1
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Roy R, Gampa SC, Garimella SV. Role of specific CDKs in regulating DNA damage repair responses and replication stress. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2024; 79:102485. [PMID: 39265226 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2024.102485] [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: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/14/2024]
Abstract
Cyclins along with their catalytic units, Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) regulate the cell cycle transition and transcription; and are essentially known as 'master regulators' in modulating DNA damage response (DDR) and replication stress. In addition to influencing DNA repair and damage signaling, CDKs also play a pivotal role in cell division fidelity and the maintenance of genomic integrity after DNA damage. In this review, we focus on the intricate ways by which specific CDKs mainly CDK7, CDK9, and CDK12/13, regulate the cell cycle progression and transcription and how their modulation can lead to lethal effects on the integrity of the genome. With a better knowledge of how these CDKs control the DDR and replication stress, it is now possible to combine CDK inhibitors with chemotherapeutic drugs that damage DNA in ways that can be applied in clinical settings as successful therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Roy
- Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, 110016, India
| | - Siri Chandana Gampa
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Science, GITAM (deemed to be University), Visakhapatnam, 530045, India
| | - Sireesha V Garimella
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Science, GITAM (deemed to be University), Visakhapatnam, 530045, India.
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2
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Ebara S, Yoshida M, Yamakawa H, Shimokawa K, Inoue Y, Tauchi H, Morishita D. Interaction of CDK12 with NXF1 is a new node for the linking mechanism between transcription and transportation of mRNA. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 735:150608. [PMID: 39270556 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.150608] [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: 08/19/2024] [Revised: 08/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/27/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024]
Abstract
The transcription and transportation of mRNA are coupled processes; however, the mechanisms linking these processes remain unclear. Additionally, the significance of this connection in cancer drug development is poorly understood. To address these issues, we investigated the role of CDK12 kinase, which regulates RNA transcription through the phosphorylation of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) and has a repeated serine-arginine dipeptide (RS domain) involved in mRNA transport. Despite the anticipated uniqueness of CDK12 function, the mechanism by which CDK12 bridges and manages mRNA transcription and transport has not been fully analyzed. Our study revealed that CDK12 interacts with NXF1, a key molecule involved in the export of mRNA from the nucleus to the cytosol. Although CDK12 does not phosphorylate NXF1, we found that NXF1 unexpectedly stabilized the CDK12 protein, suggesting that NXF1 mRNA export activity indirectly affects mRNA transcriptional activity by modifying the protein level of CDK12. Furthermore, CDK12 recruited other essential RNA transporters, specifically the exon junction complex (EJC) and THO complexes, into the CDK12-NXF1 axis through its kinase activity. These observations provide insights into the mechanisms linking mRNA transcription and transport through the formation of a novel CDK12-NXF1 complex that involves EJC and THO. Importantly, the expression level of NXF1 influences sensitivity to CDK12 inhibitors, which are emerging as novel anti-cancer drug candidates. This highlights the importance of considering the relationship between mRNA transcription and transport when targeting RNA transcription in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunsuke Ebara
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Bunkyo 2-1-1, Mito, Ibaraki, 310-8512, Japan; Chordia Therapeutics Inc., Kanagawa, 251-0012, Japan
| | | | - Hiroko Yamakawa
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Bunkyo 2-1-1, Mito, Ibaraki, 310-8512, Japan; Chordia Therapeutics Inc., Kanagawa, 251-0012, Japan
| | | | - Yasumichi Inoue
- Department of Cell Signaling, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, 467-8603, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Tauchi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Bunkyo 2-1-1, Mito, Ibaraki, 310-8512, Japan.
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3
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Zhang H, Xing C, Yan B, Lei H, Guan Y, Zhang S, Kang Y, Pang J. Paclitaxel Overload Supramolecular Oxidative Stress Nanoamplifier with a CDK12 Inhibitor for Enhanced Cancer Therapy. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:3685-3702. [PMID: 38779908 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Combination therapy has emerged as a promising approach for treating tumors, although there is room for improvement. This study introduced a novel strategy that combined the enhancement of apoptosis, ferroptosis, and DNA damage to improve therapeutic outcomes for prostate cancer. Specifically, we have developed a supramolecular oxidative stress nanoamplifier, which was comprised of β-cyclodextrin, paclitaxel, and ferrocene-poly(ethylene glycol). Paclitaxel within the system disrupted microtubule dynamics, inducing G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis. Concurrently, ferrocene utilized hydrogen peroxide to generate toxic hydroxyl radicals in cells through the Fenton reaction, triggering a cascade of reactive oxygen species expansion, reduction of glutathione levels, lipid peroxidation, and ferroptosis. The increased number of hydroxyl radicals and the inhibitory effect of THZ531 on DNA repair mechanisms exacerbated DNA damage within tumor cells. As expected, the supramolecular nanoparticles demonstrated excellent drug delivery ability to tumor cells or tissues, exhibited favorable biological safety in vivo, and enhanced the killing effect on prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhang
- Department of Urology, Kidney and Urology Center, Pelvic Floor Disorders Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, P. R. China
- Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, P. R. China
| | - Chengyuan Xing
- Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, P. R. China
| | - Binyuan Yan
- Department of Urology, Kidney and Urology Center, Pelvic Floor Disorders Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, P. R. China
| | - Hanqi Lei
- Department of Urology, Kidney and Urology Center, Pelvic Floor Disorders Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, P. R. China
| | - Yupeng Guan
- Department of Urology, Kidney and Urology Center, Pelvic Floor Disorders Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, P. R. China
- Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, P. R. China
| | - Shiqiang Zhang
- Department of Urology, Kidney and Urology Center, Pelvic Floor Disorders Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, P. R. China
| | - Yang Kang
- Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, P. R. China
| | - Jun Pang
- Department of Urology, Kidney and Urology Center, Pelvic Floor Disorders Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, P. R. China
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4
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Morgan AT, Amor DJ, St John MD, Scheffer IE, Hildebrand MS. Genetic architecture of childhood speech disorder: a review. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:1281-1292. [PMID: 38366112 PMCID: PMC11189821 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02409-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Severe speech disorders lead to poor literacy, reduced academic attainment and negative psychosocial outcomes. As early as the 1950s, the familial nature of speech disorders was recognized, implying a genetic basis; but the molecular genetic basis remained unknown. In 2001, investigation of a large three generational family with severe speech disorder, known as childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), revealed the first causative gene; FOXP2. A long hiatus then followed for CAS candidate genes, but in the past three years, genetic analysis of cohorts ascertained for CAS have revealed over 30 causative genes. A total of 36 pathogenic variants have been identified from 122 cases across 3 cohorts in this nascent field. All genes identified have been in coding regions to date, with no apparent benefit at this stage for WGS over WES in identifying monogenic conditions associated with CAS. Hence current findings suggest a remarkable one in three children have a genetic variant that explains their CAS, with significant genetic heterogeneity emerging. Around half of the candidate genes identified are currently supported by medium (6 genes) to strong (9 genes) evidence supporting the association between the gene and CAS. Despite genetic heterogeneity; many implicated proteins functionally converge on pathways involved in chromatin modification or transcriptional regulation, opening the door to precision diagnosis and therapies. Most of the new candidate genes for CAS are associated with previously described neurodevelopmental conditions that include intellectual disability, autism and epilepsy; broadening the phenotypic spectrum to a distinctly milder presentation defined by primary speech disorder in the setting of normal intellect. Insights into the genetic bases of CAS, a severe, rare speech disorder, are yet to translate to understanding the heritability of more common, typically milder forms of speech or language impairment such as stuttering or phonological disorder. These disorders likely follow complex inheritance with polygenic contributions in many cases, rather than the monogenic patterns that underly one-third of patients with CAS. Clinical genetic testing for should now be implemented for individuals with CAS, given its high diagnostic rate, which parallels many other neurodevelopmental disorders where this testing is already standard of care. The shared mechanisms implicated by gene discovery for CAS highlight potential new targets for future precision therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela T Morgan
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Speech Pathology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Speech Pathology, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - David J Amor
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Miya D St John
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Speech Pathology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ingrid E Scheffer
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Epilepsy Research Centre, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Michael S Hildebrand
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Epilepsy Research Centre, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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5
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Song X, Fang C, Dai Y, Sun Y, Qiu C, Lin X, Xu R. Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) inhibitors as a novel therapeutic strategy for different molecular types of breast cancer. Br J Cancer 2024; 130:1239-1248. [PMID: 38355840 PMCID: PMC11014910 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-024-02589-8] [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: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 7 is aberrantly overexpressed in many types of cancer and is an attractive target for cancer therapy due to its dual role in transcription and cell cycle progression. Moreover, CDK7 can directly modulate the activities of estrogen receptor (ER), which is a major driver in breast cancer. Breast cancer cells have exhibited high sensitivity to CDK7 inhibition in pre-clinical studies. METHODS In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of the latest insights into CDK7 biology and recent advancements in CDK7 inhibitor development for breast cancer treatment. We also discuss the current application of CDK7 inhibitors in different molecular types of breast cancer to provide potential strategies for the treatment of breast cancer. RESULTS Significant progress has been made in the development of selective CDK7 inhibitors, which show efficacy in both triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and hormone receptor-positive breast cancer (HR+). Moreover, combined with other agents, CDK7 inhibitors may provide synergistic effects for endocrine therapy and chemotherapy. Thus, high-quality studies for developing potent CDK7 inhibitors and investigating their applications in breast cancer therapy are rapidly emerging. CONCLUSION CDK7 inhibitors have emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy and have demonstrated significant anti-cancer activity in different subtypes of breast cancer, especially those that have been resistant to current therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Song
- Department of Breast Cancer, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Chen Fang
- Department of Breast Cancer, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Yan Dai
- Department of Breast Cancer, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Yang Sun
- Department of Breast Cancer, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Chang Qiu
- Department of Breast Cancer, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Xiaojie Lin
- Department of Breast Cancer, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Rui Xu
- Department of Breast Cancer, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China.
