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Gholam Azad M, Hussaini M, Russell TM, Richardson V, Kaya B, Dharmasivam M, Richardson DR. Multi-modal mechanisms of the metastasis suppressor, NDRG1: Inhibition of WNT/β-catenin signaling by stabilization of protein kinase Cα. J Biol Chem 2024:107417. [PMID: 38815861 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The metastasis suppressor, N-myc downstream regulated gene-1 (NDRG1), inhibits pro-oncogenic signaling in pancreatic cancer (PC). This investigation dissected a novel mechanism induced by NDRG1 on WNT/β-catenin signaling in multiple PC cell-types. NDRG1 overexpression decreased β-catenin and down-regulated glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) protein levels and its activation. However, β-catenin phosphorylation at Ser33, Ser37, and Thr41 that are classically induced by GSK-3β were significantly increased after NDRG1 overexpression, suggesting a GSK-3β-independent mechanism. Intriguingly, NDRG1 overexpression up-regulated protein kinase Cα (PKCα), with PKCα silencing preventing β-catenin phosphorylation at Ser33, Ser37, and Thr41, and decreasing β-catenin expression. Further, NDRG1 and PKCα were demonstrated to associate, with PKCα stabilization occurring after NDRG1 overexpression. In fact, PKCα half-life increased from 1.5 ± 0.8 h (3) in control cells to 11.0 ± 2.5 h (3) after NDRG1 overexpression. Thus, NDRG1 overexpression leads to the association of NDRG1 with PKCα and PKCα stabilization, resulting in β-catenin phosphorylation at Ser33, Ser37, and Thr41. In fact, the association between PKCα, NDRG1, and β-catenin was identified, with the formation of a potential metabolon that promotes the latter β-catenin phosphorylation. This anti-oncogenic activity of NDRG1 was multi-modal, with the above mechanism accompanied by the down-regulation of the nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling protein, p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4), that is involved in β-catenin nuclear translocation, inhibition of AKT phosphorylation (Ser473), and decreased β-catenin phosphorylation at Ser552 that suppresses its transcriptional activity. These mechanisms of NDRG1 activity are important to dissect to understand the marked anti-cancer efficacy of NDRG1-inducing thiosemicarbazones that up-regulate PKCα and inhibit WNT signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahan Gholam Azad
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, 4111, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mohammed Hussaini
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, 4111, Queensland, Australia
| | - Tiffany M Russell
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, 4111, Queensland, Australia
| | - Vera Richardson
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, 4111, Queensland, Australia
| | - Busra Kaya
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, 4111, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mahendiran Dharmasivam
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, 4111, Queensland, Australia
| | - Des R Richardson
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, 4111, Queensland, Australia; Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
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Sheng X, Li X, Qian Y, Wang S, Xiao C. ETS1 regulates NDRG1 to promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OSCC. Oral Dis 2024; 30:977-990. [PMID: 36718855 DOI: 10.1111/odi.14527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanism by which the transcription factor ETS1 regulates N-myc downstream regulatory gene 1 (NDRG1) to provide a new theoretical basis for the study of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). METHODS In this study, eight human OSCC and paraneoplastic samples were collected. The expressions of NDRG1, ETS1, and Ki67 were detected by immunohistochemistry; apoptosis was detected by tdt-mediated dUTP notched end labeling; cell migration and invasion were detected by Transwell; quantitative real-time PCR was performed to detect the expression of NDRG1; RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays detected NDRG1 expression; immunofluorescence assays detected ETS1 expression. RESULTS NDRG1 and ETS1 expression was significantly upregulated in cancer tissues and CAL-27 and SCC-6 cells. Knockdown of NDRG1 and ETS1 inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion, cloning, and EMT while promoting apoptosis and inhibited tumor development; ETS1 positively regulated NDRG1 expression; Finally, overexpression of NDRG1 in vivo and in vitro reversed the effect of ETS1 knockdown on CAL-27 and SCC-6 cells. CONCLUSIONS ETS1 positively regulates the expression of NDRG1 and promotes OSCC. Therefore, ETS1 may serve as a new target for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of OSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Sheng
- School of Medicine, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Xudong Li
- Department of Prosthodontics of Kunming Medical University, Stomatology Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Yemei Qian
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of Kunming Medical University, Stomatology Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Shuhui Wang
- Department of General Dentistry of Kunming Medical University, Stomatology Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Chunjie Xiao
- School of Medicine, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
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Kotepui K, Kotepui M, Majima HJ, Tangpong J. Association between NDRG1 protein expression and aggressive features of breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:1003. [PMID: 37858101 PMCID: PMC10585795 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11517-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND N-myc downstream-regulated gene-1 (NDRG1) is well-described as a potent metastasis suppressor, but its role in human breast cancer remains controversial and unclear. Therefore, the present study utilized a systematic review and meta-analysis approach to synthesize the association between NDRG1 protein expression and the aggressive characteristics of breast cancer. METHODS The protocol for the systematic review and meta-analysis was registered on the PROSPERO website (CRD42023414814). Relevant articles were searched for in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, MEDLINE, and Ovid between March 30, 2023, and May 5, 2023. The included studies were critically evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. The results from individual studies were qualitatively synthesized using textual narrative synthesis. Using a random-effects model, the pooled log odds ratio of effect estimate was used to look at the link between NDRG1 protein expression and aggressive features of breast cancer, such as tumor grade, tumor stage, metastasis to the axillary lymph nodes, and hormonal receptor status. RESULTS A total of 1423 articles were retrieved from the electronic database search, and six studies that met the eligibility criteria were included for synthesis. There was an association between the expression of NDRG1 protein and the status of the axillary lymph nodes (P = 0.01, log Odds Ratio (OR): 0.59, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.13-1.05, I2: 24.24%, 292 breast cancer cases with positive axillary lymph nodes and 229 breast cancer cases with negative axillary lymph nodes, 4 studies). NDRG1 protein expression and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2) status were found to have a negative relationship (P = 0.01, log OR: -0.76, 95% CI: -1.32-(-0.20), I2: 32.42%, 197 breast cancer cases with Her2 positive and 272 breast cancer cases with Her2 negative, 3 studies). No correlation was found between NDRG1 protein expression and tumor grade (P = 0.10), estrogen receptor (ER) status (P = 0.57), or progesterone receptor (PR) status (P = 0.41). CONCLUSION The study concluded that increased NDRG1 protein expression was associated with increased metastasis of the tumor to the axillary lymph node. Additionally, increased NDRG1 protein expression was observed in Her2-negative breast cancer, suggesting its role in both less aggressive and more aggressive behavior depending on breast cancer subtypes. Based on the findings of the meta-analysis, an increase in NDRG1 protein expression was associated with aggressive characteristics of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwuntida Kotepui
- Medical Technology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Tha Sala, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
| | - Manas Kotepui
- Medical Technology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Tha Sala, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand.
| | - Hideyuki J Majima
- Medical Technology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Tha Sala, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
| | - Jitbanjong Tangpong
- Medical Technology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Tha Sala, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
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Shehadeh-Tout F, Milioli HH, Roslan S, Jansson PJ, Dharmasivam M, Graham D, Anderson R, Wijesinghe T, Azad MG, Richardson DR, Kovacevic Z. Innovative Thiosemicarbazones that Induce Multi-Modal Mechanisms to Down-Regulate Estrogen-, Progesterone-, Androgen- and Prolactin-Receptors in Breast Cancer. Pharmacol Res 2023:106806. [PMID: 37244387 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The estrogen receptor-α (ER-α) is a key driver of breast cancer (BC) and the ER-antagonist, tamoxifen, is a central pillar of BC treatment. However, cross-talk between ER-α, other hormone and growth factor receptors enables development of de novo resistance to tamoxifen. Herein, we mechanistically dissect the activity of a new class of anti-cancer agents that inhibit multiple growth factor receptors and down-stream signaling for the treatment of ER-positive BC. Using RNA sequencing and comprehensive protein expression analysis, we examined the activity of di-2-pyridylketone-4,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Dp44mT) and di-2-pyridylketone-4-cyclohexyl-4-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (DpC), on the expression and activation of hormone and growth factor receptors, co-factors, and key resistance pathways in ER-α-positive BC. DpC differentially regulated 106 estrogen-response genes, and this was linked to decreased mRNA levels of 4 central hormone receptors involved in BC pathogenesis, namely ER, progesterone receptor (PR), androgen receptor (AR), and prolactin receptor (PRL-R). Mechanistic investigation demonstrated that due to DpC and Dp44mT binding metal ions, these agents caused a pronounced decrease in ER-α, AR, PR, and PRL-R protein expression. DpC and Dp44mT also inhibited activation and down-stream signaling of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) family receptors, and expression of co-factors that promote ER-α transcriptional activity, including SRC3, NF-κB p65, and SP1. In vivo, DpC was highly tolerable and effectively inhibited ER-α-positive BC growth. Through bespoke, non-hormonal, multi-modal mechanisms, Dp44mT and DpC decrease the expression of PR, AR, PRL-R, and tyrosine kinases that act with ER-α to promote BC, constituting an innovative therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faten Shehadeh-Tout
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, The Hashemite University, Zarqa 13133, Jordan
| | - Heloisa H Milioli
- Connie Johnson Breast Cancer Research Laboratory, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, NSW 2010 Australia
| | - Suraya Roslan
- Metastasis Research Laboratory, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg Vic 3084, Australia
| | - Patric J Jansson
- Cancer Drug Resistance and Stem Cell Program, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Mahendiran Dharmasivam
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, 4111, Queensland, Australia
| | - Dinny Graham
- Breast Cancer Group, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research and Westmead Clinical School, University of Sydney, NSW 2145 Australia
| | - Robin Anderson
- Metastasis Research Laboratory, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg Vic 3084, Australia; School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tharushi Wijesinghe
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, 4111, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mahan Gholam Azad
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, 4111, Queensland, Australia
| | - Des R Richardson
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, 4111, Queensland, Australia; Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
| | - Zaklina Kovacevic
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of NSW, NSW 2052 Australia.
