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Yan W, Ren Z, Chen X, Zhang R, Lv J, Verma V, Wu M, Chen D, Yu J. Potential Role of Lymphocyte CD44 in Determining Treatment Selection Between Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy and Surgery for Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2024; 120:89-101. [PMID: 38447611 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2024.02.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) versus surgery for operable early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (ES-NSCLC) remains highly debated. Herein, we used spatial proteomics to identify whether any molecular biomarker(s) associate with the efficacy of either modality, in efforts to optimize treatment selection between surgery and SBRT for this population. METHODS AND MATERIALS We evaluated biopsy tissue samples from 44 patients with ES-NSCLC treated with first-line SBRT (cohort 1) by GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiling (DSP) with a panel of 70 proteins in 5 spatial molecular compartments: tumor (panCK+), leukocyte (CD45+), lymphocyte (CD3+), macrophage (CD68+), and stroma (α-SMA+). To validate the findings in cohort 1, biopsy samples from 52 patients with ES-NSCLC who received SBRT (cohort 2) and 62 patients with ES-NSCLC who underwent surgery (cohort 3) were collected and analyzed by multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF). RESULTS In cohort 1, higher CD44 expression in the lymphocyte compartment was associated with poorer recurrence-free survival (RFS) (DSP: P < .001; mIF: P < .001) and higher recurrence rate (DSP: P = .001; mIF: P = .004). mIF data from cohort 2 validated these findings (P < .05 for all). From cohort 3, higher lymphocyte CD44 predicted higher RFS after surgery (P = .003). Intermodality comparisons demonstrated that SBRT was associated with significantly higher RFS over surgery in CD44-low patients (P < .001), but surgery was superior to SBRT in CD44-high cases (P = .016). CONCLUSIONS Lymphocyte CD44 may not only be a predictor of SBRT efficacy in this population but also an important biomarker (pending validation by large prospective data) that could better sharpen selection for SBRT versus surgery in ES-NSCLC.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/radiotherapy
- Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/pathology
- Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/surgery
- Radiosurgery
- Hyaluronan Receptors/analysis
- Hyaluronan Receptors/metabolism
- Lung Neoplasms/radiotherapy
- Lung Neoplasms/pathology
- Lung Neoplasms/surgery
- Male
- Female
- Aged
- Lymphocytes
- Middle Aged
- Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic/analysis
- Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic/metabolism
- Antigens, CD/analysis
- Leukocyte Common Antigens/analysis
- Leukocyte Common Antigens/metabolism
- Aged, 80 and over
- CD3 Complex/analysis
- CD3 Complex/metabolism
- Neoplasm Staging
- Biomarkers, Tumor/analysis
- Patient Selection
- CD68 Molecule
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Yan
- Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University Cancer Center, Jinan, Shandong, China; Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Ziyuan Ren
- Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University Cancer Center, Jinan, Shandong, China; Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University Cancer Center, Jinan, Shandong, China; Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Ran Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Juncai Lv
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Vivek Verma
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Meng Wu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Dawei Chen
- Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University Cancer Center, Jinan, Shandong, China; Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China.
| | - Jinming Yu
- Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University Cancer Center, Jinan, Shandong, China; Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China.
