1
|
Hasselluhn MC, Schlösser D, Versemann L, Schmidt GE, Ulisse M, Oschwald J, Zhang Z, Hamdan F, Xiao H, Kopp W, Spitalieri J, Kellner C, Schneider C, Reutlinger K, Nagarajan S, Steuber B, Sastra SA, Palermo CF, Appelhans J, Bohnenberger H, Todorovic J, Kostyuchek I, Ströbel P, Bockelmann A, König A, Ammer-Herrmenau C, Schmidleitner L, Kaulfuß S, Wollnik B, Hahn SA, Neesse A, Singh SK, Bastians H, Reichert M, Sax U, Olive KP, Johnsen SA, Schneider G, Ellenrieder V, Hessmann E. An NFATc1/SMAD3/cJUN Complex Restricted to SMAD4-Deficient Pancreatic Cancer Guides Rational Therapies. Gastroenterology 2024; 166:298-312.e14. [PMID: 37913894 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2023.10.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS The highly heterogeneous cellular and molecular makeup of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) not only fosters exceptionally aggressive tumor biology, but contradicts the current concept of one-size-fits-all therapeutic strategies to combat PDAC. Therefore, we aimed to exploit the tumor biological implication and therapeutic vulnerabilities of a clinically relevant molecular PDAC subgroup characterized by SMAD4 deficiency and high expression of the nuclear factor of activated T cells (SMAD4-/-/NFATc1High). METHODS Transcriptomic and clinical data were analyzed to determine the prognostic relevance of SMAD4-/-/NFATc1High cancers. In vitro and in vivo oncogenic transcription factor complex formation was studied by immunoprecipitation, proximity ligation assays, and validated cross model and species. The impact of SMAD4 status on therapeutically targeting canonical KRAS signaling was mechanistically deciphered and corroborated by genome-wide gene expression analysis and genetic perturbation experiments, respectively. Validation of a novel tailored therapeutic option was conducted in patient-derived organoids and cells and transgenic as well as orthotopic PDAC models. RESULTS Our findings determined the tumor biology of an aggressive and chemotherapy-resistant SMAD4-/-/NFATc1High subgroup. Mechanistically, we identify SMAD4 deficiency as a molecular prerequisite for the formation of an oncogenic NFATc1/SMAD3/cJUN transcription factor complex, which drives the expression of RRM1/2. RRM1/2 replenishes nucleoside pools that directly compete with metabolized gemcitabine for DNA strand incorporation. Disassembly of the NFATc1/SMAD3/cJUN complex by mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling inhibition normalizes RRM1/2 expression and synergizes with gemcitabine treatment in vivo to reduce the proliferative index. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that PDAC characterized by SMAD4 deficiency and oncogenic NFATc1/SMAD3/cJUN complex formation exposes sensitivity to a mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling inhibition and gemcitabine combination therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marie C Hasselluhn
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York; Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Denise Schlösser
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Lennart Versemann
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Geske E Schmidt
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Maria Ulisse
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Joana Oschwald
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Feda Hamdan
- Gene Regulatory Mechanisms and Molecular Epigenetics Laboratory, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Harry Xiao
- Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York; Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Waltraut Kopp
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Jessica Spitalieri
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Christin Kellner
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Carolin Schneider
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Kristina Reutlinger
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Sankari Nagarajan
- Manchester Breast Centre and Manchester Cancer Research Centre, Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin Steuber
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Stephen A Sastra
- Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York; Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Carmine F Palermo
- Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York; Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Jennifer Appelhans
- Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Hanibal Bohnenberger
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Jovan Todorovic
- Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Irina Kostyuchek
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Philipp Ströbel
- Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Aiko Bockelmann
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Alexander König
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Ammer-Herrmenau
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Laura Schmidleitner
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany; Translational Pancreatic Research Cancer Center, Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Silke Kaulfuß
- Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Bernd Wollnik
- Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells, University of Goettingen, Germany
| | - Stephan A Hahn
- Ruhr University Bochum, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Gastrointestinal Oncology, Bochum, Germany
| | - Albrecht Neesse
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Shiv K Singh
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Holger Bastians
- Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Department of Molecular Oncology, Section for Cellular Oncology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Maximilian Reichert
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany; Translational Pancreatic Research Cancer Center, Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (a partnership between Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum and University Hospital Klinikum Rechts der Isar), Munich, Germany; Center for Protein Assemblies, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany; Center for Organoid Systems and Tissue Engineering, Technical University Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Ulrich Sax
- Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Department of Medical Informatics, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Kenneth P Olive
- Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York; Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Steven A Johnsen
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Robert Bosch Center for Tumor Diseases, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Günter Schneider
- Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Comprehensive Cancer Center, Lower Saxony, Goettingen and Hannover, Germany