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Chang J, Lo ZHY, Alenizi S, Kovacevic Z. Re-Shaping the Pancreatic Cancer Tumor Microenvironment: A New Role for the Metastasis Suppressor NDRG1. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:2779. [PMID: 37345116 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15102779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PaC) is a highly aggressive disease, with poor response to current treatments and 5-year survival rates of 10-15%. PaC progression is facilitated by its interaction with the complex and multifaceted tumor microenvironment (TME). In the TME, cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells constantly communicate with each other via the secretion and uptake of factors including cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, metabolites, and extracellular vesicles (EVs), reshaping the landscape of PaC. Recent studies demonstrated that the metastasis suppressor N-myc downstream regulated 1 (NDRG1) not only inhibits oncogenic signaling pathways in PaC cells but also alters the communication between PaC cells and the surrounding stroma. In fact, NDRG1 was found to influence the secretome of PaC cells, alter cancer cell metabolism, and interfere with intracellular trafficking and intercellular communication between PaC cells and surrounding fibroblasts. This review will present recent advancements in understanding the role of NDRG1 in PaC progression, with a focus on how this molecule influences PaC-stroma communication and its potential for re-shaping the PaC TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Chang
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia
- Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of NSW, Sydney 2052, Australia
| | - Zoe H Y Lo
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia
| | - Shafi Alenizi
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia
| | - Zaklina Kovacevic
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia
- Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of NSW, Sydney 2052, Australia
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Zhao X, Richardson DR. The role of the NDRG1 in the pathogenesis and treatment of breast cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188871. [PMID: 36841367 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of cancer death in women. This disease is heterogeneous, with clinical subtypes being estrogen receptor-α (ER-α) positive, having human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpression, or being triple-negative for ER-α, progesterone receptor, and HER2 (TNBC). The ER-α positive and HER2 overexpressing tumors can be treated with agents targeting these proteins, including tamoxifen and pertuzumab, respectively. Despite these treatments, resistance and metastasis are problematic, while TNBC is challenging to treat due to the lack of suitable targets. Many studies examining BC and other tumors indicate a role for N-myc downstream-regulated gene-1 (NDRG1) as a metastasis suppressor. The ability of NDRG1 to inhibit metastasis is due, in part, to the inhibition of the initial step in metastasis, namely the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Paradoxically, there are also reports of NDRG1 playing a pro-oncogenic role in BC pathogenesis. The oncogenic effects of NDRG1 in BC have been reported to relate to lipid metabolism or the mTOR signaling pathway. The molecular mechanism(s) of how NDRG1 regulates the activity of multiple signaling pathways remains unclear. Therapeutic strategies that up-regulate NDRG1 have been developed and include agents of the di-2-pyridylketone thiosemicarbazone class. These compounds target oncogenic drivers in BC cells, suppressing the expression of multiple key hormone receptors including ER-α, progesterone receptor, androgen receptor, and prolactin receptor, and can also overcome tamoxifen resistance. Considering the varying role of NDRG1 in BC pathogenesis, further studies are required to examine what subset of BC patients would benefit from pharmacopeia that up-regulate NDRG1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Zhao
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Des R Richardson
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia; Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
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NDRG1 in Cancer: A Suppressor, Promoter, or Both? Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14235739. [PMID: 36497221 PMCID: PMC9737586 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14235739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
N-myc downregulated gene-1 (NDRG1) has been variably reported as a metastasis suppressor, a biomarker of poor outcome, and a facilitator of disease progression in a range of different cancers. NDRG1 is poorly understood in cancer due to its context-dependent and pleiotropic functions. Within breast cancer, NDRG1 is reported to be either a facilitator of, or an inhibitor of tumour progression and metastasis. The wide array of roles played by NDRG1 are dependent on post-translational modifications and subcellular localization, as well as the cellular context, for example, cancer type. We present an update on NDRG1, and its association with hallmarks of cancer such as hypoxia, its interaction with oncogenic proteins such as p53 as well its role in oncogenic and metastasis pathways in breast and other cancers. We further comment on its functional implications as a metastasis suppressor and promoter, its clinical relevance, and discuss its therapeutic targetability in different cancers.
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8
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DLGAP4 acts as an effective prognostic predictor for hepatocellular carcinoma and is closely related to tumour progression. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19775. [PMID: 36396671 PMCID: PMC9672105 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23837-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Disc large associated protein 4 (DLGAP4) plays an important role in neurological diseases, but the role and mechanism of DLGAP4 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. In this study, the prognostic effect of DLGAP4 on HCC patients was investigated by means of bioinformatics. The correlation of DLGAP4 expression with the prognosis of HCC patients was evaluated by TCGA data analysis, and the correlation between DLGAP4 expression and the clinical characteristics of HCC patients was evaluated by the Wilcoxon signed rank test and logistic regression analysis. Kaplan‒Meier and Cox regression methods were used to assess the effect of DLGAP4 expression level on overall survival, and nomograms were used to illustrate the correlation between DLGAP4 gene expression and HCC risk. The genes related to DLGAP4 in HCC were screened, and GO/KEGG enrichment analysis was performed. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to detect the effect of DLGAP4 expression on the proliferation, migration and metastasis of HCC cells. We also examined the effect of DLGAP4 expression on enriched pathway proteins to explore the possible mechanism. The expression levels of DLGAP4 were significantly higher in HCC cell lines and tissue samples than in normal liver cell lines and tissues. The expression of DLGAP4 was significantly associated with clinical characteristics. Survival analysis showed that high expression of DLGAP4 was associated with a poor prognosis in HCC. Multivariate analysis showed that high expression of DLGAP4 was an independent risk factor affecting the overall survival rate in HCC patients. By means of ROC curve analysis and nomograms, we determined the value of DLGAP4 expression in the diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of HCC. GO/KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the PPAR signalling pathway was differentially enriched in patients with high expression of DLGAP4. According to in vitro and in vivo experiments, DLGAP4 knockdown inhibited the proliferation and metastasis of HCC cells and decreased the expression of PPARβ/δ protein. In contrast, overexpression of DLGAP4 promoted the proliferation and metastasis of HCC cell, and increased the expression of PPARβ/δ protein.In contrast, overexpression of DLGAP4 promoted the proliferation and metastasis of HCC cells and increased the expression of PPARβ/δ protein. The results show a close correlation between DLGAP4 expression and clinicopathological features of HCC, and DLGAP4 can be used as a prediction biomarker of HCC.
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Yu SL, Kang Y, Jeong DU, Lee DC, Jeon HJ, Kim TH, Lee SK, Han AR, Kang J, Park SR. The miR-182-5p/NDRG1 Axis Controls Endometrial Receptivity through the NF-κB/ZEB1/E-Cadherin Pathway. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012303. [PMID: 36293154 PMCID: PMC9602861 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Endometrial receptivity is essential for successful pregnancy, and its impairment is a major cause of embryo-implantation failure. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) that regulate epigenetic modifications have been associated with endometrial receptivity. However, the molecular mechanisms whereby miRNAs regulate endometrial receptivity remain unclear. Therefore, we investigated whether miR-182 and its potential targets influence trophoblast cell attachment. miR-182 was expressed at lower levels in the secretory phase than in the proliferative phase of endometrium tissues from fertile donors. However, miR-182 expression was upregulated during the secretory phase in infertile women. Transfecting a synthetic miR-182-5p mimic decreased spheroid attachment of human JAr choriocarcinoma cells and E-cadherin expression (which is important for endometrial receptivity). miR-182-5p also downregulated N-Myc downstream regulated 1 (NDRG1), which was studied further. NDRG1 was upregulated in the secretory phase of the endometrium tissues and induced E-cadherin expression through the nuclear factor-κΒ (NF-κΒ)/zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) signaling pathway. NDRG1-overexpressing or -depleted cells showed altered attachment rates of JAr spheroids. Collectively, our findings indicate that miR-182-5p-mediated NDRG1 downregulation impaired embryo implantation by upregulating the NF-κΒ/ZEB1/E-cadherin pathway. Hence, miR-182-5p is a potential biomarker for negative selection in endometrial receptivity and a therapeutic target for successful embryo implantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seong-Lan Yu
- Priority Research Center, Myunggok Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Korea
| | - Yujin Kang
- Priority Research Center, Myunggok Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Korea
| | - Da-Un Jeong
- Priority Research Center, Myunggok Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Korea
| | - Dong Chul Lee
- Personalized Genomic Medicine Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Hye Jin Jeon
- Priority Research Center, Myunggok Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Korea
| | - Tae-Hyun Kim
- Priority Research Center, Myunggok Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Korea
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Konyang University Hospital, Daejeon 35365, Korea
| | - Sung Ki Lee
- Priority Research Center, Myunggok Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Korea
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Konyang University Hospital, Daejeon 35365, Korea
| | - Ae Ra Han
- I-Dream Clinic, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mizmedi Hospital, Seoul 07639, Korea
- Daegu cha Fertility Center, CHA University, Daegu 42469, Korea
| | - Jaeku Kang
- Priority Research Center, Myunggok Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Korea
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Korea
- Correspondence: (J.K.); (S.-R.P.); Tel.: +82-42-600-8685 (J.K.); +82-42-600-8695 (S.-R.P.)
| | - Seok-Rae Park
- Priority Research Center, Myunggok Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Korea
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Korea
- Correspondence: (J.K.); (S.-R.P.); Tel.: +82-42-600-8685 (J.K.); +82-42-600-8695 (S.-R.P.)
