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Zhang S, Tuo P, Ji Y, Huang Z, Xiong Z, Li H, Ruan C. Identification of 1-Methylnicotinamide as a specific biomarker for the progression of cirrhosis to hepatocellular carcinoma. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2024; 150:310. [PMID: 38890166 PMCID: PMC11189347 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-024-05848-6] [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: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent malignant tumor, often arising from hepatitis induced by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) in China. However, effective biomarkers for early diagnosis are lacking, leading to a 5-year overall survival rate of less than 20% among patients with advanced HCC. This study aims to identify serum biomarkers for early HCC diagnosis to enhance patient survival rates. METHODS We established an independent cohort comprising 27 healthy individuals, 13 patients with HBV-induced cirrhosis, 13 patients with hepatitis B-type HCC, and 8 patients who progressed from cirrhosis to hepatocellular carcinoma during follow-up. Serum metabolic abnormalities during the progression from cirrhosis to HCC were studied using untargeted metabolomics. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics methods characterized the subjects' serum metabolic profiles. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was employed to elucidate metabolic profile changes during the progression from cirrhosis to HCC. Differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) between cirrhosis and HCC groups were identified using the LIMMA package in the R language. Two machine learning algorithms, Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO), and Random Forest Classifier (RF), were used to identify key metabolic biomarkers involved in the progression from cirrhosis to HCC. Key metabolic biomarkers were further validated using targeted metabolomics in a new independent validation cohort comprising 25 healthy individuals and 25 patients with early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma. RESULTS A total of 155 serum metabolites were identified, of which 21/54 metabolites exhibited significant changes in HCC patients compared with cirrhosis patients and healthy individuals, respectively. PLS-DA clustering results demonstrated a significant change trend in the serum metabolic profile of patients with HBV-induced cirrhosis during the progression to HCC. Utilizing LASSO regression and RF algorithms, we confirmed 10 key metabolic biomarkers. Notably, 1-Methylnicotinamide (1-MNAM) exhibited a persistent and significant decrease in healthy individuals, cirrhosis, and HCC patients. Moreover, 1-MNAM levels in developing patients were significantly higher during the cirrhosis stage than in the HCC stage. Targeted metabolomic validation in an external cohort further confirmed the good diagnostic performance of 1-MNAM in early HCC detection. CONCLUSION Our findings imply that 1-MNAM may be a specific biomarker for the progression of cirrhosis to HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijia Zhang
- Centre for Medical Research, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, 315010, China
| | - Ping Tuo
- Centre for Medical Research, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, 315010, China
| | - Yuanye Ji
- Centre for Medical Research, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, 315010, China
| | - Zuoan Huang
- Centre for Medical Research, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, 315010, China
| | - Zi Xiong
- Centre for Medical Research, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, 315010, China
| | - Hongshan Li
- Liver Disease Department of Integrative Medicine, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, 315010, China.
| | - Chunyan Ruan
- Centre for Medical Research, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, 315010, China.
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Serritelli EN, Sartini D, Campagna R, Pozzi V, Martin NI, van Haren MJ, Salvolini E, Cecati M, Rubini C, Emanuelli M. Targeting nicotinamide N-methyltransferase decreased aggressiveness of osteosarcoma cells. Eur J Clin Invest 2024; 54:e14185. [PMID: 38426563 DOI: 10.1111/eci.14185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Osteosarcoma (OS) is a primary bone malignancy that mostly affects young people, characterized by high metastatic potential, and a marked chemoresistance that is responsible for disease relapse in most patients. Therefore, it is necessary to identify novel molecules to setup targeted strategies to improve the clinical outcome. The enzyme nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) catalyses the N-methylation of nicotinamide and other analogs, playing a crucial role in the biotransformation of drugs and xenobiotics. NNMT overexpression was reported in a wide variety of cancers, and several studies demonstrated that is able to promote cell proliferation, migration and resistance to chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to explore the potential involvement of NNMT in OS. METHODS Immunohistochemical analyses have been performed to evaluate NNMT expression in selected OS and healthy bone tissue samples. Subsequently, OS cell lines have been transfected with vectors targeting NNMT mRNA (shRNAs) and the impact of this downregulation on migration, cell proliferation, and response to chemotherapeutic treatment was also analysed by wound healing, MTT, SRB and Trypan blue assays, respectively. RESULTS Results showed that OS samples display a significantly higher NNMT expression compared with healthy tissue. Preliminary results suggest that NNMT silencing in OS cell lines is associated to a decrease of cell proliferation and migration, as well as to enhanced sensitivity to chemotherapy. Data obtained showed that NNMT may represent an interesting marker for OS detection and a promising target for effective anti-cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- E N Serritelli