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6
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Regan-Fendt KE, Izumi K. Nuclear speckleopathies: developmental disorders caused by variants in genes encoding nuclear speckle proteins. Hum Genet 2024; 143:529-544. [PMID: 36929417 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-023-02540-6] [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: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear speckles are small, membrane-less organelles that reside within the nucleus. Nuclear speckles serve as a regulatory hub coordinating complex RNA metabolism steps including gene transcription, pre-mRNA splicing, RNA modifications, and mRNA nuclear export. Reflecting the importance of proper nuclear speckle function in regulating normal human development, an increasing number of genetic disorders have been found to result from mutations in the genes encoding nuclear speckle proteins. To denote this growing class of genetic disorders, we propose "nuclear speckleopathies". Notably, developmental disabilities are commonly seen in individuals with nuclear speckleopathies, suggesting the particular importance of nuclear speckles in ensuring normal neurocognitive development. In this review article, a general overview of nuclear speckle function, and the current knowledge of the mechanisms underlying some nuclear speckleopathies, such as ZTTK syndrome, NKAP-related syndrome, TARP syndrome, and TAR syndrome, are discussed. These nuclear speckleopathies represent valuable models to understand the basic function of nuclear speckles and how its functional defects result in human developmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly E Regan-Fendt
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3615 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kosuke Izumi
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3615 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Laboratory of Rare Disease Research, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
- Division of Genetics and Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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7
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Tien JCY, Chang Y, Zhang Y, Chou J, Cheng Y, Wang X, Yang J, Mannan R, Shah P, Wang XM, Todd AJ, Eyunni S, Cheng C, Rebernick RJ, Xiao L, Bao Y, Neiswender J, Brough R, Pettitt SJ, Cao X, Miner SJ, Zhou L, Wu YM, Labanca E, Wang Y, Parolia A, Cieslik M, Robinson DR, Wang Z, Feng FY, Lord CJ, Ding K, Chinnaiyan AM. CDK12 Loss Promotes Prostate Cancer Development While Exposing Vulnerabilities to Paralog-Based Synthetic Lethality. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.20.585990. [PMID: 38562774 PMCID: PMC10983964 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.20.585990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Biallelic loss of cyclin-dependent kinase 12 (CDK12) defines a unique molecular subtype of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). It remains unclear, however, whether CDK12 loss per se is sufficient to drive prostate cancer development-either alone, or in the context of other genetic alterations-and whether CDK12-mutant tumors exhibit sensitivity to specific pharmacotherapies. Here, we demonstrate that tissue-specific Cdk12 ablation is sufficient to induce preneoplastic lesions and robust T cell infiltration in the mouse prostate. Allograft-based CRISPR screening demonstrated that Cdk12 loss is positively associated with Trp53 inactivation but negatively associated with Pten inactivation-akin to what is observed in human mCRPC. Consistent with this, ablation of Cdk12 in prostate organoids with concurrent Trp53 loss promotes their proliferation and ability to form tumors in mice, while Cdk12 knockout in the Pten-null prostate cancer mouse model abrogates tumor growth. Bigenic Cdk12 and Trp53 loss allografts represent a new syngeneic model for the study of androgen receptor (AR)-positive, luminal prostate cancer. Notably, Cdk12/Trp53 loss prostate tumors are sensitive to immune checkpoint blockade. Cdk12-null organoids (either with or without Trp53 co-ablation) and patient-derived xenografts from tumors with CDK12 inactivation are highly sensitive to inhibition or degradation of its paralog kinase, CDK13. Together, these data identify CDK12 as a bona fide tumor suppressor gene with impact on tumor progression and lends support to paralog-based synthetic lethality as a promising strategy for treating CDK12-mutant mCRPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Ching-Yi Tien
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Yu Chang
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Yuping Zhang
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Jonathan Chou
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Yunhui Cheng
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Xiaoju Wang
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jianzhang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Discovery of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE), Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511400, People’s Republic of China
| | - Rahul Mannan
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Palak Shah
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Xiao-Ming Wang
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Abigail J. Todd
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Sanjana Eyunni
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Caleb Cheng
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ryan J. Rebernick
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Lanbo Xiao
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Yi Bao
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - James Neiswender
- The CRUK Gene Function Laboratory and Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Rachel Brough
- The CRUK Gene Function Laboratory and Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Stephen J. Pettitt
- The CRUK Gene Function Laboratory and Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Xuhong Cao
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Stephanie J. Miner
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Licheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Discovery of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE), Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511400, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yi-Mi Wu
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Estefania Labanca
- Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology and David H. Koch Center for Applied Research of Genitourinary Cancer, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yuzhuo Wang
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver General Hospital and Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6H 3Z6, Canada
| | - Abhijit Parolia
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Marcin Cieslik
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Dan R. Robinson
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Zhen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Discovery of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE), Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511400, People’s Republic of China
| | - Felix Y. Feng
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Departments of Radiation Oncology and Urology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Christopher J. Lord
- The CRUK Gene Function Laboratory and Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Ke Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China
| | - Arul M. Chinnaiyan
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Lead contact
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8
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Frei K, Schecher S, Daher T, Hörner N, Richter J, Hildebrand U, Schindeldecker M, Witzel HR, Tsaur I, Porubsky S, Gaida MM, Roth W, Tagscherer KE. Inhibition of the Cyclin K-CDK12 complex induces DNA damage and increases the effect of androgen deprivation therapy in prostate cancer. Int J Cancer 2024; 154:1082-1096. [PMID: 37916780 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.34778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the mainstay of the current first-line treatment concepts for patients with advanced prostate carcinoma (PCa). However, due to treatment failure and recurrence investigation of new targeted therapeutics is urgently needed. In this study, we investigated the suitability of the Cyclin K-CDK12 complex as a novel therapeutic approach in PCa using the new covalent CDK12/13 inhibitor THZ531. Here we show that THZ531 impairs cellular proliferation, induces apoptosis, and decreases the expression of selected DNA repair genes in PCa cell lines, which is associated with an increasing extent of DNA damage. Furthermore, combination of THZ531 and ADT leads to an increase in these anti-tumoral effects in androgen-sensitive PCa cells. The anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activity of THZ531 in combination with ADT was validated in an ex vivo PCa tissue culture model. In a retrospective immunohistochemical analysis of 300 clinical tissue samples we show that Cyclin K (CycK) but not CDK12 expression correlates with a more aggressive type of PCa. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the clinical relevance of the CycK-CDK12 complex as a promising target for combinational therapy with ADT in PCa and its importance as a prognostic biomarker for patients with PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Frei
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Sabrina Schecher
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Tamas Daher
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Nina Hörner
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jutta Richter
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ute Hildebrand
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Mario Schindeldecker
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Tissue Biobank of the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Hagen R Witzel
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Igor Tsaur
- Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Stefan Porubsky
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Matthias M Gaida
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Wilfried Roth
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Katrin E Tagscherer
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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9
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Li Y, Gong J, Sun Q, Vong EG, Cheng X, Wang B, Yuan Y, Jin L, Gamazon ER, Zhou D, Lai M, Zhang D. Alternative polyadenylation quantitative trait methylation mapping in human cancers provides clues into the molecular mechanisms of APA. Am J Hum Genet 2024; 111:562-583. [PMID: 38367620 PMCID: PMC10940021 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.01.010] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Genetic variants are involved in the orchestration of alternative polyadenylation (APA) events, while the role of DNA methylation in regulating APA remains unclear. We generated a comprehensive atlas of APA quantitative trait methylation sites (apaQTMs) across 21 different types of cancer (1,612 to 60,219 acting in cis and 4,448 to 142,349 in trans). Potential causal apaQTMs in non-cancer samples were also identified. Mechanistically, we observed a strong enrichment of cis-apaQTMs near polyadenylation sites (PASs) and both cis- and trans-apaQTMs in proximity to transcription factor (TF) binding regions. Through the integration of ChIP-signals and RNA-seq data from cell lines, we have identified several regulators of APA events, acting either directly or indirectly, implicating novel functions of some important genes, such as TCF7L2, which is known for its involvement in type 2 diabetes and cancers. Furthermore, we have identified a vast number of QTMs that share the same putative causal CpG sites with five different cancer types, underscoring the roles of QTMs, including apaQTMs, in the process of tumorigenesis. DNA methylation is extensively involved in the regulation of APA events in human cancers. In an attempt to elucidate the potential underlying molecular mechanisms of APA by DNA methylation, our study paves the way for subsequent experimental validations into the intricate biological functions of DNA methylation in APA regulation and the pathogenesis of human cancers. To present a comprehensive catalog of apaQTM patterns, we introduce the Pancan-apaQTM database, available at https://pancan-apaqtm-zju.shinyapps.io/pancanaQTM/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yige Li
- Department of Pathology, and Department of Medical Oncology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Department of Pathology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jingwen Gong
- Department of Pathology, and Department of Medical Oncology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Alibaba-Zhejiang University Joint Research Center of Future Digital Healthcare, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Qingrong Sun
- Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Alibaba-Zhejiang University Joint Research Center of Future Digital Healthcare, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; College of Information Science and Technology, ZheJiang Shuren University, Hangzhou 310015, ZheJiang, China
| | - Eu Gene Vong
- Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xiaoqing Cheng
- Department of Pathology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Binghong Wang
- Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Ying Yuan
- Department of Medical Oncology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Cancer Institute (Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Chinese National Ministry of Education), the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Li Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Human Phenome Institute, Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Research Unit of Dissecting the Population Genetics and Developing New Technologies for Treatment and Prevention of Skin Phenotypes and Dermatological Diseases (2019RU058), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Eric R Gamazon
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Data Science Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Dan Zhou
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; School of Public Health and the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Maode Lai
- Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Alibaba-Zhejiang University Joint Research Center of Future Digital Healthcare, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Department of Pathology, Research Unit of Intelligence Classification of Tumor Pathology and Precision Therapy, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU042), Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
| | - Dandan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, and Department of Medical Oncology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Alibaba-Zhejiang University Joint Research Center of Future Digital Healthcare, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Department of Pathology, Research Unit of Intelligence Classification of Tumor Pathology and Precision Therapy, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU042), Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
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10
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Lewis BA. The role of O-GlcNAcylation in RNA polymerase II transcription. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105705. [PMID: 38311176 PMCID: PMC10906531 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.105705] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) is responsible for the transcription of the protein-coding genes in the cell. Enormous progress has been made in discovering the protein activities that are required for transcription to occur, but the effects of post-translational modifications (PTMs) on RNAPII transcriptional regulation are much less understood. Most of our understanding relates to the cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), which appear to act relatively early in transcription. However, it is becoming apparent that other PTMs play a crucial role in the transcriptional cycle, and it is doubtful that any sort of complete understanding of this regulation is attainable without understanding the spectra of PTMs that occur on the transcriptional machinery. Among these is O-GlcNAcylation. Recent experiments have shown that the O-GlcNAc PTM likely has a prominent role in transcription. This review will cover the role of the O-GlcNAcylation in RNAPII transcription during initiation, pausing, and elongation, which will hopefully be of interest to both O-GlcNAc and RNAPII transcription researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian A Lewis
- Gene Regulation Section/LP, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute/NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
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11
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Schmitz M, Kaltheuner IH, Anand K, Düster R, Moecking J, Monastyrskyi A, Duckett DR, Roush WR, Geyer M. The reversible inhibitor SR-4835 binds Cdk12/cyclin K in a noncanonical G-loop conformation. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105501. [PMID: 38016516 PMCID: PMC10767194 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105501] [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: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) has evolved as an emerging anticancer strategy. In addition to the cell cycle-regulating CDKs, the transcriptional kinases Cdk12 and Cdk13 have become the focus of interest as they mediate a variety of functions, including the transition from transcription initiation to elongation and termination, precursor mRNA splicing, and intronic polyadenylation. Here, we determine the crystal structure of the small molecular inhibitor SR-4835 bound to the Cdk12/cyclin K complex at 2.68 Å resolution. The compound's benzimidazole moiety is embedded in a unique hydrogen bond network mediated by the kinase hinge region with flanking hydroxy groups of the Y815 and D819 side chains. Whereas the SR-4835 head group targets the adenine-binding pocket, the kinase's glycine-rich loop is shifted down toward the activation loop. Additionally, the αC-helix adopts an inward conformation, and the phosphorylated T-loop threonine interacts with all three canonical arginines, a hallmark of CDK activation that is altered in Cdk12 and Cdk13. Dose-response inhibition measurements with recombinant CMGC kinases show that SR-4835 is highly specific for Cdk12 and Cdk13 following a 10-fold lower potency for Cdk10. Whereas other CDK-targeting compounds exhibit tighter binding affinities and higher potencies for kinase inhibition, SR-4835 can be considered a selective transcription elongation antagonist. Our results provide the basis for a rational improvement of SR-4835 toward Cdk12 inhibition and a gain in selectivity over other transcription regulating CDKs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kanchan Anand
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Robert Düster
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jonas Moecking
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Derek R Duckett
- Department of Drug Discovery, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - William R Roush
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida, USA
| | - Matthias Geyer
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
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12
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Zhang Y, Chen XN, Zhang H, Wen JK, Gao HT, Shi B, Wang DD, Han ZW, Gu JF, Zhao CM, Xue WY, Zhang YP, Qu CB, Yang Z. CDK13 promotes lipid deposition and prostate cancer progression by stimulating NSUN5-mediated m5C modification of ACC1 mRNA. Cell Death Differ 2023; 30:2462-2476. [PMID: 37845385 PMCID: PMC10733287 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-023-01223-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) regulate cell cycle progression and the transcription of a number of genes, including lipid metabolism-related genes, and aberrant lipid metabolism is involved in prostate carcinogenesis. Previous studies have shown that CDK13 expression is upregulated and fatty acid synthesis is increased in prostate cancer (PCa). However, the molecular mechanisms linking CDK13 upregulation and aberrant lipid metabolism in PCa cells remain largely unknown. Here, we showed that upregulation of CDK13 in PCa cells increases the fatty acyl chains and lipid classes, leading to lipid deposition in the cells, which is positively correlated with the expression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC1), the first rate-limiting enzyme in fatty acid synthesis. Gain- and loss-of-function studies showed that ACC1 mediates CDK13-induced lipid accumulation and PCa progression by enhancing lipid synthesis. Mechanistically, CDK13 interacts with RNA-methyltransferase NSUN5 to promote its phosphorylation at Ser327. In turn, phosphorylated NSUN5 catalyzes the m5C modification of ACC1 mRNA, and then the m5C-modified ACC1 mRNA binds to ALYREF to enhance its stability and nuclear export, thereby contributing to an increase in ACC1 expression and lipid deposition in PCa cells. Overall, our results disclose a novel function of CDK13 in regulating the ACC1 expression and identify a previously unrecognized CDK13/NSUN5/ACC1 pathway that mediates fatty acid synthesis and lipid accumulation in PCa cells, and targeting this newly identified pathway may be a novel therapeutic option for the treatment of PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zhang
- Department of Urology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 100021, Beijing, China.
