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Zheng Y, Li X, Kuang L, Wang Y. New insights into the characteristics of DRAK2 and its role in apoptosis: From molecular mechanisms to clinically applied potential. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1014508. [PMID: 36386181 PMCID: PMC9649744 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1014508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
As a member of the death-associated protein kinase (DAPK) family, DAP kinase-associated apoptosis-inducing kinase 2 (DRAK2) performs apoptosis-related functions. Compelling evidence suggests that DRAK2 is involved in regulating the activation of T lymphocytes as well as pancreatic β-cell apoptosis in type I diabetes. In addition, DRAK2 has been shown to be involved in the development of related tumor and non-tumor diseases through a variety of mechanisms, including exacerbation of alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) through SRSF6-associated RNA selective splicing mechanism, regulation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia, and progression of colorectal cancer. This review focuses on the structure, function, and upstream pathways of DRAK2 and discusses the potential and challenges associated with the clinical application of DRAK2-based small-molecule inhibitors, with the aim of advancing DRAK2 research.
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2
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Jiang L, Zhou J, Zhao S, Wang X, Chen Y. STK17B promotes the progression of ovarian cancer. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2021; 9:475. [PMID: 33850872 PMCID: PMC8039663 DOI: 10.21037/atm-21-601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Background Protein kinase is increasingly receiving widespread attention because of its role in the tumor progression. Serine/threonine protein kinase (STK) is an important family involved in the development of a variety of cancers. Many studies have shown that serine/threonine kinase 17B (STK17B) is highly expressed in a variety of malignant tumors and participate in proliferation and metastasis. However, the exact function of STK17B remains uncertain in ovarian cancer. Our study aims to investigate whether STK17B plays a role in the occurrence and development of epithelial ovarian cancer. Methods We employed quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to detect the relative expression of STK17B in ovarian cancer tissues. STK17B was down-regulated and up-regulated in ovarian cancer cell lines by small interfering RNA and overexpressed plasmid, respectively. The effects of STK17B on proliferation, invasion and migration of ovarian cancer cells in vitro were analyzed by CCK-8 test, Transwell test, scratch test and EDU test. The tumorigenicity of subcutaneous xenograft tumor in nude mice to study the role of STK17B in tumorigenesis in vivo. Western Blotting analysis revealed that STK17B and EMT. Results STK17B expression was significantly increased in ovarian cancer tissues. The STK17B silencing suppressed cell progression, while the overexpression of STK17B promoted progression in vivo or in vitro. Western bolt showed that STK17B increased the invasion and migration of ovarian cancer cell by promoting the EMT process. Conclusions STK17B was highly expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer tissues and increased the proliferation, invasion and migration of ovarian cancer cells by promoting EMT process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Jiang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.,Department of Gynecology, The Affiliated Wuxi Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Jinhua Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Shaojie Zhao
- Department of Gynecology, The Affiliated Wuxi Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Xuzhen Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, The Affiliated Wuxi Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Youguo Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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3
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Luna A, Elloumi F, Varma S, Wang Y, Rajapakse VN, Aladjem MI, Robert J, Sander C, Pommier Y, Reinhold WC. CellMiner Cross-Database (CellMinerCDB) version 1.2: Exploration of patient-derived cancer cell line pharmacogenomics. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:D1083-D1093. [PMID: 33196823 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
CellMiner Cross-Database (CellMinerCDB, discover.nci.nih.gov/cellminercdb) allows integration and analysis of molecular and pharmacological data within and across cancer cell line datasets from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Broad Institute, Sanger/MGH and MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC). We present CellMinerCDB 1.2 with updates to datasets from NCI-60, Broad Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia and Sanger/MGH, and the addition of new datasets, including NCI-ALMANAC drug combination, MDACC Cell Line Project proteomic, NCI-SCLC DNA copy number and methylation data, and Broad methylation, genetic dependency and metabolomic datasets. CellMinerCDB (v1.2) includes several improvements over the previously published version: (i) new and updated datasets; (ii) support for pattern comparisons and multivariate analyses across data sources; (iii) updated annotations with drug mechanism of action information and biologically relevant multigene signatures; (iv) analysis speedups via caching; (v) a new dataset download feature; (vi) improved visualization of subsets of multiple tissue types; (vii) breakdown of univariate associations by tissue type; and (viii) enhanced help information. The curation and common annotations (e.g. tissues of origin and identifiers) provided here across pharmacogenomic datasets increase the utility of the individual datasets to address multiple researcher question types, including data reproducibility, biomarker discovery and multivariate analysis of drug activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augustin Luna
