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Reggiani F, Talarico G, Gobbi G, Sauta E, Torricelli F, Manicardi V, Zanetti E, Orecchioni S, Falvo P, Piana S, Lococo F, Paci M, Bertolini F, Ciarrocchi A, Sancisi V. BET inhibitors drive Natural Killer activation in non-small cell lung cancer via BRD4 and SMAD3. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2567. [PMID: 38519469 PMCID: PMC10960013 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46778-8] [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: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is the most common lung cancer and one of the pioneer tumors in which immunotherapy has radically changed patients' outcomes. However, several issues are emerging and their implementation is required to optimize immunotherapy-based protocols. In this work, we investigate the ability of the Bromodomain and Extra-Terminal protein inhibitors (BETi) to stimulate a proficient anti-tumor immune response toward NSCLC. By using in vitro, ex-vivo, and in vivo models, we demonstrate that these epigenetic drugs specifically enhance Natural Killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity. BETi down-regulate a large set of NK inhibitory receptors, including several immune checkpoints (ICs), that are direct targets of the transcriptional cooperation between the BET protein BRD4 and the transcription factor SMAD3. Overall, BETi orchestrate an epigenetic reprogramming that leads to increased recognition of tumor cells and the killing ability of NK cells. Our results unveil the opportunity to exploit and repurpose these drugs in combination with immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Reggiani
- Translational Research Laboratory, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
| | - Giovanna Talarico
- Laboratory of Hematology-Oncology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Onco-Tech Lab, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS and Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Gobbi
- Translational Research Laboratory, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Sauta
- Translational Research Laboratory, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
- Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Torricelli
- Translational Research Laboratory, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Veronica Manicardi
- Translational Research Laboratory, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
- Clinical and Experimental Medicine PhD Program, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Eleonora Zanetti
- Pathology Unit, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
- Biobank, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Stefania Orecchioni
- Laboratory of Hematology-Oncology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Onco-Tech Lab, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS and Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Falvo
- Laboratory of Hematology-Oncology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Onco-Tech Lab, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS and Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Simonetta Piana
- Pathology Unit, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
- Biobank, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Filippo Lococo
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Paci
- Thoracic Surgery Unit, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Francesco Bertolini
- Laboratory of Hematology-Oncology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Onco-Tech Lab, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS and Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessia Ciarrocchi
- Translational Research Laboratory, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Valentina Sancisi
- Translational Research Laboratory, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
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Barman S, Sahoo SS, Padhan J, Sudhamalla B. Identification of novel natural product inhibitors of BRD4 using high throughput virtual screening and MD simulation. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:10569-10581. [PMID: 36524430 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2155346] [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: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Bromodomains are evolutionarily conserved structural motifs that recognize acetylated lysine residues on histone tails. They play a crucial role in shaping chromatin architecture and regulating gene expression in various biological processes. Mutations in bromodomains containing proteins lead to multiple human diseases, which makes them attractive target for therapeutic intervention. Extensive studies have been done on BRD4 as a target for several cancers, such as Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Burkitt Lymphoma. Several potential inhibitors have been identified against the BRD4 bromodomain. However, most of these inhibitors have drawbacks such as non-specificity and toxicity, decreasing their appeal and necessitating the search for novel non-toxic inhibitors. This study aims to address this need by virtually screening natural compounds from the NPASS database against the Kac binding site of BRD4-BD1 using high throughput molecular docking followed by similarity clustering, pharmacokinetic screening, MD simulation and MM-PBSA binding free energy calculations. Using this approach, we identified five natural product inhibitors having a similar or better binding affinity to the BRD4 bromodomain compared to JQ1 (previously reported inhibitor of BRD4). Further systematic analysis of these inhibitors resulted in the top three hits: NPC268484 (Palodesangren-B), NPC295021 (Candidine) and NPC313112 (Buxifoliadine-D). Collectively, our in silico results identified some promising natural products that have the potential to act as potent BRD4-BD1 inhibitors and can be considered for further validation through future in vitro and in vivo studies.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumen Barman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Nadia, West Bengal, India
| | - Snehasudha Subhadarsini Sahoo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Nadia, West Bengal, India
| | - Jyotirmayee Padhan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Nadia, West Bengal, India
| | - Babu Sudhamalla
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Nadia, West Bengal, India
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Lordo MR, Stiff AR, Oakes CC, Mundy-Bosse BL. Effects of epigenetic therapy on natural killer cell function and development in hematologic malignancy. J Leukoc Biol 2023; 113:518-524. [PMID: 36860165 PMCID: PMC10443672 DOI: 10.1093/jleuko/qiad026] [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: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic therapy is an emerging field in the treatment of human cancer, including hematologic malignancies. This class of therapeutic agents approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for cancer treatment includes DNA hypomethylating agents, histone deacetylase inhibitors, IDH1/2 inhibitors, EZH2 inhibitors, and numerous preclinical targets/agents. Most studies measuring the biological effects of epigenetic therapy focus their attention on either their direct cytotoxic effects on malignant cells or their effects on modifying tumor cell antigen expression, exposing them to immune surveillance mechanisms. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that epigenetic therapy also has effects on the development and function of the immune system, including natural killer cells, which can alter their response to cancer cells. In this review, we summarize the body of literature studying the effects of different classes of epigenetic therapy on the development and/or function of natural killer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R. Lordo
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, 460 W. 10th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, 370 W. 9th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Andrew R. Stiff
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, 460 W. 10th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Physician Scientist Training Program, The Ohio State University, 370 W. 9th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 460 W. 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Christopher C. Oakes
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, 460 W. 10th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 460 W. 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Bethany L. Mundy-Bosse
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, 460 W. 10th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 460 W. 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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Kravchuk EV, Ashniev GA, Gladkova MG, Orlov AV, Vasileva AV, Boldyreva AV, Burenin AG, Skirda AM, Nikitin PI, Orlova NN. Experimental Validation and Prediction of Super-Enhancers: Advances and Challenges. Cells 2023; 12:cells12081191. [PMID: 37190100 DOI: 10.3390/cells12081191] [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: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Super-enhancers (SEs) are cis-regulatory elements of the human genome that have been widely discussed since the discovery and origin of the term. Super-enhancers have been shown to be strongly associated with the expression of genes crucial for cell differentiation, cell stability maintenance, and tumorigenesis. Our goal was to systematize research studies dedicated to the investigation of structure and functions of super-enhancers as well as to define further perspectives of the field in various applications, such as drug development and clinical use. We overviewed the fundamental studies which provided experimental data on various pathologies and their associations with particular super-enhancers. The analysis of mainstream approaches for SE search and prediction allowed us to accumulate existing data and propose directions for further algorithmic improvements of SEs' reliability levels and efficiency. Thus, here we provide the description of the most robust algorithms such as ROSE, imPROSE, and DEEPSEN and suggest their further use for various research and development tasks. The most promising research direction, which is based on topic and number of published studies, are cancer-associated super-enhancers and prospective SE-targeted therapy strategies, most of which are discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina V Kravchuk
- Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 38 Vavilov St., 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye Gory, MSU, 1-12, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - German A Ashniev
- Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 38 Vavilov St., 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye Gory, MSU, 1-12, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, GSP-1, Leninskiye Gory, MSU, 1-73, 119234 Moscow, Russia
| | - Marina G Gladkova
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, GSP-1, Leninskiye Gory, MSU, 1-73, 119234 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey V Orlov
- Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 38 Vavilov St., 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anastasiia V Vasileva
- Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 38 Vavilov St., 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna V Boldyreva
- Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 38 Vavilov St., 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexandr G Burenin
- Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 38 Vavilov St., 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Artemiy M Skirda
- Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 38 Vavilov St., 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Petr I Nikitin
- Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 38 Vavilov St., 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Natalia N Orlova
- Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 38 Vavilov St., 119991 Moscow, Russia
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Tien FM, Lu HH, Lin SY, Tsai HC. Epigenetic remodeling of the immune landscape in cancer: therapeutic hurdles and opportunities. J Biomed Sci 2023; 30:3. [PMID: 36627707 PMCID: PMC9832644 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-022-00893-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor immune microenvironment represents a sophisticated ecosystem where various immune cell subtypes communicate with cancer cells and stromal cells. The dynamic cellular composition and functional characteristics of the immune landscape along the trajectory of cancer development greatly impact the therapeutic efficacy and clinical outcome in patients receiving systemic antitumor therapy. Mounting evidence has suggested that epigenetic mechanisms are the underpinning of many aspects of antitumor immunity and facilitate immune state transitions during differentiation, activation, inhibition, or dysfunction. Thus, targeting epigenetic modifiers to remodel the immune microenvironment holds great potential as an integral part of anticancer regimens. In this review, we summarize the epigenetic profiles and key epigenetic modifiers in individual immune cell types that define the functional coordinates of tumor permissive and non-permissive immune landscapes. We discuss the immunomodulatory roles of current and prospective epigenetic therapeutic agents, which may open new opportunities in enhancing cancer immunotherapy or overcoming existing therapeutic challenges in the management of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng-Ming Tien
