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Hohmann T, Hohmann U, Dehghani F, Grisk O, Jasinski-Bergner S. Analyzing the Impact of the Highest Expressed Epstein-Barr Virus-Encoded microRNAs on the Host Cell Transcriptome. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7838. [PMID: 39063079 PMCID: PMC11276978 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25147838] [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: 06/12/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has a very high prevalence (>90% in adults), establishes a lifelong latency after primary infection, and exerts an oncogenic potential. This dsDNA virus encodes for various molecules, including microRNAs (miRs), which can be detected in the latent and lytic phases with different expression levels and affect, among others, immune evasion and malignant transformation. In this study, the different EBV miRs are quantified in EBV-positive lymphomas, and the impact on the host cell transcriptome of the most abundant EBV miRs will be analyzed using comparative RNA sequencing analyses. The EBV miRs ebv-miR-BART1, -BART4, -BART17, and -BHRF1-1 were most highly expressed, and their selective overexpression in EBV-negative human cells resulted in a large number of statistically significantly down- and up-regulated host cell genes. Functional analyses showed that these dysregulated target genes are involved in important cellular processes, including growth factor pathways such as WNT, EGF, FGF, and PDGF, as well as cellular processes such as apoptosis regulation and inflammation. Individual differences were observed between these four analyzed EBV miRs. In particular, ebv-miR-BHRF1-1 appears to be more important for malignant transformation and immune evasion than the other EBV miRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Hohmann
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical Faculty, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Grosse Steinstrasse 52, 06108 Halle (Saale), Germany; (T.H.); (U.H.); (F.D.)
| | - Urszula Hohmann
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical Faculty, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Grosse Steinstrasse 52, 06108 Halle (Saale), Germany; (T.H.); (U.H.); (F.D.)
| | - Faramarz Dehghani
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical Faculty, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Grosse Steinstrasse 52, 06108 Halle (Saale), Germany; (T.H.); (U.H.); (F.D.)
| | - Olaf Grisk
- Institute of Physiology, Brandenburg Medical School (MHB), Theodor Fontane, Hochstraße 29, Haus 11, 2.OG, 14770 Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany;
| | - Simon Jasinski-Bergner
- Institute of Physiology, Brandenburg Medical School (MHB), Theodor Fontane, Hochstraße 29, Haus 11, 2.OG, 14770 Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany;
- Institute for Translational Immunology, Brandenburg Medical School (MHB), Theodor Fontane, 14770 Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany
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2
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He F, Wu Z, Liu C, Zhu Y, Zhou Y, Tian E, Rosin-Arbesfeld R, Yang D, Wang MW, Zhu D. Targeting BCL9/BCL9L enhances antigen presentation by promoting conventional type 1 dendritic cell (cDC1) activation and tumor infiltration. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:139. [PMID: 38811552 PMCID: PMC11137111 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01838-9] [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: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Conventional type 1 dendritic cells (cDC1) are the essential antigen-presenting DC subset in antitumor immunity. Suppressing B-cell lymphoma 9 and B-cell lymphoma 9-like (BCL9/BCL9L) inhibits tumor growth and boosts immune responses against cancer. However, whether oncogenic BCL9/BCL9L impairs antigen presentation in tumors is still not completely understood. Here, we show that targeting BCL9/BCL9L enhanced antigen presentation by stimulating cDC1 activation and infiltration into tumor. Pharmacological inhibition of BCL9/BCL9L with a novel inhibitor hsBCL9z96 or Bcl9/Bcl9l knockout mice markedly delayed tumor growth and promoted antitumor CD8+ T cell responses. Mechanistically, targeting BCL9/BCL9L promoted antigen presentation in tumors. This is due to the increase of cDC1 activation and tumor infiltration by the XCL1-XCR1 axis. Importantly, using single-cell transcriptomics analysis, we found that Bcl9/Bcl9l deficient cDC1 were superior to wild-type (WT) cDC1 at activation and antigen presentation via NF-κB/IRF1 signaling. Together, we demonstrate that targeting BCL9/BCL9L plays a crucial role in cDC1-modulated antigen presentation of tumor-derived antigens, as well as CD8+ T cell activation and tumor infiltration. Targeting BCL9/BCL9L to regulate cDC1 function and directly orchestrate a positive feedback loop necessary for optimal antitumor immunity could serve as a potential strategy to counter immune suppression and enhance cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenglian He
- Department of Pharmacology, Minhang Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immune Therapy, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Zhongen Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, Minhang Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immune Therapy, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Chenglong Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Minhang Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immune Therapy, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology, Minhang Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immune Therapy, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yan Zhou
- The National Center for Drug Screening and the CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Enming Tian
- Department of Pharmacology, Minhang Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immune Therapy, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Rina Rosin-Arbesfeld
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Dehua Yang
- The National Center for Drug Screening and the CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Ming-Wei Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Research Center for Deepsea Bioresources, Sanya, China.
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
- Engineering Research Center of Tropical Medicine Innovation and Transformation of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.
| | - Di Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Science, Jinan, China.
