1
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Wang Y, Cheng S, Fleishman JS, Chen J, Tang H, Chen ZS, Chen W, Ding M. Targeting anoikis resistance as a strategy for cancer therapy. Drug Resist Updat 2024; 75:101099. [PMID: 38850692 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2024.101099] [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: 04/07/2024] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
Anoikis, known as matrix detachment-induced apoptosis or detachment-induced cell death, is crucial for tissue development and homeostasis. Cancer cells develop means to evade anoikis, e.g. anoikis resistance, thereby allowing for cells to survive under anchorage-independent conditions. Uncovering the mechanisms of anoikis resistance will provide details about cancer metastasis, and potential strategies against cancer cell dissemination and metastasis. Here, we summarize the principal elements and core molecular mechanisms of anoikis and anoikis resistance. We discuss the latest progress of how anoikis and anoikis resistance are regulated in cancers. Furthermore, we summarize emerging data on selective compounds and nanomedicines, explaining how inhibiting anoikis resistance can serve as a meaningful treatment modality against cancers. Finally, we discuss the key limitations of this therapeutic paradigm and possible strategies to overcome them. In this review, we suggest that pharmacological modulation of anoikis and anoikis resistance by bioactive compounds could surmount anoikis resistance, highlighting a promising therapeutic regimen that could be used to overcome anoikis resistance in cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumin Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Aerospace Center Hospital, Peking University Aerospace School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Sihang Cheng
- Department of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Joshua S Fleishman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY 11439, USA
| | - Jichao Chen
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Aerospace Center Hospital, Peking University Aerospace School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hailin Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhe-Sheng Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY 11439, USA.
| | - Wenkuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Mingchao Ding
- Department of Peripheral Vascular Intervention, Aerospace Center Hospital, Peking University Aerospace School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing 100049, China.
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2
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Liu J, Ma R, Chen S, Lai Y, Liu G. Anoikis patterns via machine learning strategy and experimental verification exhibit distinct prognostic and immune landscapes in melanoma. Clin Transl Oncol 2024; 26:1170-1186. [PMID: 37989822 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-023-03336-w] [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: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anoikis is a cell death programmed to eliminate dysfunctional or damaged cells induced by detachment from the extracellular matrix. Utilizing an anoikis-based risk stratification is anticipated to understand melanoma's prognostic and immune landscapes comprehensively. METHODS Differential expression genes (DEGs) were analyzed between melanoma and normal skin tissues in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression data sets. Next, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, support vector machine-recursive feature elimination algorithm, and univariate and multivariate Cox analyses on the 308 DEGs were performed to build the prognostic signature in the TCGA-melanoma data set. Finally, the signature was validated in GSE65904 and GSE22155 data sets. NOTCH3, PIK3R2, and SOD2 were validated in our clinical samples by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS The prognostic model for melanoma patients was developed utilizing ten hub anoikis-related genes. The overall survival (OS) of patients in the high-risk subgroup, which was classified by the optimal cutoff value, was remarkably shorter in the TCGA-melanoma, GSE65904, and GSE22155 data sets. Low-risk patients exhibited low immune cell infiltration and high expression of immunophenoscores and immune checkpoints. They also demonstrated increased sensitivity to various drugs, including dasatinib and dabrafenib. NOTCH3, PIK3R2, and SOD2 were notably associated with OS by univariate Cox analysis in the GSE65904 data set. The clinical melanoma samples showed remarkably higher protein expressions of NOTCH3 (P = 0.003) and PIK3R2 (P = 0.009) than the para-melanoma samples, while the SOD2 protein expression remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS In this study, we successfully established a prognostic anoikis-connected signature using machine learning. This model may aid in evaluating patient prognosis, clinical characteristics, and immune treatment modalities for melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfang Liu
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 301 Middle Yanchang Road, Shanghai, China
| | - Rong Ma
- School of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China
| | - Siyuan Chen
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 301 Middle Yanchang Road, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongxian Lai
- Department of Dermatologic Surgery, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 1278 Baode Road, Shanghai, China.
| | - Guangpeng Liu
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 301 Middle Yanchang Road, Shanghai, China.