| | - Volker Ellenrieder
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Comprehensive Cancer Center, Lower Saxony, Goettingen and Hannover, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Hessmann
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Comprehensive Cancer Center, Lower Saxony, Goettingen and Hannover, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Zhang Z, Wang X, Hamdan FH, Likhobabina A, Patil S, Aperdannier L, Sen M, Traub J, Neesse A, Fischer A, Papantonis A, Singh SK, Ellenrieder V, Johnsen SA, Hessmann E. NFATc1 Is a Central Mediator of EGFR-Induced ARID1A Chromatin Dissociation During Acinar Cell Reprogramming. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 15:1219-1246. [PMID: 36758798 PMCID: PMC10064440 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2023.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Loss of AT-rich interactive domain-containing protein 1A (ARID1A) fosters acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM) and pancreatic carcinogenesis by down-regulating transcription programs controlling acinar cell identity. However, how ARID1A reacts to metaplasia-triggering environmental cues remains elusive. Here, we aimed to elucidate the role of ARID1A in controlling ductal pancreatic gene signatures and deciphering hierarchical signaling cues determining ARID1A-dependent chromatin regulation during acinar cell reprogramming. METHODS Acinar cell explants with differential ARID1A status were subjected to genome-wide expression analyses. The impact of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling, NFATc1 activity, and ARID1A status on acinar reprogramming processes were characterized by ex vivo ADM assays and transgenic mouse models. EGFR-dependent ARID1A chromatin binding was studied by chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing analysis and cellular fractionation. RESULTS EGFR signaling interferes with ARID1A-dependent transcription by inducing genome-wide ARID1A displacement, thereby phenocopying ARID1A loss-of-function mutations and inducing a shift toward ADM permissive ductal transcription programs. Moreover, we show that EGFR signaling is required to push ARID1A-deficient acinar cells toward a metaplastic phenotype. Mechanistically, we identified the transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 (NFATc1) as the central regulatory hub mediating both EGFR signaling-induced genomic ARID1A displacement and the induction of ADM-promoting gene signatures in the absence of ARID1A. Consequently, pharmacologic inhibition of NFATc1 or its depletion in transgenic mice not only preserves genome-wide ARID1A occupancy, but also attenuates acinar metaplasia led by ARID1A loss. CONCLUSIONS Our data describe an intimate relationship between environmental signaling and chromatin remodeling in orchestrating cell fate decisions in the pancreas, and illustrate how ARID1A loss influences transcriptional regulation in acinar cell reprogramming.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Feda H Hamdan
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Gene Regulatory Mechanisms and Molecular Epigenetics Laboratory, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Anna Likhobabina
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Shilpa Patil
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Lena Aperdannier
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Madhobi Sen
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jacobe Traub
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Albrecht Neesse
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit 5002, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - André Fischer
- Department for Systems Medicine and Epigenetics, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Göttingen, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Cluster of Excellence "Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells" (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Argyris Papantonis
- Clinical Research Unit 5002, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Shiv K Singh
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit 5002, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Volker Ellenrieder
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit 5002, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Comprehensive Cancer Center Lower Saxony, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Steven A Johnsen
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Gene Regulatory Mechanisms and Molecular Epigenetics Laboratory, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota; Robert Bosch Center for Tumor Diseases, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Hessmann
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit 5002, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Comprehensive Cancer Center Lower Saxony, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Li S, Lee DJ, Kim HY, Kim JY, Jung YS, Jung HS. Unraveled roles of Cav1.2 in proliferation and stemness of ameloblastoma. Cell Biosci 2022; 12:145. [PMID: 36057617 PMCID: PMC9440535 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-022-00873-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Transcriptome analysis has been known as a functional tool for cancer research recently. Mounting evidence indicated that calcium signaling plays several key roles in cancer progression. Despite numerous studies examining calcium signaling in cancer, calcium signaling studies in ameloblastoma are limited. Results In the present study, comparative transcriptome profiling of two representative odontogenic lesions, ameloblastoma and odontogenic keratocyst, revealed that Cav1.2 (CACNA1C, an L-type voltage-gated calcium channel) is strongly enriched in ameloblastoma. It was confirmed that the Ca2+ influx in ameloblastoma cells is mainly mediated by Cav1.2 through L-type voltage-gated calcium channel agonist and blocking reagent treatment. Overexpression and knockdown of Cav1.2 showed that Cav1.2 is directly involved in the regulation of the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor of activated T cell 1 (NFATc1), which causes cell proliferation. Furthermore, a tumoroid study indicated that Cav1.2-dependent Ca2+ entry is also associated with the maintenance of stemness of ameloblastoma cells via the enhancement of Wnt/β-catenin signaling activity. Conclusion In conclusion, Cav1.2 regulates the NFATc1 nuclear translocation to enhance ameloblastoma cell proliferation. Furthermore, Cav1.2 dependent Ca2+ influx contributes to the Wnt/β-catenin activity for the ameloblastoma cell stemness and tumorigenicity. Our fundamental findings could have a major impact in the fields of oral maxillofacial surgery, and genetic manipulation or pharmacological approaches to Cav1.2 can be considered as new therapeutic options. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13578-022-00873-9.