| | - Xiao-Nan Chen
- Department of Urology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 36 Sanhao Street, Shenyang, 110004, P R China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Ministry of Education of China, Hebei Medical University, No. 361 Zhongshan E Rd, Shijiazhuang, 050017, China
| | - Jin-Kun Wen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Ministry of Education of China, Hebei Medical University, No. 361 Zhongshan E Rd, Shijiazhuang, 050017, China
| | - Hai-Tao Gao
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 215 Heping W Rd, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Bei Shi
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 215 Heping W Rd, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Dan-Dan Wang
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 215 Heping W Rd, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Zhen-Wei Han
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 215 Heping W Rd, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Jun-Fei Gu
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 215 Heping W Rd, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Chen-Ming Zhao
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 215 Heping W Rd, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Wen-Yong Xue
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 215 Heping W Rd, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Yan-Ping Zhang
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 215 Heping W Rd, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Chang-Bao Qu
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 215 Heping W Rd, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China.
| | - Zhan Yang
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 215 Heping W Rd, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China.
- Center of Tumor Immunology and Cytotherapy, Medical Research Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
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13
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Aoi Y, Shilatifard A. Transcriptional elongation control in developmental gene expression, aging, and disease. Mol Cell 2023; 83:3972-3999. [PMID: 37922911 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
The elongation stage of transcription by RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) is central to the regulation of gene expression in response to developmental and environmental cues in metazoan. Dysregulated transcriptional elongation has been associated with developmental defects as well as disease and aging processes. Decades of genetic and biochemical studies have painstakingly identified and characterized an ensemble of factors that regulate RNA Pol II elongation. This review summarizes recent findings taking advantage of genetic engineering techniques that probe functions of elongation factors in vivo. We propose a revised model of elongation control in this accelerating field by reconciling contradictory results from the earlier biochemical evidence and the recent in vivo studies. We discuss how elongation factors regulate promoter-proximal RNA Pol II pause release, transcriptional elongation rate and processivity, RNA Pol II stability and RNA processing, and how perturbation of these processes is associated with developmental disorders, neurodegenerative disease, cancer, and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Aoi
- Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Ali Shilatifard
- Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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14
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Wang Z, Himanen SV, Haikala HM, Friedel CC, Vihervaara A, Barborič M. Inhibition of CDK12 elevates cancer cell dependence on P-TEFb by stimulation of RNA polymerase II pause release. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:10970-10991. [PMID: 37811895 PMCID: PMC10639066 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad792] [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: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
P-TEFb and CDK12 facilitate transcriptional elongation by RNA polymerase II. Given the prominence of both kinases in cancer, gaining a better understanding of their interplay could inform the design of novel anti-cancer strategies. While down-regulation of DNA repair genes in CDK12-targeted cancer cells is being explored therapeutically, little is known about mechanisms and significance of transcriptional induction upon inhibition of CDK12. We show that selective targeting of CDK12 in colon cancer-derived cells activates P-TEFb via its release from the inhibitory 7SK snRNP. In turn, P-TEFb stimulates Pol II pause release at thousands of genes, most of which become newly dependent on P-TEFb. Amongst the induced genes are those stimulated by hallmark pathways in cancer, including p53 and NF-κB. Consequently, CDK12-inhibited cancer cells exhibit hypersensitivity to inhibitors of P-TEFb. While blocking P-TEFb triggers their apoptosis in a p53-dependent manner, it impedes cell proliferation irrespective of p53 by preventing induction of genes downstream of the DNA damage-induced NF-κB signaling. In summary, stimulation of Pol II pause release at the signal-responsive genes underlies the functional dependence of CDK12-inhibited cancer cells on P-TEFb. Our study establishes the mechanistic underpinning for combinatorial targeting of CDK12 with either P-TEFb or the induced oncogenic pathways in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijia Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FIN-00014, Finland
| | - Samu V Himanen
- Department of Gene Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Heidi M Haikala
- Translational Immunology Research Program (TRIMM), Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FIN-00014, Finland
- iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FIN-00014, Finland
| | - Caroline C Friedel
- Institute of Informatics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80333 Munich, Germany
| | - Anniina Vihervaara
- Department of Gene Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matjaž Barborič
- Department of Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FIN-00014, Finland
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15
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Zhang L, Zhen Y, Feng L, Li Z, Lu Y, Wang G, Ouyang L. Discovery of a novel dual-target inhibitor of CDK12 and PARP1 that induces synthetic lethality for treatment of triple-negative breast cancer. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 259:115648. [PMID: 37478560 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115648] [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: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most aggressive breast tumors, with a high rate of recurrence and metastasis as well as a poor prognosis. Consequently, it is urgent to find new targeted therapeutic strategies and development of corresponding drugs. Previous studies have shown that CDK12 inhibitors in combination with PARP1 inhibitors is able to induce synthetic lethality in TNBC cells. Here, we reported simultaneously inhibition of CDK12 and PARP1 by genetic or pharmacological approaches synergistically inhibited the proliferation of TNBC cells. Then, a series of small molecule inhibitors targeting both CDK12 and PARP1 were designed and synthesized. The new dual-target inhibitor (12e) showed potent inhibitory activity against CDK12 (IC50 = 285 nM) and PARP1 (IC50 = 34 nM), as well as good anti-proliferative effects in TNBC cell lines. Meanwhile, compound 12e showed favorable synergistic anti-tumor efficacy in cells and xenografts by inhibiting DNA damage repair, promoting cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Taken together, we successfully synthesized the first effective CDK12-PARP1 dual inhibitor, which is expected to be an attractive therapeutic strategy for TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Zhang
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, China.
| | - Yongqi Zhen
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, China; Department of Biotherapy, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University /West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Lu Feng
- Department of Biotherapy, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University /West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Zhijia Li
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, China
| | - Yingying Lu
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, China
| | - Guan Wang
- Department of Biotherapy, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University /West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Liang Ouyang
- Department of Biotherapy, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University /West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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16
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Ghosh A, Jha PC, Manhas A. Computational studies to explore inhibitors against the cyclin-dependent kinase 12/13 enzyme: an insilco pharmacophore modeling, molecular docking and dynamics approach. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-14. [PMID: 37817503 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2266472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is enlisted among the deadliest disease all over the world. The cyclin-dependent kinases 12 and 13 have been identified as cell cycle regulators. They conduct transcription and co-transcriptional processes by phosphorylating the C-terminal of RNA polymerase-II. Inhibition of CDK12 and 13 selectively presents a novel strategy to treat triple-negative breast cancer, but dual inhibitors are still lacking. Here, we report the screening of the natural product compound class against the dual CDK12/13 enzyme by employing various in silico methods. Complexes of CDK12 enzymes are used to form common feature pharmacophore models, whereas we perform receptor-based pharmacophore modelling on CDK13 enzyme owing to the availability of a single PDB. On conducting screening over the representative pharmacophores, the common drug-like screened natural products were shortlisted for conducting molecular docking studies. After molecular docking calculations, the candidates that showed crucial interaction with CDK12 and CDK13 enzymes were shortlisted for simulation studies. Five common docked candidates were selected for molecular dynamics simulations and free energy calculations. Based on the cut-off criteria of free energy calculations, one common hit was selected as the dual CDK12/13 inhibitor. The outcome concluded that the hit with ID CNP0386383 possesses drug-like properties, displays crucial interaction in the binding pocket, and shows stable dynamic behaviour and higher binding energy than the experimentally reported inhibitor of both CDK12 and CDK13 enzymes.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amar Ghosh
- School of Applied Material Sciences, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
| | - Prakash C Jha
- School of Applied Material Sciences, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
| | - Anu Manhas
- Department of Chemistry, School of Energy Technology, Pandit Deendayal Energy University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
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17
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Liu X, Liu Y, Chai W, Yan M, Li H, Li J, Sun L, Cao Y, Liu Q, Sun Y, Pan H. CDK12 loss inhibits cell proliferation by regulating TBK1 in non-small cell lung cancer cells. Mol Cell Probes 2023; 71:101923. [PMID: 37517598 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcp.2023.101923] [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: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors and has a poor prognosis and a low survival rate. Traditional treatments, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, still face some challenges because of high drug resistance and toxicity. Therefore, it is necessary to discover a new kind of targeted drug with low toxicity and high efficiency. CDK12 is a cell cycle-dependent kinase whose main function is to activate RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) and promote the transcriptional extension of RNA. However, the role and molecular mechanism of CDK12 in lung cancer are still unclear. In this study, the mutation and RNA-Seq data of CDK12 in lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and analyzed with the custom scripts. Cell proliferation was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and cell colony formation assays. A subcutaneous tumor experiment in nude mice was used to examine the effects of CDK12 knockdown on the in vivo tumor growth of NSCLC cells. The cell cycle distribution and the apoptosis rate of lung cancer cells were assessed by flow cytometry. Regulation of TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) by CDK12 was evaluated by quantitative PCR, immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis. In this study we have analyzed the mutation and expression data of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and found that CDK12 is highly expressed in lung cancer tissues. Clinical correlation analysis showed that high expression of CDK12 in NSCLC reduces patient survival, but its high expression is only related to early tumor progression and has no significant correlation with late tumor progression and metastasis. Furthermore, we present evidence that CDK12 depletion in lung cancer cell lines not only leads to the inhibition of cell growth and induces apoptosis but also inhibits tumor growth of NSCLC cells in vivo. CDK12 positively regulates the expression of the oncogene TBK1 in lung cancer cells. These results revealed that CDK12 affects the progression of non-small cell lung cancer through positive regulation of TBK1 expression, suggesting that CDK12 might be a potential molecular target for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Liu
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, No. 688, Hongqu Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yangdong Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Tai'an Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, No.58 Dongyue Street, Tai'an City, Shandong Province, 271000, China
| | - Wenjun Chai
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, No. 688, Hongqu Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Mingxia Yan
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, No. 688, Hongqu Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Hui Li
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, No. 688, Hongqu Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jing Li
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, No. 688, Hongqu Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Lei Sun
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, No. 688, Hongqu Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yue Cao
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, No. 688, Hongqu Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qian Liu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, No.1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, 200092, China.