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3
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Behrooz AB, Cordani M, Donadelli M, Ghavami S. Metastatic outgrowth via the two-way interplay of autophagy and metabolism. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:166824. [PMID: 37949196 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2023.166824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Metastasis represents one of the most dangerous issue of cancer progression, characterized by intricate interactions between invading tumor cells, various proteins, and other cells on the way towards target sites. Tumor cells, while undergoing metastasis, engage in dynamic dialogues with stromal cells and undertake epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenoconversion. To ensure survival, tumor cells employ several strategies such as restructuring their metabolic needs to adapt to the alterations of the microenvironmental resources via different mechanisms including macroautophagy (autophagy) and to circumvent anoikis-a form of cell death induced upon detachment from the extracellular matrix (ECM). This review focuses on the puzzling connections of autophagy and energetic metabolism within the context of cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Barzegar Behrooz
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, University of Manitoba College of Medicine, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Electrophysiology Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Marco Cordani
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Massimo Donadelli
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Saeid Ghavami
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, University of Manitoba College of Medicine, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Academy of Silesia, Faculty of Medicine, Rolna 43 Street, 40-555 Katowice, Poland; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; Research Institute of Oncology and Hematology, Cancer Care Manitoba-University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
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4
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Balderson B, Fane M, Harvey TJ, Piper M, Smith A, Bodén M. Systematic analysis of the transcriptional landscape of melanoma reveals drug-target expression plasticity. Brief Funct Genomics 2024:elad055. [PMID: 38183207 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elad055] [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: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Metastatic melanoma originates from melanocytes of the skin. Melanoma metastasis results in poor treatment prognosis for patients and is associated with epigenetic and transcriptional changes that reflect the developmental program of melanocyte differentiation from neural crest stem cells. Several studies have explored melanoma transcriptional heterogeneity using microarray, bulk and single-cell RNA-sequencing technologies to derive data-driven models of the transcriptional-state change which occurs during melanoma progression. No study has systematically examined how different models of melanoma progression derived from different data types, technologies and biological conditions compare. Here, we perform a cross-sectional study to identify averaging effects of bulk-based studies that mask and distort apparent melanoma transcriptional heterogeneity; we describe new transcriptionally distinct melanoma cell states, identify differential co-expression of genes between studies and examine the effects of predicted drug susceptibilities of different cell states between studies. Importantly, we observe considerable variability in drug-target gene expression between studies, indicating potential transcriptional plasticity of melanoma to down-regulate these drug targets and thereby circumvent treatment. Overall, observed differences in gene co-expression and predicted drug susceptibility between studies suggest bulk-based transcriptional measurements do not reliably gauge heterogeneity and that melanoma transcriptional plasticity is greater than described when studies are considered in isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brad Balderson
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072 Queensland, Australia
| | - Mitchell Fane
- Fox Chase Cancer Centre, Philadelphia, 19019 Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Tracey J Harvey
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072 Queensland, Australia
| | - Michael Piper
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072 Queensland, Australia
| | - Aaron Smith
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, 4072 Queensland, Australia
| | - Mikael Bodén
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072 Queensland, Australia
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5
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Sobhi Amjad Z, Shojaeian A, Sadri Nahand J, Bayat M, Taghizadieh M, Rostamian M, Babaei F, Moghoofei M. Oncoviruses: Induction of cancer development and metastasis by increasing anoikis resistance. Heliyon 2023; 9:e22598. [PMID: 38144298 PMCID: PMC10746446 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22598] [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: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The phenomenon of cell death is a vital aspect in the regulation of aberrant cells such as cancer cells. Anoikis is a kind of cell death that occurs when cells get separated from the extracellular matrix. Some cancer cells can inhibit anoikis in order to progress metastasis. One of the key variables that might be implicated in anoikis resistance (AR) is viral infections. The most important viruses involved in this process are Epstein-Barr virus, human papillomavirus, hepatitis B virus, human herpes virus 8, human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1, and hepatitis C virus. A better understanding of how carcinogenic viruses suppress anoikis might be helpful in developing an effective treatment for virus-associated cancers. In the current study, we review the role of the mentioned viruses and their gene products in anoikis inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Sobhi Amjad