- cBio Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Fathi Elloumi
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.,General Dynamics Information Technology Inc., Fairfax, VA 22042, USA
| | - Sudhir Varma
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.,HiThru Analytics LLC, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Yanghsin Wang
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.,General Dynamics Information Technology Inc., Fairfax, VA 22042, USA
| | - Vinodh N Rajapakse
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Mirit I Aladjem
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jacques Robert
- Inserm unité 1218, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux 33076, France
| | - Chris Sander
- cBio Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Yves Pommier
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - William C Reinhold
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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4
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Hidalgo-Estévez AM, Stamatakis K, Jiménez-Martínez M, López-Pérez R, Fresno M. Cyclooxygenase 2-Regulated Genes an Alternative Avenue to the Development of New Therapeutic Drugs for Colorectal Cancer. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:533. [PMID: 32410997 PMCID: PMC7201075 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common and recurrent types of cancer, with high mortality rates. Several clinical trials and meta-analyses have determined that the use of pharmacological inhibitors of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), the enzyme that catalyses the rate-limiting step in the synthesis of prostaglandins (PG) from arachidonic acid, can reduce the incidence of CRC as well as the risk of recurrence of this disease, when used together with commonly used chemotherapeutic agents. These observations suggest that inhibition of COX-2 may be useful in the treatment of CRC, although the current drugs targeting COX-2 are not widely used since they increase the risk of health complications. To overcome this difficulty, a possibility is to identify genes regulated by COX-2 activity that could give an advantage to the cells to form tumors and/or metastasize. The modulation of those genes as effectors of COX-2 may cancel the beneficial effects of COX-2 in tumor transformation and metastasis. A review of the available databases and literature and our own data have identified some interesting molecules induced by prostaglandins or COX-2 that have been also described to play a role in colon cancer, being thus potential pharmacological targets in colon cancer. Among those mPGES-1, DUSP4, and 10, Programmed cell death 4, Trop2, and many from the TGFβ and p53 pathways have been identified as genes upregulated in response to COX-2 overexpression or PGs in colon carcinoma lines and overexpressed in colon tumor tissue. Here, we review the available evidence of the potential roles of those molecules in colon cancer in the context of PG/COX signaling pathways that could be critical mediators of some of the tumor growth and metastasis advantage induced by COX-2. At the end, this may allow defining new therapeutic targets/drugs against CRC that could act specifically against tumor cells and would be effective in the prevention and treatment of CRC, lacking the unwanted side effects of COX-2 pharmacological inhibitors, providing alternative approaches in colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Konstantinos Stamatakis
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto Sanitario de Investigación Princesa, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Jiménez-Martínez
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ricardo López-Pérez
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Fresno
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto Sanitario de Investigación Princesa, Madrid, Spain
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Lieske J, Cerv M, Kreida S, Komadina D, Fischer J, Barthelmess M, Fischer P, Pakendorf T, Yefanov O, Mariani V, Seine T, Ross BH, Crosas E, Lorbeer O, Burkhardt A, Lane TJ, Guenther S, Bergtholdt J, Schoen S, Törnroth-Horsefield S, Chapman HN, Meents A. On-chip crystallization for serial crystallography experiments and on-chip ligand-binding studies. IUCRJ 2019; 6:714-728. [PMID: 31316815 PMCID: PMC6608620 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252519007395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Efficient and reliable sample delivery has remained one of the bottlenecks for serial crystallography experiments. Compared with other methods, fixed-target sample delivery offers the advantage of significantly reduced sample consumption and shorter data collection times owing to higher hit rates. Here, a new method of on-chip crystallization is reported which allows the efficient and reproducible growth of large numbers of protein crystals directly on micro-patterned silicon chips for in-situ serial crystallography experiments. Crystals are grown by sitting-drop vapor diffusion and previously established crystallization conditions can be directly applied. By reducing the number of crystal-handling steps, the method is particularly well suited for sensitive crystal systems. Excessive mother liquor can be efficiently removed from the crystals by blotting, and no sealing of the fixed-target sample holders is required to prevent the crystals from dehydrating. As a consequence, 'naked' crystals are obtained on the chip, resulting in very low background scattering levels and making the crystals highly accessible for external manipulation such as the application of ligand solutions. Serial diffraction experiments carried out at cryogenic temperatures at a synchrotron and at room temperature at an X-ray free-electron laser yielded high-quality X-ray structures of the human membrane protein aquaporin 2 and two new ligand-bound structures of thermolysin and the human kinase DRAK2. The results highlight the applicability of the method for future high-throughput on-chip screening of pharmaceutical compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Lieske
