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Guo X, Jin W, Xing Y. Levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine in plasma and aqueous humor: a key risk factor for the severity of fibrovascular proliferation in proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1364609. [PMID: 38933824 PMCID: PMC11200173 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1364609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) is a common diabetes complication, significantly impacting vision and quality of life. Previous studies have suggested a potential link between arginine pathway metabolites and diabetic retinopathy (DR). Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) plays a role in the occurrence and development of fibrovascular proliferation (FVP) in PDR patients. However, the relationship between arginine pathway metabolites and FVP in PDR remains undefined. This study aimed to explore the correlation between four arginine pathway metabolites (arginine, asymmetric dimethylarginine[ADMA], ornithine, and citrulline) and the severity of FVP in PDR patients. Methods In this study, plasma and aqueous humor samples were respectively collected from 30 patients with age-related cataracts without diabetes mellitus (DM) and from 85 PDR patients. The PDR patients were categorized as mild-to-moderate or severe based on the severity of fundal FVP. The study used Kruskal-Wallis test to compare arginine, ADMA, ornithine, and citrulline levels across three groups. Binary logistic regression identified risk factors for severe PDR. Spearman correlation analysis assessed associations between plasma and aqueous humor metabolite levels, and between ADMA and CTGF levels in aqueous humor among PDR patients. Results ADMA levels in the aqueous humor were significantly greater in patients with severe PDR than in those with mild-to-moderate PDR(P=0.0004). However, the plasma and aqueous humor levels of arginine, ornithine, and citrulline did not significantly differ between mild-to-moderate PDR patients and severe PDR patients (P>0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that the plasma (P=0.01) and aqueous humor (P=0.006) ADMA levels in PDR patients were risk factors for severe PDR. Furthermore, significant correlations were found between plasma and aqueous humor ADMA levels (r=0.263, P=0.015) and between aqueous humor ADMA and CTGF levels (r=0.837, P<0.001). Conclusion Elevated ADMA levels in plasma and aqueous humor positively correlate with the severity of FVP in PDR, indicating ADMA as a risk factor for severe PDR.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wei Jin
- Eye Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yiqiao Xing
- Eye Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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Trink Y, Urbach A, Dekel B, Hohenstein P, Goldberger J, Kalisky T. Characterization of Alternative Splicing in High-Risk Wilms' Tumors. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4520. [PMID: 38674106 PMCID: PMC11050615 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084520] [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: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The significant heterogeneity of Wilms' tumors between different patients is thought to arise from genetic and epigenetic distortions that occur during various stages of fetal kidney development in a way that is poorly understood. To address this, we characterized the heterogeneity of alternative mRNA splicing in Wilms' tumors using a publicly available RNAseq dataset of high-risk Wilms' tumors and normal kidney samples. Through Pareto task inference and cell deconvolution, we found that the tumors and normal kidney samples are organized according to progressive stages of kidney development within a triangle-shaped region in latent space, whose vertices, or "archetypes", resemble the cap mesenchyme, the nephrogenic stroma, and epithelial tubular structures of the fetal kidney. We identified a set of genes that are alternatively spliced between tumors located in different regions of latent space and found that many of these genes are associated with the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and muscle development. Using motif enrichment analysis, we identified putative splicing regulators, some of which are associated with kidney development. Our findings provide new insights into the etiology of Wilms' tumors and suggest that specific splicing mechanisms in early stages of development may contribute to tumor development in different patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaron Trink
- Faculty of Engineering and Bar-Ilan Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA), Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; (Y.T.); (J.G.)
| | - Achia Urbach
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel;
| | - Benjamin Dekel
- Pediatric Stem Cell Research Institute and Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Edmond and Lily Safra Children’s Hospital, Sheba Tel-HaShomer Medical Centre, Ramat Gan 5262000, Israel
| | - Peter Hohenstein
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands;
| | - Jacob Goldberger
- Faculty of Engineering and Bar-Ilan Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA), Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; (Y.T.); (J.G.)
| | - Tomer Kalisky
- Faculty of Engineering and Bar-Ilan Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA), Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; (Y.T.); (J.G.)
