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Sellani TA, Tomaz SL, Gonçalves JM, Lima A, de Amat Herbozo CC, Silva GN, Gambero M, Longo-Maugéri IM, Simon KA, Monteiro HP, Rodrigues EG. Macrophages, IL-10, and nitric oxide increase, induced by hyperglycemic conditions, impact the development of murine melanoma B16F10-Nex2. Nitric Oxide 2024; 148:1-12. [PMID: 38636582 DOI: 10.1016/j.niox.2024.04.007] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Epidemiological studies show a strong correlation between diabetes and the increased risk of developing different cancers, including melanoma. In the present study, we investigated the impact of a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced hyperglycemic environment on B16F10-Nex2 murine melanoma development. Hyperglycemic male C57Bl/6 mice showed increased subcutaneous tumor development, partially inhibited by metformin. Tumors showed increased infiltrating macrophages, and augmented IL-10 and nitric oxide (NO) concentrations. In vivo neutralization of IL-10, NO synthase inhibition, and depletion of macrophages reduced tumor development. STZ-treated TLR4 KO animals showed delayed tumor development; the transfer of hyperglycemic C57Bl/6 macrophages to TLR4 KO reversed this effect. Increased concentrations of IL-10 present in tumor homogenates of hyperglycemic mice induced a higher number of pre-angiogenic structures in vitro, and B16F10-Nex2 cells incubated with different glucose concentrations in vitro produced increased levels of IL-10. In summary, our findings show that a hyperglycemic environment stimulates murine melanoma B16F10-Nex2 primary tumor growth, and this effect is dependent on tumor cell stimulation, increased numbers of macrophages, and augmented IL-10 and NO concentrations. These findings show the involvement of tumor cells and other components of the tumor microenvironment in the development of subcutaneous melanoma under hyperglycemic conditions, defining novel targets for melanoma control in diabetic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarciso A Sellani
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Oncology Medical Science Liaison at GSK, Brazil
| | - Samanta L Tomaz
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jéssica M Gonçalves
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Adriana Lima
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carolina C de Amat Herbozo
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gabrielli N Silva
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mônica Gambero
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ieda M Longo-Maugéri
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Karin A Simon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Hugo P Monteiro
- Department of Biochemistry, Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapy - CTCMol, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Elaine G Rodrigues
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Li J, Li ZP, Xu SS, Wang W. Unraveling the biological link between diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer: Insights and implications. World J Diabetes 2024; 15:1367-1373. [PMID: 38983816 PMCID: PMC11229951 DOI: 10.4239/wjd.v15.i6.1367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
This article is a comprehensive study based on research on the connection between diabetes mellitus (DM) and prostate cancer (PCa). It investigates the potential role of DM as an independent risk factor for PCa, delving into the biological links, including insulin resistance and hormonal changes. The paper critically analyzes previous studies that have shown varying results and introduces mendelian randomization as a method for establishing causality. It emphasizes the importance of early DM screening and lifestyle modifications in preventing PCa, and proposes future research directions for further under-standing the DM - PCa relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Li
- Department of Interventional Oncology, Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Zhi-Peng Li
- School of Medicine, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Si-Si Xu
- School of Medicine, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Interventional Oncology, Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, Zhejiang Province, China
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Cosmin Stan M, Paul D. Diabetes and Cancer: A Twisted Bond. Oncol Rev 2024; 18:1354549. [PMID: 38835644 PMCID: PMC11148650 DOI: 10.3389/or.2024.1354549] [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: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
This paper presents an overview of the interconnection between various factors related to both cancer and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, chronic inflammation, and obesity are involved in the development and progression of both diseases but, strong evidence for a direct causal relationship between diabetes and cancer, is lacking. Several studies described a relationship between hyperglycemia and cancer at the cellular, tissular and organismic levels but at the same time recent Mendelian randomization studies proved a significant causal relationship only between hyperglycemia and breast cancer. On the other hand, the association between both hyperinsulinemia and obesity and several cancer types appears to be robust as demonstrated by Mendelian randomized studies. Metabolic alterations, including the Warburg effect and excessive glucose consumption by tumors, are discussed, highlighting the potential impact of dietary restrictions, such as fasting and low-carb diets, on tumor growth and inflammation. Recent data indicates that circulating branched-chain amino acids levels, may represent novel biomarkers that may contribute to both better diabetes control and early pancreatic cancer detection. Understanding the underlying mechanisms and shared risk factors between cancer and T2DM can provide valuable insights for cancer prevention, early detection, and management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihai Cosmin Stan
