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Khan I, Amin MA, Eklund EA, Gartel AL. Regulation of HOX gene expression in AML. Blood Cancer J 2024; 14:42. [PMID: 38453907 PMCID: PMC10920644 DOI: 10.1038/s41408-024-01004-y] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
As key developmental regulators, HOX cluster genes have varied and context-specific roles in normal and malignant hematopoiesis. A complex interaction of transcription factors, epigenetic regulators, long non-coding RNAs and chromatin structural changes orchestrate HOX expression in leukemia cells. In this review we summarize molecular mechanisms underlying HOX regulation in clinical subsets of AML, with a focus on NPM1 mutated (NPM1mut) AML comprising a third of all AML patients. While the leukemia initiating function of the NPM1 mutation is clearly dependent on HOX activity, the favorable treatment responses in these patients with upregulation of HOX cluster genes is a poorly understood paradoxical observation. Recent data confirm FOXM1 as a suppressor of HOX activity and a well-known binding partner of NPM suggesting that FOXM1 inactivation may mediate the effect of cytoplasmic NPM on HOX upregulation. Conversely the residual nuclear fraction of mutant NPM has also been recently shown to have chromatin modifying effects permissive to HOX expression. Recent identification of the menin-MLL interaction as a critical vulnerability of HOX-dependent AML has fueled the development of menin inhibitors that are clinically active in NPM1 and MLL rearranged AML despite inconsistent suppression of the HOX locus. Insights into context-specific regulation of HOX in AML may provide a solid foundation for targeting this common vulnerability across several major AML subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irum Khan
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Medicine at the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, USA
| | - Mohammed A Amin
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Eklund
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Medicine at the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, USA
- Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Andrei L Gartel
- Department of Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USA.
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Abstract
Janus protein tyrosine kinase (JAK) has the ability to activate signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT). STAT3 is a valued member of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway. In recent years, several studies have documented that STAT3 is closely related to the occurrence and development of liver fibrosis caused by various factors. Activation of STAT3 can play anti- or pro-inflammatory roles in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. This article reviewed the recent studies on STAT3 in the development of various liver fibrosis to find a more effective method to relieve and cure liver diseases, such as hepatitis B virus (HBV), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), schistosomiasis, and chemical liver injury.
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3
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Wang H, Shah CA, Hu L, Huang W, Platanias LC, Eklund EA. An aberrantly sustained emergency granulopoiesis response accelerates postchemotherapy relapse in MLL1-rearranged acute myeloid leukemia in mice. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:9663-9675. [PMID: 32467231 PMCID: PMC7363149 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.013206] [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: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with mixed lineage leukemia 1 (MLL1) gene rearrangement is characterized by increased expression of a set of homeodomain transcription factors, including homeobox A9 (HOXA9) and HOXA10. The target genes for these regulators include fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and Ariadne RBR E3 ubiquitin ligase 2 (ARIH2). FGF2 induces leukemia stem cell expansion in MLL1-rearranged AML. ARIH2 encodes TRIAD1, an E3 ubiquitin ligase required for termination of emergency granulopoiesis and leukemia suppressor function in MLL1-rearranged AML. Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), including the FGF receptor, are TRIAD1 substrates that are possibly relevant to these activities. Using transcriptome analysis, we found increased activity of innate immune response pathways and RTK signaling in bone marrow progenitors from mice with MLL1-rearranged AML. We hypothesized that sustained RTK signaling, because of decreased TRIAD1 activity, impairs termination of emergency granulopoiesis during the innate immune response and contributes to leukemogenesis in this AML subtype. Consistent with this, we found aberrantly sustained emergency granulopoiesis in a murine model of MLL1-rearranged AML, associated with accelerated leukemogenesis. Treating these mice with an inhibitor of TRIAD1-substrate RTKs terminated emergency granulopoiesis, delayed leukemogenesis during emergency granulopoiesis, and normalized innate immune responses when combined with chemotherapy. Emergency granulopoiesis also hastened postchemotherapy relapse in mice with MLL1-rearranged AML, but remission was sustained by ongoing RTK inhibition. Our findings suggest that the physiological stress of infectious challenges may drive AML progression in molecularly defined subsets and identify RTK inhibition as a potential therapeutic approach to counteract this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wang
- Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Chirag A Shah
- Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Liping Hu
- Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Weiqi Huang
- Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Leonidas C Platanias
- Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Eklund
- Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA .,Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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4
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HoxA10 Facilitates SHP-1-Catalyzed Dephosphorylation of p38 MAPK/STAT3 To Repress Hepatitis B Virus Replication by a Feedback Regulatory Mechanism. J Virol 2019; 93:JVI.01607-18. [PMID: 30674631 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01607-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the leading cause of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), liver cirrhosis (LC), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study reveals a distinct mechanism underlying the regulation of HBV replication. HBV activates homeobox A10 (HoxA10) in human hepatocytes, leukocytes, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), HepG2-NTCP cells, leukocytes isolated from CHB patients, and HBV-associated HCC tissues. HoxA10 in turn represses HBV replication in human hepatocytes, HepG2-NTCP cells, and BALB/c mice. Interestingly, we show that during early HBV infection, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) were activated to facilitate HBV replication; however, during late HBV infection, HoxA10 was induced to attenuate HBV replication. Detailed studies reveal that HoxA10 binds to p38 MAPK, recruits SH2-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase 1 (SHP-1) to facilitate SHP-1 in catalyzing dephosphorylation of p38 MAPK/STAT3, and thereby attenuates p38 MAPK/STAT3 activation and HBV replication. Furthermore, HoxA10 binds to the HBV enhancer element I (EnhI)/X promoter, competes with STAT3 for binding of the promoter, and thereby represses HBV transcription. Taken together, these results show that HoxA10 attenuates HBV replication through repressing the p38 MAPK/STAT3 pathway by two approaches: HoxA10 interacts with p38 MAPK and recruits SHP-1 to repress HBV replication, and HoxA10 binds to the EnhI/X promoter and competes with STAT3 to attenuate HBV transcription. Thus, the function of HoxA10 is similar to the action of interferon (IFN) in terms of inhibition of HBV infection; however, the mechanism of HoxA10-mediated repression of HBV replication is different from the mechanism underlying IFN-induced inhibition of HBV infection.IMPORTANCE Two billion people have been infected with HBV worldwide; about 240 million infected patients developed chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and 650,000 die each year from liver cirrhosis (LC) or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This work elucidates a mechanism underlying the control of HBV replication. HBV infection activates HoxA10, a regulator of cell differentiation and cancer progression, in human cells and patients with CHB and HCC. HoxA10 subsequently inhibits HBV replication in human tissue culture cells and mice. Additionally, HoxA10 interacts with p38 MAPK to repress the activation of p38 MAPK and STAT3 and recruits and facilitates SHP-1 to catalyze the dephosphorylation of p38 MAPK and STAT3. Moreover, HoxA10 competes with STAT3 for binding of the HBV X promoter to repress HBV transcription. Thus, this work reveals a negative regulatory mechanism underlying the control of HBV replication and provides new insights into the development of potential agents to control HBV infection.