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - D Sartini
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - R Campagna
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - V Pozzi
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - N I Martin
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - M J van Haren
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - E Salvolini
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - M Cecati
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - C Rubini
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - M Emanuelli
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
- New York-Marche Structural Biology Center (NY-MaSBiC), Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
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Perez MF, Sarkies P. Histone methyltransferase activity affects metabolism in human cells independently of transcriptional regulation. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002354. [PMID: 37883365 PMCID: PMC10602318 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002354] [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: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The N-terminal tails of eukaryotic histones are frequently posttranslationally modified. The role of these modifications in transcriptional regulation is well-documented. However, the extent to which the enzymatic processes of histone posttranslational modification might affect metabolic regulation is less clear. Here, we investigated how histone methylation might affect metabolism using metabolomics, proteomics, and RNA-seq data from cancer cell lines, primary tumour samples and healthy tissue samples. In cancer, the expression of histone methyltransferases (HMTs) was inversely correlated to the activity of NNMT, an enzyme previously characterised as a methyl sink that disposes of excess methyl groups carried by the universal methyl donor S-adenosyl methionine (SAM or AdoMet). In healthy tissues, histone methylation was inversely correlated to the levels of an alternative methyl sink, PEMT. These associations affected the levels of multiple histone marks on chromatin genome-wide but had no detectable impact on transcriptional regulation. We show that HMTs with a variety of different associations to transcription are co-regulated by the Retinoblastoma (Rb) tumour suppressor in human cells. Rb-mutant cancers show increased total HMT activity and down-regulation of NNMT. Together, our results suggest that the total activity of HMTs affects SAM metabolism, independent of transcriptional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Francisco Perez
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Cells and Tissues, Instituto de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB), CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Peter Sarkies
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Tossetta G. Metformin Improves Ovarian Cancer Sensitivity to Paclitaxel and Platinum-Based Drugs: A Review of In Vitro Findings. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:12893. [PMID: 36361682 PMCID: PMC9654053 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232112893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is one of the most dangerous gynecologic cancers worldwide, showing a high fatality rate and recurrence due to diagnosis at an advanced stage of the disease and the occurrence of chemoresistance, which weakens the therapeutic effects of the chemotherapeutic treatments. In fact, although paclitaxel and platinum-based drugs (carboplatin or cisplatin) are widely used alone or in combination to treat ovarian cancer, the occurrence of chemoresistance significantly reduces the effects of these drugs. Metformin is a hypoglycemic agent that is commonly used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. However, this drug also shows anti-tumor activity, reducing cancer risk and chemoresistance. This review analyzes the current literature regarding the role of metformin in ovarian cancer and investigates what is currently known about its effects in reducing paclitaxel and platinum resistance to restore sensitivity to these drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Tossetta
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy; ; Tel.: +39-0712206270
- Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Salesi Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria, 60126 Ancona, Italy
