplification strategies include two categories: one is nucleic acid-based amplification, such as rolling circle amplification (RCA), the hybridization chain reaction (HCR), and catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA); the other is nanomaterial-assisted amplification, including metal nanoclusters, quantum dots, transition metal compounds, graphene oxide, and DNA nanomaterials. Challenges and prospects are also discussed to provide new insights for future development of multifunctional strategies and techniques for in situ and in vivo analysis of biomarkers for accurate cancer diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruining Yang
- The State Key Laboratory of Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Junbo Hu
- The State Key Laboratory of Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Longsheng Zhang
- The State Key Laboratory of Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Xingfen Liu
- The State Key Laboratory of Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Yanqin Huang
- The State Key Laboratory of Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Lei Zhang
- The State Key Laboratory of Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Quli Fan
- The State Key Laboratory of Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China.
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23
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Di Nunno V, Aprile M, Bartolini S, Gatto L, Tosoni A, Ranieri L, De Biase D, Asioli S, Franceschi E. The Biological and Clinical Role of the Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase Gene in Glioblastoma: A Potential Therapeutic Target? Cells 2023; 13:44. [PMID: 38201248 PMCID: PMC10778438 DOI: 10.3390/cells13010044] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma IDH-wildtype represents the most lethal and frequent primary tumor of the central nervous system. Thanks to important scientific efforts, we can now investigate its deep genomic assessment, elucidating mutated genes and altered biological mechanisms in addition to its clinical aggressiveness. The telomerase reverse transcriptase gene (TERT) is the most frequently altered gene in solid tumors, including brain tumors and GBM IDH-wildtype. In particular, it can be observed in approximately 80-90% of GBM IDH-wildtype cases. Its clonal distribution on almost all cancer cells makes this gene an optimal target. However, the research of effective TERT inhibitors is complicated by several biological and clinical obstacles which can be only partially surmounted. Very recently, novel immunological approaches leading to TERT inhibition have been investigated, offering the potential to develop an effective target for this altered protein. Here, we perform a narrative review investigating the biological role of TERT alterations on glioblastoma and the principal obstacles associated with TERT inhibitions in this population. Moreover, we discuss possible combination treatment strategies to overcome these limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Di Nunno
- Nervous System Medical Oncology Department, IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy (E.F.)
| | - Marta Aprile
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Stefania Bartolini
- Nervous System Medical Oncology Department, IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy (E.F.)
| | - Lidia Gatto
- Department of Oncology, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale (AUSL) Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy
| | - Alicia Tosoni
- Nervous System Medical Oncology Department, IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy (E.F.)
| | - Lucia Ranieri
- Nervous System Medical Oncology Department, IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy (E.F.)
| | - Dario De Biase
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBit), University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Sofia Asioli
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Surgical Pathology Section, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Enrico Franceschi
- Nervous System Medical Oncology Department, IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy (E.F.)
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Yan S, Lin S, Qiu H, Wang X, He Y, Wang C, Huang Y. Regulation of telomerase towards tumor therapy. Cell Biosci 2023; 13:228. [PMID: 38111043 PMCID: PMC10726632 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-01181-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is an aging-related disease, while aging plays an important role in the development process of tumor, thus the two are inextricably associated. Telomere attrition is one of the recognized hallmark events of senescence. Hence, targeting telomerase which could extends telomere sequences to treat tumors is widely favored. Cancer cells rely on high activity of telomerase to maintain a strong proliferative potential. By inhibiting the expression or protein function of telomerase, the growth of cancer cells can be significantly suppressed. In addition, the human immune system itself has a defense system against malignant tumors. However, excessive cell division results in dramatic shortening on telomeres and decline in the function of immune organs that facilitates cancer cell evasion. It has been shown that increasing telomerase activity or telomere length of these immune cells can attenuate senescence, improve cellular viability, and enhance the immunosuppressive microenvironment of tumor. In this paper, we review the telomerase-targeting progress using different anti-tumor strategies from the perspectives of cancer cells and immune cells, respectively, as well as tracking the preclinical and clinical studies of some representative drugs for the prevention or treatment of tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Yan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation and Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
- Lumiere Therapeutics Co., Ltd., Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Song Lin
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation and Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Hongxin Qiu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation and Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Xining Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation and Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Yijun He
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation and Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Chuanle Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation and Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
- Department of Oncology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Yan Huang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation and Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
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25
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Conforti RA, Delsouc MB, Zorychta E, Telleria CM, Casais M. Copper in Gynecological Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17578. [PMID: 38139406 PMCID: PMC10743751 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417578] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Copper (Cu) is an essential micronutrient for the correct development of eukaryotic organisms. This metal plays a key role in many cellular and physiological activities, including enzymatic activity, oxygen transport, and cell signaling. Although the redox activity of Cu is crucial for enzymatic reactions, this property also makes it potentially toxic when found at high levels. Due to this dual action of Cu, highly regulated mechanisms are necessary to prevent both the deficiency and the accumulation of this metal since its dyshomeostasis may favor the development of multiple diseases, such as Menkes' and Wilson's diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes mellitus, and cancer. As the relationship between Cu and cancer has been the most studied, we analyze how this metal can affect three fundamental processes for tumor progression: cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Gynecological diseases are characterized by high prevalence, morbidity, and mortality, depending on the case, and mainly include benign and malignant tumors. The cellular processes that promote their progression are affected by Cu, and the mechanisms that occur may be similar. We analyze the crosstalk between Cu deregulation and gynecological diseases, focusing on therapeutic strategies derived from this metal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío A. Conforti
- Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis (UNSL), Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis (IMIBIO-SL-CONICET), San Luis CP D5700HHW, Argentina; (R.A.C.); (M.B.D.)
| | - María B. Delsouc
- Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis (UNSL), Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis (IMIBIO-SL-CONICET), San Luis CP D5700HHW, Argentina; (R.A.C.); (M.B.D.)
| | - Edith Zorychta
- Experimental Pathology Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, 3775 University Street, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada;
| | - Carlos M. Telleria
- Experimental Pathology Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, 3775 University Street, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada;
- Cancer Research Program, Research Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Marilina Casais
- Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis (UNSL), Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis (IMIBIO-SL-CONICET), San Luis CP D5700HHW, Argentina; (R.A.C.); (M.B.D.)
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Kumar N, Sethi G. Telomerase and hallmarks of cancer: An intricate interplay governing cancer cell evolution. Cancer Lett 2023; 578:216459. [PMID: 37863351 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Transformed cells must acquire specific characteristics to be malignant. Weinberg and Hanahan characterize these characteristics as cancer hallmarks. Though these features are independently driven, substantial signaling crosstalk in transformed cells efficiently promotes these feature acquisitions. Telomerase is an enzyme complex that maintains telomere length. However, its main component, Telomere reverse transcriptase (TERT), has been found to interact with various signaling molecules like cMYC, NF-kB, BRG1 and cooperate in transcription and metabolic reprogramming, acting as a strong proponent of malignant features such as cell death resistance, sustained proliferation, angiogenesis activation, and metastasis, among others. It allows cells to avoid replicative senescence and achieve endless replicative potential. This review summarizes both the canonical and noncanonical functions of TERT and discusses how they promote cancer hallmarks. Understanding the role of Telomerase in promoting cancer hallmarks provides vital insight into the underlying mechanism of cancer genesis and progression and telomerase intervention as a possible therapeutic target for cancer treatment. More investigation into the precise molecular mechanisms of telomerase-mediated impacts on cancer hallmarks will contribute to developing more focused and customized cancer treatment methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naveen Kumar
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Gautam Sethi
- Department of Pharmacology and NUS Centre for Cancer Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117600, Singapore.