| | - Yuexi Sun
- Department of Emergency, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University, No.389 Xincun Road, Shanghai, 200065, China.
| | - Hongyu Pan
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, No. 688, Hongqu Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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18
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Ang HX, Sutiman N, Deng XL, Liu A, Cerda-Smith CG, Hutchinson HM, Kim H, Bartelt LC, Chen Q, Barrera A, Lin J, Sheng Z, McDowell IC, Reddy TE, Nicchitta CV, Wood KC. Cooperative regulation of coupled oncoprotein synthesis and stability in triple-negative breast cancer by EGFR and CDK12/13. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2221448120. [PMID: 37695916 PMCID: PMC10515179 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2221448120] [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: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence has long suggested that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) may play a prominent role in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) pathogenesis, but clinical trials of EGFR inhibitors have yielded disappointing results. Using a candidate drug screen, we identified that inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinases 12 and 13 (CDK12/13) dramatically sensitizes diverse models of TNBC to EGFR blockade. This combination therapy drives cell death through the 4E-BP1-dependent suppression of the translation and translation-linked turnover of driver oncoproteins, including MYC. A genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screen identified the CCR4-NOT complex as a major determinant of sensitivity to the combination therapy whose loss renders 4E-BP1 unresponsive to drug-induced dephosphorylation, thereby rescuing MYC translational suppression and promoting MYC stability. The central roles of CCR4-NOT and 4E-BP1 in response to the combination therapy were further underscored by the observation of CNOT1 loss and rescue of 4E-BP1 phosphorylation in TNBC cells that naturally evolved therapy resistance. Thus, pharmacological inhibition of CDK12/13 reveals a long-proposed EGFR dependence in TNBC that functions through the cooperative regulation of translation-coupled oncoprotein stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hazel X. Ang
- Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC22710
| | - Natalia Sutiman
- Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School,Singapore169857, Singapore
| | - Xinyue L. Deng
- Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC22710
| | - Annie Liu
- Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC22710
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC22710
| | - Christian G. Cerda-Smith
- Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC22710
| | - Haley M. Hutchinson
- Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC22710
| | - Holly Kim
- Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC22710
| | - Luke C. Bartelt
- Duke Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC27708
| | - Qiang Chen
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC22710
| | - Alejandro Barrera
- Duke Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC27708
| | - Jiaxing Lin
- Bioinformatics Shared Resources, Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC27705
| | - Zhecheng Sheng
- Bioinformatics Shared Resources, Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC27705
| | - Ian C. McDowell
- Duke Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC27708
| | - Timothy E. Reddy
- Duke Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC27708
| | | | - Kris C. Wood
- Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC22710
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19
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Pluta AJ, Studniarek C, Murphy S, Norbury CJ. Cyclin-dependent kinases: Masters of the eukaryotic universe. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2023; 15:e1816. [PMID: 37718413 PMCID: PMC10909489 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
A family of structurally related cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) drives many aspects of eukaryotic cell function. Much of the literature in this area has considered individual members of this family to act primarily either as regulators of the cell cycle, the context in which CDKs were first discovered, or as regulators of transcription. Until recently, CDK7 was the only clear example of a CDK that functions in both processes. However, new data points to several "cell-cycle" CDKs having important roles in transcription and some "transcriptional" CDKs having cell cycle-related targets. For example, novel functions in transcription have been demonstrated for the archetypal cell cycle regulator CDK1. The increasing evidence of the overlap between these two CDK types suggests that they might play a critical role in coordinating the two processes. Here we review the canonical functions of cell-cycle and transcriptional CDKs, and provide an update on how these kinases collaborate to perform important cellular functions. We also provide a brief overview of how dysregulation of CDKs contributes to carcinogenesis, and possible treatment avenues. This article is categorized under: RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA-Protein Complexes RNA Processing > 3' End Processing RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Shona Murphy
- Sir William Dunn School of PathologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Chris J. Norbury
- Sir William Dunn School of PathologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
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20
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Xiao Y, Dong J. Coming of Age: Targeting Cyclin K in Cancers. Cells 2023; 12:2044. [PMID: 37626854 PMCID: PMC10453554 DOI: 10.3390/cells12162044] [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: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) play versatile roles in promoting the hallmarks of cancer. Therefore, cyclins and CDKs have been widely studied and targeted in cancer treatment, with four CDK4/6 inhibitors being approved by the FDA and many other inhibitors being examined in clinical trials. The specific purpose of this review is to delineate the role and therapeutic potential of Cyclin K in cancers. Studies have shown that Cyclin K regulates many essential biological processes, including the DNA damage response, mitosis, and pre-replicative complex assembly, and is critical in both cancer cell growth and therapeutic resistance. Importantly, the druggability of Cyclin K has been demonstrated in an increasing number of studies that identify novel opportunities for its use in cancer treatment. This review first introduces the basic features and translational value of human cyclins and CDKs. Next, the discovery, phosphorylation targets, and related functional significance of Cyclin K-CDK12/13 complexes in cancer are detailed. This review then provides a summary of current Cyclin K-associated cancer studies, with an emphasis on the available Cyclin K-targeting drugs. Finally, the current knowledge gaps regarding the potential of Cyclin K in cancers are discussed, along with interesting directions for future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jixin Dong
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA;
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21
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Li G, Kang Y, Feng X, Wang G, Yuan Y, Li Z, Du L, Xu B. Dynamic changes of enhancer and super enhancer landscape in degenerated nucleus pulposus cells. Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:e202201854. [PMID: 37012048 PMCID: PMC10070812 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201854] [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: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory cascade and extracellular matrix remodeling have been identified as pivotal pathological factors in the progression of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD), but the mechanisms underlying the aberrant activation of transcription during nucleus pulposus (NP) cell degeneration remain elusive. Super-enhancers (SEs) are large clusters of adjacent lone enhancers, which control expression modes of cellular fate and pathogenic genes. Here, we showed that SEs underwent tremendous remodeling during NP cell degeneration and that SE-related transcripts were most abundant in inflammatory cascade and extracellular matrix remodeling processes. Inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 7, a transcriptional kinase-mediated transcriptional initiation in trans-acting SE complex, constricted the transcription of inflammatory cascades, and extracellular matrix remodeling-related genes such as IL1β and MMP3 in NP cells, meanwhile, also restrained the transcription of Mmp16, Tnfrsf21, and Il11ra1 to retard IDD in rats. In summary, our findings clarify SEs control the transcription of genes associated with inflammatory cascade and extracellular matrix remodeling during NP cell degeneration and identify inhibition of the cyclin-dependent kinase 7, required for SE-mediated transcriptional activation, as a therapeutic option for IDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guowang Li
- Department of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Graduate School of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuxiang Kang
- Graduate School of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiangling Feng
- Graduate School of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Guohua Wang
- Graduate School of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yue Yuan
- Graduate School of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhenhua Li
- Department of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Lilong Du
- Department of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Baoshan Xu
- Department of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China
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22
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Qiu M, Yin Z, Wang H, Lei L, Li C, Cui Y, Dai R, Yang P, Xiang Y, Li Q, Lv J, Hu Z, Chen M, Zhou HB, Fang P, Xiao R, Liang K. CDK12 and Integrator-PP2A complex modulates LEO1 phosphorylation for processive transcription elongation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf8698. [PMID: 37205756 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf8698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 12 (CDK12) interacts with cyclin K to form a functional nuclear kinase that promotes processive transcription elongation through phosphorylation of the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II (Pol II). To gain a comprehensive understanding of CDK12's cellular function, we used chemical genetic and phosphoproteomic screening to identify a landscape of nuclear human CDK12 substrates, including regulators of transcription, chromatin organization, and RNA splicing. We further validated LEO1, a subunit of the polymerase-associated factor 1 complex (PAF1C), as a bona fide cellular substrate of CDK12. Acute depletion of LEO1, or substituting LEO1 phosphorylation sites with alanine, attenuated PAF1C association with elongating Pol II and impaired processive transcription elongation. Moreover, we discovered that LEO1 interacts with and is dephosphorylated by the Integrator-PP2A complex (INTAC) and that INTAC depletion promotes the association of PAF1C with Pol II. Together, this study reveals an uncharacterized role for CDK12 and INTAC in regulating LEO1 phosphorylation, providing important insights into gene transcription and its regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Qiu
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Zhinang Yin
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Honghong Wang
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Lingyu Lei
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Conghui Li
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yali Cui
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Rong Dai
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Peiyuan Yang
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Ying Xiang
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Qiuzi Li
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Junhui Lv
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Zhuang Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Hubei Province Engineering and Technology Research Center for Fluorinated Pharmaceuticals, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Min Chen
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Hai-Bing Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Hubei Province Engineering and Technology Research Center for Fluorinated Pharmaceuticals, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Pingping Fang
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Ruijing Xiao
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Kaiwei Liang
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, TaiKang Medical School, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
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23
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Zhang G, Lan B, Zhang X, Lin M, Liu Y, Chen J, Guo F. AR-A014418 regulates intronic polyadenylation and transcription of PD-L1 through inhibiting CDK12 and CDK13 in tumor cells. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:jitc-2022-006483. [PMID: 37164450 PMCID: PMC10174041 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-006483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune checkpoint molecules, especially programmed death 1 (PD-1) and its ligand, programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), protect tumor cells from T cell-mediated killing. Immune checkpoint inhibitors, designed to restore the antitumor immunosurveillance, have exhibited significant clinical benefits for patients with certain cancer types. Nevertheless, the relatively low response rate and acquisition of resistance greatly limit their clinical applications. A deeper understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of PD-L1 protein expression and activity will help to develop more effective therapeutic strategies. METHODS The effects of AR-A014418 and THZ531 on PD-L1 expression were detected by western blot, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and flow cytometry. In vitro kinase assays with recombinant proteins were performed to confirm that AR-A014418 functioned as a CDK12 and CDK13 dual inhibitor. The roles of CDK12 and CDK13 in intronic polyadenylation (IPA) and transcription of PD-L1 were determined via RNA interference or protein overexpression. T-cell cytotoxicity assays were used to validate the activation of antitumor immunity by AR-A014418 and THZ531. RESULTS AR-A014418 inhibits CDK12 to enhance the IPA, and inhibits CDK13 to repress the transcription of PD-L1. IPA generates a secreted PD-L1 isoform (PD-L1-v4). The extent of IPA was not enough to reduce full-length PD-L1 expression obviously. Only the superposition of enhancing IPA and repressing transcription (dual inhibition of CDK12 and CDK13) dramatically suppresses full-length PD-L1 induction by interferon-γ. AR-A014418 and THZ531 could potentiate T-cell cytotoxicity against tumor cells. CONCLUSIONS Our work identifies a new regulatory pathway for PD-L1 expression and discovers CDK12 and CDK13 as promising drug targets for immune modulation and combined therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ganggang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Biomedicine (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Center for Systems Biomedicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Lan
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Biotherapy, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Biomedicine (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Center for Systems Biomedicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengyao Lin
- Key Laboratory of Systems Biomedicine (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Center for Systems Biomedicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Junsong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Systems Biomedicine (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Center for Systems Biomedicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fang Guo
- Key Laboratory of Systems Biomedicine (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Center for Systems Biomedicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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24