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Shao M, Yang Q, Zhu W, Jin H, Wang J, Song J, Kong Y, Lv X. LncHOXA10 drives liver TICs self-renewal and tumorigenesis via HOXA10 transcription activation. Mol Cancer 2018; 17:173. [PMID: 30545354 PMCID: PMC6293550 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-018-0921-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Liver cancer is one of the most deadly cancers in the world. There are various cells in liver tumor bulk, including liver tumor initiating cells (TICs), which account for liver tumorigenesis, drug resistance, relapse and metastasis. The homeobox (HOX) transcription factors play critical roles in many physiological and pathological processes, while, their roles in liver TICs and liver tumorigenesis remain unknown. Methods An unbiased screening was performed using online-available datasets. Liver TICs were sorted by FACS using surface markers CD133, CD13 and EPCAM, or enriched by oncosphere formation assay. TIC self-renewal was examined by oncosphere formation and tumor initiation assay. Loss of function and gain of function assays were performed to examine the role of lncRNA. RNA pulldown, RNA immunoprecipitation, ChIP, Western blot and double FISH were used to explore the molecular mechanism of lncRNA. Results Here, we examined the expression pattern of HOX transcription factors, and found HOXA10 was overexpressed in liver cancer samples. Moreover, a divergent lncRNA of HOXA10 (termed lncHOXA10 hereafter) was also highly expressed in liver cancer and liver TICs. LncHOXA10 drove liver TIC self-renewal and liver tumorigenesis through HOXA10-dependent manner. LncHOXA10 interacted with SNF2L and recruited NURF chromatin remodeling complex to HOXA10 promoter, and thus initiated the transcription of HOXA10. Through HOXA10 transcriptional regulation, lncHOXA10 activated HOXA10 in liver TICs. LncHOXA10-HOXA10 signaling can be targeted to eliminate liver TICs. Altogether, lncHOXA10 drove HOXA10 expression and thus promoted liver TIC self-renewal. Conclusion HOXA10 was the most highly expressed HOX transcription factor in liver cancer and liver TICs. LncHOXA10 drove the transcriptional activation of HOXA10. This work revealed the important role of HOX transcription factor in liver TIC self-renewal and added a new layer for liver TIC regulation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12943-018-0921-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Shao
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan Province, China
| | - Qiankun Yang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan Province, China
| | - Weitao Zhu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan Province, China
| | - Huifang Jin
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan Province, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan Province, China
| | - Jie Song
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan Province, China
| | - Yongkui Kong
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan Province, China
| | - Xianping Lv
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan Province, China.
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Mi Y, Zhao S, Zhou C, Weng J, Li J, Wang Z, Sun H, Tang H, Zhang X, Sun X, Peng Z, Wen Y. Downregulation of homeobox gene Barx2 increases gastric cancer proliferation and metastasis and predicts poor patient outcomes. Oncotarget 2018; 7:60593-60608. [PMID: 27533254 PMCID: PMC5312404 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.11260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2016] [Accepted: 07/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Barx2 is a Bar family homeodomain transcription factor shown to play a critical role in cell adhesion and cytoskeleton remodeling, key processes in carcinogenesis and metastasis. Using quantitative real-time PCR, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry, we found that Barx2 is expressed at lower levels in human gastric cancer (GC) tissues than in adjacent normal mucosa. In a multivariate analysis, Barx2 expression emerged as an independent prognostic factor for disease-free and overall survival. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a trend toward even shorter overall survival in the patient group with Barx2-negative tumors, independent of advanced UICC stage and tumor relapse. Using in vitro and in vivo assays, we demonstrated that under normal conditions Barx2 inhibited GC cell proliferation and invasiveness through inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. These findings indicate that reduction or loss of Barx2 dis-inhibits GC cell proliferation and invasion, and that reduction in Barx2 could serve as an independent prognostic biomarker for poor outcome in GC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yushuai Mi
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 200080 Shanghai, China
| | - Senlin Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 200080 Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linkoping University, SE-581 85 Linkoping, Sweden
| | - Chongzhi Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 200080 Shanghai, China
| | - Junyong Weng
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 200080 Shanghai, China
| | - Jikun Li
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 200080 Shanghai, China
| | - Zhanshan Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 200080 Shanghai, China
| | - Huimin Sun