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Maximilian Cerv
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Kreida
- Center for Molecular Protein Science, Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Lund University, Kemicentrum, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Dana Komadina
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Janine Fischer
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Miriam Barthelmess
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Pontus Fischer
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tim Pakendorf
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Oleksandr Yefanov
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Valerio Mariani
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Seine
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- EMBL, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Breyan H. Ross
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Eva Crosas
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Olga Lorbeer
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anja Burkhardt
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thomas J. Lane
- Bioscience Division and Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Sebastian Guenther
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Julian Bergtholdt
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Silvan Schoen
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Susanna Törnroth-Horsefield
- Center for Molecular Protein Science, Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Lund University, Kemicentrum, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Henry N. Chapman
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Physics, University of Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, University of Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alke Meents
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
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6
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Duan C, Li Y, Dong X, Xu W, Ma Y. Network Pharmacology and Reverse Molecular Docking-Based Prediction of the Molecular Targets and Pathways for Avicularin Against Cancer. Comb Chem High Throughput Screen 2019; 22:4-12. [PMID: 30727880 DOI: 10.2174/1386207322666190206163409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Revised: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 01/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
AIM AND OBJECTIVE Avicularin has been found to inhibit the proliferation of HepG-2 cells in vitro in the screening of our laboratory. We intended to explain the molecular mechanism of this effect. Therefore, the combined methods of reverse molecular docking and network pharmacology were used in order to illuminate the molecular mechanisms for Avicularin against cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS Potential targets associated with anti-tumor effects of Avicularin were screened by reverse molecular docking, then a protein database was established through constructing the drugprotein network from literature mining data, and the protein-protein network was built through an in-depth exploration of the relationships between the proteins, and then the network topology analysis was performed. Additionally, gene function and signaling pathways were analyzed by Go bio-enrichment and KEGG Pathway. RESULTS The result showed that Avicularin was closely related to 16 targets associated with cancer, and it may significantly influence the pro-survival signals in MAPK signaling pathway that can activate and regulate a series of cellular activities and participate in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, transformation and apoptosis. CONCLUSION The network pharmacology strategy used herein provided a powerful means for the mechanisms of action for bioactive ingredients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaohui Duan
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China.,Baotou Food and Drug Inspection and Testing Center, Baotou, China
| | - Yang Li
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | | | - Weibin Xu
- Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Yingli Ma
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
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7
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Kerimi A, Williamson G. Differential Impact of Flavonoids on Redox Modulation, Bioenergetics, and Cell Signaling in Normal and Tumor Cells: A Comprehensive Review. Antioxid Redox Signal 2018; 29:1633-1659. [PMID: 28826224 PMCID: PMC6207159 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2017.7086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE Flavonoids can interact with multiple molecular targets to elicit their cellular effects, leading to changes in signal transduction, gene expression, and/or metabolism, which can, subsequently, affect the entire cell and organism. Immortalized cell lines, derived from tumors, are routinely employed as a surrogate for mechanistic studies, with the results extrapolated to tissues in vivo. Recent Advances: We review the activities of selected flavonoids on cultured tumor cells derived from various tissues in comparison to corresponding primary cells or tissues in vivo, mainly using quercetin and flavanols (epicatechin and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate) as exemplars. Several studies have indicated that flavonoids could retard cancer progression in vivo in animal models as well as in tumor cell models. CRITICAL ISSUES Extrapolation from in vitro and animal models to humans is not straightforward given both the extensive conjugation and complex microbiota-dependent metabolism of flavonoids after consumption, as well as the heterogeneous metabolism of different tumors. FUTURE DIRECTIONS Comparison of data from studies on primary cells or in vivo are essential not only to validate results obtained from cultured cell models, but also to highlight whether any differences may be further exploited in the clinical setting for chemoprevention. Tumor cell models can provide a useful mechanistic tool to study the effects of flavonoids, provided that the limitations of each model are understood and taken into account in interpretation of the data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asimina Kerimi