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Ali Shojaeian
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Javid Sadri Nahand
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mobina Bayat
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Taghizadieh
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mosayeb Rostamian
- Nosocomial Infections Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Farhad Babaei
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Mohsen Moghoofei
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
- Infectious Diseases Research Center, Health Research Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
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6
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Neuendorf HM, Simmons JL, Boyle GM. Therapeutic targeting of anoikis resistance in cutaneous melanoma metastasis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1183328. [PMID: 37181747 PMCID: PMC10169659 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1183328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The acquisition of resistance to anoikis, the cell death induced by loss of adhesion to the extracellular matrix, is an absolute requirement for the survival of disseminating and circulating tumour cells (CTCs), and for the seeding of metastatic lesions. In melanoma, a range of intracellular signalling cascades have been identified as potential drivers of anoikis resistance, however a full understanding of the process is yet to be attained. Mechanisms of anoikis resistance pose an attractive target for the therapeutic treatment of disseminating and circulating melanoma cells. This review explores the range of small molecule, peptide and antibody inhibitors targeting molecules involved in anoikis resistance in melanoma, and may be repurposed to prevent metastatic melanoma prior to its initiation, potentially improving the prognosis for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M. Neuendorf
- Cancer Drug Mechanisms Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Jacinta L. Simmons
- Cancer Drug Mechanisms Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Glen M. Boyle
- Cancer Drug Mechanisms Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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7
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Sattari Fard F, Jalilzadeh N, Mehdizadeh A, Sajjadian F, Velaei K. Understanding and targeting anoikis in metastasis for cancer therapies. Cell Biol Int 2023; 47:683-698. [PMID: 36453448 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.11970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
The development of effective treatments for cancers requires investigations for a more detailed and comprehensive understanding of the basic cellular mechanisms involved in carcinogenesis, cancer progression, and metastasis. One of those driving mechanisms is anoikis, a special type of apoptosis, which is induced by losing anchorage from the extracellular matrix (ECM). In other words, resisting death in detached cells (cells without ECM) forms an anoikis-resistant phenotype. Since the anoikis-resistance state compensates for the initial steps of cancer metastasis, this review aimed to discuss mechanisms of gaining anoikis/anoikis resistance phenotype in tumor cells. Finally, we highlighted the significance of anoikis in malignancies so as to provide clear insight into cancer diagnosis and therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farzad Sattari Fard
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Nazila Jalilzadeh
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Amir Mehdizadeh
- Hematology and Oncology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Fakhrosadat Sajjadian
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Para-Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Kobra Velaei
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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8
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Karami Fath M, Azargoonjahromi A, Soofi A, Almasi F, Hosseinzadeh S, Khalili S, Sheikhi K, Ferdousmakan S, Owrangi S, Fahimi M, Zalpoor H, Nabi Afjadi M, Payandeh Z, Pourzardosht N. Current understanding of epigenetics role in melanoma treatment and resistance. Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:313. [PMID: 36224606 PMCID: PMC9555085 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-022-02738-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer resulting from genetic mutations in melanocytes. Several factors have been considered to be involved in melanoma progression, including genetic alteration, processes of damaged DNA repair, and changes in mechanisms of cell growth and proliferation. Epigenetics is the other factor with a crucial role in melanoma development. Epigenetic changes have become novel targets for treating patients suffering from melanoma. These changes can alter the expression of microRNAs and their interaction with target genes, which involves cell growth, differentiation, or even death. Given these circumstances, we conducted the present review to discuss the melanoma risk factors and represent the current knowledge about the factors related to its etiopathogenesis. Moreover, various epigenetic pathways, which are involved in melanoma progression, treatment, and chemo-resistance, as well as employed epigenetic factors as a solution to the problems, will be discussed in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Karami Fath
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Asma Soofi
- Department of Physical Chemistry, School of Chemistry, College of Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Faezeh Almasi
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Lab, Department of Microbial Biotechnology, School of Biology and Center of Excellence in Phylogeny of Living Organisms, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shahnaz Hosseinzadeh
- Department of Microbiology, Parasitology and Immunology, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Saeed Khalili