Collapse
|
4
|
TP53-Status-Dependent Oncogenic EZH2 Activity in Pancreatic Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14143451. [PMID: 35884510 PMCID: PMC9320674 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14143451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Epigenetic alterations contribute to the aggressiveness and therapy resistance of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, epigenetic regulators, including Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 (EZH2), reveal a strong context-dependent activity. Our study aimed to examine the context-defining molecular prerequisites of oncogenic EZH2 activity in PDAC to assess the therapeutic efficacy of targeting EZH2. Our preclinical study using diverse PDAC models demonstrates that the TP53 status determines oncogenic EZH2 activity. Only in TP53-wildtype (wt) PDAC subtypes was EZH2 blockade associated with a favorable PDAC prognosis mainly through cell-death response. We revealed that EZH2 depletion increases p53wt stability by the de-repression of CDKN2A. Therefore, our study provides preclinical evidence that an intact CDKN2A-p53wt axis is indispensable for a beneficial outcome of EZH2 depletion and highlights the significance of molecular stratification to improve epigenetic targeting in PDAC. Abstract Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) represents a lethal malignancy with a consistently poor outcome. Besides mutations in PDAC driver genes, the aggressive tumor biology of the disease and its remarkable therapy resistance are predominantly installed by potentially reversible epigenetic dysregulation. However, epigenetic regulators act in a context-dependent manner with opposing implication on tumor progression, thus critically determining the therapeutic efficacy of epigenetic targeting. Herein, we aimed at exploring the molecular prerequisites and underlying mechanisms of oncogenic Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 (EZH2) activity in PDAC progression. Preclinical studies in EZH2 proficient and deficient transgenic and orthotopic in vivo PDAC models and transcriptome analysis identified the TP53 status as a pivotal context-defining molecular cue determining oncogenic EZH2 activity in PDAC. Importantly, the induction of pro-apoptotic gene signatures and processes as well as a favorable PDAC prognosis upon EZH2 depletion were restricted to p53 wildtype (wt) PDAC subtypes. Mechanistically, we illustrate that EZH2 blockade de-represses CDKN2A transcription for the subsequent posttranslational stabilization of p53wt expression and function. Together, our findings suggest an intact CDKN2A-p53wt axis as a prerequisite for the anti-tumorigenic consequences of EZH2 depletion and emphasize the significance of molecular stratification for the successful implementation of epigenetic targeting in PDAC.
