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Alharbi M, Lai A, Godbole N, Guanzon D, Nair S, Zuñiga F, Quinn A, Yang M, Wu SY, Salomon C. Enhancing precision targeting of ovarian cancer tumor cells in vivo through extracellular vesicle engineering. Int J Cancer 2024. [PMID: 38848494 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.35055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) function as natural mediators of intercellular communication, secreted by cells to facilitate cell-cell signaling. Due to their low toxicity, immunogenicity, biodegradability, and potential to encapsulate therapeutic drugs, EVs hold significant therapeutic promise. Nevertheless, their limited targeting ability often diminishes their therapeutic impact. Therefore, enhancing EVs by incorporating targeting units onto their membranes could bolster their targeting capabilities, enabling them to accumulate in specific cells and tissues. In this study, we engineered EVs to fuse ephrin-B2 with the EV membrane protein LAMP2b. This modification aimed to direct the engineered EVs toward the ephrin-B4 receptor expressed on the surface of ovarian cancer cells. The engineered EVs retained their inherent properties, including size, expression of EV membrane proteins, and morphology, upon isolation. In vitro experiments using real-time imaging revealed that EVs engineered with the ephrin-B2 ligand exhibited substantial internalization and uptake by ovarian cancer cells, in stark contrast to native EVs. In vivo, the engineered EVs carrying the ephrin-B2 ligand effectively targeted ovarian cancer cells, surpassing the targeting efficiency of control EVs. This innovative approach establishes a novel targeting system, enhancing the uptake of EVs by ovarian cancer cells. Our findings underscore the potential of using EVs to target cancer cells, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of anti-cancer therapies while minimizing off-target effects and toxicity in normal cells and organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Alharbi
- Translational Extracellular Vesicles in Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology Group, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Andrew Lai
- Translational Extracellular Vesicles in Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology Group, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- UQ Centre for Extracellular Vesicle Nanomedicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Nihar Godbole
- Translational Extracellular Vesicles in Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology Group, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- UQ Centre for Extracellular Vesicle Nanomedicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Dominic Guanzon
- Translational Extracellular Vesicles in Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology Group, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- UQ Centre for Extracellular Vesicle Nanomedicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Soumyalekshmi Nair
- Translational Extracellular Vesicles in Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology Group, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- UQ Centre for Extracellular Vesicle Nanomedicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Felipe Zuñiga
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Alexander Quinn
- Centre for Clinical Research, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Mengliu Yang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Sherry Y Wu
- UQ Centre for Extracellular Vesicle Nanomedicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Carlos Salomon
- Translational Extracellular Vesicles in Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology Group, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- UQ Centre for Extracellular Vesicle Nanomedicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Guo X, Yang Y, Tang J, Xiang J. Ephs in cancer progression: complexity and context-dependent nature in signaling, angiogenesis and immunity. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:299. [PMID: 38811954 PMCID: PMC11137953 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01580-3] [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: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Eph receptors constitute the largest family of receptor tyrosine kinases, comprising 14 distinct members classified into two subgroups: EphAs and EphBs.. Despite their essential functions in normal physiological processes, accumulating evidence suggests that the involvement of the Eph family in cancer is characterized by a dual and often contradictory nature. Research indicates that Eph/ephrin bidirectional signaling influences cell-cell communication, subsequently regulating cell migration, adhesion, differentiation and proliferation. The contradictory functionalities may arise from the diversity of Eph signaling pathways and the heterogeneity of different cancer microenvironment. In this review, we aim to discuss the dual role of the Eph receptors in tumor development, attempting to elucidate the paradoxical functionality through an exploration of Eph receptor signaling pathways, angiogenesis, immune responses, and more. Our objective is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor development. Additionally, we will explore the evolving landscape of utilizing Eph receptors as potential targets for tumor therapy and diagnostic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoting Guo
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Early Diagnosis and Precise Treatment of Lung Cancer, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and the Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yanyi Yang
- Health Management Center, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jingqun Tang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Early Diagnosis and Precise Treatment of Lung Cancer, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
| | - Juanjuan Xiang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Early Diagnosis and Precise Treatment of Lung Cancer, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and the Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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Sasine JP, Kozlova NY, Valicente L, Dukov J, Tran DH, Himburg HA, Kumar S, Khorsandi S, Chan A, Grohe S, Li M, Kan J, Sehl ME, Schiller GJ, Reinhardt B, Singh BK, Ho R, Yue P, Pasquale EB, Chute JP. Inhibition of Ephrin B2 Reverse Signaling Abolishes Multiple Myeloma Pathogenesis. Cancer Res 2024; 84:919-934. [PMID: 38231476 PMCID: PMC10940855 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-1950] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Bone marrow vascular endothelial cells (BM EC) regulate multiple myeloma pathogenesis. Identification of the mechanisms underlying this interaction could lead to the development of improved strategies for treating multiple myeloma. Here, we performed a transcriptomic analysis of human ECs with high capacity to promote multiple myeloma growth, revealing overexpression of the receptor tyrosine kinases, EPHB1 and EPHB4, in multiple myeloma-supportive ECs. Expression of ephrin B2 (EFNB2), the binding partner for EPHB1 and EPHB4, was significantly increased in multiple myeloma cells. Silencing EPHB1 or EPHB4 in ECs suppressed multiple myeloma growth in coculture. Similarly, loss of EFNB2 in multiple myeloma cells blocked multiple myeloma proliferation and survival in vitro, abrogated multiple myeloma engraftment in immune-deficient mice, and increased multiple myeloma sensitivity to chemotherapy. Administration of an EFNB2-targeted single-chain variable fragment also suppressed multiple myeloma growth in vivo. In contrast, overexpression of EFNB2 in multiple myeloma cells increased STAT5 activation, increased multiple myeloma cell survival and proliferation, and decreased multiple myeloma sensitivity to chemotherapy. Conversely, expression of mutant EFNB2 lacking reverse signaling capacity in multiple myeloma cells increased multiple myeloma cell death and sensitivity to chemotherapy and abolished multiple myeloma growth in vivo. Complementary analysis of multiple myeloma patient data revealed that increased EFNB2 expression is associated with adverse-risk disease and decreased survival. This study suggests that EFNB2 reverse signaling controls multiple myeloma pathogenesis and can be therapeutically targeted to improve multiple myeloma outcomes. SIGNIFICANCE Ephrin B2 reverse signaling mediated by endothelial cells directly regulates multiple myeloma progression and treatment resistance, which can be overcome through targeted inhibition of ephrin B2 to abolish myeloma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P. Sasine
- Division of Hematology & Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Cedars-Sinai Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Los Angeles, California
- Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Department of Medicine, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Natalia Y. Kozlova
- Division of Hematology & Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Cedars-Sinai Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Los Angeles, California
| | - Lisa Valicente
- Division of Hematology & Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Cedars-Sinai Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jennifer Dukov
- Division of Hematology & Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Cedars-Sinai Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Los Angeles, California
| | - Dana H. Tran
- Division of Hematology & Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Cedars-Sinai Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Los Angeles, California
| | - Heather A. Himburg
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Sanjeev Kumar
- Department of Medicine, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Sarah Khorsandi
- Division of Hematology & Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Aldi Chan
- Division of Hematology & Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Samantha Grohe
- Division of Hematology & Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Michelle Li
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jenny Kan
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Mary E. Sehl
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Gary J. Schiller
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Bryanna Reinhardt
- Division of Hematology & Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Brijesh Kumar Singh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Ritchie Ho
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Peibin Yue
- Division of Hematology & Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Elena B. Pasquale
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, San Diego, California
| | - John P. Chute
- Division of Hematology & Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Cedars-Sinai Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Los Angeles, California
- Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Department of Medicine, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
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Linder H, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Ouyang Z. Integrative pathway analysis with gene expression, miRNA, methylation and copy number variation for breast cancer subtypes. Stat Appl Genet Mol Biol 2024; 23:sagmb-2019-0050. [PMID: 38363177 DOI: 10.1515/sagmb-2019-0050] [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: 10/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Developments in biotechnologies enable multi-platform data collection for functional genomic units apart from the gene. Profiling of non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) is a valuable tool for understanding the molecular profile of the cell, both for canonical functions and malignant behavior due to complex diseases. We propose a graphical mixed-effects statistical model incorporating miRNA-gene target relationships. We implement an integrative pathway analysis that leverages measurements of miRNA activity for joint analysis with multimodal observations of gene activity including gene expression, methylation, and copy number variation. We apply our analysis to a breast cancer dataset, and consider differential activity in signaling pathways across breast tumor subtypes. We offer discussion of specific signaling pathways and the effect of miRNA integration, as well as publish an interactive data visualization to give public access to the results of our analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Linder
- Department of Statistics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
| | - Yuping Zhang
- Department of Statistics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
| | - Yunqi Wang
- Department of Statistics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
| | - Zhengqing Ouyang
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