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3
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Zhao C, Liu L, He Q, Li Y, Feng J, Chen Y, Li Y, Xu X, Zhu S, Ye Y, Wen Y, Zeng Z, Zhou D, Jin F. Dickkopf-1 is an immune infiltration-related prognostic biomarker of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Aging (Albany NY) 2024; 16:3837-3855. [PMID: 38376441 PMCID: PMC10929804 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205563] [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: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Immunotherapy is currently one of the most viable therapies for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), characterized by high immune cell infiltration. The Wnt-signaling inhibitor and immune activation mediator, Dickkopf-1 (DKK1), has a strong correlation with tumor growth, tumor microenvironment, and, consequently, disease prognosis. Nevertheless, it is still unclear how DKK1 expression, HNSCC prognosis, and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes are related. To better understand these associations, we examined how DKK1 expression varies across different tumor and normal tissues. In our study, we investigated the association between DKK1 mRNA expression and clinical outcomes. Next, we assessed the link between DKK1 expression and tumor immune cell infiltration. Additionally, using immunohistochemistry, we evaluated the expression of DKK1 in 15 healthy head and neck tissue samples, and the expression of CD3, CD4, and DKK1 in 27 HNSCC samples. We also explored aberrant DKK1 expression during tumorigenesis. DKK1 expression was remarkably higher in HNSCC tissues than in healthy tissues, and was shown to be associated with tumor stage, grade, lymph node metastasis, histology, and a dismal clinical prognosis in HNSCC. DKK1 expression in HNSCC tissues was inversely correlated with CD3+ (P < 0.0001) and CD4+ (P < 0.0001) immune cell infiltration, while that in immune cells was inversely associated with HNSCC prognosis. These findings offer a bioinformatics perspective on the function of DKK1 in HNSCC immunotherapy and provide justification for clinical research on DKK1-targeted HNSCC treatments. DKK1 is a central target for improving the efficacy of HNSCC immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaofen Zhao
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, The School of Clinical Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
| | - Lina Liu
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, The School of Clinical Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
| | - Qianyong He
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, The School of Clinical Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, The School of Clinical Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
| | - Jianglong Feng
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
| | - Yue Chen
- Department of Oncology, The School of Clinical Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
| | - Yuxin Li
- Department of Oncology, The School of Clinical Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
| | - Xinyu Xu
- Department of Oncology, The School of Clinical Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
| | - Shaoyuan Zhu
- Department of Oncology, The School of Clinical Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
| | - Yuanmei Ye
- Department of Oncology, The School of Clinical Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
| | - Yajing Wen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Zhirui Zeng
- Department of Physiology, The School of Basic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
| | - Ding’an Zhou
- Clinical Research Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, P. R. China
| | - Feng Jin
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, The School of Clinical Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China
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4
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Talukdar PD, Chatterji U. Transcriptional co-activators: emerging roles in signaling pathways and potential therapeutic targets for diseases. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:427. [PMID: 37953273 PMCID: PMC10641101 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01651-w] [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: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Specific cell states in metazoans are established by the symphony of gene expression programs that necessitate intricate synergic interactions between transcription factors and the co-activators. Deregulation of these regulatory molecules is associated with cell state transitions, which in turn is accountable for diverse maladies, including developmental disorders, metabolic disorders, and most significantly, cancer. A decade back most transcription factors, the key enablers of disease development, were historically viewed as 'undruggable'; however, in the intervening years, a wealth of literature validated that they can be targeted indirectly through transcriptional co-activators, their confederates in various physiological and molecular processes. These co-activators, along with transcription factors, have the ability to initiate and modulate transcription of diverse genes necessary for normal physiological functions, whereby, deregulation of such interactions may foster tissue-specific disease phenotype. Hence, it is essential to analyze how these co-activators modulate specific multilateral processes in coordination with other factors. The proposed review attempts to elaborate an in-depth account of the transcription co-activators, their involvement in transcription regulation, and context-specific contributions to pathophysiological conditions. This review also addresses an issue that has not been dealt with in a comprehensive manner and hopes to direct attention towards future research that will encompass patient-friendly therapeutic strategies, where drugs targeting co-activators will have enhanced benefits and reduced side effects. Additional insights into currently available therapeutic interventions and the associated constraints will eventually reveal multitudes of advanced therapeutic targets aiming for disease amelioration and good patient prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Dey Talukdar
- Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata, 700019, West Bengal, India
| | - Urmi Chatterji
- Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata, 700019, West Bengal, India.