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 200080 Shanghai, China
| | - Huamei Tang
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 200080 Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, 310014 Hangzhou Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaofeng Sun
- Department of Oncology and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linkoping University, SE-581 85 Linkoping, Sweden
| | - Zhihai Peng
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 200080 Shanghai, China
| | - Yugang Wen
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 200080 Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linkoping University, SE-581 85 Linkoping, Sweden
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7
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Shah CA, Bei L, Wang H, Altman JK, Platanias LC, Eklund EA. Cooperation between AlphavBeta3 integrin and the fibroblast growth factor receptor enhances proliferation of Hox-overexpressing acute myeloid leukemia cells. Oncotarget 2018; 7:54782-54794. [PMID: 27340869 PMCID: PMC5342381 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.10189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A poor prognosis subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is characterized by increased expression of a set of homeodomain (HD) transcription factors, including HoxA9, HoxA10 and Cdx4. This encompasses AML with MLL1 gene translocations, because Mll1-fusion proteins aberrantly activate HOX transcription. We previously identified FGF2 (Fibroblast Growth Factor 2) as a target gene for HoxA9 and HoxA10 that was indirectly activated by Mll-Ell (an Mll1-fusion protein). Autocrine stimulation of Mll-Ell+ myeloid progenitor cells by Fgf2 stabilized βcatenin and increased expression of βcatenin target genes, including CDX4. Since HOXA9 and HOXA10 are Cdx4 target genes, Fgf2 indirectly augmented direct effects of Mll-Ell on these genes. ITGB3, encoding β3 integrin, is another HoxA10 target gene. In the current studies, we found activation of ITGB3 transcription in Mll-Ell+ myeloid progenitor cells via HoxA9 and HoxA10. Increased expression of αvβ3 integrin increased Syk-activation; contributing to cytokine hypersensitivity. However, inhibiting Fgf-R partly reversed αvβ3 activity in Mll-Ell+ progenitor cells by decreasing ITGB3 promoter activity in a βcatenin- and Cdx4-dependent manner. Inhibitors of Fgf-R or Syk impaired proliferation of CD34+ bone marrow cells from AML subjects with increased Hox-expression; with a greater combined effect. These studies identified a rational therapeutic approach to this AML subtype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chirag A Shah
- The Feinberg School of Medicine and Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ling Bei
- The Feinberg School of Medicine and Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.,Jesse Brown Veteran's Administration Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Hao Wang
- The Feinberg School of Medicine and Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jessica K Altman
- The Feinberg School of Medicine and Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Leonidas C Platanias
- The Feinberg School of Medicine and Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.,Jesse Brown Veteran's Administration Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Eklund
- The Feinberg School of Medicine and Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.,Jesse Brown Veteran's Administration Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
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8
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Consecutive epigenetically-active agent combinations act in ID1-RUNX3-TET2 and HOXA pathways for Flt3ITD+ve AML. Oncotarget 2018; 9:5703-5715. [PMID: 29464028 PMCID: PMC5814168 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.23655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Co-occurrence of Flt3ITD and TET2 mutations provoke an animal model of AML by epigenetic repression of Wnt pathway antagonists, including RUNX3, and by hyperexpression of ID1, encoding Wnt agonist. These affect HOXA over-expression and treatment resistance. A comparable epigenetic phenotype was identified among adult AML patients needing novel intervention. We chose combinations of targeted agents acting on distinct effectors, at the levels of both signal transduction and chromatin remodeling, in relapsed/refractory AML's, including Flt3ITD+ve, described with a signature of repressed tumor suppressor genes, involving Wnt antagonist RUNX3, occurring along with ID1 and HOXA over-expressions. We tracked patient response to combination of Flt3/Raf inhibitor, Sorafenib, and Vorinostat, pan-histone deacetylase inhibitor, without or with added Bortezomib, in consecutive phase I trials. A striking association of rapid objective remissions (near-complete, complete responses) was noted to accompany induced early pharmacodynamic changes within patient blasts in situ, involving these effectors, significantly linking RUNX3/Wnt antagonist de-repression (80%) and ID1 downregulation (85%), to a response, also preceded by profound HOXA9 repression. Response occurred in context of concurrent TET2 mutation/hypomorphy and Flt3ITD+ve mutation (83% of complete responses). Addition of Bortezomib to the combination was vital to attainment of complete response in Flt3ITD+ve cases exhibiting such Wnt pathway dysregulation.