Collapse
|
5
|
Pham TX, Lee J, Guan J, Caporarello N, Meridew JA, Jones DL, Tan Q, Huang SK, Tschumperlin DJ, Ligresti G. Transcriptional analysis of lung fibroblasts identifies PIM1 signaling as a driver of aging-associated persistent fibrosis. JCI Insight 2022; 7:153672. [PMID: 35167499 PMCID: PMC8986080 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.153672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an aging-associated disease characterized by myofibroblast accumulation and progressive lung scarring. To identify transcriptional gene programs driving persistent lung fibrosis in aging, we performed RNA-Seq on lung fibroblasts isolated from young and aged mice during the early resolution phase after bleomycin injury. We discovered that, relative to injured young fibroblasts, injured aged fibroblasts exhibited a profibrotic state characterized by elevated expression of genes implicated in inflammation, matrix remodeling, and cell survival. We identified the proviral integration site for Moloney murine leukemia virus 1 (PIM1) and its target nuclear factor of activated T cells-1 (NFATc1) as putative drivers of the sustained profibrotic gene signatures in injured aged fibroblasts. PIM1 and NFATc1 transcripts were enriched in a pathogenic fibroblast population recently discovered in IPF lungs, and their protein expression was abundant in fibroblastic foci. Overexpression of PIM1 in normal human lung fibroblasts potentiated their fibrogenic activation, and this effect was attenuated by NFATc1 inhibition. Pharmacological inhibition of PIM1 attenuated IPF fibroblast activation and sensitized them to apoptotic stimuli. Interruption of PIM1 signaling in IPF lung explants ex vivo inhibited prosurvival gene expression and collagen secretion, suggesting that targeting this pathway may represent a therapeutic strategy to block IPF progression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tho X. Pham
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jisu Lee
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jiazhen Guan
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nunzia Caporarello
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jeffrey A. Meridew
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Dakota L. Jones
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Qi Tan
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Steven K. Huang
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Daniel J. Tschumperlin
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Giovanni Ligresti
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
van Roey R, Brabletz T, Stemmler MP, Armstark I. Deregulation of Transcription Factor Networks Driving Cell Plasticity and Metastasis in Pancreatic Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:753456. [PMID: 34888306 PMCID: PMC8650502 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.753456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a very aggressive disease with 5-year survival rates of less than 10%. The constantly increasing incidence and stagnant patient outcomes despite changes in treatment regimens emphasize the requirement of a better understanding of the disease mechanisms. Challenges in treating pancreatic cancer include diagnosis at already progressed disease states due to the lack of early detection methods, rapid acquisition of therapy resistance, and high metastatic competence. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the most prevalent type of pancreatic cancer, frequently shows dominant-active mutations in KRAS and TP53 as well as inactivation of genes involved in differentiation and cell-cycle regulation (e.g. SMAD4 and CDKN2A). Besides somatic mutations, deregulated transcription factor activities strongly contribute to disease progression. Specifically, transcriptional regulatory networks essential for proper lineage specification and differentiation during pancreas development are reactivated or become deregulated in the context of cancer and exacerbate progression towards an aggressive phenotype. This review summarizes the recent literature on transcription factor networks and epigenetic gene regulation that play a crucial role during tumorigenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruthger van Roey
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Thomas Brabletz
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Marc P Stemmler
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Isabell Armstark
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Chromatin-Independent Interplay of NFATc1 and EZH2 in Pancreatic Cancer. Cells 2021; 10:cells10123463. [PMID: 34943970 PMCID: PMC8700089 DOI: 10.3390/cells10123463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The Nuclear Factor of Activated T-cells 1 (NFATc1) transcription factor and the methyltransferase Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 (EZH2) significantly contribute to the aggressive phenotype of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Herein, we aimed at dissecting the mechanistic background of their interplay in PDAC progression. Methods: NFATc1 and EZH2 mRNA and protein expression and complex formation were determined in transgenic PDAC models and human PDAC specimens. NFATc1 binding on the Ezh2 gene and the consequences of perturbed NFATc1 expression on Ezh2 transcription were explored by Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and upon transgenic or siRNA-mediated interference with NFATc1 expression, respectively. Integrative analyses of RNA- and ChIP-seq data was performed to explore NFATc1-/EZH2-dependent gene signatures. Results: NFATc1 targets the Ezh2 gene for transcriptional activation and biochemically interacts with the methyltransferase in murine and human PDAC. Surprisingly, our genome-wide binding and expression analyses do not link the protein complex to joint gene regulation. In contrast, our findings provide evidence for chromatin-independent functions of the NFATc1:EZH2 complex and reveal posttranslational EZH2 phosphorylation at serine 21 as a prerequisite for robust complex formation. Conclusion: Our findings disclose a previously unknown NFATc1-EZH2 axis operational in the pancreas and provide mechanistic insights into the conditions fostering NFATc1:EZH2 complex formation in PDAC.