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Pozzi V, Campagna R, Sartini D, Emanuelli M. Nicotinamide N-Methyltransferase as Promising Tool for Management of Gastrointestinal Neoplasms. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12091173. [PMID: 36139012 PMCID: PMC9496617 DOI: 10.3390/biom12091173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal (GI) neoplasms include esophageal, gastric, colorectal, hepatic, and pancreatic cancers. They are characterized by asymptomatic behavior, being responsible for diagnostic delay. Substantial refractoriness to chemo- and radiotherapy, exhibited by late-stage tumors, contribute to determine poor patient outcome. Therefore, it is of outmost importance to identify new molecular targets for the development of effective therapeutic strategies. In this study, we focused on the enzyme nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), which catalyzes the N-methylation reaction of nicotinamide and whose overexpression has been reported in numerous neoplasms, including GI cancers. The aim of this review was to report data illustrating NNMT involvement in these tumors, highlighting its contribution to tumor cell phenotype. Cited works clearly demonstrate the interesting potential use of enzyme level determination for both diagnostic and prognostic purposes. NNMT was also found to positively affect cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasiveness, contributing to sustain in vitro and in vivo tumor growth and metastatic spread. Moreover, enzyme upregulation featuring tumor cells was significantly associated with enhancement of resistance to treatment with chemotherapeutic drugs. Taken together, these results strongly suggest the possibility to target NNMT for setup of molecular-based strategies to effectively treat GI cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Pozzi
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60020 Ancona, Italy
| | - Roberto Campagna
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60020 Ancona, Italy
| | - Davide Sartini
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60020 Ancona, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-071-2204673
| | - Monica Emanuelli
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60020 Ancona, Italy
- New York-Marche Structural Biology Center (NY-MaSBiC), Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
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Overexpression of NNMT in Glioma Aggravates Tumor Cell Progression: An Emerging Therapeutic Target. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14143538. [PMID: 35884600 PMCID: PMC9316405 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14143538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Glioma is one of the most common intracranial malignancies and is incurable due to strong aggressiveness and resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The lack of effective therapeutic targets is a major problem in current treatment. In the present study, we found that nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) is a key factor influencing the occurrence and development of glioma. High NNMT expression in glioma is a predictor of short overall survival and poor patient outcome. NNMT knockdown reduced the volume of mice xenograft glioma and the viability of glioma cells. Additionally, overexpression of NNMT epigenetically silenced GAP43 through DNA methylation, histone methylation, and deacetylation modification processes. GAP43 can inhibit the formation of microtubules in tumor and intertumor cell network connections and induce apoptosis through the SIRT1 signaling pathway. Therefore, NNMT could be a potential candidate for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of glioma. Abstract Purpose: Increasing evidence has revealed that nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) is a key factor influencing the prognosis of tumors. The present study aimed to investigate the role of NNMT in glioma and to elucidate the associated functional mechanisms. Methods: Clinical samples were analyzed by immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting to evaluate NNMT expression in glioma and normal brain tissues. The correlation between NNMT expression and glioma was analyzed using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Additionally, NNMT was knocked down in two types of glioma cells, U87 and U251, to evaluate the invasive ability of these cells. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to validate NNMT knockdown in the cells. Furthermore, ELISA was used to determine the balance between nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide hydrogen (NAD/NADH ratio), which verified the altered methylation patterns in the cells. The glioma xenograft mouse models were used to verify the regulatory role of NNMT, GAP43, and SIRT1. Results: Analysis based on our clinical glioma samples and TCGA database revealed that overexpression of NNMT was associated with poor prognosis of patients. Knockdown of NNMT reduced the invasive ability of glioma cells, and downregulation of its downstream protein GAP43 occurred due to altered cellular methylation caused by NNMT overexpression. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis confirmed that NNMT modulated the NAD-related signaling pathway and showed a negative association between NNMT and SIRT1. Moreover, the regulatory roles of NNMT, GAP43, and SIRT1 were confirmed in glioma xenograft mouse models. Conclusion: Overexpression of NNMT causes abnormal DNA methylation through regulation of the NAD/NADH ratio, which in turn leads to the downregulation of GAP43 and SIRT1, eventually altering the biological behavior of tumor cells.
