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Jacob DR, Guiblet WM, Mamayusupova H, Shtumpf M, Ciuta I, Ruje L, Gretton S, Bikova M, Correa C, Dellow E, Agrawal SP, Shafiei N, Drobysevskaja A, Armstrong CM, Lam JDG, Vainshtein Y, Clarkson CT, Thorn GJ, Sohn K, Pradeepa MM, Chandrasekharan S, Brooke GN, Klenova E, Zhurkin VB, Teif VB. Nucleosome reorganisation in breast cancer tissues. Clin Epigenetics 2024; 16:50. [PMID: 38561804 PMCID: PMC10986098 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-024-01656-4] [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: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nucleosome repositioning in cancer is believed to cause many changes in genome organisation and gene expression. Understanding these changes is important to elucidate fundamental aspects of cancer. It is also important for medical diagnostics based on cell-free DNA (cfDNA), which originates from genomic DNA regions protected from digestion by nucleosomes. RESULTS We have generated high-resolution nucleosome maps in paired tumour and normal tissues from the same breast cancer patients using MNase-assisted histone H3 ChIP-seq and compared them with the corresponding cfDNA from blood plasma. This analysis has detected single-nucleosome repositioning at key regulatory regions in a patient-specific manner and common cancer-specific patterns across patients. The nucleosomes gained in tumour versus normal tissue were particularly informative of cancer pathways, with ~ 20-fold enrichment at CpG islands, a large fraction of which marked promoters of genes encoding DNA-binding proteins. The tumour tissues were characterised by a 5-10 bp decrease in the average distance between nucleosomes (nucleosome repeat length, NRL), which is qualitatively similar to the differences between pluripotent and differentiated cells. This effect was correlated with gene activity, differential DNA methylation and changes in local occupancy of linker histone variants H1.4 and H1X. CONCLUSIONS Our study offers a novel resource of high-resolution nucleosome maps in breast cancer patients and reports for the first time the effect of systematic decrease of NRL in paired tumour versus normal breast tissues from the same patient. Our findings provide a new mechanistic understanding of nucleosome repositioning in tumour tissues that can be valuable for patient diagnostics, stratification and monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya R Jacob
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Wilfried M Guiblet
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Hulkar Mamayusupova
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Mariya Shtumpf
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Isabella Ciuta
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Luminita Ruje
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Svetlana Gretton
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
- School of Engineering, Arts, Science and Technology, University of Suffolk, James Hehir Building, University Avenue, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 0FS, UK
| | - Milena Bikova
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Clark Correa
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Emily Dellow
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Shivam P Agrawal
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Navid Shafiei
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | | | - Chris M Armstrong
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Jonathan D G Lam
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Yevhen Vainshtein
- Fraunhofer-Institut für Grenzflächen- und Bioverfahrenstechnik IGB, Nobelstraße 12, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Christopher T Clarkson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
- University College London, Gower St, Bloomsbury, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Graeme J Thorn
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Kai Sohn
- Fraunhofer-Institut für Grenzflächen- und Bioverfahrenstechnik IGB, Nobelstraße 12, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Madapura M Pradeepa
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
- Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 2AT, UK
| | - Sankaran Chandrasekharan
- Colchester General Hospital, East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, Turner Road, Colchester, CO4 5JL, UK
| | - Greg N Brooke
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Elena Klenova
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Victor B Zhurkin
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Vladimir B Teif
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK.
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Akhtar MS, Akhter N, Talat A, Alharbi RA, Sindi AAA, Klufah F, Alyahyawi HE, Alruwetei A, Ahmad A, Zamzami MA, Deo S, Husain SA, Badi OA, Khan MJ. Association of mutation and expression of the brother of the regulator of imprinted sites (BORIS) gene with breast cancer progression. Oncotarget 2023; 14:528-541. [PMID: 37235839 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.28442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The BORIS, 11 zinc-finger transcription factors, is a member of the cancer-testis antigen (CTA) family. It is mapped to chromosome number 20q13.2 and this region is genetically linked to the early onset of breast cancer. The current study analyzed the correlation between BORIS mutations and the expression of the protein in breast cancer cases. MATERIALS AND METHODS A population-based study including a total of 155 breast cancer tissue samples and an equal number of normal adjacent tissues from Indian female breast cancer patients was carried out. Mutations of the BORIS gene were detected by polymerase chain reaction-single standard confirmation polymorphisms (PCR-SSCP) and automated DNA sequencing and by immunohistochemistry for BORIS protein expression were performed. The observed findings were correlated with several clinicopathological parameters to find out the clinical relevance of associations. RESULTS Of all the cases 16.12% (25/155) showed mutations in the BORIS gene. The observed mutations present on codon 329 are missense, leading to Val> Ile (G>A) change on exon 5 of the BORIS gene. A significant association was observed between mutations of the BORIS gene and some clinicopathological features like nodal status (p = 0.013), estrogen receptor (ER) expression (p = 0.008), progesterone receptor (PR) expression (p = 0.039), clinical stage (p = 0.010) and menopausal status (p = 0.023). The protein expression analysis showed 20.64% (32/155) samples showing low or no expression (+), 34.19% (53/155) with moderate expression (++), and 45.17% (70/155) showing high expression (+++) of BORIS protein. A significant association was observed between the expression of BORIS protein and clinicopathological features like clinical stage (p = 0.013), nodal status (p = 0.049), ER expression (p = 0.039), and PR expression (p = 0.027). When mutation and protein expression were correlated in combination with clinicopathological parameters a significant association was observed in the category of high (+++) level of BORIS protein expression (p = 0.017). CONCLUSION The BORIS mutations and high protein expression occur frequently in carcinoma of the breast suggesting their association with the onset and progression of breast carcinoma. Further, the BORIS has the potential to be used as a biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Salman Akhtar
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Baha University, Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Naseem Akhter
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
- Department of Neurology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Arshi Talat
- Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, ITS Dental College, Hospital and Research Centre, Greater Noida, Delhi-NCR, India
| | - Raed A Alharbi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Baha University, Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulmajeed A A Sindi
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Baha University, Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Faisal Klufah
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Baha University, Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hanan E Alyahyawi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Baha University, Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulmohsen Alruwetei
- Department of Medical Laboratory, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abrar Ahmad
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mazin A Zamzami
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Svs Deo
- Department of Surgical Oncology, BRA- IRCH, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
| | - Syed Akhtar Husain
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Osama A Badi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Moscona R, Janssen SM, Elchebly M, Papadakis AI, Rubin E, Spatz A. BORIS/CTCFL-mediated chromatin accessibility alterations promote a pro-invasive transcriptional signature in melanoma cells. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2023; 36:299-313. [PMID: 37082838 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.13089] [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: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, due to its tendency to metastasize early. Brother of regulator of imprinted sites (BORIS), also known as CCCTC binding factor-like (CTCFL), is a transcription regulator that becomes ectopically expressed in melanoma. We recently showed that BORIS contributes to melanoma phenotype switching by altering the gene expression program of melanoma cells from an intermediate melanocytic state toward a more mesenchymal-like state. However, the mechanism underlying this transcriptional switch remains unclear. Here, ATAC-seq was used to study BORIS-mediated chromatin accessibility alterations in melanoma cells harboring an intermediate melanocytic state. The gene set that gained promoter accessibility, following ectopic BORIS expression, showed enrichment for biological processes associated with melanoma invasion, while promoters of genes associated with proliferation showed reduced accessibility. Integration of ATAC-seq and RNA-seq data demonstrated that increased chromatin accessibility was associated with transcriptional upregulation of genes involved in tumor progression processes, and the aberrant activation of oncogenic transcription factors, while reduced chromatin accessibility and downregulated genes were associated with repressed activity of tumor suppressors and proliferation factors. Together, these findings indicate that BORIS mediates transcriptional reprogramming in melanoma cells by altering chromatin accessibility and gene expression, shifting the cellular transcription landscape of melanoma cells toward a mesenchymal-like genetic signature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy Moscona
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Sanne Marlijn Janssen
- Lady Davis Institute, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Pathology, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | | | - Eitan Rubin
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Alan Spatz
- Lady Davis Institute, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Pathology, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Division of Pathology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, McGill University Health Center, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Oncology, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
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Loukinov D, Anderson AL, Mkrtichyan M, Ghochikyan A, Rivero-Hinojosa S, Tucker J, Lobanenkov V, Agadjanyan MG, Nelson EL. A Therapeutic Vaccine Targeting Rat BORIS (CTCFL) for the Treatment of Rat Breast Cancer Tumors. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:5976. [PMID: 36983050 PMCID: PMC10058450 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer testis antigens are ideal for tumor immunotherapy due to their testis-restricted expression. We previously showed that an immunotherapeutic vaccine targeting the germ cell-specific transcription factor BORIS (CTCFL) was highly effective in treating aggressive breast cancer in the 4T1 mouse model. Here, we further tested the therapeutic efficacy of BORIS in a rat 13762 breast cancer model. We generated a recombinant VEE-VRP (Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis-derived replicon particle) vector-expressing modified rat BORIS lacking a DNA-binding domain (VRP-mBORIS). Rats were inoculated with the 13762 cells, immunized with VRP-mBORIS 48 h later, and then, subsequently, boosted at 10-day intervals. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. Cured rats were re-challenged with the same 13762 cells. We demonstrated that BORIS was expressed in a small population of the 13762 cells, called cancer stem cells. Treatment of rats with VRP-BORIS suppressed tumor growth leading to its complete disappearance in up to 50% of the rats and significantly improved their survival. This improvement was associated with the induction of BORIS-specific cellular immune responses measured by T-helper cell proliferation and INFγ secretion. The re-challenging of cured rats with the same 13762 cells indicated that the immune response prevented tumor growth. Thus, a therapeutic vaccine against rat BORIS showed high efficacy in treating the rat 13762 carcinoma. These data suggest that targeting BORIS can lead to the elimination of mammary tumors and cure animals even though BORIS expression is detected only in cancer stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitri Loukinov
- Molecular Pathology Section, Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Amanda Laust Anderson
- Center for Immunology, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Irvine, CA 92868, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jo Tucker
- Center for Immunology, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Irvine, CA 92868, USA
| | - Victor Lobanenkov
- Molecular Pathology Section, Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | | | - Edward L. Nelson
- Center for Immunology, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Irvine, CA 92868, USA
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Sou IF, Hamer G, Tee WW, Vader G, McClurg UL. Cancer and meiotic gene expression: Two sides of the same coin? Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 151:43-68. [PMID: 36681477 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2022.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Meiosis increases genetic diversity in offspring by generating genetically unique haploid gametes with reshuffled chromosomes. This process requires a specialized set of meiotic proteins, which facilitate chromosome recombination and segregation. However, re-expression of meiotic proteins in mitosis can have catastrophic oncogenic consequences and aberrant expression of meiotic proteins is a common occurrence in human tumors. Mechanistically, re-activation of meiotic genes in cancer promotes oncogenesis likely because cancers-conversely to healthy mitosis-are fueled by genetic instability which promotes tumor evolution, and evasion of immune response and treatment pressure. In this review, we explore similarities between meiotic and cancer cells with a particular focus on the oncogenic activation of meiotic genes in cancer. We emphasize the role of histones and their modifications, DNA methylation, genome organization, R-loops and the availability of distal enhancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ieng Fong Sou
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom; Chromatin Dynamics and Disease Epigenetics Group, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Geert Hamer
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wee-Wei Tee
- Chromatin Dynamics and Disease Epigenetics Group, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore; Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Gerben Vader
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Section of Oncogenetics, Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Urszula Lucja McClurg
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
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Transcription Factor CTCFL Promotes Cell Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion in Gastric Cancer via Activating DPPA2. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2021; 2021:9097931. [PMID: 34721660 PMCID: PMC8548907 DOI: 10.1155/2021/9097931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Objective To explore the relationship between CTCFL and DPPA2 and validate the positive role of CTCFL/DPPA2 in cell malignant behaviors in gastric cancer. Methods We predicted gastric cancer-related transcription factors and corresponding target mRNAs through bioinformatics. Levels of CTCFL and DPPA2 were assessed via qRT-PCR and western blot. In vitro experiments were utilized to assay the cell biological behaviors. CHIP was utilized for the assessment of the targeted relationship between CTCFL and DPPA2. Results CTCFL and DPPA2 were both highly expressed in gastric cancer cells, and high CTCFLL and DPPA2 could promote cell malignant behaviors. CHIP validated that DPPA2 was a target of CTCFL. In addition, high DPPA2 rescued the repressive impact of CTCFL silencing on the cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in gastric cancer. Conclusion The transcription factor CTCFL fosters cell proliferative, migratory, and invasive properties via activating DPPA2 in gastric cancer.
