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Jia ZC, Yang X, Wu YK, Li M, Das D, Chen MX, Wu J. The Art of Finding the Right Drug Target: Emerging Methods and Strategies. Pharmacol Rev 2024; 76:896-914. [PMID: 38866560 PMCID: PMC11334170 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.123.001028] [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: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Drug targets are specific molecules in biological tissues and body fluids that interact with drugs. Drug target discovery is a key component of drug discovery and is essential for the development of new drugs in areas such as cancer therapy and precision medicine. Traditional in vitro or in vivo target discovery methods are time-consuming and labor-intensive, limiting the pace of drug discovery. With the development of modern discovery methods, the discovery and application of various emerging technologies have greatly improved the efficiency of drug discovery, shortened the cycle time, and reduced the cost. This review provides a comprehensive overview of various emerging drug target discovery strategies, including computer-assisted approaches, drug affinity response target stability, multiomics analysis, gene editing, and nonsense-mediated mRNA degradation, and discusses the effectiveness and limitations of the various approaches, as well as their application in real cases. Through the review of the aforementioned contents, a general overview of the development of novel drug targets and disease treatment strategies will be provided, and a theoretical basis will be provided for those who are engaged in pharmaceutical science research. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Target-based drug discovery has been the main approach to drug discovery in the pharmaceutical industry for the past three decades. Traditional drug target discovery methods based on in vivo or in vitro validation are time-consuming and costly, greatly limiting the development of new drugs. Therefore, the development and selection of new methods in the drug target discovery process is crucial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Chang Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China (Z.-C.J., X.Y., Y.-K.W., M.-X.C., J.W.); The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (D.D.); and State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, China (M.L.)
| | - Xue Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China (Z.-C.J., X.Y., Y.-K.W., M.-X.C., J.W.); The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (D.D.); and State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, China (M.L.)
| | - Yi-Kun Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China (Z.-C.J., X.Y., Y.-K.W., M.-X.C., J.W.); The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (D.D.); and State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, China (M.L.)
| | - Min Li
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China (Z.-C.J., X.Y., Y.-K.W., M.-X.C., J.W.); The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (D.D.); and State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, China (M.L.)
| | - Debatosh Das
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China (Z.-C.J., X.Y., Y.-K.W., M.-X.C., J.W.); The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (D.D.); and State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, China (M.L.) ;
| | - Mo-Xian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China (Z.-C.J., X.Y., Y.-K.W., M.-X.C., J.W.); The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (D.D.); and State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, China (M.L.) ;
| | - Jian Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China (Z.-C.J., X.Y., Y.-K.W., M.-X.C., J.W.); The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (D.D.); and State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, China (M.L.) ;
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Joshi P, Keyvani Chahi A, Liu L, Moreira S, Vujovic A, Hope KJ. RNA binding protein-directed control of leukemic stem cell evolution and function. Hemasphere 2024; 8:e116. [PMID: 39175825 PMCID: PMC11339706 DOI: 10.1002/hem3.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Strict control over hematopoietic stem cell decision making is essential for healthy life-long blood production and underpins the origins of hematopoietic diseases. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in particular is a devastating hematopoietic malignancy that arises from the clonal evolution of disease-initiating primitive cells which acquire compounding genetic changes over time and culminate in the generation of leukemic stem cells (LSCs). Understanding the molecular underpinnings of these driver cells throughout their development will be instrumental in the interception of leukemia, the enabling of effective treatment of pre-leukemic conditions, as well as the development of strategies to target frank AML disease. To this point, a number of precancerous myeloid disorders and age-related alterations are proving as instructive models to gain insights into the initiation of LSCs. Here, we explore this myeloid dysregulation at the level of post-transcriptional control, where RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) function as core effectors. Through regulating the interplay of a myriad of RNA metabolic processes, RBPs orchestrate transcript fates to govern gene expression in health and disease. We describe the expanding appreciation of the role of RBPs and their post-transcriptional networks in sustaining healthy hematopoiesis and their dysregulation in the pathogenesis of clonal myeloid disorders and AML, with a particular emphasis on findings described in human stem cells. Lastly, we discuss key breakthroughs that highlight RBPs and post-transcriptional control as actionable targets for precision therapy of AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratik Joshi
- Department of Medical BiophysicsUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada
- Princess Margaret Cancer CenterUniversity Health NetworkTorontoCanada
| | - Ava Keyvani Chahi
- Princess Margaret Cancer CenterUniversity Health NetworkTorontoCanada
| | - Lina Liu
- Princess Margaret Cancer CenterUniversity Health NetworkTorontoCanada
| | - Steven Moreira
- Princess Margaret Cancer CenterUniversity Health NetworkTorontoCanada
| | - Ana Vujovic
- Department of Medical BiophysicsUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada
- Princess Margaret Cancer CenterUniversity Health NetworkTorontoCanada
| | - Kristin J. Hope
- Department of Medical BiophysicsUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada
- Princess Margaret Cancer CenterUniversity Health NetworkTorontoCanada