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Wang L, Zhao QF, Yang BB, Liang HJ, Zhang XE, Zhang XY, Yang WJ, Guo ZY, Xu X, Tian F, Wu QH. STAT3-EphA7 axis contributes to the progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Acta Oncol 2023; 62:1757-1766. [PMID: 37738252 DOI: 10.1080/0284186x.2023.2259601] [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: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Our previous study has revealed that EphA7 was upregulated in patient-derived esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) xenografts with hyper-activated STAT3, but its mechanism was still unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS To assess the association between EphA7 and STAT3, western blotting, immunofluorescence, ChIP assay, and qRT-PCR were conducted. Truncated mutation and luciferase assay were performed to examine the promoter activity of EphA7. CCK-8 assay and colony formation were performed to assess the proliferation of ESCC. Cell-derived xenograft models were established to evaluate the effects of EphA7 on ESCC tumor growth. RNA-seq analyses were used to assess the effects of EphA7 on related signals. RESULTS In this study, EphA7 was found upregulated in ESCC cell lines with high STAT3 activation, and immunofluorescence also showed that EphA7 was co-localized with phospho-STAT3 in ESCC cells. Interestingly, suppressing STAT3 activation by the STAT3 inhibitor Stattic markedly inhibited the protein expression of EphA7 in ESCC cells, in contrast, activation of STAT3 by IL-6 obviously upregulated the protein expression of EphA7. Moreover, the transcription of EphA7 was also mediated by the activation of STAT3 in ESCC cells, and the -2000∼-1500 region was identified as the key promoter of EphA7. Our results also indicated that EphA7 enhanced the cell proliferation of ESCC, and silence of EphA7 significantly suppressed ESCC tumor growth. Moreover, EphA7 silence markedly abolished STAT3 activation-derived cell proliferation of ESCC. Additionally, RNA-seq analyses indicated that several tumor-related signaling pathways were significantly changed after EphA7 downregulation in ESCC cells. CONCLUSION Our results showed that the transcriptional expression of EphA7 was increased by activated STAT3, and the STAT3 signaling may act through EphA7 to promote the development of ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center of Genetics and Prenatal Diagnosis, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P. R. China
| | - Qiao-Feng Zhao
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P. R. China
| | - Bing-Bing Yang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P. R. China
| | - Hui-Jie Liang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P. R. China
| | - Xian-E Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P. R. China
- Second People's Hospital of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, P. R. China
| | - Xiao-Yan Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P. R. China
| | - Wan-Jing Yang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P. R. China
| | - Zhi-Yu Guo
- SanQuan College of XinXiang Medical University, Xinxiang, P. R. China
| | - Xin Xu
- College of Biotechnology, Center for Self-Propelled Nanotechnologies, Suzhou Industrial Park Institute of Services Outsourcing, Suzhou, P. R. China
- Translational Cancer Research Laboratory, Suzhou Acumen Medical Technology, Suzhou, P. R. China
| | - Fang Tian
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P. R. China
| | - Qing-Hua Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center of Genetics and Prenatal Diagnosis, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P. R. China
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Shu L, Du C, Zuo Y. Abnormal phosphorylation of protein tyrosine in neurodegenerative diseases. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2023; 82:826-835. [PMID: 37589710 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlad066] [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] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis, are chronic disorders of the CNS that are characterized by progressive neuronal dysfunction. These diseases have diverse clinical and pathological features and their pathogenetic mechanisms are not yet fully understood. Currently, widely accepted hypotheses include the accumulation of misfolded proteins, oxidative stress from reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial dysfunction, DNA damage, neurotrophin dysfunction, and neuroinflammatory processes. In the CNS of patients with neurodegenerative diseases, a variety of abnormally phosphorylated proteins play important roles in pathological processes such as neuroinflammation and intracellular accumulation of β-amyloid plaques and tau. In recent years, the roles of abnormal tyrosine phosphorylation of intracellular signaling molecules regulated by protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) in neurodegenerative diseases have attracted increasing attention. Here, we summarize the roles of signaling pathways related to protein tyrosine phosphorylation in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases and the progress of therapeutic studies targeting PTKs and PTPs that provide theoretical support for future studies on therapeutic strategies for these devastating and important neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Shu
- Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University & The Research Units of West China (2018RU012), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Intensive Care Unit, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chunfu Du
- Department of Neurosurgery, Ya'an People's Hospital, Ya'an, China
| | - Yunxia Zuo
- Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University & The Research Units of West China (2018RU012), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Chakraborty S, Baruah R, Mishra N, Varma AK. In-silico and structure-based assessment to evaluate pathogenicity of missense mutations associated with non-small cell lung cancer identified in the Eph-ephrin class of proteins. Genomics Inform 2023; 21:e30. [PMID: 37813626 PMCID: PMC10584653 DOI: 10.5808/gi.22069] [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: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Ephs belong to the largest family of receptor tyrosine kinase and are highly conserved both sequentially and structurally. The structural organization of Eph is similar to other receptor tyrosine kinases; constituting the extracellular ligand binding domain, a fibronectin domain followed by intracellular juxtamembrane kinase, and SAM domain. Eph binds to respective ephrin ligand, through the ligand binding domain and forms a tetrameric complex to activate the kinase domain. Eph-ephrin regulates many downstream pathways that lead to physiological events such as cell migration, proliferation, and growth. Therefore, considering the importance of Eph-ephrin class of protein in tumorigenesis, 7,620 clinically reported missense mutations belonging to the class of variables of unknown significance were retrieved from cBioPortal and evaluated for pathogenicity. Thirty-two mutations predicted to be pathogenic using SIFT, Polyphen-2, PROVEAN, SNPs&GO, PMut, iSTABLE, and PremPS in-silico tools were found located either in critical functional regions or encompassing interactions at the binding interface of Eph-ephrin. However, seven were reported in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Considering the relevance of receptor tyrosine kinases and Eph in NSCLC, these seven mutations were assessed for change in the folding pattern using molecular dynamic simulation. Structural alterations, stability, flexibility, compactness, and solvent-exposed area was observed in EphA3 Trp790Cys, EphA7 Leu749Phe, EphB1 Gly685Cys, EphB4 Val748Ala, and Ephrin A2 Trp112Cys. Hence, it can be concluded that the evaluated mutations have potential to alter the folding pattern and thus can be further validated by in-vitro, structural and in-vivo studies for clinical management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shubhashish Chakraborty
- Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 410210, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400094, India
| | - Reshita Baruah
- Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 410210, India
| | - Neha Mishra
- Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 410210, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400094, India
| | - Ashok K Varma
- Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 410210, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400094, India
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Wang L, Li W, Pan Y. The Eph/Ephrin system in primary bone tumor and bone cancer pain. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:7324-7332. [PMID: 37413995 PMCID: PMC10415561 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204852] [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: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
The family of Eph receptor tyrosine kinases and their Ephrin ligands system constitutes a bidirectional signaling pathway. Eph/Ephrin system coordinate a wide spectrum of pathologic processes during development, metastasis, prognosis, drug resistance and angiogenesis in carcinogenesis. Chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy are the most commonly used clinical treatments for primary bone tumors. Therefore, surgical resection is often unable to completely eliminate the tumor, and this is the main cause of metastasis and postoperative recurrence. A growing body of literature has been published lately revitalizing our scientific interest towards the role of Eph/Ephrins in pathogenesis and the treatment of bone tumor and bone cancer pain. This study mainly reviewed the roles of Eph/Ephrin system that has both tumor-suppressing and -promoting roles in primary bone tumors and bone cancer pain. Understanding the intracellular mechanisms of Eph/Ephrin system in tumorigenesis and metastasis of bone tumors might provide a foundation for the development of Eph/Ephrin targeted anti-cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lujuan Wang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Tumor Models and Individualized Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Wei Li
- Hunan Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Yong Pan
- Hunan Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China
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Gupta C, Sali AP, Jackovich A, Ma B, Sadeghi S, Quinn D, Gill P, Gill I. EphrinB2: Expression of a novel potential target in renal cell carcinoma. Indian J Urol 2023; 39:223-227. [PMID: 37575160 PMCID: PMC10419785 DOI: 10.4103/iju.iju_92_23] [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: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is primarily managed by surgery with the use of systemic targeted therapy in a metastatic setting. Newer targeted therapeutic options are evolving; Eph-ephrin is a potential new pathway. The therapeutic potential of targeting the EphB4-EphrinB2 pathway has been demonstrated in many solid tumors; however, its expression in RCC has only been evaluated in a few studies with limited cases. We herein determine the immunohistochemical expression of EphrinB2 in RCC. Methods A tissue microarray comprising 110 cases of different histological subtypes of RCC and 10 normal kidney tissues were stained with monoclonal anti-EphrinB2 antibody (Abcam, AB201512). The tumor and endothelial cells expressing the EphrinB2 were examined and its expression was correlated with sex, histological subtypes, and tumor nodes metastasis (TNM) stage. Results Twenty cases of urothelial carcinoma and two unsatisfactory conventional clear cell RCC cases were excluded, and EphrinB2 expression was interpreted in the remaining 88 tumors. EphrinB2 was expressed in 42 out of 88 tumors (47.7%) and was negative in the normal renal parenchyma. There was a statistically significant difference in the expression of EphrinB2 in males (55%) and females (32%). However, no such difference of expression was noted for the histological subtypes and the stages. Half (51%) of Stage 1 (n = 30) and Stage 2 (n = 11) tumors showed EphrinB2 positivity. Conclusions EphrinB2 is expressed in approximately half of RCC cases. EphrinB2 expression in the early stage cancer might indicate its induction as an early event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chhavi Gupta
- Department of Urology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Karkinos Healthcare Private Limited, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Akash Pramod Sali
- Department of Urology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Karkinos Healthcare Private Limited, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Alexandra Jackovich
- Department of Urology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Binyun Ma
- Department of Medicine, USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sarmad Sadeghi
- Department of Medicine, USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - David Quinn
- Department of Medicine, USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Parkash Gill
- Department of Urology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Inderbir Gill
- Department of Urology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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10
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Eph Receptors in Cancer. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11020315. [PMID: 36830852 PMCID: PMC9953285 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11020315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Eph receptor tyrosine kinases play critical functions during development, in the formation of tissue and organ borders, and the vascular and neural systems. Uniquely among tyrosine kinases, their activities are controlled by binding to membrane-bound ligands, called ephrins. Ephs and ephrins generally have a low expression in adults, functioning mainly in tissue homeostasis and plasticity, but are often overexpressed in cancers, where they are especially associated with undifferentiated or progenitor cells, and with tumour development, vasculature, and invasion. Mutations in Eph receptors also occur in various tumour types and are suspected to promote tumourigenesis. Ephs and ephrins have the capacity to operate as both tumour promoters and tumour suppressors, depending on the circumstances. They have been demonstrated to impact tumour cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro, as well as tumour development, angiogenesis, and metastases in vivo, making them potential therapeutic targets. However, successful development of therapies will require detailed understanding of the opposing roles of Ephs in various cancers. In this review, we discuss the variations in Eph expression and functions in a variety of malignancies. We also describe the multiple strategies that are currently available to target them in tumours, including preclinical and clinical development.