- School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds , Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Gary Williamson
- School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds , Leeds, United Kingdom
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8
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Lan Y, Han J, Wang Y, Wang J, Yang G, Li K, Song R, Zheng T, Liang Y, Pan S, Liu X, Zhu M, Liu Y, Meng F, Mohsin M, Cui Y, Zhang B, Subash S, Liu L. STK17B promotes carcinogenesis and metastasis via AKT/GSK-3β/Snail signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cell Death Dis 2018; 9:236. [PMID: 29445189 PMCID: PMC5833726 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-018-0262-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2017] [Revised: 11/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a lethal malignancy worldwide with frequent intrahepatic and distant metastasis. Elucidating the underlying molecular mechanism that modulates HCC progression is critical for exploring novel therapeutic strategies. Serine/Threonine Kinase 17B (STK17B) is upregulated in HCC tissues, but its role in HCC progression remains elusive. In the present studies, we reported that STK17B had a critical role in HCC progression. STK17B was significantly upregulated in HCC cell lines and specimens, and patients with ectopic STK17B expression characterized with poor clinicopathological features. In vitro and in vivo assay demonstrated that inhibition of STK17B markedly inhibits HCC tumorigenesis and metastasis, while STK17B overexpression promoted these processes. Furthermore, we found that STK17B promoted EMT process via activating AKT/GSK-3β/Snail signal pathway, and miR-455-3p was identified as the upstream regulator of STK17B. Combination of high level of STK17B and low level of miR-455-3p predicted poor prognosis with higher accuracy for HCC patients. In conclusion, our research demonstrated that STK17B promotes HCC progression, induces EMT process via activating AKT/GSK-3β/Snail signal and predicts poor prognosis in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaliang Lan
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China
| | - Jihua Han
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China
| | - Jiabei Wang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China
| | - Guangchao Yang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China
| | - Keyu Li
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China
| | - Ruipeng Song
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China
| | - Tongsen Zheng
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yingjian Liang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China
| | - Shangha Pan
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China
| | - Xirui Liu
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China
| | - Mingxi Zhu
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China
| | - Yao Liu
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China
| | - Fanzheng Meng
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China
| | - Manzoor Mohsin
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China
| | - Yifeng Cui
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China
| | - Sharma Subash
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China
| | - Lianxin Liu
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China.
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9
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Harris TL, McGargill MA. Drak2 Does Not Regulate TGF-β Signaling in T Cells. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0123650. [PMID: 25951457 PMCID: PMC4423867 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2014] [Accepted: 02/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Drak2 is a serine/threonine kinase expressed highest in T cells and B cells. Drak2-/- mice are resistant to autoimmunity in mouse models of type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Resistance to these diseases occurs, in part, because Drak2 is required for the survival of autoreactive T cells that induce disease. However, the molecular mechanisms by which Drak2 affects T cell survival and autoimmunity are not known. A recent report demonstrated that Drak2 negatively regulated transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling in tumor cell lines. Thus, increased TGF-β signaling in the absence of Drak2 may contribute to the resistance to autoimmunity in Drak2-/- mice. Therefore, we examined if Drak2 functioned as a negative regulator of TGF-β signaling in T cells, and whether the enhanced susceptibility to death of Drak2-/- T cells was due to augmented TGF-β signaling. Using several in vitro assays to test TGF-β signaling and T cell function, we found that activation of Smad2 and Smad3, which are downstream of the TGF-β receptor, was similar between wildtype and Drak2-/- T cells. Furthermore, TGF-β-mediated effects on naïve T cell proliferation, activated CD8+ T cell survival, and regulatory T cell induction was similar between wildtype and Drak2-/- T cells. Finally, the increased susceptibility to death in the absence of Drak2 was not due to enhanced TGF-β signaling. Together, these data suggest that Drak2 does not function as a negative regulator of TGF-β signaling in primary T cells stimulated in vitro. It is important to investigate and discern potential molecular mechanisms by which Drak2 functions in order to better understand the etiology of autoimmune diseases, as well as to validate the use of Drak2 as a target for therapeutic treatment of these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarsha L. Harris
