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Jeong SJ, Oh JH, Cho JY. ALYREF enhances breast cancer progression by regulating EZH2. Heliyon 2024; 10:e37749. [PMID: 39386827 PMCID: PMC11462240 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 09/09/2024] [Indexed: 10/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in women worldwide. Similarly, Canine mammary tumors (CMTs) are mostly diagnosed as spontaneous diseases in female dogs. Many studies have suggested that CMTs serve as good models for human breast cancer. However, comparative approaches to histone modifications are still lacking. This study aimed to compare the canine mammary tumor Histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) landscape with that in human breast cancer. Our H3K4me3 ChIP-seq data from CMTs revealed a significant enrichment of H3K4me3 in the ALYREF gene promoter in tumor tissues compared to normal tissues. Furthermore, our study and publicly available RNA-sequencing data revealed that ALYREF expression was elevated in malignant tissues and breast cancer cell lines, and its upregulation was associated with poor prognosis in humans. Depletion of ALYREF resulted in changes in cellular phenotypes, including increased proliferation and colony formation, as well as decreased apoptosis. ALYREF increased cell viability and anchorage-independent growth while decreasing apoptosis by regulating the mRNA expression and protein levels of enhancer of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit (EZH2), which promotes hormone receptor-positive breast cancer and CMTs via epigenetic modifications. This suggests that ALYREF may function as a contributing factor to malignant transformation in both CMT and human breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Jin Jeong
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, and BK21 PLUS Program for Creative Veterinary Science Research and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Comparative Medicine Disease Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Hoon Oh
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, and BK21 PLUS Program for Creative Veterinary Science Research and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Comparative Medicine Disease Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Je-Yoel Cho
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, and BK21 PLUS Program for Creative Veterinary Science Research and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Comparative Medicine Disease Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
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2
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Sun CY, Cao D, Wang YN, Weng NQ, Ren QN, Wang SC, Zhang MY, Mai SJ, Wang HY. Cholesterol inhibition enhances antitumor response of gilteritinib in lung cancer cells. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:704. [PMID: 39349433 PMCID: PMC11443066 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-07082-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 09/07/2024] [Accepted: 09/16/2024] [Indexed: 10/02/2024]
Abstract
Repositioning approved antitumor drugs for different cancers is a cost-effective approach. Gilteritinib was FDA-approved for the treatment of FLT3-mutated acute myeloid leukemia in 2018. However, the therapeutic effects and mechanism of Gilteritinib on other malignancies remain to be defined. In this study, we identified that gilteritinib has an inhibitory effect on lung cancer cells (LCCs) without FLT3 mutation in vitro and in vivo. Unexpectedly, we found that gilteritinib induces cholesterol accumulation in LCCs via upregulating cholesterol biosynthetic genes and inhibiting cholesterol efflux. This gilteritinib-induced cholesterol accumulation not only attenuates the antitumor effect of gilteritinib but also induces gilteritinib-resistance in LCCs. However, when cholesterol synthesis was prevented by squalene epoxidase (SQLE) inhibitor NB-598, both LCCs and gilteritinib-resistant LCCs became sensitive to gilteritinib. More importantly, the natural cholesterol inhibitor 25-hydroxycholesterol (25HC) can suppress cholesterol biosynthesis and increase cholesterol efflux in LCCs. Consequently, 25HC treatment significantly increases the cytotoxicity of gilteritinib on LCCs, which can be rescued by the addition of exogenous cholesterol. In a xenograft model, the combination of gilteritinib and 25HC showed significantly better efficacy than either monotherapy in suppressing lung cancer growth, without obvious general toxicity. Thus, our findings identify an increase in cholesterol induced by gilteritinib as a mechanism for LCC survival, and highlight the potential of combining gilteritinib with cholesterol-lowering drugs to treat lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao-Yue Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, P.R. China
- College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, West Anhui University, Lu'an, 237012, China
| | - Di Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, P.R. China
- Department of Medical Imaging, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Yue-Ning Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, P.R. China
| | - Nuo-Qing Weng
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518033, China
| | - Qian-Nan Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, P.R. China
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Shuo-Cheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, P.R. China
| | - Mei-Yin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, P.R. China
| | - Shi-Juan Mai
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, P.R. China.
| | - Hui-Yun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, P.R. China.
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3
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Zhang R, Zhang L, Fan S, Wang L, Wang B, Wang L. Squalene monooxygenase (SQLE) protects ovarian cancer cells from ferroptosis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:22646. [PMID: 39349544 PMCID: PMC11442994 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-72506-9] [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: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2024] [Indexed: 10/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Altered cholesterol metabolism has been linked to a poor prognosis in various types of cancer. Cholesterol oxidation can lead to lipid peroxidation, membrane damage, and cell death. Ferroptosis is a regulated form of cell death characterized by the accumulation of lipid peroxides, which significantly inhibits the growth of ovarian cancer cells. SQLE is the primary enzyme responsible for catalyzing cholesterol lipid synthesis and is notably expressed in ovarian cancer tissues and cells. This study aims to investigate the role of squalene monooxygenase (SQLE) in ferroptosis in ovarian cancer. The protein and mRNA expression of SQLE was assessed using qRT-PCR, Western Blot, and immunohistochemistry. The association between SQLE and ferroptosis was demonstrated through analysis of TCGA and GTEx databases, TMT protein sequencing, as well as validation by qRT-PCR, Western Blot, immunofluorescence, ROS detection, and lipid peroxide detection. Animal experiments further confirmed the relationship between SQLE and ferroptosis in ovarian cancer. The protein and mRNA expression of SQLE was found to be upregulated in both ovarian cancer tissues and cell lines. Decreased SQLE expression led to ferroptosis in ovarian cancer cells, thereby increasing their sensitivity to ferroptosis inducers. Our research demonstrates that SQLE is significantly upregulated in both ovarian cancer tissues and cells. The overexpression of SQLE in ovarian cancer may facilitate tumorigenesis by conferring resistance to ferroptosis, thus shedding light on potential novel therapeutic strategies for ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Zhang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, 287 Changhuai Road, Longzih, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Lingmei Zhang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, 287 Changhuai Road, Longzih, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Sizhe Fan
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, 287 Changhuai Road, Longzih, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Liangliang Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, 287 Changhuai Road, Longzih, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Beibei Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, 287 Changhuai Road, Longzih, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Lihua Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, 287 Changhuai Road, Longzih, Bengbu, Anhui, China.
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4
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Barozzi I, Slaven N, Canale E, Lopes R, Amorim Monteiro Barbosa I, Bleu M, Ivanoiu D, Pacini C, Mensa' E, Chambers A, Bravaccini S, Ravaioli S, Győrffy B, Dieci MV, Pruneri G, Galli GG, Magnani L. A Functional Survey of the Regulatory Landscape of Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer Evolution. Cancer Discov 2024; 14:1612-1630. [PMID: 38753319 PMCID: PMC11372371 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-23-1157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Only a handful of somatic alterations have been linked to endocrine therapy resistance in hormone-dependent breast cancer, potentially explaining ∼40% of relapses. If other mechanisms underlie the evolution of hormone-dependent breast cancer under adjuvant therapy is currently unknown. In this work, we employ functional genomics to dissect the contribution of cis-regulatory elements (CRE) to cancer evolution by focusing on 12 megabases of noncoding DNA, including clonal enhancers, gene promoters, and boundaries of topologically associating domains. Parallel epigenetic perturbation (CRISPRi) in vitro reveals context-dependent roles for many of these CREs, with a specific impact on dormancy entrance and endocrine therapy resistance. Profiling of CRE somatic alterations in a unique, longitudinal cohort of patients treated with endocrine therapies identifies a limited set of noncoding changes potentially involved in therapy resistance. Overall, our data uncover how endocrine therapies trigger the emergence of transient features which could ultimately be exploited to hinder the adaptive process. Significance: This study shows that cells adapting to endocrine therapies undergo changes in the usage or regulatory regions. Dormant cells are less vulnerable to regulatory perturbation but gain transient dependencies which can be exploited to decrease the formation of dormant persisters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iros Barozzi
- Center for Cancer Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Neil Slaven
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California
| | - Eleonora Canale
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rui Lopes
- Disease area Oncology, Novartis Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Melusine Bleu
- Disease area Oncology, Novartis Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Diana Ivanoiu
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Claudia Pacini
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Emanuela Mensa'
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alfie Chambers
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sara Bravaccini
- IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, "Kore" University of Enna, Enna, Italy
| | - Sara Ravaioli
- IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy
| | - Balázs Győrffy
- Department of Bioinformatics, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Biophysics, Medical School, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
- Cancer Biomarker Research Group, Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Maria Vittoria Dieci
- Oncology 2, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Padova, Italy
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Pruneri
- Department of Diagnostic Innovation, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Luca Magnani
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer, Research, London, United Kingdom
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5
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Daisy Precilla S, Biswas I, Anitha TS, Agieshkumar B. Microproteins unveiling new dimensions in cancer. Funct Integr Genomics 2024; 24:152. [PMID: 39223429 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-024-01426-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
In the complex landscape of cancer biology, the discovery of microproteins has triggered a paradigm shift, thereby, challenging the conventional conceptions of gene regulation. Though overlooked for years, these entities encoded by the small open reading frames (100-150 codons), have a significant impact on various cellular processes. As precision medicine pioneers delve deeper into the genome and proteome, microproteins have come into the limelight. Typically characterized by a single protein domain that directly binds to the target protein complex and regulates their assembly, these microproteins have been shown to play a key role in fundamental biological processes such as RNA processing, DNA repair, and metabolism regulation. Techniques for identification and characterization, such as ribosome profiling and proteogenomic approaches, have unraveled unique mechanisms by which these microproteins regulate cell signaling or pathological processes in most diseases including cancer. However, the functional relevance of these microproteins in cancer remains unclear. In this context, the current review aims to "rethink the essence of these genes" and explore "how these hidden players-microproteins orchestrate the signaling cascades of cancer, both as accelerators and brakes.".
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Affiliation(s)
- S Daisy Precilla
- Mahatma Gandhi Medical Advanced Research Institute (MGMARI), Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Puducherry, 607 402, India.
| | - Indrani Biswas
- Mahatma Gandhi Medical Advanced Research Institute (MGMARI), Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Puducherry, 607 402, India
| | - T S Anitha
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, 605 014, India
| | - B Agieshkumar
- Mahatma Gandhi Medical Advanced Research Institute (MGMARI), Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Puducherry, 607 402, India
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6
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Duan Z, Yang M, Yang J, Wu Z, Zhu Y, Jia Q, Ma X, Yin Y, Zheng J, Yang J, Jiang S, Hu L, Zhang J, Liu D, Huo Y, Yao L, Sun Y. AGFG1 increases cholesterol biosynthesis by disrupting intracellular cholesterol homeostasis to promote PDAC progression. Cancer Lett 2024; 598:217130. [PMID: 39089666 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.217130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cholesterol metabolism reprograming has been acknowledged as a novel feature of cancers. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a cancer with a high demand of cholesterol for rapid growth. The underlying mechanism of how cholesterol metabolism homestasis are disturbed in PDAC is explored. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN The relevance between PDAC and cholesterol was confirmed in TCGA database. The expression and clinical association were discovered in TCGA and GEO datasets. Knockdown and overexpression of AGFG1 was adopted to perform function studies. RNA sequencing, cholesterol detection, transmission electron microscope, co-immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence et al. were utilized to reveal the underlying mechanism. RESULTS AGFG1 was identified as one gene positively correlated with cholesterol metabolism in PDAC as revealed by bioinformatics analysis. AGFG1 expression was then found associated with poor prognosis in PDAC. AGFG1 knockdown led to decreased proliferation of tumor cells both in vitro and in vivo. By RNA sequencing, we found AGFG1 upregulated expression leads to enhanced intracellular cholesterol biosynthesis. AGFG1 knockdown suppressed cholesterol biosynthesis and an accumulation of cholesterol in the ER. Mechanistically, we confirmed that AGFG1 interacted with CAV1 to relocate cholesterol for the proceeding of cholesterol biosynthesis, therefore causing disorders in intracellular cholesterol metabolism. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates the tumor-promoting role of AGFG1 by disturbing cholesterol metabolism homestasis in PDAC. Our study has present a new perspective on cancer therapeutic approach based on cholerstrol metabolism in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zonghao Duan
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, PR China
| | - Minwei Yang
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, PR China
| | - Jian Yang
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, PR China; Department of General Surgery, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100029, PR China; Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100029, PR China
| | - Zheng Wu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, PR China
| | - Yuheng Zhu
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, PR China
| | - Qinyuan Jia
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, PR China
| | - Xueshiyu Ma
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, PR China
| | - Yifan Yin
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, PR China
| | - Jiahao Zheng
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, PR China
| | - Jianyu Yang
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, PR China
| | - Shuheng Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, PR China
| | - Lipeng Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, PR China
| | - Junfeng Zhang
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, PR China; Department of General Surgery, Jiading District Central Hospital Affiliated Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences, Shanghai, 201800, PR China
| | - Dejun Liu
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, PR China.
| | - Yanmiao Huo
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, PR China.
| | - Linli Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, PR China.
| | - Yongwei Sun
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, PR China.