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Krchniakova M, Paukovcekova S, Chlapek P, Neradil J, Skoda J, Veselska R. Thiosemicarbazones and selected tyrosine kinase inhibitors synergize in pediatric solid tumors: NDRG1 upregulation and impaired prosurvival signaling in neuroblastoma cells. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:976955. [PMID: 36160437 PMCID: PMC9490180 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.976955] [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: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are frequently used in combined therapy to enhance treatment efficacy and overcome drug resistance. The present study analyzed the effects of three inhibitors, sunitinib, gefitinib, and lapatinib, combined with iron-chelating agents, di-2-pyridylketone-4,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Dp44mT) or di-2-pyridylketone-4-cyclohexyl-4-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (DpC). Simultaneous administration of the drugs consistently resulted in synergistic and/or additive activities against the cell lines derived from the most frequent types of pediatric solid tumors. The results of a detailed analysis of cell signaling in the neuroblastoma cell lines revealed that TKIs inhibited the phosphorylation of the corresponding receptor tyrosine kinases, and thiosemicarbazones downregulated the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor, platelet-derived growth factor receptor, and insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor, leading to a strong induction of apoptosis. Marked upregulation of the metastasis suppressor N-myc downstream regulated gene-1 (NDRG1), which is known to be activated and upregulated by thiosemicarbazones in adult cancers, was also detected in thiosemicarbazone-treated neuroblastoma cells. Importantly, these effects were more pronounced in the cells treated with drug combinations, especially with the combinations of lapatinib with thiosemicarbazones. Therefore, these results provide a rationale for novel strategies combining iron-chelating agents with TKIs in therapy of pediatric solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Krchniakova
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Brno, Czechia
| | - Silvia Paukovcekova
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Petr Chlapek
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Brno, Czechia
| | - Jakub Neradil
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Brno, Czechia
| | - Jan Skoda
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Brno, Czechia
- *Correspondence: Jan Skoda, ; Renata Veselska,
| | - Renata Veselska
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Brno, Czechia
- *Correspondence: Jan Skoda, ; Renata Veselska,
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11
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Jiang T, Xie L, Zhou S, Liu Y, Huang Y, Mei N, Ma F, Gong J, Gao X, Chen J. Metformin and histone deacetylase inhibitor based anti-inflammatory nanoplatform for epithelial-mesenchymal transition suppression and metastatic tumor treatment. J Nanobiotechnology 2022; 20:394. [PMID: 36045429 PMCID: PMC9429706 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-022-01592-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a differentiation process with aberrant changes of tumor cells, is identified as an initial and vital procedure for metastatic processes. Inflammation is a significant inducer of EMT and provides an indispensable target for blocking EMT, however, an anti-inflammatory therapeutic with highlighted safety and efficacy is deficient. Metformin is a promising anti-inflammatory agent with low side effects, but tumor monotherapy with an anti-inflammation drug could generate therapy resistance, cell adaptation or even promote tumor development. Combination therapies with various anti-inflammatory mechanisms can be favorable options improving therapeutic effects of metformin, here we develop a tumor targeting hybrid micelle based on metformin and a histone deacetylase inhibitor propofol-docosahexaenoic acid for efficient therapeutic efficacies of anti-inflammatory drugs. Triptolide is further encapsulated in hybrid micelles for orthotopic tumor therapies. The final multifunctional nanoplatforms (HAOPTs) with hyaluronic acid (HA) modification can target tumor efficiently, inhibit tumor cell EMT processes, repress metastasis establishment and suppress metastatic tumor development in a synergistic manner. Collectively, the results afford proof of concept that the tumor targeting anti-inflammatory nanoplatform can provide a potent, safe and clinical translational approach for EMT inhibition and metastatic tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianze Jiang
- Shanghai Pudong Hospital & Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Lane 826, Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Ministry of Education, Shandong Key Laboratory of Glycoscience and Glycotechnology, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China
| | - Laozhi Xie
- Shanghai Pudong Hospital & Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Lane 826, Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, People's Republic of China
| | - Songlei Zhou
- Shanghai Pudong Hospital & Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Lane 826, Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, People's Republic of China
| | - Yipu Liu
- Shanghai Pudong Hospital & Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Lane 826, Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, People's Republic of China
| | - Yukun Huang
- Shanghai Pudong Hospital & Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Lane 826, Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, People's Republic of China.,Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 280 South Chongqing Road, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China
| | - Ni Mei
- Shanghai Center for Drug Evaluation and Inspection, Lane 58, HaiQv Road, Shanghai, 201210, People's Republic of China
| | - Fenfen Ma
- Shanghai Pudong Hospital & Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Lane 826, Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, People's Republic of China.,Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, 2800 Gongwei Road, Shanghai, 201399, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingru Gong
- Shanghai Pudong Hospital & Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Lane 826, Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, People's Republic of China. .,Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, 2800 Gongwei Road, Shanghai, 201399, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiaoling Gao
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 280 South Chongqing Road, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jun Chen
- Shanghai Pudong Hospital & Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Lane 826, Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, People's Republic of China. .,Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Lane 826, Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, People's Republic of China.
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12
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Richardson DR, Azad MG, Afroz R, Richardson V, Dharmasivam M. Thiosemicarbazones reprogram pancreatic cancer bidirectional oncogenic signaling between cancer cells and stellate cells to suppress desmoplasia. Future Med Chem 2022; 14:1005-1017. [PMID: 35670251 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2022-0050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Standard treatments have shown dismal activity against pancreatic cancer (PC), due in part to the development of a dense stroma (desmoplasia). This perspective discusses the development of the di-2-pyridylketone thiosemicarbazones that overcomes bidirectional oncogenic signaling between PC cells and pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), which is critical for desmoplasia development. This activity is induced by the up-regulation of the metastasis suppressor, N-myc downstream-regulated gene-1 (NDRG1), which inhibits oncogenic signaling via HGF, IGF-1 and Sonic Hedgehog pathway. More recent studies have deciphered additional pathways including those mediated by Wnt and tenascin C that are secreted by PSCs to activate β-catenin and YAP/TAZ signaling in PC cells. Suppression of bidirectional signaling between cell types presents a unique therapeutic opportunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- D R Richardson
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology & Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute of Drug Discovery, Griffith University & School of Environment & Science (N34), Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, 4111, Australia
- Department of Pathology & Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan
| | - M Gholam Azad
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology & Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute of Drug Discovery, Griffith University & School of Environment & Science (N34), Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, 4111, Australia
| | - R Afroz
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology & Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute of Drug Discovery, Griffith University & School of Environment & Science (N34), Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, 4111, Australia
| | - V Richardson
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology & Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute of Drug Discovery, Griffith University & School of Environment & Science (N34), Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, 4111, Australia
| | - M Dharmasivam
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology & Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute of Drug Discovery, Griffith University & School of Environment & Science (N34), Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, 4111, Australia
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13
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Evaluation of Annexins Family as Potential Biomarker for Predicting Progression and Prognosis in Clear Renal Cell Carcinoma. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022. [DOI: 10.1155/2022/8748434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Background. Annexins family (ANXAs), as a Ca2+-dependent phospholipid-binding protein superfamily, participates in a wide variety of biological activities and has been reported to be dysregulated in numerous types of human cancers. Evidence from cell lines and human tissues indicates that ANAXs are involved in kidney clear renal cell carcinoma (KIRC) tumorigenesis. However, their prognostic value and expression pattern associated with KIRC remain to be elucidated. Methods. We visited public databases, including ONCOMINE, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), Kaplan–Meier plotter, cBioPortal, and GeneMANIA, to conduct comprehensive bioinformatics analysis and tried to detect basic relationships between each Annexins family member and KIRC. Results. We found that the expression level of ANXA1/2/4/5/6/7/8/13 in clear renal cell carcinoma tissue was higher than that in the kidney tissue, while the expression level of ANXA3/9/11 in the former was lower than that in the latter. The expression level of ANXA7/8/13 is related to the stage of the tumour. Survival analysis using the Kaplan–Meier plotter database showed that a high transcription level of ANXA2/5/8/10 is related to a low overall survival rate (OS) in predicting KIRC patients. In contrast, high ANXA3/4/7/9/11/13 levels are associated with a high OS in these patients. Conclusions. Our study implies that ANXA4/8/13 are potential targets of precision therapy for patients with KIRC and that ANXA2/5/8/10 are new biomarkers for the prognosis of KIRC.
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14
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Mirzaei S, Saghari S, Bassiri F, Raesi R, Zarrabi A, Hushmandi K, Sethi G, Tergaonkar V. NF-κB as a regulator of cancer metastasis and therapy response: A focus on epithelial-mesenchymal transition. J Cell Physiol 2022; 237:2770-2795. [PMID: 35561232 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis of tumor cells is a complex challenge and significantly diminishes the overall survival and prognosis of cancer patients. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a well-known mechanism responsible for the invasiveness of tumor cells. A number of molecular pathways can regulate the EMT mechanism in cancer cells and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) is one of them. The nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 can induce the transcription of several genes involved in EMT induction. The present review describes NF-κB and EMT interaction in cancer cells and their association in cancer progression. Due to the oncogenic role NF-κB signaling, its activation enhances metastasis of tumor cells via EMT induction. This has been confirmed in various cancers including brain, breast, lung and gastric cancers, among others. The ZEB1/2, transforming growth factor-β, and Slug as inducers of EMT undergo upregulation by NF-κB to promote metastasis of tumor cells. After EMT induction driven by NF-κB, a significant decrease occurs in E-cadherin levels, while N-cadherin and vimentin levels undergo an increase. The noncoding RNAs can potentially also function as upstream mediators and modulate NF-κB/EMT axis in cancers. Moreover, NF-κB/EMT axis is involved in mediating drug resistance in tumor cells. Thus, suppressing NF-κB/EMT axis can also promote the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sepideh Mirzaei
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sam Saghari
- Department of Health Services Management, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farzaneh Bassiri
- Department of Biology, Fars Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Fars, Iran.,Department of Biology, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Rasoul Raesi
- PhD in Health Services Management, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Ali Zarrabi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Kiavash Hushmandi
- Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Division of Epidemiology and Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Gautam Sethi
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS Centre for Cancer Research (N2CR), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Vinay Tergaonkar