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Sadat Kalaki N, Ahmadzadeh M, Najafi M, Mobasheri M, Ajdarkosh H, Karbalaie Niya MH. Systems biology approach to identify biomarkers and therapeutic targets for colorectal cancer. Biochem Biophys Rep 2024; 37:101633. [PMID: 38283191 PMCID: PMC10821538 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2023.101633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Colorectal cancer (CRC), is the third most prevalent cancer across the globe, and is often detected at advanced stage. Late diagnosis of CRC, leave the chemotherapy and radiotherapy as the main options for the possible treatment of the disease which are associated with severe side effects. In the present study, we seek to explore CRC gene expression data using a systems biology framework to identify potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for earlier diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Methods The expression data was retrieved from the gene expression omnibus (GEO). Differential gene expression analysis was conducted using R/Bioconductor package. The PPI network was reconstructed by the STRING. Cystoscope and Gephi software packages were used for visualization and centrality analysis of the PPI network. Clustering analysis of the PPI network was carried out using k-mean algorithm. Gene-set enrichment based on Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway databases was carried out to identify the biological functions and pathways associated with gene groups. Prognostic value of the selected identified hub genes was examined by survival analysis, using GEPIA. Results A total of 848 differentially expressed genes were identified. Centrality analysis of the PPI network resulted in identification of 99 hubs genes. Clustering analysis dissected the PPI network into seven interactive modules. While several DEGs and the central genes in each module have already reported to contribute to CRC progression, survival analysis confirmed high expression of central genes, CCNA2, CD44, and ACAN contribute to poor prognosis of CRC patients. In addition, high expression of TUBA8, AMPD3, TRPC1, ARHGAP6, JPH3, DYRK1A and ACTA1 was found to associate with decreased survival rate. Conclusion Our results identified several genes with high centrality in PPI network that contribute to progression of CRC. The fact that several of the identified genes have already been reported to be relevant to diagnosis and treatment of CRC, other highlighted genes with limited literature information may hold potential to be explored in the context of CRC biomarker and drug target discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niloufar Sadat Kalaki
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
- International Institute of New Sciences (IINS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mozhgan Ahmadzadeh
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Najafi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Meysam Mobasheri
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Sciences and Technology, Tehran Islamic Azad University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- International Institute of New Sciences (IINS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Ajdarkosh
- Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hadi Karbalaie Niya
- Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Virology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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3
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Chen S, Yan Y, Chen Y, Wang K, Zhang Y, Wang X, Li X, Wen J, Yuan Y. All-in-one HN@Cu-MOF nanoparticles with enhanced reactive oxygen species generation and GSH depletion for effective tumor treatment. J Mater Chem B 2023; 11:11519-11531. [PMID: 38047895 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb02433d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Non-invasive cancer therapies, especially those based on reactive oxygen species, including photodynamic therapy (PDT), have gained much interest. As emerging photodynamic nanocarriers, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) based on porphyrin can release reactive oxygen species (ROS) to destroy cancer cells. However, due to the inefficient production of ROS by photosensitizers and the over-expression of glutathione (GSH) in the tumor microenvironment (TME), their therapeutic effect is not satisfactory. Therefore, herein, we developed a multi-functional nanoparticle, HN@Cu-MOF, to enhance the efficacy of PDT. We combined chemical dynamic therapy (CDT) and nitric oxide (NO) therapy by initiating sensitization to PDT and cell apoptosis in the treatment of tumors. The Cu2+-doped MOF reacted with GSH to form Cu+, exhibiting a strong CDT ability to generate hydroxyl radicals (˙OH). The Cu-MOF was coated with HN, which is hyaluronic acid (HA) modified by a nitric oxide donor. HN can target tumor cells over-expressing the CD44 receptor and consume GSH in the cells to release NO. Both cell experiments and in vivo experiments showed an excellent tumor inhibitory effect upon the treatment. Overall, the HN@Cu-MOF nanoparticle-integrated NO gas therapy and CDT with PDT led to a significant enhancement in GSH consumption and a remarkable elevation in ROS production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhui Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Key Laboratory of Functional Drug Carrier Materials, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110016, P. R. China.
| | - Yu Yan
- School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Key Laboratory of Functional Drug Carrier Materials, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110016, P. R. China.
| | - Yixuan Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Key Laboratory of Functional Drug Carrier Materials, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110016, P. R. China.
| | - Kaili Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Key Laboratory of Functional Drug Carrier Materials, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110016, P. R. China.
| | - Yawen Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Key Laboratory of Functional Drug Carrier Materials, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110016, P. R. China.
| | - Xinlong Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Key Laboratory of Functional Drug Carrier Materials, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110016, P. R. China.
| | - Xurui Li
- School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Key Laboratory of Functional Drug Carrier Materials, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110016, P. R. China.
| | - Jian Wen
- Department of Breast Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, No. 4 Chongshan East Road, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110032, P. R. China.
| | - Yue Yuan
- School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Key Laboratory of Functional Drug Carrier Materials, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110016, P. R. China.