- Department of Biology Sciences, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kamran Sheikhi
- School of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Kurdistan, Iran
| | - Saeid Ferdousmakan
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Nargund College of Pharmacy, Bangalore, 560085, India
| | - Soroor Owrangi
- Student Research Committe, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | | | - Hamidreza Zalpoor
- Shiraz Neuroscience Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.,Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy & Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education & Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohsen Nabi Afjadi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Zahra Payandeh
- Department Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Division Medical Inflammation Research, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Navid Pourzardosht
- Biochemistry Department, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
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9
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Lin J, Xia L, Oyang L, Liang J, Tan S, Wu N, Yi P, Pan Q, Rao S, Han Y, Tang Y, Su M, Luo X, Yang Y, Chen X, Yang L, Zhou Y, Liao Q. The POU2F1-ALDOA axis promotes the proliferation and chemoresistance of colon cancer cells by enhancing glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway activity. Oncogene 2022; 41:1024-1039. [PMID: 34997215 PMCID: PMC8837540 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-02148-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Cancer metabolic reprogramming enhances its malignant behaviors and drug resistance, which is regulated by POU domain transcription factors. This study explored the effect of POU domain class 2 transcription factor 1 (POU2F1) on metabolic reprogramming in colon cancer. The POU2F1 expression was analyzed in GEO dataset, TCGA cohorts and human colon cancer tissues by bioinformatics and immunohistochemistry. The effects of altered POU2F1 expression on proliferation, glucose metabolism and oxaliplatin sensitivity of colon cancer cells were tested. The impacts of POU2F1 on aldolase A (ALDOA) expression and malignant behaviors of colon cancer cells were examined. We found that up-regulated POU2F1 expression was associated with worse prognosis and oxaliplatin resistance in colon cancer. POU2F1 enhanced the proliferation, aerobic glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) activity, but reduced oxidative stress and apoptosis in colon cancer cells, dependent on up-regulating ALDOA expression. Mechanistically, POU2F1 directly bound to the ALDOA promoter to enhance the ALDOA promoter activity in colon cancer cells. Moreover, activation of the POU2F1-ALDOA axis decreased the sensitivity to oxaliplatin in colon cancer cells. These data indicate that the POU2F1-ALDOA axis promotes the progression and oxaliplatin resistance by enhancing metabolic reprogramming in colon cancer. Our findings suggest that the POU2F1-ALDOA axis may be new therapeutic targets to overcome oxaliplatin resistance in colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinguan Lin
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Longzheng Xia
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Linda Oyang
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Jiaxin Liang
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Shiming Tan
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Nayiyuan Wu
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Pin Yi
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China ,grid.412017.10000 0001 0266 8918University of South China, Hengyang, 421001 Hunan China
| | - Qing Pan
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China ,grid.412017.10000 0001 0266 8918University of South China, Hengyang, 421001 Hunan China
| | - Shan Rao
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Yaqian Han
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Yanyan Tang
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Min Su
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Xia Luo
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Yiqing Yang
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Xiaohui Chen
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Lixia Yang
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Yujuan Zhou
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China. .,Hunan Key Laboratory of Translational Radiation Oncology, 283 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
| | - Qianjin Liao
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China. .,Hunan Key Laboratory of Translational Radiation Oncology, 283 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
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10
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Huang F, Santinon F, Flores González RE, del Rincón SV. Melanoma Plasticity: Promoter of Metastasis and Resistance to Therapy. Front Oncol 2021; 11:756001. [PMID: 34604096 PMCID: PMC8481945 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.756001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. Although targeted therapies and immunotherapies have revolutionized the treatment of metastatic melanoma, most patients are not cured. Therapy resistance remains a significant clinical challenge. Melanoma comprises phenotypically distinct subpopulations of cells, exhibiting distinct gene signatures leading to tumor heterogeneity and favoring therapeutic resistance. Cellular plasticity in melanoma is referred to as phenotype switching. Regardless of their genomic classification, melanomas switch from a proliferative and differentiated phenotype to an invasive, dedifferentiated and often therapy-resistant state. In this review we discuss potential mechanisms underpinning melanoma phenotype switching, how this cellular plasticity contributes to resistance to both targeted therapies and immunotherapies. Finally, we highlight novel strategies to target plasticity and their potential clinical impact in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Huang
- Lady Davis Institute, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - François Santinon