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27
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Kouroukli AG, Rajaram N, Bashtrykov P, Kretzmer H, Siebert R, Jeltsch A, Bens S. Targeting oncogenic TERT promoter variants by allele-specific epigenome editing. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:183. [PMID: 37993930 PMCID: PMC10666398 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01599-2] [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: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Activation of dominant oncogenes by small or structural genomic alterations is a common driver mechanism in many cancers. Silencing of such dominantly activated oncogenic alleles, thus, is a promising strategy to treat cancer. Recently, allele-specific epigenome editing (ASEE) has been described as a means to reduce transcription of genes in an allele-specific manner. In cancer, specificity to an oncogenic allele can be reached by either targeting directly a pathogenic single-nucleotide variant or a polymorphic single-nucleotide variant linked to the oncogenic allele. To investigate the potential of ASEE in cancer, we here explored this approach by targeting variants at the TERT promoter region. The TERT promoter region has been described as one of the most frequently mutated non-coding cancer drivers. RESULTS Sequencing of the TERT promoter in cancer cell lines showed 53% (41/77) to contain at least one heterozygous sequence variant allowing allele distinction. We chose the hepatoblastoma cell line Hep-G2 and the lung cancer cell line A-549 for this proof-of-principle study, as they contained two different kinds of variants, namely the activating mutation C228T in the TERT core promoter and the common SNP rs2853669 in the THOR region, respectively. These variants were targeted in an allele-specific manner using sgRNA-guided dCas9-DNMT3A-3L complexes. In both cell lines, we successfully introduced DNA methylation specifically to the on-target allele of the TERT promoter with limited background methylation on the off-target allele or an off-target locus (VEGFA), respectively. We observed a maximum CpG methylation gain of 39% and 76% on the target allele when targeting the activating mutation and the common SNP, respectively. The epigenome editing translated into reduced TERT RNA expression in Hep-G2. CONCLUSIONS We applied an ASEE-mediated approach to silence TERT allele specifically. Our results show that the concept of dominant oncogene inactivation by allele-specific epigenome editing can be successfully translated into cancer models. This new strategy may have important advantages in comparison with existing therapeutic approaches, e.g., targeting telomerase, especially with regard to reducing adverse side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra G Kouroukli
- Institute of Human Genetics, Ulm University and Ulm University Medical Center, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Nivethika Rajaram
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Allmandring 31, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Pavel Bashtrykov
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Allmandring 31, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Helene Kretzmer
- Computational Genomics, Department of Genome Regulation, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Reiner Siebert
- Institute of Human Genetics, Ulm University and Ulm University Medical Center, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Albert Jeltsch
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Allmandring 31, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Susanne Bens
- Institute of Human Genetics, Ulm University and Ulm University Medical Center, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
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Zhang W. Big data analysis identified a telomere-related signature predicting the prognosis and drug sensitivity in lung adenocarcinoma. Medicine (Baltimore) 2023; 102:e35526. [PMID: 37986388 PMCID: PMC10659611 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000035526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomeres exert a critical role in chromosome stability and aberrant regulation of telomerase may result in telomeres dysfunction and genomic instability, which are involved in the occurrence of cancers. However, limited studies have been performed to fully clarify the immune infiltration and clinical significance of telomeres-related genes (TRGs) in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). The number of clusters of LUAD was determined by consensus clustering analysis. The prognostic signature was constructed and verified using TCGA and GSE42127 dataset with Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator cox regression analysis. The correlation between different clusters and risk-score and drug therapy response was analyzed using TIDE and IMvigor210 dataset. Using several miRNA and lncRNA related databases, we constructed a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory axis. We identified 2 telomeres-related clusters in LUAD, which had distinct differences in prognostic stratification, TMB score, TIDE score, immune characteristics and signal pathways and biological effects. A prognostic model was developed based on 21 TRGs, which had a better performance in risk stratification and prognosis prediction compared with other established models. TRGs-based risk score could serve as an independent risk factor for LUAD. Survival prediction nomogram was also developed to promote the clinical use of TRGs risk score. Moreover, LUAD patients with high risk score had a high TMB score, low TIDE score and IC50 value of common drugs, suggesting that high risk score group might benefit from receiving immunotherapy, chemotherapy and target therapy. We also developed a lncRNA KCNQ1QT1/miR-296-5p/PLK1 regulatory axis. Our study identified 2 telomeres-related clusters and a prognostic model in LUAD, which could be helpful for risk stratification, prognosis prediction and treatment approach selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiyi Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongshan City People’s Hospital, Zhongshan, China
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29
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Ibrahim IH, Ali OSM, El-Sahar AA, Elrefaei M, El-Sheikh N. Telomerase Expression Related with Poor Immune Response to HCV Core Antigen in Egyptian HCV Patients' PBMCs. J Clin Exp Hepatol 2023; 13:1008-1016. [PMID: 37975051 PMCID: PMC10643511 DOI: 10.1016/j.jceh.2023.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignant tumor of the liver. Aim This study aimed to assess serum human telomerase enzyme (hTERT) levels and their relation to the progression of liver disease. Also, it aimed to assess the effect of hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein on memory T-cells in HCV patients with or without HCC and the correlation between memory cell phenotype and the progression of the disease in the same patients. Methods HTERT level in serum was assessed through relative quantitative RT-PCR. Flow cytometric analysis was used to assess T-cell responsiveness (as IFN- γ secretion) before and after stimulation with HCV core protein and the memory CD8+ cell phenotype using several differentiation markers. Results HTERT was found to be increased in a stepwise manner upon comparing its level in controls, chronic hepatitis patients, cirrhotic patients, and HCC patients. T-cells showed a similar manner of stepwise decrease in response (decreased IFN- γ secretion) in HCC patients compared to HCV patients without HCC and controls. Also, late differentiated memory cells (CD8+, CD27-, CD28-, CD45RA+, and CCR7-) were depleted in HCC patients compared to HCV patients without HCC. Conclusion These results suggest a negative correlation between hTERT and IFN- γ secretion by T-cells in HCV patients and that this relationship, along with the depletion of late differentiated memory cells, could help the progression of liver disease to HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iman H. Ibrahim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy (Girls), Al-Azhar University, Egypt
