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Mortezagholi S, Maghsood F, Shojaeian S, Shokri F, Amiri MM, Ghorbani A, Shabani M, Zarnani AH. Production and characterization of a panel of anti-mouse placenta-specific protein 1 (plac1) monoclonal antibodies. Anal Biochem 2024; 696:115682. [PMID: 39332465 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2024.115682] [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: 06/03/2024] [Revised: 09/02/2024] [Accepted: 09/24/2024] [Indexed: 09/29/2024]
Abstract
Placenta-Specific Protein 1 (PLAC1) is essential for normal placental and embryonic development. It is widely expressed in various types of cancer cells. We produced a panel of anti-mouse plac1 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with different applications. Two recombinant proteins were produced containing either the extracellular domain (ED) plus tetanus toxin P2, P30, pan-DR epitope (PADRE), and KDEL3 (main plac1) or ED plus KDEL3 (control plac1). Recombinant proteins were used for immunization and screening. Positive clones were selected by ELISA and flow cytometry. Purified mAbs were tested by ELISA, WB, flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and immunofluorescent (IF). A combination of bioinformatics tools was used to predict the target epitope(s) of the mAbs. Eight anti-mouse plac1 mAbs (all IgG1/κ1) were generated, all reacting with high affinity in ELISA. Seven clones recognized plac1 in both reduced and non-reduced Western blots, while one only recognized the non-reduced form. Cross-inhibition ELISA revealed that all mAbs recognized overlapping epitopes with a shared motif except for 5C9. Four clones reacted with the native antigen in flow cytometry, but none were functional in IF or IHC staining. The produced multifunctional mAbs can be used to investigate different aspects of PLAC1 biology in reproduction and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Mortezagholi
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Faezeh Maghsood
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sorour Shojaeian
- Department of Biochemistry, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
| | - Fazel Shokri
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Mehdi Amiri
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ahmad Ghorbani
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahdi Shabani
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Amir-Hassan Zarnani
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
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Farhangnia P, Ghods R, Falak R, Zarnani AH, Delbandi AA. Identification of placenta-specific protein 1 (PLAC-1) expression on human PC-3 cell line-derived prostate cancer stem cells compared to the tumor parental cells. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:251. [PMID: 38943028 PMCID: PMC11213845 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-01121-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Placenta-specific protein 1 (PLAC-1) is a gene primarily expressed in the placenta and the testis. Interestingly, it is also found to be expressed in many solid tumors, and it is involved in malignant cell features. However, no evidence has been reported regarding the relationship between PLAC-1 and cancer stem cells (CSCs). In the current research, we explored the expression of the PLAC-1 molecule in prostate cancer stem cells (PCSCs) derived from the human PC-3 cell line. The enrichment of PCSCs was achieved using a three-dimensional cell culture technique known as the sphere-formation assay. To confirm the identity of PCSCs, we examined the expression of genes associated with stemness and pluripotency, such as SOX2, OCT4, Nanog, C-Myc, and KLF-4, as well as stem cell differentiation molecules like CD44 and CD133. These evaluations were conducted in both the PCSCs and the original tumor cells (parental cells) using real-time PCR and flow cytometry. Subsequently, we assessed the expression of the PLAC-1 molecule in both enriched cells and parental tumor cells at the gene and protein levels using the same techniques. The tumor cells from the PC-3 cell line formed spheroids with CSC characteristics in a non-adherent medium. The expression of SOX2, OCT4, Nanog, and C-Myc genes (p < 0.01), and the molecules CD44 and CD133 (p < 0.05) were significantly elevated in PCSCs compared to the parental cells. The expression of the PLAC-1 molecule in PCSCs showed a significant increase compared to the parental cells at both gene (p < 0.01) and protein (p < 0.001) levels. In conclusion, it was indicated for the first time that PLAC-1 is up-regulated in PCSCs derived from human PC-3 cell line. This study may propose PLAC-1 as a potential target in targeted therapies, which should be confirmed through further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooya Farhangnia
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Roya Ghods
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Falak
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir-Hassan Zarnani
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali-Akbar Delbandi