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11
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Ton TVT, Hong HHL, Kovi RC, Shockley KR, Peddada SD, Gerrish KE, Janardhan KS, Flake G, Stout MD, Sills RC, Pandiri AR. Chronic Inhalation Exposure to Antimony Trioxide Exacerbates the MAPK Signaling in Alveolar Bronchiolar Carcinomas in B6C3F1/N Mice. Toxicol Pathol 2023; 51:39-55. [PMID: 37009983 DOI: 10.1177/01926233231157322] [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] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
Antimony trioxide (AT) is used as a flame retardant in fabrics and plastics. Occupational exposure in miners and smelters is mainly through inhalation and dermal contact. Chronic inhalation exposure to AT particulates in B6C3F1/N mice and Wistar Han rats resulted in increased incidences and tumor multiplicities of alveolar/bronchiolar carcinomas (ABCs). In this study, we demonstrated Kras (43%) and Egfr (46%) hotspot mutations in mouse lung tumors (n = 80) and only Egfr (50%) mutations in rat lung tumors (n = 26). Interestingly, there were no differences in the incidences of these mutations in ABCs from rats and mice at exposure concentrations that did and did not exceed the pulmonary overload threshold. There was increased expression of p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) (Erk1/2) protein in ABCs harboring mutations in Kras and/or Egfr, confirming the activation of MAPK signaling. Transcriptomic analysis indicated significant alterations in MAPK signaling such as ephrin receptor signaling and signaling by Rho-family GTPases in AT-exposed ABCs. In addition, there was significant overlap between transcriptomic data from mouse ABCs due to AT exposure and human pulmonary adenocarcinoma data. Collectively, these data suggest chronic AT exposure exacerbates MAPK signaling in ABCs and, thus, may be translationally relevant to human lung cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thai-Vu T Ton
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Hue-Hua L Hong
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ramesh C Kovi
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
- Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Keith R Shockley
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Shyamal D Peddada
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kevin E Gerrish
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kyathanahalli S Janardhan
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
- Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Gordon Flake
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Mathew D Stout
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Robert C Sills
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Arun R Pandiri
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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12
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Psilopatis I, Karniadakis I, Danos KS, Vrettou K, Michaelidou K, Mavridis K, Agelaki S, Theocharis S. May EPH/Ephrin Targeting Revolutionize Lung Cancer Treatment? Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010093. [PMID: 36613532 PMCID: PMC9820524 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptors (EPHs) comprise the largest receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) family in mammals. EPHs along with their ligands, EPH-family receptor-interacting proteins (ephrins), have been found to be either up- or downregulated in LC cells, hence exhibiting a defining role in LC carcinogenesis and tumor progression. In their capacity as membrane-bound molecules, EPHs/ephrins may represent feasible targets in the context of precision cancer treatment. In order to investigate available therapeutics targeting the EPH/ephrin system in LC, a literature review was conducted, using the MEDLINE, LIVIVO, and Google Scholar databases. EPHA2 is the most well-studied EPH/ephrin target in LC treatment. The targeting of EPHA2, EPHA3, EPHA5, EPHA7, EPHB4, EPHB6, ephrin-A1, ephrin-A2, ephrin-B2, and ephrin-B3 in LC cells or xenograft models not only directly correlates with a profound LC suppression but also enriches the effects of well-established therapeutic regimens. However, the sole clinical trial incorporating a NSCLC patient could not describe objective anti-cancer effects after anti-EPHA2 antibody administration. Collectively, EPHs/ephrins seem to represent promising treatment targets in LC. However, large clinical trials still need to be performed, with a view to examining the effects of EPH/ephrin targeting in the clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iason Psilopatis
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, Bld 10, Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Department of Gynecology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt—Universität zu Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ioannis Karniadakis
- Second Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, “Laiko” General Hospital, 17 Agiou Thoma Street, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Stylianos Danos
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, Bld 10, Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Kleio Vrettou
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, Bld 10, Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Kleita Michaelidou
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Vassilika Vouton, 71003 Herakleion, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Mavridis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation of Research and Technology-Hellas, 70013 Herakleion, Greece
| | - Sofia Agelaki
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Vassilika Vouton, 71003 Herakleion, Greece
- Department of Medical Oncology, University General Hospital of Herakleion, Vassilika Vouton, 71110 Herakleion, Greece
- Correspondence: (S.A.); (S.T.)
| | - Stamatios Theocharis
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, Bld 10, Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Correspondence: (S.A.); (S.T.)
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13
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Han SJ, Kwon S, Kim KS. Contribution of mechanical homeostasis to epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2022; 45:1119-1136. [PMID: 36149601 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-022-00720-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metastasis refers to the spread of cancer cells from a primary tumor to other parts of the body via the lymphatic system and bloodstream. With tremendous effort over the past decades, remarkable progress has been made in understanding the molecular and cellular basis of metastatic processes. Metastasis occurs through five steps, including infiltration and migration, intravasation, survival, extravasation, and colonization. Various molecular and cellular factors involved in the metastatic process have been identified, such as epigenetic factors of the extracellular matrix (ECM), cell-cell interactions, soluble signaling, adhesion molecules, and mechanical stimuli. However, the underlying cause of cancer metastasis has not been elucidated. CONCLUSION In this review, we have focused on changes in the mechanical properties of cancer cells and their surrounding environment to understand the causes of cancer metastasis. Cancer cells have unique mechanical properties that distinguish them from healthy cells. ECM stiffness is involved in cancer cell growth, particularly in promoting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). During tumorigenesis, the mechanical properties of cancer cells change in the direction opposite to their environment, resulting in a mechanical stress imbalance between the intracellular and extracellular domains. Disruption of mechanical homeostasis may be one of the causes of EMT that triggers the metastasis of cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Se Jik Han
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sangwoo Kwon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kyung Sook Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
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14
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Renu K, Vinayagam S, Veeraraghavan VP, Mukherjee AG, Wanjari UR, Prabakaran DS, Ganesan R, Dey A, Vellingiri B, Kandasamy S, Ramanathan G, Doss C GP, George A, Gopalakrishnan AV. Molecular Crosstalk between the Immunological Mechanism of the Tumor Microenvironment and Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition in Oral Cancer. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10091490. [PMID: 36146567 PMCID: PMC9504083 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10091490] [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: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Oral cancer is a significant non-communicable disease affecting both emergent nations and developed countries. Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck represent the eight major familiar cancer types worldwide, accounting for more than 350,000 established cases every year. Oral cancer is one of the most exigent tumors to control and treat. The survival rate of oral cancer is poor due to local invasion along with recurrent lymph node metastasis. The tumor microenvironment contains a different population of cells, such as fibroblasts associated with cancer, immune-infiltrating cells, and other extracellular matrix non-components. Metastasis in a primary site is mainly due to multifaceted progression known as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). For the period of EMT, epithelial cells acquire mesenchymal cell functional and structural characteristics, which lead to cell migration enhancement and promotion of the dissemination of tumor cells. The present review links the tumor microenvironment and the role of EMT in inflammation, transcriptional factors, receptor involvement, microRNA, and other signaling events. It would, in turn, help to better understand the mechanism behind the tumor microenvironment and EMT during oral cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaviyarasi Renu
- Centre of Molecular Medicine and Diagnostics (COMManD), Department of Biochemistry, Saveetha Dental College & Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai 600077, Tamil Nadu, India
- Correspondence: (K.R.); (A.V.G.)
| | - Sathishkumar Vinayagam
- Department of Biotechnology, Centre for Postgraduate and Research Studies, Periyar University, Dharmapuri 635205, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Vishnu Priya Veeraraghavan
- Centre of Molecular Medicine and Diagnostics (COMManD), Department of Biochemistry, Saveetha Dental College & Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai 600077, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Anirban Goutam Mukherjee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Uddesh Ramesh Wanjari
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - D. S. Prabakaran
- Department of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Chungdae-ro 1, Seowon-gu, Cheongju 28644, Korea
- Department of Biotechnology, Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal College (Autonomous), Srivilliputhur Main Road, Sivakasi 626124, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Raja Ganesan
- Institute for Liver and Digestive Diseases, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Korea
| | - Abhijit Dey
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, Kolkata 700073, West Bengal, India
| | - Balachandar Vellingiri
- Human Molecular Cytogenetics and Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641046, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Sabariswaran Kandasamy
- Institute of Energy Research, Jiangsu University, No 301, Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Gnanasambandan Ramanathan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - George Priya Doss C
- Department of Integrative Biology, School of BioSciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Alex George
- Jubilee Centre for Medical Research, Jubilee Mission Medical College and Research Institute, Thrissur 680005, Kerala, India
| | - Abilash Valsala Gopalakrishnan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
- Correspondence: (K.R.); (A.V.G.)
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15
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Jiao Z, Feng X, Cui Y, Wang L, Gan J, Zhao Y, Meng Q. Expression characteristic, immune signature, and prognosis value of EFNA family identified by multi-omics integrative analysis in pan-cancer. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:871. [PMID: 35945523 PMCID: PMC9364540 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-09951-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background EphrinA (EFNA) are Eph receptor ligands that regulate various disease processes. Nonetheless, the expression characteristics of EFNAs in pan-cancer, their relationship with tumor immune microenvironment, and prognostic value landscape remain unknown. Methods A comprehensive landscape of EFNAs was created using various statistical data extracted from 33 cancers. Subsequently, we identified differential expression, genetic variations, potential function enrichment, tumor immune-related analysis, and drug sensitivity. Further, we investigated the clinical features and diagnostic prognostic value of EFNAs. RT-qPCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to validate the expression level and significant clinical value of EFNA5 in lung adenocarcinoma cell lines and tissues. Results EFNAs were highly mutated in various cancers. Genomic and epigenetic alterations of EFNAs were observed in various tumors, where an oncogenic mutation in specific cancer types potentially affected EFNA expression. Moreover, tumor-derived EFNAs were significantly related to the tumor immune microenvironment, suggesting that they are promising therapeutic targets. The majority of EFNA family genes were significantly linked to patient prognosis. Eventually, EFNA5 was an independent prognostic factor in lung adenocarcinoma. Conclusion In summary, EFNAs are crucial in tumor immune regulation, and EFNA5 is a prognostic marker in lung adenocarcinoma. Our findings provide new insights into EFNAs from a bioinformatics standpoint and highlight the significance of EFNAs in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09951-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zonglin Jiao
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Xiao Feng
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China.,Department of Oncology, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Yuqing Cui
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Junqing Gan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Yanbin Zhao
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China.
| | - Qingwei Meng
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China.