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
- Integrated Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Maureen A. McGargill
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
- Integrated Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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10
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Edwards BA, Harris TL, Floersh H, Lukens JR, Zaki MH, Vogel P, Kanneganti TD, Bui JD, McGargill MA. Drak2 is not required for tumor surveillance and suppression. Int Immunol 2015; 27:161-6. [PMID: 25568303 DOI: 10.1093/intimm/dxu146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Drak2 is a promising therapeutic target to treat organ-specific autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis without causing generalized immune suppression. Inhibition of Drak2 may also prevent graft rejection following organ transplantation. However, Drak2 may function as a critical tumor suppressor, which would challenge the prospect of targeting Drak2 for therapeutic treatment. Thus, we examined the susceptibility of Drak2 (-/-) mice in several tumor models. We show that Drak2 is not required to prevent tumor formation in a variety of settings. Therefore, Drak2 does not function as an essential tumor suppressor in in vivo tumor models. These data further validate Drak2 as a viable therapeutic target to treat autoimmune disease and graft rejection. Importantly, these data also indicate that while Drak2 may induce apoptosis when overexpressed in cell lines, it is not an essential tumor suppressor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A Edwards
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, MS 351, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Tarsha L Harris
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, MS 351, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Helen Floersh
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, MS 351, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - John R Lukens
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, MS 351, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Md Hasan Zaki
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, MS 351, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Peter Vogel
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Thirumala-Devi Kanneganti
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, MS 351, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jack D Bui
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Maureen A McGargill
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, MS 351, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
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11
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Tomimaru Y, Koga H, Yano H, de la Monte S, Wands JR, Kim M. Upregulation of T-cell factor-4 isoform-responsive target genes in hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver Int 2013; 33:1100-12. [PMID: 23651211 PMCID: PMC3706555 DOI: 10.1111/liv.12188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2012] [Accepted: 04/01/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway regulates genes involved in cell proliferation, survival, migration and invasion through regulation by T-cell factor (TCF)-4 transcription factor proteins. However, the role of TCF-4 isoforms generated by alternative splicing events in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unknown. AIM Here, we investigated TCF-4 isoforms (TCF-4J and K)-responsive target genes that are important in hepatic oncogenesis and tumour development. METHODS Gene expression microarray was performed on HCC cells overexpressing TCF-4J and K isoforms. Expression level of selected target genes was evaluated and correlations were made between their expression level and that of TCF-4 isoform in 47 pairs of human HCC tumours. RESULTS Comparison by gene expression microarray revealed that 447 genes were upregulated and 343 downregulated more than 2.0-fold in TCF-4J compared with TCF-4K expressing cells. We validated expression of 18 selected target genes involved in Wnt/β-catenin, insulin/IGF-1/IRS1 and Notch signalling pathways in 47 pairs of human HCCs and adjacent uninvolved liver tissues. It was observed that 13 genes (CLDN2, STK17B, SPP1, AXIN2, WISP2, MMP7, IRS1, ANXA1, CAMK2N1, ASPH, GPR56, CD24 and JAG1) activated by TCF-4J isoform in HCC cells, were also upregulated in HCC tumours compared with adjacent peritumour tissue; more importantly, 10 genes exhibited a significant correlation with the TCF-4J expression level in tumour. CONCLUSION TCF-4 isoforms (TCF-4J and K) activated different downstream target genes in HCC. The biological consequence of TCF-4J isoform expression was upregulation of genes associated with tripartite Wnt/β-catenin, insulin/IGF-1/IRS1 and Notch signal transduction pathway activation, which contribute to the pathogenesis of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshito Tomimaru
- Liver Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Hironori Koga
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University of School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Hirohisa Yano
- Department of Pathology, Kurume University of School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Suzanne de la Monte
- Department of Pathology, the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Jack R. Wands