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Li XY, Pi YN, Chen Y, Zhu Q, Xia BR. Nicotinamide N-Methyltransferase: A Promising Biomarker and Target for Human Cancer Therapy. Front Oncol 2022; 12:894744. [PMID: 35756670 PMCID: PMC9218565 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.894744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells typically exhibit a tightly regulated program of metabolic plasticity and epigenetic remodeling to meet the demand of uncontrolled cell proliferation. The metabolic-epigenetic axis has recently become an increasingly hot topic in carcinogenesis and offers new avenues for innovative and personalized cancer treatment strategies. Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) is a metabolic enzyme involved in controlling methylation potential, impacting DNA and histone epigenetic modification. NNMT overexpression has been described in various solid cancer tissues and even body fluids, including serum, urine, and saliva. Furthermore, accumulating evidence has shown that NNMT knockdown significantly decreases tumorigenesis and chemoresistance capacity. Most importantly, the natural NNMT inhibitor yuanhuadine can reverse epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance in lung cancer cells. In this review, we evaluate the possibility of NNMT as a diagnostic biomarker and molecular target for effective anticancer treatment. We also reveal the exact mechanisms of how NNMT affects epigenetics and the development of more potent and selective inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Yu Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Ya-Nan Pi
- Department of Gynecology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Yao Chen
- Department of Gynecology, Bengbu Medical College Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Qi Zhu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Bai-Rong Xia
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui Provincial Cancer Hospital, Hefei, China
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Wang W, Yang C, Wang T, Deng H. Complex roles of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase in cancer progression. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:267. [PMID: 35338115 PMCID: PMC8956669 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04713-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) is an intracellular methyltransferase, catalyzing the N-methylation of nicotinamide (NAM) to form 1-methylnicotinamide (1-MNAM), in which S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) is the methyl donor. High expression of NNMT can alter cellular NAM and SAM levels, which in turn, affects nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent redox reactions and signaling pathways, and remodels cellular epigenetic states. Studies have revealed that NNMT plays critical roles in the occurrence and development of various cancers, and analysis of NNMT expression levels in different cancers from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset indicated that NNMT might be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for tumor diagnosis and treatment. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of recent advances on NNMT functions in different tumors and deciphers the complex roles of NNMT in cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weixuan Wang
- Institute of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Changmei Yang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Center for Synthetic and Systematic Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianxiang Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Center for Synthetic and Systematic Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Haiteng Deng
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Center for Synthetic and Systematic Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
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Zhang W, Rong G, Gu J, Fan C, Guo T, Jiang T, Deng W, Xie J, Su Z, Yu Q, Mai J, Zheng R, Chen X, Tang X, Zhang J. Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase ameliorates renal fibrosis by its metabolite 1-methylnicotinamide inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway. FASEB J 2022; 36:e22084. [PMID: 35107844 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202100913rrr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Chronic kidney disease (CKD), a disease involving damage to the kidney structure and function, is a global public health problem. Tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF) is both an inevitable pathological change in individuals with CKD and a driving force in the progression of renal fibrosis. Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) and its metabolite 1-methylnicotinamide (MNAM) have been shown to protect against lipotoxicity-induced kidney tubular injury. However, the biological roles of NNMT and MNAM in regulating TIF remain elusive. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of NNMT and MNAM on TIF and the mechanisms involved. We explored the functions and mechanisms of NNMT and MNAM in TIF, as well as the interaction between NNMT and MNAM, using unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mice and cultured mouse tubular epithelial cells (mTECs) stimulated with transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). Several important findings were obtained as follows: (1) NNMT expression was upregulated in the kidneys of UUO mice and TGF-β1-induced mTECs, and this upregulation was proposed to be a protective compensatory response to TIF. (2) MNAM was a potentially effective antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory medication in UUO mice. (3) The antifibrotic effect of NNMT overexpression was exerted by increasing the concentration of MNAM. (4) The renoprotective role of MNAM depended on the selective blockade of the interaction of Smad3 with TGFβ receptor I. Overall, our study shows that NNMT is involved in the development and progression of CKD and that its metabolite MNAM may be a novel inhibitor of the TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway with great therapeutic potential for CKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenying Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guang Rong
- Department of Nephrology, SSL Central Hospital of Dongguan City, Dongguan, China
| | - Jinge Gu
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cuiling Fan
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tingting Guo
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tingting Jiang
- Department of Nephrology, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Weiqian Deng
- Department of Nephrology, Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiayu Xie
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, Zhujiang Hospital, The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Neurosurgery Institute of Guangdong Province, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhihua Su
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qimin Yu
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jingyi Mai
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rinan Zheng
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xingling Chen
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xun Tang
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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Tatekawa S, Ofusa K, Chijimatsu R, Vecchione A, Tamari K, Ogawa K, Ishii H. Methylosystem for Cancer Sieging Strategy. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5088. [PMID: 34680237 PMCID: PMC8534198 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13205088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Revised: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
As cancer is a genetic disease, methylation defines a biologically malignant phenotype of cancer in the association of one-carbon metabolism-dependent S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) as a methyl donor in each cell. Methylated substances are involved in intracellular metabolism, but via intercellular communication, some of these can also be secreted to affect other substances. Although metabolic analysis at the single-cell level remains challenging, studying the "methylosystem" (i.e., the intercellular and intracellular communications of upstream regulatory factors and/or downstream effectors that affect the epigenetic mechanism involving the transfer of a methyl group from SAM onto the specific positions of nucleotides or other metabolites in the tumor microenvironment) and tracking these metabolic products are important research tasks for understanding spatial heterogeneity. Here, we discuss and highlight the involvement of RNA and nicotinamide, recently emerged targets, in SAM-producing one-carbon metabolism in cancer cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and immune cells. Their significance and implications will contribute to the discovery of efficient methods for the diagnosis of and therapeutic approaches to human cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shotaro Tatekawa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Yamadaoka 2-2, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (S.T.); (K.T.)
