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Miyazawa K, Itoh Y, Fu H, Miyazono K. Receptor-activated transcription factors and beyond: multiple modes of Smad2/3-dependent transmission of TGF-β signaling. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107256. [PMID: 38569937 PMCID: PMC11063908 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107256] [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: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) is a pleiotropic cytokine that is widely distributed throughout the body. Its receptor proteins, TGF-β type I and type II receptors, are also ubiquitously expressed. Therefore, the regulation of various signaling outputs in a context-dependent manner is a critical issue in this field. Smad proteins were originally identified as signal-activated transcription factors similar to signal transducer and activator of transcription proteins. Smads are activated by serine phosphorylation mediated by intrinsic receptor dual specificity kinases of the TGF-β family, indicating that Smads are receptor-restricted effector molecules downstream of ligands of the TGF-β family. Smad proteins have other functions in addition to transcriptional regulation, including post-transcriptional regulation of micro-RNA processing, pre-mRNA splicing, and m6A methylation. Recent technical advances have identified a novel landscape of Smad-dependent signal transduction, including regulation of mitochondrial function without involving regulation of gene expression. Therefore, Smad proteins are receptor-activated transcription factors and also act as intracellular signaling modulators with multiple modes of function. In this review, we discuss the role of Smad proteins as receptor-activated transcription factors and beyond. We also describe the functional differences between Smad2 and Smad3, two receptor-activated Smad proteins downstream of TGF-β, activin, myostatin, growth and differentiation factor (GDF) 11, and Nodal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiji Miyazawa
- Department of Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan.
| | - Yuka Itoh
- Department of Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Hao Fu
- Department of Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Kohei Miyazono
- Department of Applied Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Laboratory for Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
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2
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Huang BW, Wang PY, Hu LH. Transcriptional regulation of pancreatic stellate cell activation in chronic pancreatitis. Shijie Huaren Xiaohua Zazhi 2023; 31:877-881. [DOI: 10.11569/wcjd.v31.i21.877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic fibrosis is an important feature in the occurrence and development of chronic pancreatitis (CP), and activated pancreatic stellate cells (PSC) play an important role in the progression of pancreatic fibrosis. In recent years, more and more signaling pathways related to pancreatic fibrosis have been found. These signaling pathways regulate the activation of pancreatic stellate cells through transcription factors, thereby affecting pancreatic fibrosis and the progression of CP. This article reviews the progress in the research of the signaling pathways and related transcription factors involved in PSC activation in pancreatic fibrosis, hoping to provide ideas for further understanding the mechanism and therapeutic targets of pancreatic fibrosis in CP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bang-Wei Huang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Peng-Yuan Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, The 981st Hospital, Chengde 067000, Hebei Province, China
| | - Liang-Hao Hu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
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3
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Pourali G, Zafari N, Velayati M, Mehrabadi S, Maftooh M, Hassanian SM, Mobarhan MG, Ferns GA, Avan A, Khazaei M. Therapeutic Potential of Targeting Transforming Growth Factor-beta (TGF-β) and Programmed Death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in Pancreatic Cancer. Curr Drug Targets 2023; 24:1335-1345. [PMID: 38053355 DOI: 10.2174/0113894501264450231129042256] [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: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one the most lethal malignancies worldwide affecting around half a million individuals each year. The treatment of PC is relatively difficult due to the difficulty in making an early diagnosis. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) is a multifunctional factor acting as both a tumor promoter in early cancer stages and a tumor suppressor in advanced disease. Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is a ligand of programmed death-1 (PD-1), an immune checkpoint receptor, allowing tumor cells to avoid elimination by immune cells. Recently, targeting the TGF-β signaling and PD-L1 pathways has emerged as a strategy for cancer therapy. In this review, we have summarized the current knowledge regarding these pathways and their contribution to tumor development with a focus on PC. Moreover, we have reviewed the role of TGF-β and PD-L1 blockade in the treatment of various cancer types, including PC, and discussed the clinical trials evaluating TGF-β and PD-L1 antagonists in PC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghazaleh Pourali
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Medical Doctor, Mashhad University of Medical Science, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Nima Zafari
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mahla Velayati
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Shima Mehrabadi
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mina Maftooh
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Basic Sciences Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Science, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Seyed Mahdi Hassanian
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Basic Sciences Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Science, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Majid Ghayour Mobarhan
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Basic Sciences Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Science, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Gordon A Ferns
- Brighton & Sussex Medical School, Division of Medical Education, Falmer, Brighton, Sussex, BN1 9PH, UK
| | - Amir Avan
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Basic Sciences Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Science, Mashhad, Iran
- Medical Genetics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- College of Medicine, University of Warith Al-Anbiyaa, Karbala, Iraq
| | - Majid Khazaei
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Basic Sciences Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Science, Mashhad, Iran
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Nisar M, Paracha RZ, Adil S, Qureshi SN, Janjua HA. An Extensive Review on Preclinical and Clinical Trials of Oncolytic Viruses Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:875188. [PMID: 35686109 PMCID: PMC9171400 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.875188] [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: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy resistance and peculiar tumor microenvironment, which diminish or mitigate the effects of therapies, make pancreatic cancer one of the deadliest malignancies to manage and treat. Advanced immunotherapies are under consideration intending to ameliorate the overall patient survival rate in pancreatic cancer. Oncolytic viruses therapy is a new type of immunotherapy in which a virus after infecting and lysis the cancer cell induces/activates patients’ immune response by releasing tumor antigen in the blood. The current review covers the pathways and molecular ablation that take place in pancreatic cancer cells. It also unfolds the extensive preclinical and clinical trial studies of oncolytic viruses performed and/or undergoing to design an efficacious therapy against pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryum Nisar
- School of Interdisciplinary Engineering & Sciences (SINES), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Rehan Zafar Paracha
- School of Interdisciplinary Engineering & Sciences (SINES), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Sidra Adil
- School of Interdisciplinary Engineering & Sciences (SINES), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | | | - Hussnain Ahmed Janjua
- Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences (ASAB), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Sector H-12, Islamabad, Pakistan
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5
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Suliman HB, Healy Z, Zobi F, Kraft BD, Welty-Wolf K, Smith J, Barkauskas C, Piantadosi CA. Nuclear respiratory factor-1 negatively regulates TGF-β1 and attenuates pulmonary fibrosis. iScience 2022; 25:103535. [PMID: 34977500 PMCID: PMC8683592 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The preclinical model of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis is useful to study mechanisms related to human pulmonary fibrosis. Using BLM in mice, we find low HO-1 expression. Although a unique Rhenium-CO-releasing molecule (ReCORM) up-regulates HO-1, NRF-1, CCN5, and SMAD7, it reduces TGFβ1, TGFβr1, collagen, α-SMA, and phosphorylated Smad2/3 levels in mouse lung and in human lung fibroblasts. ChIP assay studies confirm NRF-1 binding to the promoters of TGFβ1 repressors CCN5 and Smad7. ReCORM did not blunt lung fibrosis in Hmox1-deficient alveolar type 2 cell knockout mice, suggesting this gene participates in lung protection. In human lung fibroblasts, TGFβ1-dependent production of α-SMA is abolished by ReCORM or by NRF-1 gene transfection. We demonstrate effective HO-1/NRF-1 signaling in lung AT2 cells protects against BLM induced lung injury and fibrosis by maintaining mitochondrial health, function, and suppressing the TGFβ1 pathway. Thus, protection of AT2 cell mitochondrial integrity via HO-1/NRF-1 presents an innovative therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hagir B. Suliman
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, 200 Trent Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Zachary Healy
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, 200 Trent Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Fabio Zobi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Bryan D. Kraft
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, 200 Trent Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Karen Welty-Wolf
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, 200 Trent Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Joshua Smith
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, 200 Trent Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Christina Barkauskas
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, 200 Trent Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Claude A. Piantadosi
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, 200 Trent Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
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6
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Xia Q, Jia J, Hu C, Lu J, Li J, Xu H, Fang J, Feng D, Wang L, Chen Y. Tumor-associated macrophages promote PD-L1 expression in tumor cells by regulating PKM2 nuclear translocation in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Oncogene 2021; 41:865-877. [PMID: 34862460 PMCID: PMC8816727 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-02133-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
In many types of cancer, tumor cells prefer to use glycolysis as a major energy acquisition method. Here, we found that the 18fluoro-deoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT)-based markers were positively associated with the expression of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), both of which indicate poor prognosis in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, the regulatory mechanism of PD-L1 remains elusive. In this study, we confirmed that transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) secreted by tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) was a key factor contributing to the expression of PD-L1 in PDAC cells by inducing the nuclear translocation of PKM2. Using co-immunoprecipitation and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, we demonstrated that the interaction between PKM2 and signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) was enhanced by TGF-β1 stimulation, which facilitated the transactivation of PD-L1 by the binding of PKM2 and STAT1 to its promoter. In vivo, PKM2 knockdown decreased PD-L1 expression in PDAC cells and inhibited tumor growth partly by promoting natural killer cell activation and function, and the combination of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade with PKM2 knockdown limited tumor growth. In conclusion, PKM2 significantly contributes to TAM-induced PD-L1 overexpression and immunosuppression, providing a novel target for immunotherapies for PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Xia
- Department of Oncology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Jing Jia
- Medical Center for Digestive Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210011, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chupeng Hu
- Research Center for Clinical Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, 210018, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China.,Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jinying Lu
- Research Center for Clinical Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, 210018, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China.,Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiajin Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Haiyan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Department of Oncology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Jianchen Fang
- Department of Pathology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Dongju Feng
- Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Liwei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Department of Oncology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Yun Chen
- Research Center for Clinical Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, 210018, Jiangsu, China. .,Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China. .,Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China.