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Mao X, Wang L, Chen Z, Huang H, Chen J, Su J, Li Z, Shen G, Ren Y, Li Z, Wang W, Ou J, Guo W, Hu Y. SCD1 promotes the stemness of gastric cancer stem cells by inhibiting ferroptosis through the SQLE/cholesterol/mTOR signalling pathway. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 275:133698. [PMID: 38972654 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play a substantial role in cancer onset and recurrence. Anomalous iron and lipid metabolism have been documented in CSCs, suggesting that ferroptosis, a recently discovered form of regulated cell death characterised by lipid peroxidation, could potentially exert a significant influence on CSCs. However, the precise role of ferroptosis in gastric cancer stem cells (GCSCs) remains unknown. To address this gap, we screened ferroptosis-related genes in GCSCs using The Cancer Genome Atlas and corroborated our findings through quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. These results indicate that stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD1) is a key player in the regulation of ferroptosis in GCSCs. This study provides evidence that SCD1 positively regulates the transcription of squalene epoxidase (SQLE) by eliminating transcriptional inhibition of P53. This mechanism increases the cholesterol content and the elevated cholesterol regulated by SCD1 inhibits ferroptosis via the mTOR signalling pathway. Furthermore, our in vivo studies showed that SCD1 knockdown or regulation of cholesterol intake affects the stemness of GCSCs and their sensitivity to ferroptosis inducers. Thus, targeting the SCD1/squalene epoxidase/cholesterol signalling axis in conjunction with ferroptosis inducers may represent a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of gastric cancer based on GCSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyuan Mao
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumors, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, PR China
| | - Lingzhi Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumors, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, PR China
| | - Zhian Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumors, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, PR China
| | - Huilin Huang
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumors, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, PR China
| | - Jialin Chen
- Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 510515, PR China
| | - Jin Su
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumors, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, PR China; Department of General Surgery, Zhuzhou Hospital affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Zhuzhou 412000, PR China
| | - Zhenhao Li
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumors, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, PR China
| | - Guodong Shen
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumors, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, PR China
| | - Yingxin Ren
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumors, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, PR China
| | - Zhenyuan Li
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumors, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, PR China
| | - Weisheng Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumors, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, PR China
| | - Jinzhou Ou
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumors, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, PR China
| | - Weihong Guo
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumors, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, PR China.
| | - Yanfeng Hu
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumors, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, PR China.
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8
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Jun SY, Yoon HR, Yoon J, Lee J, Kim JY, Kim J, Kim N. Age-related cholesterol and colorectal cancer progression: Validating squalene epoxidase for high-risk cases. Aging Cell 2024; 23:e14152. [PMID: 38517197 PMCID: PMC11258466 DOI: 10.1111/acel.14152] [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: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
As people age, the risk and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), along with cholesterol levels, tend to increase. Nevertheless, epidemiological studies on serum lipids and CRC have produced conflicting results. We previously demonstrated that the reduction of squalene epoxidase (SQLE) due to accumulated cholesterol within cells accelerates CRC progression through the activation of the β-catenin pathway. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism by which age-related cholesterol accumulation within tissue accelerates CRC progression and to assess the clinical significance of SQLE in older individuals with elevated CRC risk. Using machine learning-based digital image analysis with fluorescence-immunohistochemistry, we assessed SQLE, GSK3βpS9 (GSK3β activity inhibition through serine 9 phosphorylation at GSK3β), p53 wild-type (p53WT), and p53 mutant (p53MT) levels in CRC tissues. Our analysis revealed a significant reduction in SQLE, p53WT, and p53MT and increase in GSK3βpS9 levels, all associated with the substantial accumulation of intra-tissue cholesterol in aged CRCs. Cox analysis underscored the significant influence of SQLE on overall survival and progression-free survival in grade 2-3 CRC patients aged over 50. SQLE and GSK3βpS9 consistently exhibited outstanding prognostic and diagnostic performance, particularly in older individuals. Furthermore, combining SQLE with p53WT, p53MT, and GSK3βpS9 demonstrated a robust diagnostic ability in the older population. In conclusion, we have identified that individuals aged over 50 face an increased risk of CRC progression due to aging-linked cholesterol accumulation within tissue and the subsequent reduction in SQLE levels. This study also provides valuable biomarkers, including SQLE and GSK3βpS9, for older patients at elevated risk of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo Young Jun
- Rare Disease Research CenterKorea Research Institute of Bioscience and BiotechnologyDaejeonKorea
- Functional GenomicsUniversity of Science and TechnologyDaejeonKorea
- Department of Cancer Biology, Cancer Center and Beckman Research InstituteCity of HopeDuarteCaliforniaUSA
| | - Hyang Ran Yoon
- Immunotherapy Convergence Research CenterKorea Research Institute of Bioscience and BiotechnologyDaejeonKorea
| | - Ji‐Yong Yoon
- Rare Disease Research CenterKorea Research Institute of Bioscience and BiotechnologyDaejeonKorea
| | - Jeong‐Ju Lee
- Rare Disease Research CenterKorea Research Institute of Bioscience and BiotechnologyDaejeonKorea
| | - Ji Yeon Kim
- College of MedicineChungnam National UniversityDaejeonKorea
| | - Jin‐Man Kim
- College of MedicineChungnam National UniversityDaejeonKorea
| | - Nam‐Soon Kim
- Rare Disease Research CenterKorea Research Institute of Bioscience and BiotechnologyDaejeonKorea
- Functional GenomicsUniversity of Science and TechnologyDaejeonKorea
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Luke SS, Raj MN, Ramesh S, Bhatt NP. Network pharmacology prediction and molecular docking-based strategy to explore the potential mechanism of squalene against inflammation. In Silico Pharmacol 2024; 12:44. [PMID: 38756678 PMCID: PMC11093945 DOI: 10.1007/s40203-024-00217-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Squalene (SQ) has been documented in the past for its ability to reduce inflammation, but its mechanism needs more information. In this study, we investigated squalene as an anti-inflammatory drug candidate and the framework involved in treating inflammation (INF) using the network pharmacology concept. The molecular targets of SQ and INF that are available in databases and the overlaps between these targets were demonstrated using InteractiVenn. The protein-protein networks were generated that in turn revealed several key targets and were further processed with Cytoscape. The gene ontology enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway (KEGG) studies were performed. We also performed molecular docking tests that validated the binding affinity of molecular targets and drugs. A total of 100 SQ targets and 11,417 INF-related targets yielded 93 overlapping targets. Seven core targets, CRHR1, EGFR, ERBB2, HIF1A, SLC6A3, MAP2K1, and F2R were found to be relevant with respective to SQ's anti-inflammatory activity. The underlying mechanism of SQ with regard to INF was interpreted by analyzing various enrichment analyses along with the KEGG pathway. In conclusion, SQ played a vital role in the management of INF by regulating CRHR1, EGFR, ERBB2, HIF1A, SLC6A3, MAP2K1, and F2R. The research outcomes are crucial as they offer significant insights into the use of SQ for combating inflammation. Graphical Abstract Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40203-024-00217-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shana Sara Luke
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Humanities, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chennai, Tamil Nādu 603203 India
| | - M. Naveen Raj
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Humanities, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chennai, Tamil Nādu 603203 India
| | - Suraj Ramesh
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Humanities, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chennai, Tamil Nādu 603203 India
| | - N. Prasanth Bhatt
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Humanities, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chennai, Tamil Nādu 603203 India
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10
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Wen J, Zhang X, Wong CC, Zhang Y, Pan Y, Zhou Y, Cheung AHK, Liu Y, Ji F, Kang X, Liu D, Yu J. Targeting squalene epoxidase restores anti-PD-1 efficacy in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis-induced hepatocellular carcinoma. Gut 2024:gutjnl-2023-331117. [PMID: 38744443 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2023-331117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Squalene epoxidase (SQLE) promotes metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (MASH-HCC), but its role in modulating the tumour immune microenvironment in MASH-HCC remains unclear. DESIGN We established hepatocyte-specific Sqle transgenic (tg) and knockout mice, which were subjected to a choline-deficient high-fat diet plus diethylnitrosamine to induce MASH-HCC. SQLE function was also determined in orthotopic and humanised mice. Immune landscape alterations of MASH-HCC mediated by SQLE were profiled by single-cell RNA sequencing and flow cytometry. RESULTS Hepatocyte-specific Sqle tg mice exhibited a marked increase in MASH-HCC burden compared with wild-type littermates, together with decreased tumour-infiltrating functional IFN-γ+ and Granzyme B+ CD8+ T cells while enriching Arg-1+ myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Conversely, hepatocyte-specific Sqle knockout suppressed tumour growth with increased cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and reduced Arg-1+ MDSCs, inferring that SQLE promotes immunosuppression in MASH-HCC. Mechanistically, SQLE-driven cholesterol accumulation in tumour microenvironment underlies its effect on CD8+ T cells and MDSCs. SQLE and its metabolite, cholesterol, impaired CD8+ T cell activity by inducing mitochondrial dysfunction. Cholesterol depletion in vitro abolished the effect of SQLE-overexpressing MASH-HCC cell supernatant on CD8+ T cell suppression and MDSC activation, whereas cholesterol supplementation had contrasting functions on CD8+ T cells and MDSCs treated with SQLE-knockout supernatant. Targeting SQLE with genetic ablation or pharmacological inhibitor, terbinafine, rescued the efficacy of anti-PD-1 treatment in MASH-HCC models. CONCLUSION SQLE induces an impaired antitumour response in MASH-HCC via attenuating CD8+ T cell function and augmenting immunosuppressive MDSCs. SQLE is a promising target in boosting anti-PD-1 immunotherapy for MASH-HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wen
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xiang Zhang
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chi Chun Wong
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yating Zhang
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yasi Pan
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yunfei Zhou
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Alvin Ho-Kwan Cheung
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yali Liu
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Fenfen Ji
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xing Kang
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Dabin Liu
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jun Yu
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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11
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Zhang SY, Luo Q, Xiao LR, Yang F, Zhu J, Chen XQ, Yang S. Role and mechanism of NCAPD3 in promoting malignant behaviors in gastric cancer. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1341039. [PMID: 38711992 PMCID: PMC11070777 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1341039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the major malignancies threatening human lives and health. Non-SMC condensin II complex subunit D3 (NCAPD3) plays a crucial role in the occurrence of many diseases. However, its role in GC remains unexplored. Materials and Methods The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, clinical samples, and cell lines were used to analyze NCAPD3 expression in GC. NCAPD3 was overexpressed and inhibited by lentiviral vectors and the CRISPR/Cas9 system, respectively. The biological functions of NCAPD3 were investigated in vitro and in vivo. Gene microarray, Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) were performed to establish the potential mechanisms. Results NCAPD3 was highly expressed in GC and was associated with a poor prognosis. NCAPD3 upregulation significantly promoted the malignant biological behaviors of gastric cancer cell, while NCAPD3 inhibition exerted a opposite effect. NCAPD3 loss can directly inhibit CCND1 and ESR1 expression to downregulate the expression of downstream targets CDK6 and IRS1 and inhibit the proliferation of gastric cancer cells. Moreover, NCAPD3 loss activates IRF7 and DDIT3 to regulate apoptosis in gastric cancer cells. Conclusion Our study revealed that NCAPD3 silencing attenuates malignant phenotypes of GC and that it is a potential target for GC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Yun Zhang
- Departments of Oncology Medicine, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Qiong Luo
- Departments of Oncology Medicine, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Li-Rong Xiao
- Departments of Oncology Medicine, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Departments of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Jian Zhu
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Xiang-Qi Chen
- Departments of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Sheng Yang
- Departments of Oncology Medicine, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
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12
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Zhang L, Cao Z, Hong Y, He H, Chen L, Yu Z, Gao Y. Squalene Epoxidase: Its Regulations and Links with Cancers. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3874. [PMID: 38612682 PMCID: PMC11011400 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073874] [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: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Squalene epoxidase (SQLE) is a key enzyme in the mevalonate-cholesterol pathway that plays a critical role in cellular physiological processes. It converts squalene to 2,3-epoxysqualene and catalyzes the first oxygenation step in the pathway. Recently, intensive efforts have been made to extend the current knowledge of SQLE in cancers through functional and mechanistic studies. However, the underlying mechanisms and the role of SQLE in cancers have not been fully elucidated yet. In this review, we retrospected current knowledge of SQLE as a rate-limiting enzyme in the mevalonate-cholesterol pathway, while shedding light on its potential as a diagnostic and prognostic marker, and revealed its therapeutic values in cancers. We showed that SQLE is regulated at different levels and is involved in the crosstalk with iron-dependent cell death. Particularly, we systemically reviewed the research findings on the role of SQLE in different cancers. Finally, we discussed the therapeutic implications of SQLE inhibitors and summarized their potential clinical values. Overall, this review discussed the multifaceted mechanisms that involve SQLE to present a vivid panorama of SQLE in cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital & Shenzhen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Shenzhen 518116, China
| | - Zheng Cao
- Department of Pathology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Yuheng Hong
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Haihua He
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Leifeng Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Zhentao Yu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital & Shenzhen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Shenzhen 518116, China