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Feng Y, Liu X, Pauklin S. 3D chromatin architecture and epigenetic regulation in cancer stem cells. Protein Cell 2021; 12:440-454. [PMID: 33453053 PMCID: PMC8160035 DOI: 10.1007/s13238-020-00819-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Dedifferentiation of cell identity to a progenitor-like or stem cell-like state with increased cellular plasticity is frequently observed in cancer formation. During this process, a subpopulation of cells in tumours acquires a stem cell-like state partially resembling to naturally occurring pluripotent stem cells that are temporarily present during early embryogenesis. Such characteristics allow these cancer stem cells (CSCs) to give rise to the whole tumour with its entire cellular heterogeneity and thereby support metastases formation while being resistant to current cancer therapeutics. Cancer development and progression are demarcated by transcriptional dysregulation. In this article, we explore the epigenetic mechanisms shaping gene expression during tumorigenesis and cancer stem cell formation, with an emphasis on 3D chromatin architecture. Comparing the pluripotent stem cell state and epigenetic reprogramming to dedifferentiation in cellular transformation provides intriguing insight to chromatin dynamics. We suggest that the 3D chromatin architecture could be used as a target for re-sensitizing cancer stem cells to therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuliang Feng
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences Old Road, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK
| | - Xingguo Liu
- Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Joint School of Life Sciences, Hefei Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510530, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510530, China
| | - Siim Pauklin
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences Old Road, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK.
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Lee JE, Kim MY. Cancer epigenetics: Past, present and future. Semin Cancer Biol 2021; 83:4-14. [PMID: 33798724 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cancer was thought to be caused solely by genetic mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. In the last 35 years, however, epigenetic changes have been increasingly recognized as another primary driver of carcinogenesis and cancer progression. Epigenetic deregulation in cancer often includes mutations and/or aberrant expression of chromatin-modifying enzymes, their associated proteins, and even non-coding RNAs, which can alter chromatin structure and dynamics. This leads to changes in gene expression that ultimately contribute to the emergence and evolution of cancer cells. Studies of the deregulation of chromatin modifiers in cancer cells have reshaped the way we approach cancer and guided the development of novel anticancer therapeutics that target epigenetic factors. There remain, however, a number of unanswered questions in this field that are the focus of present research. Areas of particular interest include the actions of emerging classes of epigenetic regulators of carcinogenesis and the tumor microenvironment, as well as epigenetic tumor heterogeneity. In this review, we discuss past findings on epigenetic mechanisms of cancer, current trends in the field of cancer epigenetics, and the directions of future research that may lead to the identification of new prognostic markers for cancer and the development of more effective anticancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Eun Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi-Young Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea; KAIST Institute for the BioCentury, Cancer Metastasis Control Center, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
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Feng Y, Pauklin S. Revisiting 3D chromatin architecture in cancer development and progression. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:10632-10647. [PMID: 32941624 PMCID: PMC7641747 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer development and progression are demarcated by transcriptional dysregulation, which is largely attributed to aberrant chromatin architecture. Recent transformative technologies have enabled researchers to examine the genome organization at an unprecedented dimension and precision. In particular, increasing evidence supports the essential roles of 3D chromatin architecture in transcriptional homeostasis and proposes its alterations as prominent causes of human cancer. In this article, we will discuss the recent findings on enhancers, enhancer-promoter interaction, chromatin topology, phase separation and explore their potential mechanisms in shaping transcriptional dysregulation in cancer progression. In addition, we will propose our views on how to employ state-of-the-art technologies to decode the unanswered questions in this field. Overall, this article motivates the study of 3D chromatin architecture in cancer, which allows for a better understanding of its pathogenesis and develop novel approaches for diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuliang Feng
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Old Road, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LD, U.K
| | - Siim Pauklin
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Old Road, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LD, U.K
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Nishana M, Ha C, Rodriguez-Hernaez J, Ranjbaran A, Chio E, Nora EP, Badri SB, Kloetgen A, Bruneau BG, Tsirigos A, Skok JA. Defining the relative and combined contribution of CTCF and CTCFL to genomic regulation. Genome Biol 2020; 21:108. [PMID: 32393311 PMCID: PMC7212617 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-020-02024-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ubiquitously expressed CTCF is involved in numerous cellular functions, such as organizing chromatin into TAD structures. In contrast, its paralog, CTCFL, is normally only present in the testis. However, it is also aberrantly expressed in many cancers. While it is known that shared and unique zinc finger sequences in CTCF and CTCFL enable CTCFL to bind competitively to a subset of CTCF binding sites as well as its own unique locations, the impact of CTCFL on chromosome organization and gene expression has not been comprehensively analyzed in the context of CTCF function. Using an inducible complementation system, we analyze the impact of expressing CTCFL and CTCF-CTCFL chimeric proteins in the presence or absence of endogenous CTCF to clarify the relative and combined contribution of CTCF and CTCFL to chromosome organization and transcription. RESULTS We demonstrate that the N terminus of CTCF interacts with cohesin which explains the requirement for convergent CTCF binding sites in loop formation. By analyzing CTCF and CTCFL binding in tandem, we identify phenotypically distinct sites with respect to motifs, targeting to promoter/intronic intergenic regions and chromatin folding. Finally, we reveal that the N, C, and zinc finger terminal domains play unique roles in targeting each paralog to distinct binding sites to regulate transcription, chromatin looping, and insulation. CONCLUSION This study clarifies the unique and combined contribution of CTCF and CTCFL to chromosome organization and transcription, with direct implications for understanding how their co-expression deregulates transcription in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Caryn Ha
- Department of Pathology, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | | | - Ali Ranjbaran
- Department of Pathology, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Erica Chio
- Department of Pathology, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Elphege P Nora
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.,Roddenberry Center for Stem Cell Biology and Medicine at Gladstone, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.,Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Sana B Badri
- Department of Pathology, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Andreas Kloetgen
- Applied Bioinformatics Laboratories, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Benoit G Bruneau
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.,Roddenberry Center for Stem Cell Biology and Medicine at Gladstone, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.,Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Aristotelis Tsirigos
- Department of Pathology, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA.,Applied Bioinformatics Laboratories, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Jane A Skok
- Department of Pathology, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA. .,Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
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López-Romero R, Rodríguez-Esquivel M, Romero-Morelos P, García-Avilés JE, Serafín-Castillo A, Huerta-Padilla VM, Guerra-Araiza C, Mantilla-Morales A, Monrroy-García A, Aguilar-Urbano MA, Martínez-Castillo MA, Jiménez-Tenorio JA, Salcedo M. The expression of transcription factor BORIS and its association with the estrogen receptor beta (ER-β) in cervical carcinogenesis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY 2019; 12:3208-3221. [PMID: 31934165 PMCID: PMC6949834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BORIS is a transcription factor aberrantly expressed in human cancers that can regulate the expression of estrogen receptors in endometrial cancer and breast cancer. We evaluated the expression of BORIS and the estrogen receptors alpha (ER-α) and beta (ER-β) in ten cell lines derived from cervical cancer using RT-PCR and Western-blot. We also evaluated 54 cervical tissues: normal epithelia, low-grade intraepithelial lesions (LSIL), high-grade intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), and invasive squamous carcinomas (SC) using immunohistochemistry. In the cell lines, BORIS mRNA and protein expressions are associated with ER-β expression but not with ER-α expression. In the normal cervical epithelium, ER-α and ER-β were expressed but the BORIS protein was not detected. In the LSIL samples, BORIS, ER-α and ER-β were expressed; however, in the HSIL samples, only the BORIS and ER-β expressions were detected, but ER-α expression was minimal or null. In the SC, only BORIS and ER-β were detected. In summary, the results show that the expressions of BORIS and ER-β increase while the expression of ER-α decreases according to the severity of the lesions. These results suggest synergistic roles for BORIS and ER-β during cervical cancer progression with a possible regulation of the estrogen receptors by BORIS in the development of cervical cancer; however, more detailed studies are needed to confirm this suggestion and to determine the precise role of BORIS in cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo López-Romero
- Laboratorio de Oncología Genómica, Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Oncológicas, Hospital de Oncología, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro SocialCiudad de México, Mexico
| | - Miriam Rodríguez-Esquivel
- Laboratorio de Oncología Genómica, Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Oncológicas, Hospital de Oncología, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro SocialCiudad de México, Mexico
- Programa de Doctorado en Nanociencias y Micro y Nanotecnologías, Instituto Politécnico NacionalCDMX México, Mexico
| | - Pablo Romero-Morelos
- Laboratorio de Oncología Genómica, Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Oncológicas, Hospital de Oncología, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro SocialCiudad de México, Mexico
- Laboratorio Multidisciplinario de Investigación, Escuela Militar de Graduados de SanidadSEDENA, 11200 Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Jesús Enrique García-Avilés
- Laboratorio de Oncología Genómica, Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Oncológicas, Hospital de Oncología, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro SocialCiudad de México, Mexico
| | - Adán Serafín-Castillo
- Laboratorio de Oncología Genómica, Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Oncológicas, Hospital de Oncología, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro SocialCiudad de México, Mexico
| | - Víctor Mauricio Huerta-Padilla
- Laboratorio de Oncología Genómica, Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Oncológicas, Hospital de Oncología, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro SocialCiudad de México, Mexico
- Programa de Doctorado en Biomedicina y Biotecnología Molecular, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico NacionalCDMX México, Mexico
| | - Christian Guerra-Araiza
- Unidad de Investigación Médica en Farmacología, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro SocialCDMX, Mexico
| | - Alejandra Mantilla-Morales
- Departamento de Patología, Hospital de Oncología, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro SocialCDMX, Mexico
| | - Alberto Monrroy-García
- Laboratorio de Inmunología y Cáncer, Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Oncológicas, Hospital de Oncología, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro SocialCDMX, Mexico
| | - Marco Antonio Aguilar-Urbano
- Departamento de Patología, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro SocialCDMX, Mexico
| | - Mariana Andrea Martínez-Castillo
- Laboratorio de Oncología Genómica, Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Oncológicas, Hospital de Oncología, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro SocialCiudad de México, Mexico
| | - Julián Antonio Jiménez-Tenorio
- Laboratorio de Oncología Genómica, Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Oncológicas, Hospital de Oncología, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro SocialCiudad de México, Mexico
- Programa de Doctorado en Biomedicina y Biotecnología Molecular, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico NacionalCDMX México, Mexico
| | - Mauricio Salcedo
- Laboratorio de Oncología Genómica, Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Oncológicas, Hospital de Oncología, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro SocialCiudad de México, Mexico
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12
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Salgado-Albarrán M, González-Barrios R, Guerra-Calderas L, Alcaraz N, Estefanía Sánchez-Correa T, Castro-Hernández C, Sánchez-Pérez Y, Aréchaga-Ocampo E, García-Carrancá A, Cantú de León D, Herrera LA, Baumbach J, Soto-Reyes E. The epigenetic factor BORIS (CTCFL) controls the androgen receptor regulatory network in ovarian cancer. Oncogenesis 2019; 8:41. [PMID: 31406110 PMCID: PMC6690894 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-019-0150-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The identification of prognostic biomarkers is a priority for patients suffering from high-grade serous ovarian cancer (SOC), which accounts for >70% of ovarian cancer (OC) deaths. Meanwhile, borderline ovarian cancer (BOC) is a low malignancy tumor and usually patients undergo surgery with low probabilities of recurrence. However, SOC remains the most lethal neoplasm due to the lack of biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis. In this regard, BORIS (CTCFL), a CTCF paralog, is a promising cancer biomarker that is overexpressed and controls transcription in several cancer types, mainly in OC. Studies suggest that BORIS has an important function in OC by altering gene expression, but the effect and extent to which BORIS influences transcription in OC from a genome-wide perspective is unclear. Here, we sought to identify BORIS target genes in an OC cell line (OVCAR3) with potential biomarker use in OC tumor samples. To achieve this, we performed in vitro knockout and knockdown experiments of BORIS in OVCAR3 cell line followed by expression microarrays and bioinformatics network enrichment analysis to identify relevant BORIS target genes. In addition, ex vivo expression data analysis of 373 ovarian cancer patients were evaluated to identify the expression patterns of BORIS target genes. In vitro, we uncovered 130 differentially expressed genes and obtained the BORIS-associated regulatory network, in which the androgen receptor (AR) acts as a major transcription factor. Also, FN1, FAM129A, and CD97 genes, which are related to chemoresistance and metastases in OC, were identified. In SOC patients, we observed that malignancy is associated with high levels of BORIS expression while BOC patients show lower levels. Our study suggests that BORIS acts as a main regulator, and has the potential to be used as a prognostic biomarker and to yield novel drug targets among the genes BORIS controls in SOC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisol Salgado-Albarrán
- Natural Sciences Department, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Cuajimalpa (UAM-C), Mexico City, 05300, Mexico.,Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Rodrigo González-Barrios
- Cancer Biomedical Research Unit, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INCan), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Lissania Guerra-Calderas
- Natural Sciences Department, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Cuajimalpa (UAM-C), Mexico City, 05300, Mexico
| | - Nicolás Alcaraz
- The Bioinformatics Centre Section for RNA and Computational Biology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | - Yesennia Sánchez-Pérez
- Cancer Biomedical Research Unit, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INCan), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Elena Aréchaga-Ocampo
- Natural Sciences Department, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Cuajimalpa (UAM-C), Mexico City, 05300, Mexico
| | | | - David Cantú de León
- Cancer Biomedical Research Unit, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INCan), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Luis A Herrera
- Cancer Biomedical Research Unit, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INCan), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jan Baumbach
- Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ernesto Soto-Reyes
- Natural Sciences Department, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Cuajimalpa (UAM-C), Mexico City, 05300, Mexico.