- grid.412094.a0000 0004 0572 7815Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, 100225 Taiwan ,grid.19188.390000 0004 0546 0241Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100233 Taiwan
| | - Hsuan-Hsuan Lu
- grid.412094.a0000 0004 0572 7815Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, 100225 Taiwan ,grid.412094.a0000 0004 0572 7815Center for Frontier Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, 100225 Taiwan
| | - Shu-Yung Lin
- grid.412094.a0000 0004 0572 7815Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, 100225 Taiwan ,grid.19188.390000 0004 0546 0241Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100233 Taiwan
| | - Hsing-Chen Tsai
- grid.412094.a0000 0004 0572 7815Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, 100225 Taiwan ,grid.19188.390000 0004 0546 0241Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100233 Taiwan ,grid.412094.a0000 0004 0572 7815Center for Frontier Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, 100225 Taiwan ,grid.19188.390000 0004 0546 0241Graduate Institute of Toxicology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1 Jen Ai Road Section 1, Rm542, Taipei, 100233 Taiwan ,grid.412094.a0000 0004 0572 7815Department of Medical Research, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, 100225 Taiwan
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Ma Z, Bolinger AA, Zhou J, Tian B. Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4): a key player in inflammatory bowel disease and potential to inspire epigenetic therapeutics. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2023; 27:1-7. [PMID: 36710583 PMCID: PMC11092387 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2023.2175317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are debilitating chronic inflammatory disorders with increasing prevalence worldwide. Epigenetic regulator bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) is critical in controlling gene expression of IBD-associated inflammatory cytokine networks. BRD4 as a promising therapeutic target is also tightly associated with many other diseases, such as airway inflammation and fibrosis, cancers, infectious diseases and central nervous system disorders. AREAS COVERED This review briefly summarized the critical role of BRD4 in the pathogenesis of IBDs and the current clinical landscape of developing bromodomain and extra terminal domain (BET) inhibitors. The challenges and opportunities as well as future directions of targeting BRD4 inhibition for potential IBD medications were also discussed. EXPERT OPINION Targeting BRD4 with potent and specific inhibitors may offer novel effective therapeutics for IBD patients, particularly those who are refractory to anti-TNFα therapy and IBD-related profibrotic. Developing highly specific BRD4 inhibitors for IBD medications may help erase the drawbacks of most current pan-BET/BRD4 inhibitors, such as off-target effects, poor oral bioavailability, and low gut mucosal absorbance. Novel strategies such as combinatorial therapy, BRD4-based dual inhibitors and proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) may also have great potential to mitigate side effects and overcome drug resistance during IBD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zonghui Ma
- Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Andrew A. Bolinger
- Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Jia Zhou
- Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Bing Tian
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
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Wild SA, Cannell IG, Nicholls A, Kania K, Bressan D, Hannon GJ, Sawicka K. Clonal transcriptomics identifies mechanisms of chemoresistance and empowers rational design of combination therapies. eLife 2022; 11:e80981. [PMID: 36525288 PMCID: PMC9757829 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumour heterogeneity is thought to be a major barrier to successful cancer treatment due to the presence of drug resistant clonal lineages. However, identifying the characteristics of such lineages that underpin resistance to therapy has remained challenging. Here, we utilise clonal transcriptomics with WILD-seq; Wholistic Interrogation of Lineage Dynamics by sequencing, in mouse models of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) to understand response and resistance to therapy, including BET bromodomain inhibition and taxane-based chemotherapy. These analyses revealed oxidative stress protection by NRF2 as a major mechanism of taxane resistance and led to the discovery that our tumour models are collaterally sensitive to asparagine deprivation therapy using the clinical stage drug L-asparaginase after frontline treatment with docetaxel. In summary, clonal transcriptomics with WILD-seq identifies mechanisms of resistance to chemotherapy that are also operative in patients and pin points asparagine bioavailability as a druggable vulnerability of taxane-resistant lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia A Wild
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson WayCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Ian G Cannell
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson WayCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Ashley Nicholls
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson WayCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Katarzyna Kania
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson WayCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Dario Bressan
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson WayCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Gregory J Hannon
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson WayCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Kirsty Sawicka
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson WayCambridgeUnited Kingdom
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Wang P, Zhang Z, Lin R, Lin J, Liu J, Zhou X, Jiang L, Wang Y, Deng X, Lai H, Xiao H. Machine learning links different gene patterns of viral infection to immunosuppression and immune-related biomarkers in severe burns. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1054407. [PMID: 36518755 PMCID: PMC9742460 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1054407] [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: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Viral infection, typically disregarded, has a significant role in burns. However, there is still a lack of biomarkers and immunotherapy targets related to viral infections in burns. Methods Virus-related genes (VRGs) that were extracted from Gene Oncology (GO) database were included as hallmarks. Through unsupervised consensus clustering, we divided patients into two VRGs molecular patterns (VRGMPs). Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to study the relationship between burns and VRGs. Random forest (RF), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, and logistic regression were used to select key genes, which were utilized to construct prognostic signatures by multivariate logistic regression. The risk score of the nomogram defined high- and low-risk groups. We compared immune cells, immune checkpoint-related genes, and prognosis between the two groups. Finally, we used network analysis and molecular docking to predict drugs targeting CD69 and SATB1. Expression of CD69 and SATB1 was validated by qPCR and microarray with the blood sample from the burn patient. Results We established two VRGMPs, which differed in monocytes, neutrophils, dendritic cells, and T cells. In WGCNA, genes were divided into 14 modules, and the black module was correlated with VRGMPs. A total of 65 genes were selected by WGCNA, STRING, and differential expression analysis. The results of GO enrichment analysis were enriched in Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation, B cell receptor signaling pathway, alpha-beta T cell activation, and alpha-beta T cell differentiation. Then the 2-gene signature was constructed by RF, LASSO, and LOGISTIC regression. The signature was an independent prognostic factor and performed well in ROC, calibration, and decision curves. Further, the expression of immune cells and checkpoint genes differed between high- and low-risk groups. CD69 and SATB1 were differentially expressed in burns. Discussion This is the first VRG-based signature (including 2 key genes validated by qPCR) for predicting survival, and it could provide vital guidance to achieve optimized immunotherapy for immunosuppression in burns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Wang
- Department of Burns and Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Xi’an Ninth Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Zexin Zhang
- Department of Burns and Plastic and Wound Repair Surgery, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Rongjie Lin
- Department of Orthopedics, 900th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jiali Lin
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiaming Liu
- Department of Burns and Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Xi’an Ninth Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Xiaoqian Zhou
- Department of Burns and Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Xi’an Ninth Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Liyuan Jiang
- Department of Burns and Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Xi’an Ninth Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Burns and Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Xi’an Ninth Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Xudong Deng
- Department of Burns and Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Xi’an Ninth Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Haijing Lai
- Department of Burns and Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Xi’an Ninth Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Hou’an Xiao
- Department of Burns and Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Xi’an Ninth Hospital, Xi’an, China,*Correspondence: Hou’an Xiao,
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Anichini A, Molla A, Nicolini G, Perotti VE, Sgambelluri F, Covre A, Fazio C, Lofiego MF, Di Giacomo AM, Coral S, Manca A, Sini MC, Pisano M, Noviello T, Caruso F, Brich S, Pruneri G, Maurichi A, Santinami M, Ceccarelli M, Palmieri G, Maio M, Mortarini R. Landscape of immune-related signatures induced by targeting of different epigenetic regulators in melanoma: implications for immunotherapy. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:325. [PMID: 36397155 PMCID: PMC9670381 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02529-5] [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: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Improvement of efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) remains a major clinical goal. Association of ICB with immunomodulatory epigenetic drugs is an option. However, epigenetic inhibitors show a heterogeneous landscape of activities. Analysis of transcriptional programs induced in neoplastic cells by distinct classes of epigenetic drugs may foster identification of the most promising agents. Methods Melanoma cell lines, characterized for mutational and differentiation profile, were treated with inhibitors of DNA methyltransferases (guadecitabine), histone deacetylases (givinostat), BET proteins (JQ1 and OTX-015), and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (GSK126). Modulatory effects of epigenetic drugs were evaluated at the gene and protein levels. Master molecules explaining changes in gene expression were identified by Upstream Regulator (UR) analysis. Gene set enrichment and IPA were used respectively to test modulation of guadecitabine-specific gene and UR signatures in baseline and on-treatment tumor biopsies from melanoma patients in the Phase Ib NIBIT-M4 Guadecitabine + Ipilimumab Trial. Prognostic significance of drug-specific immune-related genes was tested with Timer 2.0 in TCGA tumor datasets. Results Epigenetic drugs induced different profiles of gene expression in melanoma cell lines. Immune-related genes were frequently upregulated by guadecitabine, irrespective of the mutational and differentiation profiles of the melanoma cell lines, to a lesser extent by givinostat, but mostly downregulated by JQ1 and OTX-015. GSK126 was the least active drug. Quantitative western blot analysis confirmed drug-specific modulatory profiles. Most of the guadecitabine-specific signature genes were upregulated in on-treatment NIBIT-M4 tumor biopsies, but not in on-treatment lesions of patients treated only with ipilimumab. A guadecitabine-specific UR signature, containing activated molecules of the TLR, NF-kB, and IFN innate immunity pathways, was induced in drug-treated melanoma, mesothelioma and hepatocarcinoma cell lines and in a human melanoma xenograft model. Activation of guadecitabine-specific UR signature molecules in on-treatment tumor biopsies discriminated responding from non-responding NIBIT-M4 patients. Sixty-five % of the immune-related genes upregulated by guadecitabine were prognostically significant and conferred a reduced risk in the TCGA cutaneous melanoma dataset. Conclusions The DNMT inhibitor guadecitabine emerged as the most promising immunomodulatory agent among those tested, supporting the rationale for usage of this class of epigenetic drugs in combinatorial immunotherapy approaches. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-022-02529-5.