Collapse
|
8
|
Store-Operated Calcium Entry: Shaping the Transcriptional and Epigenetic Landscape in Pancreatic Cancer. Cells 2021; 10:cells10050966. [PMID: 33919156 PMCID: PMC8143176 DOI: 10.3390/cells10050966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) displays a particularly poor prognosis and low survival rate, mainly due to late diagnosis and high incidence of chemotherapy resistance. Genomic aberrations, together with changes in the epigenomic profile, elicit a shift in cellular signaling response and a transcriptional reprograming in pancreatic tumors. This endows them with malignant attributes that enable them to not only overcome chemotherapeutic challenges, but to also attain diverse oncogenic properties. In fact, certain genetic amplifications elicit a rewiring of calcium signaling, which can confer ER stress resistance to tumors while also aberrantly activating known drivers of oncogenic programs such as NFAT. While calcium is a well-known second messenger, the transcriptional programs driven by aberrant calcium signaling remain largely undescribed in pancreatic cancer. In this review, we focus on calcium-dependent signaling and its role in epigenetic programs and transcriptional regulation. We also briefly discuss genetic aberration events, exemplifying how genetic alterations can rewire cellular signaling cascades, including calcium-dependent ones.
Collapse
|
9
|
Patil S, Steuber B, Kopp W, Kari V, Urbach L, Wang X, Küffer S, Bohnenberger H, Spyropoulou D, Zhang Z, Versemann L, Bösherz MS, Brunner M, Gaedcke J, Ströbel P, Zhang JS, Neesse A, Ellenrieder V, Singh SK, Johnsen SA, Hessmann E. EZH2 Regulates Pancreatic Cancer Subtype Identity and Tumor Progression via Transcriptional Repression of GATA6. Cancer Res 2020; 80:4620-4632. [PMID: 32907838 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-0672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have thoroughly described genome-wide expression patterns defining molecular subtypes of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), with different prognostic and predictive implications. Although the reversible nature of key regulatory transcription circuits defining the two extreme PDAC subtype lineages "classical" and "basal-like" suggests that subtype states are not permanently encoded but underlie a certain degree of plasticity, pharmacologically actionable drivers of PDAC subtype identity remain elusive. Here, we characterized the mechanistic and functional implications of the histone methyltransferase enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) in controlling PDAC plasticity, dedifferentiation, and molecular subtype identity. Utilization of transgenic PDAC models and human PDAC samples linked EZH2 activity to PDAC dedifferentiation and tumor progression. Combined RNA- and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing studies identified EZH2 as a pivotal suppressor of differentiation programs in PDAC and revealed EZH2-dependent transcriptional repression of the classical subtype defining transcription factor Gata6 as a mechanistic basis for EZH2-dependent PDAC progression. Importantly, genetic or pharmacologic depletion of EZH2 sufficiently increased GATA6 expression, thus inducing a gene signature shift in favor of a less aggressive and more therapy-susceptible, classical PDAC subtype state. Consistently, abrogation of GATA6 expression in EZH2-deficient PDAC cells counteracted the acquisition of classical gene signatures and rescued their invasive capacities, suggesting that GATA6 derepression is critical to overcome PDAC progression in the context of EZH2 inhibition. Together, our findings link the EZH2-GATA6 axis to PDAC subtype identity and uncover EZH2 inhibition as an appealing strategy to induce subtype-switching in favor of a less aggressive PDAC phenotype. SIGNIFICANCE: This study highlights the role of EZH2 in PDAC progression and molecular subtype identity and suggests EZH2 inhibition as a strategy to recalibrate GATA6 expression in favor of a less aggressive disease. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/canres/80/21/4620/F1.large.jpg.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shilpa Patil
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Benjamin Steuber
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Waltraut Kopp
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Vijayalakshmi Kari
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Laura Urbach
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Stefan Küffer
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Hanibal Bohnenberger
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Dimitra Spyropoulou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Lennart Versemann
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | | | - Marius Brunner
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Jochen Gaedcke
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Philipp Ströbel
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Jin-San Zhang
- Institute of Life Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, PR China.,Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Division of Oncology Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Albrecht Neesse
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Volker Ellenrieder
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Shiv K Singh
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Steven A Johnsen
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Gene Regulatory Mechanisms and Molecular Epigenetics Lab, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Elisabeth Hessmann
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
The role of histone methylation in the development of digestive cancers: a potential direction for cancer management. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2020; 5:143. [PMID: 32747629 PMCID: PMC7398912 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-020-00252-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Digestive cancers are the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide and have high risks of morbidity and mortality. Histone methylation, which is mediated mainly by lysine methyltransferases, lysine demethylases, and protein arginine methyltransferases, has emerged as an essential mechanism regulating pathological processes in digestive cancers. Under certain conditions, aberrant expression of these modifiers leads to abnormal histone methylation or demethylation in the corresponding cancer-related genes, which contributes to different processes and phenotypes, such as carcinogenesis, proliferation, metabolic reprogramming, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, invasion, and migration, during digestive cancer development. In this review, we focus on the association between histone methylation regulation and the development of digestive cancers, including gastric cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer, as well as on its clinical application prospects, aiming to provide a new perspective on the management of digestive cancers.