- Liver Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Miran Kim
- Liver Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
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12
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Ye P, Zhao L, Gonda TJ. The MYB oncogene can suppress apoptosis in acute myeloid leukemia cells by transcriptional repression of DRAK2 expression. Leuk Res 2013; 37:595-601. [PMID: 23398943 DOI: 10.1016/j.leukres.2013.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2012] [Revised: 01/14/2013] [Accepted: 01/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
RNA interference-mediated suppression of MYB expression promoted apoptosis in the AML cell line U937, without affecting expression of the anti-apoptotic MYB target BCL2. This was accompanied by up-regulation of the pro-apoptotic gene DRAK2 and stimulation of caspase-9 activity. Moreover, RNA interference-mediated suppression of DRAK2 in U937 cells alleviated apoptosis induced by MYB down-regulation. Finally ChIP assays showed that in U937 cells MYB binds to a conserved element upstream of the DRAK2 transcription start site. Together, these findings identify a novel mechanism by which MYB suppresses apoptosis in an AML model cell line.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Ye
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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13
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Chicken skin mucosa surrounding adult colorectal adenomas is a risk factor for carcinogenesis. Am J Clin Oncol 2013; 35:527-32. [PMID: 21654311 DOI: 10.1097/coc.0b013e31821dedf7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Transformation of normal mucosa to colorectal adenoma could occur over a span of 5 to 20 years, whereas transformation of colorectal adenoma to colorectal cancer could take an additional 5 to 15 years. This study aims to investigate whether chicken skin mucosa (CSM) surrounding adult colorectal adenomas may be a risk factor for carcinogenesis. METHODS Patients with colorectal mucosa, colorectal adenomas without CSM, or colorectal adenomas with CSM were enrolled in this study. Immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to determine the expression levels of proliferation markers (ki-67 and COX-2) and apoptosis factors (survivin and caspase-3) in tissues. RESULTS The expression of ki-67 was significantly higher in colorectal adenomas with CSM compared with colorectal adenoma tissues (P < 0.01). Colorectal adenocarcinoma showed significantly higher levels of COX-2 protein compared with normal colorectal mucosa and colorectal adenoma tissues (P < 0.001). COX-2 expression was significantly higher in adenomas with CSM compared with normal colorectal mucosa (P < 0.001). Adenomas with CSM and adenocarcinomas exhibited significantly higher levels of survivin when compared with colorectal adenoma without CSM and normal tissues (P < 0.001). Although we found no significant difference in caspase-3 levels between adenocarcinomas and adenomas with CSM, caspase-3 expression was significantly lower in these tissues when compared with colorectal adenomas without CSM and normal mucosa (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The biological characteristics of colorectal adenomas with CSM were different from those of colorectal adenomas without CSM. Colorectal adenomas with CSM exhibited active cell proliferation and inhibition of apoptotic pathways, suggesting an increased risk of carcinogenesis in these adenomas.
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14
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Marie CS, Verkerke HP, Paul SN, Mackey AJ, Petri WA. Leptin protects host cells from Entamoeba histolytica cytotoxicity by a STAT3-dependent mechanism. Infect Immun 2012; 80:1934-43. [PMID: 22331430 PMCID: PMC3347425 DOI: 10.1128/iai.06140-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2011] [Accepted: 01/29/2012] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The adipocytokine leptin links nutritional status to immune function. Leptin signaling protects from amebiasis, but the molecular mechanism is not understood. We developed an in vitro model of ameba-host cell interaction to test the hypothesis that leptin prevents ameba-induced apoptosis in host epithelial cells. We demonstrated that activation of mammalian leptin signaling increased cellular resistance to amebic cytotoxicity, including caspase-3 activation. Exogenous expression of the leptin receptor conferred resistance in susceptible cells, and leptin stimulation enhanced protection. A series of leptin receptor signaling mutants showed that resistance to amebic cytotoxicity was dependent on activation of STAT3 but not the Src homology-2 domain-containing tyrosine phosphatase (SHP-2) or STAT5. A common polymorphism in the leptin receptor (Q223R) that increases susceptibility to amebiasis in humans and mice was found to increase susceptibility to amebic cytotoxicity in single cells. The Q223R polymorphism also decreased leptin-dependent STAT3 activation by 21% relative to that of the wild-type (WT) receptor (P = 0.035), consistent with a central role of STAT3 signaling in protection. A subset of genes uniquely regulated by STAT3 in response to leptin was identified. Most notable were the TRIB1 and suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) genes, which have opposing roles in the regulation of apoptosis. Overall apoptotic genes were highly enriched in this gene set (P < 1E-05), supporting the hypothesis that leptin regulation of host apoptotic genes via STAT3 is responsible for protection. This is the first demonstration of a mammalian signaling pathway that restricts amebic pathogenesis and represents an important advance in our mechanistic understanding of how leptin links nutrition and susceptibility to infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea S Marie
- Biology Department, Drew University, Madison, New Jersey, USA.