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Sah VR, Karlsson J, Jespersen H, Lindberg MF, Nilsson LM, Ny L, Nilsson JA. Epigenetic therapy to enhance therapeutic effects of PD-1 inhibition in therapy-resistant melanoma. Melanoma Res 2022; 32:241-248. [PMID: 34753889 PMCID: PMC9245557 DOI: 10.1097/cmr.0000000000000791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Targeted therapy and immunotherapy have revolutionized the treatment of metastatic skin melanoma but around half of all patients develop resistance early or late during treatment. The situation is even worse for patients with metastatic uveal melanoma (UM). Here we hypothesized that the immunotherapy of therapy-resistant skin melanoma or UM can be enhanced by epigenetic inhibitors. Cultured B16F10 cells and human UM cells were treated with the histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) entinostat or BETi JQ1. Entinostat-induced HLA expression and PD-L1, but JQ1 did not. A syngeneic mouse model carrying B16-F10 melanoma cells was treated with PD-1 and CTLA4 inhibitors, which was curative. Co-treatment with the bioavailable BETi iBET726 impaired the immunotherapy effect. Monotherapy of a B16-F10 mouse model with anti-PD-1 resulted in a moderate therapeutic effect that could be enhanced by entinostat. Mice carrying PD-L1 knockout B16-F10 cells were also sensitive to entinostat. This suggests HDAC inhibition and immunotherapy could work in concert. Indeed, co-cultures of UM with HLA-matched melanoma-specific tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) resulted in higher TIL-mediated melanoma killing when entinostat was added. Further exploration of combined immunotherapy and epigenetic therapy in metastatic melanoma resistant to PD-1 inhibition is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasu R. Sah
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Joakim Karlsson
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Henrik Jespersen
- Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Oncology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway
| | - Mattias F. Lindberg
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Lisa M. Nilsson
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Lars Ny
- Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jonas A. Nilsson
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
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11
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Swati, Rishi P, Chadha VD. Understanding the Epigenetic Mechanisms in SARS CoV-2 Infection and Potential Therapeutic Approaches. Virus Res 2022; 318:198853. [PMID: 35777502 PMCID: PMC9236910 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2022.198853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic caused by the Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS- CoV-2) has inflicted a global health challenge. Although the overwhelming escalation of mortality seen during the initial phase of the pandemic has reduced, emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 continue to impact communities worldwide. Several studies have highlighted the association of gene specific epigenetic modifications in host cells with the pathogenesis and severity of the disease. Therefore, alongside the investigations into the virology and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, understanding the epigenetic mechanisms related to the disease is crucial for the rational design of effective targeted therapies. Here, we discuss the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 with the various epigenetic regulators and their subsequent contribution to the risk of disease severity and dysfunctional immune responses. Finally, we also highlight the use of epigenetically targeted drugs for the potential therapeutic interventions capable of eliminating viral infection and/or build effective immunity against it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swati
- Center for Nuclear Medicine (U.I.E.A.S.T), South Campus, Panjab University, Sector 25, Chandigarh, India-160014.
| | - Praveen Rishi
- Department of Microbiology, South Campus, Panjab University, Sector 25, Chandigarh, India-160014.
| | - Vijayta D Chadha
- Center for Nuclear Medicine (U.I.E.A.S.T), South Campus, Panjab University, Sector 25, Chandigarh, India-160014.
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12
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Hoffner O’Connor M, Berglind A, Kennedy Ng MM, Keith BP, Lynch ZJ, Schaner MR, Steinbach EC, Herzog J, Trad OK, Jeck WR, Arthur JC, Simon JM, Sartor RB, Furey TS, Sheikh SZ. BET Protein Inhibition Regulates Macrophage Chromatin Accessibility and Microbiota-Dependent Colitis. Front Immunol 2022; 13:856966. [PMID: 35401533 PMCID: PMC8988134 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.856966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction In colitis, macrophage functionality is altered compared to normal homeostatic conditions. Loss of IL-10 signaling results in an inappropriate chronic inflammatory response to bacterial stimulation. It remains unknown if inhibition of bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) proteins alters usage of DNA regulatory elements responsible for driving inflammatory gene expression. We determined if the BET inhibitor, (+)-JQ1, could suppress inflammatory activation of macrophages in Il10-/- mice. Methods We performed ATAC-seq and RNA-seq on Il10-/- bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) cultured in the presence and absence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with and without treatment with (+)-JQ1 and evaluated changes in chromatin accessibility and gene expression. Germ-free Il10-/- mice were treated with (+)-JQ1, colonized with fecal slurries and underwent histological and molecular evaluation 14-days post colonization. Results Treatment with (+)-JQ1 suppressed LPS-induced changes in chromatin at distal regulatory elements associated with inflammatory genes, particularly in regions that contain motifs for AP-1 and IRF transcription factors. This resulted in attenuation of inflammatory gene expression. Treatment with (+)-JQ1 in vivo resulted in a mild reduction in colitis severity as compared with vehicle-treated mice. Conclusion We identified the mechanism of action associated with a new class of compounds that may mitigate aberrant macrophage responses to bacteria in colitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Hoffner O’Connor
- Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Genetics, Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Ana Berglind
- Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Genetics, Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Meaghan M. Kennedy Ng
- Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Genetics, Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Benjamin P. Keith
- Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Genetics, Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Zachary J. Lynch
- Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Matthew R. Schaner
- Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Erin C. Steinbach
- Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Jeremy Herzog
- Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Omar K. Trad
- Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - William R. Jeck
- Department of Pathology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Janelle C. Arthur
- Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Jeremy M. Simon
- Department of Genetics, Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Carolina Institute for Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - R. Balfour Sartor
- Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Terrence S. Furey
- Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Genetics, Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Shehzad Z. Sheikh
- Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Genetics, Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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13
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Habash NW, Sehrawat TS, Shah VH, Cao S. Epigenetics of alcohol-related liver diseases. JHEP REPORTS : INNOVATION IN HEPATOLOGY 2022; 4:100466. [PMID: 35462859 PMCID: PMC9018389 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2022.100466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD) is a primary cause of chronic liver disease in the United States. Despite advances in the diagnosis and management of ARLD, it remains a major public health problem associated with significant morbidity and mortality, emphasising the need to adopt novel approaches to the study of ARLD and its complications. Epigenetic changes are increasingly being recognised as contributing to the pathogenesis of multiple disease states. Harnessing the power of innovative technologies for the study of epigenetics (e.g., next-generation sequencing, DNA methylation assays, histone modification profiling and computational techniques like machine learning) has resulted in a seismic shift in our understanding of the pathophysiology of ARLD. Knowledge of these techniques and advances is of paramount importance for the practicing hepatologist and researchers alike. Accordingly, in this review article we will summarise the current knowledge about alcohol-induced epigenetic alterations in the context of ARLD, including but not limited to, DNA hyper/hypo methylation, histone modifications, changes in non-coding RNA, 3D chromatin architecture and enhancer-promoter interactions. Additionally, we will discuss the state-of-the-art techniques used in the study of ARLD (e.g. single-cell sequencing). We will also highlight the epigenetic regulation of chemokines and their proinflammatory role in the context of ARLD. Lastly, we will examine the clinical applications of epigenetics in the diagnosis and management of ARLD.