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5
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Wiley MM, Khatri B, Joachims ML, Tessneer KL, Stolarczyk AM, Rasmussen A, Anaya JM, Aqrawi LA, Bae SC, Baecklund E, Björk A, Brun JG, Bucher SM, Dand N, Eloranta ML, Engelke F, Forsblad-d’Elia H, Fugmann C, Glenn SB, Gong C, Gottenberg JE, Hammenfors D, Imgenberg-Kreuz J, Jensen JL, Johnsen SJA, Jonsson MV, Kelly JA, Khanam S, Kim K, Kvarnström M, Mandl T, Martín J, Morris DL, Nocturne G, Norheim KB, Olsson P, Palm Ø, Pers JO, Rhodus NL, Sjöwall C, Skarstein K, Taylor KE, Tombleson P, Thorlacius GE, Venuturupalli S, Vital EM, Wallace DJ, Grundahl KM, Radfar L, Brennan MT, James JA, Scofield RH, Gaffney PM, Criswell LA, Jonsson R, Appel S, Eriksson P, Bowman SJ, Omdal R, Rönnblom L, Warner BM, Rischmueller M, Witte T, Farris AD, Mariette X, Shiboski CH, Wahren-Herlenius M, Alarcón-Riquelme ME, Ng WF, Sivils KL, Guthridge JM, Adrianto I, Vyse TJ, Tsao BP, Nordmark G, Lessard CJ. Variants in the DDX6-CXCR5 autoimmune disease risk locus influence the regulatory network in immune cells and salivary gland. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.05.561076. [PMID: 39071447 PMCID: PMC11275775 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.05.561076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Fine mapping and bioinformatic analysis of the DDX6-CXCR5 genetic risk association in Sjögren's Disease (SjD) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) identified five common SNPs with functional evidence in immune cell types: rs4938573, rs57494551, rs4938572, rs4936443, rs7117261. Functional interrogation of nuclear protein binding affinity, enhancer/promoter regulatory activity, and chromatin-chromatin interactions in immune, salivary gland epithelial, and kidney epithelial cells revealed cell type-specific allelic effects for all five SNPs that expanded regulation beyond effects on DDX6 and CXCR5 expression. Mapping the local chromatin regulatory network revealed several additional genes of interest, including lnc-PHLDB1-1. Collectively, functional characterization implicated the risk alleles of these SNPs as modulators of promoter and/or enhancer activities that regulate cell type-specific expression of DDX6, CXCR5, and lnc-PHLDB1-1, among others. Further, these findings emphasize the importance of exploring the functional significance of SNPs in the context of complex chromatin architecture in disease-relevant cell types and tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandi M. Wiley
- Genes and Human Disease Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Bhuwan Khatri
- Genes and Human Disease Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Michelle L. Joachims
- Genes and Human Disease Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
- Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Research Program, OMRF, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Kandice L. Tessneer
- Genes and Human Disease Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Anna M. Stolarczyk
- Genes and Human Disease Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Astrid Rasmussen
- Genes and Human Disease Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | | | - Lara A. Aqrawi
- Department of Health Sciences, Kristiania University College, Oslo, Norway
- University of Oslo, Norway
| | | | | | | | - Johan G. Brun
- University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Nick Dand
- King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | - Stuart B. Glenn
- Genes and Human Disease Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Chen Gong
- King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jennifer A. Kelly
- Genes and Human Disease Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Sharmily Khanam
- Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Research Program, OMRF, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | | | | | | | - Javier Martín
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Parasitología López-Neyra, Granada, Spain
| | | | - Gaetane Nocturne
- Université Paris-Saclay, Paris, France
- Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Bicêtre, Paris, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Kiely M. Grundahl
- Genes and Human Disease Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
- Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Research Program, OMRF, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Lida Radfar
- University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | | | - Judith A. James
- Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Research Program, OMRF, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
- University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - R. Hal Scofield
- Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Research Program, OMRF, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
- University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
- US Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Patrick M. Gaffney
- Genes and Human Disease Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
- University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Lindsey A. Criswell
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | | | - Simon J. Bowman
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Roald Omdal
- University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
| | | | - Blake M. Warner
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - A. Darise Farris
- Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Research Program, OMRF, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
- University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Xavier Mariette
- Université Paris-Saclay, Paris, France
- Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Bicêtre, Paris, France
| | | | | | | | - Marta E. Alarcón-Riquelme
- Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
- Genyo, Center for Genomics and Oncological Research, Pfizer/University of Granada/Andalusian Regional Government, Spain
| | | | - Wan-Fai Ng
- NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre and NIHR Newcastle Clinical Research Facility, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | | | - Kathy L. Sivils
- Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Research Program, OMRF, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Joel M. Guthridge
- Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Research Program, OMRF, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
- University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Indra Adrianto
- Center for Bioinformatics, Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Betty P. Tsao
- Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | | | - Christopher J. Lessard
- Genes and Human Disease Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
- University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
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6
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Liu Z, Fang Z, Wang K, Ye M. Hydrophobic Derivatization Strategy Facilitates Comprehensive Profiling of Protein Methylation. J Proteome Res 2023; 22:3275-3281. [PMID: 37738134 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00318] [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] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Protein methylation is receiving more and more attention due to its essential role in diverse biological processes. Large-scale analysis of protein methylation requires the efficient identification of methylated peptides at the proteome level; unfortunately, a significant number of methylated peptides are highly hydrophilic and hardly retained during reversed-phase chromatography, making it difficult to be identified by conventional approaches. Herein, we report the development of a novel strategy by combining hydrophobic derivatization and high pH strong cation exchange enrichment, which significantly expands the identification coverage of the methylproteome. Noteworthily, the total number of identified methylated short peptides was improved by more than 2-fold. By this strategy, we identified 492 methylation sites from NCI-H460 cells compared to only 356 sites identified in native forms. The identification of methylation sites before and after derivatization was highly complementary. Approximately 2-fold the methylation sites were obtained by combining the results identified in both approaches (native and derivatized) as compared with the only analysis in native forms. Therefore, this novel chemical derivatization strategy is a promising approach for the comprehensive identification of protein methylation by improving the identification of methylated short peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zheng Fang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Keyun Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Mingliang Ye