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16
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Banerjee SL, Lessard F, Chartier FJM, Jacquet K, Osornio-Hernandez AI, Teyssier V, Ghani K, Lavoie N, Lavoie JN, Caruso M, Laprise P, Elowe S, Lambert JP, Bisson N. EPH receptor tyrosine kinases phosphorylate the PAR-3 scaffold protein to modulate downstream signaling networks. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111031. [PMID: 35793621 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
EPH receptors (EPHRs) constitute the largest family among receptor tyrosine kinases in humans. They are mainly involved in short-range cell-cell communication events that regulate cell adhesion, migration, and boundary formation. However, the molecular mechanisms by which EPHRs control these processes are less understood. To address this, we unravel EPHR-associated complexes under native conditions using mass-spectrometry-based BioID proximity labeling. We obtain a composite proximity network from EPHA4, -B2, -B3, and -B4 that comprises 395 proteins, most of which were not previously linked to EPHRs. We examine the contribution of several BioID-identified candidates via loss-of-function in an EPHR-dependent cell-segregation assay. We find that the signaling scaffold PAR-3 is required for cell sorting and that EPHRs directly phosphorylate PAR-3. We also delineate a signaling complex involving the C-terminal SRC kinase (CSK), whose recruitment to PAR-3 is dependent on EPHR signals. Our work describes signaling networks by which EPHRs regulate cellular phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara L Banerjee
- Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Quebec-Université Laval, Division Oncologie, Québec, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche sur le cancer de l'Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; PROTEO-Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Frédéric Lessard
- Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Quebec-Université Laval, Division Oncologie, Québec, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche sur le cancer de l'Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; PROTEO-Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - François J M Chartier
- Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Quebec-Université Laval, Division Oncologie, Québec, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche sur le cancer de l'Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; PROTEO-Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Kévin Jacquet
- Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Quebec-Université Laval, Division Oncologie, Québec, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche sur le cancer de l'Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Ana I Osornio-Hernandez
- Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Quebec-Université Laval, Division Oncologie, Québec, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche sur le cancer de l'Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; PROTEO-Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Valentine Teyssier
- Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Quebec-Université Laval, Division Oncologie, Québec, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche sur le cancer de l'Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; PROTEO-Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Karim Ghani
- Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Quebec-Université Laval, Division Oncologie, Québec, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche sur le cancer de l'Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Noémie Lavoie
- Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Quebec-Université Laval, Division Oncologie, Québec, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche sur le cancer de l'Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; PROTEO-Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Josée N Lavoie
- Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Quebec-Université Laval, Division Oncologie, Québec, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche sur le cancer de l'Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Department of Molecular Biology, Medical Biochemistry and Pathology, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Manuel Caruso
- Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Quebec-Université Laval, Division Oncologie, Québec, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche sur le cancer de l'Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Department of Molecular Biology, Medical Biochemistry and Pathology, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Patrick Laprise
- Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Quebec-Université Laval, Division Oncologie, Québec, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche sur le cancer de l'Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Department of Molecular Biology, Medical Biochemistry and Pathology, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Sabine Elowe
- Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Quebec-Université Laval, Division Oncologie, Québec, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche sur le cancer de l'Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; PROTEO-Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Québec, QC, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Jean-Philippe Lambert
- Centre de recherche sur le cancer de l'Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Department of Molecular Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche en données massives de l'Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Quebec-Université Laval, Division Endocrinologie-néphrologie, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Nicolas Bisson
- Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Quebec-Université Laval, Division Oncologie, Québec, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche sur le cancer de l'Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; PROTEO-Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Québec, QC, Canada; Department of Molecular Biology, Medical Biochemistry and Pathology, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
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17
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Wu J, Zhou Y, Zhang J, Zhang HX, Jia R. Molecular Dynamics Simulation Investigation of the Binding and Interaction of the EphA6-Odin Protein Complex. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:4914-4924. [PMID: 35732074 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c01492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Protein-protein interaction plays an important role in the development of almost all cells. Elucidating the dynamic binding and affinity of a protein-protein complex is essential for understanding the biological functions of proteins. EphA6 and Odin proteins are members of the Eph (erythropoietin-producing hepatocyte) receptor family and the Anks (ankyrin repeat and sterile α motif domain-containing) family, respectively. Odin significantly functions in regulating endocytosis, degradation, and stability of EphA receptors. In this work, the key residues of the interaction interface were determined through a hydrogen bond, root-mean-square deviation (RMSD), root-mean-square fluctuation (RMSF), and dynamic correlation analysis of the conventional molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The calculated standard binding free energy, -7.92 kcal/mol, between EphA6 and Odin is quite consistent with the experimental measurement value, -8.73 kcal/mol. By the combination of several MD simulation techniques, our investigation of the binding process reveals the detailed representative characteristics of the entire binding pathway at the molecular level. Based on the obtained potential of the mean force (PMF) curve, the analysis of the simulation trajectories shows that the residue Arg1013 in the receptor EphA6 is responsible for capturing Asp739 and Asp740 in the ligand Odin during the initial stage of binding. In the later stage of binding, the hydrogen bonds and salt bridges between a series of residues Lys973, Leu1007, Gly1009, His1010, and Arg1012 in the receptor and residues Leu735, Asn736, Asp739, Asp740, and Asp753 in the ligand mainly contribute to the stability of the protein complex. In addition, the specific change process of the receptor-ligand-binding mode is also clarified during the binding process. Our present simulation will promote a deep understanding of the protein-protein interaction, and the identified key interresidue interaction will be theoretical guidance for the design of protein drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhua Wu
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130023, Jilin, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, Jilin, People's Republic of China
| | - Jilong Zhang
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130023, Jilin, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong-Xing Zhang
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130023, Jilin, People's Republic of China
| | - Ran Jia
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130023, Jilin, People's Republic of China
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18
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Hadjimichael AC, Pergaris A, Kaspiris A, Foukas AF, Kokkali S, Tsourouflis G, Theocharis S. The EPH/Ephrin System in Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcomas' Pathogenesis and Therapy: New Advancements and a Literature Review. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23095171. [PMID: 35563562 PMCID: PMC9100911 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23095171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Musculoskeletal sarcomas represent rare heterogenous malignancies of mesenchymal origin that can be divided in two distinct subtypes, bone and soft tissue sarcomas. Current treatment options combine the surgical excision of local tumors and multidrug chemotherapy to prevent metastatic widespread disease. Due to the grim prognosis that usually accompanies such tumors, researchers have attempted to shed light on the molecular pathways implicated in their pathogenesis in order to develop novel, innovative, personalized therapeutic strategies. Erythropoietin-producing human hepatocellular receptors (EPHs) are tyrosine-kinase transmembrane receptors that, along with their ligands, ephrins, participate in both tumor-suppressive or tumor-promoting signaling pathways in bone and soft tissue sarcomas. The EPH/ephrin axis orchestrates cancerous processes such as cell–cell and cell–substrate adhesion and enhances the remodeling of the intracellular cytoskeleton to stimulate the motility and invasiveness of sarcoma cells. The purpose of our study was to review published PubMed literature to extract results from in vitro, in vivo and clinical trials indicative of the role of EPH/ephrin signaling in bone and soft tissue sarcomas. Based on these reports, significant interactions between the EPH/ephrin signaling pathway and a plethora of normal and abnormal cascades contribute to molecular mechanisms enhancing malignancy during sarcoma progression. In addition, EPHs and ephrins are prospective candidates for diagnostic, monitoring and therapeutic purposes in the clinical setting against bone and soft tissue sarcomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Argyris C. Hadjimichael
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.C.H.); (A.P.); (S.K.); (G.T.)
- Department of Orthopaedics, St Mary’s Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Praed Street, London W2 1NY, UK
| | - Alexandros Pergaris
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.C.H.); (A.P.); (S.K.); (G.T.)
| | - Angelos Kaspiris
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece;
| | - Athanasios F. Foukas
- Third Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, “KAT” General Hospital of Athens, Nikis 2, 14561 Kifissia, Greece;
| | - Stefania Kokkali
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.C.H.); (A.P.); (S.K.); (G.T.)
| | - Gerasimos Tsourouflis
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.C.H.); (A.P.); (S.K.); (G.T.)
| | - Stamatios Theocharis
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.C.H.); (A.P.); (S.K.); (G.T.)
- Correspondence:
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Pergaris A, Danas E, Gajdzis P, Levidou G, Gajdzis M, Cassoux N, Gardrat S, Donizy P, Korkolopoulou P, Kavantzas N, Klijanienko J, Theocharis S. EPHA2, EPHA4, and EPHA6 Expression in Uveal Melanomas: Searching for the Culprits of Neoplasia. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12051025. [PMID: 35626181 PMCID: PMC9139903 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12051025] [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: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Uveal melanomas (UMs) comprise the most common primary intraocular malignancies in adults, with the eye representing the second most common site for melanoma, following the skin. Prognosis remains poor, with approximately half of the cases presenting with metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis. Erythropoietin-producing human hepatocellular receptors (EPHs) comprise the largest known family of tyrosine receptors, in which, along with their ligands, ephrins, play an important role in a plethora of processes in human physiology, and are implicated in key steps of carcinogenesis. In the present study, EPHA2, EPHA4, and EPHA6 immunohistochemical expressions were investigated in UM tissues and further correlated to a multitude of clinicopathological parameters, including disease stage and patients’ overall survival (OS). High levels of EPHA2 expression were significantly associated with increased tumor vertical thickness (p = 0.03) and the presence of intrascleral involvement (p = 0.05), whereas high EPHA6 nuclear expression was associated with older age at diagnosis (p = 0.03) and absence of retinal detachment (p = 0.05). In a multivariate survival analysis, increased EPHA4 expression was associated with shortened OS along with the presence of metastasis (p < 0.001) and monosomy 3 (p = 0.02). In a separate model, the concurrent overexpression of at least two of the investigated EPHs (HR = 14.7, p = 0.03) also proved to be an independent poor prognostic factor. In conclusion, our results implicate these specific members of the EPHA group as potential biomarkers for disease prognosis as well as possible targets for the development of novel therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandros Pergaris
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, Bld. 10, Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.P.); (E.D.); (G.L.); (P.K.); (N.K.)
| | - Eugene Danas
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, Bld. 10, Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.P.); (E.D.); (G.L.); (P.K.); (N.K.)
| | - Pawel Gajdzis
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Division of Clinical Pathology, Wroclaw Medical
University, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland; (P.G.); (P.D.)
| | - Georgia Levidou
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, Bld. 10, Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.P.); (E.D.); (G.L.); (P.K.); (N.K.)