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Key Words
- 3C, chromosome conformation capture
- 4C, chromosome conformation capture-on-chip
- AH, alcohol-related hepatitis
- ARLD, alcohol-related liver disease
- ASH, alcohol-related steatohepatitis
- ATAC, assay for transposase-accessible chromatin
- Acetylation
- Alcohol liver disease
- BET, bromodomain and extraterminal motif
- BETi, BET inhibitor
- BRD, bromodomain
- CCL2, C-C motif chemokine ligand 2
- CTCF, CCCTC-binding factor
- CXCL, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand
- Chromatin architecture
- Computational biology
- DNA methylation
- DNMT, DNA methyltransferase
- E-P, enhancer-promoter
- Epidrugs
- Epigenetics
- FKBP5, FK506-binding protein 5
- HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma
- HDAC, histone deacetylase
- HIF1α, hypoxia inducible factor-1α
- HMGB1, high-mobility group box protein 1
- HNF4α, hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α
- HSC, hepatic stellate cell
- Hi-C, chromosome capture followed by high-throughput sequencing
- Histones
- IL, interleukin
- LPS, lipopolysaccharide
- MALAT1, metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1
- MECP2, methyl-CpG binding protein 2
- NAFLD, non-alcohol-related fatty liver disease
- PPARG, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ
- SAA, salvianolic acid A
- SIRT, sirtuin
- SREBPs, sterol regulatory element-binding proteins
- Single cell epigenome
- TAD, topologically associating domain
- TEAD, TEA domain transcription factor
- TLR, Toll-like receptor
- TNF, tumour necrosis factor
- YAP, Yes-associated protein
- lncRNA, long non-coding RNA
- miRNA, microRNA
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Vijay H. Shah
- Corresponding authors. Address: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. Tel. 507-255-6028, fax: 507-255-6318.
| | - Sheng Cao
- Corresponding authors. Address: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. Tel. 507-255-6028, fax: 507-255-6318.
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14
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Liu CS, Rioja I, Bakr A, Veldwijk MR, Sperk E, Herskind C, Weichenhan D, Prinjha RK, Plass C, Schmezer P, Popanda O. Selective inhibitors of bromodomain BD1 and BD2 of BET proteins modulate radiation-induced pro-fibrotic fibroblast responses. Int J Cancer 2022; 151:275-286. [PMID: 35239184 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.33989] [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: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Radiotherapy can induce various adverse effects including fibrosis in cancer patients. Radiation-induced aberrant expression of pro-fibrotic genes has been associated with dysregulated epigenetic mechanisms. Pan-BET (bromodomain and extra-terminal domain) inhibitors, such as JQ1 and I-BET151, have been reported to attenuate the pro-fibrotic response after irradiation. Despite their profound pre-clinical efficacy, the clinical utility of pan-inhibitors is limited due to observed cyto-toxicicities. Recently, inhibitors were developed that selectively target the first (BD1) and second (BD2) bromodomain of the BET proteins (iBET-BD1 (GSK778) and iBET-BD2 (GSK046)). Here, their potential to attenuate radiation-induced fibroblast activation with low-toxicity was investigated. Our results indicated that cell proliferation and cell cycle progression in fibroblasts from BJ cells and six donors were reduced when treated with I-BET151 and iBET-BD1, but not with iBET-BD2. After irradiation, induction of DGKA and pro-fibrotic markers, especially COL1A1 and ACTA2, was attenuated with all BET inhibitors. H3K27ac enrichment was similar at the DGKA enhancer region after I-BET151 treatment and irradiation, but was reduced at the COL1A1 transcription start site and the ACTA2 enhancer site. iBET-BD2 did not change H3K27ac levels in these regions. BRD4 occupancy at these regions was not altered by any of the compounds. Cell migration activity was measured as a characteristic independent of extracellular matrix production and was un-changed in fibroblasts after irradiation and BET inhibitor-treatment. In conclusion, iBET-BD2 efficiently suppressed radiation-induced expression of DGKA and pro-fibrotic markers without showing cyto-toxicity. Thus BD2-selective targeting is a promising new therapeutic avenue for further investigations to prevent or attenuate radiotherapy-induced fibrosis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Shan Liu
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Experimental Hepatology, Inflammation and Cancer Research Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Inmaculada Rioja
- Immuno-Epigenetics, Immunology Research Unit, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, UK
| | - Ali Bakr
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marlon R Veldwijk
- Cellular and Molecular Radiation Oncology Lab, Department of Radiation Oncology, Universitätsmedizin Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Elena Sperk
- Cellular and Molecular Radiation Oncology Lab, Department of Radiation Oncology, Universitätsmedizin Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Carsten Herskind
- Cellular and Molecular Radiation Oncology Lab, Department of Radiation Oncology, Universitätsmedizin Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Dieter Weichenhan
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rab K Prinjha
- Immuno-Epigenetics, Immunology Research Unit, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, UK
| | - Christoph Plass
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Peter Schmezer
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Odilia Popanda
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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15
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Schnoeder TM, Schwarzer A, Jayavelu AK, Hsu CJ, Kirkpatrick J, Döhner K, Perner F, Eifert T, Huber N, Arreba-Tutusaus P, Dolnik A, Assi SA, Nafria M, Jiang L, Dai YT, Chen Z, Chen SJ, Kellaway SG, Ptasinska A, Ng ES, Stanley EG, Elefanty AG, Buschbeck M, Bierhoff H, Brodt S, Matziolis G, Fischer KD, Hochhaus A, Chen CW, Heidenreich O, Mann M, Lane SW, Bullinger L, Ori A, von Eyss B, Bonifer C, Heidel FH. PLCG1 is required for AML1-ETO leukemia stem cell self-renewal. Blood 2022; 139:1080-1097. [PMID: 34695195 PMCID: PMC8854675 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2021012778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In an effort to identify novel drugs targeting fusion-oncogene-induced acute myeloid leukemia (AML), we performed high-resolution proteomic analysis. In AML1-ETO (AE)-driven AML, we uncovered a deregulation of phospholipase C (PLC) signaling. We identified PLCgamma 1 (PLCG1) as a specific target of the AE fusion protein that is induced after AE binding to intergenic regulatory DNA elements. Genetic inactivation of PLCG1 in murine and human AML inhibited AML1-ETO dependent self-renewal programs, leukemic proliferation, and leukemia maintenance in vivo. In contrast, PLCG1 was dispensable for normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell function. These findings are extended to and confirmed by pharmacologic perturbation of Ca++-signaling in AML1-ETO AML cells, indicating that the PLCG1 pathway poses an important therapeutic target for AML1-ETO+ leukemic stem cells.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Cell Self Renewal
- Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit/genetics
- Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit/metabolism
- Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic
- Hematopoietic Stem Cells/metabolism
- Hematopoietic Stem Cells/pathology
- Humans
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/genetics
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/metabolism
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/pathology
- Mice
- Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism
- Neoplastic Stem Cells/pathology
- Oncogene Proteins, Fusion/genetics
- Oncogene Proteins, Fusion/metabolism
- Phospholipase C gamma/genetics
- Phospholipase C gamma/metabolism
- Proteome
- RUNX1 Translocation Partner 1 Protein/genetics
- RUNX1 Translocation Partner 1 Protein/metabolism
- Transcriptome
- Translocation, Genetic
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina M Schnoeder
- Innere Medizin C, Hämatologie, Onkologie, Stammzelltransplantation und Palliativmedizin, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Adrian Schwarzer
- Department of Hematology, Hemostaseology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, and
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Chen-Jen Hsu
- Innere Medizin C, Hämatologie, Onkologie, Stammzelltransplantation und Palliativmedizin, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Joanna Kirkpatrick
- Leibniz Institute on Aging, Fritz-Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
| | - Konstanze Döhner
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Florian Perner
- Innere Medizin C, Hämatologie, Onkologie, Stammzelltransplantation und Palliativmedizin, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard University, Boston, MA
| | - Theresa Eifert
- Innere Medizin C, Hämatologie, Onkologie, Stammzelltransplantation und Palliativmedizin, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Nicolas Huber
- Innere Medizin C, Hämatologie, Onkologie, Stammzelltransplantation und Palliativmedizin, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Patricia Arreba-Tutusaus
- Department of Oncology, Hematology, Immunology, and Rheumatology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Anna Dolnik
- Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Salam A Assi
- Institute for Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Monica Nafria
- Institute for Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Lu Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Institute of Hematology, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu-Ting Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Institute of Hematology, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Institute of Hematology, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Sai-Juan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Institute of Hematology, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Sophie G Kellaway
- Institute for Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Anetta Ptasinska
- Institute for Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth S Ng
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Edouard G Stanley
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Andrew G Elefanty
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Holger Bierhoff
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Center for Molecular Biomedicine, Friedrich-Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Steffen Brodt
- University Hospital Jena, Orthopaedic Department at Campus Eisenberg, Eisenberg, Germany
| | - Georg Matziolis
- University Hospital Jena, Orthopaedic Department at Campus Eisenberg, Eisenberg, Germany
| | - Klaus-Dieter Fischer
- Institute for Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Hochhaus
- Innere Medizin 2, Hämatologie und Onkologie, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Germany
| | - Chun-Wei Chen
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA
| | - Olaf Heidenreich
- Northern Institute for Cancer Research, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
- Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands; and
| | - Matthias Mann
- Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry, Munich, Germany
| | - Steven W Lane
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Lars Bullinger
- Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alessandro Ori
- Leibniz Institute on Aging, Fritz-Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
| | - Björn von Eyss
- Leibniz Institute on Aging, Fritz-Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
| | - Constanze Bonifer
- Institute for Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Florian H Heidel
- Innere Medizin C, Hämatologie, Onkologie, Stammzelltransplantation und Palliativmedizin, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
- Leibniz Institute on Aging, Fritz-Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
- Innere Medizin 2, Hämatologie und Onkologie, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Germany
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16
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Sanchez-Burgos L, Gómez-López G, Al-Shahrour F, Fernandez-Capetillo O. An in silico analysis identifies drugs potentially modulating the cytokine storm triggered by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1626. [PMID: 35102208 PMCID: PMC8803893 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05597-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is one of the biggest health challenges of recent decades. Among the causes of mortality triggered by SARS-CoV-2 infection, the development of an inflammatory "cytokine storm" (CS) plays a determinant role. Here, we used transcriptomic data from the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of COVID-19 patients undergoing a CS to obtain gene-signatures associated to this pathology. Using these signatures, we interrogated the Connectivity Map (CMap) dataset that contains the effects of over 5000 small molecules on the transcriptome of human cell lines, and looked for molecules which effects on transcription mimic or oppose those of the CS. As expected, molecules that potentiate immune responses such as PKC activators are predicted to worsen the CS. In addition, we identified the negative regulation of female hormones among pathways potentially aggravating the CS, which helps to understand the gender-related differences in COVID-19 mortality. Regarding drugs potentially counteracting the CS, we identified glucocorticoids as a top hit, which validates our approach as this is the primary treatment for this pathology. Interestingly, our analysis also reveals a potential effect of MEK inhibitors in reverting the COVID-19 CS, which is supported by in vitro data that confirms the anti-inflammatory properties of these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Sanchez-Burgos
- Genomic Instability Group, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gonzalo Gómez-López
- Bioinformatics Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fátima Al-Shahrour
- Bioinformatics Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Oscar Fernandez-Capetillo
- Genomic Instability Group, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, 28029, Madrid, Spain.
