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Ganesan K, Xu C, Wu J, Du B, Liu Q, Sui Y, Song C, Zhang J, Tang H, Chen J. Ononin inhibits triple-negative breast cancer lung metastasis by targeting the EGFR-mediated PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024:10.1007/s11427-023-2499-2. [PMID: 38900236 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-023-2499-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
The spreading of cancer cells from the primary tumor site to other parts of the body, known as metastasis, is the leading cause of cancer recurrence and mortality in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is observed in approximately 70% of TNBC patients. EGFR is crucial for promoting tumor metastasis and associated with poor prognosis. Therefore, it is vital to identify effective therapeutic strategies targeting EGFR inhibition. Ononin, an isoflavonoid found in various plants, such as clover and soybeans, has been shown to have anticancer properties in several cancers. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of ononin on TNBC lung metastasis and the associated molecular pathways. We used various assays, including cell viability, colony formation, Transwell, wound healing, ELISA, Western blotting, and staining techniques, to achieve this objective. The results demonstrated that ononin effectively suppressed cellular proliferation and induced apoptosis, as evidenced by the cell viability assay, colony formation assay, and expression of apoptosis markers, and reduced the metastatic capabilities of TNBC cells. These effects were achieved through the direct suppression of cell adhesion, invasiveness and motility. Furthermore, in TNBC xenograft lung metastatic models, ononin treatment significantly reduced tumor growth and lung metastasis. Additionally, ononin reversed the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by downregulating the expression of EMT markers and matrix metalloproteinases, as confirmed by Western blot analysis. Furthermore, ononin treatment reduced EGFR phosphorylation and suppressed the PI3K, Akt, and mTOR signaling pathways, which was further confirmed using EGFR agonists or inhibitors. Importantly, ononin treatment did not exert any toxic effects on liver or kidney function. In conclusion, our findings suggest that ononin is a safe and potentially therapeutic treatment for TNBC metastasis that targets the EGFR-mediated PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Further studies are warranted to validate its efficacy and explore its potential clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kumar Ganesan
- School of Chinese Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Cong Xu
- School of Chinese Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Jianming Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Bing Du
- College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Qingqing Liu
- School of Chinese Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Yue Sui
- School of Chinese Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Cailu Song
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jinhui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510080, 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, 510080, China.
| | - Jianping Chen
- School of Chinese Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China.
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Ancona P, Trentini A, Terrazzan A, Grassilli S, Navals P, Gates EWJ, Rosta V, Cervellati C, Bergamini CM, Pignatelli A, Keillor JW, Taccioli C, Bianchi N. Transcriptomics Studies Reveal Functions of Transglutaminase 2 in Breast Cancer Cells Using Membrane Permeable and Impermeable Inhibitors. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168569. [PMID: 38604527 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Transglutaminase 2 (TG2) performs many functions both under physiological and pathological conditions. In cancer, its expression is associated with aggressiveness, propensity to epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and metastasis. Since TG2 performs key functions both outside and inside the cell, using inhibitors with different membrane permeability we analyzed the changes in the transcriptome induced in two triple-negative cell lines (MDA-MB-436 and MDA-MB-231) with aggressive features. By characterizing pathways and gene networks, we were able to define the effects of TG2 inhibitors (AA9, membrane-permeable, and NCEG2, impermeable) in relation to the roles of the enzyme in the intra- and extracellular space within the context of breast cancer. The deregulated genes revealed p53 and integrin signaling to be the common pathways with some genes showing opposite changes in expression. In MDA-MB-436, AA9 induced apoptosis, modulated cadherin, Wnt, gastrin and cholecystokinin receptors (CCKR) mediated signaling, with RHOB and GNG2 playing significant roles, and affected the Warburg effect by decreasing glycolytic enzymes. In MDA-MB-231 cells, AA9 strongly impacted HIF-mediated hypoxia, including AKT and mTOR pathway. These effects suggest an anti-tumor activity by blocking intracellular TG2 functions. Conversely, the use of NCEG2 stimulated the expression of ATP synthase and proteins involved in DNA replication, indicating a potential promotion of cell proliferation through inhibition of extracellular TG2. To effectively utilize these molecules as an anti-tumor strategy, an appropriate delivery system should be evaluated to target specific functions and avoid adverse effects. Additionally, considering combinations with other pathway modulators is crucial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Ancona
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Alessandro Trentini
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Prevention, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Anna Terrazzan
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Silvia Grassilli
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Prevention, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Pauline Navals
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada.