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Insco ML, Abraham BJ, Dubbury SJ, Kaltheuner IH, Dust S, Wu C, Chen KY, Liu D, Bellaousov S, Cox AM, Martin BJ, Zhang T, Ludwig CG, Fabo T, Modhurima R, Esgdaille DE, Henriques T, Brown KM, Chanock SJ, Geyer M, Adelman K, Sharp PA, Young RA, Boutz PL, Zon LI. Oncogenic CDK13 mutations impede nuclear RNA surveillance. Science 2023; 380:eabn7625. [PMID: 37079685 PMCID: PMC10184553 DOI: 10.1126/science.abn7625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
RNA surveillance pathways detect and degrade defective transcripts to ensure RNA fidelity. We found that disrupted nuclear RNA surveillance is oncogenic. Cyclin-dependent kinase 13 (CDK13) is mutated in melanoma, and patient-mutated CDK13 accelerates zebrafish melanoma. CDK13 mutation causes aberrant RNA stabilization. CDK13 is required for ZC3H14 phosphorylation, which is necessary and sufficient to promote nuclear RNA degradation. Mutant CDK13 fails to activate nuclear RNA surveillance, causing aberrant protein-coding transcripts to be stabilized and translated. Forced aberrant RNA expression accelerates melanoma in zebrafish. We found recurrent mutations in genes encoding nuclear RNA surveillance components in many malignancies, establishing nuclear RNA surveillance as a tumor-suppressive pathway. Activating nuclear RNA surveillance is crucial to avoid accumulation of aberrant RNAs and their ensuing consequences in development and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan L. Insco
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Brian J. Abraham
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Sara J. Dubbury
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Ines H. Kaltheuner
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, Bonn, 53127, Germany
| | - Sofia Dust
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, Bonn, 53127, Germany
| | - Constance Wu
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Kevin Y. Chen
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - David Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Stanislav Bellaousov
- University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Anna M. Cox
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Benjamin J.E. Martin
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Tongwu Zhang
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Calvin G. Ludwig
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Tania Fabo
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Rodsy Modhurima
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Dakarai E. Esgdaille
- University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Telmo Henriques
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Kevin M. Brown
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Stephen J. Chanock
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Matthias Geyer
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, Bonn, 53127, Germany
| | - Karen Adelman
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Phillip A. Sharp
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Richard A. Young
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Paul L. Boutz
- University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
- Center for RNA Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
- Center for Biomedical Informatics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Leonard I. Zon
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
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25
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Wu C, Xie T, Guo Y, Wang D, Qiu M, Han R, Qing G, Liang K, Liu H. CDK13 phosphorylates the translation machinery and promotes tumorigenic protein synthesis. Oncogene 2023; 42:1321-1330. [PMID: 36882522 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02653-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 13 (CDK13) has been suggested to phosphorylate RNA polymerase II and is involved in transcriptional activation. However, whether CDK13 catalyzes other protein substrates and how CDK13 contributes to tumorigenesis remain largely unclear. We here identify key translation machinery components, 4E-BP1 and eIF4B, as novel CDK13 substrates. CDK13 directly phosphorylates 4E-BP1 at Thr46 and eIF4B at Ser422; genetically or pharmacologically inhibiting CDK13 disrupts mRNA translation. Polysome profiling analysis shows that MYC oncoprotein synthesis strictly depends on CDK13-regulated translation in colorectal cancer (CRC), and CDK13 is required for CRC cell proliferation. As mTORC1 is implicated in 4E-BP1 and eIF4B phosphorylation, inactivation of CDK13 in combination with the mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin further dephosphorylates 4E-BP1 and eIF4B and blocks protein synthesis. As a result, dual inhibition of CDK13 and mTORC1 induces more profound tumor cell death. These findings clarify the pro-tumorigenic role of CDK13 by direct phosphorylation of translation initiation factors and enhancing protein synthesis. Therefore, therapeutic targeting of CDK13 alone or in combination with rapamycin may pave a new way for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wu
- Department of Hematology, Medical Research Institute, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, 430071, Wuhan, China.,Frontier Science Center of Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, 430071, Wuhan, China
| | - Ting Xie
- Department of Hematology, Medical Research Institute, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, 430071, Wuhan, China.,Frontier Science Center of Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, 430071, Wuhan, China
| | - Ying Guo
- Frontier Science Center of Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, 430071, Wuhan, China
| | - Donghai Wang
- Frontier Science Center of Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, 430071, Wuhan, China
| | - Min Qiu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, 430071, Wuhan, China
| | - Ruyi Han
- Frontier Science Center of Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, 430071, Wuhan, China
| | - Guoliang Qing
- Frontier Science Center of Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, 430071, Wuhan, China
| | - Kaiwei Liang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, 430071, Wuhan, China
| | - Hudan Liu
- Department of Hematology, Medical Research Institute, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, 430071, Wuhan, China. .,Frontier Science Center of Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, 430071, Wuhan, China.
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26
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Wu W, Yu S, Yu X. Transcription-associated cyclin-dependent kinase 12 (CDK12) as a potential target for cancer therapy. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188842. [PMID: 36460141 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 12 (CDK12), a transcription-related cyclin dependent kinase (CDK), plays a momentous part in multitudinous biological functions, such as replication, transcription initiation to elongation and termination, precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA) splicing, intron polyadenylation (IPA), and translation. CDK12 can act as a tumour suppressor or oncogene in disparate cellular environments, and its dysregulation likely provokes tumorigenesis. A comprehensive understanding of CDK12 will tremendously facilitate the exploitation of novel tactics for the treatment and precaution of cancer. Currently, CDK12 inhibitors are nonspecific and nonselective, which profoundly hinders the pharmacological target validation and drug exploitation process. Herein, we summarize the newly comprehension of the biological functions of CDK12 with a focus on recently emerged advancements of CDK12-associated therapeutic approaches in cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wence Wu
- Departments of Orthopedics, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China; Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China; State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Carcinogenesis and Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Shengji Yu
- Departments of Orthopedics, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
| | - Xiying Yu
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China; State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Carcinogenesis and Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
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27
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Jackson LM, Moldovan GL. Mechanisms of PARP1 inhibitor resistance and their implications for cancer treatment. NAR Cancer 2022; 4:zcac042. [PMID: 36568963 PMCID: PMC9773381 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcac042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of synthetic lethality as a result of the combined loss of PARP1 and BRCA has revolutionized the treatment of DNA repair-deficient cancers. With the development of PARP inhibitors, patients displaying germline or somatic mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 were presented with a novel therapeutic strategy. However, a large subset of patients do not respond to PARP inhibitors. Furthermore, many of those who do respond eventually acquire resistance. As such, combating de novo and acquired resistance to PARP inhibitors remains an obstacle in achieving durable responses in patients. In this review, we touch on some of the key mechanisms of PARP inhibitor resistance, including restoration of homologous recombination, replication fork stabilization and suppression of single-stranded DNA gap accumulation, as well as address novel approaches for overcoming PARP inhibitor resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey M Jackson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - George-Lucian Moldovan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
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28
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van der Noord VE, van de Water B, Le Dévédec SE. Targeting the Heterogeneous Genomic Landscape in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer through Inhibitors of the Transcriptional Machinery. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:4353. [PMID: 36139513 PMCID: PMC9496798 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14184353] [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: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer defined by lack of the estrogen, progesterone and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Although TNBC tumors contain a wide variety of oncogenic mutations and copy number alterations, the direct targeting of these alterations has failed to substantially improve therapeutic efficacy. This efficacy is strongly limited by interpatient and intratumor heterogeneity, and thereby a lack in uniformity of targetable drivers. Most of these genetic abnormalities eventually drive specific transcriptional programs, which may be a general underlying vulnerability. Currently, there are multiple selective inhibitors, which target the transcriptional machinery through transcriptional cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) 7, 8, 9, 12 and 13 and bromodomain extra-terminal motif (BET) proteins, including BRD4. In this review, we discuss how inhibitors of the transcriptional machinery can effectively target genetic abnormalities in TNBC, and how these abnormalities can influence sensitivity to these inhibitors. These inhibitors target the genomic landscape in TNBC by specifically suppressing MYC-driven transcription, inducing further DNA damage, improving anti-cancer immunity, and preventing drug resistance against MAPK and PI3K-targeted therapies. Because the transcriptional machinery enables transcription and propagation of multiple cancer drivers, it may be a promising target for (combination) treatment, especially of heterogeneous malignancies, including TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sylvia E. Le Dévédec
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
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29
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Yang J, Chang Y, Tien JCY, Wang Z, Zhou Y, Zhang P, Huang W, Vo J, Apel IJ, Wang C, Zeng VZ, Cheng Y, Li S, Wang GX, Chinnaiyan AM, Ding K. Discovery of a Highly Potent and Selective Dual PROTAC Degrader of CDK12 and CDK13. J Med Chem 2022; 65:11066-11083. [PMID: 35938508 PMCID: PMC9876424 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Selective degradation of the cyclin-dependent kinases 12 and 13 (CDK12/13) presents a novel therapeutic opportunity for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), but there is still a lack of dual CDK12/13 degraders. Here, we report the discovery of the first series of highly potent and selective dual CDK12/13 degraders by employing the proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology. The optimal compound 7f effectively degraded CDK12 and CDK13 with DC50 values of 2.2 and 2.1 nM, respectively, in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Global proteomic profiling demonstrated the target selectivity of 7f. In vitro, 7f suppressed expression of core DNA damage response (DDR) genes in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Further, 7f markedly inhibited proliferation of multiple TNBC cell lines including MFM223, with an IC50 value of 47 nM. Importantly, 7f displayed a significantly improved antiproliferative activity compared to the structurally similar inhibitor 4, suggesting the potential advantage of a CDK12/13 degrader for TNBC targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianzhang Yang
- International
Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization
and Innovative Drug Discovery of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE),
Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development,
College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 855 Xingye Avenue East, Guangzhou 511400, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yu Chang
- International
Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization
and Innovative Drug Discovery of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE),
Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development,
College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 855 Xingye Avenue East, Guangzhou 511400, People’s Republic of China
- Michigan
Center for Translational Pathology, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Jean Ching-Yi Tien
- Michigan
Center for Translational Pathology, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department
of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Zhen Wang
- State
Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy
of Sciences, #345 Ling Ling Road, Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yang Zhou
- International
Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization
and Innovative Drug Discovery of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE),
Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development,
College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 855 Xingye Avenue East, Guangzhou 511400, People’s Republic of China
| | - Pujuan Zhang
- State
Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy
of Sciences, #345 Ling Ling Road, Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China
| | - Weixue Huang
- State
Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy
of Sciences, #345 Ling Ling Road, Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China
| | - Josh Vo
- Michigan
Center for Translational Pathology, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Ingrid J. Apel
- Michigan
Center for Translational Pathology, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Cynthia Wang
- Michigan
Center for Translational Pathology, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Victoria Zhixuan Zeng
- Michigan
Center for Translational Pathology, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Yunhui Cheng
- Michigan
Center for Translational Pathology, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Shuqin Li
- Michigan
Center for Translational Pathology, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - George Xiaoju Wang
- Michigan
Center for Translational Pathology, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department
of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department
of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Arul M. Chinnaiyan
- Michigan
Center for Translational Pathology, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department
of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department
of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Howard Hughes
Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department
of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Ke Ding