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13
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Gong M, Yan C, Jiang Y, Meng H, Feng M, Cheng W. Genome-wide bioinformatics analysis reveals CTCFL is upregulated in high-grade epithelial ovarian cancer. Oncol Lett 2019; 18:4030-4039. [PMID: 31516605 PMCID: PMC6732990 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2019.10736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the most lethal gynecological malignancy that threatens the health of females. Previous studies have demonstrated that the survival outcomes of patients with different EOC grades varied. Therefore, the EOC grade is considered to serve as a distinctive prognostic factor. To date, the evaluation of ovarian cancer grade relies on pathological examination and a quantitative index for diagnosis is lacking. Furthermore, the dysregulation of genes has been demonstrated to exert pivotal functions in the carcinogenesis of EOCs. Therefore, the identification of effective biomarkers associated with EOC grade is of importance for the development of therapeutic regimens, and also contributes to the prediction of EOC prognosis. Microarrays have been increasingly applied for the identification of potential molecular biomarkers for numerous diseases including EOC. In the present study, four public microarray datasets (GSE26193, GSE63885, GSE30161 and GSE9891) were analyzed. A total of 6,103 upregulated probes corresponding to 5,766 genes, and 4,004 downregulated probes corresponding to 3,707 genes were identified in the GSE26193, GSE63885 and GSE30161 datasets. ALK and LTK ligand 2 was the most downregulated gene associated with the tumor grade, while CCCTC-binding factor like (CTCFL), EGF like domain multiple 6, radical S-adenosyl methionine domain containing 2 and SAM and HD domain containing deoxynucleoside triphosphate triphosphohydrolase 1 were the most upregulated genes associated with EOC grade. The GSE9891 dataset was added for further analysis. Only one probe (1552368_at) encoding for CTCFL was identified to be consistently upregulated in the four examined datasets. Immunohistochemical analysis was used to detect the expression of CTCFL between low- and high-grade EOC tissues and revealed that the EOC grade was closely associated with CTCFL level. This was corroborated via the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Taken together, the results of the present study suggested that CTCFL is upregulated in high-grade epithelial ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi Gong
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, P.R. China.,Department of Gynecology, The Affiliated Huaian No. 1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an, Jiangsu 223300, P.R. China
| | - Changsheng Yan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361004, P.R. China
| | - Yi Jiang
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, P.R. China
| | - Huangyang Meng
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, P.R. China
| | - Mingming Feng
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, P.R. China
| | - Wenjun Cheng
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, P.R. China
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14
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Yasinska IM, Sakhnevych SS, Pavlova L, Teo Hansen Selnø A, Teuscher Abeleira AM, Benlaouer O, Gonçalves Silva I, Mosimann M, Varani L, Bardelli M, Hussain R, Siligardi G, Cholewa D, Berger SM, Gibbs BF, Ushkaryov YA, Fasler-Kan E, Klenova E, Sumbayev VV. The Tim-3-Galectin-9 Pathway and Its Regulatory Mechanisms in Human Breast Cancer. Front Immunol 2019; 10:1594. [PMID: 31354733 PMCID: PMC6637653 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Human cancer cells operate a variety of effective molecular and signaling mechanisms which allow them to escape host immune surveillance and thus progress the disease. We have recently reported that the immune receptor Tim-3 and its natural ligand galectin-9 are involved in the immune escape of human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. These cells use the neuronal receptor latrophilin 1 (LPHN1) and its ligand fibronectin leucine rich transmembrane protein 3 (FLRT3, and possibly other ligands) to trigger the pathway. We hypothesized that the Tim-3-galectin-9 pathway may be involved in the immune escape of cancer cells of different origins. We found that studied breast tumors expressed significantly higher levels of both galectin-9 and Tim-3 compared to healthy breast tissues of the same patients and that these proteins were co-localized. Increased levels of LPHN2 and expressions of LPHN3 as well as FLRT3 were also detected in breast tumor cells. Activation of this pathway facilitated the translocation of galectin-9 onto the tumor cell surface, however no secretion of galectin-9 by tumor cells was observed. Surface-based galectin-9 was able to protect breast carcinoma cells against cytotoxic T cell-induced death. Furthermore, we found that cell lines from brain, colorectal, kidney, blood/mast cell, liver, prostate, lung, and skin cancers expressed detectable amounts of both Tim-3 and galectin-9 proteins. The majority of cell lines expressed one of the LPHN isoforms and FLRT3. We conclude that the Tim-3-galectin-9 pathway is operated by a wide range of human cancer cells and is possibly involved in prevention of anti-tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inna M Yasinska
- Medway School of Pharmacy, Universities of Kent and Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, United Kingdom
| | - Svetlana S Sakhnevych
- Medway School of Pharmacy, Universities of Kent and Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, United Kingdom
| | - Ludmila Pavlova
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom
| | - Anette Teo Hansen Selnø
- Medway School of Pharmacy, Universities of Kent and Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, United Kingdom
| | - Ana Maria Teuscher Abeleira
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Biomedical Research, Children's Hospital, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Zentrum Für Medizinische Bildung, Biomedizinische Analytik HF, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ouafa Benlaouer
- Medway School of Pharmacy, Universities of Kent and Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, United Kingdom
| | - Isabel Gonçalves Silva
- Medway School of Pharmacy, Universities of Kent and Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, United Kingdom
| | - Marianne Mosimann
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Biomedical Research, Children's Hospital, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Zentrum Für Medizinische Bildung, Biomedizinische Analytik HF, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Luca Varani
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Universita' della Svizzera italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Marco Bardelli
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Universita' della Svizzera italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Dietmar Cholewa
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Biomedical Research, Children's Hospital, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Steffen M Berger
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Biomedical Research, Children's Hospital, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Bernhard F Gibbs
- Medway School of Pharmacy, Universities of Kent and Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, United Kingdom.,Division of Experimental Allergology and Immunodermatology, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Yuri A Ushkaryov
- Medway School of Pharmacy, Universities of Kent and Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, United Kingdom
| | - Elizaveta Fasler-Kan
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Biomedical Research, Children's Hospital, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Elena Klenova
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom
| | - Vadim V Sumbayev
- Medway School of Pharmacy, Universities of Kent and Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, United Kingdom
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15
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Loukinov D. Targeting CTCFL/BORIS for the immunotherapy of cancer. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2018; 67:1955-1965. [PMID: 30390146 PMCID: PMC11028242 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-018-2251-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Cancer vaccines have great potential in the fight against metastatic malignancies. Current anti-tumor immunotherapy is hindered by existing tolerance to tumor-associated antigens (TAA) and tumor escape using various mechanisms, highlighting the need for improved targets for immunotherapy. The cancer-testis antigen CTCFL/BORIS was discovered 16 years ago and possesses all features necessary for an ideal TAA. Recently CTCFL/BORIS has received additional attention as a target expressed in cancer stem cells (CSC). These cells drive tumor growth recurrence, metastasis, and treatment resistance. CTCFL/BORIS silencing leads to senescence and death of CSC. Therefore, an immunotherapeutic strategy that targets CTCFL/BORIS may lead to the selective destruction of CSC and potential eradication of metastatic disease. The high immunotherapeutic potential of CTCFL/BORIS antigen was shown in a stringent 4T1 mouse model of breast cancer. Using these highly metastatic, poorly immunogenic carcinoma cells inoculated into T-helper2 prone mice, we showed that DC fed with recombinant CTCFL/BORIS as an immunogen inhibited tumor growth and reduced the number of metastases in distant organs. About 20% of CTCFL/BORIS immunized animals were tumor free. 50% of animals remained metastasis free. Those having metastasis showed at least tenfold fewer metastases compared to controls. In a rat model of breast cancer, we showed that alphavirus-based CTCFL/BORIS immunotherapy was capable of cancer elimination as we were able to cure 50% of animals. Based on the above data, we believe that translation of CTCFL/BORIS-targeting immunotherapeutic strategies to the clinic will provide new avenues for improving survival of breast cancer patients with advanced metastatic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitri Loukinov
- Molecular Pathology Section, Laboratory of Immunogenetics, NIAID/NIH, Twinbrook 1, Room 1329, 5640 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA.
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16
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Kim TN, Kim WT, Jeong MS, Mun MH, Kim MH, Lee JZ, Leem SH. Short rare minisatellite variant of BORIS-MS2 is related to bladder cancer susceptibility. Genes Genomics 2018; 41:249-256. [PMID: 30499053 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-018-0771-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND BORIS/CTCFL, a paralog of CTCF and member of the cancer-testicular antigen family, is abnormally activated in multiple cancers. OBJECTIVE We investigated the relationship between polymorphic variants of the BORIS minisatellite 2 (BORIS-MS2), located within the 5' upstream promoter region of BORIS, and bladder cancer. METHODS We used case-control study with 516 controls and 113 bladder cancer patients. To evaluate whether minisatellite variants play a role in BORIS expression, we examined the transcript levels of a reporter gene linked to these minisatellites in cell lines. We also examined BORIS expression in cancerous and non-cancerous bladder tissue. RESULTS A statistically significant association was identified between the short rare allele (13-repeat) and bladder cancer incidence (odds ratio (OR) 2.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.14, 7.74]; P = 0.020). In particular, short rare alleles in the younger group (aged < 65) were associated with statistically significant increase in bladder cancer risk (OR 5.38, CI [1.32, 21.87]; P = 0.01). The BORIS-MS2 region acted as a negative regulator, and the expression level of the luciferase reporter in bladder cancer cells was less effectively inhibited than in normal cells. Furthermore, the expression of BORIS mRNA significantly differed (P < 0.05) between normal and cancerous muscle-invasive bladder cancer tissues, and relationship to clinical parameters was observed. CONCLUSIONS The short rare allele of BORIS-MS2 could be used to identify bladder cancer risk. BORIS expression levels have been shown to increase with the progression of bladder cancer, could be used as a biomarker for its progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Nam Kim
- Department of Urology, Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, 49241, South Korea
| | - Won-Tae Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dong-A University, Busan, 49315, South Korea
| | - Mi-So Jeong
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dong-A University, Busan, 49315, South Korea
| | - Mi-Hye Mun
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dong-A University, Busan, 49315, South Korea
| | - Min-Hye Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dong-A University, Busan, 49315, South Korea
| | - Jeong Zoo Lee
- Department of Urology, Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, 49241, South Korea
| | - Sun-Hee Leem
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dong-A University, Busan, 49315, South Korea.