- Science for Life Laboratory, Division of Genome Biology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, 171 21, Stockholm, Sweden.
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17
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Fourniols T, Maggio V, Rafael D, Colaco A, García Vidal E, Lopes A, Schwartz S, Martínez-Barriocanal Á, Preat V, Arango D. Colorectal cancer inhibition by BET inhibitor JQ1 is MYC-independent and not improved by nanoencapsulation. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2022; 171:39-49. [PMID: 34998911 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2021.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Bromodomain and extraterminal domain protein inhibitors (BETi) for cancer treatment did not convince during their first clinical trials. Their epigenetic mechanism of action is still not well understood, even if MYC is generally considered as its main downstream target. In this context, we intended to assess two new nanoformulations of the BETi JQ1 for the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). JQ1 was encapsulated at 10 mg/mL in lipid nanocapsules (LNC) or polymeric micelles (PM), both compatible for an intravenous administration. Their effect was compared with free JQ1 on several CRC cell lines in vitro and with daily intraperitoneal cyclodextrin (CD)-loaded JQ1 on the CT26 CRC tumor model in vivo. We showed that LNC preferentially accumulated in tumor, liver, and lymph nodes. LNC-JQ1 and CD-JQ1 similarly delayed tumor growth and increased median survival from 15 to 23 or 20.5 days. JQ1 altered MYC in only two among four CRC cell lines. This MYC-independence found in CT26 was confirmed in vivo by PCR and immunohistochemistry. The main explanation of the JQ1 anticancer effect was an increase in apoptosis. The investigation of its impact on the tumor microenvironment did not show significant effects. Finally, JQ1 association with irinotecan did not synergize in vivo with JQ1 nanoformulations. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the JQ1 anticancer effect was not improved by nanoencapsulation even if their tumor delivery was probably higher. MYC inhibition was not associated to JQ1 efficacy in the case of the CT26 CRC murine model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibaut Fourniols
- University of Louvain, Louvain drug research Institute, Advanced drug delivery and Biomaterials, Avenue Mounier 73 B1.73.12, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Valentina Maggio
- Group of Biomedical Research in Digestive Tract Tumors, CIBBIM-Nanomedicine, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Passeig Vall d'Hebron, 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Diana Rafael
- Drug Delivery and Targeting Group, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Research Centre for Nanomedicine (CIBBIM-Nanomedicine), Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Networking Research Centre for Bioengineering, Biomaterials, and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ariana Colaco
- UCLouvain, LDRI (as T Fourniols, V.Preat) Centro hospitalar universitario lisboa norte, hospital de Santa Maria
| | - Elia García Vidal
- Group of Biomedical Research in Digestive Tract Tumors, CIBBIM-Nanomedicine, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Passeig Vall d'Hebron, 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alessandra Lopes
- University of Louvain, Louvain drug research Institute, Advanced drug delivery and Biomaterials, Avenue Mounier 73 B1.73.12, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Simo Schwartz
- Drug Delivery and Targeting Group, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Research Centre for Nanomedicine (CIBBIM-Nanomedicine), Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Networking Research Centre for Bioengineering, Biomaterials, and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Águeda Martínez-Barriocanal
- Group of Biomedical Research in Digestive Tract Tumors, CIBBIM-Nanomedicine, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Passeig Vall d'Hebron, 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; UCLouvain, LDRI (as T Fourniols, V.Preat) Centro hospitalar universitario lisboa norte, hospital de Santa Maria
| | - Veronique Preat
- University of Louvain, Louvain drug research Institute, Advanced drug delivery and Biomaterials, Avenue Mounier 73 B1.73.12, 1200 Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Diego Arango
- Group of Biomedical Research in Digestive Tract Tumors, CIBBIM-Nanomedicine, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Passeig Vall d'Hebron, 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; UCLouvain, LDRI (as T Fourniols, V.Preat) Centro hospitalar universitario lisboa norte, hospital de Santa Maria.
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18
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Li Y, Chen J, Bolinger AA, Chen H, Liu Z, Cong Y, Brasier AR, Pinchuk IV, Tian B, Zhou J. Target-Based Small Molecule Drug Discovery Towards Novel Therapeutics for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2021; 27:S38-S62. [PMID: 34791293 DOI: 10.1093/ibd/izab190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), is a class of severe and chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract with recurrent symptoms and significant morbidity. Long-term persistence of chronic inflammation in IBD is a major contributing factor to neoplastic transformation and the development of colitis-associated colorectal cancer. Conversely, persistence of transmural inflammation in CD is associated with formation of fibrosing strictures, resulting in substantial morbidity. The recent introduction of biological response modifiers as IBD therapies, such as antibodies neutralizing tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, have replaced nonselective anti-inflammatory corticosteroids in disease management. However, a large proportion (~40%) of patients with the treatment of anti-TNF-α antibodies are discontinued or withdrawn from therapy because of (1) primary nonresponse, (2) secondary loss of response, (3) opportunistic infection, or (4) onset of cancer. Therefore, the development of novel and effective therapeutics targeting specific signaling pathways in the pathogenesis of IBD is urgently needed. In this comprehensive review, we summarize the recent advances in drug discovery of new small molecules in preclinical or clinical development for treating IBD that target biologically relevant pathways in mucosal inflammation. These include intracellular enzymes (Janus kinases, receptor interacting protein, phosphodiesterase 4, IκB kinase), integrins, G protein-coupled receptors (S1P, CCR9, CXCR4, CB2) and inflammasome mediators (NLRP3), etc. We will also discuss emerging evidence of a distinct mechanism of action, bromodomain-containing protein 4, an epigenetic regulator of pathways involved in the activation, communication, and trafficking of immune cells. We highlight their chemotypes, mode of actions, structure-activity relationships, characterizations, and their in vitro/in vivo activities and therapeutic potential. The perspectives on the relevant challenges, new opportunities, and future directions in this field are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Jianping Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Andrew A Bolinger
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Haiying Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Zhiqing Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Yingzi Cong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Allan R Brasier
- Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR), University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Irina V Pinchuk
- Department of Medicine, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, PA, USA
| | - Bing Tian
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Jia Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
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19
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Sfera A, Osorio C, Rahman L, Zapata-Martín del Campo CM, Maldonado JC, Jafri N, Cummings MA, Maurer S, Kozlakidis Z. PTSD as an Endothelial Disease: Insights From COVID-19. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:770387. [PMID: 34776871 PMCID: PMC8586713 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.770387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 virus, the etiologic agent of COVID-19, has affected almost every aspect of human life, precipitating stress-related pathology in vulnerable individuals. As the prevalence rate of posttraumatic stress disorder in pandemic survivors exceeds that of the general and special populations, the virus may predispose to this disorder by directly interfering with the stress-processing pathways. The SARS-CoV-2 interactome has identified several antigens that may disrupt the blood-brain-barrier by inducing premature senescence in many cell types, including the cerebral endothelial cells. This enables the stress molecules, including angiotensin II, endothelin-1 and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, to aberrantly activate the amygdala, hippocampus, and medial prefrontal cortex, increasing the vulnerability to stress related disorders. This is supported by observing the beneficial effects of angiotensin receptor blockers and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors in both posttraumatic stress disorder and SARS-CoV-2 critical illness. In this narrative review, we take a closer look at the virus-host dialog and its impact on the renin-angiotensin system, mitochondrial fitness, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor. We discuss the role of furin cleaving site, the fibrinolytic system, and Sigma-1 receptor in the pathogenesis of psychological trauma. In other words, learning from the virus, clarify the molecular underpinnings of stress related disorders, and design better therapies for these conditions. In this context, we emphasize new potential treatments, including furin and bromodomains inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adonis Sfera
- Department of Psychiatry, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, United States
- Patton State Hospital, San Bernardino, CA, United States
| | - Carolina Osorio
- Department of Psychiatry, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, United States
| | - Leah Rahman
- Patton State Hospital, San Bernardino, CA, United States
| | | | - Jose Campo Maldonado
- Department of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX, United States
| | - Nyla Jafri
- Patton State Hospital, San Bernardino, CA, United States
| | | | - Steve Maurer
- Patton State Hospital, San Bernardino, CA, United States
| | - Zisis Kozlakidis