| | - Ken Ofusa
- Department of Medical Data Science, Center of Medical Innovation and Translational Research, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Yamadaoka 2-2, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (K.O.); (R.C.)
- Food and Life-Science Laboratory, Prophoenix Division, Idea Consultants, Inc., Osaka 559-8519, Japan
| | - Ryota Chijimatsu
- Department of Medical Data Science, Center of Medical Innovation and Translational Research, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Yamadaoka 2-2, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (K.O.); (R.C.)
| | - Andrea Vecchione
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, University of Rome “Sapienza”, Santo Andrea Hospital, Via di Grottarossa, 1035-00189 Rome, Italy;
| | - Keisuke Tamari
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Yamadaoka 2-2, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (S.T.); (K.T.)
| | - Kazuhiko Ogawa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Yamadaoka 2-2, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (S.T.); (K.T.)
| | - Hideshi Ishii
- Department of Medical Data Science, Center of Medical Innovation and Translational Research, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Yamadaoka 2-2, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (K.O.); (R.C.)
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The Utility of Nicotinamide N-Methyltransferase as a Potential Biomarker to Predict the Oncological Outcomes for Urological Cancers: An Update. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11081214. [PMID: 34439880 PMCID: PMC8393883 DOI: 10.3390/biom11081214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) catalyzes the N-methylation reaction of nicotinamide, using S-adenosyl-L-methionine as the methyl donor. Enzyme overexpression has been described in many non-neoplastic diseases, as well as in a wide range of solid malignancies. This review aims to report and discuss evidence available in scientific literature, dealing with NNMT expression and the potential involvement in main urologic neoplasms, namely, renal, bladder and prostate cancers. Data illustrated in the cited studies clearly demonstrated NNMT upregulation (pathological vs. normal tissue) in association with these aforementioned tumors. In addition to this, enzyme levels were also found to correlate with key prognostic parameters and patient survival. Interestingly, NNMT overexpression also emerged in peripheral body fluids, such as blood and urine, thus leading to candidate the enzyme as promising biomarker for the early and non-invasive detection of these cancers. Examined results undoubtedly showed NNMT as having the capacity to promote cell proliferation, migration and invasiveness, as well as its potential participation in fundamental events highlighting cancer progression, metastasis and resistance to chemo- and radiotherapy. In the light of this evidence, it is reasonable to attribute to NNMT a promising role as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of urologic neoplasms, as well as a molecular target for effective anti-cancer treatment.