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15
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Christophersen OA, Haug A. Animal products, diseases and drugs: a plea for better integration between agricultural sciences, human nutrition and human pharmacology. Lipids Health Dis 2011; 10:16. [PMID: 21247506 PMCID: PMC3031257 DOI: 10.1186/1476-511x-10-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2010] [Accepted: 01/20/2011] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Eicosanoids are major players in the pathogenesis of several common diseases, with either overproduction or imbalance (e.g. between thromboxanes and prostacyclins) often leading to worsening of disease symptoms. Both the total rate of eicosanoid production and the balance between eicosanoids with opposite effects are strongly dependent on dietary factors, such as the daily intakes of various eicosanoid precursor fatty acids, and also on the intakes of several antioxidant nutrients including selenium and sulphur amino acids. Even though the underlying biochemical mechanisms have been thoroughly studied for more than 30 years, neither the agricultural sector nor medical practitioners have shown much interest in making practical use of the abundant high-quality research data now available. In this article, we discuss some specific examples of the interactions between diet and drugs in the pathogenesis and therapy of various common diseases. We also discuss, using common pain conditions and cancer as specific examples, how a better integration between agricultural science, nutrition and pharmacology could lead to improved treatment for important diseases (with improved overall therapeutic effect at the same time as negative side effects and therapy costs can be strongly reduced). It is shown how an unnaturally high omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid concentration ratio in meat, offal and eggs (because the omega-6/omega-3 ratio of the animal diet is unnaturally high) directly leads to exacerbation of pain conditions, cardiovascular disease and probably most cancers. It should be technologically easy and fairly inexpensive to produce poultry and pork meat with much more long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and less arachidonic acid than now, at the same time as they could also have a similar selenium concentration as is common in marine fish. The health economic benefits of such products for society as a whole must be expected vastly to outweigh the direct costs for the farming sector.
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16
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Sironen A, Uimari P, Nagy S, Paku S, Andersson M, Vilkki J. Knobbed acrosome defect is associated with a region containing the genes STK17b and HECW2 on porcine chromosome 15. BMC Genomics 2010; 11:699. [PMID: 21143916 PMCID: PMC3016419 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-11-699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2010] [Accepted: 12/09/2010] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Male infertility is an increasing problem in all domestic species including man. Localization and identification of genes involved in defects causing male infertility provide valuable information of specific events in sperm development. Correct condensation of the sperm head and development of the acrosome are required for fertile sperm. In the Finnish Yorkshire pig population a knobbed acrosome defect (KAD) has been reported which appears to be of genetic origin. In previous studies we have shown that a large number of affected spermatozoa have a cystic swelling anterior to the apical part of the acrosome. RESULTS Characterization of the knobbed acrosome affected sperm revealed that both the acrosomal granules and chromatin are affected. This type of KAD appears to be a previously unknown and serious form of the defect. A genome wide scan with PorcineSNP60 Genotyping BeadChip defined the KAD associated region within 0.7 Mbp on porcine chromosome 15. Two genes, STK17b and HECW2, located within this region were sequenced. The expression of these genes appeared comparable in KA-affected and control boars. The known function of HECW2 in acrosome development highlighted this gene as a good candidate responsible for the KAD. One nonsynonymous SNP was identified within the HECW2 gene. However, as this mutation was found in homozygous state in individuals with normal sperm, this is not likely to be the causal mutation. CONCLUSIONS In this study we identified two candidate genes for a severe defect affecting both the sperm acrosome and chromatin that causes infertility. One of these genes, HECW2, plays an important role in ubiquitination, a prerequisite for chromatin remodelling and acrosome formation, highlighting the involvement of this gene in the knobbed acrosome defect and male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anu Sironen
- Agrifood Research Finland, MTT, Biotechnology and Food Research, Genomics, FI-36100 Jokioinen, Finland.
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Weiner LM, Surana R, Murray J. Vaccine prevention of cancer: can endogenous antigens be targeted? Cancer Prev Res (Phila) 2010; 3:410-5. [PMID: 20332297 DOI: 10.1158/1940-6207.capr-10-0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
This perspective on the report by Beatty et al. in this issue of the journal (beginning on page 438) discusses the prevention of cancer through vaccination strategies that target antigens associated with tumor promotion and progression. Such approaches were first developed for treating cancer. We address cancer vaccination in the context of a mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease expressing MUC1, an epithelial mucin aberrantly expressed during chronic inflammation and in colorectal carcinogenesis, and in a broader context that includes the potential of targeting the tumor microenvironment for immunoprevention in humans. Obstacles in developing effective cancer vaccines, including antigen selection, immunoediting, and tumor-mediated immunosuppression, are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis M Weiner
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, 3970 Reservoir Road Northwest, Washington, DC 20057, USA.
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