| | - Ola Sayed M. Ali
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy (Girls), Al-Azhar University, Egypt
| | - Adel A. El-Sahar
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Elrefaei
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Nabila El-Sheikh
- Molecular Immunology Unit for Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine (Girls), Al-Azhar University, Egypt
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Cheng Y, Qu Z, Jiang Q, Xu T, Zheng H, Ye P, He M, Tong Y, Ma Y, Bao A. Functional Materials for Subcellular Targeting Strategies in Cancer Therapy: Progress and Prospects. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023:e2305095. [PMID: 37665594 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202305095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies have made significant progress in cancer treatment. However, tumor adjuvant therapy still faces challenges due to the intrinsic heterogeneity of cancer, genomic instability, and the formation of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Functional materials possess unique biological properties such as long circulation times, tumor-specific targeting, and immunomodulation. The combination of functional materials with natural substances and nanotechnology has led to the development of smart biomaterials with multiple functions, high biocompatibilities, and negligible immunogenicities, which can be used for precise cancer treatment. Recently, subcellular structure-targeting functional materials have received particular attention in various biomedical applications including the diagnosis, sensing, and imaging of tumors and drug delivery. Subcellular organelle-targeting materials can precisely accumulate therapeutic agents in organelles, considerably reduce the threshold dosages of therapeutic agents, and minimize drug-related side effects. This review provides a systematic and comprehensive overview of the research progress in subcellular organelle-targeted cancer therapy based on functional nanomaterials. Moreover, it explains the challenges and prospects of subcellular organelle-targeting functional materials in precision oncology. The review will serve as an excellent cutting-edge guide for researchers in the field of subcellular organelle-targeted cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanxiang Cheng
- Department of Gynecology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, No.238 Jiefang Road, Wuchang, Wuhan, 430060, P. R. China
| | - Zhen Qu
- Department of Blood Transfusion Research, Wuhan Blood Center (WHBC), HUST-WHBC United Hematology Optical Imaging Center, No.8 Baofeng 1st Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Qian Jiang
- Department of Blood Transfusion Research, Wuhan Blood Center (WHBC), HUST-WHBC United Hematology Optical Imaging Center, No.8 Baofeng 1st Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Tingting Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Wuhan Blood Center (WHBC), No.8 Baofeng 1st Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Hongyun Zheng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, No.238 Jiefang Road, Wuchang, Wuhan, 430060, P. R. China
| | - Peng Ye
- Department of Pharmacy, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, No.238 Jiefang Road, Wuchang, Wuhan, 430060, P. R. China
| | - Mingdi He
- Department of Blood Transfusion Research, Wuhan Blood Center (WHBC), HUST-WHBC United Hematology Optical Imaging Center, No.8 Baofeng 1st Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Yongqing Tong
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, No.238 Jiefang Road, Wuchang, Wuhan, 430060, P. R. China
| | - Yan Ma
- Department of Blood Transfusion Research, Wuhan Blood Center (WHBC), HUST-WHBC United Hematology Optical Imaging Center, No.8 Baofeng 1st Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Anyu Bao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, No.238 Jiefang Road, Wuchang, Wuhan, 430060, P. R. China
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Sorrenti V, Buriani A, Fortinguerra S, Davinelli S, Scapagnini G, Cassidy A, De Vivo I. Cell Survival, Death, and Proliferation in Senescent and Cancer Cells: the Role of (Poly)phenols. Adv Nutr 2023; 14:1111-1130. [PMID: 37271484 PMCID: PMC10509428 DOI: 10.1016/j.advnut.2023.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular senescence has long been considered a permanent state of cell cycle arrest occurring in proliferating cells subject to different stressors, used as a cellular defense mechanism from acquiring potentially harmful genetic faults. However, recent studies highlight that senescent cells might also alter the local tissue environment and concur to chronic inflammation and cancer risk by secreting inflammatory and matrix remodeling factors, acquiring a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Indeed, during aging and age-related diseases, senescent cells amass in mammalian tissues, likely contributing to the inevitable loss of tissue function as we age. Cellular senescence has thus become one potential target to tackle age-associated diseases as well as cancer development. One important aspect characterizing senescent cells is their telomere length. Telomeres shorten as a consequence of multiple cellular replications, gradually leading to permanent cell cycle arrest, known as replicative senescence. Interestingly, in the large majority of cancer cells, a senescence escape strategy is used and telomere length is maintained by telomerase, thus favoring cancer initiation and tumor survival. There is growing evidence showing how (poly)phenols can impact telomere maintenance through different molecular mechanisms depending on dose and cell phenotypes. Although normally, (poly)phenols maintain telomere length and support telomerase activity, in cancer cells this activity is negatively modulated, thus accelerating telomere attrition and promoting cancer cell death. Some (poly)phenols have also been shown to exert senolytic activity, thus suggesting both antiaging (directly eliminating senescent cells) and anticancer (indirectly, via SASP inhibition) potentials. In this review, we analyze selective (poly)phenol mechanisms in senescent and cancer cells to discriminate between in vitro and in vivo evidence and human applications considering (poly)phenol bioavailability, the influence of the gut microbiota, and their dose-response effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Sorrenti
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Maria Paola Belloni Center for Personalized Medicine, Padova, Italy.