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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7
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Ismail MMF, El-Awady RR, Farrag AM, Mahmoud SH, Abo Shama NM, Mostafa A, Ali MA, Rashed MH, Ibrahim IH. Potential role of PIM1 inhibition in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2023; 21:65. [PMID: 37211584 PMCID: PMC10200336 DOI: 10.1186/s43141-023-00520-x] [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: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND SARS-CoV-2 infection involves disturbing multiple molecular pathways related to immunity and cellular functions. PIM1 is a serine/threonine-protein kinase found to be involved in the pathogenesis of several viral infections. One PIM1 substrate, Myc, was reported to interact with TMPRSS2, which is crucial for SARS-CoV-2 cell entry. PIM1 inhibitors were reported to have antiviral activity through multiple mechanisms related to immunity and proliferation. This study aimed to evaluate the antiviral activity of 2-pyridone PIM1 inhibitor against SARS-CoV-2 and its potential role in hindering the progression of COVID-19. It also aimed to assess PIM1 inhibitor's effect on the expression of several genes of Notch signaling and Wnt pathways. In vitro study was conducted on Vero-E6 cells infected by SARS-CoV-2 "NRC-03-nhCoV" virus. Protein-protein interaction of the study genes was assessed to evaluate their relation to cell proliferation and immunity. The effect of 2-pyridone PIM1 inhibitor treatment on viral load and mRNA expression of target genes was assessed at three time points. RESULTS Treatment with 2-pyridone PIM1 inhibitor showed potential antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 (IC50 of 37.255 µg/ml), significantly lowering the viral load. Functional enrichments of the studied genes include negative regulation of growth rate, several biological processes involved in cell proliferation, and Interleukin-4 production, with interleukin-6 as a predicted functional partner. These results suggest an interplay between study genes with relation to cell proliferation and immunity. Following in vitro SARS-CoV-2 infection, Notch pathway genes, CTNNB1, SUMO1, and TDG, were found to be overexpressed compared to uninfected cells. Treatment with 2-pyridone PIM1 inhibitor significantly lowers the expression levels of study genes, restoring Notch1 and BCL9 to the control level while decreasing Notch2 and CTNNB1 below control levels. CONCLUSION 2-pyridone PIM1 inhibitor could hinder cellular entry of SARS-CoV-2 and modulate several pathways implicated in immunity, suggesting a potential benefit in the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magda M. F. Ismail
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy (Girls), Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Rehab R. El-Awady
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy (Girls), Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, 11884 Cairo Egypt
| | - Amal M. Farrag
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy (Girls), Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Sara H. Mahmoud
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt
| | - Noura M. Abo Shama
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Mostafa
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt
| | - Mohamed A. Ali
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt
| | - Mohammed H. Rashed
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Iman H. Ibrahim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy (Girls), Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, 11884 Cairo Egypt
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8
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Zhang M, Xu T, Tong D, Li S, Yu X, Liu B, Jiang L, Liu K. Research advances in endometriosis-related signaling pathways: A review. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 164:114909. [PMID: 37210898 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114909] [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: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometriosis (EM) is characterized by the existence of endometrial mucosa outside the uterine cavity, which causesinfertility, persistent aches, and a decline in women's quality of life. Both hormone therapies and nonhormone therapies, such as NSAIDs, are ineffective, generic categories of EM drugs. Endometriosis is a benign gynecological condition, yet it shares a number of features with cancer cells, including immune evasion, survival, adhesion, invasion, and angiogenesis. Several endometriosis-related signaling pathways are comprehensively reviewed in this article, including E2, NF-κB, MAPK, ERK, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, YAP, Wnt/β-catenin, Rho/ROCK, TGF-β, VEGF, NO, iron, cytokines and chemokines. To find and develop novel medications for the treatment of EM, it is essential to implicitly determine the molecular pathways that are disordered during EM development. Additionally, research on the shared pathways between EM and tumors can provide hypotheses or suggestions for endometriosis therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manlin Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Tongtong Xu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Deming Tong
- Department of General Surgery, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, China
| | - Siman Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiaodan Yu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Boya Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Lili Jiang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
| | - Kuiran Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
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9
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Katanaev VL, Baldin A, Denisenko TV, Silachev DN, Ivanova AE, Sukhikh GT, Jia L, Ashrafyan LA. Cells of the tumor microenvironment speak the Wnt language. Trends Mol Med 2023; 29:468-480. [PMID: 37045723 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2023.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Wnt signaling plays numerous functions in cancer, from primary transformation and tumor growth to metastasis. In addition to these cancer cell-intrinsic functions, Wnt signaling emerges to critically control cross-communication among cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we summarize the evidence that not only multiple cancer cell types, but also cells constituting the TME 'speak the Wnt language'. Fibroblasts, macrophages, endothelia, and lymphocytes all use the Wnt language to convey messages to and from cancer cells and among themselves; these messages are important for tumor progression and fate. Decoding this language will advance our understanding of tumor biology and unveil novel therapeutic avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir L Katanaev
- Translational Research Centre in Oncohaematology, Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland; Institute of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Far Eastern Federal University, 690090 Vladivostok, Russia; College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China.