| | - Yibo Gao
- Central Laboratory & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Precision Medicine for Cancers, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital & Shenzhen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Shenzhen 518116, China
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
- Laboratory of Translational Medicine, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
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Jiang W, Jin WL, Xu AM. Cholesterol metabolism in tumor microenvironment: cancer hallmarks and therapeutic opportunities. Int J Biol Sci 2024; 20:2044-2071. [PMID: 38617549 PMCID: PMC11008265 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.92274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Cholesterol is crucial for cell survival and growth, and dysregulation of cholesterol homeostasis has been linked to the development of cancer. The tumor microenvironment (TME) facilitates tumor cell survival and growth, and crosstalk between cholesterol metabolism and the TME contributes to tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Targeting cholesterol metabolism has demonstrated significant antitumor effects in preclinical and clinical studies. In this review, we discuss the regulatory mechanisms of cholesterol homeostasis and the impact of its dysregulation on the hallmarks of cancer. We also describe how cholesterol metabolism reprograms the TME across seven specialized microenvironments. Furthermore, we discuss the potential of targeting cholesterol metabolism as a therapeutic strategy for tumors. This approach not only exerts antitumor effects in monotherapy and combination therapy but also mitigates the adverse effects associated with conventional tumor therapy. Finally, we outline the unresolved questions and suggest potential avenues for future investigations on cholesterol metabolism in relation to cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Jiang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, P. R. China
| | - Wei-Lin Jin
- Institute of Cancer Neuroscience, Medical Frontier Innovation Research Center, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - A-Man Xu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, P. R. China
- Anhui Public Health Clinical Center, Hefei 230022, P. R. China
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14
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Marks MP, Giménez CA, Isaja L, Vera MB, Borzone FR, Pereyra-Bonnet F, Romorini L, Videla-Richardson GA, Chasseing NA, Calvo JC, Vellón L. Role of hydroxymethylglutharyl-coenzyme A reductase in the induction of stem-like states in breast cancer. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2024; 150:106. [PMID: 38418798 PMCID: PMC10902018 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-024-05607-7] [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: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE De novo synthesis of cholesterol and its rate-limiting enzyme, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutharyl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), is deregulated in tumors and critical for tumor cell survival and proliferation. However, the role of HMGCR in the induction and maintenance of stem-like states in tumors remains unclear. METHODS A compiled public database from breast cancer (BC) patients was analyzed with the web application SurvExpress. Cell Miner was used for the analysis of HMGCR expression and statin sensitivity of the NCI-60 cell lines panel. A CRISPRon system was used to induce HMGCR overexpression in the luminal BC cell line MCF-7 and a lentiviral pLM-OSKM system for the reprogramming of MCF-7 cells. Comparisons were performed by two-tailed unpaired t-test for two groups and one- or two-way ANOVA. RESULTS Data from BC patients showed that high expression of several members of the cholesterol synthesis pathway were associated with lower recurrence-free survival, particularly in hormone-receptor-positive BC. In silico and in vitro analysis showed that HMGCR is expressed in several BC cancer cell lines, which exhibit a subtype-dependent response to statins in silico and in vitro. A stem-like phenotype was demonstrated upon HMGCR expression in MCF-7 cells, characterized by expression of the pluripotency markers NANOG, SOX2, increased CD44 +/CD24low/ -, CD133 + populations, and increased mammosphere formation ability. Pluripotent and cancer stem cell lines showed high expression of HMGCR, whereas cell reprogramming of MCF-7 cells did not increase HMGCR expression. CONCLUSION HMGCR induces a stem-like phenotype in BC cells of epithelial nature, thus affecting tumor initiation, progression and statin sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Paula Marks
- Laboratorio de Células Madre/Stem Cells Lab (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, CP 1428, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carla Alejandra Giménez
- Instituto de Ciencias Básicas y Medicina Experimental, Instituto Universitario del Hospital Italiano, Potosí 4265, C1199ACL, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- CASPR Biotech, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- CASPR Biotech, San Francisco, USA
| | - Luciana Isaja
- Laboratorio de Investigación Aplicada a Las Neurociencias (LIAN), Fundación Para La Lucha Contra Las Enfermedades Neurológicas de La Infancia (FLENI), Ruta 9, Km 53, B1625, Buenos Aires, Escobar, Argentina
| | - Mariana Belén Vera
- Laboratorio de Investigación Aplicada a Las Neurociencias (LIAN), Fundación Para La Lucha Contra Las Enfermedades Neurológicas de La Infancia (FLENI), Ruta 9, Km 53, B1625, Buenos Aires, Escobar, Argentina
| | - Francisco Raúl Borzone
- Laboratorio de Células Madre/Stem Cells Lab (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, CP 1428, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Federico Pereyra-Bonnet
- Instituto de Ciencias Básicas y Medicina Experimental, Instituto Universitario del Hospital Italiano, Potosí 4265, C1199ACL, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- CASPR Biotech, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- CASPR Biotech, San Francisco, USA
| | - Leonardo Romorini
- Laboratorio de Investigación Aplicada a Las Neurociencias (LIAN), Fundación Para La Lucha Contra Las Enfermedades Neurológicas de La Infancia (FLENI), Ruta 9, Km 53, B1625, Buenos Aires, Escobar, Argentina
| | - Guillermo Agustín Videla-Richardson
- Laboratorio de Investigación Aplicada a Las Neurociencias (LIAN), Fundación Para La Lucha Contra Las Enfermedades Neurológicas de La Infancia (FLENI), Ruta 9, Km 53, B1625, Buenos Aires, Escobar, Argentina
| | - Norma Alejandra Chasseing
- Laboratorio de Células Madre/Stem Cells Lab (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, CP 1428, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Inmunohematología, (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, CP 1428, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan Carlos Calvo
- Laboratorio de Células Madre/Stem Cells Lab (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, CP 1428, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luciano Vellón
- Laboratorio de Células Madre/Stem Cells Lab (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, CP 1428, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Wang Y, Ma X, Xu E, Huang Z, Yang C, Zhu K, Dong Y, Zhang C. Identifying squalene epoxidase as a metabolic vulnerability in high-risk osteosarcoma using an artificial intelligence-derived prognostic index. Clin Transl Med 2024; 14:e1586. [PMID: 38372422 PMCID: PMC10875711 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1586] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Osteosarcoma (OSA) presents a clinical challenge and has a low 5-year survival rate. Currently, the lack of advanced stratification models makes personalized therapy difficult. This study aims to identify novel biomarkers to stratify high-risk OSA patients and guide treatment. METHODS We combined 10 machine-learning algorithms into 101 combinations, from which the optimal model was established for predicting overall survival based on transcriptomic profiles for 254 samples. Alterations in transcriptomic, genomic and epigenomic landscapes were assessed to elucidate mechanisms driving poor prognosis. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) unveiled genes overexpressed in OSA cells as potential therapeutic targets, one of which was validated via tissue staining, knockdown and pharmacological inhibition. We characterized changes in multiple phenotypes, including proliferation, colony formation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, chemosensitivity and in vivo tumourigenicity. RNA-seq and Western blotting elucidated the impact of squalene epoxidase (SQLE) suppression on signalling pathways. RESULTS The artificial intelligence-derived prognostic index (AIDPI), generated by our model, was an independent prognostic biomarker, outperforming clinicopathological factors and previously published signatures. Incorporating the AIDPI with clinical factors into a nomogram improved predictive accuracy. For user convenience, both the model and nomogram are accessible online. Patients in the high-AIDPI group exhibited chemoresistance, coupled with overexpression of MYC and SQLE, increased mTORC1 signalling, disrupted PI3K-Akt signalling, and diminished immune infiltration. ScRNA-seq revealed high expression of MYC and SQLE in OSA cells. Elevated SQLE expression correlated with chemoresistance and worse outcomes in OSA patients. Therapeutically, silencing SQLE suppressed OSA malignancy and enhanced chemosensitivity, mediated by cholesterol depletion and suppression of the FAK/PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Furthermore, the SQLE-specific inhibitor FR194738 demonstrated anti-OSA effects in vivo and exhibited synergistic effects with chemotherapeutic agents. CONCLUSIONS AIDPI is a robust biomarker for identifying the high-risk subset of OSA patients. The SQLE protein emerges as a metabolic vulnerability in these patients, providing a target with translational potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjie Wang
- Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryShanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
- Institute of Bone Tumor Affiliated to Tongji University School of MedicineShanghaiP. R. China
- Proteomics and Cancer Cell Signaling Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)HeidelbergGermany
| | - Xiaolong Ma
- Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryShanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
- Institute of Bone Tumor Affiliated to Tongji University School of MedicineShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Enjie Xu
- Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryShanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
- Institute of Bone Tumor Affiliated to Tongji University School of MedicineShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Zhen Huang
- Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryShanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
- Institute of Bone Tumor Affiliated to Tongji University School of MedicineShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Chen Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesShanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Kunpeng Zhu
- Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryShanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
- Institute of Bone Tumor Affiliated to Tongji University School of MedicineShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Yang Dong
- Department of OrthopaedicsShanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's HospitalShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Chunlin Zhang
- Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryShanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
- Institute of Bone Tumor Affiliated to Tongji University School of MedicineShanghaiP. R. China
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16
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Xiao Q, Xia M, Tang W, Zhao H, Chen Y, Zhong J. The lipid metabolism remodeling: A hurdle in breast cancer therapy. Cancer Lett 2024; 582:216512. [PMID: 38036043 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Lipids, as one of the three primary energy sources, provide energy for all cellular life activities. Lipids are also known to be involved in the formation of cell membranes and play an important role as signaling molecules in the intracellular and microenvironment. Tumor cells actively or passively remodel lipid metabolism, using the function of lipids in various important cellular life activities to evade therapeutic attack. Breast cancer has become the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women, which is partly due to therapeutic resistance. It is necessary to fully elucidate the formation and mechanisms of chemoresistance to improve breast cancer patient survival rates. Altered lipid metabolism has been observed in breast cancer with therapeutic resistance, indicating that targeting lipid reprogramming is a promising anticancer strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Xiao
- Cancer Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, PR China; Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, PR China
| | - Min Xia
- Cancer Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, PR China
| | - Weijian Tang
- Queen Mary School of Nanchang University, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, PR China
| | - Hu Zhao
- Cancer Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, PR China
| | - Yajun Chen
- Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, PR China.
| | - Jing Zhong
- Cancer Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, PR China; Institute of Clinical Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, PR China.
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Maja M, Verfaillie M, Van Der Smissen P, Henriet P, Pierreux CE, Sounni NE, Tyteca D. Targeting cholesterol impairs cell invasion of all breast cancer types. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:27. [PMID: 38200575 PMCID: PMC10782689 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-023-03206-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer clinical outcome relies on its intrinsic molecular subtype and mortality is almost exclusively due to metastasis, whose mechanism remains unclear. We recently revealed the specific contribution of plasma membrane cholesterol to the invasion of malignant MCF10CAIa but not premalignant MCF10AT and normal MCF10A cell lines in 2D, through invadopodia formation and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation. In the present study, we address the impact of breast cancer subtypes, mutations and aggressiveness on cholesterol implication in breast cancer cell invasion and 3D spheroid invasion and growth. METHODS We used nine breast cancer cell lines grouped in four subtypes matching breast tumor classification. Four of these cell lines were also used to generate 3D spheroids. These cell lines were compared for cell invasion in 2D and 3D, spheroid growth in 3D, gelatin degradation, cortactin expression, activation and subcellular distribution as well as cell surface cholesterol distribution and lipid droplets. The effect of plasma membrane cholesterol depletion on all these parameters was determined in parallel and systematically compared with the impact of global matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibition. RESULTS The six invasive cell lines in 2D were sensitive to partial cholesterol depletion, independently of their subtype, aggressiveness or mutation. Nevertheless, the effect was stronger in the three cell lines able to degrade gelatin. 3D spheroid invasion was also reduced after cholesterol depletion in all breast cancer subtypes tested. Notably, targeting cholesterol was more powerful than MMP inhibition in reducing invasion in both 2D and 3D culture models. Moreover, cholesterol depletion in the six invasive cell lines impaired cortactin distribution in the perinuclear region where invadopodia localized. Breast cancer cell line aggressiveness relied on cholesterol-enriched domains at the ECM-free side and intracellular lipid droplets. Furthermore, the three gelatin-degrading cell lines were characterized by increased cholesterol-enriched submicrometric domains at their ECM-contact side. CONCLUSION Together, our data suggest cell surface cholesterol combined with lipid droplet labeling as a breast cancer cell aggressiveness marker. They also open the way to test other cholesterol-targeting drugs in more complex models to further evaluate whether cholesterol could represent a strategy in breast cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauriane Maja
- CELL Unit and PICT Imaging Platform, de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marie Verfaillie
- CELL Unit and PICT Imaging Platform, de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Patrick Henriet
- CELL Unit and PICT Imaging Platform, de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christophe E Pierreux
- CELL Unit and PICT Imaging Platform, de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nor Eddine Sounni
- Laboratory of Tumor and Development Biology, GIGA-Cancer, University of Liège, 4000, Liège, Belgium
| | - Donatienne Tyteca
- CELL Unit and PICT Imaging Platform, de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.