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7
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Principe DR, Timbers KE, Atia LG, Koch RM, Rana A. TGFβ Signaling in the Pancreatic Tumor Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5086. [PMID: 34680235 PMCID: PMC8533869 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13205086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is associated with poor clinical outcomes, largely attributed to incomplete responses to standard therapeutic approaches. Recently, selective inhibitors of the Transforming Growth Factor β (TGFβ) signaling pathway have shown early promise in the treatment of PDAC, particularly as a means of augmenting responses to chemo- and immunotherapies. However, TGFβ is a potent and pleiotropic cytokine with several seemingly paradoxical roles within the pancreatic tumor microenvironment (TME). Although TGFβ signaling can have potent tumor-suppressive effects in epithelial cells, TGFβ signaling also accelerates pancreatic tumorigenesis by enhancing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), fibrosis, and the evasion of the cytotoxic immune surveillance program. Here, we discuss the known roles of TGFβ signaling in pancreatic carcinogenesis, the biologic consequences of the genetic inactivation of select components of the TGFβ pathway, as well as past and present attempts to advance TGFβ inhibitors in the treatment of PDAC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R. Principe
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA; (K.E.T.); (L.G.A.); (R.M.K.)
| | - Kaytlin E. Timbers
- Department of Surgery, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA; (K.E.T.); (L.G.A.); (R.M.K.)
| | - Luke G. Atia
- Department of Surgery, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA; (K.E.T.); (L.G.A.); (R.M.K.)
| | - Regina M. Koch
- Department of Surgery, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA; (K.E.T.); (L.G.A.); (R.M.K.)
| | - Ajay Rana
- Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Hospital, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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Yang HH, Liu JW, Lee JH, Harn HJ, Chiou TW. Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Therapeutics Targeting RTK and TGF Beta Receptor. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22158125. [PMID: 34360896 PMCID: PMC8348294 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the improved overall survival rates in most cancers, pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest cancers in this decade. The rigid microenvironment, which majorly comprises cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), plays an important role in the obstruction of pancreatic cancer therapy. To overcome this predicament, the signaling of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and TGF beta receptor (TGFβR) in both pancreatic cancer cell and supporting CAF should be considered as the therapeutic target. The activation of receptors has been reported to be aberrant to cell cycle regulation, and signal transduction pathways, such as growth-factor induced proliferation, and can also influence the apoptotic sensitivity of tumor cells. In this article, the regulation of RTKs/TGFβR between pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and CAFs, as well as the RTKs/TGFβR inhibitor-based clinical trials on pancreatic cancer are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Han Yang
- Department of Life Science and Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien 974, Taiwan;
| | - Jen-Wei Liu
- Everfront Biotech Inc., New Taipei City 221, Taiwan; (J.-W.L.); (J.-H.L.)
| | - Jui-Hao Lee
- Everfront Biotech Inc., New Taipei City 221, Taiwan; (J.-W.L.); (J.-H.L.)
| | - Horng-Jyh Harn
- Bioinnovation Center, Tzu Chi Foundation, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Tzu Chi University, Hualien 970, Taiwan
- Department of Pathology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Tzu Chi University, Hualien 970, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (H.-J.H.); (T.-W.C.)
| | - Tzyy-Wen Chiou
- Department of Life Science and Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien 974, Taiwan;
- Correspondence: (H.-J.H.); (T.-W.C.)
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9
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Kim BG, Malek E, Choi SH, Ignatz-Hoover JJ, Driscoll JJ. Novel therapies emerging in oncology to target the TGF-β pathway. J Hematol Oncol 2021; 14:55. [PMID: 33823905 PMCID: PMC8022551 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-021-01053-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 62.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The TGF-β signaling pathway governs key cellular processes under physiologic conditions and is deregulated in many pathologies, including cancer. TGF-β is a multifunctional cytokine that acts in a cell- and context-dependent manner as a tumor promoter or tumor suppressor. As a tumor promoter, the TGF-β pathway enhances cell proliferation, migratory invasion, metastatic spread within the tumor microenvironment and suppresses immunosurveillance. Collectively, the pleiotropic nature of TGF-β signaling contributes to drug resistance, tumor escape and undermines clinical response to therapy. Based upon a wealth of preclinical studies, the TGF-β pathway has been pharmacologically targeted using small molecule inhibitors, TGF-β-directed chimeric monoclonal antibodies, ligand traps, antisense oligonucleotides and vaccines that have been now evaluated in clinical trials. Here, we have assessed the safety and efficacy of TGF-β pathway antagonists from multiple drug classes that have been evaluated in completed and ongoing trials. We highlight Vactosertib, a highly potent small molecule TGF-β type 1 receptor kinase inhibitor that is well-tolerated with an acceptable safety profile that has shown efficacy against multiple types of cancer. The TGF-β ligand traps Bintrafusp alfa (a bifunctional conjugate that binds TGF-β and PD-L1), AVID200 (a computationally designed trap of TGF-β receptor ectodomains fused to an Fc domain) and Luspatercept (a recombinant fusion that links the activin receptor IIb to IgG) offer new ways to fight difficult-to-treat cancers. While TGF-β pathway antagonists are rapidly emerging as highly promising, safe and effective anticancer agents, significant challenges remain. Minimizing the unintentional inhibition of tumor-suppressing activity and inflammatory effects with the desired restraint on tumor-promoting activities has impeded the clinical development of TGF-β pathway antagonists. A better understanding of the mechanistic details of the TGF-β pathway should lead to more effective TGF-β antagonists and uncover biomarkers that better stratify patient selection, improve patient responses and further the clinical development of TGF-β antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byung-Gyu Kim
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ehsan Malek
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Adult Hematologic Malignancies and Stem Cell Transplant Section, Seidman Cancer Center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Sung Hee Choi
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - James J Ignatz-Hoover
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Adult Hematologic Malignancies and Stem Cell Transplant Section, Seidman Cancer Center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - James J Driscoll
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA.
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
- Adult Hematologic Malignancies and Stem Cell Transplant Section, Seidman Cancer Center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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10
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Abdel Mouti M, Pauklin S. TGFB1/INHBA Homodimer/Nodal-SMAD2/3 Signaling Network: A Pivotal Molecular Target in PDAC Treatment. Mol Ther 2021; 29:920-936. [PMID: 33429081 PMCID: PMC7934636 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer remains a grueling disease that is projected to become the second-deadliest cancer in the next decade. Standard treatment of pancreatic cancer is chemotherapy, which mainly targets the differentiated population of tumor cells; however, it paradoxically sets the roots of tumor relapse by the selective enrichment of intrinsically chemoresistant pancreatic cancer stem cells that are equipped with an indefinite capacity for self-renewal and differentiation, resulting in tumor regeneration and an overall anemic response to chemotherapy. Crosstalk between pancreatic tumor cells and the surrounding stromal microenvironment is also involved in the development of chemoresistance by creating a supportive niche, which enhances the stemness features and tumorigenicity of pancreatic cancer cells. In addition, the desmoplastic nature of the tumor-associated stroma acts as a physical barrier, which limits the intratumoral delivery of chemotherapeutics. In this review, we mainly focus on the transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFB1)/inhibin subunit beta A (INHBA) homodimer/Nodal-SMAD2/3 signaling network in pancreatic cancer as a pivotal central node that regulates multiple key mechanisms involved in the development of chemoresistance, including enhancement of the stem cell-like properties and tumorigenicity of pancreatic cancer cells, mediating cooperative interactions between pancreatic cancer cells and the surrounding stroma, as well as regulating the deposition of extracellular matrix proteins within the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai Abdel Mouti
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Headington, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LD, UK
| | - Siim Pauklin
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Headington, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LD, UK.
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11
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Hapke RY, Haake SM. Hypoxia-induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition in cancer. Cancer Lett 2020; 487:10-20. [PMID: 32470488 PMCID: PMC7336507 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A common feature of many solid tumors is low oxygen conditions due to inadequate blood supply. Hypoxia induces hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) stabilization and downstream signaling. This signaling has pleiotropic roles in cancers, including the promotion of cellular proliferation, changes in metabolism, and induction of angiogenesis. In addition, hypoxia is becoming recognized as an important driver of epithelial-to-mesenchymal (EMT) in cancer. During EMT, epithelial cells lose their typical polarized states and transition to a more mobile mesenchymal phenotype. Hypoxia induces this transition by modulating EMT signaling pathways, inducing EMT transcription factor activity, and regulating miRNA networks. As both hypoxia and EMT modulate the tumor microenvironment (TME) and are associated with immunosuppression, we also explore how these pathways may impact response to immuno-oncology therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Scott M Haake
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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12
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Derynck R, Turley SJ, Akhurst RJ. TGFβ biology in cancer progression and immunotherapy. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2020; 18:9-34. [DOI: 10.1038/s41571-020-0403-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 199] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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13
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Bazzichetto C, Conciatori F, Luchini C, Simionato F, Santoro R, Vaccaro V, Corbo V, Falcone I, Ferretti G, Cognetti F, Melisi D, Scarpa A, Ciuffreda L, Milella M. From Genetic Alterations to Tumor Microenvironment: The Ariadne's String in Pancreatic Cancer. Cells 2020; 9:cells9020309. [PMID: 32012917 PMCID: PMC7072496 DOI: 10.3390/cells9020309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [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: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The threatening notoriety of pancreatic cancer mainly arises from its negligible early diagnosis, highly aggressive progression, failure of conventional therapeutic options and consequent very poor prognosis. The most important driver genes of pancreatic cancer are the oncogene KRAS and the tumor suppressors TP53, CDKN2A, and SMAD4. Although the presence of few drivers, several signaling pathways are involved in the oncogenesis of this cancer type, some of them with promising targets for precision oncology. Pancreatic cancer is recognized as one of immunosuppressive phenotype cancer: it is characterized by a fibrotic-desmoplastic stroma, in which there is an intensive cross-talk between several cellular (e.g., fibroblasts, myeloid cells, lymphocytes, endothelial, and myeloid cells) and acellular (collagen, fibronectin, and soluble factors) components. In this review; we aim to describe the current knowledge of the genetic/biological landscape of pancreatic cancer and the composition of its tumor microenvironment; in order to better direct in the intrinsic labyrinth of this complex tumor type. Indeed; disentangling the genetic and molecular characteristics of cancer cells and the environment in which they evolve may represent the crucial step towards more effective therapeutic strategies
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Bazzichetto
- Medical Oncology 1, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy; (C.B.); (V.V.); (I.F.); (G.F.); (F.C.)
| | - Fabiana Conciatori
- Medical Oncology 1, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy; (C.B.); (V.V.); (I.F.); (G.F.); (F.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-06-52665185
| | - Claudio Luchini
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy;
| | - Francesca Simionato
- Division of Oncology, University of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy; (F.S.); (M.M.)
| | - Raffaela Santoro
- Medicine-Digestive Molecular Clinical Oncology Research Unit, University of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy; (R.S.); (D.M.)
| | - Vanja Vaccaro
- Medical Oncology 1, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy; (C.B.); (V.V.); (I.F.); (G.F.); (F.C.)
| | - Vincenzo Corbo
- ARC-Net Research Centre, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy; (V.C.); (A.S.)
| | - Italia Falcone
- Medical Oncology 1, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy; (C.B.); (V.V.); (I.F.); (G.F.); (F.C.)
| | - Gianluigi Ferretti
- Medical Oncology 1, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy; (C.B.); (V.V.); (I.F.); (G.F.); (F.C.)
| | - Francesco Cognetti
- Medical Oncology 1, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy; (C.B.); (V.V.); (I.F.); (G.F.); (F.C.)
| | - Davide Melisi
- Medicine-Digestive Molecular Clinical Oncology Research Unit, University of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy; (R.S.); (D.M.)
| | - Aldo Scarpa
- ARC-Net Research Centre, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy; (V.C.); (A.S.)
| | - Ludovica Ciuffreda
- SAFU, Department of Research, Advanced Diagnostics, and Technological Innovation, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy;
| | - Michele Milella
- Division of Oncology, University of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy; (F.S.); (M.M.)