- Lady Davis Institute, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Raúl Ernesto Flores González
- Lady Davis Institute, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Sonia V. del Rincón
- Lady Davis Institute, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Oncology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
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11
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Hamm M, Sohier P, Petit V, Raymond JH, Delmas V, Le Coz M, Gesbert F, Kenny C, Aktary Z, Pouteaux M, Rambow F, Sarasin A, Charoenchon N, Bellacosa A, Sanchez-Del-Campo L, Mosteo L, Lauss M, Meijer D, Steingrimsson E, Jönsson GB, Cornell RA, Davidson I, Goding CR, Larue L. BRN2 is a non-canonical melanoma tumor-suppressor. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3707. [PMID: 34140478 PMCID: PMC8211827 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23973-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
While the major drivers of melanoma initiation, including activation of NRAS/BRAF and loss of PTEN or CDKN2A, have been identified, the role of key transcription factors that impose altered transcriptional states in response to deregulated signaling is not well understood. The POU domain transcription factor BRN2 is a key regulator of melanoma invasion, yet its role in melanoma initiation remains unknown. Here, in a BrafV600E PtenF/+ context, we show that BRN2 haplo-insufficiency promotes melanoma initiation and metastasis. However, metastatic colonization is less efficient in the absence of Brn2. Mechanistically, BRN2 directly induces PTEN expression and in consequence represses PI3K signaling. Moreover, MITF, a BRN2 target, represses PTEN transcription. Collectively, our results suggest that on a PTEN heterozygous background somatic deletion of one BRN2 allele and temporal regulation of the other allele elicits melanoma initiation and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Hamm
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes, Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Signalisation radiobiologie et cancer, Orsay, France
- Equipes Labellisées Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Sohier
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes, Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Signalisation radiobiologie et cancer, Orsay, France
- Equipes Labellisées Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Valérie Petit
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes, Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Signalisation radiobiologie et cancer, Orsay, France
- Equipes Labellisées Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Jérémy H Raymond
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes, Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Signalisation radiobiologie et cancer, Orsay, France
- Equipes Labellisées Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Véronique Delmas
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes, Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Signalisation radiobiologie et cancer, Orsay, France
- Equipes Labellisées Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Madeleine Le Coz
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes, Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Signalisation radiobiologie et cancer, Orsay, France
- Equipes Labellisées Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Franck Gesbert
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes, Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Signalisation radiobiologie et cancer, Orsay, France
- Equipes Labellisées Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Colin Kenny
- Department of Anatomy and Cell biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Zackie Aktary
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes, Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Signalisation radiobiologie et cancer, Orsay, France
- Equipes Labellisées Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Marie Pouteaux
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes, Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Signalisation radiobiologie et cancer, Orsay, France
- Equipes Labellisées Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Florian Rambow
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes, Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Signalisation radiobiologie et cancer, Orsay, France
- Equipes Labellisées Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Alain Sarasin
- Laboratory of Genetic Instability and Oncogenesis, UMR8200 CNRS, Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France
| | - Nisamanee Charoenchon
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes, Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Signalisation radiobiologie et cancer, Orsay, France
- Equipes Labellisées Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Alfonso Bellacosa
- Cancer Epigenetics Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Luis Sanchez-Del-Campo
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, UK
| | - Laura Mosteo
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, UK
| | - Martin Lauss
- Department of Oncology, Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University and Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Dies Meijer
- Centre of Neuroregeneration, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Eirikur Steingrimsson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Department of Anatomy, BioMedical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Göran B Jönsson
- Department of Oncology, Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University and Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Robert A Cornell
- Department of Anatomy and Cell biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Irwin Davidson
- Department of Anatomy and Cell biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Functional Genomics and Cancer, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, CNRS/INSERM/UNISTRA, 1 Rue Laurent Fries, 67404, Illkirch, Cedex, France
| | - Colin R Goding
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, UK.