| | - Alexey Baldin
- Translational Research Centre in Oncohaematology, Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland; Kulakov National Medical Research Center of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, 4 Akademika Oparina Str., Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Tatiana V Denisenko
- Kulakov National Medical Research Center of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, 4 Akademika Oparina Str., Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Denis N Silachev
- Translational Research Centre in Oncohaematology, Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland; Kulakov National Medical Research Center of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, 4 Akademika Oparina Str., Moscow 117997, Russia; Department of Functional Biochemistry of Biopolymers, A.N. Belozersky Research Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, 119992 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna E Ivanova
- Kulakov National Medical Research Center of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, 4 Akademika Oparina Str., Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Gennadiy T Sukhikh
- Kulakov National Medical Research Center of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, 4 Akademika Oparina Str., Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Lee Jia
- College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Lev A Ashrafyan
- Kulakov National Medical Research Center of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, 4 Akademika Oparina Str., Moscow 117997, Russia
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10
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Wei Y, Cheng X, Deng L, Dong H, Wei H, Xie C, Tuo Y, Li G, Yu D, Cao Y. Expression signature and molecular basis of CDH11 in OSCC detected by a combination of multiple methods. BMC Med Genomics 2023; 16:70. [PMID: 37013637 PMCID: PMC10069064 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-023-01499-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common malignancy in the oral cancer threatening human health and the survival rate of OSCC has not been effectively improved in recent decades, so more effective biomarkers for the targeted therapy of OSCC are needed. Moreover, the role of CDH11 in OSCC has not been intensively investigated. We here show that the CDH11 protein and mRNA expression levels in the OSCC tissues were all significantly higher than in the non-cancerous tissues using RT-qPCR and western blot. This study also revealed that patients with higher CDH11 levels showed a higher incidence of perineural invasion and lymph node metastasis. By using data available from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and ArrayExpress databases, overexpressed CDH11 in OSCC that associated with patients'history of alcohol, negative Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) status, perineural invasion, infiltration of multiple immune cells, and Single-cell functional states including quiescence and angiogenesis, possessed an excellent discriminatory capability in the OSCC patients. Moreover, the majority of the biological processes or pathways were significantly clustered by co-expressed genes, including extracellular matrix organization, the epithelial to mesenchymal transition, carbon metabolism, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and the upstream transcriptional regulation mechanism of CDH11 in OSCC was showed on a transcription factor/miRNA-mRNA network with the online tool NetworkAnalyst. Finally, frequent mutation of CDH11 was observed on a mouse OSCC model through whole-genome sequencing. CDH11 might serve as a valuable biomarker in OSCC, as it was identified to be overexpressed in OSCC and related to its clinical progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxing Wei
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Xujie Cheng
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Limei Deng
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Hao Dong
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Huiping Wei
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Cheng Xie
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Yangjuan Tuo
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Guangyu Li
- Department of Stomatology, People's hospital of Yongning District, Nanning, 530200, China
| | - Dahai Yu
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Yong Cao
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, China.
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11
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Screening of potential immune-related genes expressed during sepsis using gene sequencing technology. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4258. [PMID: 36918563 PMCID: PMC10014830 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23062-7] [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: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
To screen potential pivotal targets in sepsis through peripheral blood. Septic patients (n = 23) and healthy volunteers (n = 10) were enrolled according to SEPSIS 3.0. Peripheral blood was collected within 24 h of enrollment, RNA-seq was performed on the peripheral blood. The sequencing data was screened for DEGs (p < 0.01; logFC ≥ 2). PPI, WGCNA and survival curve analysis were used to identify potential targets. Then, 5 PBMC samples were conducted by single-cell sequencing for cell lineage location. Finally, mouse sepsis model and clinic samples were performed to verify the targets gene using RNA-seq and RT-PCR, respectively. Compared to the control group, 1007 DEGs were found in septic group. BCL9L, BCL11B, CD247, CD96, MAFG and SAMD3 were in the core of network. These six genes correlated to the survival rate of septic patients and they were mainly expressed in T cells, except that MAFG was located in monocyte cell. The expression levels of six key genes were confirmed by animal and clinical samples. BCL9L, BCL11B, CD247, CD96 and SAMD3 were decreased in sepsis and mainly expressed in the T cell; while MAFG increased in sepsis and localizes to monocytes. These genes may be therapeutic targets for sepsis.
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12
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New Biomarkers Based on Dendritic Cells for Breast Cancer Treatment and Prognosis Diagnosis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24044058. [PMID: 36835467 PMCID: PMC9963148 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24044058] [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: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Dendritic cells(DCs) play a protective role in the antitumor immunity of most cancers, which can be divided into conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs). Most current studies are only based on either cDCs or pDCs for the study of the relationship between DCs and breast cancer prognosis, without combining the two together. We aimed to select new biomarkers from pDCs and cDCs. In this paper, the xCell algorithm was first used to calculate the cellular abundance of 64 types of immune cells and stromal cells in tumor samples from the TCGA database, and the high-abundance pDC group and cDC group were divided according to the results of a survival analysis. Then, we looked for the co-expressed gene module of highly infiltrating pDC and cDC patients with a weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) and screened out the hub genes, including RBBP5, HNRNPU, PEX19, TPR, and BCL9. Finally, we analyzed the biological functions of the hub genes, and the results showed that RBBP5, TPR, and BCL9 were significantly related to the immune cells and prognosis of patients, and RBBP5 and BCL9 were involved in responding to TCF-related instructions of the Wnt pathway. In addition, we also evaluated the response of pDCs and cDCs with different abundances to chemotherapy, and the results showed that the higher the abundance of pDCs and cDCs, the higher their sensitivity to drugs. This paper revealed new biomarkers related to DCs-among them, BCL9, TPR, and RBBP5 were proven to be closely related to dendritic cells in cancer. For the first time, this paper puts forward that HNRNPU and PEX19 are related to the prognosis of dendritic cells in cancer, which also provides new possibilities for finding new targets for breast cancer immunotherapy.