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Negative Control of Cell Migration by Rac1b in Highly Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Cells Is Mediated by Sequential Induction of Nonactivated Smad3 and Biglycan. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11121959. [PMID: 31817656 PMCID: PMC6966648 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11121959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Expression of the small GTPase, Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1B (RAC1B), a RAC1-related member of the Rho GTPase family, in tumor tissues of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has been shown previously to correlate positively with patient survival, but the underlying mechanism(s) and the target genes involved have remained elusive. Screening of a panel of established PDAC-derived cell lines by immunoblotting indicated that both RAC1B and Mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3 (SMAD3) were more abundantly expressed in poorly metastatic and well-differentiated lines as opposed to highly metastatic, poorly differentiated ones. Both siRNA-mediated RAC1B knockdown in the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β-sensitive PDAC-derived cell lines, Panc1 and PaCa3, or CRISPR/Cas-mediated knockout of exon 3b of RAC1 in Panc1 cells resulted in a dramatic decrease in the expression of SMAD3. Unexpectedly, the knockdown of SMAD3 reproduced the promigratory activity of a RAC1B knockdown in Panc1 and PaCa3, but not in TGF-β-resistant BxPC3 and Capan1 cells, while forced expression of SMAD3 alone was able to mimic the antimigratory effect of ectopic RAC1B overexpression in Panc1 cells. Moreover, overexpression of SMAD3 was able to rescue Panc1 cells from the RAC1B knockdown-induced increase in cell migration, while knockdown of SMAD3 prevented the RAC1B overexpression-induced decrease in cell migration. Using pharmacological and dominant-negative inhibition of SMAD3 C-terminal phosphorylation, we further show that the migration-inhibiting effect of SMAD3 is independent of its activation by TGF-β. Finally, we provide evidence that the antimigratory program of RAC1B-SMAD3 in Panc1 cells is executed through upregulation of the migration and TGF-β inhibitor, biglycan (BGN). Together, our data suggest that a RAC1B-SMAD3-BGN axis negatively controls cell migration and that SMAD3 can induce antimigratory genes, i.e., BGN independent of its role as a signal transducer for TGF-β. Therefore, targeting this novel pathway for activation is a potential therapeutic strategy in highly metastatic PDAC to interfere with invasion and metastasis.
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15
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Monkman JH, Thompson EW, Nagaraj SH. Targeting Epithelial Mesenchymal Plasticity in Pancreatic Cancer: A Compendium of Preclinical Discovery in a Heterogeneous Disease. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11111745. [PMID: 31703358 PMCID: PMC6896204 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11111745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a particularly insidious and aggressive disease that causes significant mortality worldwide. The direct correlation between PDAC incidence, disease progression, and mortality highlights the critical need to understand the mechanisms by which PDAC cells rapidly progress to drive metastatic disease in order to identify actionable vulnerabilities. One such proposed vulnerability is epithelial mesenchymal plasticity (EMP), a process whereby neoplastic epithelial cells delaminate from their neighbours, either collectively or individually, allowing for their subsequent invasion into host tissue. This disruption of tissue homeostasis, particularly in PDAC, further promotes cellular transformation by inducing inflammatory interactions with the stromal compartment, which in turn contributes to intratumoural heterogeneity. This review describes the role of EMP in PDAC, and the preclinical target discovery that has been conducted to identify the molecular regulators and effectors of this EMP program. While inhibition of individual targets may provide therapeutic insights, a single ‘master-key’ remains elusive, making their collective interactions of greater importance in controlling the behaviours’ of heterogeneous tumour cell populations. Much work has been undertaken to understand key transcriptional programs that drive EMP in certain contexts, however, a collaborative appreciation for the subtle, context-dependent programs governing EMP regulation is needed in order to design therapeutic strategies to curb PDAC mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- James H. Monkman
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia;
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia
- Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia
- Correspondence: (J.H.M.); (S.H.N.)
| | - Erik W. Thompson
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia;
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia
- Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Shivashankar H. Nagaraj
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia;
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia
- Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia
- Correspondence: (J.H.M.); (S.H.N.)
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16
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Amerizadeh F, Bahrami A, Khazaei M, Hesari A, Rezayi M, Talebian S, Maftouh M, Moetamani-Ahmadi M, Seifi S, Shahidsales S, Joudi-Mashhad M, Ferns GA, Ghasemi F, Avan A. Current status and future prospects of transforming growth factor-β as a potential prognostic and therapeutic target in the treatment of breast cancer. J Cell Biochem 2019; 120:6962-6971. [PMID: 30672016 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.27831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway is one of the important pathways involved in the cancer cell proliferation, invasion, migration, angiogenesis, apoptosis, as well as in metastasis by agitation or invasion of metastasis-related factors, including matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), tumor microenvironment (TME), cancer stem cells (CSCs), and cell adhesion molecules (CAMs). These data suggest its potential value as a therapeutic object in the treatment of malignancies including breast cancer. Several pharmacological approaches have been established to suppress TGF-β pathway; such as vaccines, small molecular inhibitors, antisense oligonucleotides, and monoclonal antibodies. Some of these are now approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for targeting the TGF-β signaling pathway. This study attempts to summarize the current data about the functions of TGF-β in cancer cells, and their probable application in the cancer therapy with a specific emphasis on recent preclinical and clinical research in the treatment of breast cancer and its prognostic value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Forouzan Amerizadeh
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Afsane Bahrami
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Majid Khazaei
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - AmirReza Hesari
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Majid Rezayi
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Sahar Talebian
- Cancer Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mona Maftouh
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | | | - Sima Seifi
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | | | - Mona Joudi-Mashhad
- Cancer Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Gordon A Ferns
- Division of Medical Education, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK
| | - Faezeh Ghasemi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Amir Avan
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Cancer Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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17
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Conway JRW, Herrmann D, Evans TRJ, Morton JP, Timpson P. Combating pancreatic cancer with PI3K pathway inhibitors in the era of personalised medicine. Gut 2019; 68:742-758. [PMID: 30396902 PMCID: PMC6580874 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2018-316822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Revised: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is among the most deadly solid tumours. This is due to a generally late-stage diagnosis of a primarily treatment-refractory disease. Several large-scale sequencing and mass spectrometry approaches have identified key drivers of this disease and in doing so highlighted the vast heterogeneity of lower frequency mutations that make clinical trials of targeted agents in unselected patients increasingly futile. There is a clear need for improved biomarkers to guide effective targeted therapies, with biomarker-driven clinical trials for personalised medicine becoming increasingly common in several cancers. Interestingly, many of the aberrant signalling pathways in PDAC rely on downstream signal transduction through the mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathways, which has led to the development of several approaches to target these key regulators, primarily as combination therapies. The following review discusses the trend of PDAC therapy towards molecular subtyping for biomarker-driven personalised therapies, highlighting the key pathways under investigation and their relationship to the PI3K pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- James RW Conway
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Cancer Division, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David Herrmann
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Cancer Division, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- St Vincent’s Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - TR Jeffry Evans
- Cancer Department, Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Jennifer P Morton
- Cancer Department, Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Paul Timpson
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Cancer Division, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- St Vincent’s Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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18
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Zhou Q, Xia S, Guo F, Hu F, Wang Z, Ni Y, Wei T, Xiang H, Shang D. Transforming growth factor-β in pancreatic diseases: Mechanisms and therapeutic potential. Pharmacol Res 2019; 142:58-69. [PMID: 30682425 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2019.01.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic diseases, such as acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer, are common gastrointestinal diseases resulting in the development of local and systemic complications with a high risk of death. Numerous studies have examined pancreatic diseases over the past few decades; however, the pathogenesis remains unclear, and there is a lack of effective treatment options. Recently, emerging evidence has suggested that transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) exerts controversial functions in apoptosis, inflammatory responses, and carcinogenesis, indicating its complex role in the pathogenesis of pancreas-associated disease. Therefore, a further understanding of relevant TGF-β signalling will provide new ideas and potential therapeutic targets for preventing disease progression. This is the first systematic review of recent data from animal and human clinical studies focusing on TGF-β signalling in pancreas damage and diseases. This information may aid in the development of therapeutic agents for regulating TGF-β in this pathology to prevent or treat pancreatic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhou
- Institute (College) of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China; Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Shilin Xia
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Fangyue Guo
- Institute (College) of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Fenglin Hu
- Institute (College) of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Zhizhou Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Yujia Ni
- Institute (College) of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Tianfu Wei
- Institute (College) of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Hong Xiang
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.
| | - Dong Shang
- Institute (College) of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China; Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.