- International
Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization
and Innovative Drug Discovery of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE),
Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development,
College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 855 Xingye Avenue East, Guangzhou 511400, People’s Republic of China
- State
Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy
of Sciences, #345 Ling Ling Road, Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China
- Institute
of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, People’s Republic of China
- The
First Affiliated Hospital (Huaqiao Hospital), Jinan University, 601
Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
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30
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Peng Y, Tang L, Li Y, Song J, Liu H, Wang P, Zhong Z, Yang Y, Wang S, Chen L, Zhang J, Zhang S, Wang Z, Li M, Liang L, Liu J. Comprehensive proteomic analysis reveals dynamic phospho-profiling in human early erythropoiesis. Br J Haematol 2022; 199:427-442. [PMID: 35974424 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.18407] [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: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Normal early erythropoiesis depends on the precise regulation of protein expression and phosphorylation modification. Dysregulation of protein levels or modification contributes to erythroid disorders. To date, the dynamics of protein phosphorylation profiling across human erythroid development is not fully understood. Here, we characterized quantitative proteomic and phosphoproteomic profiling by tandem mass-tagging technology. We systemically built phospho-expression profiling and expression clusters of 11 414 phosphopeptides for human early erythropoiesis. The standardization methods for multitier integrative analyses revealed multiple functional modules of phosphoproteins (e.g., regulation of the G2/M transition) and active phosphorylated signalling (e.g., cell cycle-related pathways). Our further analysis revealed that CDK family members were the main kinases that phosphorylate substrates in erythroid progenitors and identified that CDK9 played an important role in the proliferation of erythroid progenitors. Collectively, our phosphoproteomic profiling, integrative network analysis and functional studies define landscapes of the phosphoproteome and reveal signalling pathways that are involved in human early erythropoiesis. This study will serve as a valuable resource for further investigations of phosphatase and kinase functions in human erythropoiesis and erythroid-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanliang Peng
- Department of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Molecular Biology Research Center, Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Li Tang
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yanan Li
- Department of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Molecular Biology Research Center, Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jianhui Song
- Department of Pediatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Hong Liu
- Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Pan Wang
- Department of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Molecular Biology Research Center, Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhizhou Zhong
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yifei Yang
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Shihui Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Lixiang Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ji Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Shijie Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zi Wang
- Department of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Molecular Biology Research Center, Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Min Li
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Long Liang
- Department of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Molecular Biology Research Center, Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Molecular Biology Research Center, Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, Central South University, Changsha, China
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31
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Magnuson B, Bedi K, Narayanan IV, Bartkowiak B, Blinkiewicz H, Paulsen MT, Greenleaf A, Ljungman M. CDK12 regulates co-transcriptional splicing and RNA turnover in human cells. iScience 2022; 25:105030. [PMID: 36111258 PMCID: PMC9468413 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The cyclin-dependent kinase CDK12 has garnered interest as a cancer therapeutic target as DNA damage response genes are particularly suppressed by loss of CDK12 activity. In this study, we assessed the acute effects of CDK12 inhibition on transcription and RNA processing using nascent RNA Bru-seq and BruChase-seq. Acute transcriptional changes were overall small after CDK12 inhibition but over 600 genes showed intragenic premature termination, including DNA repair and cell cycle genes. Furthermore, many genes showed reduced transcriptional readthrough past the end of genes in the absence of CDK12 activity. RNA turnover was dramatically affected by CDK12 inhibition and importantly, caused increased degradation of many transcripts from DNA damage response genes. We also show that co-transcriptional splicing was suppressed by CDK12 inhibition. Taken together, these studies reveal the roles of CDK12 in regulating transcription elongation, transcription termination, co-transcriptional splicing, and RNA turnover. Over 600 genes showed prematurely terminated transcription when CDK12 was inhibited CDK12 promotes transcriptional readthrough past transcription end sites (TESs) CDK12 promotes splicing and affects transcript stability
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Magnuson
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Rogel Cancer Center and Center for RNA Biomedicine, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Karan Bedi
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Rogel Cancer Center and Center for RNA Biomedicine, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | | | - Bartlomiej Bartkowiak
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Hailey Blinkiewicz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Michelle T. Paulsen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Arno Greenleaf
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Mats Ljungman
- Rogel Cancer Center and Center for RNA Biomedicine, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Corresponding author
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32
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Chilà R, Chiappa M, Guffanti F, Panini N, Conconi D, Rinaldi A, Cascione L, Bertoni F, Fratelli M, Damia G. Stable CDK12 Knock-Out Ovarian Cancer Cells Do Not Show Increased Sensitivity to Cisplatin and PARP Inhibitor Treatment. Front Oncol 2022; 12:903536. [PMID: 35912188 PMCID: PMC9328802 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.903536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 12 (CDK12) is a serine/threonine kinase involved in the regulation of RNA polymerase II and in the transcription of a subset of genes involved in the DNA damage response. CDK12 is one of the most mutated genes in ovarian carcinoma. These mutations result in loss-of-function and can predict the responses to PARP1/2 inhibitor and platinum. To investigate the role of CDK12 in ovarian cancer, CRISPR/Cas9 technology was used to generate a stable CDK12 knockout (KO) clone in A2780 ovarian carcinoma cells. This is the first report on a CDK12 null cell line. The clone had slower cell growth and was less clonogenic than parental cells. These data were confirmed in vivo, where CDK12 KO transplanted cells had a much longer time lag and slightly slower growth rate than CDK12-expressing cells. The slower growth was associated with a higher basal level of apoptosis, but there were no differences in the basal level of autophagy and senescence. While cell cycle distribution was similar in parental and knockout cells, there was a doubling in DNA content, with an almost double modal number of chromosomes in the CDK12 KO clone which, however did not display any increase in γH2AX, a marker of DNA damage. We found partial down-regulation of the expression of DNA repair genes at the mRNA level and, among the down-regulated genes, an enrichment in the G2/M checkpoint genes. Although the biological features of CDK12 KO cells are compatible with the function of CDK12, contrary to some reports, we could not find any difference in the sensitivity to cisplatin and olaparib between wild-type and CDK12 KO cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosaria Chilà
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Department of Oncology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri Istituito di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan, Italy
| | - Michela Chiappa
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Department of Oncology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri Istituito di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Guffanti
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Department of Oncology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri Istituito di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan, Italy
| | - Nicolò Panini
- Laboratory of Cancer Pharmacology, Department of Oncology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Donatella Conconi
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Andrea Rinaldi
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Luciano Cascione
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Francesco Bertoni
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland (IOSI), Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Maddalena Fratelli
- Department of Biochemistry, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanna Damia
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Department of Oncology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri Istituito di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan, Italy
- *Correspondence: Giovanna Damia,
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33
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Lei P, Zhang J, Liao P, Ren C, Wang J, Wang Y. Current progress and novel strategies that target CDK12 for drug discovery. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 240:114603. [PMID: 35868123 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
CDK12 is a cyclin-dependent kinase that plays critical roles in DNA replication, transcription, mRNA splicing, and DNA damage repair. CDK12 genomic changes, including mutation, amplification, deletion, and fusion, lead to various cancers, such as colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, and ovarian cancer. An increasing number of CDK12 inhibitors have been reported since CDK12 was identified as a biomarker and cancer therapeutic target. A major challenge lies in that CDK12 and CDK13 share highly similar sequences, which leads to great difficulties in the development of highly selective CDK12 inhibitors. In recent years, great efforts were made in developing selective CDK12 blockers. Techniques including PROTAC and molecular glue degraders were also applied to facilitate their development. Also, the drug combination strategy of CDK12 small molecule inhibitors were studied. This review discusses the latest studies on CDK12 inhibitors and analyzes their structure-activity relationships, shedding light on their further development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Lei
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China; State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Jifa Zhang
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China; State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China; Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Peiyu Liao
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, 610500, Sichuan, China
| | - Changyu Ren
- Department of Pharmacy, Chengdu Fifth People's Hospital, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiaxing Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, 38163, Tennessee, United States
| | - Yuxi Wang
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China; State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China; Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
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34
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Guo X, Chen H, Zhou Y, Shen L, Wu S, Chen Y. Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibition and its intersection with immunotherapy in breast cancer: more than CDK4/6 inhibition. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2022; 31:933-944. [PMID: 35786092 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2022.2097067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) have had clinical success in treating hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative metastatic breast cancer. Notably, CDK4/6i have expanded to the neoadjuvant setting for early breast cancer and other cancer types and potently synergize with immunotherapy. Other CDKs, including CDK7, CDK9, and CDK12/13, mainly function in transcriptional processes as well as cell cycle regulation, RNA splicing, and DNA damage response. Inhibiting these CDKs aids in suppressing tumors, reversing drug resistance, increasing drug sensitivity, and enhancing anti-tumor immunity in breast cancer. AREAS COVERED We reviewed the applications of CDK4/6i, CDK7i, CDK9i and CDK12/13i for various breast cancer subtypes and their potentials for combination with immunotherapy. A literature search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science was conducted in April 2022. EXPERT OPINION The use of CDK4/6i represents a major milestone in breast cancer treatment. Moreover, transcription-related CDKs play critical roles in tumor development and are promising therapeutic targets for breast cancer. Some relevant clinical studies are underway. More specific and efficient CDKis will undoubtedly be developed and clinically tested. Characterization of their immune-priming effects will promote the development of combination therapies consisting of CDKi and immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianan Guo
- Department of Breast Surgery and Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huihui Chen
- Department of Breast Surgery and Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yunxiang Zhou
- Department of Breast Surgery and Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lu Shen
- Department of Breast Surgery and Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shijie Wu
- Department of Breast Surgery and Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yiding Chen
- Department of Breast Surgery and Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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35
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Transcription associated cyclin-dependent kinases as therapeutic targets for prostate cancer. Oncogene 2022; 41:3303-3315. [PMID: 35568739 PMCID: PMC9187515 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-022-02347-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Transcriptional deregulation has emerged as a hallmark of several cancer types. In metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, a stage in which systemic androgen deprivation therapies fail to show clinical benefit, transcriptional addiction to the androgen receptor is maintained in most patients. This has led to increased efforts to find novel therapies that prevent oncogenic transactivation of the androgen receptor. In this context, a group of druggable protein kinases, known as transcription associated cyclin-dependent kinases (tCDKs), show great potential as therapeutic targets. Despite initial reservations about targeting tCDKs due to their ubiquitous and prerequisite nature, preclinical studies showed that selectively inhibiting such kinases could provide sufficient therapeutic window to exert antitumour effects in the absence of systemic toxicity. As a result, several highly specific inhibitors are currently being trialled in solid tumours, including prostate cancer. This article summarises the roles of tCDKs in regulating gene transcription and highlights rationales for their targeting in prostate cancer. It provides an overview of the most recent developments in this therapeutic area, including the most recent clinical advances, and discusses the utility of tCDK inhibitors in combination with established cancer agents.