- Laboratory of NF-κB Signaling, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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15
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Geleta B, Tout FS, Lim SC, Sahni S, Jansson PJ, Apte MV, Richardson DR, Kovačević Ž. Targeting Wnt/tenascin C-mediated cross talk between pancreatic cancer cells and stellate cells via activation of the metastasis suppressor NDRG1. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101608. [PMID: 35065073 PMCID: PMC8881656 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 01/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A major barrier to successful pancreatic cancer (PC) treatment is the surrounding stroma, which secretes growth factors/cytokines that promote PC progression. Wnt and tenascin C (TnC) are key ligands secreted by stromal pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) that then act on PC cells in a paracrine manner to activate the oncogenic β-catenin and YAP/TAZ signaling pathways. Therefore, therapies targeting oncogenic Wnt/TnC cross talk between PC cells and PSCs constitute a promising new therapeutic approach for PC treatment. The metastasis suppressor N-myc downstream-regulated gene-1 (NDRG1) inhibits tumor progression and metastasis in numerous cancers, including PC. We demonstrate herein that targeting NDRG1 using the clinically trialed anticancer agent di-2-pyridylketone-4-cyclohexyl-4-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (DpC) inhibited Wnt/TnC-mediated interactions between PC cells and the surrounding PSCs. Mechanistically, NDRG1 and DpC markedly inhibit secretion of Wnt3a and TnC by PSCs, while also attenuating Wnt/β-catenin and YAP/TAZ activation and downstream signaling in PC cells. This antioncogenic activity was mediated by direct inhibition of β-catenin and YAP/TAZ nuclear localization and by increasing the Wnt inhibitor, DKK1. Expression of NDRG1 also inhibited transforming growth factor (TGF)-β secretion by PC cells, a key mechanism by which PC cells activate PSCs. Using an in vivo orthotopic PC mouse model, we show DpC downregulated β-catenin, TnC, and YAP/TAZ, while potently increasing NDRG1 expression in PC tumors. We conclude that NDRG1 and DpC inhibit Wnt/TnC-mediated interactions between PC cells and PSCs. These results further illuminate the antioncogenic mechanism of NDRG1 and the potential of targeting this metastasis suppressor to overcome the oncogenic effects of the PC-PSC interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bekesho Geleta
- Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Faten S Tout
- Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan
| | - Syer Choon Lim
- Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sumit Sahni
- Bill Walsh Translational Cancer Research Laboratory, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Patric J Jansson
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Bill Walsh Translational Cancer Research Laboratory, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Cancer Drug Resistance & Stem Cell Program, Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medical Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Minoti V Apte
- Pancreatic Research Group, South Western Sydney Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Pancreatic Research Group, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Des R Richardson
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Žaklina Kovačević
- Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
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16
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Fnu G, Weber GF. Alterations of Ion Homeostasis in Cancer Metastasis: Implications for Treatment. Front Oncol 2022; 11:765329. [PMID: 34988012 PMCID: PMC8721045 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.765329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We have previously reported that metastases from all malignancies are characterized by a core program of gene expression that suppresses extracellular matrix interactions, induces vascularization/tissue remodeling, activates the oxidative metabolism, and alters ion homeostasis. Among these features, the least elucidated component is ion homeostasis. Here we review the literature with the goal to infer a better mechanistic understanding of the progression-associated ionic alterations and identify the most promising drugs for treatment. Cancer metastasis is accompanied by skewing in calcium, zinc, copper, potassium, sodium and chloride homeostasis. Membrane potential changes and water uptake through Aquaporins may also play roles. Drug candidates to reverse these alterations are at various stages of testing, with some having entered clinical trials. Challenges to their utilization comprise differences among tumor types and the involvement of multiple ions in each case. Further, adverse effects may become a concern, as channel blockers, chelators, or supplemented ions will affect healthy and transformed cells alike.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gulimirerouzi Fnu
- College of Pharmacy, University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Georg F Weber
- College of Pharmacy, University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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17
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Ferritinophagic Flux Was a Driving Force in Determination of Status of EMT, Ferroptosis, and NDRG1 Activation in Action of Mechanism of 2-Pyridylhydrazone Dithiocarbamate S-Acetic Acid. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2021; 2021:3015710. [PMID: 34917147 PMCID: PMC8670909 DOI: 10.1155/2021/3015710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Ferritinophagy is a process of ferritin degradation in lysosomes; however, how its effect on other cellular events, such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and ferroptosis remains elusive. In this study, we determined how ferritinophagic flux influence the status of EMT and ferroptosis in HepG2 cell. Our data revealed that 2-pyridylhydrazone dithiocarbamate s-acetic acid (PdtaA) induced EMT inhibition involved ferritinophagy-mediated ROS production, but addition of ferrostatin-1 could attenuate the effect of PdtaA on the regulation of EMT-related proteins, suggesting that ferroptosis might involve in the EMT regulation. Next, downregulation of Gpx4 and xCT as well as enhanced lipid peroxidation further supported that PdtaA was able to induce ferroptosis. Knockdown of NCOA4 significantly attenuated the regulatory effect of PdtaA on related proteins which highlighted that the strength of ferritinophagic flux (NCOA4/ferritin) was a driving force in determination of the status of EMT and ferroptosis. Furthermore, NDRG1 activation was also observed, and knockdown of NDRG1 similarly influenced the expressions of ferroptosis-related proteins, suggesting that NDRG1 also involved ferroptosis induction, which was first reported. Taken together, PdtaA-induced EMT inhibition, ferroptosis, and NDRG1 activation all depended on the strength of ferritinophagic flux.
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18
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Pan H, Pan Z, Guo F, Meng F, Zu L, Fan Y, Li Y, Li M, Du X, Zhang X, Shao Y, Wei M, Li X, Zhou Q. MicroRNA-1915-3p inhibits cell migration and invasion by targeting SET in non-small-cell lung cancer. BMC Cancer 2021; 21:1218. [PMID: 34774019 PMCID: PMC8590782 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-021-08961-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to play significant roles in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the roles of microRNA (miR)-1915-3p in NSCLC remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to explore the biological functions of miR-1915-3p in NSCLC. Methods The expression of miR-1915-3p and SET nuclear proto-oncogene (SET) in NSCLC tissues were examined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Migratory and invasive abilities of lung cancer were tested by wound healing and transwell invasion assay. The direct target genes of miR-1915-3p were measured by dual-luciferase reporter assay and western blot. Finally, the regulation between METTL3/YTHDF2/KLF4 axis and miR-1915-3p were evaluated by qRT-PCR, promoter reporter assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation (CHIP). Results miR-1915-3p was downregulated in NSCLC tissues and cell lines, and inversely associated with clinical TNM stage and overall survival. Functional assays showed that miR-1915-3p significantly suppressed migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in NSCLC cells. Furthermore, miR-1915-3p directly bound to the 3′untranslated region (3′UTR) of SET and modulated the expression of SET. SET inhibition could recapitulate the inhibitory effects on cell migration, invasion and EMT of miR-1915-3p, and restoration of SET expression could abrogate these effects induced by miR-1915-3p through JNK/Jun and NF-κB signaling pathways. What’s more, miR-1915-3p expression was regulated by METTL3/YTHDF2 m6A axis through transcription factor KLF4. Conclusions These findings demonstrate that miR-1915-3p function as a tumor suppressor by targeting SET and may have an anti-metastatic therapeutic potential for lung cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongli Pan
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhenhua Pan
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Fengjie Guo
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Fanrong Meng
- Tianjin Prenatal Diagnostic Center, Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Lingling Zu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yaguang Fan
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yang Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Mengjie Li
- Sichuan Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinxin Du
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiuwen Zhang
- Department of Lung Cancer Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.,Department of Thoracic Surgery, Yizheng People's Hospital, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yi Shao
- Department of Oncology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Mingming Wei
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
| | - Xuebing Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
| | - Qinghua Zhou
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China. .,Sichuan Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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19
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The Metastasis Suppressor NDRG1 Directly Regulates Androgen Receptor Signaling in Prostate Cancer. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101414. [PMID: 34785213 PMCID: PMC8668986 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
N-myc-downregulated gene 1 (NDRG1) has potent anticancer effects and inhibits cell growth, survival, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Previous studies suggested that NDRG1 is linked to the androgen signaling network, but this mechanistic relationship is unclear. Considering the crucial role of the androgen receptor (AR) in prostate cancer (PCa) progression, here we examined for the first time the effect of NDRG1 on AR expression, activation, and downstream signaling in LNCaP, 22Rv1, and C4-2B PCa cell types. We demonstrate that NDRG1 effectively promotes interaction of AR with the chaperone HSP90, which in turn stabilizes the AR while decreasing its androgen-mediated activation. The expression of NDRG1 suppressed: (1) AR activation, as measured by p-ARSer213 and p-ARSer81; (2) expression of a major AR transcriptional target, prostate-specific antigen (PSA); and (3) AR transcriptional activity, probably via inhibiting the c-Jun-AR interaction by reducing c-Jun phosphorylation (p-c-JunSer63). NDRG1 was also demonstrated to inhibit multiple key molecules involved in androgen-dependent and -independent signaling (namely EGFR, HER2, HER3, PI3K, STAT3, and NF-κB), which promote the development of castration-resistant prostate cancer. We also identified the cysteine-rich secretory protein/antigen 5/pathogenesis related-1 (CAP) domain of NDRG1 as vital for inhibition of AR activity. Examining NDRG1 and p-NDRG1 in PCa patient specimens revealed a significant negative correlation between NDRG1 and PSA levels in prostatectomy patients that went on to develop metastasis. These results highlight a vital role for NDRG1 in androgen signaling and its potential as a key therapeutic target and biomarker in PCa.
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20
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Chekmarev J, Azad MG, Richardson DR. The Oncogenic Signaling Disruptor, NDRG1: Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Activity. Cells 2021; 10:cells10092382. [PMID: 34572031 PMCID: PMC8465210 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
NDRG1 is an oncogenic signaling disruptor that plays a key role in multiple cancers, including aggressive pancreatic tumors. Recent studies have indicated a role for NDRG1 in the inhibition of multiple tyrosine kinases, including EGFR, c-Met, HER2 and HER3, etc. The mechanism of activity of NDRG1 remains unclear, but to impart some of its functions, NDRG1 binds directly to key effector molecules that play roles in tumor suppression, e.g., MIG6. More recent studies indicate that NDRG1s-inducing drugs, such as novel di-2-pyridylketone thiosemicarbazones, not only inhibit tumor growth and metastasis but also fibrous desmoplasia, which leads to chemotherapeutic resistance. The Casitas B-lineage lymphoma (c-Cbl) protein may be regulated by NDRG1, and is a crucial E3 ligase that regulates various protein tyrosine and receptor tyrosine kinases, primarily via ubiquitination. The c-Cbl protein can act as a tumor suppressor by promoting the degradation of receptor tyrosine kinases. In contrast, c-Cbl can also promote tumor development by acting as a docking protein to mediate the oncogenic c-Met/Crk/JNK and PI3K/AKT pathways. This review hypothesizes that NDRG1 could inhibit the oncogenic function of c-Cbl, which may be another mechanism of its tumor-suppressive effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Chekmarev
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia; (J.C.); (M.G.A.)
| | - Mahan Gholam Azad
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia; (J.C.); (M.G.A.)
| | - Des R. Richardson
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia; (J.C.); (M.G.A.)
- Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-7-3735-7549
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21
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Chiang S, Braidy N, Maleki S, Lal S, Richardson DR, Huang MLH. Mechanisms of impaired mitochondrial homeostasis and NAD + metabolism in a model of mitochondrial heart disease exhibiting redox active iron accumulation. Redox Biol 2021; 46:102038. [PMID: 34416478 PMCID: PMC8379503 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2021.102038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the high redox activity of the mitochondrion, this organelle can suffer oxidative stress. To manage energy demands while minimizing redox stress, mitochondrial homeostasis is maintained by the dynamic processes of mitochondrial biogenesis, mitochondrial network dynamics (fusion/fission), and mitochondrial clearance by mitophagy. Friedreich's ataxia (FA) is a mitochondrial disease resulting in a fatal hypertrophic cardiomyopathy due to the deficiency of the mitochondrial protein, frataxin. Our previous studies identified defective mitochondrial iron metabolism and oxidative stress potentiating cardiac pathology in FA. However, how these factors alter mitochondrial homeostasis remains uncharacterized in FA cardiomyopathy. This investigation examined the muscle creatine kinase conditional frataxin knockout mouse, which closely mimics FA cardiomyopathy, to dissect the mechanisms of dysfunctional mitochondrial homeostasis. Dysfunction of key mitochondrial homeostatic mechanisms were elucidated in the knockout hearts relative to wild-type littermates, namely: (1) mitochondrial proliferation with condensed cristae; (2) impaired NAD+ metabolism due to perturbations in Sirt1 activity and NAD+ salvage; (3) increased mitochondrial biogenesis, fusion and fission; and (4) mitochondrial accumulation of Pink1/Parkin with increased autophagic/mitophagic flux. Immunohistochemistry of FA patients' heart confirmed significantly enhanced expression of markers of mitochondrial biogenesis, fusion/fission and autophagy. These novel findings demonstrate cardiac frataxin-deficiency results in significant changes to metabolic mechanisms critical for mitochondrial homeostasis. This mechanistic dissection provides critical insight, offering the potential for maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis in FA and potentially other cardio-degenerative diseases by implementing innovative treatments targeting mitochondrial homeostasis and NAD+ metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon Chiang
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Nady Braidy
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, University of New South Wales, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Sanaz Maleki
- Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Sean Lal
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia; Division of Cardiology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Des R Richardson
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia; Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan; Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Michael L-H Huang
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
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22
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Geleta B, Park KC, Jansson PJ, Sahni S, Maleki S, Xu Z, Murakami T, Pajic M, Apte MV, Richardson DR, Kovacevic Z. Breaking the cycle: Targeting of NDRG1 to inhibit bi-directional oncogenic cross-talk between pancreatic cancer and stroma. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21347. [PMID: 33484481 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202002279r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PaCa) is characterized by dense stroma that hinders treatment efficacy, with pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) being a major contributor to this stromal barrier and PaCa progression. Activated PSCs release hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) that induce PaCa proliferation, metastasis and resistance to chemotherapy. We demonstrate for the first time that the metastasis suppressor, N-myc downstream regulated gene 1 (NDRG1), is a potent inhibitor of the PaCa-PSC cross-talk, leading to inhibition of HGF and IGF-1 signaling. NDRG1 also potently reduced the key driver of PaCa metastasis, namely GLI1, leading to reduced PSC-mediated cell migration. The novel clinically trialed anticancer agent, di-2-pyridylketone 4-cyclohexyl-4-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (DpC), which upregulates NDRG1, potently de-sensitized PaCa cells to ligands secreted by activated PSCs. DpC and NDRG1 also inhibited the PaCa-mediated activation of PSCs via inhibition of sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling. In vivo, DpC markedly reduced PaCa tumor growth and metastasis more avidly than the standard chemotherapy for this disease, gemcitabine. Uniquely, DpC was selectively cytotoxic against PaCa cells, while "re-programming" PSCs to an inactive state, decreasing collagen deposition and desmoplasia. Thus, targeting NDRG1 can effectively break the oncogenic cycle of PaCa-PSC bi-directional cross-talk to overcome PaCa desmoplasia and improve therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bekesho Geleta
- Cancer Metastasis and Tumour Microenvironment Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Kyung Chan Park
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Patric J Jansson
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Cancer Drug Resistance Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sumit Sahni
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Bill Walsh Translational Cancer Research Laboratory, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sanaz Maleki
- Histopathology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Zhihong Xu
- Pancreatic Research Group, South Western Sydney Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Takashi Murakami
- Faculty of Medicine, Saitama Medical University, Moroyama, Japan
| | - Marina Pajic
- The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Minoti V Apte
- Pancreatic Research Group, South Western Sydney Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Des R Richardson
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.,Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - Zaklina Kovacevic
- Cancer Metastasis and Tumour Microenvironment Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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TGF Beta Induces Vitamin D Receptor and Modulates Mitochondrial Activity of Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13122932. [PMID: 34208208 PMCID: PMC8230851 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13122932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The inflammatory cytokine TGFβ is both a tumor suppressor during cancer initiation and a promoter of metastasis along cancer progression. Inflammation and cancer are strictly linked, and cancer onset often correlates with the insufficiency of vitamin D, known for its anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we investigated the interplay between TGFβ and vitamin D in two models of human pancreatic cancer, and we analyzed the metabolic effects of a prolonged TGFβ treatment mimicking the inflammatory environment of pancreatic cancer in vivo. We confirmed the induction of the vitamin D receptor previously described in epithelial cells, but the inhibitory effects of vitamin D on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were lost when the hormone was given after a long treatment with TGFβ. Moreover, we detected an ROS-mediated toxicity of the acute treatment with TGFβ, whereas a chronic exposure to low doses had a protumorigenic effect. In fact, it boosted the mitochondrial respiration and cancer cell migration without ROS production and cytotoxicity. Our observations shed some light on the multifaceted role of TGFβ in tumor progression, revealing that a sustained exposure to TGFβ at low doses results in an irreversibly increased EMT associated with a metabolic modulation which favors the formation of metastasis.
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Effect of irradiation on the expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin in early and late radiation sequelae of the urinary bladder and its modulation by NF-κB inhibitor thalidomide. Strahlenther Onkol 2021; 197:537-546. [PMID: 33688971 PMCID: PMC8154806 DOI: 10.1007/s00066-021-01751-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Purpose In a previous study we have shown in a mouse model that administration of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) inhibitor thalidomide has promising therapeutic effects on early radiation cystitis (ERC) and late radiation sequelae (LRS) of the urinary bladder. The aim of this study was to evaluate in the same mice the effect of thalidomide on adherens junction (AJ) proteins in ERC and LRS. Methods Urothelial expressions of E‑cadherin and β‑catenin were assessed by immunohistochemistry in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) bladder specimens over 360 days post single-dose irradiation on day 0. First, the effect of irradiation on AJ expression and then effects of thalidomide on irradiation-induced AJ alterations were assessed using three different treatment times. Results Irradiation provoked a biphasic upregulation of E‑cadherin and β‑catenin in the early phase. After a mild decrease of E‑cadherin and a pronounced decrease of β‑catenin at the end of the early phase, both increased again in the late phase. Early administration of thalidomide (day 1–15) resulted in a steeper rise in the first days, an extended and increased expression at the end of the early phase and a higher expression of β‑catenin alone at the beginning of the late phase. Conclusion Upregulation of AJ proteins is an attempt to compensate irradiation-induced impairment of urothelial barrier function. Early administration of thalidomide improves these compensatory mechanisms by inhibiting NF-κB signaling and its interfering effects.
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25
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Guo Q, Li L, Gao G, Liu R, Einaga Y, Zhi J. Nanodiamonds Inhibit Cancer Cell Migration by Strengthening Cell Adhesion: Implications for Cancer Treatment. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:9620-9629. [PMID: 33595291 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c21332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Nanodiamonds (NDs) are a type of biocompatible nanomaterial with easily modified surfaces and are considered as promising candidates in biomedicine. In this work, the inhibition of tumor cell migration by carboxylated nanodiamonds (cNDs) was investigated. AFM-based single cell adhesion and F-actin staining experiments demonstrated that cNDs treatment could enhance cell adhesion and impair assembly of the cytoskeleton. The mechanism analysis of the regulatory protein expression level also proved that cNDs could inhibit the migration of Hela cells by preventing the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process through the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling pathway. The in vivo pulmonary metastasis model also showed that cNDs effectively reduced the metastasis of murine B16 melanoma cells. In summary, cNDs have been demonstrated to inhibit cancer cell migration in vitro and decrease tumor metastasis in vivo. Therefore, cNDs might have potential utility for specific cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyue Guo
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Lei Li
- Key Laboratory of Cryogenics, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Guanyue Gao
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Runze Liu
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Yasuaki Einaga
- Department of Chemistry, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Yokohama, 223-8522, Japan
| | - Jinfang Zhi
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
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26
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Abstract
Cancer cells accumulate iron to supplement their aberrant growth and metabolism. Depleting cells of iron by iron chelators has been shown to be selectively cytotoxic to cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Iron chelators are effective at combating a range of cancers including those which are difficult to treat such as androgen insensitive prostate cancer and cancer stem cells. This review will evaluate the impact of iron chelation on cancer cell survival and the underlying mechanisms of action. A plethora of studies have shown iron chelators can reverse some of the major hallmarks and enabling characteristics of cancer. Iron chelators inhibit signalling pathways that drive proliferation, migration and metastasis as well as return tumour suppressive signalling. In addition to this, iron chelators stimulate apoptotic and ER stress signalling pathways inducing cell death even in cells lacking a functional p53 gene. Iron chelators can sensitise cancer cells to PARP inhibitors through mimicking BRCAness; a feature of cancers trademark genomic instability. Iron chelators target cancer cell metabolism, attenuating oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis. Moreover, iron chelators may reverse the major characteristics of oncogenic transformation. Iron chelation therefore represent a promising selective mode of cancer therapy.