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19
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Kaur A, Riaz MS, Singh SK, Kishore U. Human Surfactant Protein D Suppresses Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Pancreatic Cancer Cells by Downregulating TGF-β. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1844. [PMID: 30158928 PMCID: PMC6104167 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Human surfactant protein-D (SP-D), an innate immune pattern recognition soluble factor, is known to modulate a range of cytokines and chemokines, such as TNF-α and TGF-β at mucosal surfaces during infection, allergy, and inflammation. A recent study has shown that treatment with a recombinant fragment of human SP-D (rfhSP-D) for 48 h induces apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. Our hypothesis is that at earlier time points, SP-D can also influence key cytokines as a part of its putative role in the immune surveillance against pancreatic cancer, where the inflammatory tumor microenvironment contributes to the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion, and metastasis. Here, we provide the first evidence that rfhSP-D can suppress the invasive-mesenchymal properties of highly aggressive pancreatic cancer cells. Mechanistically, rfhSP-D inhibited TGF-β expression in a range of pancreatic cancer cell lines, Panc-1, MiaPaCa-2, and Capan-2, thereby reducing their invasive potential. Smad2/3 expression diminished in the cytoplasm of rfhSP-D-treated cells as compared to the untreated control, suggesting that an interrupted signal transduction negatively affected the transcription of key mesenchymal genes. Thus, expressions of Vimentin, Zeb1, and Snail were found to be downregulated upon rfhSP-D treatment in the pancreatic cancer cell lines. Furthermore, blocking TGF-β with neutralizing antibody showed similar downregulation of mesenchymal markers as seen with rfhSP-D treatment. This study highlights yet another novel innate immune surveillance role of SP-D where it interferes with EMT induction by attenuating TGF-β pathway in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anuvinder Kaur
- Biosciences Division, College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
| | - Muhammad Suleman Riaz
- Biosciences Division, College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
| | - Shiv K Singh
- Department of Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Oncology, University Medical Center, Gottingen, Germany
| | - Uday Kishore
- Biosciences Division, College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
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20
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Yingling JM, McMillen WT, Yan L, Huang H, Sawyer JS, Graff J, Clawson DK, Britt KS, Anderson BD, Beight DW, Desaiah D, Lahn MM, Benhadji KA, Lallena MJ, Holmgaard RB, Xu X, Zhang F, Manro JR, Iversen PW, Iyer CV, Brekken RA, Kalos MD, Driscoll KE. Preclinical assessment of galunisertib (LY2157299 monohydrate), a first-in-class transforming growth factor-β receptor type I inhibitor. Oncotarget 2018; 9:6659-6677. [PMID: 29467918 PMCID: PMC5805504 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.23795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) is an important driver of tumor growth via intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms, and is therefore an attractive target for developing cancer therapeutics. Using preclinical models, we characterized the anti-tumor activity of a small molecule inhibitor of TGFβ receptor I (TGFβRI), galunisertib (LY2157299 monohydrate). Galunisertib demonstrated potent and selective inhibition of TGFβRI with corresponding inhibition of downstream signaling via inhibition of SMAD phosphorylation (pSMAD). Galunisertib also inhibited TGFβ-induced pSMAD in vivo, which enabled a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic profile in Calu6 and EMT6-LM2 tumors. Galunisertib demonstrated anti-tumor activity including inhibition of tumor cell migration and mesenchymal phenotype, reversal of TGFβ-mediated immune-suppression, and tumor growth delay. A concentration-effect relationship was established with a dosing schedule to achieve the optimal level of target modulation. Finally, a rat model demonstrated a correlation between galunisertib-dependent inhibition of pSMAD in tumor tissues and in PBMCs, supporting the use of PBMCs for assessing pharmacodynamic effects. Galunisertib has been tested in several clinical studies with evidence of anti-tumor activity observed in subsets of patients. Here, we demonstrate that galunisertib inhibits a number of TGFβ-dependent functions leading to anti-tumor activity. The enhanced understanding of galunisertib provides rationale for further informed clinical development of TGFβ pathway inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - William T. McMillen
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN and New York, NY, USA
| | - Lei Yan
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN and New York, NY, USA
| | - Huocong Huang
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - J. Scott Sawyer
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN and New York, NY, USA
| | - Jeremy Graff
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN and New York, NY, USA
| | - David K. Clawson
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN and New York, NY, USA
| | - Karen S. Britt
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN and New York, NY, USA
| | - Bryan D. Anderson
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN and New York, NY, USA
| | - Douglas W. Beight
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN and New York, NY, USA
| | - Durisala Desaiah
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN and New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael M. Lahn
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN and New York, NY, USA
| | - Karim A. Benhadji
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN and New York, NY, USA
| | - Maria J. Lallena
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN and New York, NY, USA
| | - Rikke B. Holmgaard
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN and New York, NY, USA
| | - Xiaohong Xu
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN and New York, NY, USA
| | - Faming Zhang
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN and New York, NY, USA
| | - Jason R. Manro
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN and New York, NY, USA
| | - Philip W. Iversen
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN and New York, NY, USA
| | - Chandrasekar V. Iyer
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN and New York, NY, USA
| | - Rolf A. Brekken
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Michael D. Kalos
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN and New York, NY, USA
| | - Kyla E. Driscoll
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN and New York, NY, USA
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21
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Elaskalani O, Falasca M, Moran N, Berndt MC, Metharom P. The Role of Platelet-Derived ADP and ATP in Promoting Pancreatic Cancer Cell Survival and Gemcitabine Resistance. Cancers (Basel) 2017; 9:cancers9100142. [PMID: 29064388 PMCID: PMC5664081 DOI: 10.3390/cancers9100142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Revised: 10/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Platelets have been demonstrated to be vital in cancer epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), an important step in metastasis. Markers of EMT are associated with chemotherapy resistance. However, the association between the development of chemoresistance, EMT, and the contribution of platelets to the process, is still unclear. Here we report that platelets regulate the expression of (1) human equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (hENT1) and (2) cytidine deaminase (CDD), markers of gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer. Human ENT1 (hENT1) is known to enable cellular uptake of gemcitabine while CDD deactivates gemcitabine. Knockdown experiments demonstrate that Slug, a mesenchymal transcriptional factor known to be upregulated during EMT, regulates the expression of hENT1 and CDD. Furthermore, we demonstrate that platelet-derived ADP and ATP regulate Slug and CDD expression in pancreatic cancer cells. Finally, we demonstrate that pancreatic cancer cells express the purinergic receptor P2Y12, an ADP receptor found mainly on platelets. Thus ticagrelor, a P2Y12 inhibitor, was used to examine the potential therapeutic effect of an ADP receptor antagonist on cancer cells. Our data indicate that ticagrelor negated the survival signals initiated in cancer cells by platelet-derived ADP and ATP. In conclusion, our results demonstrate a novel role of platelets in modulating chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer. Moreover, we propose ADP/ATP receptors as additional potential drug targets for treatment of pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar Elaskalani
- Platelet Research Laboratory, School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin Health and Innovation Research Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia.
| | - Marco Falasca
- Metabolic Signalling Group, School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia.
| | - Niamh Moran
- Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland.
| | - Michael C Berndt
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia.
| | - Pat Metharom
- Platelet Research Laboratory, Curtin Health and Innovation Research Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia.
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22
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Jia X, Shanmugam C, Paluri RK, Jhala NC, Behring MP, Katkoori VR, Sugandha SP, Bae S, Samuel T, Manne U. Prognostic value of loss of heterozygosity and sub-cellular localization of SMAD4 varies with tumor stage in colorectal cancer. Oncotarget 2017; 8:20198-20212. [PMID: 28423626 PMCID: PMC5386755 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.15560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 01/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at chromosome location 18q21 and decreased expression of SMAD4 in invasive colorectal cancers (CRCs) correlate with poor patient survival, the prognostic value of LOH at 18q21 and sub-cellular localization of SMAD4 have not been evaluated in relation to tumor stage. Methods Genomic DNA samples from 209 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sporadic CRC tissues and their matching controls were analyzed for 18q21 LOH, and corresponding tissue sections were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for expression of SMAD4 and assessed for its sub-cellular localization (nuclear vs. cytoplasmic). In addition, 53 frozen CRCs and their matching control tissues were analyzed for their mutational status and mRNA expression of SMAD4. The phenotypic expression pattern and LOH status were evaluated for correlation with patient survival by the use of Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression models. Results LOH of 18q21 was detected in 61% of the informative cases. In 8% of the cases, missense point mutations were detected in Smad4. In CRCs, relative to controls, there was increased SMAD4 staining in the cytoplasm (74%) and decreased staining in the nuclei (37%). LOH of 18q21 and high cytoplasmic localization of SMAD4 were associated with shortened overall survival of Stage II patients, whereas low nuclear expression of SMAD4 was associated with worse survival, but only for patients with Stage III CRCs. Conclusions LOH of 18q21 and high cytoplasmic localization of SMAD4 in Stage II CRCs and low nuclear SMAD4 in Stage III CRCs are predictors of shortened patient survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Jia
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Chandrakumar Shanmugam
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,Current address: Department of Pathology, ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Sanathnagar, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Ravi K Paluri
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Nirag C Jhala
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,Current address: Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Michael P Behring
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Venkat R Katkoori
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,Current address: Department of Surgery, Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine, Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Shajan P Sugandha
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Sejong Bae
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Temesgen Samuel
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, USA
| | - Upender Manne
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
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23
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TGF-β in pancreatic cancer initiation and progression: two sides of the same coin. Cell Biosci 2017; 7:39. [PMID: 28794854 PMCID: PMC5545849 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-017-0168-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is highly lethal malignant tumor with characterised rapid progression, invasiveness and resistance to radiochemotherapy. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling plays a dual role in both pro-tumorigenic and tumor suppressive of pancreatic cancer, depending on tumor stage and microenvironment. TGF-β signaling components alteration are common in pancreatic cancer, and its leading role in tumor formation and metastases has received increased attention. Many therapies have investigated to target TGF-β signaling in the preclinical and clinical setting. In this review, we highlight the dual roles of TGF-β and touch upon the perspectives on therapeutic target of TGF-β signaling in pancreatic cancer.
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24
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Malek R, Wang H, Taparra K, Tran PT. Therapeutic Targeting of Epithelial Plasticity Programs: Focus on the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. Cells Tissues Organs 2017; 203:114-127. [PMID: 28214899 DOI: 10.1159/000447238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Mounting data points to epithelial plasticity programs such as the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) as clinically relevant therapeutic targets for the treatment of malignant tumors. In addition to the widely realized role of EMT in increasing cancer cell invasiveness during cancer metastasis, the EMT has also been implicated in allowing cancer cells to avoid tumor suppressor pathways during early tumorigenesis. In addition, data linking EMT to innate and acquired treatment resistance further points towards the desire to develop pharmacological therapies to target epithelial plasticity in cancer. In this review we organized our discussion on pathways and agents that can be used to target the EMT in cancer into 3 groups: (1) extracellular inducers of EMT, (2) the transcription factors that orchestrate the EMT transcriptome, and (3) the downstream effectors of EMT. We highlight only briefly specific canonical pathways known to be involved in EMT, such as the signal transduction pathways TGFβ, EFGR, and Axl-Gas6. We emphasize in more detail pathways that we believe are emerging novel pathways and therapeutic targets such as epigenetic therapies, glycosylation pathways, and immunotherapy. The heterogeneity of tumors and the dynamic nature of epithelial plasticity in cancer cells make it likely that targeting only 1 EMT-related process will be unsuccessful or only transiently successful. We suggest that with greater understanding of epithelial plasticity regulation, such as with the EMT, a more systematic targeting of multiple EMT regulatory networks will be the best path forward to improve cancer outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reem Malek
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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25
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Ahmed S, Bradshaw AD, Gera S, Dewan MZ, Xu R. The TGF-β/Smad4 Signaling Pathway in Pancreatic Carcinogenesis and Its Clinical Significance. J Clin Med 2017; 6:jcm6010005. [PMID: 28067794 PMCID: PMC5294958 DOI: 10.3390/jcm6010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Revised: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 12/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most fatal human cancers due to its complicated genomic instability. PDAC frequently presents at an advanced stage with extensive metastasis, which portends a poor prognosis. The known risk factors associated with PDAC include advanced age, smoking, long-standing chronic pancreatitis, obesity, and diabetes. Its association with genomic and somatic mutations is the most important factor for its aggressiveness. The most common gene mutations associated with PDAC include KRas2, p16, TP53, and Smad4. Among these, Smad4 mutation is relatively specific and its inactivation is found in more than 50% of invasive pancreatic adenocarcinomas. Smad4 is a member of the Smad family of signal transducers and acts as a central mediator of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling pathways. The TGF-β signaling pathway promotes many physiological processes, including cell growth, differentiation, proliferation, fibrosis, and scar formation. It also plays a major role in the development of tumors through induction of angiogenesis and immune suppression. In this review, we will discuss the molecular mechanism of TGF-β/Smad4 signaling in the pathogenesis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma and its clinical implication, particularly potential as a prognostic factor and a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunjida Ahmed
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, and Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Azore-Dee Bradshaw
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, and Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Shweta Gera
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, and Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - M Zahidunnabi Dewan
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, and Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Ruliang Xu
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, and Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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26
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Cramer GM, Jones DP, El-Hamidi H, Celli JP. ECM Composition and Rheology Regulate Growth, Motility, and Response to Photodynamic Therapy in 3D Models of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Mol Cancer Res 2017; 15:15-25. [PMID: 27671335 PMCID: PMC5381935 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-16-0260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2016] [Revised: 09/05/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is characterized by prominent stromal involvement, which plays complex roles in regulating tumor growth and therapeutic response. The extracellular matrix (ECM)-rich stroma associated with this disease has been implicated as a barrier to drug penetration, although stromal depletion strategies have had mixed clinical success. It remains less clear how interactions with ECM, acting as a biophysical regulator of phenotype, not only a barrier to drug perfusion, regulate susceptibilities and resistance to specific therapies. In this context, an integrative approach is used to evaluate invasive behavior and motility in rheologically characterized ECM as determinants of chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy (PDT) responses. We show that in 3D cultures with ECM conditions that promote invasive progression, response to PDT is markedly enhanced in the most motile ECM-infiltrating populations, whereas the same cells exhibit chemoresistance. Conversely, drug-resistant sublines with enhanced invasive potential were generated to compare differential treatment response in identical ECM conditions, monitored by particle tracking microrheology measurements of matrix remodeling. In both scenarios, ECM-infiltrating cell populations exhibit increased sensitivity to PDT, whether invasion is consequent to selection of chemoresistance, or whether chemoresistance is correlated with acquisition of invasive behavior. However, while ECM-invading, chemoresistant cells exhibit mesenchymal phenotype, induction of EMT in monolayers without ECM was not sufficient to enhance PDT sensitivity, yet does impart chemoresistance as expected. In addition to containing platform development with broader applicability to inform microenvironment-dependent therapeutics, these results reveal the efficacy of PDT for targeting the most aggressive, chemoresistant, invasive pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma associated with dismal outcomes for this disease. IMPLICATIONS ECM-infiltrating and chemoresistant pancreatic tumor populations exhibit increased sensitivity to PDT. Mol Cancer Res; 15(1); 15-25. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwendolyn M Cramer
- Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts
- Program in Molecular, Cellular and Organismal Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Dustin P Jones
- Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts
- Program in Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hamid El-Hamidi
- Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jonathan P Celli
- Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts.