- Department of Pathology, Paracelsus Medical University, 90419 Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Malgorzata Gajdzis
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland;
| | - Nathalie Cassoux
- Department of Ophthalmology, Institut Curie, 75005 Paris, France;
| | - Sophie Gardrat
- Department of Biopathology, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France;
| | - Piotr Donizy
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Division of Clinical Pathology, Wroclaw Medical
University, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland; (P.G.); (P.D.)
| | - Penelope Korkolopoulou
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, Bld. 10, Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.P.); (E.D.); (G.L.); (P.K.); (N.K.)
| | - Nikolaos Kavantzas
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, Bld. 10, Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.P.); (E.D.); (G.L.); (P.K.); (N.K.)
| | | | - Stamatios Theocharis
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, Bld. 10, Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.P.); (E.D.); (G.L.); (P.K.); (N.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +30-210-746-2116; Fax: +30-210-746-2157
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Al-Mathkour MM, Dwead AM, Alp E, Boston AM, Cinar B. The Hippo effector YAP1/TEAD1 regulates EPHA3 expression to control cell contact and motility. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3840. [PMID: 35264657 PMCID: PMC8907295 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07790-4] [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: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The EPHA3 protein tyrosine kinase, a member of the ephrin receptor family, regulates cell fate, cell motility, and cell-cell interaction. These cellular events are critical for tissue development, immunological responses, and the processes of tumorigenesis. Earlier studies revealed that signaling via the STK4-encoded MST1 serine-threonine protein kinase, a core component of the Hippo pathway, attenuated EPHA3 expression. Here, we investigated the mechanism by which MST1 regulates EPHA3. Our findings have revealed that the transcriptional regulators YAP1 and TEAD1 are crucial activators of EPHA3 transcription. Silencing YAP1 and TEAD1 suppressed the EPHA3 protein and mRNA levels. In addition, we identified putative TEAD enhancers in the distal EPHA3 promoter, where YAP1 and TEAD1 bind and promote EPHA3 expression. Furthermore, EPHA3 knockout by CRISPR/Cas9 technology reduced cell-cell interaction and cell motility. These findings demonstrate that EPHA3 is transcriptionally regulated by YAP1/TEAD1 of the Hippo pathway, suggesting that it is sensitive to cell contact-dependent interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwah M Al-Mathkour
- Department of Biology and the Center for Cancer Research and Therapeutic Development, Clark Atlanta University, 223 James P. Brawley Dr, SW, Atlanta, GA, 30314, USA
| | - Abdulrahman M Dwead
- Department of Biology and the Center for Cancer Research and Therapeutic Development, Clark Atlanta University, 223 James P. Brawley Dr, SW, Atlanta, GA, 30314, USA
| | - Esma Alp
- Department of Biology and the Center for Cancer Research and Therapeutic Development, Clark Atlanta University, 223 James P. Brawley Dr, SW, Atlanta, GA, 30314, USA
| | - Ava M Boston
- Department of Biology and the Center for Cancer Research and Therapeutic Development, Clark Atlanta University, 223 James P. Brawley Dr, SW, Atlanta, GA, 30314, USA
| | - Bekir Cinar
- Department of Biology and the Center for Cancer Research and Therapeutic Development, Clark Atlanta University, 223 James P. Brawley Dr, SW, Atlanta, GA, 30314, USA. .,Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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21
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c-Met and EPHA7 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases Are Related to Prognosis in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: Focusing on the Association with Myoferlin Expression. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14041095. [PMID: 35205843 PMCID: PMC8870418 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14041095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are important targets for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) treatment. Myoferlin is a strong regulator of RTKs. To identify myoferlin-associated RTKs and their prognostic implications in ccRCC, we investigated the expression of RTKs and myoferlin using proteome-based evaluation and immunohistochemical staining in tissue microarray. Multivariate Cox analysis adjusted for TNM stage and WHO grade was performed (n = 410 and 506). Proteomic analysis suggested c-Met and EPHA7 as novel candidates for myoferlin-associated RTKs. We immunohistochemically validated the positive association between c-Met and myoferlin expression. High c-Met expression was independently associated with overall (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.153-2.919) and cancer-specific survival (HR = 1.150-3.389). The prognostic effect of high c-Met expression was also determined in an independent cohort (overall survival, HR = 1.503-3.771). Although expression of EPHA7 and myoferlin was not correlated, EPHA7 expression was independently associated with progression-free (HR = 1.237-4.319) and cancer-specific survival (HR = 1.214-4.558). In addition, network-based prioritization showed co-functional enrichment of c-Met and myoferlin, suggesting a novel regulatory function of myoferlin in c-Met signaling. This study indicates that c-Met and EPHA7 might be useful prognostic biomarkers, and the presumed myoferlin/c-Met pathway could be a novel therapeutic target in ccRCC.
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22
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Zheng P, Liu X, Li H, Gao L, Yu Y, Wang N, Chen H. EFNA3 Is a Prognostic Biomarker Correlated With Immune Cell Infiltration and Immune Checkpoints in Gastric Cancer. Front Genet 2022; 12:796592. [PMID: 35126464 PMCID: PMC8807553 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.796592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Ephrin A3 (EFNA3), like most genes in the ephrin family, plays a central role in embryonic development and can be dysregulated in a variety of tumors. However, the relationship between EFNA3 and gastric cancer (GC) prognosis and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes remains unclear. Methods: Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 (GEPIA2) were used to analyze the expression of EFNA3. Kaplan-Meier plots and GEPIA2 were used to evaluate the relationship between EFNA3 expression and GC prognosis. Univariable survival and multivariate Cox analyses were used to compare various clinical characteristics with survival. LinkedOmics database was used for gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). TIMER database and CIBERSORT algorithm were used to examine the relationship between EFNA3 expression and immune infiltration in GC and to explore cumulative survival in GC. The relationship between EFNA3 and immune checkpoints was examined using cBioPortal genomics analysis. Finally, EFNA3 expression in GC cells and tissues was assayed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: EFNA3 expression differs in a variety of cancers, and EFNA3 expression was higher in GC tissue than normal gastric tissue. GC patients with high expression of EFNA3 had worse overall survival, disease-free survival, and first progression. Multivariate analysis identified EFNA3 as an independent prognostic factor for GC. GSEA identified ribosome, cell cycle, ribosome biogenesis in eukaryotes, and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis pathways as differentially enriched in patients with high EFNA3 expression. B cells, CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells were significantly negatively correlated with a variety of immune markers. EFNA3 participates in changes in GC immune checkpoint markers in a collinear manner. EFNA3 expression in HGC-27, AGS, MKN45, and NCI-N87 was cell lines higher than that in GES-1, and patients with high expression of EFNA3 had a worse prognosis. Conclusion: EFNA3 can be used as a prognostic and immune infiltration and checkpoint marker in GC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zheng
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Abdominal Department III, Gansu Provincial Tumor Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - XiaoLong Liu
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Haiyuan Li
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lei Gao
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yang Yu
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Na Wang
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Hao Chen
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Hao Chen,
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Zhang Y, Zhang J, Pan G, Guan T, Zhang C, Hao A, Li Y, Ren H. Effects of EFNA1 on cell phenotype and prognosis of esophageal carcinoma. World J Surg Oncol 2021; 19:242. [PMID: 34399788 PMCID: PMC8369630 DOI: 10.1186/s12957-021-02362-8] [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: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background To investigate the expression and clinical significance of EFNA1 in broad-spectrum tumors, and to evaluate its relationship with prognosis and biological functions of esophageal carcinoma (ESCA). Methods EFNA1 expression in various cancers was analyzed according to the data in the TCGA database. The clinical data were integrated, to analyze the relationship with ESCA clinical parameters and prognosis, and EFNA1 expression in ESCA tissue samples was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Based on bioinformatics, the functional background of EFNA1 overexpression was analyzed. EFNA1 knockout cell model was established by EFNA1-shRNA transfecting ESCA cells, and the effect of knocking down EFNA1 on the proliferation of ESCA cells was detected by MTT. Results Among 7563 samples from TCGA, the EFNA1 gene highly expressed in 15 samples with common cancers and endangered the prognosis of patients with tumors. Its overexpression in ESCA and its influence on the prognosis were most significant. EFNA1 expression in 80 samples with ESCA and their paired samples was tested by IHC to verify its high expression (paired t test, P < 0.001) in ESCA tissues. It was found that EFNA1 expression was related to clinical factors (TNM staging, P = 0.031; lymph node metastasis, P = 0.043; infiltration, P = 0.016). Meanwhile, EFNA1 was found to be an independent risk factor based on the COX multi-factor analysis. And to further explore the importance of EFNA1 in tumors, EC-9706 and ECA109 cells were screened from 8 ESCA-related cell lines to build EFNA1 knockdown cell models. The results showed that EFNA1 knockdown significantly inhibited the proliferation of tumor cells (P < 0.05). In terms of molecular mechanism, EFNA1 related genes were significantly enriched in the proliferative pathway according to the pathway enrichment analysis. It was found that knocking down EFNA1 did inhibit cell proliferation based on cell experiments. Conclusions EFNA1 overexpression in ESCA tissue is related to the prognosis of patients. Knocking down EFNA1 can significantly inhibit the proliferation of ESCA cells. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12957-021-02362-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqiang Zhang
- Ward 2, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical College, No. 27, Taishun Street, Tiefeng District, Qiqihar, 161000, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Jinning Zhang
- Ward 2, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical College, No. 27, Taishun Street, Tiefeng District, Qiqihar, 161000, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Guanlong Pan
- Ward 2, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical College, No. 27, Taishun Street, Tiefeng District, Qiqihar, 161000, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Tianhao Guan
- Ward 2, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical College, No. 27, Taishun Street, Tiefeng District, Qiqihar, 161000, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Changhao Zhang
- Ward 2, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical College, No. 27, Taishun Street, Tiefeng District, Qiqihar, 161000, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - An Hao
- Ward 2, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical College, No. 27, Taishun Street, Tiefeng District, Qiqihar, 161000, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Yan Li
- Ward 2, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical College, No. 27, Taishun Street, Tiefeng District, Qiqihar, 161000, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Hai Ren
- Ward 2, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical College, No. 27, Taishun Street, Tiefeng District, Qiqihar, 161000, Heilongjiang Province, China.