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36
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Li J, Tiwari M, Chen Y, Luanpitpong S, Sen GL. CDK12 Is Necessary to Promote Epidermal Differentiation Through Transcription Elongation. Stem Cells 2022; 40:435-445. [PMID: 35325240 PMCID: PMC9199850 DOI: 10.1093/stmcls/sxac002] [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: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Proper differentiation of the epidermis is essential to prevent water loss and to protect the body from the outside environment. Perturbations in this process can lead to a variety of skin diseases that impacts 1 in 5 people. While transcription factors that control epidermal differentiation have been well characterized, other aspects of transcription control such as elongation are poorly understood. Here we show that of the two cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK12 and CDK13), that are known to regulate transcription elongation, only CDK12 is necessary for epidermal differentiation. Depletion of CDK12 led to loss of differentiation gene expression and absence of skin barrier formation in regenerated human epidermis. CDK12 binds to genes that code for differentiation promoting transcription factors (GRHL3, KLF4, and OVOL1) and is necessary for their elongation. CDK12 is necessary for elongation by promoting Ser2 phosphorylation on the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II and the stabilization of binding of the elongation factor SPT6 to target genes. Our results suggest that control of transcription elongation by CDK12 plays a prominent role in adult cell fate decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingting Li
- Institute of Precision Medicine, Department of Burns, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Manisha Tiwari
- Department of Dermatology and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, UCSD Stem Cell Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yifang Chen
- Department of Dermatology and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, UCSD Stem Cell Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sudjit Luanpitpong
- Siriraj Center of Excellence for Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkoknoi, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - George L Sen
- Department of Dermatology and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, UCSD Stem Cell Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Kucherlapati MH. Co-expression patterns explain how a basic transcriptional role for MYC modulates Wnt and MAPK pathways in colon and lung adenocarcinomas. Cell Cycle 2022; 21:1619-1638. [PMID: 35438040 PMCID: PMC9291661 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2022.2060454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
A subset of proliferation genes that are associated with origin licensing, firing, and DNA synthesis has been compared to known drivers of colon (COAD) and lung (LUAD) adenocarcinomas using Spearman's rank correlation coefficients. The frequency with which APC, CTNNB1, KRAS, MYC, Braf, TP53, Rb1, EGFR, and cell cycle components have direct or indirect co-expression with the proliferation factors permits identification of their expression relative to the G1-S phase of the cell cycle. Here, adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), a negative regulator of Wnt signaling known to function through MYC, indirectly co-expresses at the same frequency as proliferation genes in both COAD and LUAD, consistent with M phase expression. However, APC is indirectly co-expressed with MYC and is found mutated only in COAD. MYC is thought to function at the interface of transcription and replication, acting through the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, and increased or decreased expression of MYC can induce or repress tumorigenesis, respectively. These data suggest that transcription of APC during the M phase with low MYC co-expression contributes by an unknown mechanism to APC mutations and Wnt pathway deregulation in COAD and that upper and lower limits of MYC expression, enforced by the cell cycle, may influence cancer differentially. Other Wnt signaling components co-expressed in the low MYC context in COAD also have significantly higher mutation frequencies, supporting the hypothesis. Additionally, Braf is found here to have direct co-expression with multiple proliferation factors in non-EGFR activated LUAD, and EGFR-activated LUAD are completely deregulated with respect to E2F(s) 4/5/6 expression, potentially explaining the low proliferation rates seen in LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Haas Kucherlapati
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medicine, Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Syahirah R, Hsu AY, Deng Q. A curious case of cyclin‐dependent kinases in neutrophils. J Leukoc Biol 2022; 111:1057-1068. [PMID: 35188696 PMCID: PMC9035055 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.2ru1021-573r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Neutrophils are terminally differentiated, short-lived white blood cells critical for innate immunity. Although cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are typically related to cell cycle progression, increasing evidence has shown that they regulate essential functions of neutrophils. This review highlights the roles of CDKs and their partners, cyclins, in neutrophils, outside of cell cycle regulation. CDK1-10 and several cyclins are expressed in neutrophils, albeit at different levels. Observed phenotypes associated with specific inhibition or genetic loss of CDK2 indicate its role in modulating neutrophil migration. CDK4 and 6 regulate neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation, while CDK5 regulates neutrophil degranulation. CDK7 and 9 are critical in neutrophil apoptosis, contributing to inflammation resolution. In addition to the CDKs that regulate mature neutrophil functions, cyclins are essential in hematopoiesis and granulopoiesis. The pivotal roles of CDKs in neutrophils present an untapped potential in targeting CDKs for treating neutrophil-dominant inflammatory diseases and understanding the regulation of the neutrophil life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramizah Syahirah
- Department of Biological Sciences Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana USA
| | - Alan Y. Hsu
- Department of Biological Sciences Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana USA
- Department of Pathology Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine The Stem Cell Program, Boston Children's Hospital Boston Massachusetts USA
| | - Qing Deng
- Department of Biological Sciences Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana USA
- Purdue Institute of Inflammation Immunology and Infectious Disease, Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana USA
- Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana USA
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Cui X, Wu X, Wang H, Zhang S, Wang W, Jing X. Genetic of preimplantation diagnosis of dysmorphic facial features and intellectual developmental disorder (CHDFIDD) without congenital heart defects. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2022; 10:e1863. [PMID: 35034425 PMCID: PMC8830809 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.1863] [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: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cyclin‐dependent kinase 13 plays a critical role in the regulation of gene transcription. Recent evidence suggests that heterozygous variants in CDK13 are associated with a syndromic form of mental deficiency and developmental delay, which is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. Methods A mentally retarded mother (33‐year‐old) and son (10‐year‐old boy) in our hospital with CDK13 variant (c.2149 (exon 4) G>A. p.Gly717Arg) were detected by whole‐exome sequencing (WES). All published CDK13 variant syndrome cases as of November 11, 2021, were searched, and their clinical information was recorded and summarized. Results We studied two patients in a Chinese family with a heterozygous constitutional CDK13 variant (c.2149 (exon 4) G>A. p.Gly717Arg), exhibiting the classical characteristics of dysmorphic facial features and intellectual developmental disorder (CHDFIDD, OMIM # 617360), without congenital heart defects. This is the first reported case of an adult patient with a CDK13 variant that gave birth to the next generation with the same variant. Preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disease (PGT‐M) was performed for the proband and her husband with full informed consent and successfully blocked the inheritance of the disease. Conclusion Our study is of great significance for molecular diagnosis and genetic counseling of patients with CDHFIDD and extends the variant spectrum of CDK13.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangrong Cui
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Children's Hospital of Shanxi and Women Health Center of Shanxi, Affiliated of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Xueqing Wu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Children's Hospital of Shanxi and Women Health Center of Shanxi, Affiliated of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Hongwei Wang
- Department of Hematology, 2nd Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Sanyuan Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Chigene Translational Medicine Research Center, Beijing, China
| | - Xuan Jing
- Clinical Laboratory, Shanxi Prov. People's Hospital, Affiliated of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
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Noncovalent CDK12/13 dual inhibitors-based PROTACs degrade CDK12-Cyclin K complex and induce synthetic lethality with PARP inhibitor. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 228:114012. [PMID: 34864331 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.114012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 12 (CDK12) plays a crucial role in DNA-damage response gene transcription and has recently been validated as a promising target in cancer therapy. However, existing CDK12 inhibitors potently inhibit its closest isoform CDK13, which could cause potential toxicity. Therefore, the development of CDK12 inhibitors with isoform-selectivity against CDK13 continues to be a challenge. By taking advantage of the emerging PROteolysis-TArgeting Chimeras (PROTACs) approach, we have synthesized a potent PROTAC degrader PP-C8 based on the noncovalent dual inhibitors of CDK12/13 and demonstrated its specificity for CDK12 over CDK13. Notably, PP-C8 induces profound degradation of cyclin K simultaneously and downregulates the mRNA level of DNA-damage response genes. Global proteomics profiling revealed PP-C8 is highly selective toward CDK12-cyclin K complex. Importantly, PP-C8 demonstrates profound synergistic antiproliferative effects with PARP inhibitor in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The potent and selective CDK12 PROTAC degrader developed in this study could potentially be used to treat CDK12-dependent cancers as combination therapy.
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Vervoort SJ, Devlin JR, Kwiatkowski N, Teng M, Gray NS, Johnstone RW. Targeting transcription cycles in cancer. Nat Rev Cancer 2022; 22:5-24. [PMID: 34675395 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-021-00411-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Accurate control of gene expression is essential for normal development and dysregulation of transcription underpins cancer onset and progression. Similar to cell cycle regulation, RNA polymerase II-driven transcription can be considered as a unidirectional multistep cycle, with thousands of unique transcription cycles occurring in concert within each cell. Each transcription cycle comprises recruitment, initiation, pausing, elongation, termination and recycling stages that are tightly controlled by the coordinated action of transcriptional cyclin-dependent kinases and their cognate cyclins as well as the opposing activity of transcriptional phosphatases. Oncogenic dysregulation of transcription can entail defective control of gene expression, either at select loci or more globally, impacting a large proportion of the genome. The resultant dependency on the core-transcriptional machinery is believed to render 'transcriptionally addicted' cancers sensitive to perturbation of transcription. Based on these findings, small molecules targeting transcriptional cyclin-dependent kinases and associated proteins hold promise for the treatment of cancer. Here, we utilize the transcription cycles concept to explain how dysregulation of these finely tuned gene expression processes may drive tumorigenesis and how therapeutically beneficial responses may arise from global or selective transcriptional perturbation. This conceptual framework helps to explain tumour-selective transcriptional dependencies and facilitates the rational design of combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephin J Vervoort
- Gene Regulation Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jennifer R Devlin
- Gene Regulation Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Nicholas Kwiatkowski
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mingxing Teng
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nathanael S Gray
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, CHEM-H and SCI, Stanford Medical School, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Ricky W Johnstone
- Gene Regulation Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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Disrupting the Molecular Pathway in Myotonic Dystrophy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222413225. [PMID: 34948025 PMCID: PMC8708683 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy is the most common muscular dystrophy in adults. It consists of two forms: type 1 (DM1) and type 2 (DM2). DM1 is associated with a trinucleotide repeat expansion mutation, which is transcribed but not translated into protein. The mutant RNA remains in the nucleus, which leads to a series of downstream abnormalities. DM1 is widely considered to be an RNA-based disorder. Thus, we consider three areas of the RNA pathway that may offer targeting opportunities to disrupt the production, stability, and degradation of the mutant RNA.