- Emergency County Hospital Rm. Vâlcea, Râmnicu Vâlcea, Romania
- Medical Oncology Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Craiova, Romania
| | - Doru Paul
- Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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Xia Y, Jia B, Chen Y, Wang S, Xu X. Clinical value of coagulation parameters in predicting the severity of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1335664. [PMID: 38633697 PMCID: PMC11021696 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1335664] [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: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease caused by a novel bunyavirus infection with a high lethality rate. The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in coagulation parameters in patients with SFTS, aiming to provide clinical evidence for early diagnosis, treatment, and disease analysis. Methods A total of 40 patients with SFTS attended from April 1, 2020 to May 21, 2022 in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital were selected and grouped according to the duration of the disease, mild and severe disease, cure and death, with 50 healthy physical examiners as controls, and the risk of severe and death disease was predicted using ROC curves. Results Comparison between the healthy, mild and severe groups revealed that PT, INR, APTT, TT, D-D and vWF levels were higher than those in the healthy control group, and FII, FIX, FX, FXI, FXII, PC and PS levels were lower than those in the healthy control group, the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Comparing the results of SFTS patients with different course times, the results of Fib, FV, FVII, FVIII, FIX, FX, FXI were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Among the survived and deceased patients, the PT, INR, DD and PS results of the deceased patients were higher than those of the survived patients, and the FVIII, FIX, FXI, FXII and PC were lower than those of the survived patients. The area under the ROC curve showed that D-D had higher predictive ability for the risk of severe disease (AUROC 0.93, sensitivity and specificity at a Cut-off value of 1.50 mg/L were 90.0 and 86.5%, respectively) and the risk of death occurring (AUROC 0.84, sensitivity and specificity at a Cut-off value of 3.39 mg/L were 87.5 and 80.0%, respectively). Discussion The monitoring of the coagulation parameters in patients with SFTS is great significance for identifying the severity and death of the patient's condition, and it is of great clinical value to provide early attention, timely intervention and maximum reduction of the mortality rate for patients at risk of severe disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Xia
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bei Jia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuxin Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Sen Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xuejing Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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Dong B, Liu X, Yu S. Utilizing machine learning algorithms to identify biomarkers associated with diabetic nephropathy: A review. Medicine (Baltimore) 2024; 103:e37235. [PMID: 38394492 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000037235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Diabetic nephropathy (DN), a multifaceted disease with various contributing factors, presents challenges in understanding its underlying causes. Uncovering biomarkers linked to this condition can shed light on its pathogenesis and support the creation of new diagnostic and treatment methods. Gene expression data were sourced from accessible public databases, and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA)was employed to pinpoint gene co-expression modules relevant to DN. Subsequently, various machine learning techniques, such as random forest, lasso regression algorithm (LASSO), and support vector machine-recursive feature elimination (SVM-REF), were utilized for distinguishing DN cases from controls using the identified gene modules. Additionally, functional enrichment analyses were conducted to explore the biological roles of these genes. Our analysis revealed 131 genes showing distinct expression patterns between controlled and uncontrolled groups. During the integrated WCGNA, we identified 61 co-expressed genes encompassing both categories. The enrichment analysis highlighted involvement in various immune responses and complex activities. Techniques like Random Forest, LASSO, and SVM-REF were applied to pinpoint key hub genes, leading to the identification of VWF and DNASE1L3. In the context of DN, they demonstrated significant consistency in both expression and function. Our research uncovered potential biomarkers for DN through the application of WGCNA and various machine learning methods. The results indicate that 2 central genes could serve as innovative diagnostic indicators and therapeutic targets for this disease. This discovery offers fresh perspectives on the development of DN and could contribute to the advancement of new diagnostic and treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baihan Dong
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Xiaona Liu
- Binzhou Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Siming Yu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