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Wen Z, Liang W, Zhong Y, Sun F, Zhang Q. [Expression of nicotinamide-N-methyltransferase in gastric cancer and its biological and clinicopathological significance]. NAN FANG YI KE DA XUE XUE BAO = JOURNAL OF SOUTHERN MEDICAL UNIVERSITY 2021; 41:828-838. [PMID: 34238734 PMCID: PMC8267982 DOI: 10.12122/j.issn.1673-4254.2021.06.04] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the expression of nicotinamide-N-methyltransferase (NNMT) in gastric cancer (GC) and explore its biological and clinicopathological significance. OBJECTIVE We screened the candidate genes associated with the classification and prognosis of gastric cancer by analyzing GEO, Oncomine and TCGA datasets. The molecular pathways and protein interaction network involving these candidate genes were analyzed using STRING, GSEA, David and Cytoscape software. The expressions of the candidate genes in 28 pairs of gastric cancer and adjacent tissues were detected with qRTPCR, and CCK-8 assay, clone formation assay, wound healing assay and Transwell assay were carried out to analyze the effects of modulation of NNMT expression on proliferation, invasion and migration of different gastric cancer cell lines. OBJECTIVE NNMT was highly expressed in gastric cancer tissues and was negatively correlated with the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer. Pathway analysis showed that the high expression of NNMT was associated with adhesion-related pathway molecules such as extracellular matrix receptors, cell adhesion molecules, and cytokine receptors, while its low expression was associated with base mismatch repair and riboflavin metabolism. Protein interaction analysis showed that NNMT interacted with 16 differentially expressed proteins such as AURKA and was co-expressed with TAGLN, PTRF, AKAP12 and IGF2BP2. In clinical tissue specimens, qRT-PCR results showed that the expression of NNMT mRNA was significantly higher in gastric cancer tissues than in the adjacent tissues (P < 0.05). In gastric cancer cell lines, overexpression of NNMT was found to significantly promote cell proliferation, invasion and migration, while NNMT knockdown produced obvious inhibitory effects on cell proliferation, invasion and migration. OBJECTIVE NNMT is highly expressed in gastric cancer and negatively correlated with the prognosis of gastric cancer patients. The high expression of NNMT promotes the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer cells, suggesting the potential of NNMT as prognostic marker of gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z Wen
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - W Liang
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- First Clinical Medical School, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Y Zhong
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- First Clinical Medical School, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - F Sun
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- First Clinical Medical School, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Q Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
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Roberti A, Fernández AF, Fraga MF. Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase: At the crossroads between cellular metabolism and epigenetic regulation. Mol Metab 2021; 45:101165. [PMID: 33453420 PMCID: PMC7868988 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2021.101165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The abundance of energy metabolites is intimately interconnected with the activity of chromatin-modifying enzymes in order to guarantee the finely tuned modulation of gene expression in response to cellular energetic status. Metabolism-induced epigenetic gene regulation is a key molecular axis for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis, and its deregulation is associated with several pathological conditions. Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) is a metabolic enzyme that catalyzes the methylation of nicotinamide (NAM) using the universal methyl donor S-adenosyl methionine (SAM), directly linking one-carbon metabolism with a cell's methylation balance and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels. NNMT expression and activity are regulated in a tissue-specific-manner, and the protein can act either physiologically or pathologically depending on its distribution. While NNMT exerts a beneficial effect by regulating lipid parameters in the liver, its expression in adipose tissue correlates with obesity and insulin resistance. NNMT upregulation has been observed in a variety of cancers, and increased NNMT expression has been associated with tumor progression, metastasis and worse clinical outcomes. Accordingly, NNMT represents an appealing druggable target for metabolic disorders as well as oncological and other diseases in which the protein is improperly activated. Scope of review This review examines emerging findings concerning the complex NNMT regulatory network and the role of NNMT in both NAD metabolism and cell methylation balance. We extensively describe recent findings concerning the physiological and pathological regulation of NNMT with a specific focus on the function of NNMT in obesity, insulin resistance and other associated metabolic disorders along with its well-accepted role as a cancer-associated metabolic enzyme. Advances in strategies targeting NNMT pathways are also reported, together with current limitations of NNMT inhibitor drugs in clinical use. Major conclusions NNMT is emerging as a key point of intersection between cellular metabolism and epigenetic gene regulation, and growing evidence supports its central role in several pathologies. The use of molecules that target NNMT represents a current pharmaceutical challenge for the treatment of several metabolic-related disease as well as in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Roberti
- Cancer Epigenetics and Nanomedicine Laboratory, Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology Research Center (CINN-CSIC), El Entrego, Spain; Health Research Institute of Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain; Institute of Oncology of Asturias (IUOPA) and Department of Organisms and Systems Biology (B.O.S.), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Rare Diseases CIBER (CIBERER) of the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Agustín F Fernández
- Cancer Epigenetics and Nanomedicine Laboratory, Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology Research Center (CINN-CSIC), El Entrego, Spain; Health Research Institute of Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain; Institute of Oncology of Asturias (IUOPA) and Department of Organisms and Systems Biology (B.O.S.), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Rare Diseases CIBER (CIBERER) of the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Mario F Fraga
- Cancer Epigenetics and Nanomedicine Laboratory, Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology Research Center (CINN-CSIC), El Entrego, Spain; Health Research Institute of Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain; Institute of Oncology of Asturias (IUOPA) and Department of Organisms and Systems Biology (B.O.S.), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Rare Diseases CIBER (CIBERER) of the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), Oviedo, Spain.
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