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Sahoo AR, Buck M. Structural and Functional Insights into the Transmembrane Domain Association of Eph Receptors. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168593. [PMID: 34445298 PMCID: PMC8395321 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Eph receptors are the largest family of receptor tyrosine kinases and by interactions with ephrin ligands mediate a myriad of processes from embryonic development to adult tissue homeostasis. The interaction of Eph receptors, especially at their transmembrane (TM) domains is key to understanding their mechanism of signal transduction across cellular membranes. We review the structural and functional aspects of EphA1/A2 association and the techniques used to investigate their TM domains: NMR, molecular modelling/dynamics simulations and fluorescence. We also introduce transmembrane peptides, which can be used to alter Eph receptor signaling and we provide a perspective for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amita R. Sahoo
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
| | - Matthias Buck
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Correspondence:
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The Clinical Impact of the EPH/Ephrin System in Cancer: Unwinding the Thread. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168412. [PMID: 34445116 PMCID: PMC8395090 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Erythropoietin-producing human hepatocellular receptors (EPHs) compose the largest known subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). They bind and interact with the EPH family receptor interacting proteins (ephrins). EPHs/ephrins are implicated in a variety of physiological processes, as well as in cancer pathogenesis. With neoplastic disease remaining a leading cause of death world-wide, the development of novel biomarkers aiding in the field of diagnosis, prognosis, and disease monitoring is of utmost importance. A multitude of studies have proven the association between the expression of members of the EPH/ephrin system and various clinicopathological parameters, including disease stage, tumor histologic grade, and patients' overall survival. Besides their utilization in timely disease detection and assessment of outcome, EPHs/ephrins could also represent possible novel therapeutic targets. The aim of the current review of the literature was to present the existing data regarding the association between EPH/ephrin system expression and the clinical characteristics of malignant tumors.
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Tan X, Ren S, Fu MZ, Ren S, Yang C, Wu X, Chen T, Latham PS, Meltzer SJ, Fu SW. microRNA-196b promotes esophageal squamous cell carcinogenesis and chemoradioresistance by inhibiting EPHA7, thereby restoring EPHA2 activity. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:3594-3610. [PMID: 34354862 PMCID: PMC8332861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Esophageal cancer (EC) is extremely aggressive and has a very poor survival rate. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) accounts for 80% of all ECs worldwide, with the majority of the remaining 20% being esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Due to its occult and insidious presentation, ESCC is typically diagnosed and treated in its advanced stages, thereby limiting the success of present therapeutic modalities. microRNAs (miRNAs) can function as tumor suppressors or oncogenes, playing critical roles in cancer initiation and progression by regulating target genes in oncogenic pathways. In the current study, we demonstrated that microRNA-196b (miR-196b) is one of the most upregulated miRNAs in both ESCC and EAC. miR-196b was overexpressed in ESCC and EAC cell lines, cellular exosomal RNAs, and ESCC tissue samples. Functional studies revealed that miR-196b acted as an oncomiR by directly targeting a tumor suppressor, ephrin type-A receptor 7 (EPHA7). EPHA7 abrogates the activity of ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EPHA2), a key molecule involved in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and MAPK/ERK pathways, mediating resistance to UV and chemoradiotherapy in both ESCC and EAC. Taken together, these findings suggest that miR-196b is a strong candidate molecular target for EC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Tan
- Department of Medicine, Division of Genomic Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health SciencesWashington, DC, USA
| | - Shuchang Ren
- Department of Medicine, Division of Genomic Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health SciencesWashington, DC, USA
| | - Melinda Z Fu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Genomic Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health SciencesWashington, DC, USA
| | - Shuyang Ren
- Department of Medicine, Division of Genomic Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health SciencesWashington, DC, USA
| | - Canyuan Yang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Genomic Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health SciencesWashington, DC, USA
| | - Xiaoling Wu
- Department of Medicine, Chengdu Military General HospitalChengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Tao Chen
- Department of Medicine, Chengdu Military General HospitalChengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Patricia S Latham
- Department of Pathology, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health SciencesWashington, DC, USA
| | - Stephen J Meltzer
- Departments of Medicine and Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer CenterBaltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sidney W Fu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Genomic Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health SciencesWashington, DC, USA
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Itoh T, Hatano R, Horimoto Y, Yamada T, Song D, Otsuka H, Shirakawa Y, Mastuoka S, Iwao N, Aune TM, Dang NH, Kaneko Y, Okumura K, Morimoto C, Ohnuma K. IL-26 mediates epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance through endoplasmic reticulum stress signaling pathway in triple-negative breast cancer cells. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:520. [PMID: 34021125 PMCID: PMC8139965 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03787-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a poor prognosis compared to other breast cancer subtypes. Although epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in TNBC, clinical trials with EGFR inhibitors including tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKI) in TNBC have heretofore been unsuccessful. To develop effective EGFR-targeted therapy for TNBC, the precise mechanisms of EGFR-TKI resistance in TNBC need to be elucidated. In this study, to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the differences in EGFR-TKI efficacy on TNBC between human and mouse, we focused on the effect of IL-26, which is absent in mice. In vitro analysis showed that IL-26 activated AKT and JNK signaling of bypass pathway of EGFR-TKI in both murine and human TNBC cells. We next investigated the mechanisms involved in IL-26-mediated EGFR-TKI resistance in TNBC. We identified EphA3 as a novel functional receptor for IL-26 in TNBC. IL-26 induced dephosphorylation and downmodulation of EphA3 in TNBC, which resulted in increased phosphorylation of AKT and JNK against EGFR-TKI-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, leading to tumor growth. Meanwhile, the blockade of IL-26 overcame EGFR-TKI resistance in TNBC. Since the gene encoding IL-26 is absent in mice, we utilized human IL-26 transgenic (hIL-26Tg) mice as a tumor-bearing murine model to characterize the role of IL-26 in the differential effect of EGFR-TKI in human and mice and to confirm our in vitro findings. Our findings indicate that IL-26 activates the bypass pathway of EGFR-TKI, while blockade of IL-26 overcomes EGFR-TKI resistance in TNBC via enhancement of ER stress signaling. Our work provides novel insights into the mechanisms of EGFR-TKI resistance in TNBC via interaction of IL-26 with its newly identified receptor EphA3, while also suggesting IL-26 as a possible therapeutic target in TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takumi Itoh
- Department of Therapy Development and Innovation for Immune Disorders and Cancers, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan.,Atopy (Allergy) Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
| | - Ryo Hatano
- Department of Therapy Development and Innovation for Immune Disorders and Cancers, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
| | - Yoshiya Horimoto
- Department of Breast Oncology, School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
| | - Taketo Yamada
- Department of Pathology, Saitama Medical University, 38 Morohongo, Moroyama-machi, Iruma-gun, Saitama, 350-0495, Japan.,Department of Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Dan Song
- Department of Therapy Development and Innovation for Immune Disorders and Cancers, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
| | - Haruna Otsuka
- Department of Therapy Development and Innovation for Immune Disorders and Cancers, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
| | - Yuki Shirakawa
- Department of Therapy Development and Innovation for Immune Disorders and Cancers, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
| | - Shuji Mastuoka
- Department of Immunological Diagnosis, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
| | - Noriaki Iwao
- Department of Hematology, Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital, 1129 Nagaoka, Izunokuni, Shizuoka, 410-2295, Japan
| | - Thomas M Aune
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Nam H Dang
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Florida, 1600 SW Archer Road-Box 100278, Room MSB M410A, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Yutaro Kaneko
- Y's AC Co., Ltd., 2-6-8 Kudanminami, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-0074, Japan
| | - Ko Okumura
- Atopy (Allergy) Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
| | - Chikao Morimoto
- Department of Therapy Development and Innovation for Immune Disorders and Cancers, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
| | - Kei Ohnuma
- Department of Therapy Development and Innovation for Immune Disorders and Cancers, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan.
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Expression Pattern and Prognostic Value of EPHA/EFNA in Breast Cancer by Bioinformatics Analysis: Revealing Its Importance in Chemotherapy. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:5575704. [PMID: 33977106 PMCID: PMC8087473 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5575704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The activities of the ephrin family in breast cancer (BrCa) are complex. Family A receptors (EPHA) and ligands (EFNA) can act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors and are implicated in chemoresistance. Here, we examined the expression pattern and prognostic value of the EPHA/EFNA family in patients with breast cancer, including patients with different subtypes or different chemotherapy cohorts. In the UALCAN database, the mRNA expression of EPHA1, EPHA10, EFNA1, EFNA3, and EFNA4 was significantly higher, whereas that of EPHA2, EPHA4, EPHA5, and EFNA5 was significantly lower in breast cancer tissues than in paracancerous tissues. The transcriptional levels of EPHA/EFNA family members were correlated with intrinsic subclasses of breast cancer. The relationship between EPHA/EFNA and the clinicopathological parameters of BrCa was analyzed using bc-GenExMiner V4.5. EPHA1, EPHA2, EPHA4, EPHA7, EFNA3, EFNA4, and EFNA5 were upregulated in estrogen receptor- (ER-) and progesterone receptor- (PR-) negative tumors, whereas EPHA3, EPHA6, and EFNA1 were upregulated in ER- and PR-positive tumors. EPHA1, EPHA2, EFNA3, and EFNA4 mRNA expression was significantly higher in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2- (HER2-) positive tumors than in HER2-negative tumors. Triple-negative status was positively correlated with EPHA1, EPHA2, EPHA4, EPHA7, EFNA3, EFNA4, and EFNA5 and negatively correlated with EPHA3 and EPHA10 mRNA expression. Genetic alterations of EPHA/EFNA in breast cancer varied from 1.1% to 10% for individual genes, as determined by the cBioPortal database. The Kaplan–Meier plotter indicated that high EphA7 mRNA expression was associated with poor overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS), especially in the HER2 and luminal A subtypes. EFNA4 was predicted to have poor OS and RFS in breast cancers, especially in luminal B, basal-like subtype, and patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. High EPHA3 expression was significantly associated with better OS and RFS, especially in the luminal A subtype, but with poor RFS in BrCa patients receiving chemotherapy. Our findings systematically elucidate the expression pattern and prognostic value of the EPHA/EFNA family in BrCa, which might provide potential prognostic factors and novel targets in BrCa patients, including those with different subtypes or treated with chemotherapy.