| | - Lionel Larue
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes, Orsay, France.
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3347, Inserm U1021, Signalisation radiobiologie et cancer, Orsay, France.
- Equipes Labellisées Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France.
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12
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Sun Q, Novak D, Hüser L, Poelchen J, Wu H, Granados K, Federico A, Liu K, Steinfass T, Vierthaler M, Umansky V, Utikal J. FOXD1 promotes dedifferentiation and targeted therapy resistance in melanoma by regulating the expression of connective tissue growth factor. Int J Cancer 2021; 149:657-674. [PMID: 33837564 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.33591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Metastatic melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer and associated with a poor prognosis. In clinical terms, targeted therapy is one of the most important treatments for patients with BRAFV600E -mutated advanced melanoma. However, the development of resistance to this treatment compromises its therapeutic success. We previously demonstrated that forkhead box D1 (FOXD1) regulates melanoma migration and invasion. Here, we found that FOXD1 was highly expressed in melanoma cells and was associated with a poor survival of patients with metastatic melanoma. Upregulation of FOXD1 expression enhanced melanoma cells' resistance to vemurafenib (BRAF inhibitor [BRAFi]) or vemurafenib and cobimetinib (MEK inhibitor) combination treatment whereas loss of FOXD1 increased the sensitivity to treatment. By comparing gene expression levels between FOXD1 knockdown (KD) and overexpressing (OE) cells, we identified the connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) as a downstream factor of FOXD1. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase assay demonstrated the direct binding of FOXD1 to the CTGF promoter. Similar to FOXD1, knockdown of CTGF increased the sensitivity of BRAFi-resistant cells to vemurafenib. FOXD1 KD cells treated with recombinant CTGF protein were less sensitive towards vemurafenib compared to untreated FOXD1 KD cells. Based on these findings, we conclude that FOXD1 might be a promising new diagnostic marker and a therapeutic target for the treatment of targeted therapy resistant melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Sun
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Daniel Novak
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Laura Hüser
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Juliane Poelchen
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Huizi Wu
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.,BGI Genomics, Beijing Genomics Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Karol Granados
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Costa Rica (UCR), San Jose, Costa Rica
| | - Aniello Federico
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Ke Liu
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Tamara Steinfass
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Marlene Vierthaler
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Viktor Umansky
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jochen Utikal
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
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13
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Zhou Z, Sun B, Nie A, Yu D, Bian M. Roles of Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases in Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:599765. [PMID: 33330488 PMCID: PMC7729087 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.599765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs) catalyze the ligation of amino acids to their cognate transfer RNAs (tRNAs), thus playing an important role in protein synthesis. In eukaryotic cells, these enzymes exist in free form or in the form of multi-tRNA synthetase complex (MSC). The latter contains nine cytoplasmic ARSs and three ARS-interacting multifunctional proteins (AIMPs). Normally, ARSs and AIMPs are regarded as housekeeping molecules without additional functions. However, a growing number of studies indicate that ARSs are involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes, especially tumorigenesis. Here, we introduce the roles of ARSs and AIMPs in certain cancers, such as colon cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, gastric cancer and pancreatic cancer. Furthermore, we particularly focus on their potential clinical applications in cancer, aiming at providing new insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Zhou
- Department of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Bao Sun
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Institution of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Anzheng Nie