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27
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Mody HR, Hung SW, AlSaggar M, Griffin J, Govindarajan R. Inhibition of S-Adenosylmethionine-Dependent Methyltransferase Attenuates TGFβ1-Induced EMT and Metastasis in Pancreatic Cancer: Putative Roles of miR-663a and miR-4787-5p. Mol Cancer Res 2016; 14:1124-1135. [PMID: 27624777 PMCID: PMC5107158 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-16-0083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2016] [Revised: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The identification of epigenetic reversal agents for use in combination chemotherapies to treat human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC) remains an unmet clinical need. Pharmacologic inhibitors of Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 (EZH2) are emerging as potential histone methylation reversal agents for the treatment of various solid tumors and leukemia; however, the surprisingly small set of mRNA targets identified with EZH2 knockdown suggests novel mechanisms contribute to their antitumorigenic effects. Here, 3-deazaneplanocin-A (DZNep), an inhibitor of S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase and EZH2 histone lysine-N-methyltransferase, significantly reprograms noncoding microRNA (miRNA) expression and dampens TGFβ1-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal (EMT) signals in pancreatic cancer. In particular, miR-663a and miR-4787-5p were identified as PDAC-downregulated miRNAs that were reactivated by DZNep to directly target TGFβ1 for RNA interference. Lentiviral overexpression of miR-663a and miR-4787-5p reduced TGFβ1 synthesis and secretion in PDAC cells and partially phenocopied DZNep's EMT-resisting effects, whereas locked nucleic acid (LNA) antagomiRNAs counteracted them. DZNep, miR-663a, and miR-4787-5p reduced tumor burden in vivo and metastases in an orthotopic mouse pancreatic tumor model. Taken together, these findings suggest the epigenetic reprogramming of miRNAs by synthetic histone methylation reversal agents as a viable approach to attenuate TGFβ1-induced EMT features in human PDAC and uncover putative miRNA targets involved in the process. IMPLICATIONS The findings support the potential for synthetic histone methylation reversal agents to be included in future epigenetic-chemotherapeutic combination therapies for pancreatic cancer. Mol Cancer Res; 14(11); 1124-35. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hardik R Mody
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Sau Wai Hung
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Mohammad AlSaggar
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Jazmine Griffin
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Rajgopal Govindarajan
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
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28
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Haider M, Zhang X, Coleman I, Ericson N, True LD, Lam HM, Brown LG, Ketchanji M, Nghiem B, Lakely B, Coleman R, Montgomery B, Lange PH, Roudier M, Higano CS, Bielas JH, Nelson PS, Vessella RL, Morrissey C. Epithelial mesenchymal-like transition occurs in a subset of cells in castration resistant prostate cancer bone metastases. Clin Exp Metastasis 2015; 33:239-48. [PMID: 26667932 DOI: 10.1007/s10585-015-9773-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
TGFβ is a known driver of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) which is associated with tumor aggressiveness and metastasis. However, EMT has not been fully explored in clinical specimens of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) metastases. To assess EMT in CRPC, gene expression analysis was performed on 149 visceral and bone metastases from 62 CRPC patients and immunohistochemical analysis was performed on 185 CRPC bone and visceral metastases from 42 CRPC patients. In addition, to assess the potential of metastases to seed further metastases the mitochondrial genome was sequenced at different metastatic sites in one patient. TGFβ was increased in bone versus visceral metastases. While primarily cytoplasmic; nuclear and cytoplasmic Twist were significantly higher in bone than in visceral metastases. Slug and Zeb1 were unchanged, with the exception of nuclear Zeb1 being significantly higher in visceral metastases. Importantly, nuclear Twist, Slug, and Zeb1 were only present in a subset of epithelial cells that had an EMT-like phenotype. Underscoring the relevance of EMT-like cells, mitochondrial sequencing revealed that metastases could seed additional metastases in the same patient. In conclusion, while TGFβ expression and EMT-associated protein expression is present in a considerable number of CRPC visceral and bone metastases, nuclear Twist, Slug, and Zeb1 localization and an EMT-like phenotype (elongated nuclei and cytoplasmic compartment) was only present in a small subset of CRPC bone metastases. Mitochondrial sequencing from different metastases in a CRPC patient provided evidence for the seeding of metastases from previously established metastases, highlighting the biological relevance of EMT-like behavior in CRPC metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maahum Haider
- Genitourinary Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Urology, University of Washington, Box 356510, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Xiaotun Zhang
- Genitourinary Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Urology, University of Washington, Box 356510, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Ilsa Coleman
- Divison of Human Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nolan Ericson
- Divison of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lawrence D True
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Hung-Ming Lam
- Genitourinary Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Urology, University of Washington, Box 356510, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Lisha G Brown
- Genitourinary Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Urology, University of Washington, Box 356510, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Melanie Ketchanji
- Genitourinary Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Urology, University of Washington, Box 356510, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Belinda Nghiem
- Genitourinary Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Urology, University of Washington, Box 356510, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Bryce Lakely
- Genitourinary Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Urology, University of Washington, Box 356510, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Roger Coleman
- Divison of Human Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Bruce Montgomery
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Paul H Lange
- Genitourinary Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Urology, University of Washington, Box 356510, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.,Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Martine Roudier
- Genitourinary Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Urology, University of Washington, Box 356510, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Celestia S Higano
- Genitourinary Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Urology, University of Washington, Box 356510, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jason H Bielas
- Divison of Human Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Divison of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Peter S Nelson
- Divison of Human Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Robert L Vessella
- Genitourinary Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Urology, University of Washington, Box 356510, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.,Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Colm Morrissey
- Genitourinary Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Urology, University of Washington, Box 356510, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
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29
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Pasquier J, Abu-Kaoud N, Al Thani H, Rafii A. Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in a Clinical Perspective. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2015; 2015:792182. [PMID: 26425122 PMCID: PMC4575734 DOI: 10.1155/2015/792182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2014] [Accepted: 01/13/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Tumor growth and metastatic dissemination rely on cellular plasticity. Among the different phenotypes acquired by cancer cells, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been extensively illustrated. Indeed, this transition allows an epithelial polarized cell to acquire a more mesenchymal phenotype with increased mobility and invasiveness. The role of EMT is quite clear during developmental stage. In the neoplastic context in many tumors EMT has been associated with a more aggressive tumor phenotype including local invasion and distant metastasis. EMT allows the cell to invade surrounding tissues and survive in the general circulation and through a stem cell phenotype grown in the host organ. The molecular pathways underlying EMT have also been clearly defined and their description is beyond the scope of this review. Here we will summarize and analyze the attempts made to block EMT in the therapeutic context. Indeed, till today, most of the studies are made in animal models. Few clinical trials are ongoing with no obvious benefits of EMT inhibitors yet. We point out the limitations of EMT targeting such tumor heterogeneity or the dynamics of EMT during disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Pasquier
- Stem Cell and Microenvironment Laboratory, Department of Genetic Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Nadine Abu-Kaoud
- Stem Cell and Microenvironment Laboratory, Department of Genetic Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar
| | - Haya Al Thani
- Stem Cell and Microenvironment Laboratory, Department of Genetic Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Arash Rafii
- Stem Cell and Microenvironment Laboratory, Department of Genetic Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA
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30
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Park SA, Kim MJ, Park SY, Kim JS, Lee SJ, Woo HA, Kim DK, Nam JS, Sheen YY. EW-7197 inhibits hepatic, renal, and pulmonary fibrosis by blocking TGF-β/Smad and ROS signaling. Cell Mol Life Sci 2015; 72:2023-39. [PMID: 25487606 PMCID: PMC11113926 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-014-1798-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2014] [Revised: 11/27/2014] [Accepted: 12/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Fibrosis is an inherent response to chronic damage upon immense apoptosis or necrosis. Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) signaling plays a key role in the fibrotic response to chronic liver injury. To develop anti-fibrotic therapeutics, we synthesized a novel small-molecule inhibitor of the TGF-β type I receptor kinase (ALK5), EW-7197, and evaluated its therapeutic potential in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) mouse, bile duct ligation (BDL) rat, bleomycin (BLM) mouse, and unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mouse models. Western blot, immunofluorescence, siRNA, and ChIP analysis were carried out to characterize EW-7197 as a TGF-β/Smad signaling inhibitor in LX-2, Hepa1c1c7, NRK52E, and MRC5 cells. In vivo anti-fibrotic activities of EW-7197 were examined by microarray, immunohistochemistry, western blotting, and a survival study in the animal models. EW-7197 decreased the expression of collagen, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), fibronectin, 4-hydroxy-2, 3-nonenal, and integrins in the livers of CCl4 mice and BDL rats, in the lungs of BLM mice, and in the kidneys of UUO mice. Furthermore, EW-7197 extended the lifespan of CCl4 mice, BDL rats, and BLM mice. EW-7197 blocked the TGF-β1-stimulated production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), collagen, and α-SMA in LX-2 cells and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) isolated from mice. Moreover, EW-7197 attenuated TGF-β- and ROS-induced HSCs activation to myofibroblasts as well as extracellular matrix accumulation. The mechanism of EW-7197 appeared to be blockade of both TGF-β1/Smad2/3 and ROS signaling to exert an anti-fibrotic activity. This study shows that EW-7197 has a strong potential as an anti-fibrosis therapeutic agent via inhibition of TGF-β-/Smad2/3 and ROS signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-A Park
- College of Pharmacy, Ewha Womans University, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-750 South Korea
| | - Min-Jin Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Ewha Womans University, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-750 South Korea
| | - So-Yeon Park
- College of Pharmacy, Ewha Womans University, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-750 South Korea
| | - Jung-Shin Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Ewha Womans University, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-750 South Korea
| | - Seon-Joo Lee
- College of Pharmacy, Ewha Womans University, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-750 South Korea