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27
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Liu J, Chen Z, Li W. Machine Learning for Building Immune Genetic Model in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2021; 2021:6676537. [PMID: 33790969 PMCID: PMC7994091 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6676537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading liver cancer with special immune microenvironment, which played vital roles in tumor relapse and poor drug responses. In this study, we aimed to explore the prognostic immune signatures in HCC and tried to construct an immune-risk model for patient evaluation. METHODS RNA sequencing profiles of HCC patients were collected from the cancer genome Atlas (TCGA), international cancer genome consortium (ICGC), and gene expression omnibus (GEO) databases (GSE14520). Differentially expressed immune genes, derived from ImmPort database and MSigDB signaling pathway lists, between tumor and normal tissues were analyzed with Limma package in R environment. Univariate Cox regression was performed to find survival-related immune genes in TCGA dataset, and in further random forest algorithm analysis, significantly changed immune genes were used to generate a multivariate Cox model to calculate the corresponding immune-risk score. The model was examined in the other two datasets with recipient operation curve (ROC) and survival analysis. Risk effects of immune-risk score and clinical characteristics of patients were individually evaluated, and significant factors were then used to generate a nomogram. RESULTS There were 52 downregulated and 259 upregulated immune genes between tumor and relatively normal tissues, and the final immune-risk model (based on SPP1, BRD8, NDRG1, KITLG, HSPA4, TRAF3, ITGAV and MAP4K2) can better differentiate patients into high and low immune-risk subpopulations, in which high score patients showed worse outcomes after resection (p < 0.05). The differentially enriched pathways between the two groups were mainly about cell proliferation and cytokine production, and calculated immune-risk score was also highly correlated with immune infiltration levels. The nomogram, constructed with immune-risk score and tumor stages, showed high accuracy and clinical benefits in prediction of 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival, which is useful in clinical practice. CONCLUSION The immune-risk model, based on expression of SPP1, BRD8, NDRG1, KITLG, HSPA4, TRAF3, ITGAV, and MAP4K2, can better differentiate patients into high and low immune-risk groups. Combined nomogram, using immune-risk score and tumor stages, could make accurate prediction of 1-, 3- and 5-year survival in HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Liu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Yue Bei People's Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shaoguan, Guangdong, China
- Medical Research Center, Yue Bei People's Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shaoguan 512025, China
| | - Zheng Chen
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenli Li
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Yue Bei People's Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shaoguan, Guangdong, China
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Novel Thiosemicarbazones Sensitize Pediatric Solid Tumor Cell-Types to Conventional Chemotherapeutics through Multiple Molecular Mechanisms. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12123781. [PMID: 33334021 PMCID: PMC7765366 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Combination of chemotherapeutics for the treatment of childhood cancer can lead to the use of lower cytotoxic drug doses and better therapeutic tolerability (i.e., lower side effects) for patients. We discovered novel molecular targets of two lead thiosemicarbazone agents of the di-2-pyridylketone thiosemicarbazone class. These molecular targets include: cyclooxygenase, the DNA repair protein, O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase, mismatch repair proteins, and topoisomerase 2α. This research also identifies promising synergistic interactions of these thiosemicarbazones particularly with the standard chemotherapeutic, celecoxib. Abstract Combining low-dose chemotherapies is a strategy for designing less toxic and more potent childhood cancer treatments. We examined the effects of combining the novel thiosemicarbazones, di-2-pyridylketone 4-cyclohexyl-4-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (DpC), or its analog, di-2-pyridylketone-4,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Dp44mT), with the standard chemotherapies, celecoxib (CX), etoposide (ETO), or temozolomide (TMZ). These combinations were analyzed for synergism to inhibit proliferation of three pediatric tumor cell-types, namely osteosarcoma (Saos-2), medulloblastoma (Daoy) and neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y). In terms of mechanistic dissection, this study discovered novel thiosemicarbazone targets not previously identified and which are important for considering possible drug combinations. In this case, DpC and Dp44mT caused: (1) up-regulation of a major protein target of CX, namely cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2); (2) down-regulation of the DNA repair protein, O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), which is known to affect TMZ resistance; (3) down-regulation of mismatch repair (MMR) proteins, MSH2 and MSH6, in Daoy and SH-SY5Y cells; and (4) down-regulation in all three cell-types of the MMR repair protein, MLH1, and also topoisomerase 2α (Topo2α), the latter of which is an ETO target. While thiosemicarbazones up-regulate the metastasis suppressor, NDRG1, in adult cancers, it is demonstrated herein for the first time that they induce NDRG1 in all three pediatric tumor cell-types, validating its role as a potential target. In fact, siRNA studies indicated that NDRG1 was responsible for MGMT down-regulation that may prevent TMZ resistance. Examining the effects of combining thiosemicarbazones with CX, ETO, or TMZ, the most promising synergism was obtained using CX. Of interest, a positive relationship was observed between NDRG1 expression of the cell-type and the synergistic activity observed in the combination of thiosemicarbazones and CX. These studies identify novel thiosemicarbazone targets relevant to childhood cancer combination chemotherapy.
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Ruibin J, Bo J, Danying W, Jianguo F, Linhui G. Cardamonin induces G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis through inhibition of NF-κB and mTOR pathways in ovarian cancer. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 12:25730-25743. [PMID: 33234722 PMCID: PMC7803546 DOI: 10.18632/aging.104184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cardamonin, a natural chalcone, is reported to induce apoptosis and inhibit cancer cell growth. However, the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of cardamonin remain to be established. Here, we have focused on cardamonin-induced apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells, both in vitro and in vivo. The effects of cardamonin on cell cycle patterns and apoptotic responses of cells were assessed in this study. Western blot was employed to determine the effects of cardamonin on expression of cell cycle- and apoptosis-related proteins. Our results indicate that cardamonin suppresses cancer cell growth by inducing G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis through targeted inhibition of NF-κB and mTOR pathways. The collective findings provide novel insights into the pathways responsible for the anticancer effects of cardamonin and support its potential utility as a clinical therapeutic agent for ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang Ruibin
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310022, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jin Bo
- College of Life Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wan Danying
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310022, Zhejiang, China
| | - Feng Jianguo
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310022, Zhejiang, China
| | - Gu Linhui
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310022, Zhejiang, China
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30
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Zhang WJ, Hu CG, Luo HL, Zhu ZM. Activation of P2×7 Receptor Promotes the Invasion and Migration of Colon Cancer Cells via the STAT3 Signaling. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:586555. [PMID: 33330466 PMCID: PMC7732635 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.586555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathological mechanism of colon cancer is very complicated. Therefore, exploring the molecular basis of the pathogenesis of colon cancer and finding a new therapeutic target has become an urgent problem to be solved in the treatment of colon cancer. ATP plays an important role in regulating the progression of tumor cells. P2 × 7 belongs to ATP ion channel receptor, which is involved in the progression of tumors. In this study, we explored the effect and molecular mechanism of ATP-mediated P2 × 7 receptor on the migration and metastasis of colon cancer cells. The results showed that ATP and BzATP significantly increased the inward current and intracellular calcium concentration of LOVO and SW480 cells, while the use of antagonists (A438079 and AZD9056) could reverse the above phenomenon. We found that ATP promoted the migration and invasion of LOVO and SW480 cells and is dose-dependent on ATP concentration (100–300 μM). Similarly, BzATP (10, 50, and 100 μM) also significantly promoted the migration and invasion of colon cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner. While P2 × 7 receptor antagonists [A438079 (10 μM), AZD9056 (10 μM)] or P2 × 7 siRNA could significantly inhibit ATP-induced colon cancer cell migration and invasion. Moreover, in vivo experiments showed that ATP-induced activation of P2 × 7 receptor promoted the growth of tumors. Furthermore, P2 × 7 receptor activation down-regulated E-cadherin protein expression and up-regulated MMP-2 mRNA and concentration levels. Knocking down the expression of P2 × 7 receptor could significantly inhibit the increase in the expression of N-cadherin, Vimentin, Zeb1, and Snail induced by ATP. In addition, ATP time-dependently induced the activation of STAT3 via the P2 × 7 receptor, and the STAT3 pathway was required for the ATP-mediated invasion and migration. Our conclusion is that ATP-induced P2 × 7 receptor activation promotes the migration and invasion of colon cancer cells, possibly via the activation of STAT3 pathway. Therefore, the P2 × 7 receptor may be a potential target for the treatment of colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Jun Zhang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Ce-Gui Hu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Hong-Liang Luo
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Zheng-Ming Zhu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
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31
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Song L, Chen X, Mi L, Liu C, Zhu S, Yang T, Luo X, Zhang Q, Lu H, Liang X. Icariin-induced inhibition of SIRT6/NF-κB triggers redox mediated apoptosis and enhances anti-tumor immunity in triple-negative breast cancer. Cancer Sci 2020; 111:4242-4256. [PMID: 32926492 PMCID: PMC7648025 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal activation of the nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB) signaling pathway is closely implicated in triple‐negative breast cancer growth, metastasis, and tumor immune escape. In this study, the anti‐cancer effects of icariin, a natural flavonol glycoside, toward breast cancer cells and the underlying mechanisms were investigated. This investigation showed that icariin selectively inhibited proliferation and triggered apoptosis in breast cancer cells in a concentration‐ and time‐dependent manner, but exhibited little cytotoxicity in normal breast cells. Moreover, icariin induced cell apoptosis via a mitochondria‐mediated pathway, as indicated by the upregulated ratio of Bax/Bcl‐2 and reactive oxygen species induction. Importantly, icariin impaired the activation of the NF‐κB/EMT pathway, as evidenced by upregulation of SIRT6, resulting in inhibition of migration and invasion of breast cancer cells. Additionally, oss‐128167, an inhibitor of SIRT6, dramatically attenuated anti‐migration and anti‐invasion effects of icariin. Transcriptomic analysis verified that impairment of NF‐κB led to the selective function of icariin in breast cancer cells. Notably, icariin exhibited a significant tumor growth inhibition and anti‐pulmonary metastasis effect in a tumor mouse model of MDA‐MB‐231 and 4T1 cells by regulating the tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment. Together, these results showed that icariin could effectively trigger apoptosis and inhibit the migration of breast cancer cells via the SIRT6/NF‐κB signaling pathway, suggesting that icariin might serve as a potential candidate drug for the treatment of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linjiang Song
- School of Medical and Life Sciences/Reproductive & Women-children Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Xian Chen
- Department of Pathology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Ling Mi
- School of Medical and Life Sciences/Reproductive & Women-children Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Chi Liu
- School of Medical and Life Sciences/Reproductive & Women-children Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Shaomi Zhu
- School of Medical and Life Sciences/Reproductive & Women-children Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Tianlin Yang
- Department of Pathology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaohong Luo
- School of Medical and Life Sciences/Reproductive & Women-children Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Qinxiu Zhang
- School of Medical and Life Sciences/Reproductive & Women-children Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.,Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Hua Lu
- Innovative Institute of Liu-minru Female Science Inheritance, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Xin Liang
- School of Medical and Life Sciences/Reproductive & Women-children Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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Park KC, Dharmasivam M, Richardson DR. The Role of Extracellular Proteases in Tumor Progression and the Development of Innovative Metal Ion Chelators that Inhibit their Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E6805. [PMID: 32948029 PMCID: PMC7555822 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The crucial role of extracellular proteases in cancer progression is well-known, especially in relation to the promotion of cell invasion through extracellular matrix remodeling. This also occurs by the ability of extracellular proteases to induce the shedding of transmembrane proteins at the plasma membrane surface or within extracellular vesicles. This process results in the regulation of key signaling pathways by the modulation of kinases, e.g., the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Considering their regulatory roles in cancer, therapeutics targeting various extracellular proteases have been discovered. These include the metal-binding agents di-2-pyridylketone 4,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Dp44mT) and di-2-pyridylketone-4-cyclohexyl-4-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (DpC), which increase c-MET degradation by multiple mechanisms. Both the direct and indirect inhibition of protease expression and activity can be achieved through metal ion depletion. Considering direct mechanisms, chelators can bind zinc(II) that plays a catalytic role in enzyme activity. In terms of indirect mechanisms, Dp44mT and DpC potently suppress the expression of the kallikrein-related peptidase-a prostate-specific antigen-in prostate cancer cells. The mechanism of this activity involves promotion of the degradation of the androgen receptor. Additional suppressive mechanisms of Dp44mT and DpC on matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) relate to their ability to up-regulate the metastasis suppressors N-myc downstream regulated gene-1 (NDRG1) and NDRG2, which down-regulate MMPs that are crucial for cancer cell invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung Chan Park
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, Medical Foundation Building, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia; (K.C.P.); (M.D.)
| | - Mahendiran Dharmasivam
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, Medical Foundation Building, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia; (K.C.P.); (M.D.)