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Wang G, Liu J, Cai Y, Chen J, Xie W, Kong X, Huang W, Guo H, Zhao X, Lu Y, Niu L, Li X, Zhang H, Lei C, Lei Z, Yin J, Hu H, Yu F, Nie Y, Xia L, Wu K. Loss of Barx1 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis through up-regulating MGAT5 and MMP9 expression and indicates poor prognosis. Oncotarget 2017; 8:71867-71880. [PMID: 29069753 PMCID: PMC5641096 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.18288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is the major dominant reason for poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after surgical treatment. However, the molecular mechanism of metastasis has not been well characterzied. Here, we report a novel function of Barx homeobox1 (Barx1) in inhibiting HCC invasion and metastasis. Barx1 expression is significantly decreased in human HCC tissues than in adjacent non-tumorous tissues and normal liver tissues. Low Barx1 expression is correlated with higher tumor-nodule-metastasis stage and indicates poor prognosis. Down-regulation of Barx1 promotes HCC migration, invasion and metastasis, whereas up-regulation of Barx1 inhibits HCC migration, invasion and metastasis. Mannosyl (alpha-1,6-)-glycoprotein beta-1,6-N-acetyl-glucosaminyltransferase 5 (MGAT5) and matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9) are direct target genes of Barx1. Knockdown of Barx1 up-regulates MGAT5 and MMP9 expression in HCC cells with low metastatic capability, whereas over-expression of Barx1 suppresses their expression in HCC cells with high metastatic capability. Knockdown of both MGAT5 and MMP9 significantly decreases the invasion and metastasis abilities induced by Barx1 knockdown. Barx1 expression is negatively correlated with MGAT5 and MMP9 expression in human HCC tissues. Patients with low expression of Barx1 and high expression of MGAT5 or MMP9 are associated with poorer prognosis. Thus, loss of Barx1 represents a prognostic biomarker in human HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guodong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Cai
- Department of Oncology and The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of Orthopedic Oncology, Tangdu Hospital of Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenbing Xie
- Department of Oncology and The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Xiangqian Kong
- Department of Oncology and The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Wenjie Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China.,Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaodi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanyuan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Lu Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaowei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Haijia Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Chao Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhijie Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Jipeng Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Hu
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Fifth Hospital of the People's Liberation Army, Yinchuan 750000, Ningxia Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Fan Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology & National Clinical Research Centre for Oral Diseases & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Department of Prosthodontics, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongzhan Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Limin Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China.,Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Kaichun Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
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10
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Yi YJ, Jia XH, Wang JY, Li YJ, Wang H, Xie SY. Knockdown of HOXA10 reverses the multidrug resistance of human chronic mylogenous leukemia K562/ADM cells by downregulating P-gp and MRP-1. Int J Mol Med 2016; 37:1405-11. [PMID: 27035504 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2016.2539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Multidrug resistance (MDR) of leukemia cells is a major obstacle in chemotherapeutic treatment. The high expression and constitutive activation of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and multidrug resistance protein-1 (MRP-1) have been reported to play a vital role in enhancing cell resistance to anticancer drugs in many tumors. The present study aimed to investigate the reversal of MDR by silencing homeobox A10 (HOXA10) in adriamycin (ADR)-resistant human chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) K562/ADM cells by modulating the expression of P-gp and MRP-1. K562/ADM cells were stably transfected with HOXA10-targeted short hairpin RNA (shRNA). The results of reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot analysis showed that the mRNA and protein expression of HOXA10 was markedly suppressed following transfection with a shRNA-containing vector. The sensitivity of the K562/ADM cells to ADR was enhanced by the silencing of HOXA10, due to the increased intracellular accumulation of ADR. The accumulation of ADR induced by the silencing of HOXA10 may be due to the downregulation of P-gp and MRP-1. Western blot analysis revealed that downregulating HOXA10 inhibited the protein expression of P-gp and MRP-1. Taken together, these results suggest that knockdown of HOXA10 combats resistance and that HOXA10 is a potential target for resistant human CML.