| | - Hyun Ae Woo
- College of Pharmacy, Ewha Womans University, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-750 South Korea
| | - Dae-Kee Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Ewha Womans University, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-750 South Korea
| | - Jeong-Seok Nam
- Laboratory of Tumor Suppressor, Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University, Incheon, 406-840 South Korea
| | - Yhun Yhong Sheen
- College of Pharmacy, Ewha Womans University, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-750 South Korea
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31
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Zhu Z, Xu Y, Zhao J, Liu Q, Feng W, Fan J, Wang P. miR-367 promotes epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and invasion of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells by targeting the Smad7-TGF-β signalling pathway. Br J Cancer 2015; 112:1367-75. [PMID: 25867271 PMCID: PMC4402451 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2015.102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 01/08/2015] [Accepted: 02/16/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aberrant Smad7 expression contributes to the invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer cells. However, the potential mechanism underlying aberrant Smad7 expression in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains largely unknown. METHODS Bioinformatic prediction programmes and luciferase reporter assay were used to identify microRNAs regulating Smad7. The association between miR-367 expression and the overall survival of PDAC patients was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis. The effects of miR-367 and Smad7 on the invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer cells were investigated both in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS We found that miR-367 downregulated Smad7 expression by directly targeting its 3'-UTR in human pancreatic cancer cells. High level of miR-367 expression correlated with poor prognosis of PDAC patients. Functional studies showed that miR-367 promoted pancreatic cancer invasion in vitro and metastasis in vivo through downregulating Smad7. In addition, we showed that miR-367 promoted epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition by increasing transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-induced transcriptional activity. CONCLUSIONS The present study identified and characterised a signalling pathway, the miR-367/Smad7-TGF-β pathway, which is involved in the invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer cells. Our results suggest that miR-367 may be a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of human pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z Zhu
- 1] Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China [2] Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Y Xu
- 1] Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China [2] Department of Pancreatic and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - J Zhao
- 1] Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China [2] Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Q Liu
- 1] Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China [2] Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - W Feng
- 1] Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China [2] Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - J Fan
- Department of Pathology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Central Wulumuqi Road, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - P Wang
- 1] Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China [2] Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
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Yin JH, Zhu XY, Shi WD, Liu LM. Huachansu injection inhibits metastasis of pancreatic cancer in mice model of human tumor xenograft. Altern Ther Health Med 2014; 14:483. [PMID: 25496480 PMCID: PMC4320457 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-14-483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2013] [Accepted: 09/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Background Huachansu injection (HCS) is a water-soluble preparation made from Bufo gargarizans’s skin, which has been widely used in clinics for tumor therapy in China. Though the anti-cancer activity of HCS has been verified through studies in vitro and in vivo, there is little research about its potential anti-metastasis effect. The primary objective of this study was to assess the effects of HCS on both the invasion of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and on the progression of liver metastasis in vivo in this study. Methods HCS anti-metastasis potential was accessed using both assay of Cell viability and invasion in vitro, and then further Establishing xenograft model in nude mice. In the cell-based assay, mRNA and protein expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and VEGF was detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and western blotting. In animal experiment, liver metastasis nodules and change of liver-body ratio was observed. Meanwhile, correlation of the CA19-9 and CEA content in serum with the progression of liver metastasis was analyzed. Result We observed that HCS prevented the invasion of cancer cells, with inhibiting the expressions of MMP-2 and MMP-9, and reduced not only the number of metastasis nodules but the ratio of liver-body weight as well. Furthermore, HCS decreased the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and VEGF in liver metastasis, while also reducing CA19-9 contents in serum. In addition, correlation analysis indicated that the level of CA19-9 in serum was closely related to the number of liver metastasis nodules. Conclusion Our experimental results suggest that HCS has some anti-metastasis potential to suppress the growth of liver metastasis by decreasing the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 as well as VEGF. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1472-6882-14-483) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Dong B, Dai G, Xu L, Zhang Y, Ling L, Sun L, Lv J. Tumor cell lysate induces the immunosuppression and apoptosis of mouse immunocytes. Mol Med Rep 2014; 10:2827-34. [PMID: 25310154 PMCID: PMC4227419 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2014.2606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2014] [Accepted: 06/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Although tumor cell lysate (TCL) is a type of immunocyte stimulator, its immunosuppressive function must not be ignored. The present study reported that TCL prepared from a Lewis lung cancer cell was able to induce the development of immunosuppressive macrophages (MΦ) and tolerogenic dendritic cells. In addition, TCL upregulated the expression of CD69 in mouse splenocytes, and cell apoptosis and the percentage of regulatory T cells in mouse splenocytes simultaneously increased. Furthermore, the present study found that the immunosuppressive factor, hyaluronan, and the apoptosis inducers, Fas ligand and transforming growth factor-β, are present in TCL. These components may be associated with the emergence of immunosuppressive cells or splenocyte apoptosis. Thus, the present study has enriched our understanding of the composition of TCL and its negative regulatory effect on immunocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bohan Dong
- Department of Biochemistry, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui 241002, P.R. China
| | - Guangli Dai
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital of Wuhu, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, P.R. China
| | - Lei Xu
- Department of Biochemistry, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui 241002, P.R. China
| | - Yao Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui 241002, P.R. China
| | - Liefeng Ling
- Department of Biochemistry, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui 241002, P.R. China
| | - Lingling Sun
- Department of Biochemistry, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui 241002, P.R. China
| | - Jun Lv
- Department of Biochemistry, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui 241002, P.R. China
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Sun X, Kim YH, Phan TN, Yang BS. Topical application of ALK5 inhibitor A-83-01 reduces burn wound contraction in rats by suppressing myofibroblast population. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2014; 78:1805-12. [PMID: 25351330 DOI: 10.1080/09168451.2014.932666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Burn scar contracture that follows the healing of deep dermal burns causes severe deformation and functional impairment. However, its current therapeutic interventions are limited with unsatisfactory outcomes. When we treated deep second-degree burns in rat skin with activin-like kinase 5 (ALK5) inhibitor A-83-01, it reduced wound contraction and enhanced the area of re-epithelialization so that the overall time for wound closing was not altered. In addition, it reduced myofibroblast population in the dermis of burn scar with a diminished deposition of its biomarker proteins such as α-SMA and collagen. Treatment of rat dermal fibroblast with A-83-01 inhibited transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-dependent induction of α-SMA and collagen type I. Taken together, these results suggest that topical application of ALK5 inhibitor A-83-01 could be effective in preventing the contraction of burn wound without delaying the wound closure by virtue of its inhibitory activity against the TGF-β-induced increase of myofibroblast population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Sun
- a Chemical Kinomics Research Center , Korea Institute of Science and Technology , Seoul , Korea
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Chen MF, Zeng F, Qi L, Zu XB, Wang J, Liu LF, Li Y. Transforming growth factor‑β1 induces epithelial‑mesenchymal transition and increased expression of matrix metalloproteinase‑16 via miR‑200b downregulation in bladder cancer cells. Mol Med Rep 2014; 10:1549-54. [PMID: 25017509 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2014.2366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2013] [Accepted: 05/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor‑β1 (TGF‑β1) is involved in the migration and metastases of bladder cancer. The present study was designed to investigate whether TGF‑β1 is able to induce epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase‑16 (MMP‑16), and to identify an association between EMT and MMP‑16 in bladder cancer. Following TGF‑β1 treatment, samples of HTB9 and T24 bladder cancer cells were collected at various time points. Western blotting and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) confirmed that TGF‑β1 induced EMT in HTB9 and T24 cells at the protein and mRNA levels. The expression levels of the miR‑200 family were determined by qPCR, which indicated that TGF‑β1 treatment significantly reduced the expression of miR‑200b. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that MMP‑16 may be the target of miR‑200b. Reporter luciferase assay confirmed that MMP‑16 is a direct downstream functional target of miR‑200b. A Matrigel migration assay demonstrated that miR‑200b overexpression inhibited the migration of bladder cancer cells. In summary, the current study demonstrated that exogenous TGF‑β1 leads to the induction of EMT and the downregulation of miR‑200b in bladder cancer cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first evidence that MMP‑16 is a direct target of miR‑200b.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Feng Chen
- Department of Urology, Xiang Ya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China
| | - Feng Zeng
- Department of Urology, Xiang Ya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China
| | - Lin Qi
- Department of Urology, Xiang Ya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China
| | - Xiong Bing Zu
- Department of Urology, Xiang Ya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Urology, First Teaching Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, P.R. China
| | - Long Fei Liu
- Department of Urology, Xiang Ya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China
| | - Yuan Li
- Department of Urology, Xiang Ya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China
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Sheen YY, Kim MJ, Park SA, Park SY, Nam JS. Targeting the Transforming Growth Factor-β Signaling in Cancer Therapy. Biomol Ther (Seoul) 2014; 21:323-31. [PMID: 24244818 PMCID: PMC3825194 DOI: 10.4062/biomolther.2013.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2013] [Accepted: 09/24/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
TGF-β pathway is being extensively evaluated as a potential therapeutic target. The transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway has the dual role in both tumor suppression and tumor promotion. To design cancer therapeutics successfully, it is important to understand TGF-β related functional contexts. This review discusses the molecular mechanism of the TGF-β pathway and describes the different ways of tumor suppression and promotion by TGF-β. In the last part of the review, the data on targeting TGF-β pathway for cancer treatment is assessed. The TGF-β inhibitors in pre-clinical studies, and Phase I and II clinical trials are updated.