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Panigrahi G, Candia J, Dorsey TH, Tang W, Ohara Y, Byun JS, Minas TZ, Zhang A, Ajao A, Cellini A, Yfantis HG, Flis AL, Mann D, Ioffe O, Wang XW, Liu H, Loffredo CA, Napoles AM, Ambs S. Diabetes-associated breast cancer is molecularly distinct and shows a DNA damage repair deficiency. JCI Insight 2023; 8:e170105. [PMID: 37906280 PMCID: PMC10795835 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.170105] [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: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Diabetes commonly affects patients with cancer. We investigated the influence of diabetes on breast cancer biology using a 3-pronged approach that included analysis of orthotopic human tumor xenografts, patient tumors, and breast cancer cells exposed to diabetes/hyperglycemia-like conditions. We aimed to identify shared phenotypes and molecular signatures by investigating the metabolome, transcriptome, and tumor mutational burden. Diabetes and hyperglycemia did not enhance cell proliferation but induced mesenchymal and stem cell-like phenotypes linked to increased mobility and odds of metastasis. They also promoted oxyradical formation and both a transcriptome and mutational signatures of DNA repair deficiency. Moreover, food- and microbiome-derived metabolites tended to accumulate in breast tumors in the presence of diabetes, potentially affecting tumor biology. Breast cancer cells cultured under hyperglycemia-like conditions acquired increased DNA damage and sensitivity to DNA repair inhibitors. Based on these observations, we conclude that diabetes-associated breast tumors may show an increased drug response to DNA damage repair inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gatikrushna Panigrahi
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Julián Candia
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Longitudinal Studies Section, Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Tiffany H. Dorsey
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Wei Tang
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Data Science & Artificial Intelligence, R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Yuuki Ohara
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jung S. Byun
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Tsion Zewdu Minas
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Amy Zhang
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Anuoluwapo Ajao
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ashley Cellini
- Department of Pathology, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Harris G. Yfantis
- Department of Pathology, University of Maryland Medical Center and Veterans Affairs Maryland Care System, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Amy L. Flis
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Dean Mann
- Department of Pathology, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Olga Ioffe
- Department of Pathology, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Xin W. Wang
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Liver Cancer Program, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Huaitian Liu
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Christopher A. Loffredo
- Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Anna Maria Napoles
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Stefan Ambs
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Zhou W, Cao W, Wang M, Yang K, Zhang X, Liu Y, Zhang P, Zhang Z, Cao G, Chen B, Xiong M. Validation of quercetin in the treatment of colon cancer with diabetes via network pharmacology, molecular dynamics simulations, and in vitro experiments. Mol Divers 2023:10.1007/s11030-023-10725-4. [PMID: 37747647 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-023-10725-4] [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: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
This study built a prognostic model for CRC-diabetes and analyzed whether quercetin could be used for CRC-diabetes treatment through a network of pharmacology, molecular dynamics simulation, bioinformatics, and in vitro experiments. First, multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression was used to construct the prognosis modelof CRC-diabetes. Then, the intersection of quercetin target genes with CRC-diabetes genes was used to find the potential target for quercetin in the treatment of CRC-diabetes. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were used to screen the potential targets for quercetin in the treatment of CRC-diabetes. Finally, we verified the target and pathway of quercetin in the treatment of CRC-diabetes through in vitro experiments. Through molecular docking, seven proteins (HMOX1, ACE, MYC, MMP9, PLAU, MMP3, and MMP1) were selected as potential targets of quercetin. We conducted molecular dynamics simulations of quercetin and the above proteins, respectively, and found that the binding structure of quercetin with MMP9 and PLAU was relatively stable. Finally, according to the results of Western blot results, it was confirmed that quercetin could interact with MMP9. The experimental results show that quercetin may affect the JNK pathway, glycolysis, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to treat CRC-diabetes. Based on the TCGA, TTD, DrugBank, and other databases, a prediction model that can effectively predict the prognosis of colon cancer patients with diabetes was constructed. According to experiment results, quercetin can regulate the expression of MMP9. By acting on the JNK pathway, glycolysis, and EMT, it can treat colon cancer patients with diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiguo Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Cao
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingqing Wang
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People's Republic of China
| | - Kang Yang
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People's Republic of China
| | - Xun Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Liu
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People's Republic of China
| | - Zehua Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People's Republic of China
| | - Guodong Cao
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People's Republic of China.
| | - Bo Chen
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Surgery, The People's Hospital of Hanshan County, Ma'anshan City, Anhui Province, China.
| | - Maoming Xiong
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People's Republic of China.