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13
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Zhang H, Liu C, Chen Q, Shen LA, Xiao W, Li J, Wang Y, Zhu D, Zhang Q, Li J. Discovery of Novel 3-Phenylpiperidine Derivatives Targeting the β-Catenin/B-Cell Lymphoma 9 Interaction as a Single Agent and in Combination with the Anti-PD-1 Antibody for the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer. J Med Chem 2023; 66:1349-1379. [PMID: 36630177 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Direct disruption of the β-catenin/B-cell lymphoma 9 (BCL9) protein-protein interaction (PPI) is a potential strategy for colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment through inhibiting oncogenic Wnt activity. Herein, a series of 3-phenylpiperidine derivatives were synthesized and evaluated as β-catenin/BCL9 PPI inhibitors. Among them, compound 41 showed the best IC50 (0.72 μM) in a competitive fluorescence polarization assay and a KD value of 0.26 μM for the β-catenin protein. This compound selectively inhibited the growth of CRC cells, suppressed Wnt signaling transactivation, and downregulated oncogenic Wnt target gene expression. In vivo, 41 showed potent anti-CRC activity and promoted the infiltration and function of cytotoxic T lymphocytes while decreasing the infiltration of regulatory T-cells (Tregs). Furthermore, the combination of 41 and the anti-PD-1 antibody (Ab) efficiently enhanced anti-CRC efficacy, first verifying the in vivo efficacy of the small-molecule β-catenin/BCL9 PPI inhibitor and anti-PD-1 Ab in combination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China.,Novel Technology Center of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd., China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, 285 Gebai Ni Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Chenglong Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Qiushi Chen
- Novel Technology Center of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd., China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, 285 Gebai Ni Road, Shanghai 201203, China.,School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, 333 Longteng Road, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Li-An Shen
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Wenting Xiao
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China.,Novel Technology Center of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd., China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, 285 Gebai Ni Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jiayi Li
- Novel Technology Center of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd., China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, 285 Gebai Ni Road, Shanghai 201203, China.,School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, 333 Longteng Road, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Yonghui Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Di Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Science, Fudan University, 138 Yixue Yuan Road, Shanghai 201100, China
| | - Qingwei Zhang
- Novel Technology Center of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd., China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, 285 Gebai Ni Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jianqi Li
- Novel Technology Center of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd., China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, 285 Gebai Ni Road, Shanghai 201203, China
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14
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Tsang JY, Tse GM. Update on triple-negative breast cancers - highlighting subtyping update and treatment implication. Histopathology 2023; 82:17-35. [PMID: 36468263 DOI: 10.1111/his.14784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains a major challenge in breast cancer management. Continuing research in the past years aimed at understanding the biology of this tumour and developing more effective therapeutic options. It is now clear that TNBC is vastly heterogeneous with diverse histological, molecular, immunological profiles and clinical differences. Current evidence suggested the existence of at least four predominant subtypes based on expression profiling across studies. These subtypes exhibited specific genomic alterations and tumour microenvironment. Subtype-specific therapeutic strategies were identified. Recognising these subtypes allows not only an improved prognostication but also a better treatment decision. Herein, we provide an overview of the recent findings on TNBC heterogeneity at different levels and corresponding subtyping. The characteristic of subtypes and the implication of these subtypings in therapeutic approaches are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Y Tsang
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Gary M Tse
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
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15
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Prediction of Response to Radiotherapy by Characterizing the Transcriptomic Features in Clinical Tumor Samples across 15 Cancer Types. COMPUTATIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 2022:5443709. [PMID: 35586092 PMCID: PMC9110128 DOI: 10.1155/2022/5443709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Radiotherapy (RT) is one of the major cancer treatments. However, the responses to RT vary among individual patients, partly due to the differences of the status of gene expression and mutation in tumors of patients. Identification of patients who will benefit from RT will improve the efficacy of RT. However, only a few clinical biomarkers were currently used to predict RT response. Our aim is to obtain gene signatures that can be used to predict RT response by analyzing the transcriptome differences between RT responder and nonresponder groups. Materials and Methods We obtained transcriptome data of 1664 patients treated with RT from the TCGA database across 15 cancer types. First, the genes with a significant difference between RT responder (R group) and nonresponder groups (PD group) were identified, and the top 100 genes were used to build the gene signatures. Then, we developed the predictive model based on binary logistic regression to predict patient response to RT. Results We identified a series of differentially expressed genes between the two groups, which are involved in cell proliferation, migration, invasion, EMT, and DNA damage repair pathway. Among them, MDC1, UCP2, and RBM45 have been demonstrated to be involved in DNA damage repair and radiosensitivity. Our analysis revealed that the predictive model was highly specific for distinguishing the R and PD patients in different cancer types with an area under the curve (AUC) ranging from 0.772 to 0.972. It also provided a more accurate prediction than that from a single-gene signature for the overall survival (OS) of patients. Conclusion The predictive model has a potential clinical application as a biomarker to help physicians create optimal treatment plans. Furthermore, some of the genes identified here may be directly involved in radioresistance, providing clues for further studies on the mechanism of radioresistance.
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16
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Immune Checkpoint Blockades in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Current State and Molecular Mechanisms of Resistance. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10051130. [PMID: 35625867 PMCID: PMC9138553 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10051130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockades (ICBs) have revolutionized cancer treatment. Recent studies have revealed a subset of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) to be considered as an immunogenic breast cancer subtype. Characteristics of TNBC, such as higher mutation rates and number of tumor-infiltrating immune cells, render the immunogenic phenotypes. Consequently, TNBCs have shown durable responses to ICBs such as atezolizumab and pembrolizumab in clinic. However, a significant number of TNBC patients do not benefit from these therapies, and mechanisms of resistance are poorly understood. Here, we review biomarkers that predict the responsiveness of TNBCs to ICB and recent advances in delineating molecular mechanisms of resistance to ICBs.