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Holtz AG, Lowe TL, Aoki Y, Kubota Y, Hoffman RM, Clarke SG. Asymmetric and symmetric protein arginine methylation in methionine-addicted human cancer cells. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0296291. [PMID: 38134182 PMCID: PMC10745221 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The methionine addiction of cancer cells is known as the Hoffman effect. While non-cancer cells in culture can utilize homocysteine in place of methionine for cellular growth, most cancer cells require exogenous methionine for proliferation. It has been suggested that a biochemical basis of this effect is the increased utilization of methionine for S-adenosylmethionine, the major methyl donor for a variety of cellular methyltransferases. Recent studies have pointed to the role of S-adenosylmethionine-dependent protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) in cell proliferation and cancer. To further understand the biochemical basis of the methionine addiction of cancer cells, we compared protein arginine methylation in two previously described isogenic cell lines, a methionine-addicted 143B human osteosarcoma cell line and its less methionine-dependent revertant. Previous work showed that the revertant cells were significantly less malignant than the parental cells. In the present study, we utilized antibodies to detect the asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) products of PRMTs in polypeptides from cellular extracts and purified histone preparations of these cell lines fractionated by SDS-PAGE. Importantly, we observed little to no differences in the banding patterns of ADMA- and SDMA-containing species between the osteosarcoma parental and revertant cell lines. Furthermore, enzymatic activity assays using S-adenosyl-ʟ-[methyl-3H] methionine, recombinantly purified PRMT enzymes, cell lysates, and specific PRMT inhibitors revealed no major differences in radiolabeled polypeptides on SDS-PAGE gels. Taken together, these results suggest that changes in protein arginine methylation may not be major contributors to the Hoffman effect and that other consequences of methionine addiction may be more important in the metastasis and malignancy of osteosarcoma and potentially other cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley G Holtz
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Troy L Lowe
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Yusuke Aoki
- AntiCancer, Inc, San Diego, CA, United States of America
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Japan
| | - Yutaro Kubota
- AntiCancer, Inc, San Diego, CA, United States of America
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Robert M Hoffman
- AntiCancer, Inc, San Diego, CA, United States of America
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Steven G Clarke
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
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Ning J, Chen L, Xiao G, Zeng Y, Shi W, Tanzhu G, Zhou R. The protein arginine methyltransferase family (PRMTs) regulates metastases in various tumors: From experimental study to clinical application. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 167:115456. [PMID: 37696085 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115456] [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: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor metastasis is the leading cause of mortality among advanced cancer patients. Understanding its mechanisms and treatment strategies is vital for clinical application. Arginine methylation, a post-translational modification catalyzed by protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs), is implicated in diverse physiological processes and disease progressions. Previous research has demonstrated PRMTs' involvement in tumor occurrence, progression, and metastasis. This review offers a comprehensive summary of the relationship between PRMTs, prognosis, and metastasis in various cancers. Our focus centers on elucidating the molecular mechanisms through which PRMTs regulate tumor metastasis. We also discuss relevant clinical trials and effective PRMT inhibitors, including chemical compounds, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), and nanomaterials, for treating tumor metastasis. While a few studies present conflicting results, the overall trajectory suggests that inhibiting arginine methylation exhibits promise in curtailing tumor metastasis across various cancers. Nonetheless, the underlying mechanisms and molecular interactions are diverse. The development of inhibitors targeting arginine methylation, along with the progression of clinical trials, holds substantial potential in the field of tumor metastasis, meriting sustained attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaoyang Ning
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Liu Chen
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Gang Xiao
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Yu Zeng
- Changsha Stomatological Hospital, Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Wen Shi
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Guilong Tanzhu
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
| | - Rongrong Zhou
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China; Xiangya Lung Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province 410008, China.
