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De M, Serpa G, Zuiker E, Hisert KB, Liles WC, Manicone AM, Hemann EA, Long ME. MEK1/2 inhibition decreases pro-inflammatory responses in macrophages from people with cystic fibrosis and mitigates severity of illness in experimental murine methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1275940. [PMID: 38352056 PMCID: PMC10861668 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1275940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic pulmonary bacterial infections and associated inflammation remain a cause of morbidity and mortality in people with cystic fibrosis (PwCF) despite new modulator therapies. Therapies targeting host factors that dampen detrimental inflammation without suppressing immune responses critical for controlling infections remain limited, while the development of lung infections caused by antimicrobial resistant bacteria is an increasing global problem, and a significant challenge in CF. Pharmacological compounds targeting the mammalian MAPK proteins MEK1 and MEK2, referred to as MEK1/2 inhibitor compounds, have potential combined anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory effects. Here we examined the immunomodulatory properties of MEK1/2 inhibitor compounds PD0325901, trametinib, and CI-1040 on CF innate immune cells. Human CF macrophage and neutrophil phagocytic functions were assessed by quantifying phagocytosis of serum opsonized pHrodo red E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and zymosan bioparticles. MEK1/2 inhibitor compounds reduced CF macrophage pro-inflammatory cytokine production without impairing CF macrophage or neutrophil phagocytic abilities. Wild-type C57BL6/J and Cftr tm1kth (F508del homozygous) mice were used to evaluate the in vivo therapeutic potential of PD0325901 compared to vehicle treatment in an intranasal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection with the community-acquired MRSA strain USA300. In both wild-type and CF mice, PD0325901 reduced inflammation associated body mass loss. Wild-type mice treated with PD0325901 had significant reduction in neutrophil-mediated inflammation compared to vehicle treatment groups, with preserved clearance of bacteria in lung, liver, or spleen 1 day after infection in either wild-type or CF mouse models. In summary, this study provides the first data evaluating the therapeutic potential of MEK1/2 inhibitor to modulate CF immune cells and demonstrates that MEK1/2 inhibitors diminish pro-inflammatory responses without impairing host defense mechanisms required for acute pathogen clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mithu De
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Gregory Serpa
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Eryn Zuiker
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | | | - W. Conrad Liles
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Center for Lung Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Anne M. Manicone
- Center for Lung Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Emily A. Hemann
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Matthew E. Long
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
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Jones VT, Graves-Deal R, Cao Z, Bogatcheva G, Ramirez MA, Harmych SJ, Higginbotham JN, Sharma V, Damalanka VC, Wahoski CC, Joshi N, Irudayam MJ, Roland JT, Ayers GD, Liu Q, Coffey RJ, Janetka JW, Singh B. Inhibition of autocrine HGF maturation overcomes cetuximab resistance in colorectal cancer. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:28. [PMID: 38212428 PMCID: PMC10784391 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-05071-5] [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: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Although amplifications and mutations in receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) act as bona fide oncogenes, in most cancers, RTKs maintain moderate expression and remain wild-type. Consequently, cognate ligands control many facets of tumorigenesis, including resistance to anti-RTK therapies. Herein, we show that the ligands for the RTKs MET and RON, HGF and HGFL, respectively, are synthesized as inactive precursors that are activated by cellular proteases. Our newly generated HGF/HGFL protease inhibitors could overcome both de novo and acquired cetuximab resistance in colorectal cancer (CRC). Conversely, HGF overexpression was necessary and sufficient to induce cetuximab resistance and loss of polarity. Moreover, HGF-induced cetuximab resistance could be overcome by the downstream MET inhibitor, crizotinib, and upstream protease inhibitors. Additionally, HAI-1, an endogenous inhibitor of HGF proteases, (i) was downregulated in CRC, (ii) exhibited increased genomic methylation that correlated with poor prognosis, (iii) HAI-1 expression correlated with cetuximab response in a panel of cancer cell lines, and (iv) exogenous addition of recombinant HAI-1 overcame cetuximab resistance in CC-HGF cells. Thus, we describe a targetable, autocrine HAI-1/Protease/HGF/MET axis in cetuximab resistance in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian Truong Jones
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 10465J, MRB IV, 2213 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN, 37232-0441, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Ramona Graves-Deal