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Odarenko KV, Zenkova MA, Markov AV. The Nexus of Inflammation-Induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Lung Cancer Progression: A Roadmap to Pentacyclic Triterpenoid-Based Therapies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17325. [PMID: 38139154 PMCID: PMC10743660 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417325] [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: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Its high mortality is partly due to chronic inflammation that accompanies the disease and stimulates cancer progression. In this review, we analyzed recent studies and highlighted the role of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) as a link between inflammation and lung cancer. In the inflammatory tumor microenvironment (iTME), fibroblasts, macrophages, granulocytes, and lymphocytes produce inflammatory mediators, some of which can induce EMT. This leads to increased invasiveness of tumor cells and self-renewal of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are associated with metastasis and tumor recurrence, respectively. Based on published data, we propose that inflammation-induced EMT may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of lung cancer. This prospect is partially realized in the development of EMT inhibitors based on pentacyclic triterpenoids (PTs), described in the second part of our study. PTs reduce the metastatic potential and stemness of tumor cells, making PTs promising candidates for lung cancer therapy. We emphasize that the high diversity of molecular mechanisms underlying inflammation-induced EMT far exceeds those that have been implicated in drug development. Therefore, analysis of information on the relationship between the iTME and EMT is of great interest and may provide ideas for novel treatment approaches for lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirill V. Odarenko
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (K.V.O.); (M.A.Z.)
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Marina A. Zenkova
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (K.V.O.); (M.A.Z.)
| | - Andrey V. Markov
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (K.V.O.); (M.A.Z.)
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Chandra J, Molugulu N, Annadurai S, Wahab S, Karwasra R, Singh S, Shukla R, Kesharwani P. Hyaluronic acid-functionalized lipoplexes and polyplexes as emerging nanocarriers for receptor-targeted cancer therapy. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 233:116506. [PMID: 37369307 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is an intricate disease that develops as a response to a combination of hereditary and environmental risk factors, which then result in a variety of changes to the genome. The cluster of differentiation (CD44) is a type of transmembrane glycoprotein that serves as a potential biomarker for cancer stem cells (CSC) and viable targets for therapeutic intervention in the context of cancer therapy. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a linear polysaccharide that exhibits a notable affinity for the CD44 receptor. This characteristic renders it a promising candidate for therapeutic interventions aimed at selectively targeting CD44-positive cancer cells. Treating cancer via non-viral vector-based gene delivery has changed the notion of curing illness through the incorporation of therapeutic genes into the organism. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of various hyaluronic acid-modified lipoplexes and polyplexes as potential drug delivery methods for specific forms of cancer by effectively targeting CD44.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyoti Chandra
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110062, India
| | - Nagashekhara Molugulu
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University, Bandar Sunway, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Malaysia
| | - Sivakumar Annadurai
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha 62529, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shadma Wahab
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha 62529, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ritu Karwasra
- Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, Janakpuri, New Delhi 110058, India
| | - Surender Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India
| | - Rahul Shukla
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER-Raebareli), Bijnor-Sisendi Road, Sarojini Nagar, Near CRPF Base Camp, Lucknow, UP, 226002, India
| | - Prashant Kesharwani
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110062, India; Department of Pharmacology, Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India.