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MESH Headings
- ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B/genetics
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Drug Resistance, Multiple
- Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/genetics
- Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic
- Gene Knockdown Techniques
- Homeobox A10 Proteins
- Homeodomain Proteins/genetics
- Humans
- K562 Cells
- Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/drug therapy
- Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/genetics
- Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/metabolism
- Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins/genetics
- RNA Interference
- RNA, Small Interfering/genetics
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Jie Yi
- Department of Pediatrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University, Binzhou, Shandong 256603, P.R. China
| | - Xiu-Hong Jia
- Department of Pediatrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University, Binzhou, Shandong 256603, P.R. China
| | - Jian-Yong Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, Shangdong 264000, P.R. China
| | - You-Jie Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Key Laboratory of Tumour Molecular Biology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong 264003, P.R. China
| | - Hong Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University, Binzhou, Shandong 256603, P.R. China
| | - Shu-Yang Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Key Laboratory of Tumour Molecular Biology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong 264003, P.R. China
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11
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Carrera M, Bitu CC, de Oliveira CE, Cervigne NK, Graner E, Manninen A, Salo T, Coletta RD. HOXA10 controls proliferation, migration and invasion in oral squamous cell carcinoma. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY 2015; 8:3613-3623. [PMID: 26097543 PMCID: PMC4466930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2015] [Accepted: 03/23/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Although HOX genes are best known for acting in the regulation of important events during embryogenesis, including proliferation, differentiation and migration, alterations in their expression patterns have been frequently described in cancers. In previous studies we analyzed the expression profile of the members of the HOX family of homeobox genes in oral samples of normal mucosa and squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and identified differently expressed genes such as HOXA10. The present study aimed to validate the increased expression of HOXA10 in OSCCs, and to investigate the effects arising from its knockdown in OSCC cells. The levels of HOXA10 mRNA were determined in human OSCC samples and cell lines by quantitative PCR, and HOXA10-mediated effects on proliferation, apoptosis, adhesion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), migration and invasion were studied in HSC-3 tongue carcinoma cells by using retrovirus-mediated RNA interference. Higher expression of HOXA10 mRNA was observed in OSCC cell lines and in tumor tissues compared to normal controls. HOXA10 knockdown significantly reduced the proliferation of the tumor cells which was accompanied by increased levels of p21. HOXA10 silencing also significantly induced the expression of EMT markers and enhanced the adhesion, migration and invasion of HSC-3 cells. No effects on cell death were observed after HOXA10 knockdown. The results of the current study confirm the overexpression of HOXA10 in OSCCs, and further demonstrate that its expression is functionally associated with several important biological processes related to oral tumorigenesis, such as proliferation, migration and invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoela Carrera
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, School of Dentistry, University of CampinasPiracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Life Sciences, Bahia State UniversityBahia, Brazil
| | - Carolina C Bitu
- Department of Diagnostics and Oral Medicine, Institute of Dentistry, and Medical Research Center, Oulu University HospitalOulu, Finland
| | | | - Nilva K Cervigne
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, School of Dentistry, University of CampinasPiracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Clinical, Faculty of Medicine of JundiaiJundiai, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Edgard Graner
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, School of Dentistry, University of CampinasPiracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Aki Manninen
- Oulu Center for Cell-Matrix Research, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of OuluFinland
| | - Tuula Salo
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, School of Dentistry, University of CampinasPiracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Diagnostics and Oral Medicine, Institute of Dentistry, and Medical Research Center, Oulu University HospitalOulu, Finland
- Institute of Dentistry, University of HelsinkiFinland
| | - Ricardo D Coletta
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, School of Dentistry, University of CampinasPiracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
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12
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Zhang Y, Zhang JX, Huang LL, He LJ, Liao YJ, Lai YR, Deng HX, Tian XP, Kung HF, Xie D, Zhu SL. Low expression of BARX2 in human primary hepatocellular carcinoma correlates with metastasis and predicts poor prognosis. Hepatol Res 2015; 45:228-37. [PMID: 24716715 DOI: 10.1111/hepr.12340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2013] [Revised: 04/01/2014] [Accepted: 04/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