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17
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Soltanian S, Dehghani H. BORIS: a key regulator of cancer stemness. Cancer Cell Int 2018; 18:154. [PMID: 30323717 PMCID: PMC6173857 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-018-0650-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BORIS (CTCFL) is a DNA binding protein which is involved in tumorigenesis. Although, there are different opinions on the level of gene expression and function of BORIS in normal and cancer tissues, the results of many studies have classified BORIS as a protein belonging to cancer/testis (CT) genes, which are identified as a group of genes that are expressed normally in testis, and abnormally in various types of cancers. In testis, BORIS induces the expression of some male germ cell/testis specific genes, and plays crucial roles during spermatogenesis and production of sperm. In tumorigenesis, the role of BORIS in the expression induction of some CT genes and oncogenes, as well as increasing proliferation/viability of cancer cells has been demonstrated in many researches. In addition to cancer cells, some believe that BORIS is also expressed in normal conditions and plays a universal function in cell division and regulation of genes. The following is a comprehensive review on contradictory views on the expression pattern and biological function of BORIS in normal, as well as cancer cells/tissues, and presents some evidence that support the expression of BORIS in cancer stem cells (CSCs) and advanced stage/poorer differentiation grade of cancers. Boris is involved in the regulation of CSC cellular and molecular features such as self-renewal, chemo-resistance, tumorigenicity, sphere-forming ability, and migration capacity. Finally, the role of BORIS in regulating two important signaling pathways including Wnt/β-catenin and Notch in CSCs, and its ability in recruiting transcription factors or chromatin-remodeling proteins to induce tumorigenesis is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Soltanian
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
| | - Hesam Dehghani
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Azadi Square, Mashhad, 91775-1793 Iran
- Division of Biotechnology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Research Group, Research Institute of Biotechnology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
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18
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Molecular Lesions of Insulator CTCF and Its Paralogue CTCFL (BORIS) in Cancer: An Analysis from Published Genomic Studies. High Throughput 2018; 7:ht7040030. [PMID: 30275357 PMCID: PMC6306835 DOI: 10.3390/ht7040030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
CTCF (CCCTC-binding factor) is a transcription regulator with hundreds of binding sites in the human genome. It has a main function as an insulator protein, defining together with cohesins the boundaries of areas of the genome called topologically associating domains (TADs). TADs contain regulatory elements such as enhancers which function as regulators of the transcription of genes inside the boundaries of the TAD while they are restricted from regulating genes outside these boundaries. This paper will examine the most common genetic lesions of CTCF as well as its related protein CTCFL (CTCF-like also called BORIS) in cancer using publicly available data from published genomic studies. Cancer types where abnormalities in the two genes are more common will be examined for possible associations with underlying repair defects or other prevalent genetic lesions. The putative functional effects in CTCF and CTCFL lesions will also be explored.
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19
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Mahmoud AM. Cancer testis antigens as immunogenic and oncogenic targets in breast cancer. Immunotherapy 2018; 10:769-778. [PMID: 29926750 PMCID: PMC6462849 DOI: 10.2217/imt-2017-0179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer cells frequently express tumor-associated antigens that can elicit immune responses to eradicate cancer. Cancer-testis antigens (CTAs) are a group of tumor-associated antigens that might serve as ideal targets for cancer immunotherapy because of their cancer-restricted expression and robust immunogenicity. Previous clinical studies reported that CTAs are associated with negative hormonal status, aggressive tumor behavior and poor survival. Furthermore, experimental studies have shown the ability of CTAs to induce both cellular and humoral immune responses. They also demonstrated the implication of CTAs in promoting cancer cell growth, inhibiting apoptosis and inducing cancer cell invasion and migration. In the current review, we attempt to address the immunogenic and oncogenic potential of CTAs and their current utilization in therapeutic interventions for breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abeer M Mahmoud
- Department of Physical Therapy, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Department of Pathology, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut 71111, Egypt
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20
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Abstract
CTCF, Zinc-finger protein, has been identified as a multifunctional transcription factor that regulates gene expression through various mechanisms, including recruitment of other co-activators and binding to promoter regions of target genes. Furthermore, it has been proposed to be an insulator protein that contributes to the establishment of functional three-dimensional chromatin structures. It can disrupt transcription through blocking the connection between an enhancer and a promoter. Previous studies revealed that the onset of various diseases, including breast cancer, could be attributed to the aberrant expression of CTCF itself or one or more of its target genes. In this review, we will describe molecular dysfunction involving CTCF that induces tumorigenesis and summarize the functional roles of CTCF in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumin Oh
- Laboratory of Biomedical Genomics, Department of Biological Science, and Research Institute of Women's Health, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul 04310, Korea
| | - Chaeun Oh
- Laboratory of Biomedical Genomics, Department of Biological Science, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul 04310, Korea
| | - Kyung Hyun Yoo
- Laboratory of Biomedical Genomics, Department of Biological Science, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul 04310, Korea
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21
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Asano T, Hirohashi Y, Torigoe T, Mariya T, Horibe R, Kuroda T, Tabuchi Y, Saijo H, Yasuda K, Mizuuchi M, Takahashi A, Asanuma H, Hasegawa T, Saito T, Sato N. Brother of the regulator of the imprinted site (BORIS) variant subfamily 6 is involved in cervical cancer stemness and can be a target of immunotherapy. Oncotarget 2017; 7:11223-37. [PMID: 26849232 PMCID: PMC4905468 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.7165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2015] [Accepted: 01/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer is a major cause of cancer death in females worldwide. Cervical cancer stem-like cells (CSCs)/cancer-initiating cells (CICs) are resistant to conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and CSCs/CICs are thought to be responsible for recurrence. Eradication of CSCs/CICs is thus essential to cure cervical cancer. In this study, we isolated cervical CSCs/CICs by sphere culture, and we identified a cancer testis (CT) antigen, CTCFL/BORIS, that is expressed in cervical CSCs/CICs. BORIS has 23 mRNA isoform variants classified by 6 subfamilies (sfs), and they encode 17 different BORIS peptides. BORIS sf1 and sf4 are expressed in both CSCs/CICs and non-CSCs/CICs, whereas BORIS sf6 is expressed only in CSCs/CICs. Overexpression of BORIS sf6 in cervical cancer cells increased sphere formation and tumor-initiating ability compared with those in control cells, whereas overexpression of BORIS sf1 and BORIS sf4 resulted in only slight increases. Thus, BORIS sf6 is a cervical CSC/CIC-specific subfamily and has a role in the maintenance of cervical CSCs/CICs. BORIS sf6 contains a specific c-terminal domain (C34), and we identified a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A2-restricted antigenic peptide, BORIS C34_24(9) encoded by BORIS sf6. A BORIS C34_24(9)-specific cytotoxic T cell (CTL) clone showed cytotoxicity for BORIS sf6-overexpressing cervical cancer cells. Furthermore, the CTL clone significantly suppressed sphere formation of CaSki cells. Taken together, the results indicate that the CT antigen BORIS sf6 is specifically expressed in cervical CSCs/CICs, that BORIS sf6 has a role in the maintenance of CSCs/CICs, and that BORIS C34_24(9) peptide is a promising candidate for cervical CSC/CIC-targeting immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Asano
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.,Obsterics and Gynecology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yoshihiko Hirohashi
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Torigoe
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Tasuku Mariya
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.,Obsterics and Gynecology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Ryota Horibe
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.,Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Takafumi Kuroda
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.,Obsterics and Gynecology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yuta Tabuchi
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.,Obsterics and Gynecology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Saijo
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.,Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Kazuyo Yasuda
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Masahito Mizuuchi
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.,Obsterics and Gynecology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Akari Takahashi
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Hiroko Asanuma
- Surgical Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Tadashi Hasegawa
- Surgical Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Saito
- Obsterics and Gynecology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Sato
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
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22
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Zhang Y, Ren J, Fang M, Wang X. Investigation of fusion gene expression in HCT116 cells. Oncol Lett 2017; 14:6962-6968. [PMID: 29181107 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2017.7055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 07/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Colon cancer is the most common type of gastrointestinal cancer. A number of specific and sensitive biomarkers facilitate the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with colon cancer. Fusion genes are typically identified in cancer and a majority of the newly identified fusion genes are oncogenic in nature. Therefore, fusion genes are potential biomarkers and/or therapy targets in cancer. In the present study, the regulation of specific candidate fusion genes were investigated using Brother of the Regulator of Imprinted Sites (BORIS) in the HCT116 colon cancer cell line, which is a paralog of the fusion gene regulator CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF). The copy number of BORIS increased correspondingly to the progression of colorectal carcinoma from the M0 to the M1a stage. It was identified that EIF3E(e1)-RSPO2(e2), EIF3E(e1)-RSPO2(e3), PTPRK(e1)-RSPO3(e2), PTPRK(e7)-RSPO3(e2), TADA2A-MEF2B and MED13L-CD4 are fusion transcripts present in the transcriptome of the HCT116 colon cancer cell line. CDC42SE2-KIAAO146 is a genomic fusion transcript, which originates from DNA arrangement in HCT116 cells. BORIS suppresses the expression of EIF3E, RSPO2, PTPRK, RSPO3, TADA2A and CD4 to inhibit the expression of fusion transcripts in HCT116 cells. It was hypothesized that the fusion transcripts investigated in the present study may not be oncogenic in HCT116 cells. As BORIS is not colorectal carcinoma-specific, the fusion genes investigated may be a biomarker assemblage for monitoring the progression of colorectal carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanmei Zhang
- Molecular Medical Center, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Science, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, P.R. China
| | - Juan Ren
- Molecular Medical Center, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Science, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, P.R. China
| | - Mengdie Fang
- Molecular Medical Center, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Science, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoju Wang
- Molecular Medical Center, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Science, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, P.R. China
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23
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Intragenic DNA methylation and BORIS-mediated cancer-specific splicing contribute to the Warburg effect. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:11440-11445. [PMID: 29073069 PMCID: PMC5664520 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1708447114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in cancer epigenetics have shown the involvement of epigenetic abnormalities in the initiation and progression of cancer, but their role in cancer-specific aberrant splicing is not clear. The identification of upstream epigenetic regulators of cancer-specific splicing will enable us to therapeutically target aberrant splicing and provide an approach to cancer therapy. Here we have demonstrated a mechanism of intragenic DNA methylation-mediated regulation of alternative splicing by Brother of Regulator of Imprinted Sites (BORIS), which can contribute to breast cancer tumorigenesis by favoring the Warburg effect. The reversal of the Warburg effect was achieved by the inhibition of DNA methylation or down-regulation of BORIS, which may serve as a useful approach to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells. Aberrant alternative splicing and epigenetic changes are both associated with various cancers, but epigenetic regulation of alternative splicing in cancer is largely unknown. Here we report that the intragenic DNA methylation-mediated binding of Brother of Regulator of Imprinted Sites (BORIS) at the alternative exon of Pyruvate Kinase (PKM) is associated with cancer-specific splicing that promotes the Warburg effect and breast cancer progression. Interestingly, the inhibition of DNA methylation, BORIS depletion, or CRISPR/Cas9-mediated deletion of the BORIS binding site leads to a splicing switch from cancer-specific PKM2 to normal PKM1 isoform. This results in the reversal of the Warburg effect and the inhibition of breast cancer cell growth, which may serve as a useful approach to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells. Importantly, our results show that in addition to PKM splicing, BORIS also regulates the alternative splicing of several genes in a DNA methylation-dependent manner. Our findings highlight the role of intragenic DNA methylation and DNA binding protein BORIS in cancer-specific splicing and its role in tumorigenesis.