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute of Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane 4111, Australia
| | - Des R. Richardson
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, Medical Foundation Building, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia; (K.C.P.); (M.D.)
- Centre for Cancer Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Griffith Institute of Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane 4111, Australia
- Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
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Liu J, Zhu C, Zhang L, Lu H, Wang Z, Lv J, Fan C. MicroRNA-1469-5p promotes the invasion and proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells via direct regulating the NDRG1/NF-κB/E-cadherin axis. Hum Cell 2020; 33:1176-1185. [PMID: 32757096 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-020-00399-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Numerous studies demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) were highly involved in pancreatic cancer development. However, the functional roles of many miRNAs remain elusive in pancreatic cancer. In the present study, we analyzed previous published microarray data and found that miR-1469-5p was one of top upregulated miRNAs in pancreatic tumors. Our further study showed that miR-1469-5p was highly expressed in collected pancreatic tumors and its upregulation was associated with lymph node metastasis and tumors of advanced TNM stage. Functional analysis with miR-1469-5p inhibitor showed that downregulation of miR-1469-5p repressed pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and invasion. Mechanistically, miR-1469-5p directly interacted with metastasis suppressor NDRG1 mRNA and downregulated expression of NDRG1 to activate NF-κB pathway in pancreatic cancer cells. It was also found that miR-1469-5p decreased expression of E-cadherin, a metastasis related gene repressed by NF-κB pathway, in pancreatic cancer cells. Transfection of NDRG1 small interference RNA (siRNA) attenuated the function of miR-1469-5p inhibitor in pancreatic cancer cells. Moreover, miR-1469-5p expression was negatively associated with NDRG1 and E-cadherin mRNA levels in pancreatic tumors. Taken together, miR-1469-5p may exert its oncogenic potential in pancreatic cancer via regulating a NDRG1/NF-κB/E-cadherin axis, suggesting that it may be clinically valuable as a prognostic biomarker of pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinju Liu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Linyi Cancer Hospital, Linyi, Shandong, China
| | - Chaoyu Zhu
- Department of Abdominal Surgery, Linyi Cancer Hospital, Linyi, Shandong, China
| | - Lingzhi Zhang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Linyi Cancer Hospital, Linyi, Shandong, China
| | - Hongmei Lu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Linyi Cancer Hospital, Linyi, Shandong, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Linyi Cancer Hospital, Linyi, Shandong, China
| | - Jian Lv
- Department of Internal Medicine, Linyi Cancer Hospital, Linyi, Shandong, China
| | - Changru Fan
- Department of Abdominal Surgery, Linyi Cancer Hospital, Linyi, Shandong, China.
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The SNAIL1 promoter contains G-quadruplex structures regulating its gene expression and DNA replication. Exp Cell Res 2020; 394:112158. [PMID: 32610184 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2020.112158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
SNAIL1 is a key regulator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and its expression is associated with tumor progression and poor clinical prognosis of cancer patients. Compared to the studies of SNAIL1 stability and its transcriptional regulation, very limited knowledge is available regarding effective approaches to directly target SNAIL1. In this study, we revealed the potential regulation of SNAIL1 gene expression by G-quadruplex structures in its promoter. We first revealed that the negative strand of the SNAIL1 promoter contained a multi-G-tract region with high potential of forming G-quadruplex structures. In circular dichroism studies, the oligonucleotide based on this region showed characteristic molar ellipticity at specific wavelengths of G-quadruplex structures. We also utilized native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, gel-shift assays, immunofluorescent staining, dimethyl sulfate footprinting and chromatin immunoprecipitation studies to verify the G-quadruplex structures formed by the oligonucleotide. In reporter assays, disruption of G-quadruplex potential increased SNAIL1 promoter-mediated transcription, suggesting that G-quadruplexes played a negative role in SNAIL1 expression. In a DNA synthesis study, we detected G-quadruplex-mediated retardation in the SNAIL1 promoter replication. Consistently, we discovered that the G-quadruplex region of the SNAIL1 promoter is highly enriched for mutations, implicating the clinical relevance of G-quadruplexes to the altered SNAIL1 expression in cancer cells.
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Zhang ZY, Zhang SL, Chen HL, Mao YQ, Li ZM, Kong CY, Han B, Zhang J, Chen YH, Xue W, Zhai W, Wang LS. The up-regulation of NDRG1 by HIF counteracts the cancer-promoting effect of HIF in VHL-deficient clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Cell Prolif 2020; 53:e12853. [PMID: 32537867 PMCID: PMC7377940 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.12853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are thought to play important roles in the carcinogenesis and progression of VHL-deficient clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). METHODS The roles of HIF-1/2α in VHL-deficient clear cell renal cell carcinoma were evaluated by bioinformatics analysis, immunohistochemistry staining and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The downstream genes that counteract the cancer-promoting effect of HIF were analysed by unbiased proteomics and verified by in vitro and in vivo assays. RESULTS There was no correlation between the high protein level of HIF-1/2α and the poor prognosis of ccRCC patients in our large set of clinical data. Furthermore, NDRG1 was found to be up-regulated by both HIF-1α and -2α at the cellular level and in ccRCC tissues. Intriguingly, the high NDRG1 expression was correlated with lower Furman grade, TNM stage and longer survival for ccRCC patients compared with the low NDRG1 expression. In addition, NDRG1 suppressed the expression of series oncogenes as well as the proliferation, metastasis and invasion of VHL-deficient ccRCC cells in vitro and vivo. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrated that HIF downstream gene of NDRG1 may counteract the cancer-promoting effect of HIF. These results provided evidence that NDRG1 may be a potential prognostic biomarker as well as a therapeutic target in ccRCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng-Yan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Whole-Period Monitoring and Precise Intervention of Digestive Cancer (SMHC), Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shi-Long Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Whole-Period Monitoring and Precise Intervention of Digestive Cancer (SMHC), Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui-Ling Chen
- Key Laboratory of Whole-Period Monitoring and Precise Intervention of Digestive Cancer (SMHC), Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu-Qin Mao
- Key Laboratory of Whole-Period Monitoring and Precise Intervention of Digestive Cancer (SMHC), Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhan-Ming Li
- Key Laboratory of Whole-Period Monitoring and Precise Intervention of Digestive Cancer (SMHC), Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chao-Yue Kong
- Key Laboratory of Whole-Period Monitoring and Precise Intervention of Digestive Cancer (SMHC), Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bing Han
- Key Laboratory of Whole-Period Monitoring and Precise Intervention of Digestive Cancer (SMHC), Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- Department of Urology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong-Hui Chen
- Department of Urology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Xue
- Department of Urology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Zhai
- Department of Urology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Li-Shun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Whole-Period Monitoring and Precise Intervention of Digestive Cancer (SMHC), Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Sahni S, Gillson J, Park KC, Chiang S, Leck LYW, Jansson PJ, Richardson DR. NDRG1 suppresses basal and hypoxia-induced autophagy at both the initiation and degradation stages and sensitizes pancreatic cancer cells to lysosomal membrane permeabilization. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2020; 1864:129625. [PMID: 32335136 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2020.129625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND N-myc downstream regulated gene 1 (NDRG1) is an established stress-response protein. This study investigated the effects of NDRG1 on autophagic degradation and how this can be therapeutically exploited. METHODS Cell culture, western analysis, confocal microscopy, acridine orange staining, cholesterol determination, cellular proliferation assessment and combination index (CI) estimation. RESULTS NDRG1 expression suppressed autophagic degradation and autolysosome formation, measured by increased p62 expression and reduced co-localization between the well-characterized, autophagosomal and lysosomal markers, LC3 and LAMP2, respectively. NDRG1 elicited autophagic suppression at the initiation stage of autophagy. The NDRG1-inducer and anti-cancer agent, di-2-pyridylketone 4,4,-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Dp44mT), was able to induce lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP). Over-expression of NDRG1 further sensitized cells to LMP mediated by both Dp44mT, or the redox active Dp44mT‑copper complex. This sensitization may be mediated via a decrease in cholesterol levels upon NDRG1 expression, as cholesterol stabilizes lysosomal membranes. However, the effect of NDRG1 on cholesterol appeared independent of the key energy homeostasis sensor, 5' AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), whose activation was significantly (p < 0.001) reduced by NDRG1. Finally, Dp44mT synergistically potentiated the anti-proliferative activity of Gemcitabine that activates autophagy. In fact, Dp44mT and Gemcitabine (Combination Index (CI): 0.38 ± 0.07) demonstrated higher synergism versus the autophagy inhibitor, Bafilomycin A1 and Gemcitabine (CI: 0.64 ± 0.19). CONCLUSIONS AND GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE Collectively, this study demonstrated a dual-inhibitory mechanism of NDRG1 on autophagic activity, and that NDRG1 expression sensitized cells to Dp44mT-induced LMP. Considering the ability of Dp44mT to inhibit autophagy, studies demonstrated the potential of combination therapy for cancer treatment of Dp44mT with Gemcitabine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Sahni
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, Medical Foundation Building (K25), University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia; Northern Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia; Kolling Institute of Medical Research, St Leonards, NSW, Australia
| | - Josef Gillson
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, Medical Foundation Building (K25), University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia; Northern Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia; Kolling Institute of Medical Research, St Leonards, NSW, Australia
| | - Kyung Chan Park
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, Medical Foundation Building (K25), University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Shannon Chiang
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, Medical Foundation Building (K25), University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Lionel Yi Wen Leck
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, Medical Foundation Building (K25), University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia; Cancer Drug Resistance Program, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Patric J Jansson
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, Medical Foundation Building (K25), University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia; Cancer Drug Resistance Program, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Des R Richardson
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, Medical Foundation Building (K25), University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia; Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan; Centre for Cancer Cell Biology, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