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18
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Liu S, Jiao B, Zhao H, Liang X, Jin F, Liu X, Hu J. LncRNAs-circRNAs as Rising Epigenetic Binary Superstars in Regulating Lipid Metabolic Reprogramming of Cancers. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2303570. [PMID: 37939296 PMCID: PMC10767464 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202303570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
As one of novel hallmarks of cancer, lipid metabolic reprogramming has recently been becoming fascinating and widely studied. Lipid metabolic reprogramming in cancer is shown to support carcinogenesis, progression, distal metastasis, and chemotherapy resistance by generating ATP, biosynthesizing macromolecules, and maintaining appropriate redox status. Notably, increasing evidence confirms that lipid metabolic reprogramming is under the control of dysregulated non-coding RNAs in cancer, especially lncRNAs and circRNAs. This review highlights the present research findings on the aberrantly expressed lncRNAs and circRNAs involved in the lipid metabolic reprogramming of cancer. Emphasis is placed on their regulatory targets in lipid metabolic reprogramming and associated mechanisms, including the clinical relevance in cancer through lipid metabolism modulation. Such insights will be pivotal in identifying new theranostic targets and treatment strategies for cancer patients afflicted with lipid metabolic reprogramming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of Ministry of EducationCancer Center, First HospitalJilin UniversityChangchun130021China
- Hematology DepartmentFirst HospitalJilin UniversityChangchun130021China
| | - Benzheng Jiao
- NHC Key Laboratory of Radiobiology (Jilin University)School of Public HealthJilin UniversityChangchun130021China
- Nuclear Medicine DepartmentFirst HospitalJilin UniversityChangchun130021China
| | - Hongguang Zhao
- Nuclear Medicine DepartmentFirst HospitalJilin UniversityChangchun130021China
| | - Xinyue Liang
- Hematology DepartmentFirst HospitalJilin UniversityChangchun130021China
| | - Fengyan Jin
- Hematology DepartmentFirst HospitalJilin UniversityChangchun130021China
| | - Xiaodong Liu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Radiobiology (Jilin University)School of Public HealthJilin UniversityChangchun130021China
- Radiation Medicine Department, School of Public Health and ManagementWenzhou Medical UniversityWenzhou325035China
| | - Ji‐Fan Hu
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of Ministry of EducationCancer Center, First HospitalJilin UniversityChangchun130021China
- Palo Alto Veterans Institute for ResearchStanford University Medical SchoolPalo AltoCA94304USA
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19
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Lu J, Chen S, Bai X, Liao M, Qiu Y, Zheng LL, Yu H. Targeting cholesterol metabolism in Cancer: From molecular mechanisms to therapeutic implications. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 218:115907. [PMID: 37931664 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Cholesterol is an essential component of cell membranes and helps to maintain their structure and function. Abnormal cholesterol metabolism has been linked to the development and progression of tumors. Changes in cholesterol metabolism triggered by internal or external stimuli can promote tumor growth. During metastasis, tumor cells require large amounts of cholesterol to support their growth and colonization of new organs. Recent research has shown that cholesterol metabolism is reprogrammed during tumor development, and this can also affect the anti-tumor activity of immune cells in the surrounding environment. However, identifying the specific targets in cholesterol metabolism that regulate cancer progression and the tumor microenvironment is still a challenge. Additionally, exploring the potential of combining statin drugs with other therapies for different types of cancer could be a worthwhile avenue for future drug development. In this review, we focus on the molecular mechanisms of cholesterol and its derivatives in cell metabolism and the tumor microenvironment, and discuss specific targets and relevant therapeutic agents that inhibit aspects of cholesterol homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Siwei Chen
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
| | - Xuejiao Bai
- Department of Anesthesiology, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Minru Liao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yuling Qiu
- School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China.
| | - Ling-Li Zheng
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China.
| | - Haiyang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
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20
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Jastrzebska I, Wawrusiewicz-Kurylonek N, Grześ PA, Ratkiewicz A, Grabowska E, Czerniecka M, Czyżewska U, Tylicki A. New Steroidal Selenides as Proapoptotic Factors. Molecules 2023; 28:7528. [PMID: 38005248 PMCID: PMC10673341 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28227528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cytostatic and pro-apoptotic effects of selenium steroid derivatives against HeLa cells were determined. The highest cytostatic activity was shown by derivative 4 (GI50 25.0 µM, almost complete growth inhibition after three days of culture, and over 97% of apoptotic and dead cells at 200 µM). The results of our study (cell number measurements, apoptosis profile, relative expression of apoptosis-related APAF1, BID, and mevalonate pathway-involved HMGCR, SQLE, CYP51A1, and PDHB genes, and computational chemistry data) support the hypothesis that tested selenosteroids induce the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis by affecting the cell membrane as cholesterol antimetabolites. An additional mechanism of action is possible through a direct action of derivative 4 to inhibit PDHB expression in a way similar to steroid hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izabella Jastrzebska
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Białystok, Ciołkowskiego 1K, 15-245 Białystok, Poland
| | | | - Paweł A Grześ
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Białystok, Ciołkowskiego 1K, 15-245 Białystok, Poland
| | - Artur Ratkiewicz
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Białystok, Ciołkowskiego 1K, 15-245 Białystok, Poland
| | - Ewa Grabowska
- Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, University of Bialystok, K. Ciolkowskiego 1K, 15-245 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Magdalena Czerniecka
- Faculty of Biology, University of Białystok, Ciołkowskiego 1J, 15-245 Białystok, Poland
| | - Urszula Czyżewska
- Faculty of Biology, University of Białystok, Ciołkowskiego 1J, 15-245 Białystok, Poland
| | - Adam Tylicki
- Faculty of Biology, University of Białystok, Ciołkowskiego 1J, 15-245 Białystok, Poland
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21
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Meng J, Du H, Lu J, Wang H. Construction and validation of a predictive nomogram for ferroptosis-related genes in osteosarcoma. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:14227-14239. [PMID: 37555953 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-05225-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ferroptosis is a new type of cellular regulation of necrosis that has attracted great attention in recent years, which is different from the traditional mode of autophagy, apoptosis, and necrosis. Studies suggest that ferroptosis is key to the occurrence and development of tumors. METHODS Here, we investigated the prognostic significance of ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) in osteosarcoma (OS) using RNA transcriptome data from 88 OS samples collected from the UCSC Xena platform. We defined the OS sample from the UCSC platform as the training cohort and the GEO dataset (GSE21257 and GSE16091) as the validation cohorts. We assessed 73 up-regulated and 63 down-regulated FRGs. We divided patients from the UCSC database into groups at high risk and low risk and built a prognostic risk model to assess prognosis using five FRGs: MT1G, G6PD, ARNTL, BNIP3, and SQLE. RESULTS High-risk OS patients presented a lower survival rate. These results were confirmed in the validation groups. In the training group, the areas under the ROC curves (AUC) were as follows: 0.880 for 1 year, 0.833 for 3 years, and 0.818 for 5 years. In the GSE21257 validation cohort, the AUC were as follows: 0.770 for 1 year, 0.641 for 3 years, and 0.632 for 5 years survival, and in the GSE16091 were 0.729 for 1 year, 0.663 for 3 years, and 0.735 for 5 years survival. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that FRGs are associated with the prognosis of osteosarcoma. Moreover, our prognostic risk model can predict overall survival in osteosarcoma. This provides new ideas for the clinical diagnosis and personalized treatment of osteosarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinzhi Meng
- Bone and Joint Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Huawei Du
- Bone and Joint Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Jinfeng Lu
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Hongtao Wang
- Bone and Joint Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
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22
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Liu X, Lv M, Zhang W, Zhan Q. Dysregulation of cholesterol metabolism in cancer progression. Oncogene 2023; 42:3289-3302. [PMID: 37773204 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02836-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Cholesterol homeostasis has been implicated in the regulation of cellular and body metabolism. Hence, deregulated cholesterol homeostasis leads to the development of many diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases, among others. Recent studies have unveiled the connection between abnormal cholesterol metabolism and cancer development. Cholesterol homeostasis at the cellular level dynamically circulates between synthesis, influx, efflux, and esterification. Any dysregulation of this dynamic process disrupts cholesterol homeostasis and its derivatives, which potentially contributes to tumor progression. There is also evidence that cancer-related signals, which promote malignant progression, also regulate cholesterol metabolism. Here, we described the relationship between cholesterol metabolism and cancer hallmarks, with particular focus on the molecular mechanisms, and the anticancer drugs that target cholesterol metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuesong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, 100142, China
- Research Unit of Molecular Cancer Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100021, China
- Peking University International Cancer Institute, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Mengzhu Lv
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, 100142, China
- Research Unit of Molecular Cancer Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Weimin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, 100142, China.
- Research Unit of Molecular Cancer Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100021, China.
- Institute of Cancer Research, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
| | - Qimin Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, 100142, China.
- Research Unit of Molecular Cancer Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100021, China.
- Peking University International Cancer Institute, Beijing, 100191, China.
- Institute of Cancer Research, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
- Soochow University Cancer Institute, Suzhou, 215127, China.