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24
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Li Y, Li J, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Chu J, Sun C, Fu Z, Huang Y, Zhang H, Yuan H, Yin Y. Roles of cancer/testis antigens (CTAs) in breast cancer. Cancer Lett 2017; 399:64-73. [PMID: 28274891 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2017.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Revised: 02/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed and is the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the US. For breast cancer, early diagnosis and efficient therapy remains a significant clinical challenge. Therefore, it is necessary to identify novel tumor associated molecules to target for biomarker development and immunotherapy. In this regard, cancer testis antigens (CTAs) have emerged as a potential clinical biomarker targeting immunotherapy for various malignancies due to the nature of its characteristics. CTAs are a group of tumor associated antigens (TAAs) that display normal expression in immune-privileged organs, but display aberrant expression in several types of cancers, particularly in advanced cancers. Investigation of CTAs for the clinical management of breast malignancies indicates that these TAAs have potential roles as novel biomarkers, with increased specificity and sensitivity compared to those currently used in the clinic. Moreover, TAAs could be therapeutic targets for cancer immunotherapy. This review is an attempt to address the promising CTAs in breast cancer and their possible clinical implications as biomarkers and immunotherapeutic targets with particular focus on challenges and future interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongfei Li
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. Nanjing 210004, China
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. Nanjing 210004, China
| | - Yifan Wang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. Nanjing 210004, China
| | - Yanhong Zhang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. Nanjing 210004, China
| | - Jiahui Chu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. Nanjing 210004, China
| | - Chunxiao Sun
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. Nanjing 210004, China
| | - Ziyi Fu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. Nanjing 210004, China; Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Medical Institute, Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210004, China
| | - Yi Huang
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Magee Women's Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Hansheng Zhang
- School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Hongyan Yuan
- Department of Oncology and Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Yongmei Yin
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. Nanjing 210004, China.
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25
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Horibe R, Hirohashi Y, Asano T, Mariya T, Suzuki T, Takaya A, Saijo H, Shionoya Y, Kubo T, Nakatsugawa M, Kanaseki T, Tsukahara T, Watanabe K, Atsuyama E, Toji S, Hirano H, Hasegawa T, Takahashi H, Sato N, Torigoe T. Brother of the regulator of the imprinted site (BORIS) variant subfamily 6 is a novel target of lung cancer stem-like cell immunotherapy. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0171460. [PMID: 28248963 PMCID: PMC5332062 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0171460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is one of the most common malignancies with a high rate of mortality. Lung cancer stem-like cells (CSCs)/ cancer-initiating cells (CICs) play major role in resistance to treatments, recurrence and distant metastasis and eradication of CSCs/CICs is crucial to improve recent therapy. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are major effectors of cancer immunotherapy, and CTLs recognize antigenic peptides derived from antigens that are presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules. In this study, we analyzed the potency of a cancer-testis (CT) antigen, brother of the regulator of the imprinted site variant subfamily 6 (BORIS sf6), in lung CSC/CIC immunotherapy. BORIS sf6 mRNA was expressed in lung carcinoma cells (9/19), especially in sphere-cultured lung cancer stem-like cells, and in primary lung carcinoma tissues (4/9) by RT-PCR. Immunohistochemical staining using BORIS sf6-specific antibody revealed that high expression of BORIS sf6 is related to poorer prognosis. CTLs could be induced by using a human leukocyte antigen, (HLA)-A2 restricted antigenic peptide (BORIS C34_24(9)), from all of 3 HLA-A2-positive individuals, and CTL clone cells specific for BORIS C34_24(9) peptide could recognize BORIS sf6-positive, HLA-A2-positive lung carcinoma cells. These results indicate that BORIS sf6 is a novel target of lung cancer immunotherapy that might be useful for targeting treatment-resistant lung cancer stem-like cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryota Horibe
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Yoshihiko Hirohashi
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
- * E-mail: (TT); (YH)
| | - Takuya Asano
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Tasuku Mariya
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Takeshi Suzuki
- Department of Biology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Akari Takaya
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Saijo
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Yosuke Shionoya
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Terufumi Kubo
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
| | | | - Takayuki Kanaseki
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Tomohide Tsukahara
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Kazue Watanabe
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
- MEDICAL and BIOLOGICAL LABORATORIES CO., LTD., Japan
| | - Eri Atsuyama
- MEDICAL and BIOLOGICAL LABORATORIES CO., LTD., Japan
| | - Shingo Toji
- MEDICAL and BIOLOGICAL LABORATORIES CO., LTD., Japan
| | - Hiroshi Hirano
- Department of Surgical Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Tadashi Hasegawa
- Department of Surgical Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Hiroki Takahashi
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Sato
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Torigoe
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
- * E-mail: (TT); (YH)
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26
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Testis-specific transcriptional regulators selectively occupy BORIS-bound CTCF target regions in mouse male germ cells. Sci Rep 2017; 7:41279. [PMID: 28145452 PMCID: PMC5286509 DOI: 10.1038/srep41279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite sharing the same sequence specificity in vitro and in vivo, CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) and its paralog brother of the regulator of imprinted sites (BORIS) are simultaneously expressed in germ cells. Recently, ChIP-seq analysis revealed two classes of CTCF/BORIS-bound regions: single CTCF target sites (1xCTSes) that are bound by CTCF alone (CTCF-only) or double CTCF target sites (2xCTSes) simultaneously bound by CTCF and BORIS (CTCF&BORIS) or BORIS alone (BORIS-only) in germ cells and in BORIS-positive somatic cancer cells. BORIS-bound regions (CTCF&BORIS and BORIS-only sites) are, on average, enriched for RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) binding and histone retention in mature spermatozoa relative to CTCF-only sites, but little else is known about them. We show that subsets of CTCF&BORIS and BORIS-only sites are occupied by several testis-specific transcriptional regulators (TSTRs) and associated with highly expressed germ cell-specific genes and histone retention in mature spermatozoa. We also demonstrate a physical interaction between BORIS and one of the analyzed TSTRs, TATA-binding protein (TBP)-associated factor 7-like (TAF7L). Our data suggest that CTCF and BORIS cooperate with additional TSTRs to regulate gene expression in developing male gametes and histone retention in mature spermatozoa, potentially priming certain regions of the genome for rapid activation following fertilization.
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27
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Zhang Y, Fang M, Song Y, Ren J, Fang J, Wang X. Brother of Regulator of Imprinted Sites (BORIS) suppresses apoptosis in colorectal cancer. Sci Rep 2017; 7:40786. [PMID: 28098226 PMCID: PMC5241680 DOI: 10.1038/srep40786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 12/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying oncogenes that promote cancer cell proliferation or survival is critical for treatment of colorectal cancer. The Brother of Regulator of Imprinted Sites (BORIS) is frequently expressed in most types of cancer, but rarely in normal tissues. Aberrantly expressed BORIS relates to colorectal cancer, but its function in colorectal cancer cells remains unclear. In addition, previous studies indicated the significance of cytoplasm-localized BORIS in cancer cells. However, none of them investigated its function. Herein, we investigated the functions of BORIS in cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis and the role of cytoplasm-localized BORIS in colorectal cancer. BORIS expression correlated with colorectal cancer proliferation. BORIS overexpression promoted colorectal cancer cell growth, whereas BORIS knockdown suppressed cell proliferation. Sensitivity of colorectal cancer cells to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was inversely correlated with BORIS expression. These data suggest that BORIS functions as an oncogene in colorectal cancer. BORIS silencing induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and apoptosis, whereas BORIS supplementation inhibited apoptosis induced by BORIS short interfering RNA (siRNA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or 5-FU. Introduction of BORIS-ZFdel showed that cytoplasmic localization of BORIS inhibited apoptosis but not ROS production. Our study highlights the anti-apoptotic function of BORIS in colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanmei Zhang
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Science, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310012, P.R. China
| | - Mengdie Fang
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Science, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310012, P.R. China
| | - Yongfei Song
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Science, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310012, P.R. China
| | - Juan Ren
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Science, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310012, P.R. China
| | - Jianfei Fang
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Science, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310012, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoju Wang
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Science, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310012, P.R. China
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28
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In Vitro Assessment of the Expression and T Cell Immunogenicity of the Tumor-Associated Antigens BORIS, MUC1, hTERT, MAGE-A3 and Sp17 in Uterine Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:ijms17091525. [PMID: 27618037 PMCID: PMC5037800 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17091525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Revised: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: While immunotherapy moved to the forefront of treatment of various cancers, it remains underexplored for uterine cancer. This might be due to the small patient population with advanced endometrial carcinoma and uterine sarcoma. Data about immunotherapeutic targets are scarce in endometrial carcinoma and lacking in uterine sarcoma. Methods: Expression of five tumor-associated antigens (TAA) (BORIS, MUC1, hTERT, MAGE-A3 and Sp17) was validated in uterine tumor samples by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and/or quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). TAA immunogenicity was analyzed by determining spontaneous T cell responses towards overlapping peptide pools covering the whole TAA in patient blood. Results: At mRNA level, MAGE-A3 and Sp17 were overexpressed in a minority of patients and BORIS was moderately overexpressed (26% in endometrial carcinoma and 62% in uterine sarcoma). hTERT was overexpressed in the vast majority of tumors. On protein level, MUC1 was upregulated in primary, recurrent and metastatic EMCAR and in metastatic US tumors. hTERT protein was highly expressed in both normal and malignant tissue. Spontaneous TAA-specific T cell responses were detected in a minority of patients, except for hTERT to which T cell responses occurred more frequently. Conclusions: These data point to MUC1 and hTERT as most suitable targets based on expression levels and T cell immunogenicity for use in immunotherapeutic regimens.