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Hanif F, Zhang Y, Dube C, Gibert MK, Saha S, Hudson K, Marcinkiewicz P, Kefas B, Guessous F, Abounader R. miR-3174 Is a New Tumor Suppressor MicroRNA That Inhibits Several Tumor-Promoting Genes in Glioblastoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:9326. [PMID: 37298284 PMCID: PMC10253284 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119326] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in the pathology of glioblastoma (GBM), which is the most malignant and most common primary malignant brain tumor. miRNAs can target multiple genes simultaneously and are considered as potential therapeutic agents or targets. This study aimed to determine the role of miR-3174 in the pathobiology of GBM using both in vitro and in vivo approaches. This is the first study deciphering the role of miR-3174 in GBM. We studied the expression of miR-3174 and found it to be downregulated in a panel of GBM cell lines, GSCs and tissues relative to astrocytes and normal brain tissue. This finding led us to hypothesize that miR-3174 has a tumor-suppressive role in GBM. Exogenous expression of miR-3174 inhibited GBM cell growth and invasion, and hampered the neurosphere formation ability of GSCs. miR-3174 downregulated the expression of multiple tumor-promoting genes including CD44, MDM2, RHOA, PLAU and CDK6. Further, overexpression of miR-3174 reduced tumor volume in nude mice with intracranial xenografts. Immuno-histochemical study of brain sections with intracranial tumor xenografts revealed the pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative activity of miR-3174. In conclusion, we demonstrated that miR-3174 has a tumor-suppressive role in GBM and could be exploited for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farina Hanif
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Dow International Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, OJHA Campus, SUPARCO Road, Karachi 74200, Pakistan
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Collin Dube
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Myron K Gibert
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Shekhar Saha
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Kadie Hudson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Pawel Marcinkiewicz
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Benjamin Kefas
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Fadila Guessous
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Roger Abounader
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
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Chen S, Zhang S, Chen S, Ma F. The prognostic value and immunological role of CD44 in pan-cancer study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7011. [PMID: 37117249 PMCID: PMC10147611 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34154-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023] Open
Abstract
To investigate the correlation between cluster of differentiation-44 (CD44) expression and immunotherapy response and identify its possible predictive value in pan-cancer. Datasets of 33 cancer types from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were applied to investigate the relationship of CD44 expression with prognosis, tumor mutational burden (TMB), and microsatellite instability (MSI), and determine its potential prognostic value in pan-cancer. Patients were split into high-risk and low-risk cancer groups based on the survival outcomes of various cancer types. Additionally, the underlying mechanisms of CD44 in the tumor microenvironment (TME) were analyzed using ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT algorithms and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). Subsequently, the biological role of CD44 at single-cell level was investigated using CancerSEA database. Variable expression levels of CD44 between tumor and adjacent normal tissues were identified in pan-cancer datasets, further survival analysis revealed that CD44 expression was associated with multiple clinical annotations and survival indicators. Besides, the expression of CD44 was significantly associated with TMB and MSI in 10 types and 6 types of cancer, respectively, indicating it could be exploited as a potential biomarker predicting immunotherapy outcomes. Meanwhile, CD44 could influence several crucial immune cell-related pathways. and the results revealed by CancerSEA database denoted the correlation of CD44 with malignant phenotype and functional states, further indicating it can serve as a potential therapeutic target in cancer management. Our study demonstrated that CD44 shows great promise as a prognostic biomarker in numerous cancers, which will assist in developing new strategies in cancer management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoyong Chen
- College of Stomatology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Siqin Zhang
- College of Stomatology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Shaohua Chen
- Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
| | - Fei Ma
- College of Stomatology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