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23
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Khalifa A, Guijarro A, Ravera S, Bertola N, Adorni MP, Papotti B, Raffaghello L, Benelli R, Becherini P, Namatalla A, Verzola D, Reverberi D, Monacelli F, Cea M, Pisciotta L, Bernini F, Caffa I, Nencioni A. Cyclic fasting bolsters cholesterol biosynthesis inhibitors' anticancer activity. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6951. [PMID: 37907500 PMCID: PMC10618279 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42652-1] [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: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Identifying oncological applications for drugs that are already approved for other medical indications is considered a possible solution for the increasing costs of cancer treatment. Under the hypothesis that nutritional stress through fasting might enhance the antitumour properties of at least some non-oncological agents, by screening drug libraries, we find that cholesterol biosynthesis inhibitors (CBIs), including simvastatin, have increased activity against cancers of different histology under fasting conditions. We show fasting's ability to increase CBIs' antitumour effects to depend on the reduction in circulating insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1 and leptin, which blunts the expression of enzymes from the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway and enhances cholesterol efflux from cancer cells. Ultimately, low cholesterol levels through combined fasting and CBIs reduce AKT and STAT3 activity, oxidative phosphorylation and energy stores in the tumour. Our results support further studies of CBIs in combination with fasting-based dietary regimens in cancer treatment and highlight the value of fasting for drug repurposing in oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amr Khalifa
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy
- Ospedale Policlinico San Martino IRCCS, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Ana Guijarro
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy
- Ospedale Policlinico San Martino IRCCS, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Silvia Ravera
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Via Leon Battista Alberti 2, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Nadia Bertola
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Via Leon Battista Alberti 2, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Maria Pia Adorni
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43125, Parma, Italy
| | - Bianca Papotti
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, 43124, Parma, Italy
| | - Lizzia Raffaghello
- Center of Translational and Experimental Myology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147, Genoa, Italy
| | - Roberto Benelli
- Ospedale Policlinico San Martino IRCCS, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Pamela Becherini
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Asmaa Namatalla
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Daniela Verzola
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Daniele Reverberi
- Ospedale Policlinico San Martino IRCCS, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Fiammetta Monacelli
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy
- Ospedale Policlinico San Martino IRCCS, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Michele Cea
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy
- Ospedale Policlinico San Martino IRCCS, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Livia Pisciotta
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy
- Ospedale Policlinico San Martino IRCCS, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Franco Bernini
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, 43124, Parma, Italy
| | - Irene Caffa
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
- Ospedale Policlinico San Martino IRCCS, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Alessio Nencioni
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
- Ospedale Policlinico San Martino IRCCS, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
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24
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Zaky MY, Fan C, Zhang H, Sun XF. Unraveling the Anticancer Potential of Statins: Mechanisms and Clinical Significance. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4787. [PMID: 37835481 PMCID: PMC10572000 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15194787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Statins are an essential medication class in the treatment of lipid diseases because they inhibit 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase. They reduce cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in both primary and secondary prevention. In addition to their powerful pharmacologic suppression of cholesterol production, statins appear to have pleitropic effects in a wide variety of other diseases by modulating signaling pathways. In recent years, statins have seen a large increase in interest due to their putative anticancer effects. Statins appear to cause upregulation or inhibition in key pathways involved in cancer such as inhibition of proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis as well as reducing cancer stemness. Further, statins have been found to induce oxidative stress, cell cycle arrest, autophagy, and apoptosis of cancer cells. Interestingly, clinical studies have shown that statin use is associated with a decreased risk of cancer formation, lower cancer grade at diagnosis, reduction in the risk of local reoccurrence, and increasing survival in patients. Therefore, our objective in the present review is to summarize the findings of the publications on the underlying mechanisms of statins' anticancer effects and their clinical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Y. Zaky
- Department of Oncology, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
- Molecular Physiology Division, Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62521, Egypt
| | - Chuanwen Fan
- Department of Oncology, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Huan Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Xiao-Feng Sun
- Department of Oncology, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
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25
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Liang Y, He J, Chen X, Yin L, Yuan Q, Zeng Q, Zu X, Shen Y. The emerging roles of metabolism in the crosstalk between breast cancer cells and tumor-associated macrophages. Int J Biol Sci 2023; 19:4915-4930. [PMID: 37781517 PMCID: PMC10539698 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.86039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women worldwide. Investigating metabolism in breast cancer may accelerate the exploitation of new therapeutic options for immunotherapies. Metabolic reprogramming can confer breast cancer cells (BCCs) with a survival advantage in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and metabolic alterations in breast cancer, and the corresponding metabolic byproducts can affect the function of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Additionally, TAMs undergo metabolic reprogramming in response to signals present in the TME, which can affect their function and breast cancer progression. Here, we review the metabolic crosstalk between BCCs and TAMs in terms of glucose, lipids, amino acids, iron, and adenosine metabolism. Summaries of inhibitors that target metabolism-related processes in BCCs or TAMs within breast cancer have also served as valuable inspiration for novel therapeutic approaches in the fight against this disease. This review provides new perspectives on targeted anticancer therapies for breast cancer that combine immunity with metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Liang
- Cancer Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Jun He
- Department of Spine Surgery, The Nanhua Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Xiguang Chen
- Cancer Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
| | - Liyang Yin
- Cancer Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
| | - Qiong Yuan
- Cancer Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Qiting Zeng
- Cancer Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Xuyu Zu
- Cancer Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
| | - Yingying Shen
- Cancer Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
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26
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Ben Hassen C, Goupille C, Vigor C, Durand T, Guéraud F, Silvente-Poirot S, Poirot M, Frank PG. Is cholesterol a risk factor for breast cancer incidence and outcome? J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2023; 232:106346. [PMID: 37321513 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2023.106346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Cholesterol plays important roles in many physiological processes, including cell membrane structure and function, hormone synthesis, and the regulation of cellular homeostasis. The role of cholesterol in breast cancer is complex, and some studies have suggested that elevated cholesterol levels may be associated with an increased risk of developing breast cancer, while others have found no significant association. On the other hand, other studies have shown that, for total cholesterol and plasma HDL-associated cholesterol levels, there was inverse association with breast cancer risk. One possible mechanism by which cholesterol may contribute to breast cancer risk is as a key precursor of estrogen. Other potential mechanisms by which cholesterol may contribute to breast cancer risk include its role in inflammation and oxidative stress, which have been linked to cancer progression. Cholesterol has also been shown to play a role in signaling pathways regulating the growth and proliferation of cancer cells. In addition, recent studies have shown that cholesterol metabolism can generate tumor promoters such as cholesteryl esters, oncosterone, 27-hydroxycholesterol but also tumor suppressor metabolites such as dendrogenin A. This review summarizes some of the most important clinical studies that have evaluated the role of cholesterol or its derivatives in breast cancer. It also addresses the role of cholesterol and its derivatives at the cellular level.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Caroline Goupille
- INSERM N2C UMR1069, University of Tours, 37032 Tours, France; Department of Gynecology, CHRU Hôpital Bretonneau, boulevard Tonnellé, 37044 Tours, France
| | - Claire Vigor
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, IBMM, Pôle Chimie Balard Recherche, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, 34293 CEDEX 5 Montpellier, France
| | - Thierry Durand
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, IBMM, Pôle Chimie Balard Recherche, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, 34293 CEDEX 5 Montpellier, France
| | - Françoise Guéraud
- INRAE, Toxalim (Research Centre in Food Toxicology), Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, INP-Purpan, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Sandrine Silvente-Poirot
- Cancer Research Center of Toulouse (CRCT), Inserm, CNRS, University of Toulouse, Team INOV:"Cholesterol Metabolism and Therapeutic Innovations", Toulouse, France; Equipe labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, France
| | - Marc Poirot
- Cancer Research Center of Toulouse (CRCT), Inserm, CNRS, University of Toulouse, Team INOV:"Cholesterol Metabolism and Therapeutic Innovations", Toulouse, France; Equipe labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, France
| | - Philippe G Frank
- INSERM N2C UMR1069, University of Tours, 37032 Tours, France; SGS Health and Nutrition, Saint Benoît, France.
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Du Y, Rokavec M, Hermeking H. Squalene epoxidase/SQLE is a candidate target for treatment of colorectal cancers with p53 mutation and elevated c- MYC expression. Int J Biol Sci 2023; 19:4103-4122. [PMID: 37705742 PMCID: PMC10496509 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.85724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Elevated expression of c-MYC and inactivation of p53 represent two of the most common alterations in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, c-MYC and defective p53 are difficult to target therapeutically. Therefore, effectors downstream of both c-MYC and p53 may represent attractive, alternative targets for cancer treatment. In a bioinformatics screen we identified Squalene epoxidase/SQLE as a candidate therapeutic target that appeared to be especially relevant for cell survival in CRCs, which display elevated c-MYC expression and loss of p53 function. SQLE is a rate-limiting enzyme in the cholesterol synthesis. Here, we show that p53 supresses SQLE expression, cholesterol levels, and cell viability via the induction of miR-205, which directly targets SQLE. Furthermore, c-MYC induced SQLE expression directly and via its target gene AP4. The transcription factor AP4/TFAP4 directly induced SQLE expression and cholesterol levels, whereas inactivation of AP4 resulted in decreased SQLE expression and caused resistance to Terbinafine, an inhibitor of SQLE. Inhibition of SQLE decreased viability of CRC cells. This effect was enhanced in CRCs cells with p53 inactivation and/or enhanced c-MYC/AP4 expression. Altogether, our results demonstrate that SQLE represents a vulnerability for CRCs with p53 inactivation and elevated c-MYC activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuyun Du
- Experimental and Molecular Pathology, Institute of Pathology, Medical Faculty, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, D-80337 Munich, Germany
| | - Matjaz Rokavec
- Experimental and Molecular Pathology, Institute of Pathology, Medical Faculty, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, D-80337 Munich, Germany
| | - Heiko Hermeking
- Experimental and Molecular Pathology, Institute of Pathology, Medical Faculty, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, D-80337 Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner site Munich, D-80336 Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Xu R, Song J, Ruze R, Chen Y, Yin X, Wang C, Zhao Y. SQLE promotes pancreatic cancer growth by attenuating ER stress and activating lipid rafts-regulated Src/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:497. [PMID: 37542052 PMCID: PMC10403582 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-05987-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC), a highly lethal malignancy, commonly exhibits metabolic reprogramming that results in therapeutic vulnerabilities. Nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying the impacts of aberrant cholesterol metabolism on PC development and progression remain elusive. In this study, we found that squalene epoxidase (SQLE) is a crucial mediator of cholesterol metabolism in PC growth. We observed a profound upregulation of SQLE in PC tissues, and its high expression was correlated with poor patient outcomes. Our functional experiments demonstrated that SQLE facilitated cell proliferation, induced cell cycle progression, and inhibited apoptosis in vitro, while promoting tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, SQLE was found to have a dual role. First, its inhibition led to squalene accumulation-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and subsequent apoptosis. Second, it enhanced de novo cholesterol biosynthesis and maintained lipid raft stability, thereby activating the Src/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Significantly, employing SQLE inhibitors effectively suppressed PC cell proliferation and xenograft tumor growth. In summary, this study reveals SQLE as a novel oncogene that promotes PC growth by mitigating ER stress and activating lipid raft-regulated Src/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, highlighting the potential of SQLE as a therapeutic target for PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiyuan Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China
| | - Jianlu Song
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China
| | - Rexiati Ruze
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China
| | - Yuan Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China
| | - Xinpeng Yin
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China
| | - Chengcheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China.
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China.
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China.
- Medical Science Research Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China.
| | - Yupei Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China.
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China.
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China.
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100023, P. R. China.
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Liu S, Shen YY, Yin LY, Liu J, Zu X. Lipid Metabolic Regulatory Crosstalk Between Cancer Cells and Tumor-Associated Macrophages. DNA Cell Biol 2023; 42:445-455. [PMID: 37535386 DOI: 10.1089/dna.2023.0071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In the tumor microenvironment, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are one of the most abundant cell populations, playing key roles in tumorigenesis, chemoresistance, immune evasion, and metastasis. There is an important interaction between TAMs and cancer cells: on the one hand, tumors control the function of infiltrating macrophages, contributing to reprogramming of TAMs, and on the other hand, TAMs affect the growth of cancer cells. This review focuses on lipid metabolism changes in the complex relationship between cancer cells and TAMs. We discuss how lipid metabolism in cancer cells affects macrophage phenotypic and metabolic changes and, subsequently, how altered lipid metabolism of TAMs influences tumor progression. Identifying the metabolic changes that influence the complex interaction between tumor cells and TAMs is also an important step in exploring new therapeutic approaches that target metabolic reprogramming of immune cells to enhance their tumoricidal potential and bypass therapy resistance. Our work may provide new targets for antitumor therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Liu
- Cancer Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Ying Ying Shen
- Cancer Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Li Yang Yin
- Cancer Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Jianghua Liu
- Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Xuyu Zu
- Cancer Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
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Weng N, Zhang Z, Tan Y, Zhang X, Wei X, Zhu Q. Repurposing antifungal drugs for cancer therapy. J Adv Res 2023; 48:259-273. [PMID: 36067975 PMCID: PMC10248799 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2022.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Repurposing antifungal drugs in cancer therapy has attracted unprecedented attention in both preclinical and clinical research due to specific advantages, such as safety, high-cost effectiveness and time savings compared with cancer drug discovery. The surprising and encouraging efficacy of antifungal drugs in cancer therapy, mechanistically, is attributed to the overlapping targets or molecular pathways between fungal and cancer pathogenesis. Advancements in omics, informatics and analytical technology have led to the discovery of increasing "off-site" targets from antifungal drugs involved in cancerogenesis, such as smoothened (D477G) inhibition from itraconazole in basal cell carcinoma. AIM OF REVIEW This review illustrates several antifungal drugs repurposed for cancer therapy and reveals the underlying mechanism based on their original target and "off-site" target. Furthermore, the challenges and perspectives for the future development and clinical applications of antifungal drugs for cancer therapy are also discussed, providing a refresh understanding of drug repurposing. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW This review may provide a basic understanding of repurposed antifungal drugs for clinical cancer management, thereby helping antifungal drugs broaden new indications and promote clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningna Weng
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, PR China; Department of Medical Oncology, Fujian Cancer Hospital & Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital, Fujian 350011, PR China
| | - Zhe Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China; Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yunhan Tan
- West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, PR China
| | - Xiaoyue Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiawei Wei
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qing Zhu
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, PR China.
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Qian CJ, Zhou YX, Wu LK, Wang YC, Teng XS, Yao J. Circ_0000182 promotes cholesterol synthesis and proliferation of stomach adenocarcinoma cells by targeting miR-579-3p/SQLE axis. Discov Oncol 2023; 14:22. [PMID: 36808302 PMCID: PMC9941389 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-023-00630-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Circular RNAs (circRNAs) or cholesterol metabolism have been demonstrated to participate in stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) progression. However, the relationship between circRNAs and cholesterol metabolism in STAD and its underlined mechanism remain unclear. METHODS RNA and protein expression levels were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. Cell proliferation was assessed by CCK-8, EdU incorporation and colony formation assays. Total cholesterol (TC) and free cholesterol (FC) levels were measured by the corresponding kits. The relationships between circ_0000182 and miR-579-3p or squalene epoxidase (SQLE) mRNA were investigated by bioinformatics analysis, RNA-RNA pull-down, luciferase reporter and RIP assays. RESULTS We found that circ_0000182 expression was significantly up-regulated in both STAD tissues and cell lines, and high circ_0000182 expression was correlated with increased tumor size. Circ_0000182 promoted cell proliferation and cholesterol synthesis of STAD cells. Accordingly, cell proliferation, cholesterol synthesis and SQLE expression were significantly inhibited by circ_0000182 knockdown in STAD cells, and these effects were partly reversed by miR-579-3p inhibition or SQLE over-expression. Furthermore, we identified that circ_0000182 acted as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by sponging miR-579-3p, thereby facilitating SQLE expression, cholesterol synthesis and cell proliferation. CONCLUSION Circ_0000182 promotes cholesterol synthesis and proliferation of STAD cells by enhancing SQLE expression via sponging miR-579-3p.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cui-Juan Qian
- Early Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Center, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, Zhejiang Province, China
- School of Medicine, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yu-Xin Zhou
- School of Medicine, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Lin-Ken Wu
- School of Medicine, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yi-Chao Wang
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xiao-Sheng Teng
- Early Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Center, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, Zhejiang Province, China.