Collapse
|
11
|
Identification of Prognostic Immune Genes in Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 2020:7510120. [PMID: 32420368 PMCID: PMC7201587 DOI: 10.1155/2020/7510120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Background The aim of this study is to identify possible prognostic-related immune genes in bladder urothelial carcinoma and to try to predict the prognosis of bladder urothelial carcinoma based on these genes. Methods The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) expression profile data and corresponding clinical traits were obtained. Differential gene analysis was performed using R software. Reactome was used to analyze the pathway of immune gene participation. The differentially expressed transcription factors and differentially expressed immune-related genes were extracted from the obtained list of differentially expressed genes, and the transcription factor-immune gene network was constructed. To analyze the relationship between immune genes and clinical traits of bladder urothelial carcinoma, a multifactor Cox proportional hazards regression model based on the expression of immune genes was established and validated. Results Fifty-eight immune genes were identified to be associated with the prognosis of bladder urothelial carcinoma. These genes were enriched in Cytokine Signaling in Immune System, Signaling by Receptor Tyrosine Kinases, Interferon alpha/beta signaling, and other immune related pathways. Transcription factor-immune gene regulatory network was established, and EBF1, IRF4, SOX17, MEF2C, NFATC1, STAT1, ANXA6, SLIT2, and IGF1 were screened as hub genes in the network. The model calculated by the expression of 16 immune genes showed a good survival prediction ability (p < 0.05 and AUC = 0.778). Conclusion A transcription factor-immune gene regulatory network related to the prognosis of bladder urothelial carcinoma was established. EBF1, IRF4, SOX17, MEF2C, NFATC1, STAT1, ANXA6, SLIT2, and IGF1 were identified as hub genes in the network. The proportional hazards regression model constructed by 16 immune genes shows a good predictive ability for the prognosis of bladder urothelial carcinoma.
Collapse
|
12
|
Rodrigues Barbosa J, Dos Santos Freitas MM, da Silva Martins LH, de Carvalho RN. Polysaccharides of mushroom Pleurotus spp.: New extraction techniques, biological activities and development of new technologies. Carbohydr Polym 2019; 229:115550. [PMID: 31826512 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.115550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The biodiversity of mushrooms Pleurotus spp. is impressive due to its complexity and diversity related to the composition of chemical structures such as polysaccharides, glycoproteins and secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids and betalains. Recent studies of polysaccharides and their structural elucidation have helped to direct research and development of technologies related to pharmacological action, production of bioactive foods and application of new, more sophisticated extraction tools. The diversity of bioactivities related to these biopolymers, their mechanisms and routes of action are constant focus of researches. The elucidation of bioactivities has helped to formulate new vaccines and targeted drugs. In this context, in terms of polysaccharides and the diversity of mushrooms Pleurotus spp., this review seeks to revisit the genus, making an updated approach on the recent discoveries of polysaccharides, new extraction techniques and bioactivities, emphasising on their mechanisms and routes in order to update the reader on the recent technologies related to these polymers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jhonatas Rodrigues Barbosa
- LABEX/FEA (Extraction Laboratory/Faculty of Food Engineering), ITEC (Institute of Technology), UFPA (Federal University of Para), Rua Augusto Corrêa S/N, Guamá, 66075-900 Belém, PA, Brazil.
| | - Maurício Madson Dos Santos Freitas
- LAPOA/FEA (Laboratory of Products of Animal Origin/Faculty of Food Engineering), ITEC (Institute of Technology), UFPA (Federal University of Para), Rua Augusto Corrêa S/N, Guamá, 66075-900 Belém, PA, Brazil.
| | - Luiza Helena da Silva Martins
- LABIOTEC/FEA (Biotechnological Process Laboratory/Faculty of Food Engineering), ITEC (Institute of Technology), UFPA (Federal University of Para), Rua Augusto Corrêa S/N, Guamá, 66075-900 Belém, PA, Brazil.
| | - Raul Nunes de Carvalho
- LABEX/FEA (Extraction Laboratory/Faculty of Food Engineering), ITEC (Institute of Technology), UFPA (Federal University of Para), Rua Augusto Corrêa S/N, Guamá, 66075-900 Belém, PA, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|