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Reproductive Sciences and Technology Research Center, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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3
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Devor EJ, Santillan DA, Warrier A, Scroggins SM, Santillan MK. Placenta-specific protein 1 (PLAC1) expression is significantly down-regulated in preeclampsia via a hypoxia-mediated mechanism. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2022; 35:8419-8425. [PMID: 34565269 PMCID: PMC8959068 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2021.1977792] [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: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Examine a mechanism of PLAC1 regulation and its potential role in preeclampsia (PE). MATERIALS AND METHODS Placental tissue samples and detailed clinical information were obtained through the University of Iowa Maternal Fetal Tissue Bank (IRB# 200910784) from gestational and maternal age-matched control (n = 17) and PE affected pregnancies (n = 12). PLAC1 and PLAC1 promoter-specific expression was measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and differences were assessed via the standard ΔΔCt method. In addition, the role of hypoxia in PLAC1 transcription was investigated through the exposure of HTR8/SVneo human trophoblast cells to the hypoxia mimic dimethyloxaloylglycine (DMOG). RESULTS PLAC1 expression is seen to be 8.9-fold lower in human placentas affected by preeclampsia in comparison with controls (p < .05). Further, this decrease is paralleled by a significantly lower expression of the P2 or proximal PLAC1 promoter (p < .05). Expression of mediator complex subunit 1 (MED1), a known hypoxia-sensitive transcription coactivator and PLAC1 effector, is significantly correlated with PLAC 1 expression (r2 = 0.607, p < .001). These data suggest that PLAC1 expression is significantly down-regulated in preeclampsia at least in part via a MED1 hypoxia-mediated mechanism. CONCLUSIONS We confirm that PLAC1 transcription is suppressed in the placentae of women affected by preeclampsia. We further demonstrate that this suppression is driven through the P2 or proximal PLAC1 promoter. This demonstration led to the identification of the MED1-TRAP cofactor complex as the hypoxia-sensitive driver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J. Devor
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Donna A. Santillan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Akshaya Warrier
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Sabrina M. Scroggins
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Mark K. Santillan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
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Devor EJ, Schickling BM, Lapierre JR, Bender DP, Gonzalez-Bosquet J, Leslie KK. The Synthetic Curcumin Analog HO-3867 Rescues Suppression of PLAC1 Expression in Ovarian Cancer Cells. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14090942. [PMID: 34577642 PMCID: PMC8465575 DOI: 10.3390/ph14090942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Elevated expression of placenta-specific protein 1 (PLAC1) is associated with the increased proliferation and invasiveness of a variety of human cancers, including ovarian cancer. Recent studies have shown that the tumor suppressor p53 directly suppresses PLAC1 transcription. However, mutations in p53 lead to the loss of PLAC1 transcriptional suppression. Small molecules that structurally convert mutant p53 proteins to wild-type conformations are emerging. Our objective was to determine whether the restoration of the wild-type function of mutated p53 could rescue PLAC1 transcriptional suppression in tumors harboring certain TP53 mutations. Ovarian cancer cells OVCAR3 and ES-2, both harboring TP53 missense mutations, were treated with the p53 reactivator HO-3867. Treatment with HO-3867 successfully rescued PLAC1 transcriptional suppression. In addition, cell proliferation was inhibited and cell death through apoptosis was increased in both cell lines. We conclude that the use of HO-3867 as an adjuvant to conventional therapeutics in ovarian cancers harboring TP53 missense mutations could improve patient outcomes. Validation of this conclusion must, however, come from an appropriately designed clinical trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J. Devor
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; (B.M.S.); (J.R.L.); (D.P.B.); (J.G.-B.); (K.K.L.)
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Brandon M. Schickling
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; (B.M.S.); (J.R.L.); (D.P.B.); (J.G.-B.); (K.K.L.)
| | - Jace R. Lapierre
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; (B.M.S.); (J.R.L.); (D.P.B.); (J.G.-B.); (K.K.L.)
| | - David P. Bender
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; (B.M.S.); (J.R.L.); (D.P.B.); (J.G.-B.); (K.K.L.)
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Jesus Gonzalez-Bosquet
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; (B.M.S.); (J.R.L.); (D.P.B.); (J.G.-B.); (K.K.L.)
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Kimberly K. Leslie
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; (B.M.S.); (J.R.L.); (D.P.B.); (J.G.-B.); (K.K.L.)