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Furini G, De Carli A, Fonnesu R, Spezia PG, Scebba F, Pistello M, Lai M, Lionetti V. Gene silencing of endothelial von Willebrand factor reduces the susceptibility of human endothelial cells to SARS-CoV-2 infection. FEBS J 2023; 290:4300-4315. [PMID: 37098810 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16808] [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: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/27/2023]
Abstract
Mechanisms underlying vascular endothelial susceptibility to infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are not fully understood. Emerging evidence indicates that patients lacking von Willebrand factor (vWF), an endothelial hallmark, are less severely affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection, yet the precise role of endothelial vWF in modulating coronavirus entry into endothelial cells is unknown. In the present study, we demonstrated that effective gene silencing by short interfering RNA (siRNA) for vWF expression in resting human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) significantly reduced by 56% the cellular levels of SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA. Similar reduction in intracellular SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA levels was observed in non-activated HUVECs treated with siRNA targeting angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the cellular gateway to coronavirus. By integrating quantitative information from real-time PCR and high-resolution confocal imaging, we demonstrated that ACE2 gene expression and its plasma membrane localization in HUVECs were both markedly reduced after treatment with siRNA anti-vWF or anti-ACE2. Conversely, siRNA anti-ACE2 did not reduce endothelial vWF gene expression and protein levels. Finally, SARS-CoV-2 infection of viable HUVECs was enhanced by overexpression of vWF, which increased ACE2 levels. Of note, we found a similar increase in interferon-β mRNA levels following transfection with untargeted, anti-vWF or anti-ACE2 siRNA and pcDNA3.1-WT-VWF. We envision that siRNA targeting endothelial vWF will protect against productive endothelial infection by SARS-CoV-2 through downregulation of ACE2 expression and might serve as a novel tool to induce disease resistance by modulating the regulatory role of vWF on ACE2 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Furini
- Unit of Translational Critical Care Medicine, Laboratory of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Research Center "Health Science", Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
- UOSVD Anesthesia and Resuscitation, Fondazione Toscana "G. Monasterio", Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandro De Carli
- Virology Section, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, Retrovirus Center, University of Pisa, Italy
| | - Rossella Fonnesu
- Virology Section, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, Retrovirus Center, University of Pisa, Italy
| | - Pietro Giorgio Spezia
- Virology Section, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, Retrovirus Center, University of Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Scebba
- BioMedicine Laboratory, Interdisciplinary Research Center "Health Science", Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
| | - Mauro Pistello
- Virology Section, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, Retrovirus Center, University of Pisa, Italy
- Virology Unit, Pisa University Hospital, Italy
| | - Michele Lai
- Virology Section, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, Retrovirus Center, University of Pisa, Italy
- CISUP - Centre for Instrumentation Sharing - University of Pisa, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Lionetti
- Unit of Translational Critical Care Medicine, Laboratory of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Research Center "Health Science", Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
- UOSVD Anesthesia and Resuscitation, Fondazione Toscana "G. Monasterio", Pisa, Italy
- BioMedicine Laboratory, Interdisciplinary Research Center "Health Science", Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
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HIF-1α Expression Increases Preoperative Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy Resistance in Hyperglycemic Rectal Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14164053. [PMID: 36011045 PMCID: PMC9406860 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14164053] [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: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is the standard treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer patients. However, the poor therapeutic efficacy of CCRT was found in rectal cancer patients with hyperglycemia. This study investigated how hyperglycemia affects radiochemotherapy resistance in rectal cancer. Methods and Materials: We analyzed the correlation between prognosis indexes with hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) in rectal cancer patients with preoperative CCRT. In vitro, we investigated the effect of different concentrated glucose of environments on the radiation tolerance of rectal cancers. Further, we analyzed the combined HIF-1α inhibitor with radiation therapy in hyperglycemic rectal cancers. Results: The prognosis indexes of euglycemic or hyperglycemic rectal cancer patients after receiving CCRT treatment were investigated. The hyperglycemic rectal cancer patients (n = 13, glycosylated hemoglobin, HbA1c > 6.5%) had poorer prognosis indexes. In addition, a positive correlation was observed between HIF-1α expression and HbA1c levels (p = 0.046). Therefore, it is very important to clarify the relationship between HIF-1α and poor response in patients with hyperglycemia receiving pre-operative CCRT. Under a high glucose environment, rectal cancer cells express higher levels of glucose transport 1 (GLUT1), O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), and HIF-1α, suggesting that the high glucose environment might stimulate HIF-1α expression through the GLUT1-OGT-HIF-1α pathway promoting tolerance to Fluorouracil (5-FU) and radiation. In the hyperglycemic rectal cancer animal model, rectal cancer cells confirmed that radiation exposure reduces apoptosis by overexpressing HIF-1α. Combining HIF-1α inhibitors was able to reverse radioresistance in a high glucose environment. Lower HIF-1α levels increased DNA damage in tumors leading to apoptosis. Conclusions: The findings here show that hyperglycemia induces the expression of GLUT1, OGT, and HIF-1α to cause CCRT tolerance in rectal cancer and suggest that combining HIF-1α inhibitors could reverse radioresistance in a high glucose environment. HIF-1α inhibitors may be useful for development as CCRT sensitizers in patients with hyperglycemic rectal cancer.
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