| | | | | | - Sergio Davinelli
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences "V. Tiberio," University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Giovanni Scapagnini
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences "V. Tiberio," University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Aedin Cassidy
- Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland
| | - Immaculata De Vivo
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
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32
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Yu P, Qu N, Zhu R, Hu J, Han P, Wu J, Tan L, Gan H, He C, Fang C, Lei Y, Li J, He C, Lan F, Shi X, Wei W, Wang Y, Ji Q, Yu FX, Wang YL. TERT accelerates BRAF mutant-induced thyroid cancer dedifferentiation and progression by regulating ribosome biogenesis. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg7125. [PMID: 37647391 PMCID: PMC10468137 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg7125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
TERT reactivation occurs frequently in human malignancies, especially advanced cancers. However, in vivo functions of TERT reactivation in cancer progression and the underlying mechanism are not fully understood. In this study, we expressed TERT and/or active BRAF (BRAF V600E) specifically in mouse thyroid epithelium. While BRAF V600E alone induced papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), coexpression of BRAF V600E and TERT resulted in poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC). Spatial transcriptome analysis revealed that tumors from mice coexpressing BRAF V600E and TERT were highly heterogeneous, and cell dedifferentiation was positively correlated with ribosomal biogenesis. Mechanistically, TERT boosted ribosomal RNA (rRNA) expression and protein synthesis by interacting with multiple proteins involved in ribosomal biogenesis. Furthermore, we found that CX-5461, an rRNA transcription inhibitor, effectively blocked proliferation and induced redifferentiation of thyroid cancer. Thus, TERT promotes thyroid cancer progression by inducing cancer cell dedifferentiation, and ribosome inhibition represents a potential strategy to treat TERT-reactivated cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengcheng Yu
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ning Qu
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rui Zhu
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiaqian Hu
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Peizhen Han
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiahao Wu
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Licheng Tan
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hualei Gan
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Cong He
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chuantao Fang
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yubin Lei
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Li
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chenxi He
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fei Lan
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao Shi
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenjun Wei
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qinghai Ji
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fa-Xing Yu
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu-Long Wang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Kim JJ, Sayed ME, Ahn A, Slusher AL, Ying JY, Ludlow AT. Dynamics of TERT regulation via alternative splicing in stem cells and cancer cells. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0289327. [PMID: 37531400 PMCID: PMC10395990 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Part of the regulation of telomerase activity includes the alternative splicing (AS) of the catalytic subunit telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT). Although a therapeutic window for telomerase/TERT inhibition exists between cancer cells and somatic cells, stem cells express TERT and rely on telomerase activity for physiological replacement of cells. Therefore, identifying differences in TERT regulation between stem cells and cancer cells is essential for developing telomerase inhibition-based cancer therapies that reduce damage to stem cells. In this study, we measured TERT splice variant expression and telomerase activity in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), neural progenitor cells (NPCs), and non-small cell lung cancer cells (NSCLC, Calu-6 cells). We observed that a NOVA1-PTBP1-PTBP2 axis regulates TERT alternative splicing (AS) in iPSCs and their differentiation into NPCs. We also found that splice-switching of TERT, which regulates telomerase activity, is induced by different cell densities in stem cells but not cancer cells. Lastly, we identified cell type-specific splicing factors that regulate TERT AS. Overall, our findings represent an important step forward in understanding the regulation of TERT AS in stem cells and cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeongjin J. Kim
- School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Mohammed E. Sayed
- School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Alexander Ahn
- School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Aaron L. Slusher
- School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey Y. Ying
- School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Andrew T. Ludlow
- School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
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Allaire P, He J, Mayer J, Moat L, Gerstenberger P, Wilhorn R, Strutz S, Kim DS, Zeng C, Cox N, Shay JW, Denny J, Bastarache L, Hebbring S. Genetic and clinical determinants of telomere length. HGG ADVANCES 2023; 4:100201. [PMID: 37216007 PMCID: PMC10199259 DOI: 10.1016/j.xhgg.2023.100201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Many epidemiologic studies have identified important relationships between leukocyte telomere length (LTL) with genetics and health. Most of these studies have been significantly limited in scope by focusing predominantly on individual diseases or restricted to GWAS analysis. Using two large patient populations derived from Vanderbilt University and Marshfield Clinic biobanks linked to genomic and phenomic data from medical records, we investigated the inter-relationship between LTL, genomics, and human health. Our GWAS confirmed 11 genetic loci previously associated with LTL and two novel loci in SCNN1D and PITPNM1. PheWAS of LTL identified 67 distinct clinical phenotypes associated with both short and long LTL. We demonstrated that several diseases associated with LTL were related to one another but were largely independent from LTL genetics. Age of death was correlated with LTL independent of age. Those with very short LTL (<-1.5 standard deviation [SD]) died 10.4 years (p < 0.0001) younger than those with average LTL (±0.5 SD; mean age of death = 74.2 years). Likewise, those with very long LTL (>1.5 SD) died 1.9 years (p = 0.0175) younger than those with average LTL. This is consistent with the PheWAS results showing diseases associating with both short and long LTL. Finally, we estimated that the genome (12.8%) and age (8.5%) explain the largest proportion of LTL variance, whereas the phenome (1.5%) and sex (0.9%) explained a smaller fraction. In total, 23.7% of LTL variance was explained. These observations provide the rationale for expanded research to understand the multifaceted correlations between TL biology and human health over time, leading to effective LTL usage in medical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Allaire
- Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Center for Precision Medicine Research, Marshfield, WI, USA
| | - Jing He
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - John Mayer
- Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Office of Research Computing and Analytics, Marshfield, WI, USA
| | - Luke Moat
- Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Center for Precision Medicine Research, Marshfield, WI, USA
| | - Peter Gerstenberger
- Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Center for Precision Medicine Research, Marshfield, WI, USA
| | - Reynor Wilhorn
- Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Center for Precision Medicine Research, Marshfield, WI, USA
| | - Sierra Strutz
- Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Center for Precision Medicine Research, Marshfield, WI, USA
| | - David S.L. Kim
- Marshfield Clinic Health System, Pathology, Marshfield, WI, USA
| | - Chenjie Zeng
- National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nancy Cox
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jerry W. Shay
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Cell Biology and the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Joshua Denny
- National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lisa Bastarache
- Center for Precision Medicine, Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Scott Hebbring
- Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Center for Precision Medicine Research, Marshfield, WI, USA
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Kuhn CK, Meister J, Kreft S, Stiller M, Puppel SH, Zaremba A, Scheffler B, Ullrich V, Schöneberg T, Schadendorf D, Horn S. TERT expression is associated with metastasis from thin primaries, exhausted CD4+ T cells in melanoma and with DNA repair across cancer entities. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281487. [PMID: 37418389 PMCID: PMC10328343 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter mutations occur frequently in cancer, have been associated with increased TERT expression and cell proliferation, and could potentially influence therapeutic regimens for melanoma. As the role of TERT expression in malignant melanoma and the non-canonical functions of TERT remain understudied, we aimed to extend the current knowledge on the impact of TERT promoter mutations and expression alterations in tumor progression by analyzing several highly annotated melanoma cohorts. Using multivariate models, we found no consistent association for TERT promoter mutations or TERT expression with the survival rate in melanoma cohorts under immune checkpoint inhibition. However, the presence of CD4+ T cells increased with TERT expression and correlated with the expression of exhaustion markers. While the frequency of promoter mutations did not change with Breslow thickness, TERT expression was increased in metastases arising from thinner primaries. As single-cell RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) showed that TERT expression was associated with genes involved in cell migration and dynamics of the extracellular matrix, this suggests a role of TERT during invasion and metastasis. Co-regulated genes found in several bulk tumors and single-cell RNA-seq cohorts also indicated non-canonical functions of TERT related to mitochondrial DNA stability and nuclear DNA repair. This pattern was also evident in glioblastoma and across other entities. Hence, our study adds to the role of TERT expression in cancer metastasis and potentially also immune resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Katharina Kuhn