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Pan Z, Zhang M, Zhang F, Pan H, Li Y, Shao Y, Yuan X, Wang J, Chen J. Single-Cell Transcriptomics Unveils the Dedifferentiation Mechanism of Lung Adenocarcinoma Stem Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010482. [PMID: 36613925 PMCID: PMC9820263 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a major subtype of lung cancer, and its prognosis is still poor due to therapy resistance, metastasis, and recurrence. In recent years, increasing evidence has shown that the existence of lung cancer stem cells is responsible for the propagation, metastasis, therapy resistance, and recurrence of the tumor. During their transition to cancer stem cells, tumor cells need to inhibit cell differentiation and acquire invasive characteristics. However, our understanding of the property and role of such lung cancer stem cells is still limited. In this study, lung adenocarcinoma cancer stem cells (LCSCs) were enriched from the PC-9 cell line in a serum-free condition. PC-9 cells grew into spheres and showed higher survival rates when exposed to gefitinib: the drug used for the treatment of LUAD. Additionally, we found that the canonical stemness marker protein CD44 was significantly increased in the enriched LCSCs. Then, LCSCs were inoculated into the groin of nude mice for 1.5 months, and tumors were detected in the animals, indicating the strong stemness of the cells. After that, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on 7320 LCSCs and explored the changes in their transcriptomic signatures. We identified cell populations with a heterogeneous expression of cancer stem marker genes in LCSCs and subsets with different degrees of differentiation. Further analyses revealed that the activation of the FOXM1 (oncoprotein) transcription factor is a key factor in cell dedifferentiation, which enables tumor cells to acquire an epithelial-mesenchymal transition phenotype and increases the LCSC surface marker CD44. Moreover, we found that the combination of CD44, ABCG2, and ALCAM was a specific marker for LCSCs. In summary, this study identified the potential factors and molecular mechanisms underlying the stemness properties of LUAD cancer cells; it could also provide insight into developing novel and effective therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenhua Pan
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Meidi Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Fengyu Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Hongli Pan
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Yongwen Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Yi Shao
- Department of Lung Cancer Surgery, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Xin Yuan
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Ju Wang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
- Correspondence: (J.W.); (J.C.)
| | - Jun Chen
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
- Department of Lung Cancer Surgery, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
- Correspondence: (J.W.); (J.C.)
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9
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Tumor Cell Capture Using Platelet-Based and Platelet-Mimicking Modified Human Serum Albumin Submicron Particles. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232214277. [PMID: 36430755 PMCID: PMC9694380 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The co-localization of platelets and tumor cells in hematogenous metastases has long been recognized. Interactions between platelets and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) contribute to tumor cell survival and migration via the vasculature into other tissues. Taking advantage of the interactions between platelets and tumor cells, two schemes, direct and indirect, were proposed to target the modified human serum albumin submicron particles (HSA-MPs) towards tumor cells. HSA-MPs were constructed by the Co-precipitation-Crosslinking-Dissolution (CCD) method. The anti-CD41 antibody or CD62P protein was linked to the HSA-MPs separately via 1-ethyl-3-(-3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) EDC/NHS chemistry. The size of modified HSA-MPs was measured at approximately 1 µm, and the zeta potential was around -24 mV. Anti-CD41-HSA-MPs adhered to platelets as shown by flowcytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy. In vitro, we confirmed the adhesion of platelets to tumor lung carcinoma cells A549 under shearing conditions. Higher cellular uptake of anti-CD41-HSA-MPs in A549 cells was found in the presence of activated platelets, suggesting that activated platelets can mediate the uptake of these particles. RNA-seq data in the Cancer Cell Lineage Encyclopedia (CCLE) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database showed the expression of CD62P ligands in different types of cancers. Compared to the non-targeted system, CD62P-HSA-MPs were found to have higher cellular uptake in A549 cells. Our results suggest that the platelet-based and platelet-mimicking modified HSA-MPs could be promising options for tracking metastatic cancer.