- Department of Gastroenterology, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, Zhejiang Province, China.
| | - Jun Yao
- School of Medicine, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, Zhejiang Province, China.
- Department of Gastroenterology, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, Zhejiang Province, China.
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32
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Chen C, Hu X, Ahmad MJ, Niu K, Ye T, Liang A, Yang L. Novel Insight into the Role of Squalene Epoxidase ( SQLE) Gene in Determining Milk Production Traits in Buffalo. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032436. [PMID: 36768756 PMCID: PMC9916492 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying milk production traits contribute to improving the production potential of dairy animals. Squalene epoxidase (SQLE) is one of the rate-limiting enzymes for cholesterol biosynthesis and was highly expressed in the buffalo mammary. The objectives of the present study were to detect the polymorphisms within SQLE in buffalo, the genetic effects of these mutations on milk production traits, and to understand the gene regulatory effects on buffalo mammary epithelial cells (BuMECs). A total of five SNPs were identified by sequencing, g.18858G > A loci were significantly associated with fat yield, and g.22834C > T loci were significantly associated with peak milk yield, milk yield, fat yield, and protein yield. Notably, linkage disequilibrium analysis indicated that 2 SNPs (g.18858G > A and g.22834C > T) formed one haplotype block, which was found to be significantly associated with milk fat yield, fat percentage, and protein yield. Furthermore, expression of SQLE was measured in different tissues of buffalo and was found to be higher in the mammary. Knockdown of SQLE gene expression significantly affected the growth of BuMECs, including proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis, and significantly downregulated the expression of related genes MYC, PCNA, and P21. In addition, knockdown of the SQLE gene significantly reduces triglyceride concentrations and the signal intensity of oil red O staining. In addition, silencing of SQLE was also found to regulate the synthesis and secretion of β-casein and κ-casein negatively. Furthermore, SQLE knockdown is accompanied by the downregulation of critical genes (RPS6KB1, JAK2, eIF4E, and SREBP1) related to milk fat and protein synthesis. The current study showed the potential of the SQLE gene as a candidate for buffalo milk production traits. It provides a new understanding of the physiological mechanisms underlying buffalo milk production regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Chen
- National Center for International Research on Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (NCIRAGBR), College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xiangwei Hu
- National Center for International Research on Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (NCIRAGBR), College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Muhammad Jamil Ahmad
- National Center for International Research on Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (NCIRAGBR), College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Kaifeng Niu
- National Center for International Research on Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (NCIRAGBR), College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Tingzhu Ye
- National Center for International Research on Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (NCIRAGBR), College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Aixin Liang
- National Center for International Research on Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (NCIRAGBR), College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Province’s Engineering Research Center in Buffalo Breeding and Products, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Liguo Yang
- National Center for International Research on Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (NCIRAGBR), College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Province’s Engineering Research Center in Buffalo Breeding and Products, Wuhan 430070, China
- Correspondence:
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Coates HW, Capell-Hattam IM, Olzomer EM, Du X, Farrell R, Yang H, Byrne FL, Brown AJ. Hypoxia truncates and constitutively activates the key cholesterol synthesis enzyme squalene monooxygenase. eLife 2023; 12:82843. [PMID: 36655986 PMCID: PMC9851614 DOI: 10.7554/elife.82843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholesterol synthesis is both energy- and oxygen-intensive, yet relatively little is known of the regulatory effects of hypoxia on pathway enzymes. We previously showed that the rate-limiting and first oxygen-dependent enzyme of the committed cholesterol synthesis pathway, squalene monooxygenase (SM), can undergo partial proteasomal degradation that renders it constitutively active. Here, we show hypoxia is a physiological trigger for this truncation, which occurs through a two-part mechanism: (1) increased targeting of SM to the proteasome via stabilization of the E3 ubiquitin ligase MARCHF6 and (2) accumulation of the SM substrate, squalene, which impedes the complete degradation of SM and liberates its truncated form. This preserves SM activity and downstream pathway flux during hypoxia. These results uncover a feedforward mechanism that allows SM to accommodate fluctuating substrate levels and may contribute to its widely reported oncogenic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hudson W Coates
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW SydneySydneyAustralia
| | | | - Ellen M Olzomer
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - Ximing Du
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - Rhonda Farrell
- Prince of Wales Private HospitalRandwickAustralia
- Chris O’Brien LifehouseCamperdownAustralia
| | - Hongyuan Yang
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - Frances L Byrne
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - Andrew J Brown
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW SydneySydneyAustralia
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Zhang Q, Cui K, Yang X, He Q, Yu J, Yang L, Yao G, Guo W, Luo Z, Liu Y, Chen Y, He Z, Lan P. c-Myc-IMPDH1/2 axis promotes tumourigenesis by regulating GTP metabolic reprogramming. Clin Transl Med 2023; 13:e1164. [PMID: 36629054 PMCID: PMC9832425 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer. Metabolic rate-limiting enzymes and oncogenic c-Myc (Myc) play critical roles in metabolic reprogramming to affect tumourigenesis. However, a systematic assessment of metabolic rate-limiting enzymes and their relationship with Myc in human cancers is lacking. METHODS Multiple Pan-cancer datasets were used to develop the transcriptome, genomic alterations, clinical outcomes and Myc correlation landscapes of 168 metabolic rate-limiting enzymes across 20 cancers. Real-time quantitative PCR and immunoblotting were, respectively, used to examine the mRNA and protein of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase 1 (IMPDH1) in human colorectal cancer (CRC), azoxymethane/dextran sulphate sodium-induced mouse CRC and spontaneous intestinal tumours from APCMin/+ mice. Clone formation, CCK-8 and subcutaneous xenograft model were applied to investigate the possible mechanisms connecting IMPDH1 to CRC growth. Co-immunoprecipitation and protein half-life assay were used to explore the mechanisms underlying the regulation of IMPDH1. RESULTS We explored the global expression patterns, dysregulation profiles, genomic alterations and clinical relevance of 168 metabolic rate-limiting enzymes across human cancers. Importantly, a series of enzymes were associated with Myc, especially top three upregulated enzymes (TK1, RRM2 and IMPDH1) were positively correlated with Myc in multiple cancers. As a proof-of-concept exemplification, we demonstrated that IMPDH1, a rate-limiting enzyme in GTP biosynthesis, is highly upregulated in CRC and promotes CRC growth in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, IMPDH2 stabilizes IMPDH1 by decreasing the polyubiquitination levels of IMPDH1, and Myc promotes the de novo GTP biosynthesis by the transcriptional activation of IMPDH1/2. Finally, we confirmed that the Myc-IMPDH1/2 axis is dysregulated across human cancers. CONCLUSIONS Our study highlights the essential roles of metabolic rate-limiting enzymes in tumourigenesis and their crosstalk with Myc, and the Myc-IMPDH1/2 axis promotes tumourigenesis by altering GTP metabolic reprogramming. Our results propose the inhibition of IMPDH1 as a viable option for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Zhang
- The Sixth Affiliated HospitalSchool of MedicineSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouGuangdongChina
| | - Kaisa Cui
- Wuxi Cancer InstituteAffiliated Hospital of Jiangnan UniversityWuxiJiangsuChina
| | - Xiaoya Yang
- The Sixth Affiliated HospitalSchool of MedicineSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouGuangdongChina
| | - Qilang He
- The Sixth Affiliated HospitalSchool of MedicineSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouGuangdongChina
| | - Jing Yu
- The Sixth Affiliated HospitalSchool of MedicineSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouGuangdongChina
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, Guangdong Institute of GastroenterologyGuangzhouGuangdongChina
| | - Li Yang
- Zhumadian Central HospitalHuanghuai UniversityZhumadianHenanChina
| | - Gang Yao
- The People's Hospital of Zhengyang CountyZhumadianHenanChina
| | - Weiwei Guo
- The People's Hospital of Zhengyang CountyZhumadianHenanChina
| | - Zhanhao Luo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, Guangdong Institute of GastroenterologyGuangzhouGuangdongChina
| | - Yugeng Liu
- Center for Synthetic MicrobiomeInstitute of Synthetic BiologyShenzhen Institutes of Advanced TechnologyChinese Academy of SciencesShenzhenGuangdongChina
| | - Yuan Chen
- The Sixth Affiliated HospitalSchool of MedicineSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouGuangdongChina
| | - Zhen He
- The Sixth Affiliated HospitalSchool of MedicineSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouGuangdongChina
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, Guangdong Institute of GastroenterologyGuangzhouGuangdongChina
| | - Ping Lan
- The Sixth Affiliated HospitalSchool of MedicineSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouGuangdongChina
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, Guangdong Institute of GastroenterologyGuangzhouGuangdongChina
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35
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Zhang Z, Wu W, Jiao H, Chen Y, Ji X, Cao J, Yin F, Yin W. Squalene epoxidase promotes hepatocellular carcinoma development by activating STRAP transcription and TGF-β/SMAD signalling. Br J Pharmacol 2022; 180:1562-1581. [PMID: 36581319 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Squalene epoxidase (SQLE) is a key enzyme involved in cholesterol biosynthesis, but growing evidence also reveals that SQLE is abnormally expressed in some types of malignant tumours, even though the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Bioinformatics analysis and RNA sequencing were applied to detect differentially expressed genes in clinical hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MTT, colony formation, AnnexinV-FITC/PI, EdU, wound healing, transwell, western blot, qRT-PCR, IHC, F-actin, RNA-sequencing, dual-luciferase reporters, and H&E staining were used to investigate the pharmacological effects and possible mechanisms of SQLE. KEY RESULTS SQLE expression was specifically elevated in HCC, correlating with poor clinical outcomes. SQLE significantly promoted HCC growth, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. RNA sequencing and functional experiments revealed that the protumourigenic effect of SQLE on HCC was closely related to the activation of TGF-β/SMAD signalling, but the stimulatory effect of SQLE on TGF-β/SMAD signalling and HCC development is critically dependent on STRAP. SQLE expression is well correlated with STRAP in HCC, and further, to amplify TGF-β/SMAD signalling, SQLE even transcriptionally increased STRAP gene expression mediated by AP-2α. Finally, as a chemical inhibitor of SQLE, NB-598 markedly inhibited HCC cell growth and tumour development. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Taken together, SQLE serves as a novel oncogene in HCC development by activating TGF-β/SMAD signalling. Targeting SQLE could be useful in drug development and therapy for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhirui Zhang
- The State Key Lab of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei Wu
- Organ Transplantation Center, Southern District, the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (Anhui Provincial Hospital), Hefei, China
| | - Hao Jiao
- Department of Pharmacy, Fuyang People's Hospital, Fuyang, China
| | - Yuzhong Chen
- Department of Surgical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Xiaojun Ji
- Department of Innovation, Nanjing Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Cao
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University/Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Fangzhou Yin
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Wu Yin
- The State Key Lab of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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Xu F, Yan J, Peng Z, Liu J, Li Z. Comprehensive analysis of a glycolysis and cholesterol synthesis-related genes signature for predicting prognosis and immune landscape in osteosarcoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1096009. [PMID: 36618348 PMCID: PMC9822727 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1096009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Glycolysis and cholesterol synthesis are crucial in cancer metabolic reprogramming. The aim of this study was to identify a glycolysis and cholesterol synthesis-related genes (GCSRGs) signature for effective prognostic assessments of osteosarcoma patients. Methods Gene expression data and clinical information were obtained from GSE21257 and TARGET-OS datasets. Consistent clustering method was used to identify the GCSRGs-related subtypes. Univariate Cox regression and LASSO Cox regression analyses were used to construct the GCSRGs signature. The ssGSEA method was used to analyze the differences in immune cells infiltration. The pRRophetic R package was utilized to assess the drug sensitivity of different groups. Western blotting, cell viability assay, scratch assay and Transwell assay were used to perform cytological validation. Results Through bioinformatics analysis, patients diagnosed with osteosarcoma were classified into one of 4 subtypes (quiescent, glycolysis, cholesterol, and mixed subtypes), which differed significantly in terms of prognosis and tumor microenvironment. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis revealed that the modules strongly correlated with glycolysis and cholesterol synthesis were the midnight blue and the yellow modules, respectively. Both univariate and LASSO Cox regression analyses were conducted on screened module genes to identify 5 GCSRGs (RPS28, MCAM, EN1, TRAM2, and VEGFA) constituting a prognostic signature for osteosarcoma patients. The signature was an effective prognostic predictor, independent of clinical characteristics, as verified further via Kaplan-Meier analysis, ROC curve analysis, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Additionally, GCSRGs signature had strong correlation with drug sensitivity, immune checkpoints and immune cells infiltration. In cytological experiments, we selected TRAM2 as a representative gene to validate the validity of GCSRGs signature, which found that TRAM2 promoted the progression of osteosarcoma cells. Finally, at the pan-cancer level, TRAM2 had been correlated with overall survival, progression free survival, disease specific survival, tumor mutational burden, microsatellite instability, immune checkpoints and immune cells infiltration. Conclusion Therefore, we constructed a GCSRGs signature that efficiently predicted osteosarcoma patient prognosis and guided therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangxing Xu
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jinglong Yan
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China,*Correspondence: Jinglong Yan,
| | - Zhibin Peng
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jingsong Liu
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Zecheng Li
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
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Hu LP, Huang W, Wang X, Xu C, Qin WT, Li D, Tian G, Li Q, Zhou Y, Chen S, Nie HZ, Hao Y, Song J, Zhang XL, Sundquist J, Sundquist K, Li J, Jiang SH, Zhang ZG, Ji J. Terbinafine prevents colorectal cancer growth by inducing dNTP starvation and reducing immune suppression. Mol Ther 2022; 30:3284-3299. [PMID: 35765243 PMCID: PMC9552806 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Existing evidence indicates that gut fungal dysbiosis might play a key role in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC). We sought to explore whether reversing the fungal dysbiosis by terbinafine, an approved antifungal drug, might inhibit the development of CRC. A population-based study from Sweden identified a total of 185 patients who received terbinafine after their CRC diagnosis and found that they had a decreased risk of death (hazard ratio = 0.50) and metastasis (hazard ratio = 0.44) compared with patients without terbinafine administration. In multiple mouse models of CRC, administration of terbinafine decreased the fungal load, the fungus-induced myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) expansion, and the tumor burden. Fecal microbiota transplantation from mice without terbinafine treatment reversed MDSC infiltration and partially restored tumor proliferation. Mechanistically, terbinafine directly impaired tumor cell proliferation by reducing the ratio of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP+) to reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), suppressing the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), resulting in nucleotide synthesis disruption, deoxyribonucleotide (dNTP) starvation, and cell-cycle arrest. Collectively, terbinafine can inhibit CRC by reversing fungal dysbiosis, suppressing tumor cell proliferation, inhibiting fungus-induced MDSC infiltration, and restoring antitumor immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Peng Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Wuqing Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, FuZhou 350108, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Institute of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Chunjie Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Wei-Ting Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Dongxue Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Guangang Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Qing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yaoqi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Suyuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Hui-Zhen Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yujun Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jian Song
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Xue-Li Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jan Sundquist
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö 20502, Sweden; Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Kristina Sundquist
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö 20502, Sweden; Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Jun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Shu-Heng Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Zhi-Gang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Jianguang Ji
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö 20502, Sweden.