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, University of Leipzig, Medical Faculty, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jaroslawna Meister
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, University of Leipzig, Medical Faculty, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Centre, Leibniz Centre for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sophia Kreft
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, and German Cancer Consortium Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
| | - Mathias Stiller
- Institute of Pathology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sven-Holger Puppel
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, University of Leipzig, Medical Faculty, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anne Zaremba
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, and German Cancer Consortium Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
| | - Björn Scheffler
- DKFZ-Division Translational Neurooncology at the West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen/University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Vivien Ullrich
- DKFZ-Division Translational Neurooncology at the West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen/University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Torsten Schöneberg
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, University of Leipzig, Medical Faculty, Leipzig, Germany
- School of Medicine, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Dirk Schadendorf
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, and German Cancer Consortium Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
| | - Susanne Horn
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, University of Leipzig, Medical Faculty, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, and German Cancer Consortium Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
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36
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Tsatsakis A, Oikonomopoulou T, Nikolouzakis TK, Vakonaki E, Tzatzarakis M, Flamourakis M, Renieri E, Fragkiadaki P, Iliaki E, Bachlitzanaki M, Karzi V, Katsikantami I, Kakridonis F, Hatzidaki E, Tolia M, Svistunov AA, Spandidos DA, Nikitovic D, Tsiaoussis J, Berdiaki A. Role of telomere length in human carcinogenesis (Review). Int J Oncol 2023; 63:78. [PMID: 37232367 PMCID: PMC10552730 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2023.5526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is considered the most important clinical, social and economic issue regarding cause‑specific disability‑adjusted life years among all human pathologies. Exogenous, endogenous and individual factors, including genetic predisposition, participate in cancer triggering. Telomeres are specific DNA structures positioned at the end of chromosomes and consist of repetitive nucleotide sequences, which, together with shelterin proteins, facilitate the maintenance of chromosome stability, while protecting them from genomic erosion. Even though the connection between telomere status and carcinogenesis has been identified, the absence of a universal or even a cancer‑specific trend renders consent even more complex. It is indicative that both short and long telomere lengths have been associated with a high risk of cancer incidence. When evaluating risk associations between cancer and telomere length, a disparity appears to emerge. Even though shorter telomeres have been adopted as a marker of poorer health status and an older biological age, longer telomeres due to increased cell growth potential are associated with the acquirement of cancer‑initiating somatic mutations. Therefore, the present review aimed to comprehensively present the multifaceted pattern of telomere length and cancer incidence association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aristidis Tsatsakis
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion
| | - Tatiana Oikonomopoulou
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion
| | - Taxiarchis Konstantinos Nikolouzakis
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion
| | - Elena Vakonaki
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion
| | - Manolis Tzatzarakis
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion
| | | | - Elisavet Renieri
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion
| | | | - Evaggelia Iliaki
- Laboratory of Microbiology, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71500 Heraklion
| | - Maria Bachlitzanaki
- Department of Medical Oncology, Venizeleion General Hospital of Heraklion, 71409 Heraklion
| | - Vasiliki Karzi
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion
| | - Ioanna Katsikantami
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion
| | - Fotios Kakridonis
- Department of Spine Surgery and Scoliosis, KAT General Hospital, 14561 Athens
| | - Eleftheria Hatzidaki
- Department of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), University Hospital of Heraklion, 71500 Heraklion
| | - Maria Tolia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Crete, 71110 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Andrey A. Svistunov
- Department of Pharmacology, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 119146 Moscow, Russia
| | - Demetrios A. Spandidos
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Dragana Nikitovic
- Laboratory of Histology-Embryology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - John Tsiaoussis
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion
| | - Aikaterini Berdiaki
- Laboratory of Histology-Embryology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
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Zhang S, Li J, Yan L, You Y, Zhao F, Cheng J, Yang L, Sun Y, Chang Q, Liu R, Li Y. Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8) as a Drug Delivery Vehicle for the Transport and Release of Telomerase Inhibitor BIBR 1532. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:nano13111779. [PMID: 37299682 DOI: 10.3390/nano13111779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Telomerase is constitutively overexpressed in the majority of human cancers and telomerase inhibition provides a promising broad-spectrum anticancer therapeutic strategy. BIBR 1532 is a well-known synthetic telomerase inhibitor that blocks the enzymatic activity of hTERT, the catalytic subunit of telomerase. However, water insolubility of BIBR 1532 leads to low cellular uptake and inadequate delivery and thus, limits its anti-tumor effects. Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) is considered as an attractive drug delivery vehicle for improved transport, release and anti-tumor effects of BIBR 1532. Herein, ZIF-8 and BIBR 1532@ZIF-8 were synthesized, respectively, and the physicochemical characterizations confirmed the successful encapsulation of BIBR 1532 in ZIF-8 coupled with an improved stability of BIBR 1532. ZIF-8 could alter the permeability of lysosomal membrane probably by the imidazole ring-dependent protonation. Moreover, ZIF-8 encapsulation facilitated the cellular uptake and release of BIBR 1532 with more accumulation in the nucleus. BIBR 1532 encapsulation with ZIF-8 triggered a more obvious growth inhibition of cancer cells as compared with free BIBR 1532. A more potent inhibition on hTERT mRNA expression, aggravated G0/G1 arrest accompanied with an increased cellular senescence were detected in BIBR 1532@ZIF-8-treated cancer cells. Our work has provided preliminary information on improving the transport, release and efficacy of water-insoluble small molecule drugs by using ZIF-8 as a delivery vehicle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunyu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210000, China
- CAS Key Lab for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jinxia Li
- CAS Key Lab for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Liang Yan
- CAS Key Lab for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yue You
- CAS Key Lab for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Feng Zhao
- CAS Key Lab for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jixing Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Limin Yang
- CAS Key Lab for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yanqi Sun
- Department of Prevention and Health Care, Rizhao 276800, China
| | - Qingchao Chang
- CAS Key Lab for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ru Liu
- CAS Key Lab for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yunhui Li
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210000, China