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Tang F, Brune JE, Chang MY, Reeves SR, Altemeier WA, Frevert CW. Defining the Versican Interactome in Lung Health and Disease. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2022; 323:C249-C276. [PMID: 35649251 PMCID: PMC9291419 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00162.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) imparts critical mechanical and biochemical information to cells in the lungs. Proteoglycans are essential constituents of the ECM and play a crucial role in controlling numerous biological processes, including regulating cellular phenotype and function. Versican, a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan required for embryonic development, is almost absent from mature, healthy lungs and is re-expressed and accumulates in acute and chronic lung disease. Studies using genetically engineered mice show that the versican-enriched matrix can be pro- or anti-inflammatory depending on the cellular source or disease process studied. The mechanisms whereby versican develops a contextual ECM remain largely unknown. The primary goal of this review is to provide an overview of the interaction of versican with its many binding partners, the "versican interactome," and how through these interactions, versican is an integrator of complex extracellular information. Hopefully, the information provided in this review will be used to develop future studies to determine how versican and its binding partners can develop contextual ECMs that control select biological processes. While this review focuses on versican and the lungs, what is described can be extended to other proteoglycans, tissues, and organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengying Tang
- Center for Lung Biology, the University of Washington at South Lake Union, Seattle, WA, United States.,Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Jourdan E Brune
- Center for Lung Biology, the University of Washington at South Lake Union, Seattle, WA, United States.,Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Mary Y Chang
- Center for Lung Biology, the University of Washington at South Lake Union, Seattle, WA, United States.,Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Stephen R Reeves
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States.,Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - William A Altemeier
- Center for Lung Biology, the University of Washington at South Lake Union, Seattle, WA, United States.,ivision of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Charles W Frevert
- Center for Lung Biology, the University of Washington at South Lake Union, Seattle, WA, United States.,Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,ivision of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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11
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Bhanu H, Mittal R, Raman S. Evaluation and Clinicopathological Correlation of CD44 in Colorectal Adenoma with Low/High-Grade Dysplasia and Carcinoma. CLINICAL CANCER INVESTIGATION JOURNAL 2022. [DOI: 10.51847/q4yjbhtgzg] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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12
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Circular RNA circPPP6R3 upregulates CD44 to promote the progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma via sponging miR-1238-3p. Cell Death Dis 2021; 13:22. [PMID: 34934046 PMCID: PMC8692348 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-04462-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a type of covalently closed circular-formed RNAs and play crucial roles in the oncogenesis and progression of various human cancers. Here we identified a novel circRNA, circPPP6R3, to be highly expressed both in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) tissues and cell lines based on analyzing high-throughput sequencing data and qRT-PCR analysis. Highly expressed circPPP6R3 was positively correlated with higher histological grade, T stage, and M stage as well as advanced clinical stage of ccRCC patients. Functionally, knockdown of circPPP6R3 attenuated the proliferation, migration, and invasion of ccRCC cells whereas overexpression had the reverse effects. Mechanistically, the biotin-labeled pull-down assay and dual-luciferase reporter assay revealed that circPPP6R3 directly interacted with miR-1238-3p. miR-1238-3p inhibitors had a rescue effect on the proliferative and metastatic capacities by knockdown of circPPP6R3. Moreover, RNA-sequencing analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assay indicated that circPPP6R3 upregulated CD44, a cell-surface glycoprotein contributed to the cell adhesion and metastasis, via sponging to miR-1238-3p. Further investigation revealed that MMP9 and Vimentin were regulated by CD44 in ccRCC. Our study thus provided evidence that the regulatory network involving circPPP6R3/miR-1238-3p/CD44 axis might provide promising biomarkers as well as a therapeutic approach for ccRCC.
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13
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Cell Populations Expressing Stemness-Associated Markers in Lung Adenocarcinoma. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11101106. [PMID: 34685477 PMCID: PMC8541371 DOI: 10.3390/life11101106] [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: 08/22/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The stemness-associated markers OCT4, NANOG, SOX2, KLF4 and c-MYC are expressed in numerous cancer types suggesting the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining performed on 12 lung adenocarcinoma (LA) tissue samples showed protein expression of OCT4, NANOG, SOX2, KLF4 and c-MYC, and the CSC marker CD44. In situ hybridization (ISH) performed on six of the LA tissue samples showed mRNA expression of OCT4, NANOG, SOX2, KLF4 and c-MYC. Immunofluorescence staining performed on three of the tissue samples showed co-expression of OCT4 and c-MYC with NANOG, SOX2 and KLF4 by tumor gland cells, and expression of OCT4 and c-MYC exclusively by cells within the stroma. RT-qPCR performed on five LA-derived primary cell lines showed mRNA expression of all the markers except SOX2. Western blotting performed on four LA-derived primary cell lines demonstrated protein expression of all the markers except SOX2 and NANOG. Initial tumorsphere assays performed on four LA-derived primary cell lines demonstrated 0–80% of tumorspheres surpassing the 50 µm threshold. The expression of the stemness-associated markers OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, KFL4 and c-MYC by LA at the mRNA and protein level, and the unique expression patterns suggest a putative presence of CSC subpopulations within LA, which may be a novel therapeutic target for this cancer. Further functional studies are required to investigate the possession of stemness traits.