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Zou Y, Zhang H, Bi F, Tang Q, Xu H. Targeting the key cholesterol biosynthesis enzyme squalene monooxygenasefor cancer therapy. Front Oncol 2022; 12:938502. [PMID: 36091156 PMCID: PMC9449579 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.938502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholesterol metabolism is often dysregulated in cancer. Squalene monooxygenase (SQLE) is the second rate-limiting enzyme involved in cholesterol synthesis. Since the discovery of SQLE dysregulation in cancer, compelling evidence has indicated that SQLE plays a vital role in cancer initiation and progression and is a promising therapeutic target for cancer treatment. In this review, we provide an overview of the role and regulation of SQLE in cancer and summarize the updates of antitumor therapy targeting SQLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuheng Zou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hongying Zhang
- Laboratory of Oncogene, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Feng Bi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiulin Tang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Qiulin Tang, ; Huanji Xu,
| | - Huanji Xu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Qiulin Tang, ; Huanji Xu,
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Yao L, Li J, Zhang X, Zhou L, Hu K. Downregulated ferroptosis-related gene SQLE facilitates temozolomide chemoresistance, and invasion and affects immune regulation in glioblastoma. CNS Neurosci Ther 2022; 28:2104-2115. [PMID: 35962621 PMCID: PMC9627366 DOI: 10.1111/cns.13945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemoresistance in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a common reason hindering the success of treatment. Recently, ferroptosis has been reported to be associated with chemoresistance in different types of cancer, while the role of ferroptosis-related genes in GBM have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to demonstrate the roles and mechanism of ferroptosis-related genes in chemoresistance and metastasis of GBM. First, two candidate genes, squalene epoxidase (SQLE) and FANCD2, were identified to be associated with ferroptosis-related chemoresistance in GBM from three temozolomide (TMZ) therapeutic datasets and one ferroptosis-related gene dataset. Then, comprehensive bio-informatics data from different databases testified that SQLE was significantly downregulated both in GBM tissue and cells and displayed a better prognosis in GBM. Clinical data identified lower expression of SQLE was significantly associated with WHO grade and 1p/19q codeletion. Moreover, through in vitro experiments, SQLE was confirmed to suppress ERK-mediated TMZ chemoresistance and metastasis of GBM cells. The KEGG analysis of SQLE-associated co-expressed genes indicated SQLE was potentially involved in the cell cycle. Furthermore, SQLE was found to have the most significant correlations with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and immunomodulators. These findings highlighted that SQLE could be a potential target and a biomarker for therapy and prognosis of patients with GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Yao
- Department of Hepatobiliary SurgeryXiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Juanni Li
- Department of PathologyXiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityChangshaChina,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric DisordersXiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Xiaofang Zhang
- Departments of Burn and PlasticNingxiang People's Hospital, Hunan University of Chinese MedicineChangshaChina
| | - Lei Zhou
- Department of AnesthesiologyThird Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Kuan Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary SurgeryXiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityChangshaChina
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Zhao F, Huang Y, Zhang Y, Li X, Chen K, Long Y, Li F, Ma X. SQLE inhibition suppresses the development of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and enhances its sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents in vitro. Mol Biol Rep 2022; 49:6613-6621. [PMID: 35552960 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-07504-z] [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: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE In this study, we sought to explore the function of seven important enzymes (MSMO1, EBP, HMGCS1, IDI2, DHCR7, FDFT1, and SQLE) involved in cholesterol biosynthesis especially SQLE in PDAC therapy. METHODS AND RESULTS The TCGA and Oncomine dataset were used to explore the expression of the seven enzymes in normal and cancerous pancreatic individual, and their anti-proliferation efficiency against PDAC cells was measured by cell viability assay. Expression level and prognostic values of SQLE were evaluated by western blot and Kaplan-Meier analysis. The influence of SQLE knockdown by shRNA in PDAC cells was assessed by transwell, colony formation and cell cycle analysis. RNA-seq and GSEA were utilized to investigate the potential mechanisms. The synergistic effect of SQLE inhibitor, terbinafine, combined with six chemotherapeutic drugs in PDAC cells was tested by CCK-8 method. We demonstrated that downregulation of those enzymes especially SQLE significantly suppressed PDAC cells survival. SQLE was upregulated in PDAC cell lines, and the elevated level of SQLE was correlated with poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer samples. SQLE knockdown could significantly inhibit the proliferation and migration of PDAC cells. Cell cycle was blocked in S phase after SQLE silencing. Mechanistically, GSEA analysis with RNA-seq data revealed that SQLE silencing negatively mediated mTORC1 and TNFα/NF-κB signaling pathways. Besides, SQLE inhibitor terbinafine enhanced chemotherapeutic sensitivity of the six compounds. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that SQLE was a novel target for PDAC therapy. The synergism role of SQLE inhibition and chemotherapy may be potential therapeutic strategy for pancreatic cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengyun Zhao
- The Research Center of Basic Integrative Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China.
| | - Yanni Huang
- The Research Center of Basic Integrative Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Yingheng Zhang
- The Research Center of Basic Integrative Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Xun Li
- Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, Guangdong, China
| | - Kaizhao Chen
- Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, Guangdong, China
| | - Yihao Long
- Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, Guangdong, China
| | - Fugui Li
- Cancer Research Institute of Zhongshan City, Zhongshan City People's Hospital, Zhongshan, 528403, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaodong Ma
- Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, Guangdong, China.
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Shangguan X, Ma Z, Yu M, Ding J, Xue W, Qi J. Squalene epoxidase metabolic dependency is a targetable vulnerability in castration-resistant prostate cancer. Cancer Res 2022; 82:3032-3044. [PMID: 35767703 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-21-3822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Considering the dismal prognosis of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), it is critical to identify novel therapeutic targets in this disease. Malignant cells have metabolic dependencies distinct from their healthy counterparts, resulting in therapeutic vulnerabilities. While PTEN and TP53 are the most frequently co-mutated or co-deleted driver genes in lethal CRPC, the metabolic dependencies underlying PTEN/p53 deficiency-driven CRPC for therapeutic intervention remain largely elusive. In this study, PTEN/p53 deficient tumors were determined to be reliant on cholesterol metabolism. Moreover, PTEN/p53 deficiency transcriptionally upregulated squalene epoxidase (SQLE) via activation of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP2). In addition, PTEN deficiency enhanced the protein stability of SQLE by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/GSK3β-mediated proteasomal pathway. Consequently, SQLE increased cholesterol biosynthesis to facilitate tumor cell growth and survival. Pharmacological blockade of SQLE with FR194738 profoundly suppressed the invasive program of CRPC. Collectively, these results demonstrate a synergistic relationship between SQLE and PTEN/p53 deficiency in CRPC development and progression. Therefore, pharmacological interventions targeting SQLE may hold promise for the treatment of CRPC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Shangguan
- Xinhua hospital, school of medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong university, Shanghai, China
| | - Zehua Ma
- Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Minghao Yu
- Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | - Jie Ding
- Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Xue
- Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Qi
- Xinhua hospital, school of medicine, shanghai Jiao Tong university, China
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The mevalonate pathway in breast cancer biology. Cancer Lett 2022; 542:215761. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2022.215761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Hong Z, Liu T, Wan L, Fa P, Kumar P, Cao Y, Prasad CB, Qiu Z, Joseph L, Hongbing W, Li Z, Wang QE, Guo P, Guo D, Yilmaz AS, Lu L, Papandreou I, Jacob NK, Yan C, Zhang X, She QB, Ma Z, Zhang J. Targeting Squalene Epoxidase Interrupts Homologous Recombination via the ER Stress Response and Promotes Radiotherapy Efficacy. Cancer Res 2022; 82:1298-1312. [PMID: 35045984 PMCID: PMC8983553 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-21-2229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Over 50% of all patients with cancer are treated with radiotherapy. However, radiotherapy is often insufficient as a monotherapy and requires a nontoxic radiosensitizer. Squalene epoxidase (SQLE) controls cholesterol biosynthesis by converting squalene to 2,3-oxidosqualene. Given that SQLE is frequently overexpressed in human cancer, this study investigated the importance of SQLE in breast cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), two cancers often treated with radiotherapy. SQLE-positive IHC staining was observed in 68% of breast cancer and 56% of NSCLC specimens versus 15% and 25% in normal breast and lung tissue, respectively. Importantly, SQLE expression was an independent predictor of poor prognosis, and pharmacologic inhibition of SQLE enhanced breast and lung cancer cell radiosensitivity. In addition, SQLE inhibition enhanced sensitivity to PARP inhibition. Inhibition of SQLE interrupted homologous recombination by suppressing ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) activity via the translational upregulation of wild-type p53-induced phosphatase (WIP1), regardless of the p53 status. SQLE inhibition and subsequent squalene accumulation promoted this upregulation by triggering the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response. Collectively, these results identify a novel tumor-specific radiosensitizer by revealing unrecognized cross-talk between squalene metabolites, ER stress, and the DNA damage response. Although SQLE inhibitors have been used as antifungal agents in the clinic, they have not yet been used as antitumor agents. Repurposing existing SQLE-inhibiting drugs may provide new cancer treatments. SIGNIFICANCE Squalene epoxidase inhibitors are novel tumor-specific radiosensitizers that promote ER stress and suppress homologous recombination, providing a new potential therapeutic approach to enhance radiotherapy efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhipeng Hong
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center and College of Medicine, OH, 43210, USA
- Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Quanzhou First Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, 362000, P.R. China
| | - Tao Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center and College of Medicine, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Lingfeng Wan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center and College of Medicine, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Pengyan Fa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center and College of Medicine, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Pankaj Kumar
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center and College of Medicine, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Yanan Cao
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Chandra Bhushan Prasad
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center and College of Medicine, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Zhaojun Qiu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center and College of Medicine, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Liu Joseph
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center and College of Medicine, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Wang Hongbing
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Zaibo Li
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center and College of Medicine, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Qi-En Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center and College of Medicine, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Peixuan Guo
- Center for RNA Nanobiotechnology and Nanomedicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Deliang Guo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center and College of Medicine, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Ayse Selen Yilmaz
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center and College of Medicine, OH, USA
| | - Lanchun Lu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center and College of Medicine, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Ioanna Papandreou
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center and College of Medicine, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Naduparambil K Jacob
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center and College of Medicine, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Chunhong Yan
- Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Xiaoli Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center and College of Medicine, OH, USA
| | - Qing-Bai She
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Zhefu Ma
- Department Breast Surgery and Plastic Surgery, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, 44 Xiaoheyan Road, Dadong District, Shenyang, 110042, China
- Department Breast & Thyroid Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, No.58 of Zhongshan 2nd Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Junran Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center and College of Medicine, OH, 43210, USA
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Laka K, Makgoo L, Mbita Z. Cholesterol-Lowering Phytochemicals: Targeting the Mevalonate Pathway for Anticancer Interventions. Front Genet 2022; 13:841639. [PMID: 35391801 PMCID: PMC8981032 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.841639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