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29
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Yoon SL, Roh YG, Chu IS, Heo J, Kim SI, Chang H, Kang TH, Chung JW, Koh SS, Larionov V, Leem SH. A polymorphic minisatellite region of BORIS regulates gene expression and its rare variants correlate with lung cancer susceptibility. Exp Mol Med 2016; 48:e246. [PMID: 27416782 PMCID: PMC4973313 DOI: 10.1038/emm.2016.50] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Revised: 01/20/2016] [Accepted: 01/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant expression of BORIS/CTCFL (Brother of the Regulator of Imprinted Sites/CTCF-like protein) is reported in different malignancies. In this study, we characterized the entire promoter region of BORIS/CTCFL, including the CpG islands, to assess the relationship between BORIS expression and lung cancer. To simplify the construction of luciferase reporter cassettes with various-sized portions of the upstream region, genomic copies of BORIS were isolated using TAR cloning technology. We analyzed three promoter blocks: the GATA/CCAAT box, the CpG islands and the minisatellite region BORIS-MS2. Polymorphic minisatellite sequences were isolated from genomic DNA prepared from the blood of controls and cases. Of the three promoter blocks, the GATA/CCAAT box was determined to be a critical element of the core promoter, while the CpG islands and the BORIS-MS2 minisatellite region were found to act as regulators. Interestingly, the polymorphic minisatellite region BORIS-MS2 was identified as a negative regulator that repressed the expression levels of luciferase reporter cassettes less effectively in cancer cells compared with normal cells. We also examined the association between the size of BORIS-MS2 and lung cancer in a case–control study with 590 controls and 206 lung cancer cases. Rare alleles of BORIS-MS2 were associated with a statistically significantly increased risk of lung cancer (odds ratio, 2.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.02–4.08; and P=0.039). To conclude, our data provide information on the organization of the BORIS promoter region and gene regulation in normal and cancer cells. In addition, we propose that specific alleles of the BORIS-MS2 region could be used to identify the risk for lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Se-Lyun Yoon
- Department of Biological Science, Dong-A University, Busan, Korea
| | - Yun-Gil Roh
- Department of Biological Science, Dong-A University, Busan, Korea
| | - In-Sun Chu
- Korean Bioinformation Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Jeonghoon Heo
- Department of Molecular Biology and Immunology, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea
| | - Seung Il Kim
- Drug & Disease Target Team, Korea Basic Science Institute, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Heekyung Chang
- Department of Pathology, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea
| | - Tae-Hong Kang
- Department of Biological Science, Dong-A University, Busan, Korea
| | - Jin Woong Chung
- Department of Biological Science, Dong-A University, Busan, Korea
| | - Sang Seok Koh
- Department of Biological Science, Dong-A University, Busan, Korea
| | - Vladimir Larionov
- Developmental Therapeutic Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sun-Hee Leem
- Department of Biological Science, Dong-A University, Busan, Korea
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30
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El-Sharkawy NM, Radwan WM, Essa ES, Kandeel EZ, Abd El-Fattah EK, Kandil SH, Kamel AM. Increased expression of brother of the regulator of imprinted sites in peripheral blood neutrophils is associated with both benign and malignant breast lesions. CYTOMETRY PART B-CLINICAL CYTOMETRY 2016; 92:355-360. [PMID: 27219508 DOI: 10.1002/cyto.b.21378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2015] [Revised: 02/29/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND BORIS, a paralog of the multifunctional CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) gene is restricted to testis and normally not present in females. It is aberrantly activated in various human cancers including cancer breast. Using immunohistochemistry, western blot and/or RT-PCR, significantly higher levels of BORIS expression were reported in the neutrophils of cancer breast patients. We hypothesized that Flow Cytometry might be a better technique for objective quantitative evaluation of BORIS in neutrophils and we wanted to investigate if BORIS would discriminate between benign and malignant breast lesions. METHODS The study included 85 females; 52 breast cancer, 13 benign breast lesions and 20 age-matched healthy controls. BORIS expression in the neutrophils was detected by Flow Cytometry. RESULTS High level of BORIS was detected in all malignant (64.4 ± 16.6%) and benign cases (67 ± 12.3), mean florescent intensity ratio (MFIR) of 7.2 ± 4.1 and 7 ± 3.5, median 5.8 and 6.6%; and staining index (SI) 8.3 ± 3.9 and 8.2 ± 3.4, median 7.6 and 7.9 respectively vs.13.4 ± 11.5% MFI 1.8 ± 0.7, median1.6 and SI 2.6 ± 0.69, median 2.5 for the control. BORIS level was comparable in the malignant and benign group (P = 0.934) and significantly higher than control (P = 0.0001). There was no correlation between neutrophil BORIS expression and ER/PR status, HER-2/neu expression or tumor stage or size. CONCLUSIONS Increased BORIS expression in peripheral blood neutrophils is associated with both benign and malignant breast lesions; apparently, increased proliferation of breast tissue is the determining factor. This excludes BORIS as a tumor marker but it does not jeopardize its value as a potential therapeutic target. © 2016 International Clinical Cytometry Society.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wafaa M Radwan
- Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebein ElKom, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Enas S Essa
- Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebein ElKom, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Eman Z Kandeel
- Clinical Pathology Department, NCI, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | - Samia H Kandil
- Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebein ElKom, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Azza M Kamel
- Clinical Pathology Department, NCI, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
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31
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Baldwin RM, Haghandish N, Daneshmand M, Amin S, Paris G, Falls TJ, Bell JC, Islam S, Côté J. Protein arginine methyltransferase 7 promotes breast cancer cell invasion through the induction of MMP9 expression. Oncotarget 2015; 6:3013-32. [PMID: 25605249 PMCID: PMC4413634 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.3072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2014] [Accepted: 12/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence points to the protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT) family of enzymes playing critical roles in cancer. PRMT7 has been identified in several gene expression studies to be associated with increased metastasis and decreased survival in breast cancer patients. However, this has not been extensively studied. Here we report that PRMT7 expression is significantly upregulated in both primary breast tumour tissues and in breast cancer lymph node metastases. We have demonstrated that reducing PRMT7 levels in invasive breast cancer cells using RNA interference significantly decreased cell invasion in vitro and metastasis in vivo. Conversely, overexpression of PRMT7 in non-aggressive MCF7 cells enhanced their invasiveness. Furthermore, we show that PRMT7 induces the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), a well-known mediator of breast cancer metastasis. Importantly, we significantly rescued invasion of aggressive breast cancer cells depleted of PRMT7 by the exogenous expression of MMP9. Our results demonstrate that upregulation of PRMT7 in breast cancer may have a significant role in promoting cell invasion through the regulation of MMP9. This identifies PRMT7 as a novel and potentially significant biomarker and therapeutic target for breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Mitchell Baldwin
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nasim Haghandish
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Manijeh Daneshmand
- Center for Innovative Cancer Therapeutics, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shahrier Amin
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Pathology, Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Geneviève Paris
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Theresa J Falls
- Center for Innovative Cancer Therapeutics, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - John C Bell
- Center for Innovative Cancer Therapeutics, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shahidul Islam
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Pathology, Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jocelyn Côté
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Ghafouri-Fard S, Shamsi R, Seifi-Alan M, Javaheri M, Tabarestani S. Cancer-testis genes as candidates for immunotherapy in breast cancer. Immunotherapy 2014; 6:165-79. [PMID: 24491090 DOI: 10.2217/imt.13.165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer-testis (CT) antigens are tumor-associated antigens attracting immunologists for their possible application in the immunotherapy of cancer. Several clinical trials have assessed their therapeutic potentials in cancer patients. Breast cancers, especially triple-negative cancers are among those with significant expression of CT genes. Identification of CT genes with high expression in cancer patients is the prerequisite for any immunotherapeutic approach. CT genes have gained attention not only for immunotherapy of cancer patients, but also for immunoprevention in high-risk individuals. Many CT genes have proved to be immunogenic in breast cancer patients suggesting the basis for the development of polyvalent vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soudeh Ghafouri-Fard
- Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 19857-17443, Iran
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33
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Lee HY, Kim JI, Cho SH, Ko TY, Kim HS, Park SD, Cho SR, Chang HK, Hwang GJ, Jung SB. Expression of the brother of the regulator of imprinted sites gene in the sputum of patients with lung cancer. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF THORACIC AND CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY 2014; 47:378-83. [PMID: 25207247 PMCID: PMC4157501 DOI: 10.5090/kjtcs.2014.47.4.378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2013] [Revised: 11/22/2013] [Accepted: 11/24/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Background Brother of the regulator of imprinted sites (BORIS) is a putative new oncogene that is classified as a cancer germline gene; however, its role in the development of cancer is unclear. This study investigated the expression of BORIS in lung cancer and its clinical implications. Methods The expression of BORIS messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) in the sputum of 100 patients with lung cancer (50 with squamous cell carcinoma, 36 with adenocarcinoma, and 14 with small-cell carcinoma) was evaluated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results The overall expression rate of BORIS in patients with lung cancer was 36.0%: 19 of 50 squamous cell carcinomas (38.0%), 13 of 36 adenocarcinomas (36.1%), and 4 of 14 (28.6%) small-cell carcinomas. There was no significant difference in the BORIS expression according to age, gender, or histologic type. However, the mRNA expression of BORIS was significantly related to the pathologic cancer stage (p=0.004) and lymph node metastasis (p=0.001). The expression of the melanoma antigen gene family A1–6 was not associated with the expression of BORIS. Conclusion Our results suggest that the expression of BORIS might be a negative prognostic factor in lung cancers and implicate BORIS as a molecular target for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hae Young Lee
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, Kosin University College of Medicine
| | - Jong In Kim
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, Kosin University College of Medicine
| | - Sung Ho Cho
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, Kosin University College of Medicine
| | - Taek Yong Ko
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, Kosin University College of Medicine
| | - Hyun Su Kim
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, Kosin University College of Medicine
| | - Sung Dal Park
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, Kosin University College of Medicine
| | - Sung Rae Cho
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, Kosin University College of Medicine
| | - Hee Kyung Chang
- Department of Pathology, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, Kosin University College of Medicine
| | - Guk Jin Hwang
- Department of Familly Medicine, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, Kosin University College of Medicine
| | - Sang Bong Jung
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Gimhae College
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Soltanian S, Dehghani H, Matin MM, Bahrami AR. Expression analysis of BORIS during pluripotent, differentiated, cancerous, and non-cancerous cell states. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2014; 46:647-58. [PMID: 24928684 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmu045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BORIS/CTCFL is an 11 zinc finger protein, which is the paralog of CTCF, a ubiquitously expressed protein with diverse roles in gene expression and chromatin organization. Several studies have shown that the expression of BORIS is restricted to normal adult testis, pluripotent cells, and diverse cancer cell lines. Thus, it is known as a cancer-testis (CT) gene that has been hypothesized to exhibit oncogenic properties and to be involved in cancer cell proliferation. On the contrary, other reports have shown that its expression is more widespread and can be detected in differentiated and normal somatic cells; hence, it might have roles in general cellular functions. The present study was aimed to analyze the expression of BORIS in different cell states of pluripotent, differentiated, cancerous and non-cancerous.We found that the two cell states of pluripotency and differentiation are not accompanied with significant variations of BORIS expression. Furthermore, Boris transcripts were detected at approximately the same level in cancer and non-cancer cell lines. These findings suggest that, in contrast to some previous reports, the expression of mouse BORIS is not limited to only cancerous cells or pluripotent cell states.
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Zampieri M, Ciccarone F, Palermo R, Cialfi S, Passananti C, Chiaretti S, Nocchia D, Talora C, Screpanti I, Caiafa P. The epigenetic factor BORIS/CTCFL regulates the NOTCH3 gene expression in cancer cells. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2014; 1839:813-25. [PMID: 24984200 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2014.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2014] [Revised: 06/23/2014] [Accepted: 06/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Aberrant upregulation of NOTCH3 gene plays a critical role in cancer pathogenesis. However, the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. We tested here the hypothesis that aberrant epigenetic modifications in the NOTCH3 promoter region might account for its upregulation in cancer cells. We compared DNA and histone methylation status of NOTCH3 promoter region in human normal blood cells and T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) cell lines, differentially expressing NOTCH3. We found that histone methylation, rather than DNA hypomethylation, contributes towards establishing an active chromatin status of NOTCH3 promoter in NOTCH3 overexpressing cancer cells. We discovered that the chromatin regulator protein BORIS/CTCFL plays an important role in regulating NOTCH3 gene expression. We observed that BORIS is present in T-ALL cell lines as well as in cell lines derived from several solid tumors overexpressing NOTCH3. Moreover, BORIS targets NOTCH3 promoter in cancer cells and it is able to induce and to maintain a permissive/active chromatin conformation. Importantly, the association between NOTCH3 overexpression and BORIS presence was confirmed in primary T-ALL samples from patients at the onset of the disease. Overall, our results provide novel insights into the determinants of NOTCH3 overexpression in cancer cells, by revealing a key role for BORIS as the main mediator of transcriptional deregulation of NOTCH3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Zampieri
- Department of Cellular Biotechnologies and Hematology, Faculty of Pharmacy & Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Pasteur Institute-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabio Ciccarone
- Department of Cellular Biotechnologies and Hematology, Faculty of Pharmacy & Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Pasteur Institute-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Rome, Italy
| | - Rocco Palermo
- Center for Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
| | - Samantha Cialfi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy & Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Passananti
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Pathology CNR, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Sabina Chiaretti
- Department of Cellular Biotechnologies and Hematology, Faculty of Pharmacy & Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Nocchia
- Department of Cellular Biotechnologies and Hematology, Faculty of Pharmacy & Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Talora
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy & Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Isabella Screpanti
- Pasteur Institute-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Rome, Italy; Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy & Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
| | - Paola Caiafa
- Department of Cellular Biotechnologies and Hematology, Faculty of Pharmacy & Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Pasteur Institute-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Rome, Italy.
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A novel mechanism for CTCF in the epigenetic regulation of Bax in breast cancer cells. Neoplasia 2014; 15:898-912. [PMID: 23908591 DOI: 10.1593/neo.121948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2012] [Revised: 04/23/2013] [Accepted: 05/03/2013] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
We previously reported the association of elevated levels of the multifunctional transcription factor, CCCTC binding factor (CTCF), in breast cancer cells with the specific anti-apoptotic function of CTCF. To understand the molecular mechanisms of this phenomenon, we investigated regulation of the human Bax gene by CTCF in breast and non-breast cells. Two CTCF binding sites (CTSs) within the Bax promoter were identified. In all cells, breast and non-breast, active histone modifications were present at these CTSs, DNA harboring this region was unmethylated, and levels of Bax mRNA and protein were similar. Nevertheless, up-regulation of Bax mRNA and protein and apoptotic cell death were observed only in breast cancer cells depleted of CTCF. We proposed that increased CTCF binding to the Bax promoter in breast cancer cells, by comparison with non-breast cells, may be mechanistically linked to the specific apoptotic phenotype in CTCF-depleted breast cancer cells. In this study, we show that CTCF binding was enriched at the Bax CTSs in breast cancer cells and tumors; in contrast, binding of other transcription factors (SP1, WT1, EGR1, and c-Myc) was generally increased in non-breast cells and normal breast tissues. Our findings suggest a novel mechanism for CTCF in the epigenetic regulation of Bax in breast cancer cells, whereby elevated levels of CTCF support preferential binding of CTCF to the Bax CTSs. In this context, CTCF functions as a transcriptional repressor counteracting influences of positive regulatory factors; depletion of breast cancer cells from CTCF therefore results in the activation of Bax and apoptosis.