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14
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Wang YY, Vadhan A, Chen PH, Lee YL, Chao CY, Cheng KH, Chang YC, Hu SCS, Yuan SSF. CD44 Promotes Lung Cancer Cell Metastasis through ERK-ZEB1 Signaling. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4057. [PMID: 34439211 PMCID: PMC8392539 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13164057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is a malignancy with high mortality worldwide, and metastasis occurs at a high frequency even when cancer spread is not detectable at primary operation. Cancer stemness plays an important role in malignant cancer behavior, treatment resistance, and cancer metastasis. Therefore, understanding the molecular pathogenesis behind cancer-stemness-mediated metastasis and developing effective approaches to prevent metastasis are key issues for improving cancer treatment. In this study, we investigated the role of CD44 stemness marker in lung cancer using in vitro and clinical studies. Immunohistochemical staining of lung cancer tissue specimens revealed that primary tumors with higher CD44 expression showed increased metastasis to regional lymph nodes. Flow cytometry analysis suggested that CD44 positive cells were enriched in the metastatic lymph nodes compared to the primary tumors. CD44 overexpression significantly increased migration and invasion abilities of lung cancer cells through CD44-induced ERK phosphorylation, ZEB1 upregulation, and Claudin-1 downregulation. Furthermore, ERK inhibition suppressed the migration and invasion abilities of CD44-overexpressing lung cancer cells. In summary, our in vitro and clinical results indicate that CD44 may be a potential prognostic and therapeutic marker for lung cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen-Yun Wang
- Translational Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan;
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- School of Dentistry, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan;
- Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Anupama Vadhan
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan;
| | - Ping-Ho Chen
- School of Dentistry, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan;
- Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Lung Lee
- Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan;
| | - Chih-Yeh Chao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan;
| | - Kuang-Hung Cheng
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan; (K.-H.C.); (Y.-C.C.)
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chiuan Chang
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan; (K.-H.C.); (Y.-C.C.)
| | - Stephen Chu-Sung Hu
- Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan;
- Department of Dermatology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Shyng-Shiou F. Yuan
- Translational Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan;
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Lidocaine is a local anesthetic that wildly used in surgical treatment and postoperative medical care for lung cancers. We hypothesized that lidocaine at clinical plasma concentration can inhibit CXCL12/CXCR4 axis-regulated cytoskeletal remodeling thereby reduce the migration of Non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLC) cells. METHODS: We determined the effect of lidocaine at clinical plasma concentration on CXCL12-induced cell viability, apoptosis, cell death, monolayer cell wound healing rate, individual cell migration indicators, expression of CXCR4, CD44, and ICAM-1, intracellular Ca2+ level, and filamentous actin level alteration of NSCLC cells A549 and CXCR4-knocked down A549 cells using CCK-8, Bcl-2 ELISA, Cell death ELISA, wound healing assay, chemotaxis assay, western blotting, QPCR, Fura-2-based intracellular Ca2+ assay, and Fluorescein Phalloidin staining respectively. RESULTS: Lidocaine did not affect cell viability, apoptosis, and cell death but inhibited CXCL12-induced migration, intracellular Ca2+ releasing, and filamentous actin increase. Lidocaine decreased expression of CXCR4, increased CD44, but had no effect on ICAM-1. CXCL12 induced the increase of CD44 and ICAM-1 but did not affect CD44 in the presence of lidocaine. The knockdown of CXCR4 eliminated all the effects of lidocaine. The overexpression of CXCR4 promoted migration but the migration was inhibited by lidocaine. CONCLUSION: Lidocaine at clinical plasma concentrations inhibited CXCL12-induced CXCR4 activation, thereby reduced the intracellular Ca2+-dependent cytoskeleton remodeling, resulting in slower migration of A549 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yanan Cui
- Corresponding author: Yanan Cui, Department of Anesthesiology, Heping Hospital Affilicated to Changzhi Medical College, Shanxi 046000, China. E-mail:
