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Tang C, Ke M, Yu X, Sun S, Luo X, Liu X, Zhou Y, Wang Z, Cui X, Gu C, Yang Y. GART Functions as a Novel Methyltransferase in the RUVBL1/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway to Promote Tumor Stemness in Colorectal Cancer. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2301264. [PMID: 37439412 PMCID: PMC10477903 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202301264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Tumor stemness is associated with the recurrence and incurability of colorectal cancer (CRC), which lacks effective therapeutic targets and drugs. Glycinamide ribonucleotide transformylase (GART) fulfills an important role in numerous types of malignancies. The present study aims to identify the underlying mechanism through which GART may promote CRC stemness, as to developing novel therapeutic methods. An elevated level of GART is associated with poor outcomes in CRC patients and promotes the proliferation and migration of CRC cells. CD133+ cells with increased GART expression possess higher tumorigenic and proliferative capabilities both in vitro and in vivo. GART is identified to have a novel methyltransferase function, whose enzymatic activity center is located at the E948 site. GART also enhances the stability of RuvB-like AAA ATPase 1 (RUVBL1) through methylating its K7 site, which consequently aberrantly activates the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to induce tumor stemness. Pemetrexed (PEM), a compound targeting GART, combined with other chemotherapy drugs greatly suppresses tumor growth both in a PDX model and in CRC patients. The present study demonstrates a novel methyltransferase function of GART and the role of the GART/RUVBL1/β-catenin signaling axis in promoting CRC stemness. PEM may be a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Tang
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Traditional Chinese and Western MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210008China
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210046China
| | - Mengying Ke
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210046China
| | - Xichao Yu
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210046China
| | - Shanliang Sun
- School of PharmacyNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210046China
| | - Xian Luo
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210046China
| | - Xin Liu
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210046China
| | - Yanyan Zhou
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210046China
| | - Ze Wang
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210046China
| | - Xing Cui
- Department of Hematology and OncologyThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese MedicineJinan250001China
| | - Chunyan Gu
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Traditional Chinese and Western MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210008China
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210046China
| | - Ye Yang
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210046China
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Cong X, Lu C, Huang X, Yang D, Cui X, Cai J, Lv L, He S, Zhang Y, Ni R. Increased expression of glycinamide ribonucleotide transformylase is associated with a poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma, and it promotes liver cancer cell proliferation. Hum Pathol 2014; 45:1370-8. [PMID: 24830618 DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2013.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2013] [Revised: 11/21/2013] [Accepted: 11/27/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Glycinamide ribonucleotide transformylase (GART) is a folate-dependent enzyme in the de novo purine pathway that has been the target of antineoplastic intervention for almost 2 decades. Until now, its expression and functional significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been unclear. We demonstrated by Western blotting that the expression of GART was markedly up-regulated in HCC patients. Immunohistochemistry staining was used to determine the expression of GART in HCC and adjacent nontumor tissues from 96 patients. Increased expression of GART correlated positively with the histologic grade (P = .001), tumor size (P = .043), number of tumorous nodes (P = .020), and intrahepatic metastases (P = .031), suggesting a role for GART in the progression of HCC. Patients with higher GART expression had a much worse overall survival rate than those with low expression (P = .002). Furthermore, multivariate analysis showed that GART expression was an independent predictor of overall survival (hazard ratio, 2.265; 95% confidence interval, 1.335-3.842; P = .002). Depletion of GART by small interfering RNA inhibited cell proliferation and blocked S-phase and mitotic entry in cultured HepG2 and BEL-7404 cells. Western blot analyses showed that GART depletion decreased the proliferating cell nuclear antigen concentration. Collectively, our clinical and in vitro data indicate that GART expression may be one of the causative factors for a poor prognosis in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Cong
- Department of Digestion, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical College of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, People's Republic of China
| | - Cuihua Lu
- Department of Digestion, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical College of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaodong Huang
- Department of Digestion, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical College of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, People's Republic of China
| | - Dunpeng Yang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical College of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaopeng Cui
- Department of Digestion, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical College of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Cai
- Department of Pathology, Nantong University Cancer Hospital, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, People's Republic of China
| | - Liting Lv
- Department of Pathology, Nantong University Cancer Hospital, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, People's Republic of China
| | - Song He
- Department of Pathology, Nantong University Cancer Hospital, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, People's Republic of China
| | - Yixin Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Nantong University Cancer Hospital, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, People's Republic of China
| | - Runzhou Ni
- Department of Digestion, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical College of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, People's Republic of China.
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