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
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5
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Chen R, Sheng C, Ma R, Zhang L, Yang L, Chen Y. PLAC1 is an independent predictor of poor survival, and promotes cell proliferation and invasion in cervical cancer. Mol Med Rep 2021; 24:800. [PMID: 34523695 PMCID: PMC8456314 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2021.12440] [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: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Placenta-specific protein 1 (PLAC1) is inversely associated with survival in several types of cancer. However, whether PLAC1 is involved in the progression of cervical cancer (CC) remains to be elucidated. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the prognostic role of PLAC1 in CC by determining the relationship between clinicopathological factors, PLAC1 gene expression and survival prognosis using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression analyses. Similarly, Kaplan-Meier curves were evaluated with the log-rank test. Subsequently, gene set enrichment analysis was performed to compare the high- and low-PLAC1 expression phenotypes. Functional studies were further conducted in PLAC1-overexpressing HeLa cells and PLAC1-silenced MS751 cells, and western blotting was performed to determine whether PLAC1 promoted CC progression via epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The findings demonstrated that high expression of PLAC1 was associated with American Joint Committee on Cancer metastasis pathological score and suggested a poor overall survival. ‘mTOR complex 1 signaling’, ‘interferon α response’ and ‘hypoxia’ were differentially enriched in the high-PLAC1 phenotype. Furthermore, PLAC1 promoted the invasion of CC cells in vitro. E-cadherin expression was decreased in the PLAC1-overexpressing cells, accompanied by increased expression of the mesenchymal markers, Vimentin, MMP2 and Slug, and the opposite effects were observed in PLAC1-silenced cells. Taken together, the present results indicated that high expression of PLAC1 was associated with poor survival and PLAC1 promoted metastasis via EMT in CC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rujun Chen
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200240, P.R. China
| | - Chan Sheng
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200240, P.R. China
| | - Ruyue Ma
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200240, P.R. China
| | - Liwen Zhang
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200240, P.R. China
| | - Lina Yang
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200240, P.R. China
| | - Yaping Chen
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200240, P.R. China
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6
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Liu D, Shi K, Fu M, Chen F. Placenta-specific protein 1 promotes cell proliferation via the AKT/GSK-3β/cyclin D1 signaling pathway in gastric cancer. IUBMB Life 2021; 73:1131-1141. [PMID: 34110086 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Gastric cancer is a malignant tumor with a poor prognosis. Therefore, it is important to search for molecules that play a vital role in the development, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease. Placenta-specific 1 (PLAC1) is one of the cancer-testis antigens; it plays an important role in both placental development and tumorigenesis. However, the role of PLAC1 in gastric cancer has not been fully investigated, and its underlying mechanism needs further study. We first explored the expression and clinical relevance of PLAC1 in gastric cancer and performed gene set enrichment analysis of PLAC1-related genes using online databases. Subsequently, we studied the function and mechanism of PLAC1 in gastric cancer cells through in vitro experiments. Our results showed that PLAC1 is highly expressed in gastric cancer, is associated with poor prognosis, and can promote gastric cancer cell proliferation through the AKT/GSK-3β/cyclin D1 signaling pathway. Moreover, we discovered that AKTi attenuates the effect of PLAC1. Our study further revealed the role and mechanism of PLAC1 in gastric cancer and suggested that this antigen might be a useful molecular marker for gastric cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongyang Liu
- Division of General Surgery, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Ke Shi
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Mingshi Fu
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Feng Chen
- Division of General Surgery, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, PR China
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7
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Hayashi R, Nagato T, Kumai T, Ohara K, Ohara M, Ohkuri T, Hirata-Nozaki Y, Harabuchi S, Kosaka A, Nagata M, Yajima Y, Yasuda S, Oikawa K, Kono M, Kishibe K, Takahara M, Katada A, Hayashi T, Celis E, Harabuchi Y, Kobayashi H. Expression of placenta-specific 1 and its potential for eliciting anti-tumor helper T-cell responses in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Oncoimmunology 2020; 10:1856545. [PMID: 33457076 PMCID: PMC7781841 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2020.1856545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Placenta-specific 1 (PLAC1) is expressed primarily in placental trophoblasts but not in normal tissues and is a targetable candidate for cancer immunotherapy because it is a cancer testis antigen known to be up-regulated in various tumors. Although peptide epitopes capable of stimulating CD8 T cells have been previously described, there