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Abu-Awwad SA, Craina M, Gluhovschi A, Ciordas PD, Marian C, Boscu L, Bernad E, Iurciuc M, Abu-Awwad A, Iurciuc S, Maghiari AL. Linking Pregnancy and Long-Term Health: The Impact of Cardiovascular Risk on Telomere Shortening in Pregnant Women. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:1012. [PMID: 37374216 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59061012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences located at the end of chromosomes that play a crucial role in maintaining chromosomal stability. Shortening of telomeres has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the length of telomeres in pregnant women with cardiovascular risk is shorter compared to those without cardiovascular risk. Materials and Methods: A total of 68 participants were enrolled, including 30 pregnant women with cardiovascular risk and 38 without cardiovascular risk, who were followed-up during their pregnancy between 2020 and 2022 at the Obstetrical and Gynecology Department of the "Pius Brînzeu" Emergency County Clinical Hospital in Timişoara, Romania. All included women underwent delivery via cesarean section at the same medical institution. The telomere length was measured in each participant using quantitative Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: The results showed that the telomere length was negatively correlated with cardiovascular risk in pregnant women, with significantly shorter telomeres observed in the cardiovascular risk group (mean telomere length = 0.3537) compared to the group without cardiovascular risk (mean telomere length = 0.5728) (p = 0.0458). Conclusions: These findings suggest that cardiovascular risk during pregnancy may be associated with accelerated telomere shortening, which could have implications for the long-term health of both the mother and the child. Further research is needed to investigate the potential mechanisms underlying this association and to identify interventions that may mitigate the negative effects of cardiovascular risk on the telomere length during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona-Alina Abu-Awwad
- Doctoral School, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- "Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology", "Pius Brinzeu" County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 300723 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Marius Craina
- "Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology", "Pius Brinzeu" County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 300723 Timisoara, Romania
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Center for Laparoscopy, Laparoscopic Surgery and In Vitro Fertilization, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Adrian Gluhovschi
- "Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology", "Pius Brinzeu" County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 300723 Timisoara, Romania
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Paula Diana Ciordas
- Departament IV-Discipline of Biochemistry, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Catalin Marian
- Departament IV-Discipline of Biochemistry, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Lioara Boscu
- Department of Cardiology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Elena Bernad
- "Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology", "Pius Brinzeu" County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 300723 Timisoara, Romania
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Center for Laparoscopy, Laparoscopic Surgery and In Vitro Fertilization, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Mircea Iurciuc
- Department of Cardiology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Departament VI-Discipline of Outpatient Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Prevention and Recovery, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Ahmed Abu-Awwad
- "Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology", "Pius Brinzeu" County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 300723 Timisoara, Romania
- Department XV-Discipline of Orthopedics-Traumatology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Research Center University Professor Doctor Teodor Șora, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Stela Iurciuc
- Department of Cardiology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Departament VI-Discipline of Outpatient Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Prevention and Recovery, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Anca Laura Maghiari
- "Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology", "Pius Brinzeu" County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 300723 Timisoara, Romania
- Departament I-Discipline of Anatomy and Embryology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
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Wang Z, Liu J, Chen H, Qiu X, Xie L, Kaniskan HÜ, Chen X, Jin J, Wei W. Telomere Targeting Chimera Enables Targeted Destruction of Telomeric Repeat-Binding Factor Proteins. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:10872-10879. [PMID: 37141574 PMCID: PMC10976431 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c02783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres are naturally shortened after each round of cell division in noncancerous normal cells, while the activation of telomerase activity to extend telomere in the cancer cell is essential for cell transformation. Therefore, telomeres are regarded as a potential anticancer target. In this study, we report the development of a nucleotide-based proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) designed to degrade TRF1/2 (telomeric repeat-binding factor 1/2), which are the key components of the shelterin complex (telosome) that regulates the telomere length by directly interacting with telomere DNA repeats. The prototype telomere-targeting chimeras (TeloTACs) efficiently degrade TRF1/2 in a VHL- and proteosome-dependent manner, resulting in the shortening of telomeres and suppressed cancer cell proliferation. Compared to the traditional receptor-based off-target therapy, TeloTACs have potential application in a broad spectrum of cancer cell lines due to their ability to selectively kill cancer cells that overexpress TRF1/2. In summary, TeloTACs provide a nucleotide-based degradation approach for shortening the telomere and inhibiting tumor cell growth, representing a promising avenue for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Wang
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - He Chen
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Xing Qiu
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Ling Xie
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - H Ümit Kaniskan
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Xian Chen
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Jian Jin
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Wenyi Wei
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
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Piñeiro-Hermida S, Bosso G, Sánchez-Vázquez R, Martínez P, Blasco MA. Telomerase deficiency and dysfunctional telomeres in the lung tumor microenvironment impair tumor progression in NSCLC mouse models and patient-derived xenografts. Cell Death Differ 2023:10.1038/s41418-023-01149-6. [PMID: 37085672 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-023-01149-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a leading cause of cancer death. Tumor progression depends on interactions of cancer cells with the tumor microenvironment. Here, we find increased copy number and mRNA expression of the catalytic subunit of telomerase, TERT, in tumors from NSCLC patients, contributing to a lower survival. Moreover, TERT expression in NSCLC patients from the TCGA cohort is mainly associated to the reduced infiltration of CD8+ T lymphocytes, as well as to increased infiltration of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). We also show that TERT deficiency and dysfunctional telomeres induced by 6-thio-dG treatment in mice reduced lung tumor implantation and vascularization, increased DNA damage response, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, as well as reduced proliferation, inflammation, lung tumor immunosupression and invasion upon induction of a Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC). Furthermore, 6-thio-dG-treated human NSCLC xenografts exhibited increased telomere damage, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, as well as reduced proliferation, resulting in a reduced tumor growth. Our results show that targeting telomeres might be an effective therapeutic strategy in NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Piñeiro-Hermida
- Telomeres and Telomerase Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid, E-28029, Spain
| | - Giuseppe Bosso
- Telomeres and Telomerase Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid, E-28029, Spain
| | - Raúl Sánchez-Vázquez
- Telomeres and Telomerase Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid, E-28029, Spain
| | - Paula Martínez
- Telomeres and Telomerase Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid, E-28029, Spain
| | - Maria A Blasco
- Telomeres and Telomerase Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid, E-28029, Spain.
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Parekh N, Garg A, Choudhary R, Gupta M, Kaur G, Ramniwas S, Shahwan M, Tuli HS, Sethi G. The Role of Natural Flavonoids as Telomerase Inhibitors in Suppressing Cancer Growth. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:ph16040605. [PMID: 37111362 PMCID: PMC10143453 DOI: 10.3390/ph16040605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a complex and multifaceted group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. While cancer can be challenging and life-altering, advances in research and development have led to the identification of new promising anti-cancer targets. Telomerase is one such target that is overexpressed in almost all cancer cells and plays a critical role in maintaining telomere length, which is essential for cell proliferation and survival. Inhibiting telomerase activity can lead to telomere shortening and eventual cell death, thus presenting itself as a potential target for cancer therapy. Naturally occurring flavonoids are a class of compounds that have already been shown to possess different biological properties, including the anti-cancer property. They are present in various everyday food sources and richly present in fruits, nuts, soybeans, vegetables, tea, wine, and berries, to name a few. Thus, these flavonoids could inhibit or deactivate telomerase expression in cancer cells by different mechanisms, which include inhibiting the expression of hTERT, mRNA, protein, and nuclear translocation, inhibiting the binding of transcription factors to hTERT promoters, and even telomere shortening. Numerous cell line studies and in vivo experiments have supported this hypothesis, and this development could serve as a vital and innovative therapeutic option for cancer. In this light, we aim to elucidate the role of telomerase as a potential anti-cancer target. Subsequently, we have illustrated that how commonly found natural flavonoids demonstrate their anti-cancer activity via telomerase inactivation in different cancer types, thus proving the potential of these naturally occurring flavonoids as useful therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neel Parekh