- International Agency For Research On Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France
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20
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Peng Z, Zhang Y, Ma X, Zhou M, Wu S, Song Z, Yuan Y, Chen Y, Li Y, Wang G, Huang F, Qiao Y, Xia B, Liu W, Liu J, Zhang X, He X, Pan T, Xu H, Zhang H. Brd4 Regulates the Homeostasis of CD8 + T-Lymphocytes and Their Proliferation in Response to Antigen Stimulation. Front Immunol 2021; 12:728082. [PMID: 34512660 PMCID: PMC8427756 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.728082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
CD8+ T cells are major components of adaptive immunity and confer robust protective cellular immunity, which requires adequate T-cell numbers, targeted migration, and efficient T-cell proliferation. Altered CD8+ T-cell homeostasis and impaired proliferation result in dysfunctional immune response to infection or tumorigenesis. However, intrinsic factors controlling CD8+ T-cell homeostasis and immunity remain largely elusive. Here, we demonstrate the prominent role of Brd4 on CD8+ T cell homeostasis and immune response. By upregulating Myc and GLUT1 expression, Brd4 facilitates glucose uptake and energy production in mitochondria, subsequently supporting naïve CD8+ T-cell survival. Besides, Brd4 promotes the trafficking of naïve CD8+ T cells partially through maintaining the expression of homing receptors (CD62L and LFA-1). Furthermore, Brd4 is required for CD8+ T cell response to antigen stimulation, as Brd4 deficiency leads to a severe defect in clonal expansion and terminal differentiation by decreasing glycolysis. Importantly, as JQ1, a pan-BRD inhibitor, severely dampens CD8+ T-cell immune response, its usage as an anti-tumor agent or latency-reversing agent for human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1) should be more cautious. Collectively, our study identifies a previously-unexpected role of Brd4 in the metabolic regulation of CD8+ T cell-mediated immune surveillance and also provides a potential immunomodulation target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhilin Peng
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Institute of Human Virology, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiwen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Institute of Human Virology, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiancai Ma
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Institute of Human Virology, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mo Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Institute of Human Virology, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shiyu Wu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Institute of Human Virology, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zheng Song
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Institute of Human Virology, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yaochang Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Institute of Human Virology, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingshi Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Institute of Human Virology, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuzhuang Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Institute of Human Virology, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guanwen Wang
- Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Feng Huang
- Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, China
| | - Yidan Qiao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Institute of Human Virology, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Baijing Xia
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Institute of Human Virology, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weiwei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Institute of Human Virology, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Institute of Human Virology, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Institute of Human Virology, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin He
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Institute of Human Virology, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ting Pan
- Center for Infection and Immunity Studies, School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hanshi Xu
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Institute of Human Virology, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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21
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Gene Transcription as a Therapeutic Target in Leukemia. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22147340. [PMID: 34298959 PMCID: PMC8304797 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Blood malignancies often arise from undifferentiated hematopoietic stem cells or partially differentiated stem-like cells. A tight balance of multipotency and differentiation, cell division, and quiescence underlying normal hematopoiesis requires a special program governed by the transcriptional machinery. Acquisition of drug resistance by tumor cells also involves reprogramming of their transcriptional landscape. Limiting tumor cell plasticity by disabling reprogramming of the gene transcription is a promising strategy for improvement of treatment outcomes. Herein, we review the molecular mechanisms of action of transcription-targeted drugs in hematological malignancies (largely in leukemia) with particular respect to the results of clinical trials.
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22
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Salahong T, Schwartz C, Sungthong R. Are BET Inhibitors yet Promising Latency-Reversing Agents for HIV-1 Reactivation in AIDS Therapy? Viruses 2021; 13:v13061026. [PMID: 34072421 PMCID: PMC8228869 DOI: 10.3390/v13061026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
AIDS first emerged decades ago; however, its cure, i.e., eliminating all virus sources, is still unachievable. A critical burden of AIDS therapy is the evasive nature of HIV-1 in face of host immune responses, the so-called "latency." Recently, a promising approach, the "Shock and Kill" strategy, was proposed to eliminate latently HIV-1-infected cell reservoirs. The "Shock and Kill" concept involves two crucial steps: HIV-1 reactivation from its latency stage using a latency-reversing agent (LRA) followed by host immune responses to destroy HIV-1-infected cells in combination with reinforced antiretroviral therapy to kill the progeny virus. Hence, a key challenge is to search for optimal LRAs. Looking at epigenetics of HIV-1 infection, researchers proved that some bromodomains and extra-terminal motif protein inhibitors (BETis) are able to reactivate HIV-1 from latency. However, to date, only a few BETis have shown HIV-1-reactivating functions, and none of them have yet been approved for clinical trial. In this review, we aim to demonstrate the epigenetic roles of BETis in HIV-1 infection and HIV-1-related immune responses. Possible future applications of BETis and their HIV-1-reactivating properties are summarized and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanarat Salahong
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand;
| | - Christian Schwartz
- Research Unit 7292, DHPI, IUT Louis Pasteur, University of Strasbourg, 67300 Schiltigheim, France
- Correspondence: (C.S.); (R.S.)
| | - Rungroch Sungthong
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
- Laboratory of Hydrology and Geochemistry of Strasbourg, University of Strasbourg, UMR 7517 CNRS/EOST, 67084 Strasbourg CEDEX, France
- Correspondence: (C.S.); (R.S.)
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23
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Theret M, Low M, Rempel L, Li FF, Tung LW, Contreras O, Chang CK, Wu A, Soliman H, Rossi FMV. In vitro assessment of anti-fibrotic drug activity does not predict in vivo efficacy in murine models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Life Sci 2021; 279:119482. [PMID: 33891939 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
AIM Fibrosis is the most common complication from chronic diseases, and yet no therapy capable of mitigating its effects is available. Our goal is to unveil specific signaling regulating the fibrogenic process and to identify potential small molecule candidates that block fibrogenic differentiation of fibro/adipogenic progenitors. METHOD We performed a large-scale drug screen using muscle-resident fibro/adipogenic progenitors from a mouse model expressing EGFP under the Collagen1a1 promotor. We first confirmed that the EGFP was expressed in response to TGFβ1 stimulation in vitro. Then we treated cells with TGFβ1 alone or with drugs from two libraries of known compounds. The drugs ability to block the fibrogenic differentiation was quantified by imaging and flow cytometry. From a two-rounds screening, positive hits were tested in vivo in the mice model for the Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (mdx mice). The histopathology of the muscles was assessed with picrosirius red (fibrosis) and laminin staining (myofiber size). KEY FINDINGS From the in vitro drug screening, we identified 21 drugs and tested 3 in vivo on the mdx mice. None of the three drugs significantly improved muscle histopathology. SIGNIFICANCE The in vitro drug screen identified various efficient compounds, none of them strongly inhibited fibrosis in skeletal muscle of mdx mice. To explain these observations, we hypothesize that in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, in which fibrosis is a secondary event due to chronic degeneration and inflammation, the drugs tested could have adverse effect on regeneration or inflammation, balancing off any positive effects and leading to the absence of significant results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Theret
- School of Biomedical Engineering and the Biomedical Research Centre, Department of Medical Genetics, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Marcela Low
- School of Biomedical Engineering and the Biomedical Research Centre, Department of Medical Genetics, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Lucas Rempel
- School of Biomedical Engineering and the Biomedical Research Centre, Department of Medical Genetics, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Fang Fang Li
- School of Biomedical Engineering and the Biomedical Research Centre, Department of Medical Genetics, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Lin Wei Tung
- School of Biomedical Engineering and the Biomedical Research Centre, Department of Medical Genetics, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Osvaldo Contreras