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Brown RAM, Richardson KL, Kabir TD, Trinder D, Ganss R, Leedman PJ. Altered Iron Metabolism and Impact in Cancer Biology, Metastasis, and Immunology. Front Oncol 2020; 10:476. [PMID: 32328462 PMCID: PMC7160331 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Iron is an essential nutrient that plays a complex role in cancer biology. Iron metabolism must be tightly controlled within cells. Whilst fundamental to many cellular processes and required for cell survival, excess labile iron is toxic to cells. Increased iron metabolism is associated with malignant transformation, cancer progression, drug resistance and immune evasion. Depleting intracellular iron stores, either with the use of iron chelating agents or mimicking endogenous regulation mechanisms, such as microRNAs, present attractive therapeutic opportunities, some of which are currently under clinical investigation. Alternatively, iron overload can result in a form of regulated cell death, ferroptosis, which can be activated in cancer cells presenting an alternative anti-cancer strategy. This review focuses on alterations in iron metabolism that enable cancer cells to meet metabolic demands required during different stages of tumorigenesis in relation to metastasis and immune response. The strength of current evidence is considered, gaps in knowledge are highlighted and controversies relating to the role of iron and therapeutic targeting potential are discussed. The key question we address within this review is whether iron modulation represents a useful approach for treating metastatic disease and whether it could be employed in combination with existing targeted drugs and immune-based therapies to enhance their efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rikki A. M. Brown
- Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Perth, WA, Australia
- UWA Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- UWA Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Kirsty L. Richardson
- Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Perth, WA, Australia
- UWA Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Tasnuva D. Kabir
- Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Perth, WA, Australia
- UWA Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Debbie Trinder
- Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Perth, WA, Australia
- UWA Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- UWA Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Ruth Ganss
- Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Perth, WA, Australia
- UWA Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Peter J. Leedman
- Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Perth, WA, Australia
- UWA Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- UWA Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
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Park KC, Geleta B, Leck LYW, Paluncic J, Chiang S, Jansson PJ, Kovacevic Z, Richardson DR. Thiosemicarbazones suppress expression of the c-Met oncogene by mechanisms involving lysosomal degradation and intracellular shedding. J Biol Chem 2019; 295:481-503. [PMID: 31744884 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.011341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Considering the role of proto-oncogene c-Met (c-Met) in oncogenesis, we examined the effects of the metastasis suppressor, N-myc downstream-regulated gene-1 (NDRG1), and two NDRG1-inducing thiosemicarbazone-based agents, Dp44mT and DpC, on c-Met expression in DU145 and Huh7 cells. NDRG1 silencing without Dp44mT and DpC up-regulated c-Met expression, demonstrating that NDRG1 modulates c-Met levels. Dp44mT and DpC up-regulated NDRG1 by an iron-dependent mechanism and decreased c-Met levels, c-Met phosphorylation, and phosphorylation of its downstream effector, GRB2-associated binding protein 1 (GAB1). However, incubation with Dp44mT and DpC after NDRG1 silencing or silencing of the receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, mitogen-inducible gene 6 (MIG6), decreased c-Met and its phosphorylation, suggesting NDRG1- and MIG6-independent mechanism(s). Lysosomal inhibitors rescued the Dp44mT- and DpC-mediated c-Met down-regulation in DU145 cells. Confocal microscopy revealed that lysosomotropic agents and the thiosemicarbazones significantly increased co-localization between c-Met and lysosomal-associated membrane protein 2 (LAMP2). Moreover, generation of c-Met C-terminal fragment (CTF) and its intracellular domain (ICD) suggested metalloprotease-mediated cleavage. In fact, Dp44mT increased c-Met CTF while decreasing the ICD. Dp44mT and a γ-secretase inhibitor increased cellular c-Met CTF levels, suggesting that Dp44mT induces c-Met CTF levels by increasing metalloprotease activity. The broad metalloprotease inhibitors, EDTA and batimastat, partially prevented Dp44mT-mediated down-regulation of c-Met. In contrast, the ADAM inhibitor, TIMP metallopeptidase inhibitor 3 (TIMP-3), had no such effect, suggesting c-Met cleavage by another metalloprotease. Notably, Dp44mT did not induce extracellular c-Met shedding that could decrease c-Met levels. In summary, the thiosemicarbazones Dp44mT and DpC effectively inhibit oncogenic c-Met through lysosomal degradation and metalloprotease-mediated cleavage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung Chan Park
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Bekesho Geleta
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Lionel Yi Wen Leck
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Jasmina Paluncic
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Shannon Chiang
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Patric J Jansson
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Zaklina Kovacevic
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia.
| | - Des R Richardson
- Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia; Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
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Uncoupling Traditional Functionalities of Metastasis: The Parting of Ways with Real-Time Assays. J Clin Med 2019; 8:jcm8070941. [PMID: 31261795 PMCID: PMC6678138 DOI: 10.3390/jcm8070941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The experimental evaluation of metastasis overly focuses on the gain of migratory and invasive properties, while disregarding the contributions of cellular plasticity, extra-cellular matrix heterogeneity, niche interactions, and tissue architecture. Traditional cell-based assays often restrict the inclusion of these processes and warrant the implementation of approaches that provide an enhanced spatiotemporal resolution of the metastatic cascade. Time lapse imaging represents such an underutilized approach in cancer biology, especially in the context of disease progression. The inclusion of time lapse microscopy and microfluidic devices in routine assays has recently discerned several nuances of the metastatic cascade. Our review emphasizes that a complete comprehension of metastasis in view of evolving ideologies necessitates (i) the use of appropriate, context-specific assays and understanding their inherent limitations; (ii) cautious derivation of inferences to avoid erroneous/overestimated clinical extrapolations; (iii) corroboration between multiple assay outputs to gauge metastatic potential; and (iv) the development of protocols with improved in situ implications. We further believe that the adoption of improved quantitative approaches in these assays can generate predictive algorithms that may expedite therapeutic strategies targeting metastasis via the development of disease relevant model systems. Such approaches could potentiate the restructuring of the cancer metastasis paradigm through an emphasis on the development of next-generation real-time assays.
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Solan JL, Márquez-Rosado L, Lampe PD. Cx43 phosphorylation-mediated effects on ERK and Akt protect against ischemia reperfusion injury and alter the stability of the stress-inducible protein NDRG1. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:11762-11771. [PMID: 31189653 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.009162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 06/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Gap junctions contain intercellular channels that enable intercellular communication of small molecules while also serving as a signaling scaffold. Connexins, the proteins that form gap junctions in vertebrates, are highly regulated and typically have short (<2 h) half-lives. Connexin43 (Cx43), the predominate connexin in the myocardium and epithelial tissues, is phosphorylated on more than a dozen serine residues and interacts with a variety of protein kinases. These interactions regulate Cx43 and gap junction formation and stability. Casein kinase 1 (CK1)-mediated phosphorylation of Cx43 promotes gap junction assembly. Using murine knock-in technology and quantitative PCR, immunoblotting, and immunoprecipitation assays, we show here that mutation of the CK1 phosphorylation sites in Cx43 reduces the levels of total Cx43 in the myocardium and increases Cx43 phosphorylation on sites phosphorylated by extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). In aged myocardium, we found that, compared with WT Cx43, mutant Cx43 expression increases ERK activation, phosphorylation of Akt substrates, and protection from ischemia-induced injury. Our findings also uncovered that Cx43 interacts with the hypoxia-inducible protein N-Myc downstream-regulated gene 1 protein (NDRG1) and that Cx43 phosphorylation status controls this interaction and dramatically affects NDRG1 stability. We propose that, in addition to altering gap junction stability, Cx43 phosphorylation directly and dynamically regulates cellular signaling through ERK and Akt in response to ischemic injury. We conclude that gap junction-dependent NDRG1 regulation might explain some cellular responses to hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joell L Solan
- Translational Research Program, Public Health Sciences and Human Biology Divisions, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington 98109
| | - Lucrecia Márquez-Rosado
- Translational Research Program, Public Health Sciences and Human Biology Divisions, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington 98109
| | - Paul D Lampe
- Translational Research Program, Public Health Sciences and Human Biology Divisions, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington 98109
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Menezes SV, Kovacevic Z, Richardson DR. The metastasis suppressor NDRG1 down-regulates the epidermal growth factor receptor via a lysosomal mechanism by up-regulating mitogen-inducible gene 6. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:4045-4064. [PMID: 30679310 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.006279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The metastasis suppressor, N-Myc downstream-regulated gene-1 (NDRG1) inhibits a plethora of oncogenic signaling pathways by down-regulating the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Herein, we examined the mechanism involved in NDRG1-mediated EGFR down-regulation. NDRG1 overexpression potently increased the levels of mitogen-inducible gene 6 (MIG6), which inhibits EGFR and facilitates its lysosomal processing and degradation. Conversely, silencing NDRG1 in multiple human cancer cell types decreased MIG6 expression, demonstrating the regulatory role of NDRG1. Further, NDRG1 overexpression facilitated MIG6-EGFR association in the cytoplasm, possibly explaining the significantly (p <0.001) increased half-life of MIG6 from 1.6 ± 0.2 h under control conditions to 7.9 ± 0.4 h after NDRG1 overexpression. The increased MIG6 levels enhanced EGFR co-localization with the late endosome/lysosomal marker, lysosomal-associated membrane protein 2 (LAMP2). An increase in EGFR levels after MIG6 silencing was particularly apparent when NDRG1 was overexpressed, suggesting a role for MIG6 in NDRG1-mediated down-regulation of EGFR. Silencing phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), which facilitates early to late endosome maturation, decreased MIG6, and also increased EGFR levels in both the presence and absence of NDRG1 overexpression. These results suggest a role for PTEN in regulating MIG6 expression. Anti-tumor drugs of the di-2-pyridylketone thiosemicarbazone class that activate NDRG1 expression also potently increased MIG6 and induced its cytosolic co-localization with NDRG1. This was accompanied by a decrease in activated and total EGFR levels and its redistribution to late endosomes/lysosomes. In conclusion, NDRG1 promotes EGFR down-regulation through the EGFR inhibitor MIG6, which leads to late endosomal/lysosomal processing of EGFR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharleen V Menezes
- From the Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, Medical Foundation Building (K25), University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006 Australia
| | - Zaklina Kovacevic
- From the Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, Medical Foundation Building (K25), University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006 Australia
| | - Des R Richardson
- From the Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, Medical Foundation Building (K25), University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006 Australia
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