AIM The homeobox gene Barx2 was recently identified as a regulator of ovarian and breast cancer; however, the expression level of BARX2 and its significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unknown. METHODS Protein and mRNA expression levels of Barx2 were examined using Western blotting and real-time PCR respectively, in paired HCC tissue and matched adjacent non-cancerous tissue from 12 patients. The expression levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers were also detected in relation to BARX2 expression. Lastly, immunohistochemistry for BARX2 was also performed on a tissue microarray containing 231 HCC tissue samples. RESULTS We observed that BARX2 expression was lower in HCC tissues compared to matching adjacent non-cancerous tissue. The low expression level of BARX2 was significantly correlated with metrics of tumor size, tumor differentiation, clinical stage, metastasis and relapse. Furthermore, the patients with low BARX2 expression had adverse survival outcomes. Importantly, multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that low BARX2 expression was an independent marker for lower overall survival (P = 0.007). Moreover, a significant negative relationship was observed between the expression of BARX2 and markers of EMT. CONCLUSION These findings provide evidence that the low expression level of BARX2 in HCC is significantly correlated with tumor metastasis, and that BARX2 may be an independent prognostic biomarker for patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou
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13
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Shah CA, Bei L, Wang H, Platanias LC, Eklund EA. The leukemia-associated Mll-Ell oncoprotein induces fibroblast growth factor 2 (Fgf2)-dependent cytokine hypersensitivity in myeloid progenitor cells. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:32490-32505. [PMID: 24089521 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.496109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The subset of acute myeloid leukemias (AML) with chromosomal translocations involving the MLL gene have a poor prognosis (referred to as 11q23-AML). The MLL fusion proteins that are expressed in 11q23-AML facilitate transcription of a set of HOX genes, including HOXA9 and HOXA10. Because Hox proteins are transcription factors, this suggests the possibility that Hox target genes mediate the adverse effects of MLL fusion proteins in leukemia. Identifying such Hox target genes might provide insights to the pathogenesis and treatment of 11q23-AML. In the current study we found that Mll-Ell (an MLL fusion protein) induced transcriptional activation of the FGF2 gene in a HoxA9- and HoxA10-dependent manner. FGF2 encodes fibroblast growth factor 2 (also referred to as basic fibroblast growth factor). Fgf2 influences proliferation and survival of hematopoietic stem cells and myeloid progenitor cells, and increased Fgf2-expression has been described in AMLs. We determined that expression of Mll-Ell in myeloid progenitor cells resulted in autocrine production of Fgf2 and Fgf2-dependent cytokine hypersensitivity. Therefore, our results implicated increased Fgf2 expression in progenitor proliferation and expansion in 11q23-AML. Because small molecule inhibitors of Fgf-receptors are in human clinical trials, this suggested a potential therapeutic approach to this treatment refractory leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chirag A Shah
- From The Feinberg School of Medicine and Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611
| | - Ling Bei
- From The Feinberg School of Medicine and Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611; the Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60612
| | - Hao Wang
- From The Feinberg School of Medicine and Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611
| | - Leonidas C Platanias
- From The Feinberg School of Medicine and Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611; the Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60612
| | - Elizabeth A Eklund
- From The Feinberg School of Medicine and Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611; the Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60612.
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14
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Chu X, Gao X, Jansson L, Quach M, Skogseid B, Barbu A. Multiple microvascular alterations in pancreatic islets and neuroendocrine tumors of a Men1 mouse model. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2013; 182:2355-67. [PMID: 23583653 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2013.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2012] [Revised: 02/04/2013] [Accepted: 02/12/2013] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Vascular therapeutic targeting requires thorough evaluation of the mechanisms activated in the specific context of each particular tumor type. We highlight structural, molecular, and functional microvascular aberrations contributing to development and maintenance of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), with special reference to multiple endocrine neoplasia 1 (MEN1) syndrome, using a Men1 mouse model. Tissue samples were analyzed by immunofluorescence to detect vessel density and pericyte distribution within the endocrine pancreas; expression of angiogenic factors was assessed by immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time PCR in isolated islets and adenomas cultured under normoxic or hypoxic conditions. The increased vascular density of pancreatic NETs developed in Men1 mice was paralleled by an early and extensive redistribution of pericytes within endocrine tissue. These morphological alterations are supported by, and in some cases preceded by, fine-tuned variations in expression of several angiogenic regulators and are further potentiated by hypoxia. By combining two novel ex vivo and in vivo single-islet and tumor perfusion techniques, we demonstrated that both vascular reactivity and blood perfusion of tumor arterioles are significantly altered in response to glucose and L-nitro-arginine methyl ester. Our findings unravel multiple potential molecular and physiological targets differentially activated in the endocrine pancreas of Men1 mice and highlight the need for in-depth functional studies to fully understand the contribution of each component to development of pancreatic NETs in MEN1 syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Chu
- Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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