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia; Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular and Center for Aging and Regeneration (CARE-ChileUC), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 8331150 Santiago, Chile
| | - Chih-Kai Chang
- School of Biomedical Engineering and the Biomedical Research Centre, Department of Medical Genetics, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Andrew Wu
- School of Biomedical Engineering and the Biomedical Research Centre, Department of Medical Genetics, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Hesham Soliman
- School of Biomedical Engineering and the Biomedical Research Centre, Department of Medical Genetics, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Minia University, Minia, Egypt
| | - Fabio M V Rossi
- School of Biomedical Engineering and the Biomedical Research Centre, Department of Medical Genetics, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
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24
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Wang Y, Shen N, Li S, Yu H, Wang Y, Liu Z, Han L, Tang Z. Synergistic Therapy for Cervical Cancer by Codelivery of Cisplatin and JQ1 Inhibiting Plk1-Mutant Trp53 Axis. NANO LETTERS 2021; 21:2412-2421. [PMID: 33705152 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c04402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
JQ1, a specific inhibitor of bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4), could have great potential in the treatment of cervical cancer. However, its clinical application is limited by its short plasma half-life and limited antitumor efficacy. In this work, cisplatin (CDDP) was first utilized as the stabilizer and cooperator in the nanosystem (mPEG113-b-P(Glu10-co-Phe10)-CDDP/JQ1, called PGP-CDDP/JQ1) to break through the efficiency limitation of JQ1. The PGP-CDDP/JQ1 had a combination index (CI) of 0.21, exerting a strong cytotoxic synergistic effect. In vivo experiments revealed that PGP-CDDP/JQ1 had a significantly higher tumor inhibition effect (tumor inhibition rate: 85% vs 14%) and plasma stability of JQ1 (area under the curve (AUC0-∞): 335.97 vs 16.88 μg × h/mL) than free JQ1. The mechanism underling the synergism of JQ1 with CDDP in PGP-CDDP/JQ1 was uncovered to be inhibiting Plk1-mutant Trp53 axis. Thus, this study provides an optional method for improving the clinical application of JQ1 in cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinan Wang
- The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130022, PR China
| | - Na Shen
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, PR China
| | - Shuchun Li
- The Department of Pain, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130022, PR China
| | - Haiyang Yu
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, PR China
| | - Yue Wang
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, PR China
| | - Zhilin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, PR China
| | - Liying Han
- The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130022, PR China
| | - Zhaohui Tang
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, PR China
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25
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Cribbs AP, Filippakopoulos P, Philpott M, Wells G, Penn H, Oerum H, Valge-Archer V, Feldmann M, Oppermann U. Dissecting the Role of BET Bromodomain Proteins BRD2 and BRD4 in Human NK Cell Function. Front Immunol 2021; 12:626255. [PMID: 33717143 PMCID: PMC7953504 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.626255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes that play a pivotal role in the immune surveillance and elimination of transformed or virally infected cells. Using a chemo-genetic approach, we identify BET bromodomain containing proteins BRD2 and BRD4 as central regulators of NK cell functions, including direct cytokine secretion, NK cell contact-dependent inflammatory cytokine secretion from monocytes as well as NK cell cytolytic functions. We show that both BRD2 and BRD4 control inflammatory cytokine production in NK cells isolated from healthy volunteers and from rheumatoid arthritis patients. In contrast, knockdown of BRD4 but not of BRD2 impairs NK cell cytolytic responses, suggesting BRD4 as critical regulator of NK cell mediated tumor cell elimination. This is supported by pharmacological targeting where the first-generation pan-BET bromodomain inhibitor JQ1(+) displays anti-inflammatory effects and inhibit tumor cell eradication, while the novel bivalent BET bromodomain inhibitor AZD5153, which shows differential activity towards BET family members, does not. Given the important role of both cytokine-mediated inflammatory microenvironment and cytolytic NK cell activities in immune-oncology therapies, our findings present a compelling argument for further clinical investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam P Cribbs
- Botnar Research Center, Nuffield Department of Orthopedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, National Institute of Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Unit (BRU), University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Martin Philpott
- Botnar Research Center, Nuffield Department of Orthopedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, National Institute of Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Unit (BRU), University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Graham Wells
- Botnar Research Center, Nuffield Department of Orthopedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, National Institute of Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Unit (BRU), University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Henry Penn
- Arthritis Centre, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, United Kingdom
| | - Henrik Oerum
- Roche Innovation Center Copenhagen A/S, Hørsholm, Denmark
| | - Viia Valge-Archer
- Bioscience, Research and Early Development, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Marc Feldmann
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology Nuffield Department of Orthopedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Botnar Research Centre, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Udo Oppermann
- Botnar Research Center, Nuffield Department of Orthopedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, National Institute of Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Unit (BRU), University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Freiburg Institute of Advanced Studies, Freiburg, Germany.,Oxford Centre for Translational Myeloma Research, Oxford, United Kingdom
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26
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Wang N, Wu R, Tang D, Kang R. The BET family in immunity and disease. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2021; 6:23. [PMID: 33462181 PMCID: PMC7813845 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-020-00384-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Innate immunity serves as the rapid and first-line defense against invading pathogens, and this process can be regulated at various levels, including epigenetic mechanisms. The bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) family of proteins consists of four conserved mammalian members (BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and BRDT) that regulate the expression of many immunity-associated genes and pathways. In particular, in response to infection and sterile inflammation, abnormally expressed or dysfunctional BETs are involved in the activation of pattern recognition receptor (e.g., TLR, NLR, and CGAS) pathways, thereby linking chromatin machinery to innate immunity under disease or pathological conditions. Mechanistically, the BET family controls the transcription of a wide range of proinflammatory and immunoregulatory genes by recognizing acetylated histones (mainly H3 and H4) and recruiting transcription factors (e.g., RELA) and transcription elongation complex (e.g., P-TEFb) to the chromatin, thereby promoting the phosphorylation of RNA polymerase II and subsequent transcription initiation and elongation. This review covers the accumulating data about the roles of the BET family in innate immunity, and discusses the attractive prospect of manipulating the BET family as a new treatment for disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nian Wang
- Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Runliu Wu
- Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Daolin Tang
- Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
| | - Rui Kang
- Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
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27
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Abstract
New therapeutic targets are urgently needed against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Results in this study show that targeting the transcriptional regulation of host entry factors TMPRSS2 and ACE2 is a viable treatment strategy to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. In particular, inhibitors of androgen receptor (AR) or bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) proteins are effective against SARS-CoV-2 infection. AR inhibitors are already approved in the clinic for treatment of prostate cancer and are under investigation in COVID-19 patients; BET inhibitors are also in clinical development for other indications and could be rapidly repurposed for COVID-19. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for COVID-19, employs two key host proteins to gain entry and replicate within cells, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and the cell surface transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2). TMPRSS2 was first characterized as an androgen-regulated gene in the prostate. Supporting a role for sex hormones, males relative to females are disproportionately affected by COVID-19 in terms of mortality and morbidity. Several studies, including one employing a large epidemiological cohort, suggested that blocking androgen signaling is protective against COVID-19. Here, we demonstrate that androgens regulate the expression of ACE2, TMPRSS2, and androgen receptor (AR) in subsets of lung epithelial cells. AR levels are markedly elevated in males relative to females greater than 70 y of age. In males greater than 70 y old, smoking was associated with elevated levels of AR and ACE2 in lung epithelial cells. Transcriptional repression of the AR enhanceosome with AR or bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) antagonists inhibited SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro. Taken together, these studies support further investigation of transcriptional inhibition of critical host factors in the treatment or prevention of COVID-19.