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16
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Xu H, Niu M, Yuan X, Wu K, Liu A. CD44 as a tumor biomarker and therapeutic target. Exp Hematol Oncol 2020; 9:36. [PMID: 33303029 PMCID: PMC7727191 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-020-00192-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 179] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
CD44, a complex transmembrane glycoprotein, exists in multiple molecular forms, including the standard isoform CD44s and CD44 variant isoforms. CD44 participates in multiple physiological processes, and aberrant expression and dysregulation of CD44 contribute to tumor initiation and progression. CD44 represents a common biomarker of cancer stem cells, and promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition. CD44 is involved in the regulation of diverse vital signaling pathways that modulate cancer proliferation, invasion, metastasis and therapy-resistance, and it is also modulated by a variety of molecules in cancer cells. In addition, CD44 can serve as an adverse prognostic marker among cancer population. The pleiotropic roles of CD44 in carcinoma potentially offering new molecular target for therapeutic intervention. Preclinical and clinical trials for evaluating the pharmacokinetics, efficacy and drug-related toxicity of CD44 monoclonal antibody have been carried out among tumors with CD44 expression. In this review, we focus on current data relevant to CD44, and outline CD44 structure, the regulation of CD44, functional properties of CD44 in carcinogenesis and cancer progression as well as the potential CD44-targeting therapy for cancer management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanxiao Xu
- Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Mengke Niu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Zhengzhou University: Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450008, China
| | - Xun Yuan
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Kongming Wu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Zhengzhou University: Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450008, China. .,Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
| | - Aiguo Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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BMI1-Mediated Pemetrexed Resistance in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells Is Associated with Increased SP1 Activation and Cancer Stemness. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12082069. [PMID: 32726929 PMCID: PMC7463866 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12082069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide and the therapeutic strategies include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) account for around 85% of cases of lung cancers. Pemetrexed is an antifolate agent that is currently used as the second line chemotherapy drug in the treatment of advanced NSCLC patients with a response rate of 20–40%. The search for any combination therapy to improve the efficacy of pemetrexed is required. The existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) is considered as the main reason for drug resistance of cancers. In this study, we first found that pemetrexed-resistant NSCLC cells derived from A549 cells displayed higher CSC activity in comparison to the parental cells. The expression of CSC related proteins, such as BMI1 or CD44, and the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) signature was elevated in pemetrexed-resistant NSCLC cells. We next discovered that the overexpression of BMI1 in A549 cells caused the pemetrexed resistance and inhibition of BMI1 by a small molecule inhibitor, PTC-209, or transducing of BMI1-specific shRNAs suppressed cell growth and the expression of thymidylate synthase (TS) in pemetrexed-resistant A549 cells. We further identified that BMI1 positively regulated SP1 expression and treatment of mithramycin A, a SP1 inhibitor, inhibited cell proliferation, as well as TS expression, of pemetrexed-resistant A549 cells. Furthermore, overexpression of BMI1 in A549 cells also caused the activation of EMT in and the enhancement of CSC activity. Finally, we demonstrated that pretreatment of PTC-209 in mice bearing pemetrexed-resistant A549 tumors sensitized them to pemetrexed treatment and the expression of Ki-67, BMI1, and SP1 expression in tumor tissues was observed to be reduced. In conclusion, BMI1 expression level mediates pemetrexed sensitivity of NSCLC cells and the inhibition of BMI1 will be an effective strategy in NSCLC patients when pemetrexed resistance has developed.
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