have been no reports of PLAC1 CD4 helper T lymphocyte (HTL) epitopes and the expression of this antigen in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Here, we show that PLAC1 is highly expressed in 74.5% of oropharyngeal and 51.9% of oral cavity tumors from HNSCC patients and in several HNSCC established cell lines. We also identified an HTL peptide epitope (PLAC131-50) capable of eliciting effective antigen-specific and tumor-reactive T cell responses. Notably, this peptide behaves as a promiscuous epitope capable of stimulating T cells in the context of more than one human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR allele and induces PLAC1-specific CD4 T cells that kill PLAC1-positive HNSCC cell lines in an HLA-DR-restricted manner. Furthermore, T-cells reactive to PLAC131-50 peptide were detected in the peripheral blood of HNSCC patients. These findings suggest that PLAC1 represents a potential target antigen for HTL based immunotherapy in HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryusuke Hayashi
- Department of Pathology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan.,Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Toshihiro Nagato
- Department of Pathology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Takumi Kumai
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan.,Department of Innovative Research for Diagnosis and Treatment of Head and Neck Cancer, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Kenzo Ohara
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Mizuho Ohara
- Department of Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Takayuki Ohkuri
- Department of Pathology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Yui Hirata-Nozaki
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Shohei Harabuchi
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Akemi Kosaka
- Department of Pathology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Marino Nagata
- Department of Pathology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Yuki Yajima
- Department of Pathology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan.,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Syunsuke Yasuda
- Department of Pathology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan.,Respiratory and Breast Center, Asahikawa Medical University Hospital, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Kensuke Oikawa
- Department of Pathology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Michihisa Kono
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Kan Kishibe
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Miki Takahara
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Akihiro Katada
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Hayashi
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan.,Department of Innovative Research for Diagnosis and Treatment of Head and Neck Cancer, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Esteban Celis
- Cancer Immunology, Inflammation and Tolerance Program, Augusta University, Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Yasuaki Harabuchi
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Hiroya Kobayashi
- Department of Pathology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
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8
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Roldán DB, Grimmler M, Hartmann C, Hubich-Rau S, Beißert T, Paret C, Cagna G, Rohde C, Wöll S, Koslowski M, Türeci Ö, Sahin U. PLAC1 is essential for FGF7/FGFRIIIb-induced Akt-mediated cancer cell proliferation. Oncotarget 2020; 11:1862-1875. [PMID: 32499871 PMCID: PMC7244013 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27582] [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: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
PLAC1 (placenta enriched 1) is a mammalian trophoblast-specific protein. Aberrant expression of PLAC1 is observed in various human cancers, where it is involved in the motility, migration, and invasion of tumor cells, which are associated with the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway. We previously demonstrated that AKT activation mediates the downstream effects of PLAC1; however, the molecular mechanisms of PLAC1-induced AKT-mediated tumor-related processes are unclear. We studied human choriocarcinoma and breast cancer cell lines to explore the localization and receptor-ligand interactions, as well as the downstream effects of PLAC1. We show secretion and adherence of PLAC1 to the extracellular matrix, where it forms a trimeric complex with fibroblast growth factor 7 (FGF7) and its receptor, FGF receptor 2 IIIb (FGFR2IIIb). We further show that PLAC1 signaling via FGFR2IIIb activates AKT phosphorylation in cancer cell lines. As the FGF pathway is of major interest in anticancer therapeutic strategies, these data further promote PLAC1 as a promising anticancer drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Barea Roldán
- TRON–Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Matthias Grimmler
- Formerly of TRON–Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Current address: DiaSys Diagnostic Systems GmbH, Holzheim, Germany
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Christoph Hartmann
- Formerly of TRON–Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Current address: Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Stefanie Hubich-Rau
- TRON–Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Tim Beißert
- TRON–Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Claudia Paret
- Formerly of TRON–Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Giuseppe Cagna
- Formerly of Ganymed Pharmaceuticals AG, Mainz, Germany