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17
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Wnt/β-Catenin Signalling and Its Cofactor BCL9L Have an Oncogenic Effect in Bladder Cancer Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23105319. [PMID: 35628130 PMCID: PMC9141496 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer (BC) is characterised by a high recurrence and progression rate. However, the molecular mechanisms of BC progression remain poorly understood. BCL9L, a coactivator of β-catenin was mutated in the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs). We assessed the influence of UTRs mutations on BCL9L, and the role of BCL9L and Wnt/β-catenin signalling in BC cells. UTR mutations were analysed by a luciferase reporter. BCL9L protein was assessed by immunohistochemistry in BC tissues. Cell proliferation was examined by crystal violet staining and by the spheroid model. Moreover, migration and invasion were analysed in real-time using the xCelligence RTCA system. The A > T mutation at 3′ UTR of BCL9L reduces the luciferase reporter mRNA expression and activity. BCL9L is predominantly increased in dysplastic urothelial cells and muscle-invasive BC. Knockdown of BCL9L and inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signalling significantly repress the proliferation, migration and invasion of Cal29 and T24. In addition, BCL9L knockdown reduces mRNA level of Wnt/β-catenin target genes in Cal29 but not in T24 cells. BCL9L and Wnt/β-catenin signalling play an oncogenic role in bladder cancer cells and seems to be associated with BC progression. Nevertheless, the involvement of BCL9L in Wnt/β-catenin signalling is cell-line specific.
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18
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Endometrial epithelial cells-derived exosomes deliver microRNA-30c to block the BCL9/Wnt/CD44 signaling and inhibit cell invasion and migration in ovarian endometriosis. Cell Death Dis 2022; 8:151. [PMID: 35368023 PMCID: PMC8976844 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-022-00941-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Endometriosis (EMs) is a benign gynecological disorder showing some tumor-like migratory and invasive phenotypes. This study intended to investigate the role of microRNA-30c (miR-30c) in EMs, which is involved with B-cell lymphoma 9 (BCL9), an activator of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. EMs specimens were clinically collected for determination of miR-30c and BCL9 expression. Exosomes were isolated from endometrial epithelial cells (EECs), and the uptake of exosomes by ectopic EECs (ecto-EECs) was characterized using fluorescence staining and confocal microscopy. The binding of miR-30c to BCL9 was validated by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Artificial modulation (up- and down-regulation) of the miR-30c/BCL9/Wnt/CD44 regulatory cascade was performed to evaluate its effect on ecto-EEC invasion and migration, as detected by Transwell and wound healing assays. A mouse model of EMs was further established for in vivo substantiation. Reduced miR-30c expression and elevated BCL9 expression was revealed in EMs ectopic tissues and ecto-EECs. Normal EECs-derived exosomes delivered miR-30c to ecto-EECs to suppress their invasive and migratory potentials. Then, miR-30c was observed to inhibit biological behaviors of ecto-EECs by targeting BCL9, and the miR-30c-induced inhibitory effect was reversed by BCL9 overexpression. Further, miR-30c diminished the invasion and migration of ecto-EECs by blocking the BCL9/Wnt/CD44 axis. Moreover, miR-30c-loaded exosomes attenuated the metastasis of ecto-EEC ectopic nodules. miR-30c delivered by EECs-derived exosomes repressed BCL9 expression to block the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, thus attenuating the tumor-like behaviors of ecto-EECs in EMs.
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19
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Wnt signaling pathway in cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Lett 2022; 525:84-96. [PMID: 34740608 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.10.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Wnt/β-catenin signaling is a highly conserved pathway that regulates cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, stem cell self-renewal, tissue homeostasis, and wound healing. Dysregulation of the Wnt pathway is intricately involved in almost all stages of tumorigenesis in various cancers. Through direct and/or indirect effects on effector T cells, T-regulatory cells, T-helper cells, dendritic cells, and other cytokine-expressing immune cells, abnormal activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling benefits immune exclusion and hinders T-cell-mediated antitumor immune responses. Activation of Wnt signaling results in increased resistance to immunotherapies. In this review, we summarize the process by which Wnt signaling affects cancer and immune surveillance, and the potential for targeting the Wnt-signaling pathway via cancer immunotherapy.
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20
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Sun S, Wang Y, Wang J, Bi J. Wnt pathway-related three-mRNA clinical outcome signature in bladder urothelial carcinoma: computational biology and experimental analyses. J Transl Med 2021; 19:409. [PMID: 34579753 PMCID: PMC8477531 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-021-03061-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Wnt signaling pathway is core to the growth of bladder tumors. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is significant for bladder tumor metastasis. Nevertheless, the relationship between the Wnt signaling pathway, outcomes of bladder cancer (BLCA), and the specific mechanisms driving immune infiltration have not been studied. METHODS We obtained Wnt pathway-related gene mRNA and clinicopathological data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We obtained 34 genes that were greatly correlated with outcome using univariate Cox regression analysis and conducted a completely randomized data t-test to perform clinical staging. According to the single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), the weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was applied to identify relevant biological functions. Various subtypes were identified using consensus cluster analysis. Univariate Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage sum selection operator-Cox regression algorithm analysis were conducted on TCGA and Gene Expression Omnibus data to identify risk characteristics. The Kaplan-Meier method and receiver running feature curves were adopted to calculate overall survival. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) was adopted for the assessment of the degree of immune infiltration. Then, we demonstrated the relationship between PPP2CB and EMT function in two cell lines. RESULTS Thirty-four Wnt signaling pathway-related genes were risk factors for BLCA outcome, and their expression levels differed by clinical stage. The co-expression of WGCNA showed the relationship between the Wnt signaling pathway and biological functions and was closely associated with EMT. We divided BLCA patients into two subtypes using consensus clustering. Survival curves and clinical analysis showed that the Wnt pathway enriched group had worse outcomes. The Wnt signature showed the significance of the outcome for MAPK10, PPP2CB, and RAC3. Based on these genes, the degree of immune infiltration was evaluated. Cell function experiments suggested that PPP2CB drives the proliferation and migration of BLCA cells. CONCLUSION We found that Wnt signaling pathway-related genes can be used as prognostic risk factors for BLCA, and the Wnt signaling pathway is a cancer-promoting signaling pathway associated with EMT. We identified three critical genes: MAPK10, RAC3, and PPP2CB. The genes in these three Wnt signaling pathways are associated with tumor cell EMT and immune cell infiltration. The most important finding was that these three genes were independent prognostic factors for BLCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqing Sun
- Department of Urology, China Medical University, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, China
| | - Yutao Wang
- Department of Urology, China Medical University, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, China
| | - Jianfeng Wang
- Department of Urology, China Medical University, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, China
| | - Jianbin Bi
- Department of Urology, China Medical University, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, China.