- Department of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Dongsheng Yu
- Department of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Meng Bian
- Department of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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14
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Gupta R, Janostiak R, Wajapeyee N. Transcriptional regulators and alterations that drive melanoma initiation and progression. Oncogene 2020; 39:7093-7105. [PMID: 33024276 PMCID: PMC7695596 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-01490-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Although melanoma is the least frequent type of skin cancer, it accounts for the majority of skin cancer-related deaths. Large-scale sequencing efforts have led to the classification of melanoma into four major subtypes (i.e., BRAF-mutant, NRAS-mutant, NF1-deficient, and triple wild-type). These sequencing studies have also revealed that melanoma genomes are some of the most mutated genomes of all cancers and therefore have a high neoantigen load. These findings have resulted in the development and clinical use of targeted therapies against the oncogenic BRAF→MEK→ERK pathway and immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. Although some patients with metastatic melanoma benefit immensely from these transformative therapies, others either become resistant or do not respond at all. These clinical challenges have intensified the search for new drug targets and drugs that can benefit patients who are either intrinsically resistant or have acquired resistance to targeted therapies and immunotherapies. Numerous signaling pathways and oncogenic drivers can cause changes in mRNA transcription that in turn drive melanoma initiation and progression. Transcriptional regulation of mRNA expression is necessary to maintain cell identity and cellular plasticity via the regulation of transcription factor expression and function, promoter/enhancer activities, chromatin regulators, and three-dimensional genome organization. Transcriptional deregulation can arise due to genetic and/or non-genetic alterations in the genome. Specifically, these deregulated transcriptional programs can become liabilities for melanoma cells due to their acquired dependencies on these programs for survival, which can be harnessed to develop new therapies for melanoma. In this article, we present an overview of the mechanisms that result in the transcriptional deregulation of mRNA expression in melanoma cells and assess how these changes facilitate melanoma initiation and progression. We also describe how these deregulated transcriptional pathways represent new opportunities for the development of unconventional and potentially impactful treatments for metastatic melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romi Gupta
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
| | - Radoslav Janostiak
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Narendra Wajapeyee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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15
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Simmons JL, Neuendorf HM, Boyle GM. BRN2 and MITF together impact AXL expression in melanoma. Exp Dermatol 2020; 31:89-93. [PMID: 33119145 DOI: 10.1111/exd.14225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The inverse relationship between transcription factor MITF and receptor tyrosine kinase AXL has received much attention recently. It is thought that melanoma tumors showing AXLhigh /MITFlow levels are resistant to therapy. We show here that a population of cells within melanoma tumors with extremely high expression of AXL are negative/low for both MITF and the transcription factor BRN2. Depletion of both transcription factors from cultured melanoma cell lines produced an increase in AXL expression greater than depletion of MITF alone. Further, re-expression of BRN2 led to decreased AXL expression, indicating a role for BRN2 in regulation of AXL levels unrelated to effects on MITF level. As AXL has been recognized as a marker of therapy resistance, these cells may represent a population of cells responsible for disease relapse and as potential targets for therapeutic treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacinta L Simmons
- Cancer Drug Mechanisms Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.,School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.,School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Hannah M Neuendorf
- Cancer Drug Mechanisms Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.,School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Glen M Boyle
- Cancer Drug Mechanisms Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.,School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.,School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
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