- Shobhaben Pratapbhai Patel School of Pharmacy & Technology Management, SVKM'S NMIMS, Vile Parle (W), Mumbai 400056, India
| | - Ashish Garg
- Department of P.G. Studies and Research in Chemistry and Pharmacy, Rani Durgavati University Jabalpur, Jabalpur 482001, India
| | - Renuka Choudhary
- Department of Biotechnology, Maharishi Markandeshwar, Deemed to be University, Ambala 133207, India
| | - Madhu Gupta
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University, Pushp Vihar, New Delhi 110017, India
| | - Ginpreet Kaur
- Shobhaben Pratapbhai Patel School of Pharmacy & Technology Management, SVKM'S NMIMS, Vile Parle (W), Mumbai 400056, India
| | - Seema Ramniwas
- University Centre for Research and Development, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali 140413, India
| | - Moyad Shahwan
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Ajman University, Ajman 346, United Arab Emirates
- Centre of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman 346, United Arab Emirates
| | - Hardeep Singh Tuli
- Department of Biotechnology, Maharishi Markandeshwar, Deemed to be University, Ambala 133207, India
| | - Gautam Sethi
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117600, Singapore
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Czegle I, Huang C, Soria PG, Purkiss DW, Shields A, Wappler-Guzzetta EA. The Role of Genetic Mutations in Mitochondrial-Driven Cancer Growth in Selected Tumors: Breast and Gynecological Malignancies. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13040996. [PMID: 37109525 PMCID: PMC10145875 DOI: 10.3390/life13040996] [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: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
There is an increasing understanding of the molecular and cytogenetic background of various tumors that helps us better conceptualize the pathogenesis of specific diseases. Additionally, in many cases, these molecular and cytogenetic alterations have diagnostic, prognostic, and/or therapeutic applications that are heavily used in clinical practice. Given that there is always room for improvement in cancer treatments and in cancer patient management, it is important to discover new therapeutic targets for affected individuals. In this review, we discuss mitochondrial changes in breast and gynecological (endometrial and ovarian) cancers. In addition, we review how the frequently altered genes in these diseases (BRCA1/2, HER2, PTEN, PIK3CA, CTNNB1, RAS, CTNNB1, FGFR, TP53, ARID1A, and TERT) affect the mitochondria, highlighting the possible associated individual therapeutic targets. With this approach, drugs targeting mitochondrial glucose or fatty acid metabolism, reactive oxygen species production, mitochondrial biogenesis, mtDNA transcription, mitophagy, or cell death pathways could provide further tailored treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibolya Czegle
- Department of Internal Medicine and Haematology, Semmelweis University, H-1085 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Chelsea Huang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
| | - Priscilla Geraldine Soria
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
| | - Dylan Wesley Purkiss
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
| | - Andrea Shields
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
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Kumar RR, Kumar A, Chuang CH, Shaikh MO. Recent Advances and Emerging Trends in Cancer Biomarker Detection Technologies. Ind Eng Chem Res 2023. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.2c04097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rajkumar Rakesh Kumar
- Institute of Medical Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan
| | - Amit Kumar
- Institute of Medical Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Hsin Chuang
- Institute of Medical Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan
| | - Muhammad Omar Shaikh
- Sustainability Science and Management, Tunghai University, Taichung 407224, Taiwan
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Zare-Mirzaie A, Mollazadehghomi S, Heshmati SM, Mehrtash A, Mollazadehghomi S. TERT Promoter Mutation in Benign and Malignant Salivary Gland Tumors; A Cross-Sectional Study. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2023; 18:64-74. [PMID: 37383158 PMCID: PMC10293604 DOI: 10.30699/ijp.ijp.2023.556651.2927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Background & Objective Telomere-related tumorigenesis mechanisms in the salivary gland, including mutation in the promoter region of TERT, have been rarely investigated. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the mutation in the promoter region of TERT in benign and malignant salivary gland tumors. Methods This was a descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study. Tissue samples of 54 patients with primary salivary gland tumors sent to the pathology department of Rasool-e-Akram Hospital from September 2017 to September 2021 were examined. Fifteen samples including two groups of the most common benign tumors (n=5; 3 pleomorphic adenomas and 2 Warthin tumors) and four groups of the most common malignant tumors (n=10; 3 mucoepidermoid carcinomas, 3 adenoid cystic carcinomas, 2 acinic cell carcinoma, and 2 salivary duct carcinoma) were selected. The promoter region of TERT, including well-known hot spot regions, is sequenced using the Sanger sequencing method. Data were analyzed using statistical software R version 4.1.2. Results Of 15 salivary gland tumor specimens, consisting of 5 benign tumors and 10 malignant tumors after DNA sequencing, TERT promoter region mutation was only seen in one of the adenoid cystic carcinoma samples, located at -146 bp upstream from ATG (chr5: 1,295,250 C>T). Conclusion TERT promoter mutation was not different in malignant and benign salivary tumors. Nonetheless, there are a few studies that report TERT promoter mutation in adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary gland, necessitating the need for further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Zare-Mirzaie
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shamim Mollazadehghomi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Research Institute for Non-Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
| | - Seyed Mohammad Heshmati
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amirhosein Mehrtash
- Molecular Medicine Department, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shabnam Mollazadehghomi
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Weidle UH, Nopora A. Up-regulated Circular RNAs in Colorectal Cancer: New Entities for Therapy and Tools for Identification of Therapeutic Targets. Cancer Genomics Proteomics 2023; 20:132-153. [PMID: 36870691 PMCID: PMC9989668 DOI: 10.21873/cgp.20369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with disseminated colorectal cancer have a dismal prognosis with a 5-year survival rate of only 13%. In order to identify new treatment modalities and new targets, we searched the literature for up-regulated circular RNAs in colorectal cancer which induce tumor growth in corresponding preclinical in vivo models. We identified nine circular RNAs that mediate resistance against chemotherapeutic agents, seven that up-regulate transmembrane receptors, five that induce secreted factors, nine that activate signaling components, five which up-regulate enzymes, six which activate actin-related proteins, six which induce transcription factors and two which up-regulate the MUSASHI family of RNA binding proteins. All of the circular RNAs discussed in this paper induce the corresponding targets by sponging microRNAs (miRs) and can be inhibited by RNAi or shRNA in vitro and in xenograft models. We have focused on circular RNAs with demonstrated activity in preclinical in vivo models because the latter is an important milestone in drug development. All circular RNAs with in vitro activity only data are not referenced in this review. The translational impact of inhibition of these circular RNAs and of the identified targets for treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich H Weidle
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Penzberg, Germany
| | - Adam Nopora
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Penzberg, Germany
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Cheng L, Zhang S, Wang M, Lopez-Beltran A. Biological and clinical perspectives of TERT promoter mutation detection on bladder cancer diagnosis and management. Hum Pathol 2023; 133:56-75. [PMID: 35700749 DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2022.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter mutations are associated with increased TERT mRNA and TERT protein levels, telomerase activity, and shorter but stable telomere length. TERT promoter mutation is the most common mutation that occurs in approximately 60-80% of patients with bladder cancer. The TERT promoter mutations occur in a wide spectrum of urothelial lesions, including benign urothelial proliferation and tumor-like conditions, benign urothelial tumors, premalignant and putative precursor lesions, urothelial carcinoma and its variants, and nonurothelial malignancies. The prevalence and incidence of TERT promoter mutations in a total of 7259 cases from the urinary tract were systematically reviewed. Different platforms of TERT promoter mutation detection were presented. In this review, we also discussed the significance and clinical implications of TERT promoter mutation detection in urothelial tumorigenesis, surveillance and early detection, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, prognosis, prediction of treatment responses, and clinical outcome. Identification of TERT promoter mutations from urine or plasma cell-free DNA (liquid biopsy) will facilitate bladder cancer screening program and optimal clinical management. A better understanding of TERT promoter mutation and its pathway would open new therapeutic avenues for patients with bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Cheng
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Lifespan Academic Medical Center, Providence, RI, 02903, USA.