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Yamazaki T, Liu L, Manley JL. Oxidative stress induces Ser 2 dephosphorylation of the RNA polymerase II CTD and premature transcription termination. Transcription 2021; 12:277-293. [PMID: 34874799 DOI: 10.1080/21541264.2021.2009421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The C-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) consists of YSPTSPS heptapeptide repeats, and the phosphorylation status of the repeats controls multiple transcriptional steps and co-transcriptional events. However, how CTD phosphorylation status responds to distinct environmental stresses is not fully understood. In this study, we found that a drastic reduction in phosphorylation of a subset of Ser2 residues occurs rapidly but transiently following exposure to H2O2. ChIP analysis indicated that Ser2-P, and to a lesser extent Tyr1-P was reduced only at the gene 3' end. Significantly, the levels of polyadenylation factor CstF77, as well as Pol II, were also reduced. However, no increase in uncleaved or readthrough RNA products was observed, suggesting transcribing Pol II prematurely terminates at the gene end in response to H2O2. Further analysis found that the reduction of Ser2-P is, at least in part, regulated by CK2 but independent of FCP1 and other known Ser2 phosphatases. Finally, the H2O2 treatment also affected snRNA 3' processing although surprisingly the U2 processing was not impaired. Together, our data suggest that H2O2 exposure creates a unique CTD phosphorylation state that rapidly alters transcription to deal with acute oxidative stress, perhaps creating a novel "emergency brake" mechanism to transiently dampen gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Yamazaki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY USA
| | - Lizhi Liu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY USA
| | - James L Manley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY USA
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44
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Lee WK, Cheng SY. Targeting transcriptional regulators for treatment of anaplastic thyroid cancer. JOURNAL OF CANCER METASTASIS AND TREATMENT 2021; 7. [PMID: 34761120 PMCID: PMC8577520 DOI: 10.20517/2394-4722.2021.58] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Dysregulation of genes perpetuates cancer progression. During carcinogenesis, cancer cells acquire dependency of aberrant transcriptional programs (known as “transcription addiction”) to meet the high demands for uncontrolled proliferation. The needs for particular transcription programs for cancer growth could be cancer-type-selective. The dependencies of certain transcription regulators could be exploited for therapeutic benefits. Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is an extremely aggressive human cancer for which new treatment modalities are urgently needed. Its resistance to conventional treatments and the lack of therapeutic options for improving survival might have been attributed to extensive genetic heterogeneity due to subsequent evolving genetic alterations and clonal selections during carcinogenesis. Despite this genetic complexity, mounting evidence has revealed a characteristic transcriptional addiction of ATC cells resulting in evolving diverse oncogenic signaling for cancer cell survival. The transcriptional addiction has presented a huge challenge for effective targeting as shown by the failure of previous targeted therapies. However, an emerging notion is that many different oncogenic signaling pathways activated by multiple upstream driver mutations might ultimately converge on the transcriptional responses, which would provide an opportunity to target transcriptional regulators for treatment of ATC. Here, we review the current understanding of how genetic alterations in cancer distorted the transcription program, leading to acquisition of transcriptional addiction. We also highlight recent findings from studies aiming to exploit the opportunity for targeting transcription regulators as potential therapeutics for ATC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Woo Kyung Lee
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sheue-Yann Cheng
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Rana S, Mallareddy JR, Singh S, Boghean L, Natarajan A. Inhibitors, PROTACs and Molecular Glues as Diverse Therapeutic Modalities to Target Cyclin-Dependent Kinase. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5506. [PMID: 34771669 PMCID: PMC8583118 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13215506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) family of proteins play prominent roles in transcription, mRNA processing, and cell cycle regulation, making them attractive cancer targets. Palbociclib was the first FDA-approved CDK inhibitor that non-selectively targets the ATP binding sites of CDK4 and CDK6. In this review, we will briefly inventory CDK inhibitors that are either part of over 30 active clinical trials or recruiting patients. The lack of selectivity among CDKs and dose-limiting toxicities are major challenges associated with the development of CDK inhibitors. Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) and Molecular Glues have emerged as alternative therapeutic modalities to target proteins. PROTACs and Molecular glues utilize the cellular protein degradation machinery to destroy the target protein. PROTACs are heterobifunctional molecules that form a ternary complex with the target protein and E3-ligase by making two distinct small molecule-protein interactions. On the other hand, Molecular glues function by converting the target protein into a "neo-substrate" for an E3 ligase. Unlike small molecule inhibitors, preclinical studies with CDK targeted PROTACs have exhibited improved CDK selectivity. Moreover, the efficacy of PROTACs and molecular glues are not tied to the dose of these molecular entities but to the formation of the ternary complex. Here, we provide an overview of PROTACs and molecular glues that modulate CDK function as emerging therapeutic modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep Rana
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA;
| | - Jayapal Reddy Mallareddy
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (J.R.M.); (S.S.); (L.B.)
| | - Sarbjit Singh
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (J.R.M.); (S.S.); (L.B.)
| | - Lidia Boghean
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (J.R.M.); (S.S.); (L.B.)
| | - Amarnath Natarajan
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (J.R.M.); (S.S.); (L.B.)
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
- Genetics Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
- Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
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Naro C, Bielli P, Sette C. Oncogenic dysregulation of pre-mRNA processing by protein kinases: challenges and therapeutic opportunities. FEBS J 2021; 288:6250-6272. [PMID: 34092037 PMCID: PMC8596628 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Alternative splicing and polyadenylation represent two major steps in pre-mRNA-processing, which ensure proper gene expression and diversification of human transcriptomes. Deregulation of these processes contributes to oncogenic programmes involved in the onset, progression and evolution of human cancers, which often result in the acquisition of resistance to existing therapies. On the other hand, cancer cells frequently increase their transcriptional rate and develop a transcriptional addiction, which imposes a high stress on the pre-mRNA-processing machinery and establishes a therapeutically exploitable vulnerability. A prominent role in fine-tuning pre-mRNA-processing mechanisms is played by three main families of protein kinases: serine arginine protein kinase (SRPK), CDC-like kinase (CLK) and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK). These kinases phosphorylate the RNA polymerase, splicing factors and regulatory proteins involved in cleavage and polyadenylation of the nascent transcripts. The activity of SRPKs, CLKs and CDKs can be altered in cancer cells, and their inhibition was shown to exert anticancer effects. In this review, we describe key findings that have been reported on these topics and discuss challenges and opportunities of developing therapeutic approaches targeting splicing factor kinases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Naro
- Department of NeuroscienceSection of Human AnatomyCatholic University of the Sacred HeartRomeItaly
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. GemelliIRCCSRomeItaly
| | - Pamela Bielli
- Department of Biomedicine and PreventionUniversity of Rome Tor VergataItaly
- Fondazione Santa LuciaIRCCSRomeItaly
| | - Claudio Sette
- Department of NeuroscienceSection of Human AnatomyCatholic University of the Sacred HeartRomeItaly
- Fondazione Santa LuciaIRCCSRomeItaly
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m 6A RNA methylation regulates promoter- proximal pausing of RNA polymerase II. Mol Cell 2021; 81:3356-3367.e6. [PMID: 34297910 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.06.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) pausing is essential to precisely control gene expression and is critical for development of metazoans. Here, we show that the m6A RNA modification regulates promoter-proximal RNAP II pausing in Drosophila cells. The m6A methyltransferase complex (MTC) and the nuclear reader Ythdc1 are recruited to gene promoters. Depleting the m6A MTC leads to a decrease in RNAP II pause release and in Ser2P occupancy on the gene body and affects nascent RNA transcription. Tethering Mettl3 to a heterologous gene promoter is sufficient to increase RNAP II pause release, an effect that relies on its m6A catalytic domain. Collectively, our data reveal an important link between RNAP II pausing and the m6A RNA modification, thus adding another layer to m6A-mediated gene regulation.
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Kurkowiak M, Grasso G, Faktor J, Scheiblecker L, Winniczuk M, Mayordomo MY, O'Neill JR, Oster B, Vojtesek B, Al-Saadi A, Marek-Trzonkowska N, Hupp TR. An integrated DNA and RNA variant detector identifies a highly conserved three base exon in the MAP4K5 kinase locus. RNA Biol 2021; 18:2556-2575. [PMID: 34190025 PMCID: PMC8632122 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2021.1932345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA variants that emerge from editing and alternative splicing form important regulatory stages in protein signalling. In this report, we apply an integrated DNA and RNA variant detection workbench to define the range of RNA variants that deviate from the reference genome in a human melanoma cell model. The RNA variants can be grouped into (i) classic ADAR-like or APOBEC-like RNA editing events and (ii) multiple-nucleotide variants (MNVs) including three and six base pair in-frame non-canonical unmapped exons. We focus on validating representative genes of these classes. First, clustered non-synonymous RNA edits (A-I) in the CDK13 gene were validated by Sanger sequencing to confirm the integrity of the RNA variant detection workbench. Second, a highly conserved RNA variant in the MAP4K5 gene was detected that results most likely from the splicing of a non-canonical three-base exon. The two RNA variants produced from the MAP4K5 locus deviate from the genomic reference sequence and produce V569E or V569del isoform variants. Low doses of splicing inhibitors demonstrated that the MAP4K5-V569E variant emerges from an SF3B1-dependent splicing event. Mass spectrometry of the recombinant SBP-tagged MAP4K5V569E and MAP4K5V569del proteins pull-downs in transfected cell systems was used to identify the protein-protein interactions of these two MAP4K5 isoforms and propose possible functions. Together these data highlight the utility of this integrated DNA and RNA variant detection platform to detect RNA variants in cancer cells and support future analysis of RNA variant detection in cancer tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Kurkowiak
- International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science (ICCVS), University of Gdańsk, 80-822 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Giuseppa Grasso
- University of Edinburgh, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - Jakub Faktor
- International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science (ICCVS), University of Gdańsk, 80-822 Gdańsk, Poland.,Research Centre for Applied Molecular Oncology, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lisa Scheiblecker
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Małgorzata Winniczuk
- International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science (ICCVS), University of Gdańsk, 80-822 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Marcos Yebenes Mayordomo
- International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science (ICCVS), University of Gdańsk, 80-822 Gdańsk, Poland.,University of Edinburgh, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - J Robert O'Neill
- Cambridge Oesophagogastric Centre, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Bodil Oster
- QIAGEN Aarhus, Silkeborgvej 2, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Borek Vojtesek
- Research Centre for Applied Molecular Oncology, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ali Al-Saadi
- University of Edinburgh, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - Natalia Marek-Trzonkowska
- International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science (ICCVS), University of Gdańsk, 80-822 Gdańsk, Poland.,Laboratory of Immunoregulation and Cellular Therapies, Department of Family Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Ted R Hupp
- International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science (ICCVS), University of Gdańsk, 80-822 Gdańsk, Poland.,University of Edinburgh, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
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Kim CH, Park SM, Lee SJ, Kim YD, Jang SH, Woo SM, Kwon TK, Park ZY, Chung IJ, Kim HR, Jun CD. NSrp70 is a lymphocyte-essential splicing factor that controls thymocyte development. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:5760-5778. [PMID: 34037780 PMCID: PMC8191771 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative pre-mRNA splicing is a critical step to generate multiple transcripts, thereby dramatically enlarging the proteomic diversity. Thus, a common feature of most alternative splicing factor knockout models is lethality. However, little is known about lineage-specific alternative splicing regulators in a physiological setting. Here, we report that NSrp70 is selectively expressed in developing thymocytes, highest at the double-positive (DP) stage. Global splicing and transcriptional profiling revealed that NSrp70 regulates the cell cycle and survival of thymocytes by controlling the alternative processing of various RNA splicing factors, including the oncogenic splicing factor SRSF1. A conditional-knockout of Nsrp1 (NSrp70-cKO) using CD4Cre developed severe defects in T cell maturation to single-positive thymocytes, due to insufficient T cell receptor (TCR) signaling and uncontrolled cell growth and death. Mice displayed severe peripheral lymphopenia and could not optimally control tumor growth. This study establishes a model to address the function of lymphoid-lineage-specific alternative splicing factor NSrp70 in a thymic T cell developmental pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Hyun Kim
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Korea.,Immune Synapse and Cell Therapy Research Center, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Korea
| | - Sang-Moo Park
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Korea.,Immune Synapse and Cell Therapy Research Center, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Korea
| | - Sun-Jae Lee
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Korea
| | - Young-Dae Kim
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Korea.,Immune Synapse and Cell Therapy Research Center, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Korea
| | - Se-Hwan Jang
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Korea
| | - Seon-Min Woo
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, Korea
| | - Taeg-Kyu Kwon
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, Korea
| | - Zee-Yong Park
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Korea
| | - Ik-Joo Chung
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Immunotherapy Innovation Center, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun 58128, Korea
| | - Hye-Ran Kim
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Korea.,Immune Synapse and Cell Therapy Research Center, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Korea
| | - Chang-Duk Jun
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Korea.,Immune Synapse and Cell Therapy Research Center, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Korea
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CDK9 keeps RNA polymerase II on track. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:5543-5567. [PMID: 34146121 PMCID: PMC8257543 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03878-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9), the kinase component of positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb), is essential for transcription of most protein-coding genes by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII). By releasing promoter-proximally paused RNAPII into gene bodies, CDK9 controls the entry of RNAPII into productive elongation and is, therefore, critical for efficient synthesis of full-length messenger (m)RNAs. In recent years, new players involved in P-TEFb-dependent processes have been identified and an important function of CDK9 in coordinating elongation with transcription initiation and termination has been unveiled. As the regulatory functions of CDK9 in gene expression continue to expand, a number of human pathologies, including cancers, have been associated with aberrant CDK9 activity, underscoring the need to properly regulate CDK9. Here, I provide an overview of CDK9 function and regulation, with an emphasis on CDK9 dysregulation in human diseases.
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