- Current address: Lonza Pharma & Biotech, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christoph Rohde
- Formerly of Ganymed Pharmaceuticals AG, Mainz, Germany
- Current address: Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Wöll
- Formerly of Ganymed Pharmaceuticals AG, Mainz, Germany
- Biopharmaceutical New Technologies (BioNTech) Corporation, Mainz, Germany
| | - Michael Koslowski
- Formerly of TRON–Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Formerly of Ganymed Pharmaceuticals AG, Mainz, Germany
- Formerly of University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Current address: GammaDelta Therapeutics, London, United Kingdom
| | - Özlem Türeci
- Formerly of TRON–Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Formerly of Ganymed Pharmaceuticals AG, Mainz, Germany
- Biopharmaceutical New Technologies (BioNTech) Corporation, Mainz, Germany
- Ci3 Cluster for Individualized Immune Intervention, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ugur Sahin
- TRON–Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Biopharmaceutical New Technologies (BioNTech) Corporation, Mainz, Germany
- University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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9
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Mahmoudian J, Nazari M, Ghods R, Jeddi-Tehrani M, Ostad SN, Ghahremani MH, Vafaei S, Amiri MM, Zarnani AH. Expression of Human Placenta-specific 1 (PLAC1) in CHO-K1 Cells. Avicenna J Med Biotechnol 2020; 12:24-31. [PMID: 32153735 PMCID: PMC7035464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Placenta-specific 1 (PLAC1), as a new Cancer/Testis Antigen (CTA), is frequently expressed in a variety of cancers and localized to cytoplasm and plasma membrane. Surface expression of cancer target antigens is of great importance that enables antibody-mediated cancer immunotherapy. The aim of the current study was to express the intact human PLAC1 protein on plasma membrane of a eukaryotic cell as a model for future anti-PLAC1-based cancer immunotherapy. METHODS In the first approach, entire human PLAC1 gene including its own Signal Peptide (SP) was cloned into pIRES2-EGFP and LeGO-iG2 vectors and expressed in CHO-K1 cells. In the second approach, cytosolic and Signal-Anchor (SA) sequence of Transferrin Receptor Protein 1 (TFR1) were fused to extracellular portion of PLAC1 and expressed as above. Expression of PLAC1 was then assessed using Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), Western Blot (WB), Immunocytochemistry (ICC), Immunofluorescence (IF) and Flow Cytometry (FC). RESULTS The first approach resulted in the expression of PLAC1 in submembranous but not in the surface of transfected CHO-K1 cells. Using the chimeric human PLAC1 construct, the same intracellular expression pattern was observed. CONCLUSION These results indicated that there are some yet unknown PLAC1 localization signals employed by cancer cells for surface expression of PLAC1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jafar Mahmoudian
- Nanotechnology Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran, Monoclonal Antibody Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute (ACECR), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahboobeh Nazari
- Monoclonal Antibody Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute (ACECR), Tehran, Iran,Corresponding authors: Amir-Hassan Zarnani, Ph.D., Reproductive Immunology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran, Mahboobeh Nazari, Ph.D., Monoclonal Antibody Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran, Tel: +98 21 22432020, Fax: +98 21 22432021, E-mail: ;, ,
| | - Roya Ghods
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran, Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahmood Jeddi-Tehrani
- Monoclonal Antibody Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute (ACECR), Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Nasser Ostad
- Nanotechnology Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran, Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hossein Ghahremani
- Nanotechnology Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran, Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sedigheh Vafaei
- Reproductive Immunology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, (ACECR), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Mehdi Amiri
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir-Hassan Zarnani
- Reproductive Immunology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, (ACECR), Tehran, Iran, Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran, Immunology Research Center (IRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran,Corresponding authors: Amir-Hassan Zarnani, Ph.D., Reproductive Immunology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran, Mahboobeh Nazari, Ph.D., Monoclonal Antibody Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran, Tel: +98 21 22432020, Fax: +98 21 22432021, E-mail: ;, ,