| | - Shaobo Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Mingsheng Wang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Antonio Lopez-Beltran
- Department of Morphological Sciences, University of Cordoba Medical School, Cordoba, E-14004, Spain
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Yeh TJ, Luo CW, Du JS, Huang CT, Wang MH, Chuang TM, Gau YC, Cho SF, Liu YC, Hsiao HH, Chen LT, Pan MR, Wang HC, Moi SH. Deciphering the Functions of Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase in Head and Neck Cancer. Biomedicines 2023; 11:691. [PMID: 36979671 PMCID: PMC10044978 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11030691] [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: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are among the ten leading malignancies worldwide. Despite significant progress in all therapeutic modalities, predictive biomarkers, and targeted therapies for HNCs are limited and the survival rate is unsatisfactory. The importance of telomere maintenance via telomerase reactivation in carcinogenesis has been demonstrated in recent decades. Several mechanisms could activate telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), the most common of which is promoter alternation. Two major hotspot TERT promoter mutations (C228T and C250T) have been reported in different malignancies such as melanoma, genitourinary cancers, CNS tumors, hepatocellular carcinoma, thyroid cancers, sarcomas, and HNCs. The frequencies of TERT promoter mutations vary widely across tumors and is quite high in HNCs (11.9-64.7%). These mutations have been reported to be more enriched in oral cavity SCCs and HPV-negative tumors. The association between TERT promoter mutations and poor survival has also been demonstrated. Till now, several therapeutic strategies targeting telomerase have been developed although only a few drugs have been used in clinical trials. Here, we briefly review and summarize our current understanding and evidence of TERT promoter mutations in HNC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsung-Jang Yeh
- Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Wen Luo
- Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Department of Cosmetic Science and Institute of Cosmetic Science, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan 717, Taiwan
| | - Jeng-Shiun Du
- Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Tzu Huang
- Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Min-Hung Wang
- Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Tzer-Ming Chuang
- Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Yuh-Ching Gau
- Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Feng Cho
- Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chang Liu
- Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Hua Hsiao
- Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Li-Tzong Chen
- Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan 704, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Ren Pan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Drug Development and Value Creation Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Ching Wang
- Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Sin-Hua Moi
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
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Ju H, Yu C, Liu W, Li HH, Fu Z, Wu YC, Gong PX, Li HJ. Polysaccharides from marine resources exhibit great potential in the treatment of tumor: A review. CARBOHYDRATE POLYMER TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.carpta.2023.100308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
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Ikeda S, Sakata A, Fushimi Y, Okuchi S, Arakawa Y, Makino Y, Mineharu Y, Nakajima S, Hinoda T, Yoshida K, Miyamoto S, Nakamoto Y. Telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter mutation and histologic grade in IDH wild-type histological lower-grade gliomas: The value of perfusion-weighted image, diffusion-weighted image, and 18F-FDG-PET. Eur J Radiol 2023; 159:110658. [PMID: 36571926 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2022.110658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter (TERTp) mutation is an unfavorable prognostic factor in isocitrate dehydrogenase-wildtype (IDHwt) histologically lower-grade astrocytoma (LGA), which was incorporated as a key component in the WHO 2021 classification of IDHwt LGA, replacing histologic grades in the WHO 2016 classification. The purpose of this study was to identify the imaging characteristics predictive of TERTp mutations in IDHwt LGA. METHODS This retrospective study was approved by our institutional review board. This single-center study retrospectively included 59 patients with pathologically confirmed IDHwt LGA with known TERTp mutation status. In addition to clinical information and morphological characteristics, semi-quantitative imaging biomarkers such as the tumor-to-normal ratio (T/N ratio) on 18F-FDG-PET, normalized apparent diffusion coefficient (nADC), and histogram parameters from normalized relative cerebral blood volume (nrCBV) maps were compared between (a) TERTp-wildtype and TERTp-mutant tumors or (b) grade II and grade III astrocytoma. A p value < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS There were no significant differences in the conventional imaging findings, T/N ratio on FDG-PET, nrCBV or ADC histogram metrics between IDHwt LGA with TERTp mutations and those without. Grade III IDHwt astrocytomas exhibited significantly higher nrCBV values, T/N ratio and lower ADC parameters than grade II IDHwt astrocytoma. CONCLUSIONS In patients with IDHwt LGA, T/N ratio, nrCBV values and nADC may be surrogate markers for predicting histologic grade, but are not useful for predicting TERTp mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Ikeda
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Akihiko Sakata
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
| | - Yasutaka Fushimi
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Sachi Okuchi
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Yoshiki Arakawa
- Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Yasuhide Makino
- Department of Neurosurgery, National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Center, 1-1 Fukakusa Mukaihata-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto 612-8555, Japan
| | - Yohei Mineharu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Satoshi Nakajima
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Takuya Hinoda
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Kazumichi Yoshida
- Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Susumu Miyamoto
- Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Yuji Nakamoto
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
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50
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Lv BB, Yang CL, Tan ZX, Zheng L, Li MD, Jiang YL, Liu L, Tang MM, Hua DX, Yang J, Xu DX, Zhao H, Fu L. Association between cadmium exposure and pulmonary function reduction: Potential mediating role of telomere attrition in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 251:114548. [PMID: 36652742 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental cadmium (Cd) exposure is linked to pulmonary function injury in the general population. But, the association between blood Cd concentration and pulmonary function has not been investigated thoroughly in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, and the potential mechanisms are unclear. METHODS All eligible 789 COPD patients were enrolled from Anhui COPD cohort. Blood specimens and clinical information were collected. Pulmonary function test was conducted. The subunit of telomerase, telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), was determined through enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Blood Cd was measured via inductively coupled-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). RESULTS Blood Cd was negatively and dose-dependently associated with pulmonary function. Each 1-unit increase of blood Cd was associated with 0.861 L decline in FVC, 0.648 L decline in FEV1, 5.938 % decline in FEV1/FVC %, and 22.098 % decline in FEV1 % among COPD patients, respectively. Age, current-smoking, self-cooking and higher smoking amount aggravated Cd-evoked pulmonary function decrease. Additionally, there was an inversely dose-response association between Cd concentration and TERT in COPD patients. Elevated TERT obviously mediated 29.53 %, 37.50 % and 19.48 % of Cd-evoked FVC, FEV1, and FEV1 % declines in COPD patients, respectively. CONCLUSION Blood Cd concentration is strongly associated with the decline of pulmonary function and telomerase activity among COPD patients. Telomere attrition partially mediates Cd-induced pulmonary function decline, suggesting an underlying mechanistic role of telomere attrition in pulmonary function decline from Cd exposure in COPD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bian-Bian Lv
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China; Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China; Department of Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, China
| | - Chun-Lan Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, China
| | - Zhu-Xia Tan
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China; Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China
| | - Ling Zheng
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China; Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China
| | - Meng-Die Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China; Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China
| | - Ya-Lin Jiang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Bozhou People's Hospital, Bozhou, Anhui 236800, China
| | - Ling Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, People's Hospital of Yingshang, Fuyang, Anhui 236000, China
| | - Min-Min Tang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China; Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China
| | - Dong-Xu Hua
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China; Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China
| | - Jin Yang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China; Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China
| | - De-Xiang Xu
- Department of Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, China.
| | - Hui Zhao
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China; Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China.
| | - Lin Fu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China; Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China; Department of Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, China.
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