1
|
Mourtada J, Thibaudeau C, Wasylyk B, Jung AC. The Multifaceted Role of Human Dickkopf-3 (DKK-3) in Development, Immune Modulation and Cancer. Cells 2023; 13:75. [PMID: 38201279 PMCID: PMC10778571 DOI: 10.3390/cells13010075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The human Dickkopf (DKK) family includes four main secreted proteins, DKK-1, DKK-2, DKK-3, and DKK-4, as well as the DKK-3 related protein soggy (Sgy-1 or DKKL1). These glycoproteins play crucial roles in various biological processes, and especially modulation of the Wnt signaling pathway. DKK-3 is distinct, with its multifaceted roles in development, stem cell differentiation and tissue homeostasis. Intriguingly, DKK-3 appears to have immunomodulatory functions and a complex role in cancer, acting as either a tumor suppressor or an oncogene, depending on the context. DKK-3 is a promising diagnostic and therapeutic target that can be modulated by epigenetic reactivation, gene therapy and DKK-3-blocking agents. However, further research is needed to optimize DKK-3-based therapies. In this review, we comprehensively describe the known functions of DKK-3 and highlight the importance of context in understanding and exploiting its roles in health and disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jana Mourtada
- Laboratoire de Biologie Tumorale, Institut de Cancérologie Strasbourg Europe, 67200 Strasbourg, France; (J.M.); (C.T.)
- Laboratoire STREINTH (Stress Response and Innovative Therapies), INSERM U1113 IRFAC, Université de Strasbourg, 67200 Strasbourg, France
| | - Chloé Thibaudeau
- Laboratoire de Biologie Tumorale, Institut de Cancérologie Strasbourg Europe, 67200 Strasbourg, France; (J.M.); (C.T.)
- Laboratoire STREINTH (Stress Response and Innovative Therapies), INSERM U1113 IRFAC, Université de Strasbourg, 67200 Strasbourg, France
| | - Bohdan Wasylyk
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), 67404 Illkirch Graffenstaden, France;
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U 1258, 67404 Illkirch Graffenstaden, France
- Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR 7104, 67404 Illkirch Graffenstaden, France
- Université de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Alain C. Jung
- Laboratoire de Biologie Tumorale, Institut de Cancérologie Strasbourg Europe, 67200 Strasbourg, France; (J.M.); (C.T.)
- Laboratoire STREINTH (Stress Response and Innovative Therapies), INSERM U1113 IRFAC, Université de Strasbourg, 67200 Strasbourg, France
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Katase N, Nishimatsu SI, Yamauchi A, Okano S, Fujita S. DKK3 expression is correlated with poorer prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: A bioinformatics study based on the TCGA database. J Oral Biosci 2023; 65:334-346. [PMID: 37716425 DOI: 10.1016/j.job.2023.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We previously reported that dickkopf WNT signaling pathway inhibitor 3 (DKK3) expression is correlated with poorer prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Here we investigated DKK3 expression by using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) public database and bioinformatic analyses. METHODS We used the RNA sequence data and divided the tumor samples into "DKK3-high" and "DKK3-low" groups according to median DKK3 expression. The correlations between DKK3 expression and the clinical data were investigated. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected using DESEq2 and analyzed by ShinyGO 0.77. A gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was also performed using GSEA software. The DEGs were also analyzed with TargetMine to establish the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. RESULTS DKK3 expression was significantly increased in cancer samples, and a high DKK3 expression was significantly associated with shorter overall survival. We identified 854 DEGs, including 284 up-regulated and 570 down-regulated. Functional enrichment analyses revealed several Gene Ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways associated with extracellular matrix remodeling. The PPI network identified COL8A1, AGTR1, FN1, P4HA3, PDGFRB, and CEP126 as the key genes. CONCLUSIONS These results suggested the cancer-promoting ability of DKK3, the expression of which is a promising prognostic marker and therapeutic target for HNSCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Katase
- Department of Oral Pathology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Sakamoto 1-7-1, Nagasaki, Nagasaki, 852-8588, Japan.
| | - Shin-Ichiro Nishimatsu
- Department of Natural Sciences, Kawasaki Medical School, Matsushima 577, Kurashiki, Okayama, 701-0192, Japan.
| | - Akira Yamauchi
- Department of Biochemistry, Kawasaki Medical School, Matsushima 577, Kurashiki, Okayama, 701-0192, Japan.
| | - Shinji Okano
- Department of Pathology, Nagasaki University Hospital, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Nagasaki, 852-8501, Japan; Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Nagasaki, 852-8501, Japan.