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Vaught DB, Merkel AR, Lynch CC, Edwards J, Tantawy MN, Hilliard T, Wang S, Peterson T, Johnson RW, Sterling JA, Brantley‐Sieders D. EphA2 Is a Clinically Relevant Target for Breast Cancer Bone Metastatic Disease. JBMR Plus 2021; 5:e10465. [PMID: 33869989 PMCID: PMC8046157 DOI: 10.1002/jbm4.10465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
EphA2 receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) is highly expressed in breast tumor cells across multiple molecular subtypes and correlates with poor patient prognosis. In this study, the potential role of EphA2 in this clinically relevant phenomenon is investigated as metastasis of breast cancer to bone is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients. It was found that the EphA2 function in breast cancer cells promotes osteoclast activation and the development of osteolytic bone disease. Blocking EphA2 function molecularly and pharmacologically in breast tumors reduced the number and size of bone lesions and the degree of osteolytic disease in intratibial and intracardiac mouse models, which correlated with a significant decrease in the number of osteoclasts at the tumor-bone interface. EphA2 loss of function in tumor cells impaired osteoclast progenitor differentiation in coculture, which is mediated, at least in part, by reduced expression of IL-6. EPHA2 transcript levels are enriched in human breast cancer bone metastatic lesions relative to visceral metastatic sites; EphA2 protein expression was detected in breast tumor cells in bone metastases in patient samples, supporting the clinical relevance of the study's findings. These data provide a strong rationale for the development and application of molecularly targeted therapies against EphA2 for the treatment of breast cancer bone metastatic disease. © 2021 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
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Affiliation(s)
- David B Vaught
- Department of Cancer BiologyVanderbilt University School of MedicineNashvilleTNUSA
| | - Alyssa R Merkel
- Vanderbilt Center for Bone BiologyVanderbilt University School of MedicineNashvilleTNUSA
| | - Conor C Lynch
- Department of Tumor BiologyH. Lee Moffitt Cancer CenterTampaFLUSA
| | | | - Mohammed Noor Tantawy
- Radiology and Vanderbilt Institute of Imaging SciencesVanderbilt University School of MedicineNashvilleTNUSA
| | - Timothy Hilliard
- Radiology and Vanderbilt Institute of Imaging SciencesVanderbilt University School of MedicineNashvilleTNUSA
| | - Shan Wang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and ImmunologyVanderbilt University School of MedicineNashvilleTNUSA
| | - Todd Peterson
- Radiology and Vanderbilt Institute of Imaging SciencesVanderbilt University School of MedicineNashvilleTNUSA
| | - Rachelle W Johnson
- Vanderbilt Center for Bone BiologyVanderbilt University School of MedicineNashvilleTNUSA
- Vanderbilt‐Ingram Cancer CenterVanderbilt University School of MedicineNashvilleTNUSA
- Department of Tumor BiologyH. Lee Moffitt Cancer CenterTampaFLUSA
- Division of Clinical PharmacologyVanderbilt University School of MedicineNashvilleTNUSA
| | - Julie A Sterling
- Vanderbilt Center for Bone BiologyVanderbilt University School of MedicineNashvilleTNUSA
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (VISN 9)Vanderbilt UniversityNashvilleTNUSA
| | - Dana Brantley‐Sieders
- Vanderbilt‐Ingram Cancer CenterVanderbilt University School of MedicineNashvilleTNUSA
- Department of Tumor BiologyH. Lee Moffitt Cancer CenterTampaFLUSA
- Radiology and Vanderbilt Institute of Imaging SciencesVanderbilt University School of MedicineNashvilleTNUSA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and ImmunologyVanderbilt University School of MedicineNashvilleTNUSA
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Anderton M, van der Meulen E, Blumenthal MJ, Schäfer G. The Role of the Eph Receptor Family in Tumorigenesis. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13020206. [PMID: 33430066 PMCID: PMC7826860 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13020206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The Eph receptor family is implicated in both tumour promotion and suppression, depending on the tissue-specific context of available receptor interactions with ligands, adaptor proteins and triggered downstream signalling pathways. This complex interplay has not only consequences for tumorigenesis but also offers a basis from which new cancer-targeting strategies can be developed. This review comprehensively summarises the current knowledge of Eph receptor implications in oncogenesis in a tissue- and receptor-specific manner, with the aim to develop a better understanding of Eph signalling pathways for potential targeting in novel cancer therapies. Abstract The Eph receptor tyrosine kinase family, activated by binding to their cognate ephrin ligands, are important components of signalling pathways involved in animal development. More recently, they have received significant interest due to their involvement in oncogenesis. In most cases, their expression is altered, affecting the likes of cell proliferation and migration. Depending on the context, Eph receptors have the potential to act as both tumour promoters and suppressors in a number of cancers, such as breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, brain cancer and Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS), the latter being intrinsically linked to EphA2 as this is the receptor used for endothelial cell entry by the Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). In addition, EphA2 deregulation is associated with KS, indicating that it has a dual role in this case. Associations between EphA2 sequence variation and KSHV infection/KS progression have been detected, but further work is required to formally establish the links between EphA2 signalling and KS oncogenesis. This review consolidates the available literature of the role of the Eph receptor family, and particularly EphA2, in tumorigenesis, with the aim to develop a better understanding of Eph signalling pathways for potential targeting in novel cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meg Anderton
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (M.A.); (E.v.d.M.)
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Emma van der Meulen
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (M.A.); (E.v.d.M.)
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Melissa J. Blumenthal
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (M.A.); (E.v.d.M.)
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
- Division of Medical Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
- Correspondence: (M.J.B.); (G.S.); Tel.: +27-21-4047630 (M.J.B.)
| | - Georgia Schäfer
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (M.A.); (E.v.d.M.)
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
- Division of Medical Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
- Correspondence: (M.J.B.); (G.S.); Tel.: +27-21-4047630 (M.J.B.)
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31
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Chatterjee D, Chowdhury UF, Shohan MUS, Mohasin M, Kabir Y. In-silico predictions of deleterious SNPs in human ephrin type-A receptor 3 (EPHA3) gene. INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE UNLOCKED 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.imu.2021.100728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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32
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Žlajpah M, Boštjančič E, Tepeš B, Zidar N. Expression of Extracellular Matrix-Related Genes and Their Regulatory microRNAs in Problematic Colorectal Polyps. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12123715. [PMID: 33322258 PMCID: PMC7764749 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal carcinoma usually evolves gradually, forming a spectrum of lesions, due to accumulation of genetic mutations and epigenetic alterations. Many early lesions are detected since the introduction of screening programs. The greatest challenge is to distinguish between adenomas with epithelial misplacement (AEM) and adenomas with early carcinoma (AEC), considering the diagnosis affects prognosis and treatment. We analyzed the expression of selected extracellular matrix (ECM)-related genes and proteins, and their regulatory microRNAs using RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry in biopsies from 44 patients. Differences were observed in AEM in comparison to AEC for DCN, EPHA4, FN1, SPON2, and SPP1, reflecting inflammatory stromal reaction to traumatisation and misplacement of dysplastic glands in the submucosa in the former, and desmoplastic stromal reaction to true invasion of dysplastic glands in the submucosa in the latter. Expression of regulatory microRNAs hsa-miR-200c and hsa-miR-146a significantly negatively correlated with the expression of their regulated genes, while significant difference between AEM and AEC was observed only for hsa-miR-29c. The described expression patterns are too complex to be used in diagnostic work, but might contribute to better understanding ECM changes in colorectal carcinoma development, helping to find new markers in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margareta Žlajpah
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.Ž.); (E.B.)
| | - Emanuela Boštjančič
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.Ž.); (E.B.)
| | - Bojan Tepeš
- Gastroenterology Unit, AM DC Rogaška, 3250 Rogaška Slatina, Slovenia;
| | - Nina Zidar
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.Ž.); (E.B.)
- Correspondence:
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33
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Tyrosine Kinase Receptors in Oncology. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21228529. [PMID: 33198314 PMCID: PMC7696731 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 11/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tyrosine kinase receptors (TKR) comprise more than 60 molecules that play an essential role in the molecular pathways, leading to cell survival and differentiation. Consequently, genetic alterations of TKRs may lead to tumorigenesis and, therefore, cancer development. The discovery and improvement of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) against TKRs have entailed an important step in the knowledge-expansion of tumor physiopathology as well as an improvement in the cancer treatment based on molecular alterations over many tumor types. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive review of the different families of TKRs and their role in the expansion of tumor cells and how TKIs can stop these pathways to tumorigenesis, in combination or not with other therapies. The increasing growth of this landscape is driving us to strengthen the development of precision oncology with clinical trials based on molecular-based therapy over a histology-based one, with promising preliminary results.