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Zhang Z, Huang J, Zhang Z, Shen H, Tang X, Wu D, Bao X, Xu G, Chen S. Application of omics in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. Biomark Res 2024; 12:60. [PMID: 38858750 PMCID: PMC11165883 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-024-00600-1] [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: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most frequent leukemia in adults with a high mortality rate. Current diagnostic criteria and selections of therapeutic strategies are generally based on gene mutations and cytogenetic abnormalities. Chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are the major therapeutic strategies for AML. Two dilemmas in the clinical management of AML are related to its poor prognosis. One is the inaccurate risk stratification at diagnosis, leading to incorrect treatment selections. The other is the frequent resistance to chemotherapy and/or targeted therapies. Genomic features have been the focus of AML studies. However, the DNA-level aberrations do not always predict the expression levels of genes and proteins and the latter is more closely linked to disease phenotypes. With the development of high-throughput sequencing and mass spectrometry technologies, studying downstream effectors including RNA, proteins, and metabolites becomes possible. Transcriptomics can reveal gene expression and regulatory networks, proteomics can discover protein expression and signaling pathways intimately associated with the disease, and metabolomics can reflect precise changes in metabolites during disease progression. Moreover, omics profiling at the single-cell level enables studying cellular components and hierarchies of the AML microenvironment. The abundance of data from different omics layers enables the better risk stratification of AML by identifying prognosis-related biomarkers, and has the prospective application in identifying drug targets, therefore potentially discovering solutions to the two dilemmas. In this review, we summarize the existing AML studies using omics methods, both separately and combined, covering research fields of disease diagnosis, risk stratification, prognosis prediction, chemotherapy, as well as targeted therapy. Finally, we discuss the directions and challenges in the application of multi-omics in precision medicine of AML. Our review may inspire both omics researchers and clinical physicians to study AML from a different angle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyu Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Precision Diagnostics and Therapeutics Development, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, Suzhou Key Laboratory of Drug Research for Prevention and Treatment of Hyperlipidemic Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
- Suzhou International Joint Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Brain Diseases, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jiayi Huang
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Zhibo Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Hongjie Shen
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xiaowen Tang
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Depei Wu
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xiebing Bao
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
| | - Guoqiang Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Precision Diagnostics and Therapeutics Development, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, Suzhou Key Laboratory of Drug Research for Prevention and Treatment of Hyperlipidemic Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China.
- Suzhou International Joint Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Brain Diseases, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China.
- MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Suning Chen
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
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Zhang M, Hyle J, Chen X, Xin Y, Jin Y, Zhang J, Yang X, Chen X, Wright S, Liu Z, Rosikiewicz W, Xu B, He L, Liu H, Ping N, Wu D, Wen F, Li C, Xu P. RNA-binding protein RBM5 plays an essential role in acute myeloid leukemia by activating the oncogenic protein HOXA9. Genome Biol 2024; 25:16. [PMID: 38216972 PMCID: PMC10785552 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-03149-8] [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: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The oncogenic protein HOXA9 plays a critical role in leukemia transformation and maintenance, and its aberrant expression is a hallmark of most aggressive acute leukemia. Although inhibiting the upstream regulators of HOXA9 has been proven as a significant therapeutic intervention, the comprehensive regulation network controlling HOXA9 expression in leukemia has not been systematically investigated. RESULTS Here, we perform genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screening in the HOXA9-driven reporter acute leukemia cells. We identify a poorly characterized RNA-binding protein, RBM5, as the top candidate gene required to maintain leukemia cell fitness. RBM5 is highly overexpressed in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients compared to healthy individuals. RBM5 loss triggered by CRISPR knockout and shRNA knockdown significantly impairs leukemia maintenance in vitro and in vivo. Through domain CRISPR screening, we reveal that RBM5 functions through a noncanonical transcriptional regulation circuitry rather than RNA splicing, such an effect depending on DNA-binding domains. By integrative analysis and functional assays, we identify HOXA9 as the downstream target of RBM5. Ectopic expression of HOXA9 rescues impaired leukemia cell proliferation upon RBM5 loss. Importantly, acute protein degradation of RBM5 through auxin-inducible degron system immediately reduces HOXA9 transcription. CONCLUSIONS We identify RBM5 as a new upstream regulator of HOXA9 and reveal its essential role in controlling the survival of AML. These functional and molecular mechanisms further support RBM5 as a promising therapeutic target for myeloid leukemia treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengli Zhang
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Judith Hyle
- Department of Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Xiaowen Chen
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen Institute of Pediatrics, 7019 Yi Tian Road, Shenzhen, 518038, China
| | - Ye Xin
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yingcai Jin
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jianxiang Zhang
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xue Yang
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xinfeng Chen
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shaela Wright
- Department of Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Zhenling Liu
- Department of Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Wojciech Rosikiewicz
- Center for Applied Bioinformatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Beisi Xu
- Center for Applied Bioinformatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Liusheng He
- Core Facility of Flow Cytometry, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Hong Liu
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Nana Ping
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Depei Wu
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Feiqiu Wen
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen Institute of Pediatrics, 7019 Yi Tian Road, Shenzhen, 518038, China
| | - Chunliang Li
- Department of Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
| | - Peng Xu
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China.