| | - Shuichi Fujita
- Department of Oral Pathology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Sakamoto 1-7-1, Nagasaki, Nagasaki, 852-8588, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Greenbaum S, Averbukh I, Soon E, Rizzuto G, Baranski A, Greenwald NF, Kagel A, Bosse M, Jaswa EG, Khair Z, Kwok S, Warshawsky S, Piyadasa H, Goldston M, Spence A, Miller G, Schwartz M, Graf W, Van Valen D, Winn VD, Hollmann T, Keren L, van de Rijn M, Angelo M. A spatially resolved timeline of the human maternal-fetal interface. Nature 2023; 619:595-605. [PMID: 37468587 PMCID: PMC10356615 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06298-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Beginning in the first trimester, fetally derived extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) invade the uterus and remodel its spiral arteries, transforming them into large, dilated blood vessels. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain how EVTs coordinate with the maternal decidua to promote a tissue microenvironment conducive to spiral artery remodelling (SAR)1-3. However, it remains a matter of debate regarding which immune and stromal cells participate in these interactions and how this evolves with respect to gestational age. Here we used a multiomics approach, combining the strengths of spatial proteomics and transcriptomics, to construct a spatiotemporal atlas of the human maternal-fetal interface in the first half of pregnancy. We used multiplexed ion beam imaging by time-of-flight and a 37-plex antibody panel to analyse around 500,000 cells and 588 arteries within intact decidua from 66 individuals between 6 and 20 weeks of gestation, integrating this dataset with co-registered transcriptomics profiles. Gestational age substantially influenced the frequency of maternal immune and stromal cells, with tolerogenic subsets expressing CD206, CD163, TIM-3, galectin-9 and IDO-1 becoming increasingly enriched and colocalized at later time points. By contrast, SAR progression preferentially correlated with EVT invasion and was transcriptionally defined by 78 gene ontology pathways exhibiting distinct monotonic and biphasic trends. Last, we developed an integrated model of SAR whereby invasion is accompanied by the upregulation of pro-angiogenic, immunoregulatory EVT programmes that promote interactions with the vascular endothelium while avoiding the activation of maternal immune cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Greenbaum
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Inna Averbukh
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Erin Soon
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Immunology Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Gabrielle Rizzuto
- Department of Pathology, University of Californica San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alex Baranski
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Noah F Greenwald
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Cancer Biology Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Adam Kagel
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Marc Bosse
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Eleni G Jaswa
- Department of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Zumana Khair
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Shirley Kwok
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Mako Goldston
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Angie Spence
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Geneva Miller
- Division of Biology and Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Morgan Schwartz
- Division of Biology and Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Will Graf
- Division of Biology and Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - David Van Valen
- Division of Biology and Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Virginia D Winn
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Travis Hollmann
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Leeat Keren
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Michael Angelo
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Al Shareef Z, Ershaid MNA, Mudhafar R, Soliman SSM, Kypta RM. Dickkopf-3: An Update on a Potential Regulator of the Tumor Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14235822. [PMID: 36497305 PMCID: PMC9738550 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14235822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Dickkopf-3 (Dkk-3) is a member of the Dickkopf family protein of secreted Wingless-related integration site (Wnt) antagonists that appears to modulate regulators of the host microenvironment. In contrast to the clear anti-tumorigenic effects of Dkk-3-based gene therapies, the role of endogenous Dkk-3 in cancer is context-dependent, with elevated expression associated with tumor promotion and suppression in different settings. The receptors and effectors that mediate the diverse effects of Dkk-3 have not been characterized in detail, contributing to an ongoing mystery of its mechanism of action. This review compares the various functions of Dkk-3 in the tumor microenvironment, where Dkk-3 has been found to be expressed by subpopulations of fibroblasts, endothelial, and immune cells, in addition to epithelial cells. We also discuss how the activation or inhibition of Dkk-3, depending on tumor type and context, might be used to treat different types of cancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zainab Al Shareef
- College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +971-6505-7250
| | - Mai Nidal Asad Ershaid
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates
| | - Rula Mudhafar
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sameh S. M. Soliman
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates
- College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates
| | - Robert M. Kypta
- CIC BioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance, BRTA, Bizkaia Technology Park, 48160 Derio, Spain
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Katase N, Nishimatsu SI, Yamauchi A, Okano S, Fujita S. Establishment of anti-DKK3 peptide for the cancer control in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:352. [PMID: 36376957 PMCID: PMC9664703 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-022-02783-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the most common malignant tumor of the head and neck. We identified cancer-specific genes in HNSCC and focused on DKK3 expression. DKK3 gene codes two isoforms of proteins (secreted and non-secreted) with two distinct cysteine rich domains (CRDs). It is reported that DKK3 functions as a negative regulator of oncogenic Wnt signaling and, is therefore, considered to be a tumor suppressor gene. However, our series of studies have demonstrated that DKK3 expression is specifically high in HNSCC tissues and cells, and that DKK3 might determine the malignant potentials of HNSCC cells via the activation of Akt. Further analyses strongly suggested that both secreted DKK3 and non-secreted DKK3 could activate Akt signaling in discrete ways, and consequently exert tumor promoting effects. We hypothesized that DKK3 might be a specific druggable target, and it is necessary to establish a DKK3 inhibitor that can inhibit both secreted and non-secreted isoforms of DKK3. Methods Using inverse polymerase chain reaction, we generated mutant expression plasmids that express DKK3 without CRD1, CRD2, or both CRD1 and CRD2 (DKK3ΔC1, DKK3ΔC2, and DKK3ΔC1ΔC2, respectively). These plasmids were then transfected into HNSCC-derived cells to determine the domain responsible for DKK3-mediated Akt activation. We designed antisense peptides using the MIMETEC program, targeting DKK3-specific amino acid sequences within CRD1 and CRD2. The structural models for peptides and DKK3 were generated using Raptor X, and then a docking simulation was performed using CluPro2. Afterward, the best set of the peptides was applied into HNSCC-derived cells, and the effects on Akt phosphorylation, cellular proliferation, invasion, and migration were assessed. We also investigated the therapeutic effects of the peptides in the xenograft models. Results Transfection of mutant expression plasmids and subsequent functional analyses revealed that it is necessary to delete both CRD1 and CRD2 to inhibit Akt activation and inhibition of proliferation, migration, and invasion. The inhibitory peptides for CRD1 and CRD2 of DKK3 significantly reduced the phosphorylation of Akt, and consequently suppressed cellular proliferation, migration, invasion and in vivo tumor growth at very low doses. Conclusions This inhibitory peptide represents a promising new therapeutic strategy for HNSCC treatment. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-022-02783-9.
Collapse
|