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21
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Pacholewska A, Grimm C, Herling CD, Lienhard M, Königs A, Timmermann B, Altmüller J, Mücke O, Reinhardt HC, Plass C, Herwig R, Hallek M, Schweiger MR. Altered DNA Methylation Profiles in SF3B1 Mutated CLL Patients. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22179337. [PMID: 34502260 PMCID: PMC8431484 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in splicing factor genes have a severe impact on the survival of cancer patients. Splicing factor 3b subunit 1 (SF3B1) is one of the most frequently mutated genes in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL); patients carrying these mutations have a poor prognosis. Since the splicing machinery and the epigenome are closely interconnected, we investigated whether these alterations may affect the epigenomes of CLL patients. While an overall hypomethylation during CLL carcinogenesis has been observed, the interplay between the epigenetic stage of the originating B cells and SF3B1 mutations, and the subsequent effect of the mutations on methylation alterations in CLL, have not been investigated. We profiled the genome-wide DNA methylation patterns of 27 CLL patients with and without SF3B1 mutations and identified local decreases in methylation levels in SF3B1mut CLL patients at 67 genomic regions, mostly in proximity to telomeric regions. These differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were enriched in gene bodies of cancer-related signaling genes, e.g., NOTCH1, HTRA3, and BCL9L. In our study, SF3B1 mutations exclusively emerged in two out of three epigenetic stages of the originating B cells. However, not all the DMRs could be associated with the methylation programming of B cells during development, suggesting that mutations in SF3B1 cause additional epigenetic aberrations during carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicja Pacholewska
- Institute for Translational Epigenetics, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany; (A.P.); (C.G.); (A.K.)
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Christina Grimm
- Institute for Translational Epigenetics, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany; (A.P.); (C.G.); (A.K.)
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Carmen D. Herling
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf, German CLL Study Group, Department I of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany; (C.D.H.); (H.C.R.); (M.H.)
| | - Matthias Lienhard
- Department of Computational Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, 14195 Berlin, Germany; (M.L.); (R.H.)
| | - Anja Königs
- Institute for Translational Epigenetics, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany; (A.P.); (C.G.); (A.K.)
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Bernd Timmermann
- Sequencing Core Facility, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, 14195 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Janine Altmüller
- Cologne Center for Genomics, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany;
| | - Oliver Mücke
- German Cancer Research Center, Cancer Epigenomics, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (O.M.); (C.P.)
| | - Hans Christian Reinhardt
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf, German CLL Study Group, Department I of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany; (C.D.H.); (H.C.R.); (M.H.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- West German Cancer Center Essen, Department of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, University Hospital Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
| | - Christoph Plass
- German Cancer Research Center, Cancer Epigenomics, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (O.M.); (C.P.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ralf Herwig
- Department of Computational Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, 14195 Berlin, Germany; (M.L.); (R.H.)
| | - Michael Hallek
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf, German CLL Study Group, Department I of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany; (C.D.H.); (H.C.R.); (M.H.)
| | - Michal R. Schweiger
- Institute for Translational Epigenetics, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany; (A.P.); (C.G.); (A.K.)
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
- Correspondence:
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22
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de Man SMA, van Amerongen R. Zooming in on the WNT/CTNNB1 Destruction Complex: Functional Mechanistic Details with Implications for Therapeutic Targeting. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2021; 269:137-173. [PMID: 34486095 DOI: 10.1007/164_2021_522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
WNT/CTNNB1 signaling is crucial for balancing cell proliferation and differentiation in all multicellular animals. CTNNB1 accumulation is the hallmark of WNT/CTNNB1 pathway activation and the key downstream event in both a physiological and an oncogenic context. In the absence of WNT stimulation, the cytoplasmic and nuclear levels of CTNNB1 are kept low because of its sequestration and phosphorylation by the so-called destruction complex, which targets CTNNB1 for proteasomal degradation. In the presence of WNT proteins, or as a result of oncogenic mutations, this process is impaired and CTNNB1 levels become elevated.Here we discuss recent advances in our understanding of destruction complex activity and inactivation, focusing on the individual components and interactions that ultimately control CTNNB1 turnover (in the "WNT off" situation) and stabilization (in the "WNT on" situation). We especially highlight the insights gleaned from recent quantitative, image-based studies, which paint an unprecedentedly detailed picture of the dynamic events that control destruction protein complex composition and function. We argue that these mechanistic details may reveal new opportunities for therapeutic intervention and could result in the destruction complex re-emerging as a target for therapy in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia Madelon Ada de Man
- Developmental, Stem Cell and Cancer Biology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Renée van Amerongen
- Developmental, Stem Cell and Cancer Biology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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