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Wang X, Chen D, Han G, Wang X, Liu X, Xu B, Liu W, Li H, Zhang M, Ma S, Han Y. Downregulation of RBM17 enhances cisplatin sensitivity and inhibits cell invasion in human hypopharyngeal cancer cells. Open Med (Wars) 2023; 18:20230669. [PMID: 36941989 PMCID: PMC10024346 DOI: 10.1515/med-2023-0669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Most of advanced hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC) are resistant to chemotherapy, and there is still lack of effective treatment for HSCC now. The present study aimed to investigate whether downregulation of RNA-binding motif protein 17 (RBM17) could enhance cisplatin sensitivity and inhibit cell invasion in HSCC and the underlying mechanism. We observed that RBM17 was upregulated in tumor tissues and associated with poor progression. Treatment of FaDu cells with cisplatin increased RBM17 expression in mRNA levels. Downregulation of RBM17 enhanced cisplatin-mediated inhibition of FaDu cells. In addition, downregulation of RBM17 effectively suppressed tumor cell migration and invasion through the reversion of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Moreover, downregulation of RBM17 could significantly slow tumor growth in FaDu xenograft tumor model. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry detection and independent PRM analysis showed that 21 differentially expressed proteins were associated with the downregulation of RBM17. Taken together, our study implied that downregulation of RBM17 could serve as a novel approach to enhance cisplatin sensitivity in HSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolin Wang
- Department Of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui 233000, China
| | - Deshang Chen
- Department Of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui 233000, China
| | - Guoying Han
- Department Of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui 233000, China
| | - Xiaomin Wang
- Department Of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui 233000, China
| | - Xuebao Liu
- Department Of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui 233000, China
| | - Binbin Xu
- Department Of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui 233000, China
| | - Weiwei Liu
- Department Of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui 233000, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department Of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui 233000, China
| | - Mingjie Zhang
- Department Of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui 233000, China
| | - Shiyin Ma
- Department Of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui 233000, China
| | - Yuefeng Han
- Department Of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, 287 Changhuai Road, Bengbu, Anhui 233000, China
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Fu Y, Bai C, Wang S, Chen D, Zhang P, Wei H, Rong F, Zhang C, Chen S, Wang Z. AKT1 phosphorylates RBM17 to promote Sox2 transcription by modulating alternative splicing of FOXM1 to enhance cancer stem cell properties in colorectal cancer cells. FASEB J 2023; 37:e22707. [PMID: 36520054 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202201255r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. The existence of cancer stem cells (CSC) causes tumor relapses, metastasis, and resistance to conventional therapy. Alternative splicing has been shown to affect physiological and pathological processes. Accumulating evidence has confirmed that targeting alternative splicing could be an effective strategy to treat CRC. Currently, the role of alternative splicing in the regulation of CSC properties in CRC has not been elucidated. Here, we show that RBM17 displays oncogenic roles in CRC cells. RBM17 enhances cell proliferation and reduces chemotherapeutic-induced apoptosis in CRC cells. Besides, RBM17 increases CD133 positive and ALDEFLUOR positive populations and promotes sphere formation in CRC cells. In mechanism studies, we found that FOXM1 is critical for RBM17 enhanced CSC properties. Moreover, FOXM1 alternative splicing is essential for RBM17 enhanced CSC properties in CRC cells. Additionally, RBM17 enhances CSC characteristics by controlling FOXM1 expression to promote Sox2 expression. Furthermore, AKT1 works as an upstream kinase to control RBM17-mediated FOXM1 alternative splicing and enhancement of CSC properties in CRC cells. Our study reveals that AKT1-RBM17-FOXM1-Sox2 axis could be a potential target for modulating alternative splicing to reduce CSC properties in CRC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Fu
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of General Surgery, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China.,Center for Evidence Based Medicine and Clinical Research, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Chen Bai
- Department of General Surgery, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Shengsheng Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Denggang Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Hailang Wei
- Department of General Surgery, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Fan Rong
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Center for Evidence Based Medicine and Clinical Research, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Shaojuan Chen
- Department of Stomatology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Zhenjun Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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