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37
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Possible prognostic value of BORIS transcript variants ratio in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas - a pilot study. Pathol Oncol Res 2014; 20:687-95. [PMID: 24563233 DOI: 10.1007/s12253-014-9749-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2013] [Accepted: 02/06/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
BORIS is a paralog of a highly conserved, multi-functional chromatin factor CTCF. Unlike CTCF, which has been shown to possess tumor-suppressive properties, BORIS belongs to the "cancer/testis antigen" family normally expressed only in germ cells and aberrantly activated in a variety of tumors. The consequences of BORIS expression, relative abundance of its isoforms, and its role in carcinogenesis have not been completely elucidated. It activates transcription of hTERT and MYC, genes relevant for laryngeal carcinoma progression. In this study, BORIS expression has been analyzed at the transcriptional level by RT-PCR and protein level by semi-quantitative immunohistochemistry in 32 laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas and adjacent non-tumorous tissue. BORIS was detected in 44 % (14/32) laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma samples, while it was detected only in one normal, tumor-adjacent tissue sample. Tree based survival analysis, using the recursive partitioning algorithm mvpart, extracted the ratio of relative abundance of BORIS transcript variants containing exon 7 (BORIS 7+) and those lacking exon 7 (BORIS 7-) as an independent prognostic factor associated with disease relapse during a 5-year follow-up period. Patients having BORIS 7+/BORIS 7- ratio ≥1 had a higher rate of disease relapse than patients with BORIS 7+/BORIS 7- ratio <1. Hazard ratio for that group, based on Cox Proportional Hazard Regression, was 3.53. This is the first study analyzing expression of BORIS protein and transcript variants in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma relative to its possible prognostic value for recurrence and overall survival.
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Cheema Z, Hari-Gupta Y, Kita GX, Farrar D, Seddon I, Corr J, Klenova E. Expression of the cancer-testis antigen BORIS correlates with prostate cancer. Prostate 2014; 74:164-76. [PMID: 24123052 DOI: 10.1002/pros.22738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2013] [Accepted: 09/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND BORIS, a paralogue of the transcription factor CTCF, is a member of the cancer-testis antigen (CT) family. BORIS is normally present at high levels in the testis; however it is aberrantly expressed in various tumors and cancer cell lines. The main objectives of this study were to investigate BORIS expression together with sub-cellular localization in both prostate cell lines and tumor tissues, and assess correlations between BORIS and clinical/pathological characteristics. METHODS We examined BORIS mRNA expression, protein levels and cellular localization in a panel of human prostate tissues, cancer and benign, together with a panel prostate cell lines. We also compared BORIS levels and localization with clinical/pathological characteristics in prostate tumors. RESULTS BORIS was detected in all inspected prostate cancer cell lines and tumors, but was absent in benign prostatic hyperplasia. Increased levels of BORIS protein positively correlated with Gleason score, T-stage and androgen receptor (AR) protein levels in prostate tumors. The relationship between BORIS and AR was further highlighted in prostate cell lines by the ability of ectopically expressed BORIS to activate the endogenous AR mRNA and protein. BORIS localization in the nucleus plus cytoplasm was also associated with higher BORIS levels and Gleason score. CONCLUSIONS Detection of BORIS in prostate tumors suggests potential applications of BORIS as a biomarker for prostate cancer diagnosis, as an immunotherapy target and, potentially, a prognostic marker of more aggressive prostate cancer. The ability of BORIS to activate the AR gene indicates BORIS involvement in the growth and development of prostate tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zubair Cheema
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, UK; Department of Urology, Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust, Colchester, UK
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Ogunkolade BW, Jones TA, Aarum J, Szary J, Owen N, Ottaviani D, Mumin MA, Patel S, Pieri CA, Silver AR, Sheer D. BORIS/CTCFL is an RNA-binding protein that associates with polysomes. BMC Cell Biol 2013; 14:52. [PMID: 24279897 PMCID: PMC4219345 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2121-14-52] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2013] [Accepted: 11/19/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND BORIS (CTCFL), a paralogue of the multifunctional and ubiquitously expressed transcription factor CTCF, is best known for its role in transcriptional regulation. In the nucleus, BORIS is particularly enriched in the nucleolus, a crucial compartment for ribosomal RNA and RNA metabolism. However, little is known about cytoplasmic BORIS, which represents the major pool of BORIS protein. RESULTS We show, firstly, that BORIS has a putative nuclear export signal in the C-terminal domain. Furthermore, BORIS associates with mRNA in both neural stem cells and young neurons. The majority of the BORIS-associated transcripts are different in the two cell types. Finally, by using polysome profiling we show that BORIS is associated with actively translating ribosomes. CONCLUSION We have demonstrated the RNA binding properties of cellular BORIS and its association with actively translating ribosomes. We suggest that BORIS is involved in gene expression at both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Denise Sheer
- Centre for Neuroscience and Trauma, Queen Mary University of London, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, E1 2AT, UK.
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Del Campo EP, Márquez JJT, Reyes-Vargas F, Intriago-Ortega MDP, Quintanar-Escorza MA, Burciaga-Nava JA, Sifuentes-Alvarez A, Reyes-Romero M. CTCF and CTCFL mRNA expression in 17β-estradiol-treated MCF7 cells. Biomed Rep 2013; 2:101-104. [PMID: 24649078 DOI: 10.3892/br.2013.200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2013] [Accepted: 11/06/2013] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Estrogens play a key role in breast cancer, with 60-70% of the cases expressing estrogen receptors (ERs), which are encoded by the ESR1 gene. CTCFL, a paralogue of the chromatin organizer CTCF, is a potential biomarker of breast cancer, but its expression in this disease is currently controversial. A positive correlation has been reported between CTCFL and ERs in breast tumors and there also exists a coordinated interaction between CTCF and ERs in breast cancer cells. Therefore, there appears to be an association between CTCF, CTCFL and estrogens in breast cancer; however, there has been no report on the effects of estrogens on CTCF and CTCFL expression. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of 17β-estradiol (E2) on the CTCF and CTCFL mRNA expression in the MCF7 breast cancer cell line. The promoter methylation status of CTCFL and data mining for estrogen response elements in promoters of the CTCF and CTCFL genes were also determined. The transcription of CTCF and CTCFL was performed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and the promoter methylation status of CTCFL was determined by methylation-specific PCR. The MCF7 cells exhibited basal transcription of CTCF, which was significantly downregulated to 0.68 by 1 μM E2; basal or E2-regulated transcription of CTCFL was not detected. Under basal conditions, the CTCFL promoter was methylated. Through data mining, an estrogen response element was identified in the CTCF promoter, but no such element was found in CTCFL. These results suggested that estrogens may modulate CTCF expression, although there was no apparent association between ERs and CTCFL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Portillo Del Campo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of the State of Durango, Durango 34000, Mexico
| | - José Jorge Talamás Márquez
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of the State of Durango, Durango 34000, Mexico ; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of the State of Durango, Durango 34000, Mexico
| | | | - María Del Pilar Intriago-Ortega
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of the State of Durango, Durango 34000, Mexico
| | | | - Jorge Alberto Burciaga-Nava
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of the State of Durango, Durango 34000, Mexico
| | - Antonio Sifuentes-Alvarez
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of the State of Durango, Durango 34000, Mexico
| | - Miguel Reyes-Romero
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of the State of Durango, Durango 34000, Mexico
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Strunnikov A. Cohesin complexes with a potential to link mammalian meiosis to cancer. CELL REGENERATION 2013; 2:4. [PMID: 25408876 PMCID: PMC4230521 DOI: 10.1186/2045-9769-2-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2013] [Accepted: 05/16/2013] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Among multiple genes aberrantly activated in cancers, invariably, there is a group related to the capacity of cell to self-renewal. Some of these genes are related to the normal process of development, including the establishment of a germline. This group, a part of growing family of Cancer/Testis (CT) genes, now includes the meiosis specific subunits of cohesin complex. The first reports characterizing the SMC1 and RAD21 genes, encoding subunits of cohesin, were published 20 years ago; however the exact molecular mechanics of cohesin molecular machine in vivo remains rather obscure notwithstanding ample elegant experiments. The matters are complicated by the fact that the evolution of cohesin function, which is served by just two basic types of protein complexes in budding yeast, took an explosive turn in Metazoa. The recent characterization of a new set of genes encoding cohesin subunits specific for meiosis in vertebrates adds several levels of complexity to the task of structure-function analysis of specific cohesin pathways, even more so in relation to their aberrant functionality in cancers. These three proteins, SMC1β, RAD21L and STAG3 are likely involved in a specific function in the first meiotic prophase, genetic recombination, and segregation of homologues. However, at present, it is rather challenging to pinpoint the molecular role of these proteins, particularly in synaptonemal complex or centromere function, due to the multiplicity of different cohesins in meiosis. The roles of these proteins in cancer cell physiology, upon their aberrant activation in tumors, also remain to be elucidated. Nevertheless, as the existence of Cancer/Testis cohesin complexes in tumor cells appears to be all but certain, this brings a promise of a new target for cancer therapy and/or diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Strunnikov
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Molecular Epigenetics Laboratory, 190 Kai Yuan Avenue, Science Park, Guangzhou, 510530 China
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Pandey A, Kurup A, Shrivastava A, Radhi S, Nguyen DD, Arentz C, D'Chuna N, Hardwick F, D'Souza MJ, Jenkins M, Grizzi F, Kast WM, Cobos E, Rahman R, Chiriva-Internati M, Chiaramonte R, Platonova N. Cancer testes antigens in breast cancer: biological role, regulation, and therapeutic applicability. Int Rev Immunol 2013; 31:302-20. [PMID: 23083343 DOI: 10.3109/08830185.2012.723511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of death among women across the world. The last few decades have seen significant reduction in mortality owing to earlier detection and better adjuvant treatments that were developed based on clinical staging and morphological features. As these treatments have evolved, the heterogeneity of breast cancer poses a new challenge, since there is no standard gold-therapy suitable for all tumors of the mammary gland. Therefore, contemporary management and research efforts are directed toward specific prognostic and predictive molecular signatures that can guide targeted individualized therapy. The goal of ongoing research in this field is to identify specific molecular targets for developing novel therapeutic approaches. These targets can also serve to improve screening of breast cancer. This review focuses on the role of cancer testis antigens (CTAs) in breast carcinogenesis and explores the potential for development of targeted screening and therapeutic approaches. Normally found in the testes, these antigens are highly correlative with cancers of the breast, skin, and ovaries. These implications have been further corroborated through uncovering the interaction of CTAs with genes and proteins involved in tumor suppression and homeostasis like p53. There is some evidence that these genes can be targeted for early detection in addition to being candidates for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apurva Pandey
- Department of Internal Medicine at the Division of Hematology & Oncology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and Southwest Cancer Treatment and Research Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
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Apicidin and docetaxel combination treatment drives CTCFL expression and HMGB1 release acting as potential antitumor immune response inducers in metastatic breast cancer cells. Neoplasia 2013; 14:855-67. [PMID: 23019417 DOI: 10.1593/neo.121020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2012] [Revised: 08/08/2012] [Accepted: 08/09/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Currently approved combination regimens available for the treatment of metastatic tumors, such as breast cancer, have been shown to increase response rates, often at the cost of a substantial increase in toxicity. An ideal combination strategy may consist of agents with different mechanisms of action leading to complementary antitumor activities and safety profiles. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the epigenetic modulator apicidin in combination with the cytotoxic agent docetaxel in tumor breast cell lines characterized by different grades of invasiveness. We report that combined treatment of apicidin and docetaxel, at low toxicity doses, stimulates in metastatic breast cancer cells the expression of CTCF-like protein and other cancer antigens, thus potentially favoring an antitumor immune response. In addition, apicidin and docetaxel co-treatment specifically stimulates apoptosis, characterized by an increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and caspase-8 activation. Importantly, following combined exposure to these agents, metastatic cells were also found to induce signals of immunogenic apoptosis such as cell surface expression of calreticulin and release of considerable amounts of high-mobility group box 1 protein, thus potentially promoting the translation of induced cell death into antitumor immune response. Altogether, our results indicate that the combined use of apicidin and docetaxel, at a low toxicity profile, may represent a potential innovative strategy able to activate complementary antitumor pathways in metastatic breast cancer cells, associated with a potential control of metastatic growth and possible induction of antitumor immunity.