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Akbari A, Amanpour S, Muhammadnejad S, Ghahremani MH, Ghaffari SH, Dehpour AR, Mobini GR, Shidfar F, Abastabar M, Khoshzaban A, Faghihloo E, Karimi A, Heidari M. Evaluation of antitumor activity of a TGF-beta receptor I inhibitor (SD-208) on human colon adenocarcinoma. Daru 2014; 22:47. [PMID: 24902843 PMCID: PMC4077684 DOI: 10.1186/2008-2231-22-47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2013] [Accepted: 05/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway is involved in primary tumor progression and in promoting metastasis in a considerable proportion of human cancers such as colorectal cancer (CRC). Therefore, blockage of TGF-β pathway signaling via an inhibitor could be a valuable tool in CRC treatment. METHODS To evaluate the efficacy of systemic targeting of the TGF-β pathway for therapeutic effects on CRC, we investigated the effects of a TGβRI (TGF-β receptor 1) or TβRI kinase inhibitor, SD-208, on SW-48, colon adenocarcinoma cells. In this work, in vitro cell proliferation was studied by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) and bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) assays. Also, the histopathological and immunohistochemical evaluations were conducted by hematoxylin and eosin, and Ki-67 and CD34 markers were stained, respectively. RESULTS Our results showed no significant reduction in cell proliferation and vessel formation (170 ± 70 and 165 ± 70, P > 0.05) in treated SW-48 cells with SD-208 compared to controls. CONCLUSION Our data suggested that SD-208 could not significantly reduce tumor growth and angiogenesis in human colorectal cancer model at least using SW-48 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abolfazl Akbari
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Medical Technologies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saeid Amanpour
- Cancer Research Center, Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Samad Muhammadnejad
- Cancer Research Center, Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hossein Ghahremani
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Medical Technologies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Hamidollah Ghaffari
- Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ahmad Reza Dehpour
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Gholam Reza Mobini
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Medical Technologies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Shidfar
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Medical Technologies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahdi Abastabar
- Invasive Fungi Research Center, Department of Medical Mycology and Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Ahad Khoshzaban
- Stem Cells Preparation Uinte, Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ebrahim Faghihloo
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Karimi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine (FATiM), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mansour Heidari
- Stem Cells Preparation Uinte, Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Zarzynska JM. Two faces of TGF-beta1 in breast cancer. Mediators Inflamm 2014; 2014:141747. [PMID: 24891760 PMCID: PMC4033515 DOI: 10.1155/2014/141747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2014] [Revised: 04/16/2014] [Accepted: 04/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is potentially life-threatening malignancy that still causes high mortality among women. Scientific research in this field is focused on deeper understanding of pathogenesis and progressing of BC, in order to develop relevant diagnosis and improve therapeutic treatment. Multifunctional cytokine TGF- β 1 is one of many factors that have a direct influence on BC pathophysiology. Expression of TGF- β 1, induction of canonical and noncanonical signaling pathways, and mutations in genes encoding TGF- β 1 and its receptors are correlated with oncogenic activity of this cytokine. In early stages of BC this cytokine inhibits epithelial cell cycle progression and promotes apoptosis, showing tumor suppressive effects. However, in late stages, TGF- β 1 is linked with increased tumor progression, higher cell motility, cancer invasiveness, and metastasis. It is also involved in cancer microenvironment modification and promotion of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). This review summarizes the current knowledge on the phenomenon called "TGF- β 1 paradox", showing that better understanding of TGF- β 1 functions can be a step towards development of new therapeutic approaches. According to current knowledge several drugs against TGF- β 1 have been developed and are either in nonclinical or in early stages of clinical investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Magdalena Zarzynska
- Department of Food Hygiene and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, WULS-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
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Jin X, Wu Y. Berbamine enhances the antineoplastic activity of gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer cells by activating transforming growth factor-β/Smad signaling. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2014; 297:802-9. [PMID: 24619961 DOI: 10.1002/ar.22897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2013] [Revised: 01/20/2014] [Accepted: 01/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Drug-resistance to gemcitabine chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer is still an unsolved problem. Combinations of other chemotherapy drugs with gemcitabine have been shown to increase the efficacy of gemcitabine-based treatment. In this study, the effect of berbamine on the antitumor activity of gemcitabine was evaluated in human pancreatic cancer cell lines Bxpc-3 and Panc-1, and the underlying mechanisms were explored. Our results demonstrated that berbamine exhibited a time- and dose-dependent inhibitory effect in the pancreatic cancer cell lines. Berbamine enhanced gemcitabine-induced cell growth inhibition and apoptosis in these cells. Combined treatment of berbamine and gemcitabine resulted in down-regulation of anti-apoptotic proteins (Bcl-2, Bcl-xL) and up-regulation of pro-apoptotic proteins (Bax, Bid). More importantly, berbamine treatment in combination with gemcitabine activated the transforming growth factor-β/Smad (TGF-β/Smad) signaling pathway, as a result of a decrease in Smad7 and an increase in transforming growth factor-β receptor II (TβRII) expression. Changes in downstream targets of Smad7, such as up-regulation of p21 and down-regulation of c-Myc and Cyclin D1 were also observed. Therefore, berbamine could enhance the antitumor activity of gemcitabine by inhibiting cell growth and inducing apoptosis, possibly through the regulation of the expression of apoptosis-related proteins and the activation of TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway. Our study indicates that berbamine may be a promising candidate to be used in combination with gemcitabine for pancreatic cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Jin
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, 310009
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40
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Lee YH, Schiemann WP. Chemotherapeutic Targeting of the Transforming Growth Factor-β Pathway in Breast Cancers. BREAST CANCER MANAGEMENT 2014; 3:73-85. [PMID: 25904986 DOI: 10.2217/bmt.13.74] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor (TGF-β) is a multifunctional cytokine that plays essential roles in regulating mammary gland development, morphogenesis, differentiation, and involution. TGF-β also regulates mammary gland homeostasis and prevents its transformation by prohibiting dysregulated cell cycle progression, and by inducing apoptosis; it also creates cell microenvironments that readily inhibit cell migration, invasion, and metastasis. Interestingly, while early-stage mammary tumors remain sensitive to the tumor suppressing activities of TGF-β, late-stage breast cancers become insensitive to the anticancer functions of this cytokine and instead rely upon TGF-β to drive disease and metastatic progression. This switch in TGF-β function is known as the "TGF-β Paradox" and represents the rationale for developing chemotherapies to inactivate the TGF-β pathway and its oncogenic functions in late-stage breast cancers. Here we outline the molecular mechanisms that manifest the "TGF-β Paradox" and discuss the challenges associated with the development and use of anti-TGF-β agents to treat breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Hun Lee
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Division of General Medical Sciences-Oncology, Case Western Reserve University, Wolstein Research Building, 2103 Cornell Road Cleveland, OH 44106
| | - William P Schiemann
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Division of General Medical Sciences-Oncology, Case Western Reserve University, Wolstein Research Building, 2103 Cornell Road Cleveland, OH 44106
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Marino FE, Risbridger G, Gold E. The therapeutic potential of blocking the activin signalling pathway. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2013; 24:477-84. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2013.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2013] [Revised: 04/29/2013] [Accepted: 04/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Zhang X, Min KW, Liggett J, Baek SJ. Disruption of the transforming growth factor-β pathway by tolfenamic acid via the ERK MAP kinase pathway. Carcinogenesis 2013; 34:2900-7. [PMID: 23864386 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgt250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) modulates diverse cell physiological processes and plays a complicated role in tumor development. It has been well established that TGF-β inhibits cell proliferation in normal and early stage carcinoma and facilitates tumor metastasis in late-stage carcinoma. Therefore, blocking TGF-β signaling in advanced stage carcinogenesis provides a potentially interesting chemotherapeutic strategy. We aimed to determine the effect of tolfenamic acid (TA) on TGF-β-induced protumorigenic activity. Here, we demonstrate that TA attenuates tumor-promoting effects of TGF-β in cancer cells. Further observation indicates TA blocks the TGF-β/Smad pathway, and this blockage is mainly attributed to the interference of TGF-β1-driven phosphorylation of Smad2/3. We also show that TA could exert this effect on cancer cell lines from several different origins and that TA is much better than other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with respect to inhibition of TGF-β1-induced Smad2 phosphorylation. Finally, extracellular signal-regulated kinase mitogen-activated protein kinase plays a role in TA-induced suppression of Smad2/3 phosphorylation and subsequent nuclear accumulation of Smad2/3 in response to TGF-β1. Our study provides a possible mechanism by which TA affects anticancer activity by inhibiting the TGF-β pathway and sheds light on the application of TA for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Zhang
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA and
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Yang H, Li G, Wu JJ, Wang L, Uhler M, Simeone DM. Protein kinase A modulates transforming growth factor-β signaling through a direct interaction with Smad4 protein. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:8737-8749. [PMID: 23362281 PMCID: PMC3605691 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.455675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signaling normally functions to regulate embryonic development and cellular homeostasis. It is increasingly recognized that TGFβ signaling is regulated by cross-talk with other signaling pathways. We previously reported that TGFβ activates protein kinase A (PKA) independent of cAMP through an interaction of an activated Smad3-Smad4 complex and the regulatory subunit of the PKA holoenzyme (PKA-R). Here we define the interaction domains of Smad4 and PKA-R and the functional consequences of this interaction. Using a series of Smad4 and PKA-R truncation mutants, we identified amino acids 290-300 of the Smad4 linker region as critical for the specific interaction of Smad4 and PKA-R. Co-immunoprecipitation assays showed that the B cAMP binding domain of PKA-R was sufficient for interaction with Smad4. Targeting of B domain regions conserved among all PKA-R isoforms and exposed on the molecular surface demonstrated that amino acids 281-285 and 320-329 were required for complex formation with Smad4. Interactions of these specific regions of Smad4 and PKA-R were necessary for TGFβ-mediated increases in PKA activity, CREB (cAMP-response element-binding protein) phosphorylation, induction of p21, and growth inhibition. Moreover, this Smad4-PKA interaction was required for TGFβ-induced epithelial mesenchymal transition, invasion of pancreatic tumor cells, and regulation of tumor growth in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huibin Yang
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Gangyong Li
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Jing-Jiang Wu
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Lidong Wang
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Michael Uhler
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Diane M Simeone
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109; Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109; Translational Oncology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109.