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28
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Wasiak S, Dzobo KE, Rakai BD, Kaiser Y, Versloot M, Bahjat M, Stotz SC, Fu L, Sweeney M, Johansson JO, Wong NCW, Stroes ESG, Kroon J, Kulikowski E. BET protein inhibitor apabetalone (RVX-208) suppresses pro-inflammatory hyper-activation of monocytes from patients with cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Clin Epigenetics 2020; 12:166. [PMID: 33172487 PMCID: PMC7657365 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-020-00943-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (DM2) have a high residual risk for experiencing a major adverse cardiac event. Dysregulation of epigenetic mechanisms of gene transcription in innate immune cells contributes to CVD development but is currently not targeted by therapies. Apabetalone (RVX-208) is a small molecule inhibitor of bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) proteins—histone acetylation readers that drive pro-inflammatory and pro-atherosclerotic gene transcription. Here, we assess the impact of apabetalone on ex vivo inflammatory responses of monocytes from DM2 + CVD patients. Results Monocytes isolated from DM2 + CVD patients and matched controls were treated ex vivo with apabetalone, interferon γ (IFNγ), IFNγ + apabetalone or vehicle and phenotyped for gene expression and protein secretion. Unstimulated DM2 + CVD monocytes had higher baseline IL-1α, IL-1β and IL-8 cytokine gene expression and Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 surface abundance than control monocytes, indicating pro-inflammatory activation. Further, DM2 + CVD monocytes were hyper-responsive to stimulation with IFNγ, upregulating genes within cytokine and NF-κB pathways > 30% more than control monocytes (p < 0.05). Ex vivo apabetalone treatment countered cytokine secretion by DM2 + CVD monocytes at baseline (GROα and IL-8) and during IFNγ stimulation (IL-1β and TNFα). Apabetalone abolished pro-inflammatory hyper-activation by reducing TLR and cytokine gene signatures more robustly in DM2 + CVD versus control monocytes. Conclusions Monocytes isolated from DM2 + CVD patients receiving standard of care therapies are in a hyper-inflammatory state and hyperactive upon IFNγ stimulation. Apabetalone treatment diminishes this pro-inflammatory phenotype, providing mechanistic insight into how BET protein inhibition may reduce CVD risk in DM2 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylwia Wasiak
- Resverlogix Corp, 300-4820 Richard Road SW, Calgary, AB, T3E 6L1, Canada
| | - Kim E Dzobo
- Department of Experimental Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Brooke D Rakai
- Resverlogix Corp, 300-4820 Richard Road SW, Calgary, AB, T3E 6L1, Canada
| | - Yannick Kaiser
- Department of Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Miranda Versloot
- Department of Experimental Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mahnoush Bahjat
- Department of Experimental Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Stephanie C Stotz
- Resverlogix Corp, 300-4820 Richard Road SW, Calgary, AB, T3E 6L1, Canada
| | - Li Fu
- Resverlogix Corp, 300-4820 Richard Road SW, Calgary, AB, T3E 6L1, Canada
| | - Michael Sweeney
- Resverlogix Corp, 300-4820 Richard Road SW, Calgary, AB, T3E 6L1, Canada
| | - Jan O Johansson
- Resverlogix Corp, 300-4820 Richard Road SW, Calgary, AB, T3E 6L1, Canada
| | - Norman C W Wong
- Resverlogix Corp, 300-4820 Richard Road SW, Calgary, AB, T3E 6L1, Canada
| | - Erik S G Stroes
- Department of Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jeffrey Kroon
- Department of Experimental Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ewelina Kulikowski
- Resverlogix Corp, 300-4820 Richard Road SW, Calgary, AB, T3E 6L1, Canada.
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de Jonge AV, Mutis T, Roemer MGM, Scheijen B, Chamuleau MED. Impact of MYC on Anti-Tumor Immune Responses in Aggressive B Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas: Consequences for Cancer Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12103052. [PMID: 33092116 PMCID: PMC7589056 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12103052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The human immune system has several mechanisms to attack and eliminate lymphomas. However, the MYC oncogene is thought to facilitate escape from this anti-tumor immune response. Since patients with MYC overexpressing lymphomas face a significant dismal prognosis after treatment with standard immunochemotherapy, understanding the role of MYC in regulating the anti-tumor immune response is highly relevant. In this review, we describe the mechanisms by which MYC attenuates the anti-tumor immune responses in B cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas. We aim to implement this knowledge in the deployment of novel immunotherapeutic approaches. Therefore, we also provide a comprehensive overview of current immunotherapeutic options and we discuss potential future treatment strategies for MYC overexpressing lymphomas. Abstract Patients with MYC overexpressing high grade B cell lymphoma (HGBL) face significant dismal prognosis after treatment with standard immunochemotherapy regimens. Recent preclinical studies indicate that MYC not only contributes to tumorigenesis by its effects on cell proliferation and differentiation, but also plays an important role in promoting escape from anti-tumor immune responses. This is of specific interest, since reversing tumor immune inhibition with immunotherapy has shown promising results in the treatment of both solid tumors and hematological malignancies. In this review, we outline the current understanding of impaired immune responses in B cell lymphoid malignancies with MYC overexpression, with a particular emphasis on diffuse large B cell lymphoma. We also discuss clinical consequences of MYC overexpression in the treatment of HGBL with novel immunotherapeutic agents and potential future treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Vera de Jonge
- Department of Hematology, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, 1081HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (T.M.); (M.E.D.C.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Tuna Mutis
- Department of Hematology, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, 1081HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (T.M.); (M.E.D.C.)
| | - Margaretha G. M. Roemer
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, 1081HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Blanca Scheijen
- Department of Pathology, Radboud UMC, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, 6525GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands;
| | - Martine E. D. Chamuleau
- Department of Hematology, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, 1081HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (T.M.); (M.E.D.C.)
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30
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Postel-Vinay S, Massard C, Soria JC. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak and phase 1 trials: should we consider a specific patient management? Eur J Cancer 2020; 137:235-239. [PMID: 32805640 PMCID: PMC7383132 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2020.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The outbreak of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has deeply challenged healthcare systems and care of patients with cancer. Phase 1 studies are among the most complicated clinical trials and require thorough patient selection, as well as intensive patient monitoring. In this perspective, we discuss the key factors that should be considered for the conduct of phase 1 trials and management of COVID-19-positive patients with cancer enrolled in such trials. We notably present the risks and challenges raised by COVID-19-infected phase 1 patients, in terms of safety, toxicity causality assessment, drug efficacy evaluation and clinical research priorities. We finally propose some guidelines for the conduct of phase 1 trials and management of COVID-19-infected patients in a pandemic time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Postel-Vinay
- Drug Development Department, DITEP, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Université Paris Saclay, Université Paris-Sud, Faculté de Médecine, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France; ATIP-Avenir Group, Inserm Unit U981, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.
| | - Christophe Massard
- Drug Development Department, DITEP, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Université Paris Saclay, Université Paris-Sud, Faculté de Médecine, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Jean-Charles Soria
- Drug Development Department, DITEP, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Université Paris Saclay, Université Paris-Sud, Faculté de Médecine, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
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31
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Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms involve the placing (writing) or removal (erasing) of histone modifications that allow heterochromatin to transition to the open, activated euchromatin state necessary for transcription. A third, less studied epigenetic pathway involves the reading of these specific histone marks once placed. The BETs (bromodomain and extraterminal-containing protein family), which includes BRD2, BRD3, and BRD4 and the testis-restricted BRDT, are epigenetic reader proteins that bind to specific acetylated lysine residues on histone tails where they facilitate the assembly of transcription complexes including transcription factors and transcriptional machinery like RNA Polymerase II. As reviewed here, considerable recent data establishes BETs as novel determinants of induced transcriptional programs in vascular cells, like endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells, cardiac myocytes and inflammatory cells, like monocyte/macrophages, cellular settings where these epigenetic reader proteins couple proximal stimuli to chromatin, acting at super-enhancer regulatory regions to direct gene expression. BET inhibition, including the use of specific chemical BET inhibitors like JQ-1, has many reported effects in vivo in the cardiovascular setting, like decreasing atherosclerosis, angiogenesis, intimal hyperplasia, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and cardiac hypertrophy. At the same time, data in endothelial cells, adipocytes, and elsewhere suggest BETs also help regulate gene expression under basal conditions. Studies in the cardiovascular setting have highlighted BET action as a means of controlling gene expression in differentiation, cell identity, and cell state transitions, whether physiological or pathological, adaptive, or maladaptive. While distinct BET inhibitors are being pursued as therapies in oncology, a large prospective clinical cardiovascular outcome study investigating the BET inhibitor RVX-208 (now called apabetalone) has already been completed. Independent of this specific agent and this one trial or the numerous unanswered questions that remain, BETs have emerged as novel epigenetic players involved in the execution of coordinated transcriptional programs in cardiovascular health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Cristine Borck
- From the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (P.C.B., J.P.)
| | - Lian-Wang Guo
- Davis Heart and Lung Institute, Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State University, Columbus (L.-W.G.)
| | - Jorge Plutzky
- From the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (P.C.B., J.P.)
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32
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Tan Y, Li Y, Tang F. Oncogenic seRNA functional activation: a novel mechanism of tumorigenesis. Mol Cancer 2020; 19:74. [PMID: 32278350 PMCID: PMC7149907 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-020-01195-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
seRNA is a noncoding RNA (ncRNA) transcribed from active super-enhancer (SE), through which SE exerts biological functions and participates in various physiological and pathological processes. seRNA recruits cofactor, RNA polymerase II and mediator to constitute and stabilize chromatin loop SE and promoter region, which regulates target genes transcription. In tumorigenesis, DNA insertion, deletion, translocation, focal amplification and carcinogen factor mediate oncogenic SE generation, meanwhile, oncogenic SE transcribes into tumor-related seRNA, termed as oncogenic seRNA. Oncogenic seRNA participates in tumorigenesis through activating various signal-pathways. The recent reports showed that oncogenic seRNA implicates in a widespread range of cytopathological processes in cancer progression including cell proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, extracellular matrix stiffness and angiogenesis. In this article, we comprehensively summarized seRNA’s characteristics and functions, and emphatically introduced inducible formation of oncogenic seRNA and its functional mechanisms. Lastly, some research strategies on oncogenic seRNA were introduced, and the perspectives on cancer therapy that targets oncogenic seRNA were also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Tan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Hunan Key Laboratory of Oncotarget gene, Hunan Cancer Hospital & The affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China
| | - Yuejin Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Hunan Key Laboratory of Oncotarget gene, Hunan Cancer Hospital & The affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China
| | - Faqing Tang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Hunan Key Laboratory of Oncotarget gene, Hunan Cancer Hospital & The affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China.
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