| | - Eric W J Gates
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada.
| | - Valentina Rosta
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Prevention, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Carlo Cervellati
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Carlo M Bergamini
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Angela Pignatelli
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Jeffrey W Keillor
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada.
| | - Cristian Taccioli
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Nicoletta Bianchi
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
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Peng Y, Su P, Zhao L. Long noncoding RNA and messenger RNA profiling in epicardial adipose tissue of patients with new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting. Eur J Med Res 2024; 29:134. [PMID: 38368363 PMCID: PMC10874008 DOI: 10.1186/s40001-024-01721-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) constitutes a significant complication following coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), potentially linked to epicardial adipose tissue (EAT). This investigation seeks to elucidate the association between POAF and EAT at the genetic level. METHODS EAT and clinical data from patients undergoing CABG were systematically acquired, adhering to established inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients were categorized into POAF and Non-POAF groups based on the presence or absence of POAF. High-throughput sequencing data of EAT were subjected to differential expression analysis and gene function assessment. A random selection of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) underwent quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) for validation of the high-throughput sequencing findings. Coexpression analysis was employed to elucidate the interactions between lncRNAs and messenger RNAs (mRNAs). RESULTS RNA sequencing yielded a total of 69,685 transcripts (37,740 coding and 31,945 noncoding sequences), representing 16,920 genes. Within this dataset, 38 mRNAs and 12 lncRNAs exhibited differential expression between the POAF and Non-POAF groups (P < 0.05, fold change > 1.5). The qRT-PCR results for lncRNAs corroborated the sequencing findings (P < 0.01). Functional enrichment analysis of genes and the coexpression network indicated that these differentially expressed RNAs were primarily implicated in processes such as cell growth, differentiation, signal transduction, as well as influencing tissue fibrosis and ion transmembrane transport. CONCLUSIONS This study unveils a potential association between myocardial fibrosis and ion channels co-regulated by mRNAs and lncRNAs, closely linked to the emergence of new-onset POAF, after accounting for clinical risk factors. This discovery holds promise for further advances in clinical and fundamental research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanshu Peng
- Heart Center & Beijing Key Laboratory of Hypertension, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100020, China
| | - Pixiong Su
- Heart Center & Beijing Key Laboratory of Hypertension, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100020, China.
| | - Lei Zhao
- Heart Center & Beijing Key Laboratory of Hypertension, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100020, China.
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Uncovering Oncogenic Mechanisms of Tumor Suppressor Genes in Breast Cancer Multi-Omics Data. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23179624. [PMID: 36077026 PMCID: PMC9455665 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179624] [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: 07/03/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) are essential genes in the development of cancer. While they have many roles in normal cells, mutation and dysregulation of the TSGs result in aberrant molecular processes in cancer cells. Therefore, understanding TSGs and their roles in the oncogenic process is crucial for prevention and treatment of cancer. In this research, multi-omics breast cancer data were used to identify molecular mechanisms of TSGs in breast cancer. Differentially expressed genes and differentially coexpressed genes were identified in four large-scale transcriptomics data from public repositories and multi-omics data analyses of copy number, methylation and gene expression were performed. The results of the analyses were integrated using enrichment analysis and meta-analysis of a p-value summation method. The integrative analysis revealed that TSGs have a significant relationship with genes of gene ontology terms that are related to cell cycle, genome stability, RNA processing and metastasis, indicating the regulatory mechanisms of TSGs on cancer cells. The analysis frame and research results will provide valuable information for the further identification of TSGs in different types of cancers.
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