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Mahmoudian J, Ghods R, Nazari M, Jeddi-Tehrani M, Ghahremani MH, Ghaffari-Tabrizi-Wizsy N, Ostad SN, Zarnani AH. PLAC1: biology and potential application in cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2019; 68:1039-1058. [PMID: 31165204 PMCID: PMC11028298 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-019-02350-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of immunotherapy has revolutionized medical oncology with unprecedented advances in cancer treatment over the past two decades. However, a major obstacle in cancer immunotherapy is identifying appropriate tumor-specific antigens to make targeted therapy achievable with fewer normal cells being impaired. The similarity between placentation and tumor development and growth has inspired many investigators to discover antigens for effective immunotherapy of cancers. Placenta-specific 1 (PLAC1) is one of the recently discovered placental antigens with limited normal tissue expression and fundamental roles in placental function and development. There is a growing body of evidence showing that PLAC1 is frequently activated in a wide variety of cancer types and promotes cancer progression. Based on the restricted expression of PLAC1 in testis, placenta and a wide variety of cancers, we have designated this molecule with new terminology, cancer-testis-placenta (CTP) antigen, a feature that PLAC1 shares with many other cancer testis antigens. Recent reports from our lab provide compelling evidence on the preferential expression of PLAC1 in prostate cancer and its potential utility in prostate cancer immunotherapy. PLAC1 may be regarded as a potential CTP antigen for targeted cancer immunotherapy based on the available data on its promoting function in cancer development and also its expression in cancers of different histological origin. In this review, we will summarize current data on PLAC1 with emphasis on its association with cancer development and immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jafar Mahmoudian
- Nanotechnology Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
- Monoclonal Antibody Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Roya Ghods
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahboobeh Nazari
- Monoclonal Antibody Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahmood Jeddi-Tehrani
- Monoclonal Antibody Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hossein Ghahremani
- Nanotechnology Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
- Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Pharmacology Building, Enghelab St., Tehran, 1417614411, Iran
| | | | - Seyed Nasser Ostad
- Nanotechnology Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
- Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Pharmacology Building, Enghelab St., Tehran, 1417614411, Iran.
| | - Amir-Hassan Zarnani
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Nafisi Building, Enghelab St., Tehran, 1417613151, Iran.
- Reproductive Immunology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
- Immunology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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11
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Devor EJ, Cha E, Warrier A, Miller MD, Gonzalez-Bosquet J, Leslie KK. The miR-503 cluster is coordinately under-expressed in endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma and targets many oncogenes, cell cycle genes, DNA repair genes and chemotherapy response genes. Onco Targets Ther 2018; 11:7205-7211. [PMID: 30425513 PMCID: PMC6203085 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s180921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The miR-503 miRNA cluster, located at Xq23.1, is composed of six miRNAs; miR-424, miR-503, miR-542, miR-450a-1, miR-450a-2 and miR-450b. Numerous studies have focused on the relationship of one or two members of the cluster and various human cancers. Here, we suggest that the entire cluster as a single coordinately expressed polycistron transcribed from a single promoter in endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma (EEA). Subjects and methods A tissue panel composed of twenty histologically confirmed endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinomas (EEA) and four benign endometrium was assembled under informed consent. Expression of each member of the miR-503 cluster was determined by quantitative PCR and differences in expression between EEA and benign tissues were assessed via the standard ΔΔCt method. In addition, the role of promoter methylation status in miRNA expression was examined in Ishikawa H cells following exposure to the cytidine analog Decitabine. Results Expression of each member of the miR-503 cluster is significantly downregulated in EEA in our tumor sample. Both in our tumor sample and in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) there is evidence of highly correlated expression further supporting the idea that the miR-503 cluster is a polycistron. Looking at each member of the miR-503 cluster we were able to identify 55 unique experimentally validated target genes which include a substantial number of genes involved in carcinogenesis, DNA damage response, cell cycle regulation and chemotherapeutic response. We also found preliminary evidence that regulation of the miR-503 cluster is governed by methylation of the promoter in EEA. Conclusion The totality of the data presented here strongly suggest that the miR-503 cluster as a whole merits further investigation as an important potential therapeutic target in EEA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J Devor
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52246, USA, .,Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52246, USA,
| | - Elizabeth Cha
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52246, USA,
| | - Akshaya Warrier
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52246, USA,
| | - Marina D Miller
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52246, USA,
| | - Jesus Gonzalez-Bosquet
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52246, USA, .,Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52246, USA,
| | - Kimberly K Leslie
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52246, USA, .,Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52246, USA,
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