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Ling Z, Cheng B, Tao X. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in oral squamous cell carcinoma: Challenges and opportunities. Int J Cancer 2020; 148:1548-1561. [PMID: 33091960 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.33352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignancy representing 90% of all forms of oral cancer worldwide. Although great efforts have been made in the past decades, the 5-year survival rate of OSCC patients is no more than 60% due to tumor metastasis and subsequent recurrence. The metastasis from the primary site is due to a complex process known as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). During the EMT, epithelial cells gradually acquire the structural and functional characteristics of mesenchymal cells, leading to the upregulation of cell migration and the promotion of tumor cell dissemination. Therefore, EMT attracted broad attention due to its close relationship with cancer invasion and metastasis. Therefore, in the present review, an extensive description of the current research on OSCC and the role of EMT in this cancer type is provided, including diverse EMT markers, regulatory networks and crucial EMT-inducing transcription factors in OSCC. Moreover, a brief summary was made regarding the current application of EMT-correlated indexes in the prognostic analysis of OSCC patients, and the potential therapeutic approaches against OSCC and difficulties in the development of an effective anti-EMT treatment are discussed. Our aim is to provide novel insights to develop new strategies to combat OSCC by targeting EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihang Ling
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bin Cheng
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoan Tao
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China
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35
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Pyo A, You SH, Sik Kim H, Young Kim J, Min JJ, Kim DY, Hong Y. Production of 64Cu-labeled monobody for imaging of human EphA2-expressing tumors. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2020; 30:127262. [PMID: 32527560 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2020.127262] [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: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
We previously reported on the monobody E1, which specifically targets the tumor marker hEphA2. In this study, we labeled NOTA-conjugated E1 with 64Cu (64Cu-NOTA-E1) and evaluated biologic characteristics. The uptake of 64Cu-NOTA-E1 in PC3 cells (a human prostate cancer cell line) with high expression of hEphA2 increased in a time-dependent manner. In PC3 xenograft mice, 64Cu-NOTA-E1 injected via the tail vein allowed visualization of tumors on positron emission tomography after 1 h and the highest uptake measured at 24 h post-injection. By contrast, the radioactivity of other tissues either did not increase or decreased over 24 h. This indicates that 64Cu-NOTA-E1 has high tumor uptake and retention, with rapid clearance, and low background values in other tissues. Therefore, 64Cu-NOTA-E1 should be suitable as a novel PET imaging agent for hEphA2-expressing tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayoung Pyo
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Hwan You
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeon Sik Kim
- Medical Photonics Research Center, Korea Photonics Technology Institute, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Young Kim
- Division of RI-Convergence Research, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Joon Min
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Yeon Kim
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yeongjin Hong
- Department of Microbiology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Republic of Korea.
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36
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Neuber C, Belter B, Mamat C, Pietzsch J. Radiopharmacologist's and Radiochemist's View on Targeting the Eph/Ephrin Receptor Tyrosine Kinase System. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:16318-16331. [PMID: 32685795 PMCID: PMC7364440 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c01058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
In the past decade, there have been extensive efforts to open up the Eph/ephrin subfamily of the receptor tyrosine kinase family for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Besides classical pharmaceutical developments, which focus either on drugs targeting the extracellular ligand binding domains or on the intracellular tyrosine kinase domains of these receptors, there also have been first radiopharmaceutical approaches. Here the focus is on the development of specific and selective probes for molecular imaging, particularly by means of positron emission tomography, and the functional characterization of the Eph/ephrin subfamily in certain target tissues. The aim of this mini-review is to summarize the different approaches toward Eph-targeting radiotracers by using antibodies, peptides, and small molecules and to discuss their radiopharmacological characterization. With regard to the small molecules, further considerations will focus on the design and synthesis of nonradioactive reference compounds and precursors as well as on radiolabeling strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christin Neuber
- Helmholtz-Zentrum
Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer
Research, Department of Radiopharmaceutical
and Chemical Biology, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Birgit Belter
- Helmholtz-Zentrum
Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer
Research, Department of Radiopharmaceutical
and Chemical Biology, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Constantin Mamat
- Helmholtz-Zentrum
Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer
Research, Department of Radionuclide Theragnostics, 01328 Dresden, Germany
- Technische
Universität Dresden, School of Science,
Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Jens Pietzsch
- Helmholtz-Zentrum
Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer
Research, Department of Radiopharmaceutical
and Chemical Biology, 01328 Dresden, Germany
- Technische
Universität Dresden, School of Science,
Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, 01062 Dresden, Germany
- E-mail:
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37
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Harnessing the Power of Eph/ephrin Biosemiotics for Theranostic Applications. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2020; 13:ph13060112. [PMID: 32492868 PMCID: PMC7345574 DOI: 10.3390/ph13060112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Comprehensive basic biological knowledge of the Eph/ephrin system in the physiologic setting is needed to facilitate an understanding of its role and the effects of pathological processes on its activity, thereby paving the way for development of prospective therapeutic targets. To this end, this review briefly addresses what is currently known and being investigated in order to highlight the gaps and possible avenues for further investigation to capitalize on their diverse potential.
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38
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Giorgio C, Zanotti I, Lodola A, Tognolini M. Ephrin or not? Six tough questions on Eph targeting. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2020; 24:403-415. [PMID: 32197575 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2020.1745187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: The Eph-ephrin is a cell-cell communication system generating a forward signal in cell expressing Eph receptors and a reverse signal in ephrin-ligand expressing cells. While clearly involved in the insurgence and progression of cancer, the understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulated by this system needs development; this is a hurdle to the development of therapeutic strategies that can target the Eph receptors and/or their ephrin ligands.Areas covered: We have taken the opportunity to share some key questions on the most effective strategies to target the Eph-ephrin system. This article is based on our experience of the field and therefore is a Perspective and not comprehensive examination of the literature.Expert opinion: Targeting of the Eph-ephrin system has emerged as a potentially valuable approach for cancer therapy. Pharmacological tools have been reported in the last 15 years and these include forward signaling blockers such as kinases inhibitors and antagonists of forward and reverse signaling. Also, biologics including antibodies and recombinant proteins have been developed and some have reached early clinical stages. Data deem the Eph-ephrin system as a signaling axis that is an elusive target. A better understanding of the basic pharmacology behind the activity of available agents and a comprehensive knowledge of the ephrin biology are necessary. We are looking forward to knowing the opinion of the readers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmine Giorgio
- Dipartimento di Scienze degli Alimenti e del Farmaco, Università di Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Ilaria Zanotti
- Dipartimento di Scienze degli Alimenti e del Farmaco, Università di Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Alessio Lodola
- Dipartimento di Scienze degli Alimenti e del Farmaco, Università di Parma, Parma, Italy
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Abstract
Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) play important roles in cell growth, motility, differentiation, and survival. These single-pass membrane proteins are grouped into subfamilies based on the similarity of their extracellular domains. They are generally thought to be activated by ligand binding, which promotes homodimerization and then autophosphorylation in trans. However, RTK interactions are more complicated, as RTKs can interact in the absence of ligand and heterodimerize within and across subfamilies. Here, we review the known cross-subfamily RTK heterointeractions and their possible biological implications, as well as the methodologies which have been used to study them. Moreover, we demonstrate how thermodynamic models can be used to study RTKs and to explain many of the complicated biological effects which have been described in the literature. Finally, we discuss the concept of the RTK interactome: a putative, extensive network of interactions between the RTKs. This RTK interactome can produce unique signaling outputs; can amplify, inhibit, and modify signaling; and can allow for signaling backups. The existence of the RTK interactome could provide an explanation for the irreproducibility of experimental data from different studies and for the failure of some RTK inhibitors to produce the desired therapeutic effects. We argue that a deeper knowledge of RTK interactome thermodynamics can lead to a better understanding of fundamental RTK signaling processes in health and disease. We further argue that there is a need for quantitative, thermodynamic studies that probe the strengths of the interactions between RTKs and their ligands and between different RTKs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D. Paul
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute for NanoBioTechnology, and Program in Molecular Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD 21218
| | - Kalina Hristova
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute for NanoBioTechnology, and Program in Molecular Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD 21218
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Rebolledo-Jaramillo B, Ziegler A. Teneurins: An Integrative Molecular, Functional, and Biomedical Overview of Their Role in Cancer. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:937. [PMID: 30618566 PMCID: PMC6297388 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Teneurins are large transmembrane proteins originally identified in Drosophila. Their essential role in development of the central nervous system is conserved throughout species, and evidence supports their involvement in organogenesis of additional tissues. Homophilic and heterophilic interactions between Teneurin paralogues mediate cellular adhesion in crucial processes such as neuronal pathfinding and synaptic organization. At the molecular level, Teneurins are proteolytically processed into distinct subdomains that have been implicated in extracellular and intracellular signaling, and in transcriptional regulation. Phylogenetic studies have shown a high degree of intra- and interspecies conservation of Teneurin genes. Accordingly, the occurrence of genetic variants has been associated with functional and phenotypic alterations in experimental systems, and with some inherited or sporadic conditions. Recently, tumor-related variations in Teneurin gene expression have been associated with patient survival in different cancers. Although these findings were incidental and molecular mechanisms were not addressed, they suggested a potential utility of Teneurin transcript levels as biomarkers for disease prognosis. Mutations and chromosomal alterations affecting Teneurin genes have been found occasionally in tumors, but literature remains scarce. The analysis of open-access molecular and clinical datasets derived from large oncologic cohorts provides an invaluable resource for the identification of additional somatic mutations. However, Teneurin variants have not been classified in terms of pathogenic risk and their phenotypic impact remains unknown. On this basis, is it plausible to hypothesize that Teneurins play a role in carcinogenesis? Does current evidence support a tumor suppressive or rather oncogenic function for these proteins? Here, we comprehensively discuss available literature with integration of molecular evidence retrieved from open-access databases. We show that Teneurins undergo somatic changes comparable to those of well-established cancer genes, and discuss their involvement in cancer-related signaling pathways. Current data strongly suggest a functional contribution of Teneurins to human carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Annemarie Ziegler
- Center for Genetics and Genomics, Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
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Viewing the Eph receptors with a focus on breast cancer heterogeneity. Cancer Lett 2018; 434:160-171. [PMID: 30055288 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2018.07.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Revised: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Aberrant expression of different family members of the Eph/ephrin system, which comprises the Eph receptors (Ephs) and their ligands (ephrins), has been implicated in various malignancies including breast cancer. The latter presents as a heterogeneous disease with diverse molecular, morphologic and clinical behavior signatures. This review reflects the existing Eph/ephrin literature while focusing on breast cancer heterogeneity. Hormone positive, HER2 positive and triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines, xenografts/mutant animal models and patient samples are examined separately as, in humans, they represent entities with differences in prognosis and treatment. EphA2, EphB4 and EphB6 are the members most extensively studied in breast cancer. Existing research points to the potential use of various Eph/ephrin members as biomarkers for assessing prognosis and selecting the most suitable therapeutic strategies in variable clinical scenarios, also for overcoming drug resistance, in the era of breast cancer heterogeneity.
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