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 10465J, MRB IV, 2213 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN, 37232-0441, USA
| | - Zheng Cao
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 10465J, MRB IV, 2213 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN, 37232-0441, USA
| | - Galina Bogatcheva
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 10465J, MRB IV, 2213 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN, 37232-0441, USA
| | - Marisol A Ramirez
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Sarah J Harmych
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 10465J, MRB IV, 2213 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN, 37232-0441, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - James N Higginbotham
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 10465J, MRB IV, 2213 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN, 37232-0441, USA
| | - Vineeta Sharma
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 10465J, MRB IV, 2213 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN, 37232-0441, USA
| | - Vishnu C Damalanka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Claudia C Wahoski
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 10465J, MRB IV, 2213 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN, 37232-0441, USA
- Program in Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Neeraj Joshi
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 10465J, MRB IV, 2213 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN, 37232-0441, USA
| | - Maria Johnson Irudayam
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 10465J, MRB IV, 2213 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN, 37232-0441, USA
| | - Joseph T Roland
- Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Gregory D Ayers
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Qi Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Robert J Coffey
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 10465J, MRB IV, 2213 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN, 37232-0441, USA
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - James W Janetka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Bhuminder Singh
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 10465J, MRB IV, 2213 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN, 37232-0441, USA.
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
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Qaria MA, Xu C, Hu R, Alsubki RA, Ali MY, Sivasamy S, Attia KA, Zhu D. Ectoine Globally Hypomethylates DNA in Skin Cells and Suppresses Cancer Proliferation. Mar Drugs 2023; 21:621. [PMID: 38132942 PMCID: PMC10744768 DOI: 10.3390/md21120621] [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: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications, mainly aberrant DNA methylation, have been shown to silence the expression of genes involved in epigenetic diseases, including cancer suppression genes. Almost all conventional cancer therapeutic agents, such as the DNA hypomethylation drug 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine, have insurmountable side effects. To investigate the role of the well-known DNA protectant (ectoine) in skin cell DNA methylation and cancer cell proliferation, comprehensive methylome sequence analysis, 5-methyl cytosine (5mC) analysis, proliferation and tumorigenicity assays, and DNA epigenetic modifications-related gene analysis were performed. The results showed that extended ectoine treatment globally hypomethylated DNA in skin cells, especially in the CpG island (CGIs) element, and 5mC percentage was significantly reduced. Moreover, ectoine mildly inhibited skin cell proliferation and did not induce tumorigenicity in HaCaT cells injected into athymic nude mice. HaCaT cells treated with ectoine for 24 weeks modulated the mRNA expression levels of Dnmt1, Dnmt3a, Dnmt3b, Dnmt3l, Hdac1, Hdac2, Kdm3a, Mettl3, Mettl14, Snrpn, and Mest. Overall, ectoine mildly demethylates DNA in skin cells, modulates the expression of epigenetic modification-related genes, and reduces cell proliferation. This evidence suggests that ectoine is a potential anti-aging agent that prevents DNA hypermethylation and subsequently activates cancer-suppressing genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majjid A. Qaria
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; (M.A.Q.); (C.X.); (M.Y.A.); (S.S.)
| | - Chunyan Xu
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; (M.A.Q.); (C.X.); (M.Y.A.); (S.S.)
| | - Ran Hu
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China;
| | - Roua A. Alsubki
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Mohamed Yassin Ali
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; (M.A.Q.); (C.X.); (M.Y.A.); (S.S.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum University, Fayoum 63514, Egypt
| | - Sethupathy Sivasamy
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; (M.A.Q.); (C.X.); (M.Y.A.); (S.S.)
| | - Kotb A. Attia
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Daochen Zhu
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; (M.A.Q.); (C.X.); (M.Y.A.); (S.S.)
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