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Im H, Baek H, Yang E, Kim K, Oh SK, Lee J, Kim H, Lee JM. ROS inhibits RORα degradation by decreasing its arginine methylation in liver cancer. Cancer Sci 2022; 114:187-200. [PMID: 36114756 PMCID: PMC9807526 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15595] [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: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor α (RORα) is a transcription factor involved in nuclear gene expression and a known tumor suppressor. RORα was the first identified substrate of lysine methylation-dependent degradation. However, the mechanisms of other post-translational modifications (PTMs) that occur in RORα remain largely unknown, especially in liver cancer. Arginine methylation is a common PTM in arginine residues of nonhistone and histone proteins and affects substrate protein function and fate. We found an analogous amino acid disposition containing R37 at the ROR N-terminus compared to histone H3 residue, which is arginine methylated. Here, we provide evidence that R37 methylation-dependent degradation is carried out by protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5). Further, we discovered that PRMT5 regulated the interaction between the E3 ubiquitin ligase ITCH and RORα through RORα arginine methylation. Arginine methylation-dependent ubiquitination-mediated RORα degradation reduced downstream target gene activation. H2 O2 -induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) decreased PRMT5 protein levels, consequently increasing RORα protein levels in HepG2 liver cancer cells. In addition, ROS inhibited liver cancer progression by inducing apoptosis via PRMT5-mediated RORα methylation and the ITCH axis. Our results potentiate PRMT5 as an elimination target in cancer therapy, and this additional regulatory level within ROS signaling may help identify new targets for therapeutic intervention in liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyuntae Im
- Department of Molecular Bioscience, College of Biomedical SciencesKangwon National UniversityChuncheonKorea
| | - Hee‐ji Baek
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyKorea University College of MedicineSeoulKorea,BK21 Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical SciencesKorea University College of MedicineSeoulKorea
| | - Eunbi Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyKorea University College of MedicineSeoulKorea,BK21 Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical SciencesKorea University College of MedicineSeoulKorea
| | - Kyeongkyu Kim
- Gene Expression LaboratorySalk Institute for Biological StudiesLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Se Kyu Oh
- Creative Research Initiatives Center for Epigenetic Code and Diseases, School of Biological SciencesSeoul National UniversitySeoulKorea
| | - Jung‐Shin Lee
- Department of Molecular Bioscience, College of Biomedical SciencesKangwon National UniversityChuncheonKorea
| | - Hyunkyung Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyKorea University College of MedicineSeoulKorea,BK21 Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical SciencesKorea University College of MedicineSeoulKorea
| | - Ji Min Lee
- Graduate School of Medical Science & EngineeringKorea Advanced Institute of Science and TechnologyDaejeonKorea
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SOX8 promotes cetuximab resistance via HGF/MET bypass pathway activation in colorectal cancer. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2022; 89:441-449. [PMID: 35195773 DOI: 10.1007/s00280-021-04378-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
AIM Cetuximab is an essential drug for the treatment of wild-type K-RAS colorectal cancer (CRC). It improves the overall survival of patients. However, acquired resistance prevents its clinical efficacy. Tumor heterogeneity may be a nonnegligible reason for cetuximab resistance. We attempted to explore the corresponding molecular mechanism. METHODS Cetuximab-resistant CRC cell RKO and cetuximab-sensitive CRC cell Caco-2 were applied in this study. Cells were centrifuged to determine the concentration in the culture supernatant (CS). MTT, EdU, and colony formation assays were utilized to evaluate cell survival and proliferation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and promoter-luciferase reporter assays were employed to confirm the direct binding of transcription factors. Western blot and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays were used to detect the expression of molecular markers in the pathway. RESULTS Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) was up-regulated in RKO cell culture supernatant and induced cetuximab resistance in Caco-2 cells. SRY-Box Transcription Factor 8 (SOX8) bound to the promoter sequence of HGF. HGF activated the HGF/MET bypass pathway and induced cetuximab resistance in Caco-2 cells. CONCLUSION The SOX8/HGF/MET axis played a crucial role in the communication between cetuximab-resistant cells and cetuximab-sensitive cells, inducing treatment resistance.
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