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Kovacevic Z, Chikhani S, Lui GYL, Sivagurunathan S, Richardson DR. The iron-regulated metastasis suppressor NDRG1 targets NEDD4L, PTEN, and SMAD4 and inhibits the PI3K and Ras signaling pathways. Antioxid Redox Signal 2013; 18:874-87. [PMID: 22462691 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2011.4273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The metastasis suppressor gene, N-myc downstream regulated gene-1 (NDRG1), is negatively correlated with tumor progression in multiple neoplasms, including pancreatic cancer. Moreover, NDRG1 is an iron-regulated gene that is markedly upregulated by cellular iron-depletion using novel antitumor agents such as the chelator, di-2-pyridylketone 4,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Dp44mT), in pancreatic cancer cells. However, the exact function(s) of NDRG1 remain to be established and are important to elucidate. RESULTS In the current study, using gene-array analysis along with NDRG1 overexpression and silencing, we identified the molecular targets of NDRG1 in three pancreatic cancer cell lines. We demonstrate that NDRG1 upregulates neural precursor cell expressed developmentally downregulated 4-like (NEDD4L) and GLI-similar-3 (GLIS3). Further studies examining the downstream effects of NEDD4L led to the discovery that NDRG1 affects the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway, leading to the upregulation of two key tumor suppressor proteins, namely phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) and mothers against decapentaplegic homolog-4 (SMAD4). Moreover, NDRG1 inhibited the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and Ras oncogenic pathways. INNOVATION This study provides significant insights into the mechanisms underlying the antitumor activity of NDRG1. For the first time, a role for NDRG1 is established in regulating the key signaling pathways involved in oncogenesis (TGF-β, PI3K, and Ras pathways). CONCLUSION The identified target genes of NDRG1 and their effect on the TGF-β signaling pathway reveal its molecular function in pancreatic cancer and a novel therapeutic avenue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaklina Kovacevic
- Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Lebrun JJ. The Dual Role of TGFβ in Human Cancer: From Tumor Suppression to Cancer Metastasis. ISRN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2012; 2012:381428. [PMID: 27340590 PMCID: PMC4899619 DOI: 10.5402/2012/381428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 232] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2012] [Accepted: 10/12/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) superfamily encompasses widespread and evolutionarily conserved polypeptide growth factors that regulate and orchestrate growth and differentiation in all cell types and tissues. While they regulate asymmetric cell division and cell fate determination during early development and embryogenesis, TGFβ family members play a major regulatory role in hormonal and immune responses, cell growth, cell death and cell immortalization, bone formation, tissue remodeling and repair, and erythropoiesis throughout adult life. The biological and physiological functions of TGFβ, the founding member of this family, and its receptors are of central importance to human diseases, particularly cancer. By regulating cell growth, death, and immortalization, TGFβ signaling pathways exert tumor suppressor effects in normal cells and early carcinomas. Thus, it is not surprising that a high number of human tumors arise due to mutations or deletions in the genes coding for the various TGFβ signaling components. As tumors develop and progress, these protective and cytostatic effects of TGFβ are often lost. TGFβ signaling then switches to promote cancer progression, invasion, and tumor metastasis. The molecular mechanisms underlying this dual role of TGFβ in human cancer will be discussed in depth in this paper, and it will highlight the challenge and importance of developing novel therapeutic strategies specifically aimed at blocking the prometastatic arm of the TGFβ signaling pathway without affecting its tumor suppressive effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Jacques Lebrun
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada H3A 1A1
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Perrot CY, Javelaud D, Mauviel A. Overlapping activities of TGF-β and Hedgehog signaling in cancer: therapeutic targets for cancer treatment. Pharmacol Ther 2012; 137:183-99. [PMID: 23063491 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2012.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2012] [Accepted: 09/28/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in the field of cancer therapeutics come from the development of drugs that specifically recognize validated oncogenic or pro-metastatic targets. The latter may be mutated proteins with altered function, such as kinases that become constitutively active, or critical components of growth factor signaling pathways, whose deregulation leads to aberrant malignant cell proliferation and dissemination to metastatic sites. We herein focus on the description of the overlapping activities of two important developmental pathways often exacerbated in cancer, namely Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β) and Hedgehog (HH) signaling, with a special emphasis on the unifying oncogenic role played by GLI1/2 transcription factors. The latter are the main effectors of the canonical HH pathway, yet are direct target genes of TGF-β/SMAD signal transduction. While tumor-suppressor in healthy and pre-malignant tissues, TGF-β is often expressed at high levels in tumors and contributes to tumor growth, escape from immune surveillance, invasion and metastasis. HH signaling regulates cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis, and aberrant HH signaling is found in a variety of cancers. We discuss the current knowledge on HH and TGF-β implication in cancer including cancer stem cell biology, as well as the current state, both successes and failures, of targeted therapeutics aimed at blocking either of these pathways in the pre-clinical and clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole Y Perrot
- Institut Curie, Team TGF-β and Oncogenesis, 91400, Orsay, France; INSERM U1021, 91400, Orsay, France
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Butz H, Rácz K, Hunyady L, Patócs A. Crosstalk between TGF-β signaling and the microRNA machinery. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2012; 33:382-93. [PMID: 22613783 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2012.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 171] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2011] [Revised: 04/05/2012] [Accepted: 04/12/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The activin/transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway plays an important role in tumorigenesis either by its tumor suppressor or tumor promoting effect. Loss of members of the TGF-β signaling by somatic mutations or epigenetic events, such as DNA methylation or regulation by microRNA (miRNA), may affect the signaling process. Most members of the TGF-β pathway are known to be targeted by one or more miRNAs. In addition, the biogenesis of miRNAs is also regulated by TGF-β both directly and through SMADs. Based on these interactions, it appears that autoregulatory feedback loops between TGF-β and miRNAs influence the fate of tumor cells. Our aim is to review the crosstalk between TGF-β signaling and the miRNA machinery to highlight potential novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henriett Butz
- 2nd Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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Buijs JT, Stayrook KR, Guise TA. TGF-β in the Bone Microenvironment: Role in Breast Cancer Metastases. CANCER MICROENVIRONMENT : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL CANCER MICROENVIRONMENT SOCIETY 2011; 4:261-81. [PMID: 21748439 PMCID: PMC3234330 DOI: 10.1007/s12307-011-0075-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2011] [Accepted: 06/28/2011] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among females worldwide. It has long been known that cancers preferentially metastasize to particular organs, and bone metastases occur in ∼70% of patients with advanced breast cancer. Breast cancer bone metastases are predominantly osteolytic and accompanied by bone destruction, bone fractures, pain, and hypercalcemia, causing severe morbidity and hospitalization. In the bone matrix, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is one of the most abundant growth factors, which is released in active form upon tumor-induced osteoclastic bone resorption. TGF-β, in turn, stimulates bone metastatic cells to secrete factors that further drive osteolytic destruction of the bone adjacent to the tumor, categorizing TGF-β as a crucial factor responsible for driving the feed-forward vicious cycle of cancer growth in bone. Moreover, TGF-β activates epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, increases tumor cell invasiveness and angiogenesis and induces immunosuppression. Blocking the TGF-β signaling pathway to interrupt this vicious cycle between breast cancer and bone offers a promising target for therapeutic intervention to decrease skeletal metastasis. This review will describe the role of TGF-β in breast cancer and bone metastasis, and pre-clinical and clinical data will be evaluated for the potential use of TGF-β inhibitors in clinical practice to treat breast cancer bone metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen T. Buijs
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 980 West Walnut Street, Walther Hall R3, #C132, Indianapolis, IN USA
| | - Keith R. Stayrook
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 980 West Walnut Street, Walther Hall R3, #C132, Indianapolis, IN USA
| | - Theresa A. Guise
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 980 West Walnut Street, Walther Hall R3, #C132, Indianapolis, IN USA
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Corporeau C, Groisillier A, Jeudy A, Barbeyron T, Fleury E, Fabioux C, Czjzek M, Huvet A. A functional study of transforming growth factor-beta from the gonad of Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2011; 13:971-980. [PMID: 21271272 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-010-9361-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2010] [Accepted: 12/25/2010] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
The transforming growth factor (TGF)-β superfamily is a group of important growth factors involved in multiple processes such as differentiation, cell proliferation, apoptosis and cellular growth. In the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas, the oyster gonadal (og) TGF-β gene was recently characterized through genome-wide expression profiling of oyster lines selected to be resistant or susceptible to summer mortality. Og TGF-β appeared specifically expressed in the gonad to reach a maximum when gonads are fully mature, which singularly contrasts with the pleiotropic roles commonly ascribed to most TGF-β family members. The function of og TGF-β protein in oysters is unknown, and defining its role remains challenging. In this study, we develop a rapid bacterial production system to obtain recombinant og TGF-β protein, and we demonstrate that og TGF-β is processed by furin to a mature form of the protein. This mature form can be detected in vivo in the gonad. Functional inhibition of mature og TGF-β in the gonad was conducted by inactivation of the protein using injection of antibodies. We show that inhibition of og TGF-β function tends to reduce gonadic area. We conclude that mature og TGF-β probably functions as an activator of germ cells development in oyster.
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Park CY, Kim DK, Sheen YY. EW-7203, a novel small molecule inhibitor of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) type I receptor/activin receptor-like kinase-5, blocks TGF-β1-mediated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in mammary epithelial cells. Cancer Sci 2011; 102:1889-96. [PMID: 21707864 PMCID: PMC11158462 DOI: 10.1111/j.1349-7006.2011.02014.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, small molecule inhibitors of transforming growth factorβ (TGF-β) type I receptor kinase ⁄ activin receptor-like kinase-5 (ALK5) have been developed to target TGF-β signalling as a therapeutic strategy for combating cancer. In the present study, the authors examined a novel small molecule inhibitor of ALK5, 3-((5- ([1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridin-6-yl)-4-(6-methylpyridin-2-yl)thiazol-2-ylamino)methyl)benzonitrile (EW-7203) in breast cancer cells to determine if it has potential for cancer treatment. The inhibitory effects of EW-7203 on TGF-β-induced Smad signalling and epithelial- to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were investigated in mammary epithelial cells using luciferase reporter assays, immunoblotting, confocal microscopy and wound healing assays. In addition, the suppressive effects of EW-7203 on mammary cancer metastasis to the lung were examined using a Balb ⁄ c xenograft model system. The novel ALK5 inhibitor, EW-7203, inhibited the TGF-β1-stimulated transcriptional activation of p3TP-Lux and pCA-GA₁₂- Luc. In addition, EW-7203 decreased phosphorylated Smad2 levels and the nuclear translocation of Smad2 was increased by TGF-β1. In addition, EW-7203 inhibited TGF-β1-induced EMT and wound healing of NMuMG cells. Furthermore, in xenografted Balb ⁄ c mice, EW-7203 inhibited metastasis to the lung from breast tumors. The novel ALK5 inhibitor, EW-7203, efficiently inhibited TGF-β1-induced Smad signalling, EMT and breast tumor metastasis to the lung in vivo, demonstrating that EW-7203 has therapeutic potential for breast cancer metastasis to the lung.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chul-Yong Park
- College of Pharmacy, Ewha Womans University, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Korea
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