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Zhang X, Wang Y, Lu J, Xiao L, Chen H, Li Q, Li YY, Xu P, Ruan C, Zhou H, Zhao Y. A conserved ZFX/WNT3 axis modulates the growth and imatinib response of chronic myeloid leukemia stem/progenitor cells. Cell Mol Biol Lett 2023; 28:83. [PMID: 37864206 PMCID: PMC10589942 DOI: 10.1186/s11658-023-00496-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: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Zinc finger protein X-linked (ZFX) has been shown to promote the growth of tumor cells, including leukemic cells. However, the role of ZFX in the growth and drug response of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) stem/progenitor cells remains unclear. METHODS Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and immunofluorescence were used to analyze the expression of ZFX and WNT3 in CML CD34+ cells compared with normal control cells. Short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/dead CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/dCas9) technologies were used to study the role of ZFX in growth and drug response of CML cells. Microarray data were generated to compare ZFX-silenced CML CD34+ cells with their controls. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and luciferase reporter assays were performed to study the molecular mechanisms of ZFX to regulate WNT3 expression. RT-qPCR and western blotting were used to study the effect of ZFX on β-catenin signaling. RESULTS We showed that ZFX expression was significantly higher in CML CD34+ cells than in control cells. Overexpression and gene silencing experiments indicated that ZFX promoted the in vitro growth of CML cells, conferred imatinib mesylate (IM) resistance to these cells, and enhanced BCR/ABL-induced malignant transformation. Microarray data and subsequent validation revealed that WNT3 transcription was conservatively regulated by ZFX. WNT3 was highly expressed in CML CD34+ cells, and WNT3 regulated the growth and IM response of these cells similarly to ZFX. Moreover, WNT3 overexpression partially rescued ZFX silencing-induced growth inhibition and IM hypersensitivity. ZFX silencing decreased WNT3/β-catenin signaling, including c-MYC and CCND1 expression. CONCLUSION The present study identified a novel ZFX/WNT3 axis that modulates the growth and IM response of CML stem/progenitor cells.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Imatinib Mesylate/pharmacology
- Imatinib Mesylate/metabolism
- beta Catenin/metabolism
- Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/drug therapy
- Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/genetics
- Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/metabolism
- Stem Cells/metabolism
- Signal Transduction
- Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/genetics
- Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism
- Wnt3 Protein/metabolism
- Wnt3 Protein/pharmacology
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuyan Zhang
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
- Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, NHC Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China.
| | - Yu Wang
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Jinchang Lu
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Lun Xiao
- Department of Vascular Surgery, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Hui Chen
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Quanxue Li
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Yuan-Yuan Li
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Peng Xu
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Changgeng Ruan
- Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, NHC Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Suzhou, 215006, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- MOE Engineering Center of Hematological Disease, Soochow University, Suzhou, 21513, China
| | - Haixia Zhou
- Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, NHC Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Suzhou, 215006, China.
- MOE Engineering Center of Hematological Disease, Soochow University, Suzhou, 21513, China.
| | - Yun Zhao
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Suzhou, 215006, China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China.
- MOE Engineering Center of Hematological Disease, Soochow University, Suzhou, 21513, China.
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Wu J, Zhou Y, Wang T, Jiang C, Gao Y, Wei B. ZFX promotes tumorigenesis and confers chemotherapy resistance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Clin Res Hepatol Gastroenterol 2021; 45:101586. [PMID: 33662636 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinre.2020.101586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Zinc finger X-chromosomal protein (ZFX) has been shown to be essential for the development and progression of multiple types of human cancers. However, its potential roles in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) have not yet been elucidated. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eighty-three pairs of frozen ESCC samples and their para-cancer samples and 24 fresh ESCC samples were collected. In vitro chemosensitivity was tested using the histoculture drug response assay. Quantitative RT-PCR and western blotting were used to measure the expression of functional genes. The effects of ZFX on cell growth, cell apoptosis, and chemosensitivity of the esophageal cancer cells were assessed. RESULTS We found that ZFX was more upregulated in ESCC tissues than in the para-cancer tissues, and its high expression was correlated with inferior clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that ZFX was an independent prognostic factor in ESCC patients. In ESCC cell lines, ZFX silencing suppressed cell growth and induced cell apoptosis. In addition, ZFX expression was negatively correlated with the sensitivity of fresh ESCC tissues to chemotherapeutic drugs, including cisplatin, docetaxel, fluorouracil, and irinotecan. Furthermore, the depletion of ZFX sensitized ESCC cells to cisplatin, and docetaxel treatment. Mechanistically, ZFX silencing resulted in the inactivation of the MEK/ERK pathway, which mediated the downregulation of P-glycoprotein expression. CONCLUSION Our study therefore indicates that ZFX possibly plays a critical role in ESCC tumorigenesis and chemotherapy resistance and could be a significant prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Wu
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an 223300, China; Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an 223300, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an 223300, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an 223300, China
| | - Chao Jiang
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an 223300, China
| | - Yong Gao
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an 223300, China.
| | - Bin Wei
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an 223300, China.
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