There are a plethora of cancer causes and the road to fully understanding the carcinogenesis process remains a dream that keeps changing. However, a list of role players that are implicated in the carcinogens process is getting lengthier. Cholesterol is known as bad sterol that is heavily linked with cardiovascular diseases; however, it is also comprehensively associated with carcinogenesis. There is an extensive list of strategies that have been used to lower cholesterol; nevertheless, the need to find better and effective strategies remains vastly important. The role played by cholesterol in the induction of the carcinogenesis process has attracted huge interest in recent years. Phytochemicals can be dubbed as magic tramp cards that humans could exploit for lowering cancer-causing cholesterol. Additionally, the mechanisms that are regulated by phytochemicals can be targeted for anticancer drug development. One of the key role players in cancer development and suppression, Tumour Protein 53 (TP53), is crucial in regulating the biogenesis of cholesterol and is targeted by several phytochemicals. This minireview covers the role of p53 in the mevalonate pathway and how bioactive phytochemicals target the mevalonate pathway and promote p53-dependent anticancer activities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Zukile Mbita
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Limpopo, Sovenga, South Africa
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45
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Wang SY, Hu QC, Wu T, Xia J, Tao XA, Cheng B. Abnormal lipid synthesis as a therapeutic target for cancer stem cells. World J Stem Cells 2022; 14:146-162. [PMID: 35432735 PMCID: PMC8963380 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v14.i2.146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) comprise a subpopulation of cancer cells with stem cell properties, which exhibit the characteristics of high tumorigenicity, self-renewal, and tumor initiation and are associated with the occurrence, metastasis, therapy resistance, and relapse of cancer. Compared with differentiated cells, CSCs have unique metabolic characteristics, and metabolic reprogramming contributes to the self-renewal and maintenance of stem cells. It has been reported that CSCs are highly dependent on lipid metabolism to maintain stemness and satisfy the requirements of biosynthesis and energy metabolism. In this review, we demonstrate that lipid anabolism alterations promote the survival of CSCs, including de novo lipogenesis, lipid desaturation, and cholesterol synthesis. In addition, we also emphasize the molecular mechanism underlying the relationship between lipid synthesis and stem cell survival, the signal trans-duction pathways involved, and the application prospect of lipid synthesis reprogramming in CSC therapy. It is demonstrated that the dependence on lipid synthesis makes targeting of lipid synthesis metabolism a promising therapeutic strategy for eliminating CSCs. Targeting key molecules in lipid synthesis will play an important role in anti-CSC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Yu Wang
- Department of Oral Medicine, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong Province, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Qin-Chao Hu
- Department of Oral Medicine, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong Province, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Tong Wu
- Department of Oral Medicine, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong Province, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Juan Xia
- Department of Oral Medicine, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong Province, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Xiao-An Tao
- Department of Oral Medicine, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong Province, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Bin Cheng
- Department of Oral Medicine, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong Province, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong Province, China
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46
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Gunda V, Genaro-Mattos TC, Kaushal JB, Chirravuri-Venkata R, Natarajan G, Mallya K, Grandgenett PM, Mirnics K, Batra SK, Korade Z, Rachagani S. Ubiquitous Aberration in Cholesterol Metabolism across Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Metabolites 2022; 12:metabo12010047. [PMID: 35050168 PMCID: PMC8779872 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12010047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is characterized by metabolic deregulations that often manifest as deviations in metabolite levels and aberrations in their corresponding metabolic genes across the clinical specimens and preclinical PC models. Cholesterol is one of the critical metabolites supporting PC, synthesized or acquired by PC cells. Nevertheless, the significance of the de novo cholesterol synthesis pathway has been controversial in PC, indicating the need to reassess this pathway in PC. We utilized preclinical models and clinical specimens of PC patients and cell lines and utilized mass spectrometry-based sterol analysis. Further, we also performed in silico analysis to corroborate the significance of de novo cholesterol synthesis pathway in PC. Our results demonstrated alteration in free sterol levels, including free cholesterol, across in vitro, in vivo, and clinical specimens of PC. Especially, our sterol analyses established consistent alterations in free cholesterol across the different PC models. Overall, this study demonstrates the significance and consistency in deviation of cholesterol synthesis pathway in PC while showing the aberrations in sterol metabolite intermediates and the related genes using preclinical models, in silico platforms, and the clinical specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venugopal Gunda
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (V.G.); (J.B.K.); (R.C.-V.); (G.N.); (K.M.); (S.K.B.)
| | - Thiago C. Genaro-Mattos
- Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68106, USA; (T.C.G.-M.); (K.M.)
| | - Jyoti B. Kaushal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (V.G.); (J.B.K.); (R.C.-V.); (G.N.); (K.M.); (S.K.B.)
| | - Ramakanth Chirravuri-Venkata
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (V.G.); (J.B.K.); (R.C.-V.); (G.N.); (K.M.); (S.K.B.)
| | - Gopalakrishnan Natarajan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (V.G.); (J.B.K.); (R.C.-V.); (G.N.); (K.M.); (S.K.B.)
| | - Kavita Mallya
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (V.G.); (J.B.K.); (R.C.-V.); (G.N.); (K.M.); (S.K.B.)
| | - Paul M. Grandgenett
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA;
| | - Karoly Mirnics
- Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68106, USA; (T.C.G.-M.); (K.M.)
| | - Surinder K. Batra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (V.G.); (J.B.K.); (R.C.-V.); (G.N.); (K.M.); (S.K.B.)
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
- Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Zeljka Korade
- Department of Pediatrics, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA;
| | - Satyanarayana Rachagani
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (V.G.); (J.B.K.); (R.C.-V.); (G.N.); (K.M.); (S.K.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(402)559-3312; Fax: +1-(402)559-6650
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47
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He J, Siu MKY, Ngan HYS, Chan KKL. Aberrant Cholesterol Metabolism in Ovarian Cancer: Identification of Novel Therapeutic Targets. Front Oncol 2021; 11:738177. [PMID: 34820325 PMCID: PMC8606538 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.738177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholesterol is an essential substance in mammalian cells, and cholesterol metabolism plays crucial roles in multiple biological functions. Dysregulated cholesterol metabolism is a metabolic hallmark in several cancers, beyond the Warburg effect. Reprogrammed cholesterol metabolism has been reported to enhance tumorigenesis, metastasis and chemoresistance in multiple cancer types, including ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is one of the most aggressive malignancies worldwide. Alterations in metabolic pathways are characteristic features of ovarian cancer; however, the specific role of cholesterol metabolism remains to be established. In this report, we provide an overview of the key proteins involved in cholesterol metabolism in ovarian cancer, including the rate-limiting enzymes in cholesterol biosynthesis, and the proteins involved in cholesterol uptake, storage and trafficking. Also, we review the roles of cholesterol and its derivatives in ovarian cancer and the tumor microenvironment, and discuss promising related therapeutic targets for ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangnan He
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Li Ka Shing (LKS) Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, SAR China
| | - Michelle K Y Siu
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Li Ka Shing (LKS) Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, SAR China
| | - Hextan Y S Ngan
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Li Ka Shing (LKS) Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, SAR China
| | - Karen K L Chan
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Li Ka Shing (LKS) Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, SAR China
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Huang J, Wang J, He H, Huang Z, Wu S, Chen C, Liu W, Xie L, Tao Y, Cong L, Jiang Y. Close interactions between lncRNAs, lipid metabolism and ferroptosis in cancer. Int J Biol Sci 2021; 17:4493-4513. [PMID: 34803512 PMCID: PMC8579446 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.66181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal lipid metabolism including synthesis, uptake, modification, degradation and transport has been considered a hallmark of malignant tumors and contributes to the supply of substances and energy for rapid cell growth. Meanwhile, abnormal lipid metabolism is also associated with lipid peroxidation, which plays an important role in a newly discovered type of regulated cell death termed ferroptosis. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been proven to be associated with the occurrence and progression of cancer. Growing evidence indicates that lncRNAs are key regulators of abnormal lipid metabolism and ferroptosis in cancer. In this review, we mainly summarized the mechanism by which lncRNAs regulate aberrant lipid metabolism in cancer, illustrated that lipid metabolism can also influence the expression of lncRNAs, and discussed the mechanism by which lncRNAs affect ferroptosis. A comprehensive understanding of the interactions between lncRNAs, lipid metabolism and ferroptosis could help us to develop novel strategies for precise cancer treatment in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Huang
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animal and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan, China.,School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan, China
| | - Jin Wang
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210013 Jiangsu, China
| | - Hua He
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animal and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan, China.,School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan, China
| | - Zichen Huang
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210013 Jiangsu, China
| | - Sufang Wu
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animal and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan, China.,School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan, China
| | - Chao Chen
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210013 Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenbing Liu
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Li Xie
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Yongguang Tao
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, School of Basic Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410078 Hunan, China
| | - Li Cong
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animal and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan, China.,School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan, China
| | - Yiqun Jiang
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animal and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan, China.,School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan, China
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49
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Sun H, Li L, Li W, Yang F, Zhang Z, Liu Z, Du W. p53 transcriptionally regulates SQLE to repress cholesterol synthesis and tumor growth. EMBO Rep 2021; 22:e52537. [PMID: 34459531 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202152537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholesterol is essential for membrane biogenesis, cell proliferation, and differentiation. The role of cholesterol in cancer development and the regulation of cholesterol synthesis are still under active investigation. Here we show that under normal-sterol conditions, p53 directly represses the expression of SQLE, a rate-limiting and the first oxygenation enzyme in cholesterol synthesis, in a SREBP2-independent manner. Through transcriptional downregulation of SQLE, p53 represses cholesterol production in vivo and in vitro, leading to tumor growth suppression. Inhibition of SQLE using small interfering RNA (siRNA) or terbinafine (a SQLE inhibitor) reverses the increased cell proliferation caused by p53 deficiency. Conversely, SQLE overexpression or cholesterol addition promotes cell proliferation, particularly in p53 wild-type cells. More importantly, pharmacological inhibition or shRNA-mediated silencing of SQLE restricts nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)-induced liver tumorigenesis in p53 knockout mice. Therefore, our findings reveal a role for p53 in regulating SQLE and cholesterol biosynthesis, and further demonstrate that downregulation of SQLE is critical for p53-mediated tumor suppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huishan Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Li Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Fan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenxi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zizhao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Wenjing Du
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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50
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Bian X, Liu R, Meng Y, Xing D, Xu D, Lu Z. Lipid metabolism and cancer. J Exp Med 2021; 218:211616. [PMID: 33601415 PMCID: PMC7754673 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20201606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 385] [Impact Index Per Article: 128.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Dysregulation in lipid metabolism is among the most prominent metabolic alterations in cancer. Cancer cells harness lipid metabolism to obtain energy, components for biological membranes, and signaling molecules needed for proliferation, survival, invasion, metastasis, and response to the tumor microenvironment impact and cancer therapy. Here, we summarize and discuss current knowledge about the advances made in understanding the regulation of lipid metabolism in cancer cells and introduce different approaches that have been clinically used to disrupt lipid metabolism in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueli Bian
- Cancer Institute of The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University and Qingdao Cancer Institute, Qingdao, China
| | - Rui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ying Meng
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dongming Xing
- Cancer Institute of The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University and Qingdao Cancer Institute, Qingdao, China.,School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Daqian Xu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhimin Lu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, China
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