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Link PA, Zhang W, Odunsi K, Karpf AR. BORIS/CTCFL mRNA isoform expression and epigenetic regulation in epithelial ovarian cancer. CANCER IMMUNITY 2013; 13:6. [PMID: 23390377 PMCID: PMC3559194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Cancer germline (CG) genes are normally expressed in germ cells and aberrantly expressed in a variety of cancers; their immunogenicity has led to the widespread development of cancer vaccines targeting these antigens. BORIS/CTCFL is an autosomal CG antigen and promising cancer vaccine target. BORIS is the only known paralog of CTCF, a gene intimately involved in genomic imprinting, chromatin insulation, and nuclear regulation. We have previously shown that BORIS is expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and that its expression coincides with promoter and global DNA hypomethylation. Recently, 23 different BORIS mRNA variants have been described, and have been functionally grouped into six BORIS isoform families (sf1-sf6). In the present study, we have characterized the expression of BORIS isoform families in normal ovary (NO) and EOC, the latter of which were selected to include two groups with widely varying global DNA methylation status. We find selective expression of BORIS isoform families in NO, which becomes altered in EOC, primarily by the activation of BORIS sf1 in EOC. When comparing EOC samples based on methylation status, we find that BORIS sf1 and sf2 isoform families are selectively activated in globally hypomethylated tumors. In contrast, CTCF is downregulated in EOC, and the ratio of BORIS sf1, sf2, and sf6 isoform families as a function of CTCF is elevated in hypomethylated tumors. Finally, the expression of all BORIS isoform families was induced to varying extents by epigenetic modulatory drugs in EOC cell lines, particularly when DNMT and HDAC inhibitors were used in combination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra A. Link
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Wa Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Kunle Odunsi
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Center for Immunotherapy, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Adam R. Karpf
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
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Chen K, Huang W, Huang B, Wei Y, Li B, Ge Y, Qin Y. BORIS, brother of the regulator of imprinted sites, is aberrantly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma. Genet Test Mol Biomarkers 2012; 17:160-5. [PMID: 23237599 DOI: 10.1089/gtmb.2012.0242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The brother of the regulator of imprinted sites (BORIS) is a novel member of the cancer testis antigen gene family, which are normally expressed only in spermatocytes, but abnormally activated in different malignancies. AIM The aim of this study was to explore the expression of BORIS in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its correlation with the clinicopathologic features and prognosis of HCC. METHODS We investigated BORIS expression in HCC cell lines and 105 primary HCC clinical surgical specimens using real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis. We further examined the correlation of BORIS with a liver stem cell marker (CD90) in HCC tissues by histochemical double staining. The correlation of BORIS with clinicopathologic features and prognosis of HCC was analyzed using patient data. RESULTS The expression of BORIS was found in SMMC-7721, BEL-7402, and Huh-7, but not in hep-G2 cells. The expression rate of BORIS was significantly higher in the HCC tissues than in the adjacent noncancerous tissues (p=0.000). BORIS expression was correlated with the tumor size (p=0.000), CD90 expression (p=0.000), and satellite nodule (p=0.000). Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that patients with positive expression of BORIS had lower overall survival rate (p=0.003). CONCLUSIONS Our data indicate that BORIS may be an auxiliary diagnosis index and a novel favorable prognostic indicator of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kefei Chen
- Division of Liver Transplantation, Department of Surgery, West China Hospital, Chengdu, China
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Okabayashi K, Fujita T, Miyazaki J, Okada T, Iwata T, Hirao N, Noji S, Tsukamoto N, Goshima N, Hasegawa H, Takeuchi H, Ueda M, Kitagawa Y, Kawakami Y. Cancer-testis antigen BORIS is a novel prognostic marker for patients with esophageal cancer. Cancer Sci 2012; 103:1617-24. [PMID: 22676270 DOI: 10.1111/j.1349-7006.2012.02355.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2012] [Revised: 05/29/2012] [Accepted: 05/30/2012] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) is one of the most common lethal tumors in the world, and development of new diagnostic and therapeutic methods is needed. In this study, cancer-testis antigen, BORIS, was isolated by functional cDNA expression cloning using screening technique with serum IgG Abs from ESCC patients. BORIS was previously reported to show cancer-testis antigen like expression, but its immunogenicity has remained unclear in cancer patients. BORIS was considered to be an immunogenic antigen capable of inducing IgG Abs in patients with various cancers, including four of 11 ESCC patients. Immunohistochemical study showed that the BORIS protein was expressed in 28 of 50 (56%) ESCC tissues. The BORIS expression was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis in ESCC patients with pT1 disease (P = 0.036). Furthermore, the patients with BORIS-positive tumors had a poor overall survival (5-year survival rate: BORIS-negative 70.0% vs BORIS-positive 29.9%, log-rank P = 0.028) in Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and log-rank test. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard model demonstrated that BORIS expression was an independent poor prognostic factor (hazard ratio = 4.158 [95% confidence interval 1.494-11.57], P = 0.006). Downregulation of BORIS with specific siRNAs resulted in decreased cell proliferation and invasion ability of ESCC cell lines. BORIS may be a useful biomarker for prognostic diagnosis of ESCC patients and a potential target for treatment including by BORIS-specific immunotherapy and molecular target therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koji Okabayashi
- Division of Cellular Signaling, Institute for Advanced Medical Research, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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Rosa-Garrido M, Ceballos L, Alonso-Lecue P, Abraira C, Delgado MD, Gandarillas A. A cell cycle role for the epigenetic factor CTCF-L/BORIS. PLoS One 2012; 7:e39371. [PMID: 22724006 PMCID: PMC3378572 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0039371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2011] [Accepted: 05/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
CTCF is a ubiquitous epigenetic regulator that has been proposed as a master keeper of chromatin organisation. CTCF-like, or BORIS, is thought to antagonise CTCF and has been found in normal testis, ovary and a large variety of tumour cells. The cellular function of BORIS remains intriguing although it might be involved in developmental reprogramming of gene expression patterns. We here unravel the expression of CTCF and BORIS proteins throughout human epidermis. While CTCF is widely distributed within the nucleus, BORIS is confined to the nucleolus and other euchromatin domains. Nascent RNA experiments in primary keratinocytes revealed that endogenous BORIS is present in active transcription sites. Interestingly, BORIS also localises to interphase centrosomes suggesting a role in the cell cycle. Blocking the cell cycle at S phase or mitosis, or causing DNA damage, produced a striking accumulation of BORIS. Consistently, ectopic expression of wild type or GFP- BORIS provoked a higher rate of S phase cells as well as genomic instability by mitosis failure. Furthermore, down-regulation of endogenous BORIS by specific shRNAs inhibited both RNA transcription and cell cycle progression. The results altogether suggest a role for BORIS in coordinating S phase events with mitosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Rosa-Garrido
- Cell Cycle, Stem Cell Fate and Cancer Laboratory, Fundación Marqués de Valdecilla-Instituto de Formación e Investigación Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, Universidad de Cantabria-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, SODERCAN, Santander, Spain
| | - Laura Ceballos
- Cell Cycle, Stem Cell Fate and Cancer Laboratory, Fundación Marqués de Valdecilla-Instituto de Formación e Investigación Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, Universidad de Cantabria-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, SODERCAN, Santander, Spain
| | - Pilar Alonso-Lecue
- Cell Cycle, Stem Cell Fate and Cancer Laboratory, Fundación Marqués de Valdecilla-Instituto de Formación e Investigación Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain
| | - Cristina Abraira
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, Universidad de Cantabria-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, SODERCAN, Santander, Spain
| | - M. Dolores Delgado
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, Universidad de Cantabria-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, SODERCAN, Santander, Spain
| | - Alberto Gandarillas
- Cell Cycle, Stem Cell Fate and Cancer Laboratory, Fundación Marqués de Valdecilla-Instituto de Formación e Investigación Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, Universidad de Cantabria-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, SODERCAN, Santander, Spain
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, ADR Languedoc-Roussillon, Montpellier, France
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Rousseaux S, Khochbin S. New hypotheses for large-scale epigenome alterations in somatic cancer cells: a role for male germ-cell-specific regulators. Epigenomics 2012; 1:153-61. [PMID: 22122641 DOI: 10.2217/epi.09.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Oncogenic cell transformation is consistently associated with alterations of the cell epigenome leading to aberrant gene repression and activation. Some of these events, such as the DNA-methylation-based silencing of tumor suppressor genes, are considered to be oncogenic themselves. A much less-studied consequence of these epigenetic misregulations is the abnormal activation of tissue-specific genes in precancerous and transformed cells. Here, we explore the idea that the aberrant expression of germ-cell-specific genes in somatic cancer cells could contribute to malignant cell transformation and cancer progression. Indeed, a significant number of papers have reported the abnormal activation of germ cell-specific genes in various somatic cancers (known as cancer testis [C/T] antigens or factors). Although in most cases the physiological function of these genes remains unknown, functional investigations suggest that they can act as potent genome, epigenome and cellular reorganizers. Hence, in view of the existing literature, we discuss the hypothesis that C/T activation in somatic cells is not only a consequence of global epigenetic deregulation, but also a cause of further large-scale alterations of the epigenome, which themselves have direct oncogenic consequences for the affected cells. Finally, we highlight the fact that C/T factors have the potential to serve as valuable markers for cancer detection, as well as provide promising targets for developing new therapeutical strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Rousseaux
- INSERM U823, Université Joseph Fourier, Institut Albert Bonniot, Grenoble, France.
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Heuck-Knubel K, Proszkowiec-Weglarz M, Narayana J, Ellestad LE, Prakobsaeng N, Porter TE. Identification of cis elements necessary for glucocorticoid induction of growth hormone gene expression in chicken embryonic pituitary cells. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2012; 302:R606-19. [DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00492.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Glucocorticoid (GC) treatment of rat or chicken embryonic pituitary (CEP) cells induces premature production of growth hormone (GH). GC induction of the GH gene requires ongoing protein synthesis, and the GH genes lack a canonical GC response element (GRE). To characterize cis-acting elements and identify trans-acting proteins involved in this process, we characterized the regulation of a luciferase reporter containing a fragment of the chicken GH gene (−1727/+48) in embryonic day 11 CEP cells. Corticosterone (Cort) increased luciferase activity and mRNA expression, and mRNA induction was blocked by protein synthesis inhibition. Through deletion analysis, we identified a GC-responsive region (GCRR) at −1045 to −954. The GCRR includes an ETS-1 binding site and a degenerate GRE (dGRE) half site. Nuclear proteins, including ETS-1, bound to a GCRR probe in electrophoretic mobility shift assays, and Cort regulated protein binding. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation, we found that ETS-1 and GC receptor (GR) were associated with the GCRR in CEP cells, and Cort increased GR recruitment to the GCRR. Mutation of the ETS-1 site or dGRE site in the −1045/+48 GH reporter abolished Cort responsiveness. We conclude that GC regulation of the GH gene during development requires cis-acting elements in the GCRR and involves ETS-1 and GR binding to these elements. Similar ETS-1 elements/dGREs are located in the 5′-flanking regions of GH genes in mammals, including rodents and humans. This is the first study to demonstrate involvement of ETS-1 in GC regulation of the GH gene during embryonic development in any species, enhancing our understanding of GH regulation in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jyoti Narayana
- Molecular and Cell Biology Program, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland; and
| | - Laura E. Ellestad
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences and
- Molecular and Cell Biology Program, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland; and
| | - Nattiya Prakobsaeng
- School of Biology, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Tom E. Porter
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences and
- Molecular and Cell Biology Program, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland; and
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50
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Abstract
CTCF is an evolutionary conserved and ubiquitously expressed protein that binds thousands of sites in the human genome. Ectopic expression of CTCF in various normal and tumoral human cell lines inhibits cell division and clonogenicity, with the consequence to consider CTCF a potential tumor-suppressor factor. In this review article, we focused on the molecular mechanisms engaged by CTCF to modulate the expression of several key-regulators of differentiation, cellular senescence, cell cycle control and progression, whose expression is frequently altered in tumors. Moreover, we discussed common features of CTCF at each tumor-related DNA-binding sequence, such as protein-partners, post-translational modifications, and distinctive epigenetic marks establishment. The investigation of the molecular mechanisms engaged by CTCF to modulate tumor-related genes emphasizes the cell-type dependency of its tumor suppressor role. Indeed, the ability of CTCF to bind their promoters strictly depends by cell-type features as DNA methylation, BORIS-binding and post-translational modifications as PARYlation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Paolo Fiorentino
- Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, USA
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